Micah Mullen

Sampson Arts Council - Solo Show

2012-01-12T11:13:00.003-05:00

Beginning with an opening reception tonight January 12 - I will have nearly 40 paintings on display at the Sampson County Arts Council in Clinton, NC. The show is at the Victor R. Small house in Clinton and the show runs through February 23rd. The picture shown is one of man paintings that is on display that reflects the unique landscape of Sampson county, NC.

For full details and directions please visit the Sampson Arts website.

Penny

2011-12-18T18:53:00.002-05:00

Santa came a bit early early this year and brought me a companion to keep me company in the studio. Penny is a ten week redbone coonhound. She already has tried to steal paint tubes, brushes and numerous other items and is quite the terror. Still she is a welcome addition to the Mullen home - since our previous dogs both passed on within the last year the house has become quite lonely. Despite her puppy antics everyone is certain she will be a ray of sunshine for many years to come.

Sampson County Cotton Field

2011-11-29T10:16:00.003-05:00

This is a painting inspired from a photograph taken on Halloween. Driving through Sampson county on the way back from Wilmington, I saw many of the cotton fields were still in full bloom. Being that it was a rainy and overcast day, I saw some different interpretations that I could use in the sky. I've painted several cotton fields, but this is the first with weather conditions other than a sunny day.

Sampson County Cotton Field - 16x12: Acrylic on Canvas

Cityscapes

2011-11-25T08:19:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I painted a cityscape. I finished these two 11x14" paintings earlier this week. They are quite challenging as the rigid lines in buildings, windows and other man made elements are not as forgiving as trees, water and other things found in nature. I need to do one of these on a larger surface, where I can concentrate on more detail.

I'm taking these with me to Wilmington this weekend for a holiday show. I'm interested to see how people react to them.

Downtown Raleigh 1 and 2 - 1x14 - Acrylic on Panel

Merchants Millpond State Park

2011-11-08T12:27:00.004-05:00

In mid October we visited Merchants Millpond State Park in Northeast North Carolina. The park is a combination of a forest and swamp with hundreds of places to explore. We took a canoe out on a beautiful day and I immediately began taking pictures. The sunken cypress trees and spanish moss created beautiful pictures which opened me up to all kinds of painting possibilities.

The painting shown is the first of many that will materialize from the trip to this park. Glazing and impasto work along with vibrant colors make this work pop off the wall and come to life.

Merchants Millpond State Park #1 - 36x24" Acrylic on Canvas

Cascade Lake

2011-09-30T11:38:00.003-04:00

These are a few recently completed works reflecting the same composition. When they are hung next to each other they work really well together. The vibrant colors of the first work provide an energetic feeling, while the subtle grays and purples of the second work create a more subdued look. Someone recently remarked that these works are "simple yet complicated". I suppose I can see the simpleness in the naive unrefined qualities of the paintings, yet the hundreds of colors and shapes allow for a complicated feeling in the middle of this simplicity.

Cascade Lake #1 and #2 - 16x20" Acrylic on Panel

The Broken Bridge

2011-09-17T08:09:00.003-04:00

We spent our summer vacation in Cape Cod this year and stayed at our friend's house in Bourne. MA. A short walk from the house the broken bridge crosses over the inlet. This bridge has been there for over a hundred years, and at some point Grover Cleveland spent time here during his presidency.

Being the bridge was built from actual rocks the natural surfaces allowed me alot of expression in how I detailed the stones. My initial intention was to use heavy impasto work on the rocks and have them three dimensionally pop off the canvas. After painting the sky and water, I decided against this - I think my reasoning was the sunrise created a focal point and having something too abstract might deter from this.

Lately I've been doing alot of experimenting with clouds. I think the clouds in the broken bridge painting are my best effort so far. I did these by masking out several geometric shapes with tape. After this I painted the sky in hundreds of vertical bands that descended onto the sunrise. When I lifted the tape and began painting the clouds, I used the same colors as I did for the rest of the sky, but I used horizontal lines to contrast the vertical bands of the sky. This along with the white outlines provided good, but not overpowering definition for the clouds.

This work will soon be hanging at my friend's home on Cape Cod. I can now look forward to painting more works inspired by hundreds of pictures we took during our vacation.

Falls Lake - Limited Palette Study

2011-09-06T17:04:00.003-04:00

I painted a picture a few years ago using just yellows, blacks and whites. I never really thought much of it, but it kept hanging around my studio. Too nice to throw out, but not really worthy of posting to my website or sending off to any shows. The painting shown is a new painting, but is based on the older work. The original photograph has long since disappeared, so this is a rare event where I worked from another painting rather than from a photo or en plein aire. I had alot of fun with this, it did not take me nearly as long as most of my work and being there was no photograph I did not concern myself compositional accuracy. Unlike the earlier work there are some dark blues present in the water. I think for my next study, I might try darks over lights.

Top of Dingman Falls

2011-08-21T15:34:00.005-04:00

Dingman Falls is located in Northeast Pennsylvania in the Delaware Water Gap. We visited the area on a very hot day in July. I got some great pictures of the falls, but the picture I took of the river leading up to the falls struck me as rather interesting. The water was very clear, so many of the rocks at the bottom of the river could be seen through the surface. This allowed for some cool glazes with different sienna colors. I tried to make sure this looked like more than just a river - the tops and "half" trees in the right/middle portion of the canvas show that the river takes a sudden vertical drop. The last part painted was the rock bed in the lower right of the canvas. I pondered for some time on how to do this - I considered three dimensional impasto effects and more glazing, but in the end I went with a style where the details resembled the stream. The differences would be in sharp color contrasts of warm and cool colors. I think this kept some balance to the painting, while not drawing one away from other portions of the work.

Top of Dingman Falls - 24x36" Acrylic on Canvas

Cedar Island #2

2011-08-08T15:56:00.006-04:00

I've received alot of positive response from the the initial painting I did of Cedar Island. This painting is inspired from that same view, but encompasses more of the land and a second waterway.

I am sure the first the thing that one notices is the depictions of the clouds. A few people have seen this painting, and people tend to love or hate this idea. My intent was to make the clouds flowing, but to confine them within a few centralized cloud masses. I felt the smaller shapes captured within larger shapes added a further element of interest.

Bear Island

2011-07-28T15:05:00.003-04:00

Bear Island is part of North Carolina's Crystal Coast between Morehead City and Wilmington. There are no bridges to the island, so one must take a shuttle ferry. This limited accessibility leaves the beach in pristine condition - There is no pollution and the beach is just stunning.

The two pictures reflect a view from about 20 yards on the beach and about the same distance looking back onto the beach from the surf.

Bear Island- A View from the Beach - 20x16" Acrylic on Panel

Bear Island- A View from the Surf - 20x16" Acrylic on Panel

Cedar Island

2011-07-08T07:00:00.003-04:00

This is a painting I recently finished that is inspired by a trip to the North Carolina coast. At around 7:00 PM we were crossing a long bridge connecting Cedar Island to the mainland. At the the middle of the bridge we saw a stunning sunset reflecting onto this marshy inlet. I knew very quickly that the photographs we took would materialize into a future painting.

Cedar Island - 24x36" Acrylic on Canvas

Festival for the Eno - 2011

2011-07-05T07:35:00.003-04:00

This year I once again participated in the Festival for the Eno in Durham, NC. This show is always alot of fun and always very busy. Despite the hot temperatures and thunderstorm at the end the show this event was definitely a success. The mascot for this years show was the yellow spotted salamander, depicted here in this huge sand sculpture.

I look forward to next year's show as I hope this will be an an annual event for myself.

Kure Beach (A View from the Pier)

2011-06-25T09:30:00.005-04:00

This is probably the most involved painting I have done up to this point in my career. The subject originated from a trip to the beach we took in early May. The summer tourist season had not yet hit so the beach was not jammed with people. I think in most cases where paintings involve people they are the main focal point, I made an effort in this painting for this not to happen. The sky, the water and the beach each have unique elements - each of the three elements of the painting were done at separate times and in a way I thought of these as three separate paintings. The people and the houses were the last parts of the paintings done. This worked out well; After I had finished the beach I was pleased with the painting, therefore I did make the people and houses deliberately complex that they might take away from the larger composition.

Despite the lengthy amount of time it took me to complete this work, I really enjoyed painting it. The color scheme is one I have rarely used and the painting techniques really allow for this to stand out. Despite the complexity of shapes I feel the painting is quite soothing and accurately displays atmosphere and time of day and year.

Kure Beach (A View from the Pier) - 40x30" Acrylic on Canvas

Rolesville and Puryear Road

2011-06-10T09:17:00.006-04:00

Alot of the fields around my home take on some interesting colors at different points of the year. This painting is inspired from a picture I took in late October, about a month after the tobacco had been harvested. The foliage that grew in offered some spectacular colors and the fallen leaves and and the colors of autumn added to the effect.

This is painted on a 2" wide canvas so the wrap is quite interesting as the crop rows extend to all sides of the painting.

Rolesville and Puryear Road - 12x12" Acrylic on Canvas

Cotton Field Off Highway 64 #5

2011-05-24T14:02:00.003-04:00

Cotton Fields are becoming quite a popular subject for me. I completed this work last week - So far this is the largest canvas that I have used in for my cotton field work. I have a 40x30" leaning against the wall in my studio- this might have a place for Cotton Field #6.

I really do enjoy painting this subject. The timing on when the cotton blooms in North Carolina is early fall. If anyone out there knows of some picturesque North Carolina cotton fields, please let me know as I would like to get some more photographs this year.

