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pottery update 23 August 2021
Good morning!
Wanted to check in with you all to let you know I’ve been working hard in the studio.
It’s KILLING ME to have a group of new oil paintings and not be able to show them off (I’ll unveil them All Sept 24th). Here’s a little update on my side project: porcelain. Have a great day!
Old Washington Block Print Recarve
There’s nothing more agonizing for a printmaker than to carve a detailed block only to discover a TYPO.
I recently did this, and had to re-carve the whole block a second time. The good news is that it looks even better after the second time around AND you can support my work by visiting my website to add one of these note cards to your collection (or send to a friend–it includes an envelope if you want to surprise someone with snail mail)
Minnie Adkins Day Woodcut print
I AM SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT!
The third Saturday of July is officially Minnie Adkins Day in Elliott County Kentucky. I’m not ready to do any art shows until September, but Minnie gave me a call and asked if I would come to the annual Folk art show they have on Minnie Adkins Day.
There are just a small handful of people I will never say ‘no’ to, and Minnie is top of that list. I met her over 20 years ago, when I first moved to Kentucky. A dear, dear friend (Bertha), introduced me to Minnie at the Folk Art Shop in Augusta, KY. I could go on and on about important that moment was in developing my art and life philosophy, but I’ll save that for another time.
This Saturday, I’m going to be at Minnie Adkins Day in Sandy Hook, KY. I’m not going to have art for sale, but I’m bringing my old fashioned press, and am going to give a FREE educational printmaking activity! Guests will be invited to print their own 9×12″ woodcut poster, of Minnie Adkins!!! (i asked about the portrait first, and Minnie said she was OK with it)
This is a little bit of a spontaneous project…I’m just starting to carve the woodcut. the design is sketched out, to give you an idea of what it will look like. I wanted to share and give you a heads up as soon as possible, so you have time to free up your weekend and make your plans to come on over to Little Sandy Lodge in Sandy Hook, Elliott County, KY from 8am-4pm this Saturday! Hope to see you there!
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE MINNIE ADKINS WOODCUT – July 14, 2021
i dont have a lot of experience as a portrait artist, so capturing a likeness im satisfied with does not always happen. my first try, green block on top of photo was a failure, but after recarving, this one gets closer to representing the joy and happiness i feel when thinking about Minnie and her art.
my hands are too cramped up to finish today, but i hope to finish and do a test print tomorrow.
Want one of these woodcuts?
you can print one with my old fashioned press as a FREE educational activity during Minnie Adkins Day, this saturday from 8am-4pm. im not going to sell these online or in my studio or galleries, so the only way to get one is to come see me and Minnie and the other folk artists at the Little Sandy Lodge, Sandy Hook KY.TEST PRINT OF THE MINNIE ADKINS DAY WOODCUT – UPDATE 15 July 2021
Minnie is such an inspirational artist, friend and arts community leader–I can’t wait for her to see the woodcut I made in her honor. I sure hope she likes it!!!
Everyone is invited to come to Minnie Adkins Day and print this woodcut Saturday, the 17th of July from 8am-4pm (while supplies last) as a FREE educational printmaking activity. I’ll have my old fashioned press, and everything everything else you will need to make one. I’m not selling this woodcut online or in my studio or galleries. If you want one, the only way to get one is to come print it yourself.
of course, Minnie will be there, along with a bunch of her other folk artist friends. Elliott County is a great example of how the arts can thrive in a rural community…come and enjoy a day in the country with us!
See you saturday!
UPDATE July 16, 2021:
ok boys and girls, ive got some bad news…The weather forecast for tomorrows Minnie Adkins day says its most likely going to be wet. i personally like rainy days, but a lot of moisture makes the metal gears and components of the press to rust, and rust will ruin the press.
Im disappointed that i wont be there to meet you in person and give the free educational hands on printmaking activity. instead, im printing as many Minnie woodcuts as i can today, and will deliver them to sandy hook this evening. i hate to think of any of my friends making the trip for a woodcut and being disappointed. just ask the folks at the lodge about the woodcuts, and they will have one for you…while they last. this gift from me will be my way of being there in spirit and honoring Minnie Adkins on her special day!
Ok, time for me to print!
Pottery Update – 1 July
I haven’t shared this story because it highlights one of my many shortcomings.
A few months ago, one of my hand made shelves collapsed, causing an overwhelming mess in part of my studio. I cleaned the worst of it, but the whole experience was so discouraging, i left the space in dysfunctional disorder, and decided to just close the door and take a break from making that kind of art (especially since spring had started, and it was time to go outside and paint nature’s beauty!!!)
…well, today, it’s just too hot to go outside and paint, so I’m going to give this part of my studio some TLC, and who knows? maybe I’ll even make something, if i can get this chaos organized in time?
Do any of you remember what I use this space for?!?
Give me some thumbs up and/or cheerful encouragement, if you are happy to see me going back to this kind of art making.
