Sunday, February 28, 2010

Scratchboard Still Life


This is a large (16"x20")Ampersand Art http://www.ampersandart.com/ scratchboard combined with acrylic paint and collage. It was hung at Dahlia Woods Gallery http://www.dahliawoodsgallery.com/ in Dallas. I'm happy to say, this and two other still life type scenes sold there. I'll be teaching a scratchboard and collage class at Eye Of The Dog Art Center http://www.eyeofthedogartcenter.com/ in San Marcos Sunday April 11th. This is an all day class starting at 10am. $95.00 A tasty lunch is included. I'll have plenty of tools and materials. All you need to bring is your creative selves! Go to their website to get more details and sign up.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Chicken Man Scratchboard


This is one of my larger, earlier scratchboards. "Chicken Man" It was based on a funny little wooden sculpture that I think I got at a yard sale. I love this creature...and I love Ampersand Art http://www.ampersandart.com/ scratchboard. Here's the commercial: I'll be teaching a free demonstration of this product tomorrow (Sat. Feb 27th) from 12-3pm at Jerry's Artarama on North I-35 Austin, TX. Come, spend an hour or a moment. I've got free samples for everyone!
And speaking of love, I am going thru what I can only explain as a '7 yr itch' with scratchboard. I love it, and have loved it very deeply for about 7 yrs. But lately, I've not done much of/or with it. Blame it on the weather, my mother dying in November, or me approaching my 55th birthday in April, I can't say for sure. What ever it is....that 'white-hot' love has waned a bit. Like any relationship, we are going thru a period of change. I don't think I want to leave scratchboard behind, I just need something different to happen. So, I've been exploring collage and even oil painting. I'm not 'cheating' just trying to put a little 'spice' back into our relationship. What's it all about scratchboard? Stay tuned to see what happens next!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

King of All Dogs


This is an older, sold scratchboard of mine. It is a Ampersand product, 16"x20" (http://www.ampersandart.com/) Tonight I had the pleasure of presenting information about the company and my favorite medium, scratchboard, to the Austin Fiber Artists. What a great group of folks. They had many of their projects there and I am thinking there may be some sort of fiber incorporated in future pieces of mine. Outstanding! I can't wait to see what they may come up with (and what I may come up with as a result of what I saw there). I will be teaching an all day class on scratchboard and collage at Eye of the Dog Art Center in San Marcos Texas http://www.eyeofthedogartcenter.com/ on Sunday, April 11th. It is very affordable, includes lunch, sample materials, and is in one of the most dynamic and fun art centers I've ever been to. The owners are both amazing artists and it is an unforgettable experience. Google it and sign up folks, if not for my class for another of the variety of classes offered. I'm also giving a free scratchboard demo at Jerry's Artarama here in Austin, Sat. Feb. 27th from 12-3pm. I love watching folks discover how much fun this is!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Early Scratchboard Work


Thought I'd post an earlier work of mine. This is a 16"x20" Ampersand Art www.ampersandart.com Scratchboard. "4&20" is the name, for obvious reasons. It's always a treat to look back and see what I was producing about 5 years ago. This looks very basic, stripped down, unfinished to me now. If you look at what I'm currently doing, it's hard to believe I was afraid of color and refused to use it. Soon I will be diving into oil painting head first. I did not pay attention to it at all when I was in first year art school. I hated the smell of turpentine and thought all the glazes and mixing and drawing was tedious. I guess I was just too young and stupid to get it. I do now. And I'm drawn to it.