I’ve been working toward this exhibition of a dozen new paintings over the last several months. I’m very happy with the way each one turned out – you can see them here.
If you’re in the Los Angeles area, please do check it out. The paintings will be hanging at the George Billis Gallery LA from May 21 – June 25, 2016.
I will be at the artist’s reception on Saturday, May 21 from 5:00 – 8:00pm. Come say ‘hello’ if you can.
Here are a couple of close-up shots of me working on the details. The final stages of a painting are always the most satisfying. The camera I’m painting was found at Everything Old – one of my favourite places on planet earth.
These are the final two paintings of a dozen new ones for my May 21 – June 25 exhibition at the George Billis Gallery LA.
Each clock is a little character with its different color, its own style. In groupings they interact with each other. Read more
Kodak, Bencini, Leica, Yashica. USA, Italy, Germany, Japan.
Learning about these cameras is like a 20th century world history lesson. The makers of these cameras have all been affected by world events, the economy and changing technology. Even though they are obsolete, they still have avid collectors and enthusiasts.
With the Kodaks painting above, I composed an arch with the lenses and flashes, giving the painting an architectural feel.
We have had PHD (Push Here, Dummy) cameras in our pockets for a hundred years, but it’s the ones that look like they were pieced together by watchmakers that are fun to paint.
I like that they were all used to make art, to document holidays, travel, weddings and so many other happy events. What’s strange is that the photos from the cameras are all missing, lost or hidden. It really makes me wonder what will happen to the billions of photos we upload from the cameras on our phones now.
These projectors have been missing from my repertoire for too long.
Projector I, above, is the first film projector I painted. Found at Everything Old Canada.
Perfect profile for painting. Everything about them slots in precisely in to what I like in a subject for painting. Obsolete technology with a fantastic design. The reels are dramatic and circular, they compliment the square canvas. I find them eye catching.
Projector II was with me for several years. It was in a case, and I simply forgot about it as I didn’t have any reels to go along with it. It blended in amongst all the other typewriter cases and luggage I have sitting around.
During one of our recent moves, I picked up the case and was confused at why it weighed so much. Opened up the case and was so delighted to find it.
Everything Old Canada is and antique and vintage store in Brentwood Bay on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Read more
Antique Glass Bottles have this figurative appeal to them. Like a group photo, where everyone kinda looks the same but is different in their own way.
These Two Bottles seem like an odd couple, but they serve the same purpose.
Twenty four vintage alarm clocks depicting all the hours in a day.
This painting has already sold, but there are affordable prints available. The folks at the Elliott Fouts Gallery will answer any questions you have and they ship worldwide.
For years — and I mean years — I have talked about my paintings being about the narrative of the vintage objects I paint.
I’m not so sure that’s it. Or at least, that’s not all they are about. I see the paintings really being about three things. 1) Technique 2) Minimalism 3) Subject
The technique I use, the slow layering of paint, the close attention to detail, it’s such a huge part of the work. I spend a great deal of time looking at realist painting, historic painting and new paintings being made right now. What I see in the technique is a connection to hundreds of years of art making, a connection to hundreds of years of artists.
My compositions are all straight forward and simple. They are minimalist. A philosophy that I strive to apply in all parts of life. When I’m not looking up art on the web, I’m looking up blogs and books about minimalism. In painting, I can quit literally design compositions that depict minimalist philosophy.
And right on top of that minimal composition, the subject sits with its own ideas. Vintage alarm clocks, for example, are all about time. They also have colours and shapes — numerous circles and ellipses, the hands pointing in all directions.
A Polaroid SX-70 Alpha 1.
Great design. Fun to transform in to a painting.
