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Art Below Zero

Bundled-Up

The first winter Art Market at the Strand Center for the Arts, was a held on February 13th, during one of the coldest day of the year. It was -6(f) at the start of the day and the temperature rose to 10(f) by the time the market closed . It was so cold that as I assembled my display stand the Zip Ties broke every time I used them. I was able to bend the Zip Tie in my hand and they would just snap. I had to use bent paper clips to hold the display together.

My Outdoor Winter Display

I decided to adjust my normal market display to keep it as simple as possible. Didn’t use my EZ-Up because I didn’t want shade to keep things cold. I used 6′ wire closet shelves in a triangle formation to work as display stands, prewired the paintings to be easy to hang, and added a weight to the bottom. That worked surprisingly well, my customers were able to walk around and see paintings on each side, I will use it again. Add in a table with my cards and I was set to go in about 30 min.

The best sellers were cards and I sold 4 paintings of various sizes. From this experience will have to start offering cards on my web site.

I recorded the display on YouTube https://youtu.be/6orpWCqRxDs

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Surprise Winter Event

Owl Driftwood

Late last week I got a surprise! The Strand Center for the Arts is going to hold a series of 9 outdoor markets for 2021.

Now this will be an experience, since it is an outdoor market and the temperature is supposed to be a high of 7f (-14c). I will have to dress warm and I plan to keep the setup as simple as possible. It will be a table with small sculptures and my cards and 2 of the wire walls to hang some of my Driftwood frame paintings. I will also have a center table with a bin of my smaller works. This will keep the setup and tear down simple and avoid manipulating the EZ-up in the cold.

Squirrel Peek
Squirrel Peek

I did finish off a couple of paintings and frames just for this event.

Date/Times:
• February 13th 10am-2pm
• March 20th 10am-2pm
• May 8th 9am-2pm
• July 3rd 9am-2pm
• July 10th 9am-2pm
• September 11th 10am-2pm
• October 30th 10am-2pm
• November 27th 10am-2pm
• December 18th 10am-2pm
Location:
The Artisan Market will take place at the Strand Center for the Arts, 23 Brinkerhoff St, Plattsburgh. It will be on
the front lawn of the Art Center. All vendor spaces are 6 feet apart, adhering to Market Safety Guidelines.

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Barrister Bookcase Storage

Barrister Fabric case

I finished the Barrister bookcase I mentioned in my last post. It now sits in my wife’s sewing room so she can see the fabric she can choose from to make quilts. She makes wonderful quilts, and color selection and pattern are amazing. I will have to do a post on her work in the future.

The bookcase is 48″ wide with 5 sections all 16″ tall, with flip up doors with plexiglass front panels. The bookcase had a minor issue with the slides on the bottom drawer failing right after I did the final setup. The drawer slides were ones that I had as extras from another job, they were ok but not anywhere near the quality needed. The drawer with a 4 foot drawer length and only 12 inches deep the slides would rack and bind, the long length and small glide depth were the main issue. I ended up with a pair of the new Blum slides that work great. It did require remaking the whole box to get it right, but they work so well they are worth the price. I hate to have less than my best work leave my shop.

Foxy Lady

While working on house projects I carve out time to paint. I try to at least spend time every Sunday at my painting desk even when I have other projects waiting. I turn on the TV to Hockey, Football or Golf so it plays in the background, with a background noise I can tune out everything else and paint away.

Nuthatch Study

Painting a series of nuthatches on a single page is my way of pulling together images for a final painting in the future, fun to do and works on keeping a limited pallet so i work on color mixing.

Ron

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Winter Projects

The Golden Look

With the winter in full force, I have had the chance to tackle a few new projects. A little painting and a little time making a new barrister bookcase for my wife’s sewing room has kept me very busy.

Barrister Case 1
Barrister Case 1

I enjoy making furniture and while it ends up being a fair amount of time, I really like the results. This is a photo of the in process piece. I constructed each shelf is a separate section, giving me an easier time moving it around the shop. I used up a number of pieces of my lumber pile making the doors and I had the plexiglass from a “yard sale” at a local company a few years ago. Just awaiting door pulls and glass clips to finish the piece and get it out of my shop. My next furniture piece is a flat art file cabinet, like the ones used by architects for drawings and maps.

