Nothing quiet on the Western Front
At the staging area.
Saturday we took the RZR on the first real workout since I bought it. My boss lent me his truck, and JD, a friend, lent me his trailer. We went to Lake Pleasant, AZ (elevation 1700 ft.)Our destination was over the mountain, to Crown King (elevation 5900). We went from desert to mountains, from scrub brush and cactus to towering pines. Continue reading “Crown King”
The Drift Inn
Oil on canvas
Finally complete. The Drift Inn is one of my favorite haunts in Globe, Arizona. Dive bar, biker bar, local hangout, it has the best of everything.
Even at high noon the bar is dark inside. Residents of the local rez play pool. Southern rock or honkytonk country plays on the jukebox.
The Bloody Marys kick ass, or at least attempt to kick the previous night’s hangover. The hamburgers rate with those of any bar kitchen.
This painting will certainly be in the Drunks and Defectors exhibit in May.
Untitled as of yet
Oil on Canvas
Yet another nighttime stint in the studio, fueled by possibly too much Jameson.
There is a representational base underneath the layers of paint. If you can figure it out, please tell me.
Night Drinking
Liz Nicklus and I finally named the joint exhibit at Gallery 50 in Bridgeton, NJ this coming May.
Drunks and Defectors.
I have 15 bar-series paintings completed, and 3 more in the works. I have 5 abstracts that I am still debating on whether to include or not. I have 5 Desert Detritus clocks, and hope to build a few more.
Abstraction
Every now and then I have to go into the studio late at night, clear my head, and just lay down paint on canvas.
I have plan, no agenda, no preconception. My abstractions are generally not pure abstract pieces, they usually have a basis in representational painting, albeit quite tenuous.
This abstraction is based on Lucky Strikes bar around the corner from me. Many a night I have left the pub and it looked quite like this through my alcohol tinged eyes.
Drift Inn
oil on canvas
Again, sorry about the poor photo. This is the second painting I completed today.
The Drift Inn in Globe, AZ is one of those places that would be dangerous if I lived in Globe.
The 50 mile drive home is treacherous even when sober. A twisting mountain road is the only way home. The drive home is the only thing that keeps me honest.
The clientele is a mixed bag. Bikers, locals, and Apaches from the nearby San Carlos rez are regulars. A great kitchen and walls decorated with nude paintings … what else could one hope for at a dive bar?
This too, will be part of my exhibition of all never before shown works. The best thing about painting bar scenes is that my bar tabs are tax deductible!
Night Drinking
oil on canvas
I completed a painting today. The photograph is not the best. It is still wet, and it is extremely difficult to take a decent pic when the painting is still wet. In two weeks I will be able to take a proper shot when it is dry. Even ambient light causes unwanted glare.
While I am a fairly social being, drinking at the pub is expensive. Sometimes I do my best drinking alone. This painting is the result of one such night. It will be on exhibit at my two-person exhibit at Gallery 50 next May.
I went to Prescott (pronounced press-kit) AZ after Christmas. Prescott is known for Whiskey Row, once a notorious street populated by saloons and whore houses. The likes of Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp walked the streets and visited the businesses of Whiskey Row.
The Hotel St. Michael occupies the corner of the block, and marks the beginning of Whiskey Row. The Palace is next door… the oldest restaurant in Arizona.
The Palace is a tourist trap. I found out the hard way when I waited fifteen minutes at the bar to not be served. Continue reading “Prescott, AZ”
On Christmas break from work; don’t return until January 2. I spent some time in the studio getting it into shape to for working.
I removed two obsolete fluorescent fixtures and installed daylight LED lights. There is still a lot of clutter to be straightened up but I am at least able to reach the easels.
I worked on two paintings that I had started earlier in the year, before the summer heat kicked me out of the studio. Continue reading “In the studio”
On my recent visit to the California Science Center I viewed exhibits from the past (King Tut) and the future. The Endeavour was NASA’s fifth and final shuttle. It is now permanently housed at the California Science center. Continue reading “Endeavour”