Tuesday, February 28, 2017

SPRING REFLECTION

8" X 8"
Oil on panel
Here's another idea that sat on the back burner for quite some time.
That's Mt. Werner in the background - our local ski area.
This photo was taken on a bike ride when spring was popping up all around
and the snow was still visible on the ski runs. We don't always have this phenomenon 
in the spring but the combination of a big snow year and cold nights preserve the snow up high.
It's not a given and who knows what spring will bring this year.
Thanks a bunch - MB
 

Sunday, February 26, 2017

THE SCOTTY TWINS

"The Scotty Twins of Strawberry Park"
8" X 8"
Oil on panel
These Scottish highlanders escaped from their original home and travelled quite
far on their own. They ended up in my neighbors pasture. The Scotty owner was suppose to come and
get them but that didn't happen and they ended up staying in Strawberry Park till the end of the summer.
It was a treat to see the Scotty twins everyday on my way home from town. 
That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Thanks a bunch MB
 
 

Saturday, February 25, 2017

COFFEE BREAK

8" X 8" 
Oil on panel
Think spring! 
We had spring weather the last few weeks - today we returned to winter.
Today was the first day in a long time that we went skiing on some pretty great snow. It was wonderful!
Thanks for taking a look. And think snow. 

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

CHERRY CRUISER

Finally something new and different. 
8" X 6"
Oil
The store I have some work in requested some bicycle paintings, how fun is that?
I'm working on a series of bike paintings for them. It's not easy because I'm not sure what I want
from this assignment. It should become clear soon. 
Thanks a bunch - MB
 

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Roomful of Views

Here's the small works show at Center for Visual Arts
837 Lincoln Ave
Steamboat Springs, CO
My fairy lights need to be replaced with a set of fairy lights with a timer.
I've ordered a replacement set not sure when they will arrive.
The fairy lights in my piece only last 2 days the set with a timer
will work for 5 days. Live and learn. If you go and the lights are out
I apologize! 
Thanks a bunch - MB

Saturday, February 18, 2017

ROOMFUL OF VIEWS

"Roomful of Views"
Here's my finished piece for the small works show at the gallery.
It's hard to photograph so if you're in town in the next month stop on by the gallery 
837 Lincoln Ave.
Steamboat Springs, CO
and take a look. 
This piece is a prototype for something larger. I've attached a large price tag because
I am not interested in selling this piece. I can imagine this piece room size with everyone together 
walking inside the room. Wouldn't that be cool? 
The room is lined with mirror, a glass peace orbacle with peace written in 37 different 
world languages. There's a hanging crystal - a pearl - turtle and some other surprises.
  Grand Canyon - Mexico USA references to add some interest. It's lit with fairy lights attached to the ceiling.
 
Thanks for taking a look. I'll post installation photos next. 
Later MB

Thursday, February 16, 2017

HOMEWARD BOUND

In between making all the pendants and Roomful of Views house sculpture I painted this little
4" X 10" just for fun. I had forgotten all about it. It's getting framed today and dropped
off downtown tomorrow. 
My Roomful of Views mixed media piece is getting another addition today. 
I'll post when completed.
Thanks a bunch. 

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

DIVERSIFY

The blog title was going to be diversify or die! 

But I thought that you might be worried with that title.

I have a feeling the gallery I belong to might not survive through 2017 and I won't have a definitive answer
until November. With that thought in mind I thought it was best to start thinking about my future in the arts. 
I like to paint too much to quit. 
There are not many options in Steamboat to show work - I have placed
my paintings in a store to see if they can sell them and I will also be giving the
Steamboat Art Museum store a selection of pendants(above) and small
prints to sell.  I always said I would never make prints of my pieces but disparate times call for
desperate measures. I'm trying to get ahead of the eventual demise of gallery showings.
Not that it will happen but it's better to be prepared if it does happen.
This pendant and print project has taken up most of my time with all the R & D. I know it all looks pretty
straight forward but figuring out how to make a successful pendant took countless hours
of one failure after another. The prints were also time consuming. The right glue, the right
varnish, the right paper the list goes on. 
I'm hopeful I can get back to painting sometime this week.
Thanks for waiting and understanding. This truly has been one weird trip!
Later - MB.

 

Sunday, February 12, 2017

ROOMFUL OF VIEWS

This is going to be so cool! Doesn't look very promising here but you'll just have to trust me.
We're having another small works show at the gallery- Jim(my honey) came up with the title for the show
"ROOMFUL OF VIEWS"
I went through a number of ideas for the show but knew it had to include mirror in some way.
I thought about mirror mosaic - a reflective painting - sculpture covered in mirror 
I've had this little cardboard house sitting in my studio for years - AHA!
Found all my mirror, my glass cutting tools, glue, etc. and got to work.
This is what I've been up to its taken over my life.
Haven't painted in a week 
         
Yikes!!! I couldn't find anything in the studio what a mess
 
Here's the roof. I cut up the left over postcards from the 12 X 12 Small Works Show and made shingles.
More to come but I had to order some parts will post when it's finished.
Pretty exciting for me.
Thanks a bunch. MB
   

