The Art Blog

Thought I caught a glimpse of my future in this mesmerizing crystal ball. It appeared to be floating here while water seeped out from the top and created what I would call a thin skin of water around the sphere.The effect is hypnotizing. This and many other spectacles of nature are on display at the Northwest Flower & Garden show. What a great way to escape the winter chill and find some inspiration among the fragrant displays of spring flowers and fantasy gardens. The image above is a living chandelier. Plants spiral down a trough-like frame that is lit from within. I give them credit for a great concept but I think it could have been better executed. This glorious Japanese Maple specimen is over 100 years old and the soul essence of this tree is palpable when you are standing near it. I watched as passers-by stopped in their tracks and gasped with appreciation.  Toise - Encaustic on panel - 24 x 64  Reminder: There are only a ...

The voyeur in me always enjoys a sneak peek into the studios of other artists so I was thrilled when painter Anne Siems sent me some images of her art and studio space to share. Her work is mesmerizing with so much intricate detail and her studio space looks so cozy and inspiring. Here's what Anne has to say about her work: In 1991 I moved from Berlin, Germany to Seattle after finishing my MFA at the Hochschule der Kunste Berlin. While in Berlin I had a large studio and worked on large –scale, room filling drawings of semi-abstract organic shapes. In Seattle, I had a small desk and a little bit of wall space. I started working on waxed found paper (mostly newsprint and paper bags) using pen, ink and acrylic paint. The imagery became more precise. Multiple delicate images overlapped in a sketch like manner, with usually one large central form dominating the final composition. At present, I continue with my interest in the human figure and the attributes that surro...

In March the SAM Gallery will feature my work in a two-person show with artist, Anne Siems , at the Taste Restaurant located in the the Seattle Art Museum.  I will post more images and a show update in the coming weeks but wanted to share one of Anne's amazing paintings with you today. Her works are delicate and detailed with a haunting narrative quality to them. Next week I will share additional images of her studio space and a preview of our art that will hang at Taste from March 16th to June 12th, 2011.  My Intro to Encaustic workshop starts tomorrow and I can't wait to host new students in my studio. Next class will be a 3-day Intensive from April 8th through 10th in Seattle.  Contact the studio to register.

Now is your chance to jump in and learn how to paint with encaustic. Due to a few last minute cancellations I have openings in my Intro to Encaustic Workshop for this weekend - Saturday and Sunday, Feb 12 & 13. Classes are held in my new studio located in the INScape Arts Building in Seattle's International District. Contact me right away if you are interested. Next workshop will start in April - see side bar for more details. Hope you can join us!

Many thanks to all those who came by the gallery last night for the opening of Trespassing . It was wonderful to see so many great friends and fellow artists. Thank you all for your show of support. The exhibition will be up for the month so I hope you can get in to see the work if you missed the opening.

Trespassing opens tonight at the Pacini Lubel Gallery . Please come out and join me for an evening of art and creative conversation from 6pm to 8pm. The gallery is located in downtown Seattle in the arts district of Pioneer Square - Click here for directions.  Hope to see you there and thank you for your support of the arts! Statement: This recent collection of paintings is titled Trespassing: A Venture Beyond Boundaries. Generally speaking the word trespass has a negative definition but the context here is one of risk and adventure. Stepping beyond boundaries from the known to what has not yet been discovered is the underlying theme of this work. As a painter I enjoy taking risks and often find myself on the edge of a boundary between what I know will happen and the chance of ruining the artwork. I create my paintings with a small blowtorch and the flame often acts as my brush. The risk here is ever present as one wrong flash of the torch and months of work can be des...