Exquisite Garden

Last weekend bay area artist Joe Brubaker and 12 visiting artists and designers collaborated together on an installation piece constructed in the Ablin Gallley at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. For 3 days these artists and designers used a collection of found objects, discarded materials, and scrap metal to transform the space into a sculptural island. Surrounding the island are figurative sculptures by Joe Brubaker. This “Exquisite Garden” opens this Thursday, Dec 10th at 6pm along side 4 other amazing exhibits at the Bakersfield Museum of Art.

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Last weekend bay area artist Joe Brubaker and 12 visiting artists and designers collaborated together on an installation piece constructed in the Ablin Gallley at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. For 3 days these artists and designers used a collection of found objects, discarded materials, and scrap metal to transform the space into a sculptural island. Surrounding the island are figurative sculptures by Joe Brubaker. This “Exquisite Garden” opens this Thursday, Dec 10th at 6pm along side 4 other amazing exhibits at the Bakersfield Museum of Art.

Via Arte 2009

The finished piece! We took first place this year at the Via Arte Italian Street painting festival. A huge thanks to my wonderful partner Brent Eviston, the beautiful women who posed for the shots, and all the folks that made it out to the marketplace this year to support this event.

This banana peel painting was recently painted for the "One" exhibit at surface gallery. I have been busy in the wood shop making stretcher bars which allows me to play with various sizes. It has been a while since I have painted something this large (2x4ft), but I loved the challenge and hope to paint more this size or larger in the future. 

Prep for the "One" exhibit

It's hard to believe that it has been a year already, but on Sept 5th of 2008 Yvonne Cavanagh and I opened the doors to Surface Gallery. In that year we have had 6 successful exhibit openings, workshops, private parties, and first Friday events. It has been quite an amazing ride and I look forward to the upcoming year. To celebrate the one year anniversary of the gallery, the four artist that opened the gallery (Yvonne, Brent, Liz, and myself) will be exhibiting new works interpreting the word "one." I am back in the studio working away nightly and trying to get everything ready by show time. I have been working on a few larger paintings which have been challenging because I haven't worked this large since college. Although it has allowed me to loosen up in the my painting style, I think I prefer my little 10x10 paintings. I will post the new works after the Sept 4th opening. Until then, I will be frantically painting in the studio, but loving every minute of it. The one year anniversary exhibit entitled "ONE, " will open Sept. 4th at 5 pm.

Visual Arts Festival 2009

Congratulations to my dear friend Liz Sherwyn who took home "Best in show" at this years Visual Arts Festival held at the BMOA. Her figurative paper cut-outs of women and children from the Dustbowl were beautifully executed and her concept was heartfelt. It was an award well deserved. My little painting of a turnip took home an honorable mention. It was a very celebratory night at the museum.

Back in the studio

It's Visual Arts Festival time again at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. This year the theme is "Roots" with the size of each entered piece not to exceed 8x8inch. Every year I try to submit the maximum of 3 pieces with the hopes that one will make it in the show. I risked the odds this year and only had time to submit one piece. I like food....and eating.... and painting food I am about to eat. For this years festival, I went with the very literal edible root. This photo is of the work in progress. I turned in the finished piece last Monday, and in fear that I would miss the deadline, had no time to snap the final finished shot. The opening for this show will be held at the BMOA on May 14th at 6pm.

Valentines

Lately I have been working on my Valentines. I personally make about 40 of them for friends and family, a tradition that started with Lcat about 10 years ago. I still have quite a few to make, but am hopeful that they will all be completed and sent out before Vday.
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Making my dot

Last weekend I worked with encaustics for the first time. I had no idea what I was doing and it was a little intimidating at first, but lots of fun once I got started. I noticed that the second I put on the first layer of wax, i immediately scraped it off. It was hard to just let go and make a mess. I started a little painting of an iron, it was awful, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to make my first dot.

I was once a pair

This painting was painted for the "layers" exhibit at Surface Gallery. The show will be up till the 27th of Feb.

The ghost of eggs on toast

Think I'll go a walk now

Don't sit me down

This painting was part of a series I did for the "Layers" exhibit at Surface Gallery. This little painting sold at the opening to my very first art teacher.