Putting the finishing touches on this vintage 16mm Ampro film projector. This will be for my solo exhibition at the George Billis Gallery in Los Angeles, which will feature a dozen new paintings starting on May 21, 2016.
I have a little over a month to finish up the work, so I came up for a quick breath and then I’m heading back down to focus on finishing the paintings.
Above is an early evening view of the easel as I shut down after a long day of working with tiny brushes on the details of these vintage cameras. I like seeing the paintings in different light, I grabbed my iPhone and took this quick snap as the light faded.
For over a month now I’ve been flowing along in the studio, working on numerous paintings that will be heading to the George Billis Gallery in Los Angeles for an exhibition running from May 21 – June 25, 2016.
The paintings I’ve been working on are complex and full of details, so all my focus and energy has been on the paintings. By the time I’m done a painting session I find myself a bit mentally exhausted. Retreating from social media is important when I’m focussing on painting. There seems to be this pervasive pressure to constantly share what one is up to in the studio, but honestly, I find it easier to just rest instead of coming up with something put on Facebook or Instagram.
This painting of a little blue electric fan is in the beginning stages.
2015 was a very busy year for me. I had two solo exhibitions which I find remarkable that I was able to pull off. Not sure how I was able to do that… or if I’d ever do that again in coming years.
Right now I have several paintings in the works in my studio. I’m enjoying my time focussing on painting and have decided to take a bit of a break from social media and get some work done. I’ll share what I’ve been up to at the beginning of 2016.
I’m happy with the way this one is turning out. It is nearly complete and once it’s ready to ship, it’ll be off to New York to be part of my October 13 – November 14, 2015 exhibition at the George Billis Gallery.
After hosting visiting family for summer adventures, I’ve been enjoying quiet time in the studio and focussing on getting paintings complete. These will be part of my October 13 – November 14 exhibition in New York.
Sometimes I get so hung up on social media that I forget that my real goal is to make paintings, not constantly share in the river of images.
This past week I took over the Elliott Fouts Gallery Instagram (@efgallery) as their featured artist for the month of July, 2015.
If you happen to have Instagram on your phone, you can find me there as @xmarksthestott
On July 11, I was at the reception for my latest solo exhibition at the EFG. I talked to many collectors about how I work, my studio space and life as a painter. Read more
My paintings are built up on several layers, and the final layers are all about the details.
The satisfaction is in the details. Before I get to this point, the beginning stages, for me, can sometimes be frustrating. A bit of a struggle. I can sometimes feel like I lose focus on what the initial interest and idea and object was all about. In the beginning stages, things can seem blurry.
I’ll have 20 paintings for my upcoming exhibition in Sacramento, and the final six paintings are a bit smaller than I usually work. I like the way they come in to focus more quickly. I’m enjoying the more intimate feeling of these smaller paintings.
The truth is, if you’re painting, it will always be a work in progress.
This is a closer look at the red lantern I’ve been working on. I shared a larger photo of the entire composition a few weeks ago. My technique for painting is several layers of glazes, applied slowly, closely looking at the subjects. But I do try to find a balance by keeping the brushwork delicately painterly. Daubs of paint, visible brush work — something that obviously does not translate to tiny jpeg images viewed on the screen on your phone.