Cotton Field Off Highway 64 #5 - 18x24: Acrylic on Canvas

Artsplosure 2011

2011-05-20T13:45:00.005-04:00

This weekend I will be exhibiting artwork at Artsplosure in downtown Raleigh. the first time I visited Artsplosure was in 1997. The impressive selection of art and massive crowds of people was awe inspiring at the time. Here we are fourteen years later and I have a booth and am now an exhibiting artist! Life definitely can take some interesting twists. I'll have several new works on display that I have not posted to my website or shown in any galleries. One of these works is of High Falls in the Dupont Forest in western NC (shown).

I'll be at booth 16 near Artspace. I hope to see everyone this weekend!

www.artsplosure.org

State of the Art / Art of the State

2011-05-15T08:48:00.004-04:00

Last weekend I attended the opening of State of the Art / Art of the State at the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC. The show was quite unique: no jurors, no entry fees - just bring one piece of art and it would be on display at the museum for six months. Hundreds of pieces of art were submitted and over 800 people attended the opening - there was little room to even move due to the amount of people that attended. Curators from NYC, San Francisco and London arranged the exhibit - and with the help of the staff and sponsors of the Cameron Art Museum an impressive show was put on.

The quality of artwork at the show is quite impressive. With so many works submitted, I expected to see alot of mediocrity - this certainly is not the case. By the breadth of artists and the quality of art, I conclude the "state of art" in North Carolina is pretty good.

I submitted Looking Glass Falls to the show. This is the painting hung high at the top of the doorway.

Atlantic Beach

2011-05-03T18:07:00.004-04:00

This is the second time I have painted this subject (the picture on top is the newer work). I used alot of the same colors with the exception of some light purple in the splash area of the waves. The addition of the clouds provides a solid focal point and some more geometry in the sky might add some more interest.

Atlantic Beach -20x16" Acrylic on Canvas

Triangle artists face lean times after recession

2011-04-27T20:54:00.008-04:00

Poor economy brought fewer patrons, less income

BY CHELSEA KELLNER - STAFF WRITER - Raleigh News and Observer

One month ago, Micah Mullen walked away from a comfortable corporate marketing job in the midst of a still-sputtering economy to work full time as a painter.

It's a 70 percent pay cut, though the hours are better. He and his wife have reined in food expenses, and with Mullen home, the couple can save on day care for their elementary-age children.

Still, Mullen knows it won't be easy. But he's determined to try.

"I don't plan on turning back," Mullen said. "I want to make this work, and I think I can."

Mullen is jumping in at an odd time for the Raleigh art scene. With more galleries than ever, the city's commitment to public art and the opening of the new Contemporary Art Museum downtown, the area is in the midst of what Raleigh Art Commission Executive Director June Guralnick calls a cultural renaissance.

However, individual artists are grappling with an extended period of fewer patrons and lighter wallets as the area struggles to bounce back from the recession. Local artists say they have had to work harder and smarter than ever before to make ends meet.

Mullen's geometric North Carolina landscapes are striking enough to stop patrons in their tracks, said gallery owner Nicole Kennedy, who sells Mullen's work in Nicole's Art Studio and Gallery on Person Street downtown.

"People look at his stuff and they're mesmerized," Kennedy said. "The more you look at it, the more you like it."

At the same time, Mullen has picked a tricky time for his career change.

"Leaving your day job - that's not necessarily a good thing to do right now," Kennedy said.

Even in the best of times, there aren't many who have the combination of talent and boldness required to take on the life of a professional artist. Only about 23,600 people held jobs as fine artists like Mullen and Garrison in 2008, the most recent numbers available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. About 60 percent of those were self-employed.

Most work on a freelance basis and may find it difficult to make a living solely by selling their artwork, according to the bureau report. Those with a steady salary earn a median annual income of about $42,000, which is Mullen's goal in the next five years.

Most local artists have been riding out the recession through a combination of newly acquired business savvy and a focus on honing their craft, Kennedy said.

"Most artists have had to take their career in their own hands," Kennedy said. "To expect galleries to make a living for you, unless you're a huge name, is not realistic."

Even established artists have had a hard time. Raleigh painter Richard Garrison quit his job as a public school art teacher to paint full time 16 years ago. He and his wife, an English teacher, were able to live comfortably off their joint incomes for more than a decade in a large four-bedroom house in Cary.

Then the recession hit. During the past few years, Garrison has been selling half the number of paintings he used to. He and his wife have had to dip into their savings, and recently downgraded to a one-bedroom condo in downtown Raleigh.

Last year, Garrison decided on a new strategy. His new focus on portrait painting won him two commissions last year that "probably saved me, financially," Garrison said.

Even those who kept their day jobs say times have been tight. Local artist Joe DiGiulio works full time in commercial and educational sales with Jerry's Artarama, as well as teaching workshops and creating instructional art DVDs. He and his wife call their backyard studio their retirement plan, a place to continue teaching art classes as the income supplement they will need to retire.

"I was surprised that (Micah) was going to go full time," DiGiulio said. "Three years ago, it was a completely different story."

Mullen has done his research. He knows the career change could mean a difficult adjustment period. He's been painting for years, and sold $20,000 worth of his work last year while working full time. With so much more time free to invest in it, he is confident he can double that number within five years.

His wife Eileen, a personal injury lawyer, supports his decision completely - because of his obvious talent, and the positive change she has seen in her husband since he found work he loves: He's calmer, more social and has more time to spend with their two sons.

"It is amazing to see the change in a person when they figure out what they want to be doing and what they're good at," Eileen Mullen said. "It really does make a difference to have fulfillment in your work life."

Mullen is treating his new career the same way he did his full-time corporate job. He starts at 8 a.m. every morning in his upstairs studio in North Raleigh, creating new paintings or on business calls, working to get his canvaases in more galleries across the state. On a whiteboard on one wall, he meticulously tracks how he spends every hour of the work day. To supplement income from paintings, he has instructional DVDs, which he sells from his professional website. He also has his own show in the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences' Nature Art Gallery through May 1.

Kennedy notes that North Carolina landscapes are selling better in the down economy as patrons seek the comfort of the familiar. That Mullen's work is a fresh, striking take on those scenes may be exactly the thing that will allow his bold career move to pay off as the economy picks back up, DiGiulio and Kennedy agree.

"I've seen enough lighthouses and ... barns and rolls of hay in the field from painters all over this area," DiGiulio said. "Micah's work is totally unique from anything you've seen before, so he can really carve out a niche for himself."

An artist's life has never been easy, but for those like Mullen, it's worth it to try, Garrison said.

"Why do anything other than what you love?" Garrison said. "If you love it enough, and you follow your heart, I think things will fall into line and you can make a living of it."

chelsea.kellner@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4802

Mailbox Mosaics

2011-04-24T17:30:00.005-04:00

The tornadoes that swept through Eastern North Carolina last weekend did a number on my mailbox. I spent Easter weekend building a new mailbox and creating a small mosaic garden at the base of the mailbox. Chips of broken plates and other odd ceramic pieces were embedded into two concrete pads. These pads were then surrounded by mulch and some small plants. The tiles need to be polished and the excess concrete and mud needs to be wiped off, but otherwise this project is complete.

This project is a stark reminder that I am not a young man anymore. Short handled shovels, pick axes, and mixing concrete took a physical toll on me over the last two days. I am anxious to once again get in front of the easel in an air conditioned space where the heaviest thing I will be lifting is a paintbrush.

Hanging Rock State Park - Lower Cascade Falls

2011-04-22T12:00:00.003-04:00

I liked this subject because the reference picture offered some colors that I normally do not use. My concerns arose when about halfway through the painting process I did not see these colors and the palette was looking quite similar to those in my previous painting of Pearson's Falls. The last part of the work that I did was the right hand side where the magentas and oranges are shown in the leaves. While these colors do provide good contrast, I feel the painting is still very flat. I like all the geometric shapes and colors that I used, but as I now look at the work in its entirety I might have used some better choices for shading to give this work more dimension.

There are four waterfalls at Hanging Rock State Park. The Lower Cascades Fall is at the bottom of the mountain and is what I feel to be the most spectacular of all the waterfalls at the park.

Hanging Rock State Park: Lower Cascade Falls - 18x24" Acrylic on Canvas

Pearson's Falls

2011-04-16T10:05:00.005-04:00

Pearson's Falls was the last waterfall we visited in our annual fall waterfall trip. This waterfall is located in the southwest part of North Carolina between Saluda and Tryon. It was a bright crisp autumn day - that allowed for some experimentation when painting the sky.

This painting took nearly 50 hours to complete - the majority of time was spent of the rock structures behind the waterfall. In actuality there probably should have been more water shown as this is a dense, roaring waterfall. However, after painting these rocks it seemed a shame to cover up all these tiny details. A rich palette of grays, dark blues and purples allows for sharp contrasts with the sky and waterfall.

Pearson's Falls - 24x18" Acrylic on Canvas

Fredrix Dixie Pro Canvas

2011-04-06T14:32:00.011-04:00

Working in the art material industry for many years I have seen hundreds of products. Occasionally a product comes around that really stands out as a quality item. The Fredrix Dixie Pro Canvas is one of those unique items of exceptional quality. This is a 12 oz. cotton canvas stretched onto solid, quality wood stretcher bars. What I like about this product is I know I do not have to worry about the canvas failing during the painting process or years in the future. The tough heavy canvas allows for a variety of techniques with a brush or knife without any concerns of the canvas bubbling or wrinkling, and the solid stretcher bars assure me that this canvas will not warp even decades from now.

I painted the cotton field painting shown on a 7/8" width, but the Dixie Pro is also available in 1-3/8" and 2-1/2" width. A quality item that I highly recommend!

