Would you like to join us for dinner?

So I post on face book the other day that I was dreaming of taking my family to Hawaii and while we were there we ran into Wyland, the famous Marine Artist/Muralist. I ask my wife if she would be up for asking him to join us for dinner, and she said "totally" and he, of coarse, would say "yes". He and I would talk about art and painting murals, I would  get some great painting tips and maybe give a tip myself. What a fun evening it would be. I then went on thinking about who else I would love to have dinner with or even a cup of coffee. Richard Haas came to mind. He is one of the world's best Trompe L'leoil painters of our times. Portland has one of his creations on our Historical Society building, and I think it's one of the best he's done. We also had a Wyland mural in downtown Portland, but that building got knocked down a few years ago, which is too bad, because that mural started of his tour on the West Coast. Now I have to go to Newport to see a Wyland piece.

Even though I met my favorite watercolor artist Steve Hanks, I didn't get an opportunity to sit with him one to one. He would be another. Steve Hanks has been a watercolor "God" to me for many, many years. He has away with the brush and painting these magnificent figures, that I may never master....but that won't stop me from trying. I own 2 of his books and they are both personally signed to me and my wife. Some day I'll be able to afford a Steve Hanks, or a Wyland or even a Richard Haas, but until then I'll just continue painting, trying to master my medium and hope that someday someone will have a dream to ask me out to dinner.

Feel free to drop a comment and tell me, "who would you ask to dinner?"

Thanks for reading,
Gary

Inspiration

Where does inspiration come from? Many things can inspire a person. For artists, it could be a painting, a photograph, something someone said or did. I think we inspire each other to make the world better, or make life easier. Inspiration can come in many forms, for many things. My wife's feet, for instanced, inspired her to want to take care of them, which inspired her to want to exercise and eat better, which inspired her to write a blog "My Two Wonderful Feet" about it as well. She will also get inspiration from those who read her blog, hence helping each other out.

Today I saw a story on youtube called The Curse of the Mona Lisa. This was a story written and presented by Robert Hughes, a 30 plus year art critic. The film was on the picturization of art,  the vast inflation of prices and the effectiveness of artists and museums. Come to find out that Hughes really didn't care for artist Andy Warhol too...neither do I. The film also had a hint of what IS art, with out actually going there, that too is another subject, perhaps a future blog. So getting back to the inspiration. Creating great pieces for a profit to support me and my family is key here for me as an artist, weather it's a mural on a painted piece on canvas or watercolor paper. I love to paint and making a living doing that is my dream. I found some inspiration in this documentary that art is always adored, sought after and/or inspiring. I'm going to be that artist that is going to sell his art. No part-time job to pay the bills....sell MY art. Here's a fairly new piece I painted last summer. This is the new direction I'm heading. Leave a comment and let me know what you think of it.

'Till we read again,
Gary

Happy New Year

      Welcome 20011...it's nice to meet you. I have some special plans for you. Now don't be afraid when I start writing in every box of the calender, you'll get used to it pretty quickly. 2010 didn't want me to mess up the pretty little boxes, but I know you won't mind. Here is your first schedule, January 10, we have a dining room to creatively paint. after that.....well, that's where the nice people that are reading this will help out. Don't leave my calender empty, let's fill it! 

      A mural a month, 2 studio paintings and sketching everyday. This is my goal as an artist. Let's add an Art showing every 3 months and more open studio time. Blogging is new to me, but I will try to blog every other day, adding picture of the newly created pieces of Art, be it a mural, acrylic on canvas or a beautiful water color. If you would like to follow my progression for the "Best Art Year Ever", please click on the follow button and leave a comment to help encourage me!

Thanks for reading,

Gary

    Here's my wife's Christmas present.

www.cryofthewolf.com