Western Mass Continued

Well, lost the bid on the place in Hatfield. But, as fate would have it, we will be renting the apartment in that building for 6 months to put us in the area to look. Too hard to do it from Boston south shore area... almost as bad as from Seattle. We move in next week, and a trip to Ikea is in order.

The apartment includes an 800 sq ft. open area that will serve as a temporary studio area. Small things for now.

Starting to feel some of the intimacy with this area that needs to happen. Looking forward to being in the area and on my bike.

Back In Western Mass

Not exactly an art post, but insofar as everything is connected this is appropriate.

We left the home and studio in Seattle in August, after a horrendous several months of preparation and packing and shedding, and then loading trucks and moving it all to the Pioneer Valley in Western Mass., where it sits in a storage facility. Still sitting there. 

We have looked at many things, and bid and vied, and discussed... but the main objective was to buy a place that would be a permanent, self owned, studio space with some show potential. Not easy to find. A house or living place would also need to be in the picture.

We may have succeeded. I don't want to jinx it, but after several rounds of getting close then walking away we may, MAY be back to close again. Lots of money, lots of needs, old buildings can be problematic. I just have to make sure we don't buy anything with problems that are bigger than I am...

Goodbye Kent Lovelace

 This was written in May of 2017, and published on my website, but not here. I thought I would put it in now to remind me. 

 

Please excuse my indulgence, as I try to grapple with today's events. Still trying to absorb and process this. 

 

Today, Friday, May 12, 2017 we watched the telemetry display describe the end of Kent Lovelace's earthly life, after he was disconnected from the life support that was contraindicated by his most recent EEG from earlier in the morning. 

 

What was the creative and loving mind of our smiling and energetic friend was now a swarm of seizure activity barely contained by horrific doses of medication to mitigate the physical chaos that that electrical storm translates to. Then, ironically, the heart that was so unforgiving earlier in the week was now soldiering on without breath for over fifteen minutes and more, refusing to dole even a severe mercy to those who attended. 

 

Then it stopped. 

 

And although the reality was present and undeniable, I deny it all the same. There is no proof that would be adequate to convince this jury. At least not now. Not while I am looking at the face of Superman who can only be sleeping. I remind my denial that this cannot be real.

 

Reality is, Kent actually left us for the Orion Belt last Tuesday and all this recent drama is but the formality of seeing the corporal body off after the fact. It allows the space to express the human need to plead in the face of the infinite for a stay of our pain. 

 

When I say "we" I hijack the liberty to speak for all those present today.

 

So we spent the day courting Hope and Her powers of last minute reprises, miracles, and everlasting bliss, but she is the Homecoming Queen, and we are the Math Club... and she says no. She saves her favor for the captain of the football team, and though we are crushed we sorta knew it would turn out this way. 

 

When it finally hits me I will say my internal goodbye, but for now I must nurse my disbelief...

 

Kent Lovelace, from our last trip to Montana together... driving around with Geoffrey Sutton.

Moving notes

Bought a group of Clydesdale road cases, also called flight cases. Will use them after gutting the custom insides for moving paintings from Seattle to Mass. Lots of work...

Month of April Foolishness

We are packing up to move the studio to Massachusetts as of this writing. The house goes on the market in May and I suspect we will need to be mobile by the end of the month.

Still looking into actual moving options. What we need is a storage option in central Mass., and eventually a place to rent while looking when we get there. We need a plan soon for loading into something here, that can go to there. Pods are an idea, but it is amazing how difficult it is to get a straight answer out of movers to even get an estimate. Such a game...

Been combing the area for shipping containers etc. Anvil cases, pelican cases, etc. Big things.

The last couple months have been very good. I did the Paintings of Ireland show in my studio building, and it was very good. The followup after the show closed has been even better. I am very thankful for all those who purchased paintings, the whole process of meeting people and collectors new and old has been a rich experience, one that the painter is often not a part of. The good people who came in after the show have made this move possible.

That said, I have fielded a lot of questions from collectors and collector-painters about my process and a few things come up over and over. I cannot stress enough the 'commandments of painting' from an earlier post. The tendency to overshoot is ever present, and is a trap. Have a point... have a reason for doing this, have something to say. Then say it simply. When you go outside into the landscape, try not painting. Try seeing. Then writing and sketching. Use a camera to just frame what you are looking at. You cant paint what you see without knowing something about what it is.

Painting Commandments

I found this in my google docs, from awhile back. I called it my commandments of painting.

The Commandments of Painting

Keep it simple

Know your skill level. Pick a subject or model that you can paint.

Stay humble. Then practice practice practice.

Don’t get too involved personally in the outcome.

Don’t get caught up in materials fetishes.

Paint what you care about. Have an articulated reason why you do it.

Don’t labor a point. Simple description, then move on.

Watch for crutches.

Mix it up. Do different subjects.

Use a spare and simple palette, start new each day, palette, paint, and enthusiasm.

Don’t expect professional growth with a hobby commitment. Decide which it will be and be happy with that.

Seeing Paintings In Person

I am having an exhibition this coming Sunday, of paintings done of Ireland over the last ten years or so. I held most of them back from being seen even, because I wanted them to be seen together. A few got away, but most of them are here and the show looks nice.

I would like to say that this is the only time they will be together, and we are having fun trying to get people to come have a look. I hope those who do like my painting will come and see them in the Magnuson Park Gallery. It has been a long time since I have done a solo show, and this small public exhibition space is just perfect for this.

This is not a show to sell, but a show to see. They are for sale, but that is not the primary aim of this show. I hope people come to see it just to see painting, just to enjoy paint. It is also the grouping of my conversations with Ireland, and I think they work as that. They have been out there on the web in recent months, and lots of positive feedback, but seeing them in this space is quite a different thing. Paintings on the web and paintings in front of you are very different. I wish for everyone the chance to see paintings they like in the flesh, so to speak, instead of on a screen.

So come on in and say hello. If you cannot make it Sunday, the show is up until mid-December, and I have keys to the space for personal tours at any time. I think I will be in there Saturday afternoons as well, sitting the show.

After December, I will start the process of packing the studio up for the move to the East Coast and the next chapter, so it would be nice to see some of the local collectors and supporters before we go. This is a great opportunity to do that.