Stay tuned!!!if you think i am hard to keep up with, JOIN THE CLUB! EVEN I DON’T KNOW what I’m going to do next. 2 days ago, i never would have guessed that I’d have 11 porcelain cups that need trimming and handles…well, if i’m not predictable, at least I hope it’s interesting.
POTTERY UPDATE: they still need some finessing, but all my cups are trimmed and have a handle.
They are all handmade and unique. Which is your favorite form?
bethel methodist church – slip up, mason county, ky 24 june 2021
this charming little church, sits on top of a hill, just a country mile north of down town slip up kentucky. its going to make a great painting…lets do it! 
heres my sketch…lets paint! 
heres the underpainting…i did a little bit of squishing, so the barn in the background could fit into the vertical proportion…now it color time!!! theres lots of light this morning, so i think the dominant color today will be YELLOW…stay tuned…these things rarely work out the way i plan, happy surprises happen all the time! 
i have some colors down. the painting wants to lean toward green. of course, its summer, and EVERYTHING wants to lean toward green these days. 
up to this point, ive only used a #12 flat brush…a pretty big size considering the size of the painting. now im going to switch to a #6 flat, and dive into the details! 
bethel methodist church, slip-up, ky oil on hardboard 8×10” UPDATE: This painting found it’s new home!!! Thank you for supporting my work!!! mutter gottes kirche covington, ky 22 june 2021
i dont see travel to europe in my near future, fortunately, we have an old german church here in northern ky. im going to try and paint it today 
Here’s my sketch…let’s Paint! 
this is a tricky one..in the tower, where light hits, its lighter than the sky, but not everywhere… and im tempted to move everything left 2 inches 
scooted the church over a few inches…now its color time!! 
laying in some colors…time to tackle some of the buildings details… 
when im up close, painting, i feel like the painting is failing…but when i take a few steps back and see thebig picture, its actually coming together… thats the nature of an impressionist painting…maybe life too?! 
i’m calling this one finished! mother of godchurch, 12×16 oil on hardboard Want to add this original painting to you art collection? Click below for more information.
SOS HUMAN RIGHTS-Cincinnati/Oaxaca woodcut
Earlier this year, i was invited to participate in a printmaking/cultural exchange by SOS ART that asked artists from Cincinnati and Oaxaca, Mexico to create a woodcuts addressing 12 different human rights. I was honored to have been asked to carve the cover page.This project was important to me, not only because I believe in human rights, but Cincinnati and Oaxaca are both special places that have become part of my identity as an artist. There are differences between the people of the USA and Mexico (like the language difference) that make it hard to realize our shared humanity. One of the magical things about the arts is they transcend spoken language and give us an opportunity to better know one another.Being part of this project was a wonderful experience, I hope you will look at the whole collection, and support SOS ART if you are able. Follow this link to see the whole collection:https://sosartcincinnati.com/gallery/
Plein Air At the Baker Hunt Art and Culture Center – 15 june 2021
todays painting is at the Baker Hunt Art And Culture center in covington. 
Here is my sketch…let’s start painting!!! 
heres my underpainting…time for color. this scene is backlit (the sun is behind the subject) so ill have to think about how i want to tackle all these shadows 
i have a strategy for my colors…..lots of cools, because everything is in shadow. it feels a little bonkers at this stage, but im going to try and pull it all together into a beautiful impressionist painting…stay tuned! 
getting closer…going to catch those last details, then call it a wrap! Devil’s Tower, WY plein air 9 June 2021
In this short time, I have fallen in LOVE with Wyoming…my new favorite state (after Kentucky, of course). It’s time for me to head back home, but not before I visit and make a painting of the iconic, Devil’s Tower. The temperature today is in the high 90’s…probably comfortable weather for the devil…but hotter than I am used to. 
Here’s my sketch…let’s start painting! 
my underpainting…next let’s add color! 
The stone formation is an interesting color…i interpreted it as a purple and yellow orange. 
The finished painting!!!!! I’m sad to leave Wyoming today, but happy to have this painting experience to have forever….And I will be back soon! Thanks everyone for cheering me on during my paint trip out west! Kepler Cascades – Yellowstone National Park 7 June 2021
I’m back in Kentucky after a wonderful and inspiring painting trip out west! Internet was hit or miss, so I didn’t get to share everything as it happened. Here’s the view of Kepler Cascades in Yellowstone National park–Let’s make an oil painting to capture the beauty… 
…my sketch of the falls…time for color 
i’m working out the colors of the painting…it’s not visible from my photos, but this is an EXTREMELY busy spot, there is a constant flow of people asking me what I’m doing–and giving compliments/encouragement. Most of my trip has been in wilderness–being around people again takes some getting used to. 
The finished painting!!! I hope to show this (and the other paintings from my trip) this fall at the re opening of my studio at the pendleton art center. stay tuned for more details!