also, NEW WORK!!!!!

 All of these are available as limited edition archival prints. They look great. Email me if you want to get some prices for all DAT holiday shopping you're going to have to do eventually.

Sepulcher. 22 X 26, gouache on paper, 2015.

The Kingfisher's Bone Tree. 12 X 20, gouache on paper, 2015.

Soybean and Sunflower Scene. 17 X 22, gouache on paper, 2015.

A Recently Completed Painting.

Effigy Mound. 30 X 17, gouache on paper, 2014.

I like to keep things scary by working up to the ABSOLUTE final moment possible.  Why oh why do I work better under pressure?  Such a curse, such a damn curse. 

This is the final piece for my show, Iowa Dirt (thanks for photographing it, Teresa!).  I finished, photographed, matted, framed, and packaged it yesterday.  I will be shipping it to South Dakota in a couple hours and I couldn't be happier.  Yay!  Complete, I feel so giddy.

A Painting so Fresh it Hasn't Been Titled.

Too New to be Titled (next week?), 17 X 29, gouache on paper, 2013.

Oh, man.  Sorry for being such a terrible blogger, guys.  I feel like this show in South Dakota has taken over my life.  The good news?  Over the last two years:

1.  I have officially completed a body of work. 
2.  I have titled this body of work, Iowa Dirt. 
3.  I truly understand the concepts behind each gouache painting and have written a statement about my processes. 
4.  I have officially spent way too much goddamn money on framing and have a new life goal: learn how to frame.
5.  I have a closing reception date for my first solo show in well over two years.
6.  The gallery is covering half of my shipping costs.
7.  I've been published a couple times, I've gotten into a few juried exhibitions, and have participated in a handful of print exchanges/art swaps.
8.  I have worked with a friend to completely redo my website...Bruce, you are a golden god and I'm so thankful for all of your help.
9.  I have made some money selling art/t-shirts...not enough to come close to covering costs but I'm getting there (and I've saved all my receipts in case big brother is watching)

When I allow myself to breathe and focus on the big picture I can tell that I've accomplished a lot.  I basically just completed real life graduate school, only now I'm mature and existing outside of an academic bubble.  Sometimes I can get so emotionally buried in stress and I forget to step back and see how well I'm actually doing. 

I'm still making art.  I live in the middle of nowhere and I'm still connected with all of you.  So, thank you to anyone who is reading this.  I'm starting to balance all this grown up shit with who I am and that's pretty empowering. 

New Painting.

The Peace Tree. 24 X 16, gouache on paper, 2013.

New Painting!

"Chimney Lagoon." gouache on paper, 19 X 19, 2013.

This painting was truly a labor of love.  It was not an easy-breezy painting, seeing as I challenged myself to work in a new format...square with little white space surrounding the image.  I feel like I succeeded.  There were times when I wanted to die, times when I wanted to throw my paintbrushes into the garbage disposal and chug a bottle of Makers Mark...but I didn't.  I harnessed my chi, focused, and look what popped out of me...a painting.

I am chuffed.

A New Painting.

"Snake Nest Earth Mass (tentative title)" 15 X 13, gouache on paper, 2012.

my desk with image references. 

I've been hard at it, folks.  The hard work has paid off and I just completed my 8th piece for the 2012 season.  Phew.  I think I may even have enough time to squeeze in one more painting before the end of the Mayan calendar.

The photo isn't totally true to color but I wanted you guys to get the idea of what the new piece looks like.  When I take it to "my guy" for a photo shoot I'll post the new one. 

This Friday I will be traveling to Omaha to meet with Joel Damon of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art.  Joel invited me and a few other artists to have an exhibit at the Bemis Underground.  It's scheduled for February, 2013.  I'm completely honored and humbled by the invitation...once again, hard work pays off in the end. 

A Cropped Image of a New Painting.

smashed penny from greenmama!  thanks, Carmers!

It was a busy weekend but I managed to get a lot of painting done.  I've cropped this image to let the painting remain mysterious.  I still want the magic to be there for it's real unveiling in a week.  If I finish it, that is.  Damn holidays.

A New Photo of an Older Painting.

Woot Woot.  Not to be repetitive...but I love professional photographers.  

A New Photo of a Painting from a Few Months Ago.

 

A new photo of a previously photographed painting.  I LOVE MY PHOTOGRAPHER!!!

A New Photo of a Past Painting.

Hey, guys.  I posted this painting awhile ago but the new photograph looks so NICE that I thought I'd post it twice.  I'm so happy with my photographer, Alan Adams (In Oskaloosa, Iowa), I could dance.

New Painting.

"Marysville." approx. 22 X 18, gouache on paper, 2012.

New Painting.

"untitled (as of today), approx 15 X 20, gouache on paper, 2012.

As promised, here is one of the pieces I've recently completed.  I haven't decided if it needs further cropping but I'm leaning towards yes. 

Studio Time.

I'm almost finished with my 6th piece in the new body of work.  I feel like I need to pat myself on the back for ten minutes and give myself a hug.  It's not easy to get your focus on after working a 7-4 job that requires a full day of standing.  But I'm doing it. 

I've finally found a good work routine.  I create two drawings.  I pick one and work out all the compositional kinks and get it ready to paint.  While I paint that piece I go back to the other drawing and work out it's kinks...that way I don't get too bored painting and have multiple puzzles to solve.  It's a pretty great plan, it ensures that I always have something to work on and that there isn't any lag time.

My brain hurts today.