First Paintings

I'm finally off the road for a little bit and moved myself into the studio. It is better than I could have imagined. Karlene McConnell (http://www.karlenemcconnell.com) and Melissa Mason (http://www.melissamason.org) have started painting, too. We're cranking it out.

I wanted to share my first two paintings from this space. These are being premiered in a show that I have coming up in Orlando, at the Gallery of Avalon Island, 39 S. Magnolia Avenue, (407) 312-0708, between January and February. Four poets have been teamed up with eight artists. Each is creating visual or written art in response to the other's work.

I am been paired with Susan Lilley, an extraordinary poet. A wonderful central Florida photographer, Rafael Torres, is also working with Susan.

The first painting, Bees In Mourning (above), speaks to Susan's poem by the same title.

The second, Nirvana (below), responds to Susan's poem, Bill Evans at the Village Vanguard.

The latter poem evokes a legendary Manhattan jazz club that opened in '30's and is still going strong. It has attracted the likes of such jazz greats as Evans, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Mann, Diana Krall and countless others. Nirvana focuses on the imagery and lushness captured in Susan's poem: that song was a recording made by Mann with the Bill Evans Trio.

We haven't decided which paintings will be exhibited in this Orlando show, but I'll keep you posted.

A New Studio!

I have a dear pal, who is a great painter. Her name is Melissa Mason. With the help of contractors like Austin Ross (pictured below with Melissa and me), Melissa has rehabbed a stable, converting it into a 900+ square foot studio. Construction on the space was patterned after a studio at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, where we both study a few times per year. Melissa's studio will be creative home to Melissa, Karlene McConnell,

and (of course) me. Check out Melissa's work at http://www.melissamason.org/ (just scroll over the blank to the left and her site will become visible & click - Melissa's site is under rehab, too);

and Karlene's

art at http://www.karlenemcconnell.com/.

The studio overlooks pastoral acres and horses. It is filled with natural light, lit by special artificial lights mimicking daylight, and the painting surface on the walls are a special, super-durable material.

Another dear friend of ours, Audrey Phillips (http://www.audreyphillips.com/), snapped the photos that appear above. I took the following shots while construction was underway:

According to Austin, the studio is now completed. All that is needed is to screw in the light bulbs and install ceiling fans.

Melissa has requested our help in naming this beautiful studio space. Kindly submit your suggested names for the space in the "comments" section, below, or by sending along a message on Facebook to me. The name that Melissa adopts for her new studio will be treated to a nice gift!

October News

On October 1, my art is featured in a solo show at Art Charlotte Gallery, 205 W. Worthington Ave., Charlotte, NC, between 6 and 9 p.m. If you are in the neighborhood, I hope that you can join me there! Carnivale, pictured here, is included in this exhibit.

On October 9th, the Museum of Florida Art, 600 N. Woodland Ave., DeLand, FL (386.734.4371), hosts Art Attack: Florida Artists Give Back, between 5 and 7 p.m., an auction to benefit the Museum. Some Florida artists (including me!) have donated their art for this benefit. You can bid on-line now and prior to Oct. 9th or bid live at the Museum on that Saturday evening. Here's a link to MFA's website and this particular event:http://www.museumoffloridaart.org/auction/. While we're on the subject, I'll be teaching a workshop at MFA from 11/13-/14, 2010, Loosening Up With Mixed Media. The weekend workshop is for beginner, intermediate or experienced realistic artists who want to freshen up their art. Please follow this link for more information: http://museumoffloridaart.org/pdfs/education/zalisko.pdf, or call Pam Coffman, Curator of Education, at (386) 734-4371.