A couple of Foxes

I did complete a few pieces and have made a number of new frames so I have inspiration. I am also working to finish up the floor tiling the in master bath in the month of February, so painting schedule will slow down some.

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Back On-Line

It has been some time since I have been able to post, I finally have high speed internet at my home studio. Prior to this I have been limited by speed internet in my ability to add to my blog posts. Up loading photos has failed multiple times prior to the new internet, so adding blog posts made no sense.

Velda
Velda

I have a completed several commissioned paintings in the past two months for people that I have meet at the few markets. I have painted several pets and a couple of landscapes as Christmas presents. Happily I was able to complete all well ahead of my delivery dates. I always worry that I can meet the needs of my customers. Velda , Remmy and Buddy were a few of the pet portrait commissions.

  • Remmy in Birch Frame
    A commissioned painting of a golden-doodle.
  • Buddy the Boston Terrier Mix

I have been busy with many projects including making more than a dozen driftwood accented frames.

I have completed a couple of Heron paintings. The same subject in small and large sizes. Challenging myself to paint larger is a goal for 2021.

Heron in Wind – large 18×12
  • Heron in Wind – Small

A few Herons to round out the post.

Will be posting weekly now I can connect to the world!

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A Fall of Fun

Asheron

This fall has been great. Great weather and a chance to see the wildlife around my home. A fox has been around and was trotting across the lawns while we were on a walk. We were surprised by an owl flying just over our heads and into the woods. At the marsh down the road I saw a raccoon in the long grass scampering away and the herons have been close to the parking area making the car a perfect blind.

All this nature has been an inspiration for many of my paintings.

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Pet Portraits by Request

I did a few pet portraits for some friends and toon a commission to complete one by a customer ate a farmers market.

The first portrait was of Abby, a springer spaniel. We walk our dog Nico, along with Abby and a few other neighbors each evening. Abby is such a gentle dog. It took be 4 tries to get the true essence of Abby on paper. Learning that painting pet portraits isn’t easy. The big challenge for me is the eyes.

The other pet portrait is of a fellow artists “Shop cat” a Main coon cat that sits in his shop and watches him all day.

The final interesting part of the process if when a customer loved my dog paintings and asked if I had a painting of a Boston Terrier mix with one eye. I laughed and said not yet. he said he wanted done and he has his dog with him. He paid me for a small sized painting and we went over to his dog Buddy and too a number of pictures. Once I finish the piece I will send it to him in Texas.

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The challenge of outdoor markets

I have started to display my work at a couple of local farmers markets, with some minor success. Maybe a dozen vendors if we are lucky and as few as 50 people during the day. But it’s good to get out and work through setting up and displaying my art. I will have to make a list of booth fixtures I must bring. Today I forgot all my display racks and had to get my wife to bring them. Lucky it was not to far and she is a good sport.

The bigger challenge is one it the villages has become a “hot spot” and I believe that market will close. None the less I and learning and making connections with other crafters. It’s a real community, with interesting people

I also completed a few paintings this pas week and have added them to this post. Sold my kingfishers at the last market so wanted to do more.

I will be showing at the Strand-Ed art show on 9/26 10/3 and 10/10. It is a series of outdoor markets just for art. I will have to use my pop-up tent. Glad I have one, and I am working on display details.

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Farmers Markets

Today I finally had the chance to participate in a small farmers market in the village of Willsboro. It’s a Thursday market and very slow but it’s a chance to get out and show my art.

It’s nice to be out and talk to fellow artists. John, a woodworker was my neighbor and we had a good visit. I look forward to tomorrow where I am setting up in Elizabethtown next to my friend Ken Gadway.

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Summer Shift

With summer in the Adirondacks it’s time to do all the outdoor things that love so much. Fishing, swimming, sailing on lake Champlain on my Hobie, reading, napping in the hammock and sitting on the deck sketching.

I have done little painting but spending time working on my sketchbook generating ideas for the time I get back in the studio.

I participate in a plein-air (outdoor painting) group painting on Sunday afternoons. But summer storms have gotten in the way for the last few weeks. Plein-air is new to me and a great learning experience. Never happy with the results but seeing progress.