Cotton Field Off Highway 64 #4 - 12x16" Acrylic on Canvas

Nature Art Gallery Show Opening

2011-04-02T17:12:00.005-04:00

The reception at the Nature Art Gallery at the Science Museum last night was amazing! I chatted with dozens of friends, met some great people and had a great time with my family. A special thanks to Karen Bethune who is curator of the gallery, she is one of the nicest and most efficient people I have come across. My paintings looked amazing in the gallery - congratulations to her and the great staff at the Museum. I am looking forward to working on future projects with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

If you did not get a chance to make the reception, my show "Carolina Mosaics: A Painter's View" runs through May 1st. The Nature Art Gallery is located on the mezzanine level of the gift shop at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh.

Upcoming Show: Carolina Mosaics: A Painter's View

2011-03-27T20:42:00.003-04:00

Opening Reception: First Friday, April 1st

Time: 6:30 - 8:30 PM Exhibit through May 1st
Location: Nature Art Gallery at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences - 11 West Jones Street in Downtown Raleigh

The Gallery exhibits original, nature-inspired, two and three dimensional artwork in all mediums by many of the finest artists and artisans exhibiting in the Southeast.

Bring the whole family - As part of First Fridayboth the Nature Art Gallery and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences are open late.

Painting shown is: Cotton Field Off Highway 64 #3 - 20x20" Acrylic on Canvas

A Clean Studio? An Advantage?

2011-03-25T16:03:00.004-04:00

This past weekend I probably spent 24 solid hours cleaning and organizing my studio. All my paint tubes are arranged by chromatic hue, all the brushes are sorted by size and style, the floors are vacuumed and swept - all and all this is the cleanest and most organized my studio has been in years! I'm anxious to see what effect this will have on me as an artist. Already I am finding myself mixing my red tubes with blue tubes and my filberts with my brights. I ponder whether I should spend a few hours a week or a half hour or so each night keeping things clean. I guess I probably should, if nothing else organization saves money - this past weekend's overhaul revealed several unused paint tubes and even large canvases I did not know I had!

I pictured my studio (top) alongside a picture of the studio of Francis Bacon. Two weeks ago, my studio really did resemble that of Bacon's. In 2008, Christie's sold three of Bacon's works for $46.1 million. Hmmmm . . . messy and disorganized vs. clean and organized?

Empowering Artists!

2011-03-21T14:43:00.004-04:00

Today is the first day of my life where I sat down at the easel knowing this is now a full time job.

For nearly fifteen years I was gainfully employed at Jerry’s Artarama as the Marketing Director. Earlier this year I decided to resign from Jerry’s with last Friday being my last day of employment. The past several months have been filled with emotions (both and good and bad), but I know it is now time to put these aside and look towards the future and begin the life of a full time artist.

The image shown is the cover of the 2011 Jerry’s Catalog. During my career at Jerry’s I have been involved with hundred of catalogs covers. It is ironic that I was involved very little with this cover in the sense that in the same year Jerry’s chose to embody the slogan “Empowering Artists” is the same year I chose to part ways with the company and try to make a go of it as a full time artist.

I have alot of thoughts about Jerry’s both positive and negative - however I know one thing is for certain that were it not for the experience gained through Jerry’s I would be nowhere remotely close to pursuing a career as a full time artist.

I will be writing much more frequently on my blog on my daily experiences as an artist, a father, a husband and a human being. Please check back.

Signs of Spring!

2011-03-17T18:52:00.005-04:00

The paintings I am holding reflect areas that are inspired by Bridal Veil Falls in Western North Carolina and the Quarry at the Eno River in Durham, NC, both are painted on glass and panel. As I was preparing to try to conquer the difficulties of photographing paintings made directly on glass, I thought I might try something different. About 30 yards in back of my house is a nice quiet creek - perfect weather conditions allowed for some great lighting and comfortable temperatures allowed for a nice picture. While I understand the importance of the "mug shot" pictures of paintings, it is nice to have a an human element and a real nature element to add to the ambiance of the paintings.

The painting in my right hand is A View of Bridal Veil Falls, in my left hand is Quarry at the Eno River #2. Both are 16x20" paintings painted on glass and Panel.

North Ridge Country Club - 2011 Art Gala

2011-03-13T20:55:00.004-04:00

Last night I participated in the 2011 Art Gala at the North Ridge Country Club in Raleigh, NC. The format of the show was unlike any other that I have been a part of. Thirty paintings were selected by Linda Johnson Dougherty who is one of the curators at the North Carolina Museum of Art (I was fortunate enough to have Whitewater Falls #3 selected for this show). The juried paintings were all displayed in the room leading into the main ballroom of the country club. Those artists that were juried into the show had the opportunity to set up in an approximate 10x10' area to show other works.

The show lasted just 3 hours, but during that time my booth had many visitors. Overall the event was very well attended and alot of fun. Pat and George Wallace did a great job organizing the event. The event is only in its third year, It made me happy when George remarked this was the best yet!

At around 8:00 the awards were given for the juried show. Constance Pappalardo won first place for her Desert Skies (shown). This is a striking work that is well deserved of first place.

I am looking forward to applying for the show again in 2012. Alot of fun, nice people. and so close to home.

Painting on Glass - Hanging Rock #2

2011-02-23T15:31:00.006-05:00

The second of series of paintings that was inspired by views from Hanging Rock State Park. Like the earlier painting done this was painted on two different surfaces. The lower surface is that encompasses the sky and mountains is painted on a 16x20" Gessobord. The portion of the painting that shows the rock and the big tree is painted directly on the glass.

I love the overall finished look of these works, but they are so much more challenging than traditional paintings on canvas or boards. A few things to point out.

1. Glass has no absorption - Despite masking and priming areas of the glass - the painting process requires several layers so to avoid streaking. The varnishing is also critical so the paint will not lift off the surface.

2. Framing - I like to offset the glass about 1/4" away from the panel to give a dimensional depth effect. I use spacers around the perimeter of the panel and the all the media is set into a metal sectional frame. I have framed dozens of pieces like this, but as we all know glass is quite fragile. If glass breaks during the framing process of matted artwork, all it costs me is a new piece of glass. On these works we are talking about hours of painting time wasted if the glass breaks. Needless to say the framing part is a bit tricky.

3. Photography - I still have not quite figured out how to do this so as to avoid all the reflections that occur from the glass. Back lighting, side lighting, front lighting - all have their advantages and disadvantages, but I have yet to take a perfect photograph from these paintings.

Hanging Rock State Park #2 - 20x16" Acrylic on Glass and Panel

Hanging Rock

2011-02-08T12:16:00.002-05:00

We visited this area last Fall. After hiking several miles up we reached the top of Hanging Rock which is where I shot the picture that inspired this painting. When I began photographing the area I knew almost immediately the types of paintings I would do. The rock is so massive and the view is so spectacular it created two distinct elements that had to be separated. I decided that I would paint the rock directly on the glass and offset it about a half inch from the panel to give me some depth. I began first by painting the sky on the panel - it was not my intention to give the sky so much attention, but I found that some of the colors I was using were not giving enough vibrant punch. I knew these would be behind glass, so I needed to make the sky jump out. The mountains in the back ground are a bit more subtle but help in making the sky and the rock really come alive.

Painting on glass is always a challenge as it has no absorption. Even traditional primers like gesso do not always adhere well. Several coats of priming were used and even then the surface is still pretty tough. I painted the rock, by first using traditional heavy body acrylics in a series of color patterns. After about 8 hours the basis of the rock had formed, but the colors were not vibrant and streaked alot. I then used acryl Gouache to go back over these colors. Everything on the rock is opaque, so I did not concern myself with losing transparency by using the gouache. After doing this I again used the acryl gouache and made the patterns and symbols on the rock that are found in many of my works.

When I finally framed the piece and offset the glass from the panel got really excited from the results. The additional work and challenges of working on glass definitely paid off!.

Hanging Rock State Park - 16x20" Acrylic on Glass and Panel

Corner of Rolesville and Puryear Road

2011-02-01T10:18:00.009-05:00

I came across this Tobacco field not far from my home on Rolesville Road in Northeast Raleigh. The picture was taken in late October so there were some interesting fall colors in the composition. I used some of my favorite Matisse acrylic colors to create this painting. Australian Sienna is somewhat of mix of Raw Sienna and Cadmium Orange – you see a lot of this in the field and in the center of the big tree. Some of the greens used are Australian Olive Green and Australian Sap Green – I generally avoid specialty colors like these, but the Australian series of Matisse acrylics is a real good range.

Matisse Flow paints are a thinner consistency and match the color range of the heavy body structure acrylics. I use these for glazing and for accentuating certain areas. The big shiny leaves on the tree and certain areas of the field are a combination of Flow acrylics and glazing medium. I usually apply this with applicator bottles, similar to how one might decorate a cake. This gives a neat effect that works well with things like flowing water or leaves blowing in the wind.

Corner of Rolesville and Puryear Road - 12x12" Acrylic on Canvas

Top of Bridal Veil Falls

2011-01-23T12:27:00.005-05:00

One of several waterfalls in the DuPont Forest is Bridal Veil Falls. Located about a half hour from Brevard, NC this waterfall is unique to many of the other falls in the area. This big waterfall allows you to actually hike up the waterfall! The water flow occupies only a portion of the rock mass, the remaining portion of the rock in not so steep that you cannot climb up to the top. I took the picture that inspired this painting fairly close to the top. This artwork probably shows about 1/8 of the entire waterfall, I got some great pictures of the entire falls that I will probably paint later on a larger surface.

Although it was not my intention the blues, whites and grays of the waterfall and rocks set a tone for a cool day. This is accurate considering our visit to the area was in November on a cold, crisp late Autumn day.

Top of Bridal Veil Falls - 12x12" Acrylic on Canvas

Wildcat Falls

2011-01-14T15:07:00.002-05:00

Just a short distance from the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina is WIldcat Falls. We came upon this waterfall on a cold November morning but were not disappointed as this is really a picturesque setting. When painting this I tried to show alot of movement not only in the waterfalls but in the surrounding trees as well. The pool at the base of the waterfall was probably about 12" deep in the spot where I stood to take the picture. This shallow water gave hints of the surface with alot of browns and siennas being evident. As the water got deeper at the splash area of the waterfall more blues, greens and even purples became evident in the composition.

