Turkey Feather

Gobble, gobble.

Yeah...more birds.

I don't use penguins very often in my work but this King Penguin was just too handsome not to paint. I used an 8"x8" panel covered in vintage wallpaper. This wallpaper's flat white and shiny silver design reminds me of snowflakes.

Is there a feather more beautiful than a peacock feather?

Okay, this painting was originally going to be of a flamingo but after laying it out a Common Kestrel watching a wooden toy top worked better. Kestrels have the amazing ability to hover. I wanted to contradict this stillness in flight with movement. But that movement had to come from something found in a domestic setting rather than in nature. The idea of a vintage toy top came to mind.

I have always guess-timated the hours that go into my large paintings. I decided to actually document the exact time spent and so far I am up to 9 hrs. and 15 min. on this painting and I haven't even started painting the kestrel or top. I am really enjoying this one - challenges to come!

Dwarf Cassowary

I had to take a pic of my little painting nest. It was a rainy day yesterday so I cozied up to paint another 8"x8" piece. I used more of the wallpaper from my 1970's wallcovering sample book. This design is called "Lyceum" in blue. And here is the finished product...

This is a Dwarf Cassowary. He totally looks like a dinosaur. These guys live in NE Australia and New Guinea. Despite their enormous size (some cassowaries can reach 5 1/2 ft tall and weigh up to 130 lbs!), they are very shy.

In Fives

Well, I just finished putting hanging wire and signature/title plaques on the back of the 25 pieces that make up In Fives. (Here are the finished products) The best part was I did it all in my slippers while enjoying a rainy day. (Arizona doesn’t provide us with many of those).

I packed up these small works in little bundles and put them in the closet that is busting at the seams with paintings, sketches, and other weird things I have felt the need to make.

I de-install the Taste of Tops show this Sunday and somehow have to cram 5 large paintings in here.

Now that the artwork for In Fives is complete, it’s time to write a statement, put proposal packets together, and find a venue that wouldn’t mind letting me hang my work on their wall. Hopefully I’ll get a solo show but I’ll definitely get more paperwork to add to my DENIED folder. Hey, it’s part of it.

No Work Means Studio Time!

I usually work on Saturdays but thanks to the holiday I had it off. What does this mean...studio time!!! My day started with covering the last of the Learning to Paint In Fives pieces with resin and then packing up Micronesian Kingfisher in Teacup to ship to Minneapolis for the BirdXBird exhibition and auction. Goodbye Kingfisher, make friends with the other artwork!

Next on the agenda, a Lappet-faced Vulture on another 8"x8" art panel covered in vintage wallpaer. Dude, totally ejoyed this one.

I began the idea of a flamingo painting last year. I built the canvas last weekend and started the foundation for the background today.

This guy is the inspiration for the painting.

To wrap up the evening I did a quick study of a 8"x10" Coscoroba Swan on butcherpaper.

I am super-jacked that I have off the next 3 days because I have lots of things that I need to get out of my brain and onto some paper!!

New Stuff!

Owl

Dodo

Passenger Pigeon

Great Auk

Here are some newbies fresh from the studio. The Dodo, Passenger Pigeon, and Great Auk are 3 of my favorite creatures of all time. I’ve been working on these for the past few weeks so it t was nice to wrap them up this weekend. They are part of The Nest Egg Art Project. Visit here if you’d like to learn more about them and why they don’t walk this planet any more.

The top Owl was an experiment. I glued wallpaper from a 1970’s wallcoverings sample book to an 8”x8” Ampersand board and used oil for the little owl portrait. It was fun working with wallpaper patterns again.

Mr. & Mrs. Fancypants

Mr. & Mrs. Fancypants play cards each Saturday evening and belong to the local country club where they are quite popular. They enjoy a gin martini in the evenings and make regular trips to visit friends in Palm Springs.

Bird X Bird 2010

I am proud to participate in Bird X Bird 2010. This is a one night exhibition/auction which benefits the Audubon Center of the North Woods & Eloise Butler Wildlife Garden and Bird Sanctuary in Minnesota.

For details on this event visit Bird X Bird. If you just so happen to find yourself in NE Minneapolis on Feb. 6th, swing by Northrup King Gallery 320!

Flyin' Puffin and Some Little Babes

Here are a couple of sketches for the New Year. For some reason or other, I haven't really been drawn to drawing puffins or penguins. But when I saw the above Puffin in flight...whoa...had to draw it. I always enjoy drawing baby chicks, so here are a couple of American Robin chicks waiting for dinner.

I've got some goals for 2010: continue with the 8"x10" sketches on butcherpaper, make big ridiculous paintings just because I want to, and begin experimenting with smaller, more affordable paintings/mixed media pieces. I hate to make art with price points in mind but I want a person like me to be able to afford an original piece of artwork.

Rowdy's Art Farm

Olivia the Onion

Sally the Scallion

Henry the Jalapeno

Eduardo the Egg

Bill the Banana

Here is more food to go with my New Year’s Eve potato. They are small little studies measuring a wee 5”x7”. I had a great time working on them and plan on doing more.

I scrolled down through the ole Rowdy blog this afternoon and man I’ve been doing some random stuff lately. What will be next?