13e Salon de l'Aquarelle en Limousin, France

I'm excited to have five pictures in this exhibition organized by the fabulous Australian watercolorist Janine Gallizia (now living and painting in France). Thank you for the invitation, Janine! Guests of honor are watercolor masters Joseph Zbukvic and Herman Pekel. There are about 25 other European and Australian artists of note, and I'm the only American represented.

13th Salon de l’Aquarelle

Château de Feuillade and the Cultural Centre Desoubsdanesthe in Saint Laurent Sur Gorre (Haute-Vienne) Limousin, France.

Saturday 12th July - 10th August 2008

Open every day from 2pm - 7pm.

There is more information on the Aquarelle-Limousin website.

Hispacuarela Exhibition - Cadiz, Spain

I'm very happy to have a painting in the 5th Hispacuarela International Exhibition in El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Spain, June 19-29, at Sala de Exposiciones Alfonso X El Sabio in collaboration with the Academia de Bellas Artes Santa Cecilia. There are over 100 artists represented from Spain and South America... I'm the only American, and no doubt the only non-Spanish-speaking person taking part. (why did I study German for five years instead of Spanish? or Italian? or Russian? Боже мой!)

Hispacuarela is a wonderful and active watercolor forum that I began to participate on after an invitation from my friend, Alex Sahores. (Alex, start a blog!) Along with Alex, there are many other great painters in that forum, and they have been very kind in putting up with my clumsy attempts to communicate via "Spanglish" and the online translator. I've made a number of friends there, and look forward to meeting them one of these days.

I haven't done a koi piece in a while, except in workshops, so I sent one over. It was purchased by a Hispacuarela member and the proceeds donated to the Academia to help defray the expenses of this large exhibition. The painting is pictured below with my friend from Bilbao, Nieves.

Plaza Art - Rockville Workshop

Thanks to all who attended the workshop at Plaza Art last weekend! It was a pretty intensive two days, but I believe everyone got something out of it that they'll be able to use in future work. As always, there was a range of experience from those who have just begun to explore watercolor, to those who are accomplished painters. One nice thing about art is that it's a bit like golf: you're really playing against yourself, not the rest of the group. This makes it possible for people of all levels to participate together, and have good a time. Many of the artists are members of watercolor societies in the DC area, and one person came down from New York.

Thanks also to Da Vinci Paints for providing their fabulous products!

The two Plaza Art workshops I've done filled quickly, so they're having me back a third time this year - probably in October. Information will be posted here and on my website as it becomes available.

5 Minutes Past the Big Hour of 5 O'Clock

Everything I knew about comedy growing up came from four people: Johnny Carson, Don Knotts, Tom Lehrer, and George Carlin. As a kid, my friends and I devoured stuff like George's AM/FM, Class Clown, Toledo Windowbox, etc. and thrilled at his cynical, irascible, irreverent hipness. He was the guy who talked about stuff nobody else did, and gave us the inside scoop - inspiring us to question the Establishment and Status Quo, while keeping us in stitches. Carlin's delivery, incomparable gift for dialect and inflection, and special quirk for observational humor set the standard for generations of comedians and fans that followed. As a friend wrote me today, "we're outliving all the good ones." Who could ever replace these people? Tom Lehrer is the only one left who played such a part part in shaping my appreciation for comedic genius, and understanding the world around us. We love and miss you George, and we're better people for having you in our lives. Bon voyage.

P.S. Bing bong!

Watercolor Artist Magazine - August 2008

The new August issue of Watercolor Artist magazine has a very good article on framing, written by editor Kelly Kane. I contributed my thoughts and methods re framing large scale work, and part of that is highlighted on page 67; pictured is my painting Summer Sonata.

In the same issue is another new ad from Da Vinci Paints on page 15. I created the examples shown as "Watercolor Effects with Da Vinci Fluid Acrylics."

Dallas

Just finished a 5-day workshop at Artists' Showplace, a vibrant and successful partnership gallery hosting workshops and keeping the watercolor scene (and other mediums) happening in these parts. A great group of people that also included a half-dozen online friends of mine - most of whom I met here for the first time....a bit of a family reunion, and a chance to make 20 more new friends. Many are experienced painters, and one is even a signature member of AWS and NWS. I was kept on my toes the whole week, and I know we're all exhausted....but happy. We painted in watercolor and acrylic watercolor using Da Vinci Fluid Acrylic. This was an eye-opener to many who discovered what is arguably the wave of the future in watermedia ....and I think there are some converts.

I want to thank all who participated....many travelled from other areas of Texas, Tucson, and Little Rock. Artists' Showplace has invited me back, and maybe we'll schedule again for next year - I'd love to return! I recommend the venue for any workshop lover, and want to remind that Arnold Lowrey will be returning there in September, and Sandy Maudlin will be teaching a Yupo class there in 2009.

Y'all were so nice, I don't want to leave today!

"Nassau #1: Discount Warehouse"

Nassau #1: Discount Warehouse 41" x 41" 2008

I posted the second picture in this series several weeks ago, and mentioned that it makes more sense if you see this one first. Anyway, this is composed from two shots I took in Nassau last February. The figure is a young man in his school uniform, necktie undone, who was waiting with a group of other students for a bus. I liked the profile I captured, and how his hand was raised to his mouth. I also liked the sign of the nearby Discount Warehouse, so combined them. It's painted on 140 lb. Fabriano Artistico paper with Da Vinci watercolors.

Framed, 48" x 49"

"The Alchemist"

The Alchemist is a song I wrote and recorded (all guitars, all instruments/sequencing, etc) several years ago for a Ringling Art School promotional film. This track is also used in my new Innovative Watermedia DVD which is now in stock at Creative Catalyst Productions. The DVD is the only one of its type with original music, as far as I know. We thought it would be effective for the production, and I hope everyone likes it.

Click on the arrow to play. (turn up your speakers!)