This is painted on a 12"x12" canvas - Despite the small area of the surface I was able to get alot of detail into the rocks and trees. People often say my paintings are aboriginal or Aztec in appearance. Perhaps WIldcat Falls defines a bit of both of these styles.

Wildcat Falls - 12x12" Acrylic on Canvas

Approaching Big Bradley Falls

2011-01-02T11:00:00.007-05:00

In early November we took a trip to western North Carolina to see some waterfalls. Big Bradley Falls was one of the last stops on our trip. We probably should have done some research on this area before beginning the hike. Big Bradley Falls is a 75' foot waterfall located in a big gorge. We did not realize that a view of the waterfalls was nearly impossible without some rappelling cables and mountain climbing gear. The first ominous sign was a yellow ribbon tied to a tree marking where someone had perished, yet we traveled on anxious to see the falls. Some steep trails off the main trails allowed us some partial views, but these were quite treacherous and dangerous, so we held off trying to get too close.

The painting shown is inspired from a view about 50 yards from the top of the falls. Alot of fall colors and a nice sunset created a strong subject for this work.

Approaching Big Bradley Falls - 12x16" Acrylic on Canvas

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T16:01:00.007-05:00

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

~Dr Seuss

Wishing You a Merry Christmas!

Micah

North Carolina Cotton Field - 30x40" Acrylic on Canvas

Rocky Mountain National Park #2

2010-12-02T19:02:00.004-05:00

When I snapped the picture that was the subject of this painting I knew it was love at first sight. Most of my paintings evolve away from the picture and I begin to take alot of liberties with color and light and other style elements. This however was really a perfect composition. Even my first glance of the river while driving in Rocky Mountain National Park, I knew this scene at that moment would eventually be captured on canvas.

My trip to Colorado took place in the Summer, but this had alot of Fall colors which are great! The red tree really gives a nice accent. It may be difficult to see through the picture, but the rocks in the in raging river are created with thick layers of impasto and dried paint and glazing medium. A real 3 dimensional effect on the canvas.

I painted this during a period in my life when I had alot of external distractions. This coupled with the elaborate detail made the process take nearly two months. In the end I feel this might be my strongest work to date.

Rocky Mountain National Park #2 - 30x40" Acrylic on Canvas

When Life gets in the way of Art

2010-11-29T18:51:00.003-05:00

November has been a challenging month. Confrontations at my day job and elsewhere have made it difficult to focus my time in front of the easel. Even when I do find time to paint I find my mind is wandering from color mixing and painting details to bothersome things unrelated to my life as an artist. With November nearing its sweet end I feel a bit re-energized to paint more. Having spent part of the Thanksgiving break in Pittsburgh, I feel somewhat inspired by the great art of that incredible city. The picture shown reflects our visit to the Andy Warhol museum. Like the person the building represents, the museum is way ahead of its time. Several hours spent in the Museum and many more hours spent in the car driving home gave me alot of time to reflect. It made me feel better and rejuvenated that we bought some Andy Warhol note cards at the gift shop with a quote by Warhol on the back of the box:

You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.

3 the Hard Way

2010-10-28T13:59:00.006-04:00

Last night I attended a screening of the documentary “3 the Hard Way”. The movie was filmed and directed by my friend Robert King. Lisa King did the behind the scenes photography. The story documents a project by Raleigh Artists Sean Kernick, Paul Friederich and Georges LeChevallier – the three artists each began with two or three surfaces and each created a piece of art before exchanging the work with the other two artists who subsequently added their own creative elements to the artwork.

While this is not a groundbreaking idea as far as art projects there are few things that made this exceptional. Robert did an amazing job in the production of the film. There was an element of intrigue of what the finished works would look like – this coupled with brilliant cinematography made an entertaining documentary that even kept my 9 and 7 year old sons interested.

The other stand out aspect of this project and film was the cohesion and uniqueness of the artists. Whenever a project like this starts there is always a concern that the artistic styles will be too similar or too different. I did a project as a kid where the teacher asked students to partner up – one student would paint one half of a subject the other student the other half. The problem was that each student had been instructed the same methods of painting by the teacher so the end results were pretty dull since they looked too similar. Conversely if we had a time machine and asked Andy Warhol to collaborate with Johannes Vermeer on a project it might be interesting but very lacking in cohesion. The styles of artists in this film are different enough to be anything but boring, yet not so far out there that the finished works lacked any continuity from one artist to the next.

The pictures shown are a few of the finished pieces by the artists. These are the result of a cartoonist, a graffiti artist and a mixed media painter. Well done guys!

Down Home: Portraits of the Old North State

2010-10-23T14:18:00.009-04:00

Last night I attended the exhibit "Down Home Portraits of the Old North State". The show was sponsored by the Carolina Color Gallery and held at the Raleigh Convention - as part of the Raleigh Junior League's Shopping Spree event. Melissa Peden and Megg Rader juried the show and selected 34 works for the show. I submitted two pieces Sweetwater Creek and Lake Waccamaw. Both my submissions were selected and I found out last night (On my 40th birthday) that Sweetwater Creek was awarded First Place! Needless to say I was thrilled!

It was a really nice selection of art at the show. With all due respect to all photographers and three dimensional artists out there it is nice to see a show consisting of paintings, drawings and and other media. Along with mine (top) the works shown on this entry are those of Adam Breakey (second from top) Jan Van Wyk (third from top), and Margot Holloman (bottom and Honorable Mention). These are a few of the works that stood out for me as quite exceptional.

Now if there can only be a red dot sticker next to some of those paintings, turning 40 might not seem so ominous. :)

Carolina Color Gallery

Hanging Rock State Park

2010-10-19T17:04:00.002-04:00

On Sunday we spent the day at Hanging Rock State Park in central North Carolina. It was a great day and I got many cool pictures for future paintings. Ideally we should have been there about a week later as the peak foliage is still not present. Still there are some really nice reds and yellows in the pictures - This will be a nice change as my palette has become way too green as of late.

Where do I get my Inspiration?

2010-10-10T20:24:00.011-04:00

Where do I get my inspiration?

This is a question that I am often asked and one that almost always leaves me speechless. The truth is, the reason I create art is not through inspiration but art is my destiny and purpose in life. Yes I know this sounds pompous and perhaps even canonical but to me this is crystal clear. It is hard for me to believe in luck or coincidence when so many things lead me directly toward art.

Growing up I spent a lot of time watching TV in the room adjacent to my Dad’s studio, I was by no means my father’s apprentice, in fact I often mocked some of the art he was doing. Yet the potent smell of printing ink and all those painful trips to art museums were influencing me in ways far beyond my understanding. My adolescence had me doing everything but what my parents did, so I played a lot of sports and participated in activities that I thought to be far removed from art. The immediate years after college had me seeking the almighty dollar – I did not want to be a “starving artist” I wanted money and while I had no idea what I wanted as a career the idea of an artist was far removed from my thought process. I took a job selling art materials thinking that to be business and retail not “creating art”. For the most part I enjoyed my job, but I still wanted more – After some personal trials I found that during my evenings I had more time on my hands, but I still do not think it a coincidence or dumb luck that I picked up a paint brush one night.

I read a quote recently stating “luck is the point where preparation and opportunity meet.” I believe this to be true, but for me it is a little different – remember for 40 years I had no desires or dreams to be an artist. There is no greater feeling in the world to realize a purpose you have in this life.

Shown - Tobacco Field at Old Milburnie Road - 10x30" Acrylic on Canvas

Is Art Fun?

2010-10-05T17:53:00.009-04:00

Is art fun? Today I was asked this question at my job during a meeting for a new fledgling project. A question that I would think would have a definite YES - seemed much more difficult to answer. I spend hours and hours each week in front of my easel, at my day job I spend even more time reviewing art materials and focusing on how to better improve an artist's life, many weekends are spent at museums, galleries and shows. So... probably 90% or so of my awake life (we'll leave dreams and nightmares out for now) is spent doing art, observing art or learning and selling art materials. Shouldn't it be fun!!?? The same person that asked me this question, also later stated during the meeting that art is way for one to learn more about oneself. I certainly believe this is true. This past Saturday as I finished painting the picture that is shown on this entry, I often thought I really would rather be watching college football than sitting in a lonely, isolated room with just my thoughts and my painting. Yet something kept me there . . . perhaps it is my compulsive personality, perhaps I knew I had deadlines to meet, perhaps if I did not paint that day I thought the painting might be inferior. It never occurred to me that the reason I was alone in my studio on a sunny 80 degree day in the middle of football season was that I might be having fun!

I perplexed this question about art being fun for a few hours after it was asked. I think asking me if art is fun is asking me if I enjoy life. Like anyone I have good and bad days, but my life always gravitates back to art. To me fun seems like more of a temporary word. "I had a fun time at dinner the other night". To use "fun" as it relates to art and my life discounts the massive impact art plays in my life. In some ways it is even spiritual - One rarely describes spirituality as fun, but it is often described as positive and fulfilling.

As I sit here now with the computer in front of me and the easel behind me, there seem to be alot of fun things to do between now and when I go to sleep . . . It's already 6:30 - I should be painting by now.

(Shown) Pocosin Lakes Wildlife Refuge - 9x12" Acrylic on Canvas

Wake Forest Area Artists' Studio Tour

2010-09-30T18:55:00.006-04:00

October 2nd and 3rd will be the final weekend of the 2010 Wake Forest Area Artists Studio Tour. Pleas come by my home studio as I have about 25 paintings set up outside my house for sale. For directions and full details please visit my link at Wake Forest Area Artists.