Friday, February 10, 2017

ARTISTS STUDIO

This is Nancy's studio - you can see how busy she's been and how the paintings are coming along. 
Nancy attended a few classes at my studio but what you see is how far she's come all on her own! 
Nancy's color wheels(which she created by herself)for reference - a painting of her neighbor on his horse - working on a special dog portrait for a friend. HEY DUKE(not sure if that's the correct
name or spelling) he's the English Bulldog in the upper right of her studio - his portrait
is unusual because he occupies the lower right portion of the painting. 
It was an interesting choice on Nancy's part and it's perfect in every way. 
Color - composition - light - joy and pure creativity! I wish I had painted it - it's perfection.
It is so much fun for me to see a working studio other than my own.
Nancy's dedication to painting and the curiosity to try something different is truly inspiring. 
What a treat for me. Thanks a bunch - Nancy! 
Look at all that color!!!
 Later and thanks for all the email correspondence - MB.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

DISPLAY AT THE GALLERY

Here's my display at the gallery. 
The Moose is 30" X 30" to give you an idea of scale. 
Thanks a bunch - MB

Monday, February 6, 2017

MOOSE - LAM

 

 

 

 

                                                MOOSE - LAM

MELISSA MCCARTHY AS SEAN SPICER - PRICELESS

 

Saturday, February 4, 2017

MY DAD INVENTED SCOTCH TAPE!

MY WEIRD 24 HOURS 
This is a story not a blog post so please ignore if you're looking for ART!
The college emailed me asking if I would like to teach Art Appreciation in a months time.
You know me - I love to teach Art Appreciation it's my favorite class of all time.
I said "I think so!"
I went in on Thursday to figure out what I would have to do in order to teach. 
Some of you may not know but I was adjunct art faculty at CMC for 4 years - 2007 till 2011.
I taught Art Appreciation, Art history, Printmaking, Figure drawing, Fiber design, and photography. 
I was all over the place and then I got the boss from hell. So I left.
 
TODAYS TRANSCRIPT REQUEST 
In 1988 when I graduated from CSULB I ordered 10 official transcripts so I could apply for
teaching jobs. As you can see above in the lower right hand corner it says OFFICIAL 
TRANSCRIPTS VOID IF ENVELOPE SEAL IS BROKEN. Pretty simple - yes? 
You can see the seal is not broken and the stamps occur over the tape and the envelope.
The response from the transcript person - THE STUDENT HAS HAD THIS IN HER POSSESSION 
THE ENTIRE TIME??? AND THAT'S JUST SCOTCH TAPE!!! 
Evidently I manufactured my MIGHTY FINE ARTIST DEGREE in the comfort of my home. 
 
Well you know me - my response was - I'm not a thirty year old who
received their degree over the internet I actually attended school - without a computer. My next line
was "my dad invented Scotch Tape." Which is fairly accurate. My dad was a mechanical engineer who
Graduated from Cooper Union with a bunch of his engineering buddies. They all headed to Wright Field with their
families to work on plane technology in Dayton, Ohio for the War effort after graduation. 
 
    After the war they picked up their families and all moved to St. Paul, Minnesota.
This talented group of engineers worked at 3M in the tape and ribbon division. That's where my retort comes
from - my dad invented Scotch Tape! Anyway these engineers created bow making machines - tape making machines for 3M. 
That's where your tape comes from and the bows for all your presents. Sasheen Ribbon - nothing like the real McCoy.
 
As I said I had worked at CMC previously and thought the hiring process would pretty much be a slam dunk. 
My transcript debacle was the first glitch. That damn scotch tape.
 
The transcript reviewer didn't know that in 1988 a real person licked and taped your envelope and a real 
person stamped your OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT 4 or 5 times. You'd think the transcript reviewer 
would've been kind of excited to open my time capsule of a transcript but alas that was not the case. 
If I wanted to continue with the hiring process I would have to order new transcripts. 
Well if you know me you know what my response was - but I can't publish my thoughts. It wouldn't be nice.
 
Part 2
       THE APPLICATION! All 67 pages!!!!!!!!!!! 
THEN  We went to the art room to take a look at where I would be teaching. The year I left they tore down the Art building to build a multi million dollar new state of the art campus. GOOD IDEA IN THEORY - TURNS OUT
The Office people got all the views of the valley the art room got a view of nothing other than the hill which acts like a wall. 
No natural light - nada - no - the desks are lined up like grade school and there's no utility sink???!!!! 
Then the last assault on my intelligence meter - I was told by my interviewer after my lectures
I am to ask the students to open the drawers on their desk - take out their Mr. Clean white erasers
and clean the top of their desk???!!!!!!!??????? This is after a lecture not a project. 
I wondered if I had stumbled into the elementary school by mistake. Do you see my dilemma? I thought long and hard(about 15 seconds) and said I changed my mind.    Part 3  
Working on my Ph.D. in Phys - Ed with Scotch Tape in hand. Applying for a job near you
That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 
Be careful what you wish for
Thanks a bunch - serial transcript artist on the loose!
 

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

LIGHT MY FIRE

3" X 3" 
"Less is More"
Now showing at Center for Visual Arts
837 Lincoln Ave.
Steamboat Springs, CO 
Thanks for taking a look have a great day. MB
The End
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