On October 8th, the Crealde School of Art, 600 St. Andrews Blvd., Winter Park, FL is hosting The Art of Hope, featuring about 45 pieces of art that interpret and reflect the historic, social and global significance of the election of Barack Obama as the first African American U.S. President. Artists were encouraged to broadly interpret or confront the significance of this historic election and the idea and impact of hope as a spiritual, social, political and environmental force. Pieces were chosen by juror Bobby Scroggins to be on view at two Crealdé School of Art venues: The Jenkins Gallery on the main campus and the Visiting Exhibition Gallery at the Heritage Center, from Friday, October 8 to Monday, January 17. Best of Show, Second Place and Third Place awards will be given for professional and emerging adult artists, and six awards will be given to children and teens, as well as one purchase award for permanent installation at the Heritage Center.

The juror and curator for The Art of Hope is Bobby Scroggins, sculptor and Associate Professor of Art at the University of Kentucky and visiting instructor at Crealdé School of Art.

One of the three paintings juried into this exhibit is pictured here: Imminent Threat IV. This piece reflects upon the environmental and political implications of the Deepwater oil spill and this catastrophe.

Five Years Later

The disastrous aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is still fresh in our minds, five years after that deluge. People died, a legendary American city was vanquished, and Gulf coast natives lost their homes, property, jobs and loved ones. We are still recovering from this devastating event.

I have not forgotten it. I recently challenged myself to paint a series based on present-day disasters. One of those paintings sprang from Katrina. While painting, I remembered riding through Gulf states a few months after the hurricane, flying over the region when I left, and witnessing a ravaged New Orleans. I returned a few months ago and was pleased to see NOLA recovering, slowly but surely. Imminent Threat 3 perhaps represents my modest tribute to the families affected by Katrina.

Back From A Workshop

This past week I attended a Directed Individual Study workshop with my art coach, Steve Aimone, and 10 other artists at central Florida's beautiful art refuge, Atlantic Center for the Arts.

We had the opportunity to paint and work 24/7. It was intense, great fun, and we all found new colleagues or deepened old friendships. I've included a few of my photos from this wonderful retreat.

If you are looking for a fun event, think about attending the opening of 100 % Pure Florida in Melbourne, FL. On September 3rd, this popular annual show opens at Fifth Avenue Art Gallery, located at 1470 Highland Ave., Melbourne, in the Eau Gallie Arts District. The gallery and the district come alive with music, refreshments, entertainment and, of course, this juried opening. This year, the competition was fierce: of more than 260 pieces of art, only 64 works were selected for this show. The opening reception will run between 5:30 and 9 p.m. My art is once again featured.

Witness to Creativity

From July 15th through the 23rd, 2010, I've been assisting my friend, mixed media fiber artist Fran Gardner, at the Florida Museum for Women Artists. The Museum is located at 100 N. Woodlawn Avenue in De Land. The Museum has invited 7 artists to create 6 installation pieces for this show. The artists have been hard at work during this time, creating their art andinteracting with visitors to the Museum.

Fran's installation focuses on the endangered bird species affected by the Deepwater oil spill. Her art, entitled "Habitat: Witness to the Gulf oil spill," concentrates on 8 different bird species. Under her direction, I have painted the fabric panels that she has pieced. Fran then stitches into each panel with silky, luminous threads and incorporates the image and name of the bird and visitor comments. Dialog between visitors and the artists is encouraged. They too witness the progression of each panel and their installation. The finished panels are then suspended from the Museum's Margaret Lee Gallery ceiling by silver wire.

A birdbath is prepared and will ultimately hold a bird's nest and replicas of bird eggs.

Visitors are encouraged to stop by, interact with Fran and me, and provide their input.

They may even find their words concerning this project or the Deepwater oil spill documented in this art!

All work by each of the six artists must be completed by July 23, 2010. The exhibit will run through August 29th. On August 21st at 2 p.m., the Museum will host a meet-the-artist event. The 6 artists will be discussing their respective installations with those who attend.