These are a few of the pieces that I recently finished that will be part of the selection at the Studio Tour.

Opening at Horace WIlliams House in Chapel Hill

2010-09-26T21:15:00.004-04:00

Today I attended the opening of a show of my recent works. The show is presented by the Preservation Society of Chapel Hill and runs through October 24th. The Horace WIlliams house is a gorgeous historic home that is ideal for displaying artwork. 24 paintings are currently on display. Many of my friends as well as friends of the Preservation Society attended the opening - if you missed it be sure to check it out over the next month.

Some Small Paintings of Rocky Mountain National Park

2010-09-21T20:52:00.003-04:00

Oh those smaller paintings are so much trickier.

These 5x7" works reflect scenery I saw during my summer travels in Northern Colorado. Both are acrylic on watercolor paper. Both look really nice when they are matted and framed. These are a few of the works available this weekend during the Wake Forest Area Artists' Studio Tour.

SparkCON

2010-09-19T11:28:00.003-04:00

Yesterday my family and I attended SPARKCON in downtown Raleigh. SPARKCON is an outdoor festival focusing on a wide variety of creative activities like art, music and fashion. A great event and alot of fun for young and old.

I was very fortunate in that I was asked to judge the Middle School category for the street chalk painting portion of the event. These bright young ladies took the "green" theme and created an original and very accomplished work of art worthy of a prize in this show.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2010-09-10T15:22:00.003-04:00

Yes, this weekend marks the official start of the NFL and the first full weekend of college football. The weekend kick off early on Saturday with Peter and Jimmy sporting the black and gold for the Capital City Steelers. An evening of Penn State vs. Alabama and a Sunday afternoon of the Pittsburgh Steelers taking on Atlanta make this a full weekend filled with obelisk shaped balls and a few cold beverages here and there. I’m not sure a paint brush is in my destiny this weekend.

Looking at Jack Lambert’s picture I can already see an NFL future for Peter.

Louie: 1998-2010

2010-09-04T08:52:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we went to the vet and had our dog Louie put to sleep. I will really miss Lou, many afternoons he slept at the base of my easel and kept me company while I painted the day away. To quote Will Rogers " If dogs don't go to heaven, when I die I want to go wherever they went."

I'll see you again soon pal.

Sunset Over a Wake County Tobacco Field

2010-09-01T19:03:00.004-04:00

For the past couple of months I have really been using geometry and shapes to emphasize elements in my paintings. While I feel this experimentation has been successful, I probably have been too focused on that one aspect and subsequently have neglected other important areas. In looking at my past two paintings (Atlantic Beach and Rocky Mountain National Park) blues and greens dominate the entire surface. I don't think I squeezed one drop of red or mixed one stroke of orange or yellow in hours upon hours of painting. Hopefully my latest painting addresses this issue with a more vibrant palette of colors. The sunset over the field provides a nice contrast of the sky against the trees, while the reds, yellows and oranges give the paintings some punch with colors I do not often use.

Sunset Over a Wake County Tobacco Field - 16x20" Acrylic on Canvas

Rocky Mountain National Park

2010-08-25T18:46:00.001-04:00

My first complete painting reflecting my travels in Rocky Mountain National Park. A magnificent area indeed! So many inspirations arose from this trip, I was not quite sure where to begin as I have hundreds of pictures from the few days I spent in Colorado. The mountains are very different from those in North Carolina. Unlike the mountains in western NC that are densely covered with trees and vegetation, the Rockies have many barren spots that are just short grass and foliage. This is evident in this painting where the tree line start about 1/3 of the way up the mountain.

The colors of the setting allowed for vivid blues and greens in all areas of the painting. My version of a triangular sky giving a reflection of hundreds of squares in the river make a nice abstract quality to tranquil scene.

Rocky Mountain National Park - 30x40" Acrylic on Canvas

Cityscapes

2010-08-20T14:06:00.002-04:00

In the next few months I plan on painting more cityscapes. I find these to be more challenging - Nature scenes lend themselves to more abstraction as there are no "true" lines or manufactured shapes. In landscape paintings if I try to make a straight line and fail, chances are the line in nature was not really straight anyway. Sides of buildings, curbs and other man made structures offer less margin of error. The painting shown was done about eighteen months ago - It is a broad depiction of downtown Raleigh. Lots of different painting techniques were used for this. Initially I was not really fond of this, but several people have remarked this as being one of my best. Perhaps I am my own worst critic.

All comments welcome.

Downtown Raleigh #1 - 30x30" Acrylic on Canvas

Atlantic Beach in July

2010-08-05T18:28:00.005-04:00

For years I have struggled with how to paint a view from the beach. On a lazy day in early July it hit me while idling the day away at Atlantic Beach. Looking out on the horizon I saw very definitive shapes and lines. Unlike other paintings I have done that usually involve tress and other complicated shapes, this setting was beautiful in its simplicity. I love the contrasts that this scene allowed fo: the dark blues of the water vs. the light blues of the sky and the tans and umbers of the beach vs. the water made the different segments of this work pop off the canvas.

Despite the apparent simplicity, this painting took an incredibly long time to complete. The water and the sand each were painted in small grids and then later refined. The beach actually has sand particles in it to make it a bit more authentic.

Atlantic Beach in July - 30x40" Acrylic on Canvas

Wet Canvas August Challenge

2010-08-02T16:01:00.004-04:00

I was asked to host the August Challenge on Wet Canvas for the Abstract/Contemporary forum. The piece I am currently working on had a lot to do with how I shaped the challenge. I decided to invite artists to focus on the shape(s): whether we realize it or not every piece of art we create is compose of squares, circles, triangles and multiple other shapes. So I challenged people to look beyond the colors, the subjects, the textures and see the minimal basic shapes.

In just two days there have already been some wonderful postings. I am really excited to see how this plays out at the end of the month.

Travels in the Netherlands – Entry 1

2010-07-20T16:17:00.005-04:00

I spent last week traveling across Holland to visit some different companies. My trip started in Rotterdam where I met with the people at Artistix. Artistix is a distributor of stones and stone carving supplies. I was shown soapstone and alabaster stones and was given some rasps and chisel to try out the carving process. I found out quickly this is a very difficult type of art to do. Despite the soft nature of the stones, I could not seem to shape the stones into any real shapes (artistic or otherwise). In my lifetime I’ve seen beautiful stone sculptures. My hat really goes off to these artists now that I understand the degree of difficulty involved in the process

On Tuesday my friend Andy from Artistix took me to Kinderdijk – this is an area of Holland with about 25 working windmills. This area has a magnificent landscape and I learned some interesting thing on how the windmill works and its importance in Dutch history.

It was now off to Helmond to see another and an old friend. Check back in a few days for the next entry of my trip to the Netherlands.

Eno River Festival - Best Two Dimensional Artist

2010-07-09T17:56:00.005-04:00

I had a good time at the Festival for the Eno this past weekend. The weekend was highlighted on Sunday morning when I was told I won the award for best two dimensional artist in the show! Considering the huge amount of talented artists at the show I really consider this an honor.

Most of the time during the show my family was there with me. The kids swam and played in the river and even did a little kayaking. Overall a great time! I am looking forward to returning to the show next year!

Lake Waccamaw #2

2010-07-07T18:39:00.004-04:00

This is the second painting I completed that is inspired by a recent trip to Lake Waccamaw near Wilmington, NC. The sky reflects a bit of organized chaos of varying shapes, colors and symbols. The white outlines representing clouds were placed over the part of the color/shape pattern that moves diagonally rather than horizontally across the canvas. Because the leaves of the big tree encompassed so much of the sky, I decided to continue the same pattern - this time using varying shades of greens and yellows. These leaves are accentuated with a glazing medium-fluid acrylic mixture that is evident in the dot patterns. I wish I provided a bit more contrast with the sky and water, but still a very strong piece.

Festival for the Eno

2010-06-28T22:31:00.007-04:00

From July 3rd through July 5th I will be a participating artist at the Festival for the Eno in Durham, North Carolina. I am excited to be included in this event, one reason being is many of my paintings are inspired by the Eno River. I will have a nice selection of works in my tent and close to the main stage and refreshment stands. I am sure it will be hot, but will no doubt be a great time. Hope to see you there! For directions, hours and full information be sure to visit the Festival for the Eno site listed below.

www.enoriver.org

Rocky Mountain Extreme

2010-06-28T22:04:00.011-04:00

I was fortunate enough to recently spend a few days in Northern Colorado. I spent some time with my friend Carl Judson and his family. Carl owns the company Guerrilla Painter which sells plein aire painting accessories. Jerry's Artarama happens to be one of their biggest customers, so my job offered me the opportunity to learn more about Guerrilla Painter through my own personal observations. One of my goals of this trip was to try one of the Guerrilla Boxes out and do some plein aire painting in the Rocky Mountains.

I spent Thursday and Friday enjoying the hospitality and AMAZING cooking of the Judson family. I stayed in the guest apartment of the Judson ranch, and while I'm certainly no ranch hand I'm never one to stray away from home cooking and sitting around a camp fire drinking beer. The picture shown is of the Phantom Canyon Ranch and is painted by Carl Judson.

On Saturday I woke up early and headed to Rocky Mountain National Park. I was immediately overtaken by the magnificent scenery on the way to the park. After several hikes and diversions, I made it to the park around noon. The day was flying by, I spent about three hours in the park highlighted by a moose sighting and a herd of elk three miles above sea level.

After seeing just a fraction of the park I broke out my Guerrilla box and began painting. I found a roaring stream with the mountains in the background, I sat down to a picnic table and started my plein aire painting.

