ode to Dutch Still-life

Also for my birthday, I received two books on Dutch Still-life:

Still Life and Trade in the Dutch Golden Age
By: Julie Berger Hochstrasser
&
Pieter Claesz 1596/97 - 1660
By: Pieter Biesboer (Author)

Pieter Claesz has always been my favorite of the Dutch still-life artists. The second book I listed there which is titled simply Pieter Claesz 1596/97-1660, features a very nice grouping of his work that was recently shown together at the Washington National Gallery of Art. Although not much is known about Pieter Claesz himself, (they don't even have a record of his birth) being able to look at so many pieces of his, along with the dates he did them, shows how remarkable he was as an artist. If I could be as good at the end of my career as his work was in his early twenties, I would be a happy person.

This still-life has taken some cues from his work: the overall shape of the grouping of objects, the cup which tilts on the edge of the tray, the platter hanging off the edge etc etc. It was loads of fun to try & I may be doing more!

Three Little Pears

Three Little Pears
6" x 18"
$650


I spoiled myself a bit for my birthday and bought myself 2 72 count sets of Derwent Coloursoft pencils and a bunch of replacement colors for ones I use all the time. I just love these pencils and I was getting worried when I saw that Dick Blick was out of many of their open stock colors. That feeling of needing to stock up over came me! I received the box of them last night and did this picture of the pears using only the new pencils - I usually mix the coloursofts with prismacolors. The experience was good but felt odd as I know the prismacolor colors so well I can pick them up without thinking.

Asian Pears

These actually aren't Asian Pears... well, the Asian ones weren't on sale!

Yesterday was my eh hem... my 35th birthday. After getting over the shock and mourning of not being in my early 30's anymore, I decided to work on a new drawing before heading out last night to a Mexican dinner with friends. If I remember correctly, the food wasn't very good, but the conversation and drinks made up for it.

Apple Twist

Its apple season here!

I'll go pick just about anything (those of you with kids stop laughing). I don't know if its because I grew up in the concrete jungle of the Chicago suburbs, but the absolute best thing about living in New Hampshire (besides the snow) are the small farms where you can pick loads of berries in the summer and apples, apples, apples in the fall. Its not those really sweet ones with no flavor you get at the grocery store - no - they're always just a bit tart and they come in every color and pattern you can think of.

So before I sound any more like a travel magazine, I'll post my new piece which of course has a couple of apples in it.

Apple Twist

6" x 18"

$650

contact the Sharon Art Center Gallery in Peterborough, NH to purchase

Meet the Monadnock Artists Talk

On September 25th at 7 pm I will be giving a talk at the Thorne Art Gallery at Keene State College as a part of their "Meet the Monadnock Artists Series." The talk is inside the gallery and will consist of 45 minutes of me talking and showing my artwork and then follow up with questions.

Now I am used to doing workshops and teaching my techniques, but talking about my artwork and me is a bit different!

So I I need to ask you all what you would like to know about an artist besides technique?