Go Figure

This coming Sunday, central Florida's popular annual juried figure show, Figuratively Speaking, opens at the Art League of Daytona Beach, 433 S. Palmetto Ave., Daytona Beach. Participating artists statewide are invited to submit art portraying the human figure in an environment. This year, Harry Messersmith will serve as the exhibit's juror. I hope that you can see the show. The opening will be on Sun., July 11th, from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served and the prize-winners will be announced. The exhibition continues for a month, with the galleries of the ALDB remaining open daily between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. One of my two entries, Another Day, is shown above.

The Hollingsworth Gallery, Suites 209 & 210 in City Walk, 160 Cypress Point Pkwy., Palm Coast, FL, will host an encore reception for its Abstract exhibit this coming Saturday, July 10th, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Artists will be present to meet and greet. My work is featured, including Visceral, below. The exhibit will continue through August 7th. Check out this wonderful new gallery's website for more information:

www.hollingsworthgallery.com

Abstract Show

I hope that you can catch a great abstract art exhibition at Hollingsworth Gallery, located at 160 Cypress Point Parkway, Suite 210B, Palm Coast, FL. The gallery is featuring abstract two- and three-dimensional art from select southeastern artists. Some of my art will be exhibited, including Three Cups Of Tea.

The exhibit opens on Saturday, June 12th, 2010 from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Light refreshments will be offered. The show runs through August 7th, 2010. Please check this link for more information about this beautiful gallery: http://www.hollingsworthgallery.com/Home.html.

New Shows

On April 22, 2010, my art will be featured at the Armory Arts Center, 1700 Parker Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL, in an exhibit that will run through May 14th. This show, entitled simply Armory Watch for Excellence, features the art of 12 artists selected by the Armory's Director and Curator for a mentoring program that will continue for two years. During this time, selected artists are followed in their studios and encouraged to produce a new body of work for exhibition at the Armory. I am one of those. For more information about this incredible, historic arts center, please visit its website: http://armoryart.org/.

On May 7th, 2010, my art will be featured in Dialography, a solo exhibition at the beautiful iGallery, located within the Campus Crusade, 100 Lake Hart Drive, Orlando, FL. There will be an opening reception that day from 2-3 p.m. The exhibit will continue through June 30th, A 'lunch with the artist' reception will also be held in June. More information will be forthcoming.

You're Invited!

You are warmly invited to attend the opening of Across the Universe at the Art League of Daytona Beach on March 7, 2010. On March 27, 2010, artist/sculptor/art historian, Louise Lieber, will moderate a gallery talk and panel discussion with the three artists. The events are free and open to all. Light refreshments will be served.

Also, on Monday, March 29th and Tuesday, March 30th, Fran and I will be painting and creating at the studios of the ALDB. Anyone is welcome to stop in between 10 a.m.-12noon and 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. those days to see what we're creating and for a private tour of the exhibit with the artists.

An Incredible Workshop

I and several of my friends, including my dear colleague Fran Gardner, attended a week long workshop with our gifted art coach, Steve Aimone, at the Atlantic Center for the Arts this past week. It concluded yesterday afternoon. All of us experienced a productive week and explored the parameters of our art-making. In this nurturing, honest and intense workshop, we produced some incredible art.

I decided to try out automatic drawing as a springboard for non-objective abstracting and as a tool for trouble-shooting work in progress. The results were quite rewarding for me. Steve shared other, useful tools for starting and completing abstract work.

After my first good night's sleep in a week, I'm ready for another coaching session!

RSVP-Members Only

The Maitland Art Center, located at 231 W. Packwood Avenue in Maitland, FL is an amazing art compound. Founded and designed in 1937 by Jules Andre Smith, its architecture and spirit echo Smith's original plan for this serene and inspiring artists' refuge. Read more about MAC on its website, www.maitlandartcenter.org, or here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitland_Art_Center.

On January 22, 2010, the RSVP-Members Only exhibition opens there. My work has been juried into this event. Both the gallery and its annex (Germane Marvel Center) will be open to members on the 22nd and to the public on Jan. 23rd. The show comes down on March 14m 2010.