Check back later to read my blog entry on Plein Aire Painting.

guerrillapainter.com

guerrillapainterchronicles

guerrilla painters notebook

Judson's Plein Aire Journal

National Society of Painters in Casein and Acrylic

2010-06-16T22:29:00.006-04:00

On June 11, I attended the artists reception for the National Society of Painters in Casein and Acrylic Annual Showcat the Salamagundi Club in New York City. I was fortunate enough to have my painting Gablesland Trail Along the Eno (bottom Picture) selected for the show. The show had an incredibly strong selection of about 80 works. The winner of the Robert Sanstrom prize was Nina Maguire's New York City, July 4th (top picture). I chatted with Nina Maguire about her career as an artist, her passion for art is very evident in powerful works like this.

Eileen and I enjoyed the weekend in New York. On Saturday night we saw Red a broadway play depicting the life of Mark Rothko and his studio assistant. An amazing play portraying the personality of a great artist.

The long lines and crowds at the MOMA did not dissuade us from seeing the most amazing collection of art anywhere in the world. Although my feet were tired on Sunday from all the walking it was really a great weekend.

Lake Waccamaw

2010-06-11T07:04:00.005-04:00

Over Memorial Day Weekend we visited Lake Waccamaw near Wilmington, NC. It was an overcast day so the sky offered some interesting colors. This is a very shallow lake - the kids and I walked nearly 100 yards into the lake before the water got too deep. This allowed the bottom of the lake to be faintly seen in the picture from which this painting is depicted.

I really like the water effects on this painting. Eileen remarked that there is not enough contrast with the land mass and water, and I think she is right. However I think I hit the nail on the head with two of the three elements in painting the sky and water.

Lake Waccamaw 16x20" Acrylic on Canvas

A Pretty Good Weekend!

2010-06-08T21:24:00.006-04:00

As far as weekends go in my art life, I would have to rank this past weekend at the top of the list.

On Friday night I attended the opening of SCOPE: North Carolina Landscape Show at the Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh. Two of my paintings were selected for this show: Quarry at the Eno River and Pocosin Lakes. I was thrilled to find that Pocosin Lakes was also selected as First Prize in this show! The entire show was amazing - Congrats to the VAE, it sponsor Navis Pack and Ship and juror Jonathan Stuhlman for putting on a great show!

On Sunday I was fortunate enough to attend the opening of the National Juried Art show at the Imperial Arts Center in Rocky Mount, NC. My painting Looking Glass Falls was selected for a Merit Award in this show! The Imperial Centre is a really cool place offering something for everyone of every age. The is the second year I have participated in this show, and once again I was not disappointed. Approximately 40 works were selected juror Amy Freeman. A well rounded selection in an outstanding venue. A great show made possible by the great staff and volunteers at the Art Centre.

Pope Strawberry Fields

2010-06-02T16:24:00.001-04:00

My friend Bryan’s family owns a big farm in Knightdale, NC. Every spring the open up the farm and let public come by to pick strawberries. The kids enjoy picking the berries and we all enjoy eating them. The patterns of the rows are very interesting as they create very defined lines in a natural setting. It be nice if more of the reds of the berries came through on this paintings, but the small accents of red dots due give it some zest. Blueberry season is just a few weeks away, although a blueberry is smaller than a strawberry so my dilemma might not be solved. It will be a very tasty painting if nothing else.

Pope Strawberry Fields – 9x12” Acrylic on Canvas

Page-Walker Opening

2010-05-30T09:16:00.004-04:00

A Painted Mosaic of the Carolinas

This show opened this past Friday night at the Page-Walker Arts and History Center in Cary, NC. The show looks spectacular! My sincere thanks go out to everyone who helped make this possible. Also a huge thank you to all of you who attended the opening, it was a very proud moment in my life.

The show will run through June 22nd. There are thirty of my paintings on display, along with a selection of photographs by Ted Raper. This is a great venue and a great show, I encourage everyone to come see it before June 22.

More information at Town of Cary Website

Sunset Over Blue Jay Point

2010-05-23T18:29:00.003-04:00

In this painting I tried to make the sky very distinguishable using a series of grids, colors and symbols. The water also uses grids and colors, but has a more distorted look to give the appearance of reflective shapes. I tried to use a limited palette of blues and greens for the majority of the painting in the hopes that this would create a strong focal point of the reds, oranges and yellows seen in the sunset.

This work combines varying elements of many of my recent works, and is one of many paintings that will be on display at the Page-Walker House in Cary, NC. This is an exciting show that opens on May 28th and will run through most of June.

Sunset Over Blue Jay Point - 20x16" Acrylic on Canvas

Field at Watkins Road

2010-05-13T18:08:00.004-04:00

Many of the farmers around my neighborhood have been busy plowing the fields getting ready for the next planting. This plowing makes for some interesting patterns in the rows. When the earth is disturbed it frees up many great earth tone colors not normally seen. I took a picture of this setting around 7:45 PM. The sun was just setting on a slightly overcast day. Many blues and purples filled the sky , but there was still enough light to allow for some brilliant siennas in the recently plowed field. The field was painted in a series of grids - I have used this method for sky and water however this was my first try at land mass using this method.

Field at Watkins Road - 16x20" Acrylic on Canvas

20th Mid-Atlantic Art Exhibition

2010-05-01T11:14:00.010-04:00

Last week I attended the opening of the 20th Annual Mid-Atlantic Art Exhibition at the d'Art Center in Norfolk, VA. I was fortunate in that my Flanners Beach (bottom image) painting was selected for the show. A very competitive show with only about 30 artists selected. One of the more unique shows I've attended - The juror Laura Roulet selected quite a few photographs and digital works, something I have not seen in most of the shows I've attended. Along with mine I only saw two or three "tradtional" paintings. The work shown by Chris Luckman Kayakers on the Path (middle image) is one of those paintings. The other work shown is that of Kathy Guzman Archival Man (top image). I really liked this work, particularly because it only 8x8" - Alot going in a small area. It is easy to see alot of time and detail went into this work. Overall a great show that I was proud to be a part of!

Fall Lake Near Blue Jay Point

2010-04-27T18:39:00.003-04:00

Over the last few years most of my paintings have been inspired by pictures taken in various spots in the Carolinas and elsewhere on the east coast. I always put alot of thought into where I might find my next painting. Will it be a lake, a river, a waterfall or field? Usually my family comes with me on these trips so we generally find that "perfect" location between 10 am and 4 Pm. Of the hundreds of pictures taken and all the sites we have seen, I now realize I am neglecting the time of day in finding an ideal subject. I am certainly aware of the different colors and tones involved with atmosphere and time, but I have never made the effort to go out and seek them. Even in this most recent painting of Fall Lake which is only a few miles from my house, it was just by coincidence that I was able to take the picture at sundown. Sometimes the perfect subject might not involve driving 5 hours to the western part of the state, but rather just a matter of waiting a few hours for sundown or getting up early for sunrise.

This painting was inspired by a view from Blue Jay Point Park at Falls Lake. The sundown setting allowed me to dust off some of my red and yellow paint tubes and create a neat sunset.

Falls Lake Near Blue Jay Point 20x16" Acrylic on Canvas

Falls Lake at Six Forks Road #2

2010-04-16T16:17:00.002-04:00

I painted a smaller version of this setting in the spring of 2008. A slightly larger canvas allowed me more detail and color. The black outline around the trees is something that I have moved away from, however using the earlier painting as a reference I found this to be a good effect that I will use on future paintings. Both the sky and the water use varying transparent glazes in conjunction with opaque acryl gouache.

Falls Lake at Six Forks Road #2 – 20x20” Acrylic on Canvas

Gablesland Trail Along the Eno

2010-04-08T18:10:00.003-04:00

In a further evolution of working with grids and the patterns within them, I used the sky of this work for more experimentation and abstraction. Like the earlier piece I did of the Quarry at the Eno River, the sky and water were broken down into 1/2"x1/2" squares. The sky was first pained in a series of contrasting blues, and then symbols of were added in other blue contrasts. After this a light blue glaze was applied over the entire sky. The water does not have quite the same abstraction, but the same painting methods were used. I like the way the rocks were positioned in this setting. Being the rocks were right on the river bank it allowed me to use a different palette of colors to distinguish the main body of land from the water.

Gablesland Trail Along the Eno - 20x16" Acrylic on Canvas

Easter Eggs!

2010-04-04T08:02:00.002-04:00

The Easter Bunny stole all my canvases and left the kids and I all these eggs to paint. Faberge would be proud.

Quarry at the Eno River

2010-03-27T18:06:00.003-04:00

Painted entirely in thin fluid acrylics, this work reflects the quarry at the Eno River. The picture was taken on a beautiful, crisp day in early March. Although there was not a cloud in the sky I chose to alternate colors in the sky in a combination of cobalt and cerulean. Both the sky and the water were created by first outlining a grid of a squares (each about 1/2" x 1/2") The squares were all individually painted to reflect a distinct color or pattern. The land mass of trees uses a series of greens and earthtones, I needed to use two different glazes of Burnt Umber and Raw Sienna to provide some contrast with the land and water.

Quarry at Eno River - 12x24" Acrylic on Canvas

Finishing a Painting – How long should the painting process take?

2010-03-24T16:09:00.002-04:00

A question I am often asked is – “How long did it take you to do that?” Unlike most other questions about a painting this is one I always have an answer for. I am a firm believer in the power of time – never too much, never too little. I have painted enough varying sizes of canvases to know how long I should be painting. I always keep notes as too how long I have painted – if the painting process of a 16x20” takes 5 hours less than a 16x20” painting I finished last year, I know I did something wrong. Sure the more I paint the more seasoned I become at different techniques, but does that mean I can accept mediocrity and stop learning and improving my art. Of course not – I am a firm believer that persistence and hard work hold suit over talent and training.

I have to keep working, not to arrive at finish, which arouses the admiration of fools... I must seek completion only for the pleasure of being truer and more knowing.

