Bringing It Back Home

Greetings from Birmingham,
The reception for the my art show was this past Saturday and was a rousing success. I saw lots of old friends, sold a number of pieces and the work was very well received. Thanks to everyone in California and Alabama who helped me pull off my first show in years.

Happy Father's Day! - of Dads and Dogs

To celebrate Father's Day today's post features Dad related art. This first print is Birmingham Back Seat 1961 and depicts my father in his early twenties (far left) and his buddies in the back seat of some gigantic 1950's car. This print is a monotype printed with black etching ink.

This print, Front Yard 1976, is a monotype printed with blue etching ink, watercolor and colored pencil. This is my father (right) in our front yard with our neighbor, Joe Bruno, and his dog, Lula Belle, in 1976. My father died unexpectedly back in 2003, and doing these pieces was a cathartic process. Sometimes it's still hard to believe he's gone. Miss you, Dad.

These two prints are commissions I did for my friend Colin to give to his father for Father's Day. This is Colin and his dog, Winnifred, who recently passed away. It was an honor to do these prints for my friend to honor the life of his dog that he misses very much. (Love you, Fred!) The print below is the 'ghost' print. It is pulled after the inital print and is much lighter because very little ink remains on the plate. The ghost print was then colored with watercolor.

New Post?! Believe It

Greetings, gentle readers
Seems I'm doing lots of apologizing for not keeping current. I have some friends whose blogs I frequent, and when there is no new post I'm dissappointed. I'm sorry if my lack of discipline is making any of you feel similarly.

Well, at least I've been working on art. So much art. As many of you know I have an art show up now in Birmingham, Alabama. It's been a long time, and I'd forgotten how much work it is to put up a show. I'm pretty happy with the work though and thought I'd blog a piece or two.

This print is a monotype of the old Lyric and Alabama Theatres in downtown Birmingham. When I was growing up these theatres were run down, largely forgotten relics from a time when people actually went downtown. When I was in college, the Alabama was in the process of being restored and was a venue for concerts and touring productions. Many people were happy to see this former Showplace of the South alive again.

This print depicts the Alabama and Lyric Theatres in all their neon glory, lighting up the night. It is printed with black etching ink and colored with watercolor and colored pencil.