Paul Cezanne

Art-A-Thon for Haiti

2010-03-21T09:20:00.010-04:00

Yesterday I participated in an "Art-A-Thon" to benefit victims of the earthquake in Haiti. I had four hours to paint a 12x12" painting that would be bid on later on. This definitely took me out of my painting element as a painting of this size would normally take about 12 hours . Nonetheless I finished the painting and it was hung on the wall to bid on later. I did not think the painting was very good, but I guess with events like this I need to remember it is not about perfection, but rather a reminder of the importance of community. Maybe the painting put a smile on someone's face and hopefully the money donated will help aid that region of the world in a small way.

The event was alot of fun, but I was hoping to see more people. The kids enjoyed painting, and they seemed interested by the airbrush artists. I was painting in the morning and early afternoon - being the event was in a nightclub I am sure the it got more crowded as the moved on.

Swamp at Crews Road #2

2010-03-15T18:40:00.002-04:00

I just finished this painting depicting a swampy area on Old Crews Road not too far from my house. The paints used for his work are a bit of a diversion from how I normally paint. I normally work on a painting by first creating a layer using Matisse Structure heavy Bodied Acrylics. After this layer is made I will use a combination of Matisse Flow Fluid acrylics and Turner Acryl Gouache to add the details over this layer. For this painting I did not use the heavy bodied acrylic and worked exclusively with Turner Acryl Gouache and Matisse Flow Acrylics. In a way these types of paints are opposites in that the Acryl Gouache is opaque and most of the Flow acrylics are thin and transparent. Using these in conjunction with one another provides for some interesting effects. Certain colors work better with other, so of course a lot of trial and error is involved.

Swamp at Old Crews Road #2 - 12x24" Acrylic on Canvas

Focusing on One Art Form at a Time

2010-03-10T16:47:00.003-05:00

Often times the lines are blurred as to what constitutes “Art”. Art is part of our lives everyday – whether it be the elevator music in the dentist’s office or the inspiring collages and paintings my children bring home from school – there is no doubt art is everywhere. To consider myself the best artist I can be at any type of art means I have to focus on one thing at a time. I never thought cooking to be an art until I tried to split time between doing both. The end result . . . dinner was bad and so was the painting.

I spend many hours in front of the easel – during this time I listen to a lot of music. It really is amazing the profound effect background sounds have on my paintings. The few times I have listened to sports radio or NPR while painting have always yielded poor results. While painting I have listened to everything from opera to heavy metal. It seems I am most successful when I listen to top 40 pop music. The irony of this is when given a choice of music to listen to, I consider most of these songs mind numbing and if not painting would probably listen to anything else.

I guess trial and error will keep my mind focused on the art form that is important to me at a particular moment in time.

3" Wide Canvases - Grassy Creek Falls

2010-03-08T16:41:00.005-05:00

So I just finished an 8x6" painting - Nothing to distinguishable about that size. Sorry forgot to mentions the edges are 3" wide. Pretty cool stuff . The end product is almost more sculpture than 2 dimensional painting. This size canvas offered some different opportunities and challenges. I normally paint on 1-1/2 wide canvas and I always paint the edges. In these paintings I look at the subject and only consider the face of the canvas - when it comes time to paint the edges I just extend it over the edges. This type of fudging works with 1.5", but for 3" I needed to consider a much larger area for the subject.

The scene painted is Grassy Creek Falls in western North Carolina.

Grassy Creek Falls - 8x6" Acrylic on Canvas

Swamp at Old Crews Road

2010-03-06T07:53:00.008-05:00

This might be the smallest painting I have ever done at only 5x7". Per square inch this took me about seven times longer than a painting done on a 30x40" canvas. It seems kind of silly to put this in a frame since the 1-1/2" canvas sides occupy about as much space as the face of the canvas. I guess I'll do some experimentation.

The last two months we've been getting alot of rain in eastern North Carolina, so I frequently see these type of swampy areas in very ordinary places.

Swamp at Old Crews Road - 5x7" Acrylic on Canvas

Pocosin Lakes - Step 6 - Final

2010-02-26T16:59:00.005-05:00

Ok, Step 6 probably should have been Steps 6, 7, 8 . . . Needless to say there was quite a bit involved with finishing this painting. I struggled mightily with how I was going to paint the big tree. My initial thought was to create impasto walls going up each side and then use a liquid mixture to fill the space in the enter of the tree. I opted against that and chose to use more detail on the tree bark and branches.

In doing the big leafy areas of the tree, I used a bright palette of color - when everything was painted I came back and added a fluid acrylic/glazing medium mixture applied with applicator bottles. Eileen walked in while I was doing this, and said I was adding ornaments to the Christmas tree. While that was not my intention perhaps there is some truth to that perception.

This painting took over 50 hours of painting time, but I am quite happy with the finished product.

Some of the earlier pictures of the process were photographed in sub par lighting, so that would explain much of the color variances.

All comments, questions and criticism are welcomed.

Pocosin Lakes - Step 5

2010-02-23T15:36:00.004-05:00

I will paint the big tree last, but I now will focus on some of the larger trees that ascend from the wooded area into the sky an in some cases off the canvas. This is an enjoyable part of the painting process, because it allows different experimentation with colors and patterns.

Pocosin Lakes - Step 4

2010-02-22T15:22:00.001-05:00

Probably the most challenging and time consuming portion of the painting process comes with the densely wooded area behind the water. This is a three step process that begins by using standard heavy bodied acrylics to depict the shapes and colors of the various trees, bushes and foliage. Once these forms are made I will use a thinner fluid acrylic or sometimes acryl gouache to add details and give these elements more character. Finally I will use 4 to 6 different glazes to help add some depth and set this area off from the water, sky and other elements in the painting.

Pocosin Lakes - Step 3

2010-02-18T19:00:00.007-05:00

The water elements of this work will probably be the most visible when the painting is finished. There are three components to this water. 1. the water is shaded by the wooded ares 2. the water that is unshaded and 3. the water shaded by the big tree.

I begin by using heavy body Acrylics consisting of Carbon Black, Hookers Green, Paynes Grey, Midnight Blue and Australian Sap Green. Titanium White is used to create different shades of all these colors. Covering components 1 and 3, I concentrate on darker shades - with the unshaded area several grays and light blues are used. I now use Acryl Gouache in varying shades of greens, blues and white to create detail an water ripples.

When covered I move onto applying two glazes over the entire area. For component 1, I use a dark glaze of Hookers Green and a little Carbon Black. The remaining area is covered with glaze of midnight blue. This glaze makes the water ripples look like an under painting and gives an effect of movement.

To create the water ripples on top of the water, I use a glaze mixture of white and Sap Green. This is applied through detail applicator bottles to give the further effect of water movement.

Pocosin Lakes - Step 2

2010-02-17T18:02:00.006-05:00

When beginning the painting process I always work in sections from the background to the foreground. In this case the sky is where I begin - I choose three colors (Paynes Grey, Midnight Blue and Carbon Grey) and create 1" bands all the way down to where the sun is rising. When I get to this area I use five different bands of Naples Yellow to achieve the sunset effect. When these bands are complete I create three separate mixtures of fluid acrylic paint and glazing medium - this time using the colors Australian Sky Blue and a light and dark shade of Paynes Grey. These transparent bands are painted over the opaque bands that were made earlier. For the sunset at the bottom a glaze of Cadmium Yellow Light is painted over each band of Naples Yellow.

Pocosin Lakes - Step 1

2010-02-14T18:50:00.006-05:00

After doing several smaller paintings, I am back on track and painting a larger (30x40") canvas. Over the next week or two my blog entries will reflect some of the different stages involved in making this painting.

The subject I have chosen is Pocasin Lakes Wildlife Refuge in Columbia, North Carolina. I visited the area in early October, so there are some interesting reds and autumn colors reflected in the photograph. I like this picture because it includes sky, land and water. As I start to paint these areas each will reflect a different painting style.

As with all my paintings, I begin by doing a pencil sketch of the photograph. I rarely refer to this sketch during the painting process, but I find it helps me think of the image in more abstract forms and the additional study time that I spend focused on the image helps churn more ideas.

"Intangible Illusions" at the Arts Council of Wayne County

2010-02-11T11:56:00.003-05:00

An exhibit of the work of artists John Wendelbo, Micah Mullen and Adam Beeby.

Goldsboro, North Carolina - 2406 E. Ash Street - (919) 736-3300

Opening Reception - Thursday February 11 - 5 to 7 pm. Music by Eric Knight

Exhibit Dates: February 11 to March 25

www.artsinwayne.org

Cotton Field Paintngs

2010-02-08T09:32:00.004-05:00

The second in a series of cotton field paintings. The purple and blue sky in this came out magnificent. The cotton is this painting is again composed of fluid acrylics (Pearl White and Van Dyke Brown) mixed with glazing medium.

Cotton Field off Highway 64 #2 - 16x20" Acrylic on Canvas

"Raleigh" Three Artist's Interpretations of Raleigh - Inside and Outside the Beltline

2010-02-03T20:43:00.004-05:00

Capital Bank hosts this premier exhibit. Opening February 5th at Capital Bank Plaza Lobby. 333 Fayetteville Street, Downtown Raleigh - Reception 5:30 - 8:30.

Featuring: Dan Nelson, Micah Mullen and Nicole White Kennedy

Dan Nelson is renowned in Raleigh for his unique illustrative style depicting scenes like downtown Raleigh...one of his favorite subjects. Most of these large paintings are actually executed "en plein air" meaning out in the open air.

Nicole White Kennedy has always painted scenes from Raleigh and is particularly enamored with the State Fair, (a forthcoming series) and the beautiful Greenways, local lakes, rivers and Falls Dam area, In 2009 Nicole won First Place at the Fine Arts League of Cary and was juried into the Audubon Artists National exhibit at Salmagundu Club in NYC, winning the "Jack Richeson" award.Nicole has been painting scenes around Raleigh for years. These pieces focus on the beautiful scenery outside te beltline and the State Fair

Raleigh Artist, MicahMullen, has shown in numerous solo exhibits and has been juried into countless regional and national exhibits with his mezmerizing mosaic interpretations of nature. Mullen won FIRST PLACE in the National Multi media Juried Exhibit at Rocky Mount Arts Center. This series on Raleigh focuses on his unique interpretation of the beauty found in some well-known and yet undiscovered gems in Raleigh!

Sponsored in part by Nicole's Studio and Gallery

Artist's Unite for Haiti - This Weekend!

2010-02-01T15:16:00.002-05:00

Help the Disaster Relief efforts in Haiti by donating an unframed work on paper

All works will be for sale for $25

Exhibition and sale of work will be at THE LoDi PROJECT on:

Friday February 5th (4 - 10p.m.),

Sat Feb 6th (11-4 p.m.)

and Sunday February 7th (11-4p.m.)

Visit the Lodi Project for Full Information

The pieces shown are done by me and my Dad and are two of hundreds that will be for sale this weekend.

Whitewater Falls #4

2010-01-30T09:39:00.007-05:00

I've received many great remarks on my series of paintings depicting Whitewater Falls. This is the fourth time I have painted this setting. This particular painting is very similar to the third of this series only it is on a much smaller surface. I really enjoy doing paintings like this since the palette is so vibrant with colors.

Beginning Friday February 5th, this painting will be at the Nature Gallery at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Downtown Raleigh. www.naturalsciences.org

Whitewater Falls #4 - 18x24" Acrylic on Canvas

A View from the Blue Ridge Parkway

2010-01-26T22:30:00.003-05:00

This painting is inspired from a trip we took to western North Carolina in early November. My original thought was to paint the big tree in the foreground on glass and offset that over the rest of the composition. I probably will do that at some point, as I do like this composition.

This painting and blog entry are both dedicated my wife Eileen who is celebrating her birthday today. Without her none of this is possible. I'm quite sure if she was not in my life I would not being painting - she is my first and remains my greatest inspiration.

Happy Birthday, Love Micah

A View from the Blue Ridge Parkway - 9x12" Acrylic on Watercolor Paper

Cotton Field off NC Highway 64

2010-01-24T22:39:00.005-05:00

Growing up in the North, I always tended to see cotton as a synthetic/artificial material. Seeing it grow out of the ground in full bloom is quite interesting. The pure white of the cotton offset against the greens of the field and the trees in the background create some interesting color contrasts.

The cotton is this painting is composed of fluid acrylics (Pearl White and Van Dyke Brown) mixed with glazing medium. I am anxious to try a similar composition on a larger canvas.

Cotton Field off NC Highway 64 - 9x12" Acrylic on Watercolor Paper

Justin Vining

2010-01-20T15:30:00.003-05:00

I came across an outstanding artist a few months ago. The works of Justin Vining use color and distorted geometry in a fascinating way that makes one look at the entire painting, not just the focal point. In the cityscape shown of Chicago I am drawn to the skyline in the upper left portion of the surface, but along the way I take in all parts of the city blocks and the dazzling shapes and colors.

I’ve been following Justin over the past few months and it is so nice to see someone with such passion for art. He currently is doing some promotions – stop by his website and drop him a line. www.justinvining.com

Grassy Creek Falls #2

2010-01-18T17:43:00.003-05:00

I’ve always considered my paintings to be “mosaic” like in appearance. The varying grids of color make for diverse patterns, and I always try to achieve a gloss like finish to the paint to give that high sheen appearance when dry. Given this painting style, it seemed a natural transition might be to use real mosaic chips in the painting. I’ve accumulated enough old plates from yard sales over the years so I have quite a big selection from which to create some colorful patterns. This particular composition offered varying blues, greens and earth tones to allow for a variety of my plate collection to be broken and subsequently placed into the painting. I’ve done a few mosaic/paintings over the years. The 18x24” surface is the smallest I have done so far. The surface used for this project is Ampersand Gessobord and the primary paint used is Turner Acryl Gouache.

18x24" Acrylic and Broken Plates on Gessobord

All comments welcome.

Artists Unite for Haiti

2010-01-15T18:57:00.005-05:00

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION AND EMERGENCY CALL FOR ARTISTS

To help the Earthquake Disaster Relief efforts in Haiti All funds will be donated directly to Mercy Corps (www.mercycorps.org)and designated to the immediate relief of the Haitian people

CALL FOR ARTISTS:

Open to all artists of any level and any country - everyone is welcome to contribute

Help the Disaster Relief efforts in Haiti by donating an unframed work on paper to the Artists Unite for Haiti art sale.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Work on paper or light board any size, but no larger than 11 x 17 inches (maximum size: 29 cm x 43cm)

Any medium such as: drawing, painting, collage, photography

All works must be unframed and unsigned- the work needs to be signed on the back (also include your city and country)

Work will be hung using clips, so avoid using heavy materials.

Each artwork will be sold for $25.00

The artists will remain anonymous until after sale

SUBMISSIONS:

Multiple submissions are welcome - Deadline for submissions to arrive in the gallery isThursday February 4th, 2010

Send work to: The LoDi Project, Attn. Artists United for Haiti, 1126 North Blount Street, Raleigh NC 27604 USA

We encourage artists from all over the world to send their drawings, and please pass the word about this exhibition to other artists.

Mercy Corps:

For more information on Mercy Corps click here: www.mercycorps.org

To donate any amount please click on our fund-raising page:

http://www.mercycorps.org/fundraising/artistsuniteforhaiti

For further information please contact:

Peter Eversoll at peversoll@yahoo.com or Georges Le Chevallier at georges@thelodiproject.com

www.thelodiproject.com

Crabtree Creek : A View from the Greenway

2010-01-13T18:19:00.004-05:00

A painting depicted from a scene in late November of 2009. I took several pictures from the bike path overlooking Crabtree creek. It was a cold miserable sky, the grey sky is somewhat reflective of the atmospheric conditions in contrast to the blue water which if looked on alone might depict a sunnier day. Most of the leaves had since fallen leaving a lot of interesting earth tones to work with. The big trees really allowed for some interesting details and they have a lovely contrast with the sky and the water.

18x24" painted on 300 lb. Watercolor paper.

Sweetwater Creek #2

2010-01-09T19:47:00.005-05:00

In the second painting of my Sweetwater Creek series I decided to hold off on the impasto work. I like the water in this piece and the reflections of the trees seem more pronounced. The depth provided by the blacks, grays and blues in the top center make a bit of intrigue as to where the water ends and land and trees begin.

Even when looking at this work now, I wonder if I should not done some impasto work. I guess I'm always my best and worst critic, as the few people who have seen this painting like it better than Sweetwater Creek #1.

All comments welcome.

Upcoming Show: Tuxedo Gallery at Tuxedo Junction

2010-01-05T16:39:00.006-05:00

Micah Mullen

A Painter’s View: The Carolina Landscape

January 8th - February 7th

Artists’ Reception - Friday January 8th, 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Tuxedo Art Gallery is a private visual arts organization dedicated to enriching the cultural environment of Wake Forest. Their goal is to encourage regional artists and enrich the Wake Forest community through the arts.

Directions from Raleigh

Take the NC-98 E ramp toward WAKE FOREST.

Turn RIGHT onto NC-98 E. 1.3 miles

Turn LEFT onto S MAIN ST/US-1 ALT.0.8 miles

Turn RIGHT onto E ELM AVE. 0.2 miles

Turn RIGHT onto S BROOKS ST. 403 S BROOKS ST

Tuxedo Junction is on the LEFT in the Tuxedo Junction Shopping Mall

www.tuxedojunctioninc.com

919-673-4001

Thomas Teague

2010-01-02T12:07:00.022-05:00

The artwork of Thomas Teague is absolutely stunning. I admire his choices of simplicity in his selection of subjects. This allows the artwork to take center stage and not be subjugated by an overly used or an overly complicated subject. While I have a personal fondness for Tom’s works that depict nature, he has a wide range of talents ranging from the most incredible detail with thousands of colors to subtle abstract works using only a limited palette.

From January 10 until January 31, 2010, Thomas Teague will be exhibiting recent paintings at the Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill. The opening and artist's reception is January 10, 2-4pm. It is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. HWH is located at 610 East Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC. Hours are Tuesdays-Fridays, 10am-4pm. Sundays, 1-4pm.

www.thomashartteague.com

http://thomasteague.wordpress.com/

A Year of Painting, A Year of Patience and Time

2009-12-31T13:18:00.007-05:00

During 2009 my time as a painter has offered some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. During the calendar year of 2009 I painted 35 paintings ranging from 5x7” to 36” 72” in size. I was once asked what I think my strongest attributes as an artist are. I think most artists would try to answer this question based on how they see their style of art. One artist I know considers his best attribute to be his bold use of expressive colors. Other artists might describe their strengths based on teachers, mentors or perhaps the attributes of the great artists throughout history. For me there is no doubt that my strongest attributes are based on my firm understanding of the importance of patience and time. Some people think I’m nuts in my “stopwatch” mentality of painting. If I know a 16x20” painting typically takes me 24 hours of painting time and I do a second 16x20” and it takes only 20 hours - Is this second painting inferior to the first? Maybe I’m my own worst critic, but I would answer that question with an affirmative YES! Patience and time do matter.

I sit here pondering how I will spend my New Years Eve. Will I go out to a restaurant? Will I watch movies? Will I watch college football? I enjoy all these things, but I think I will most likely end 2009 the way it began – and spend some time in front of the easel remembering the importance of patience and time in painting and life.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Painting shown is Double Falls 36x72" Acrylic on Canvas (The first completed painting of 2009)