Visit The Sistine Chappel

A very dear friend sent me a site you can go to where you can view the Sistine Chappel close up with your computer.  Just let your mouse do the work.  It is beutiful!  Having just finished working on 3 pieces of Michelangelo's works I was quite anxious to see the real thing.  Take a look.   Go to: http:www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html.

Finished a Manet

It took a while but I finally finished this reproduction of a Manet.  It's been sitting around for a while and since I had my paints out for the Art Festival I thought why not finish it.  So now since I have a one man show at Steven's Tax Service for two Months followed by a one man show at Cayo Costa Dental for two more months I'll put it in.  Why not?  Actually, I've become very inspired and I'm going to do some more paintings.  I just bought a large wrap around canvas and I am going up to Michaels to buy another one  Friday because they are 40% off this week Yea!   We sold our boat so I can splurge a little !!!

Zack is finished

Well, I finally finished Zacharia.  What a chore.  We will (all the artists that participated) be taking all our paintings over to the VAC on Wed. nite.  There should be about 46 pieces of Artwork.  We will have a Wine & Cheese get together and have our pictures taken with our Art for the program.  It gives us a chance to see the other Artist's work before the Grand opening on Oct. 16th when they will all be unvieled for the public and up for bids!

Zacharia Almost Finished

Here is a snap of "Zack" almost completed.  Wow, will I be glad when he is done.  He has been a thorn in my side!!

"Zack"

Well, here he is:WIP "Zack"

Finished David?

I'm posting my picture of David-- He is almost completed-- a few minor adjustments and then a signature.  Then it's on to the big one!!

Work In Progress (David)

Well, I'm still working on "David".  He is a lot harder to do than I imagined!!  But at least I am making progress and he is looking better-- but it is very frustrating to say the least.  I had to bring my 3'x5' home because the VAC is closed for repairs for 2 wks.  I hope to finish him in a couple days then I can work on the prophet Zacharia.  I've already blocked that one in w/the house paint so I can take my time on that painting.  I'll keep working - it is too hot to work outside so I might as well paint!!! 

WIP (David)

Well, it's been a while and I should have more work done on this picture.  Things have been pretty hectic around here so not much progress.  I do have some time though before he has to be finished so i'll keep plugging along - until I get what I want!

David 2

I'm posting another picture of my "David" so you can get a better look.  I think I will do a lot of dark values and then whites --- wash with a metalic and then make a background of purple and red!

David ???

I am  a little reticent to post this picture. Other artists do  so here goes.  This is a WIP  I need help and I'm going to Wet Canvas  maybe they can help me!!!!

New Amazon Associates

I am trying something new today.  Since http://www.amazon.com/ is still selling my books: "The First Rosalie of Philadelphia" and "Diary of  Benjamin Reynolds", I've decided to put a link to them on my blog.  You are supposed to be able to go directly to them.  Just enter books and the name and you should be able to purchase if you'd like.  I have also agreed that if I wish to suggest other products and people buy them they will give me a commission.  I really don't know how this will work but I am willing to give it a try.  My books have been selling since 1993.  I think they are interesting because they are diaries that were written in the 1840's.  One by my gg uncle ( a Sea and Sailing tale) and the other by my gg grandfather (His journal on Philadelphia life 1843-1845).  You can see some of the illustrations on this blog.  I do hope this works.  So let's give it a try.  Thanks!

Finished "Cleopatra"

I finished the reproduction of Michaelangelo's drawing of "Cleopatra". Unfortunately, I framed it before I took the picture .  I have burned the edges of the paper and covered it with glass.  It was done with pencil and charcoal and I'm afraid if I take it out to take a picture it will surley smudge --so-- we will have to deal with the glare until Tom can get a better picture with his camera.  Just thought you might like to see the final drawing.  This drawing has quite a history.. It belongs to the group known as presentation drawings.  These are made by the artist not for the purposes of design or study, but as gifts.  Done around 1532-34. Go to the http://www.visualartcenter.org/ and follow the FAF this year for Michaelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci and you will learn all about these artists and have fun following my fellow artists working very hard trying to duplicate their works and having fun doing it.  What a marvelous way to learn to appreciate Art and the Masters that have come before us!

Manet in Progress

This is as far as I got with the Manet painting before I had to take it off the easel.  I have replaced it with Michaelangelo's drawing or study what ever one might call it of "Cleopatra".  I'm in the process of doing it now.  It is not very popular and there are not very many good renditions of it.  He did it in Charcoal and pencil I presume.  So I am trying to do the same.  It is coming along.  After that something else.  I will be starting my work on Zachariah at the VAC next week.  That is a challenge because we use House Paint, ugh!  I hate all that mixing and trying to find just the right color-- well, I shouldn't say I hate it-- it is really a challenge!

FAF = LEO vs MIKE

Well, I have no excuse.  I just have been busy doing other things.  I haven't finished the Manet painting either so I can't post that yet and I have to take it off my easel because now I really have to get down to some serious work.  It is that time of year again.  Yes, it is the FAF-- Fine Arts Festival.  This year we are honoring Michaelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.  Leo vs Mike.  If you go to: http://www.TheVisualArtsCenter.blogspot.com/  you should be able to follow Leo vs Mike all the way through the activities up until the festival in October.  We all will be working on and off during the summer --that is of course with vacations interupting things.  It is going to be a very big project this time.  We are going to attempt to do the "Last Supper".  A canvas 7.5'x15' will be stretched and 13 artists volunteered to paint it. Something this large has never been done before.  All the other artists are painting on 3'x5' as usual and are also doing some other works at home.  I chose to do the Prophet Zachariah on the 3x5 and a couple of surprises I'll tell you about later at home.  Check with me later to see the progress!!  I probably will post some pics from time to time.

New Post March 1

I can't belive it's been a month.  I've been very busy.  Perhaps, I'm not really a "Blogger" after all ?  I think they post every day.  Kind of like a diary.  And I believe you are supposed to post personal thoughts.  Well, the more I think about it,  I guess I really don't want to post my inner most thoughts for the whole world to see.  So I guess I shall stick strictly to Art for the time being.  I did find some other old pieces.  One was a palette knife work I had done of the Baths one of the times we went to the Virgin Islands.  My one and only palette knife work.  It was fun-- I should try it again!  Not very good- but fun.  The other is a picture of a little girl sitting on a dock with a Golden Retriever, of course -- in the picture -- which I guess is famous -- it is a Black lab.  Anyway, I painted it as my daughter, Michelle, and our dog, Beau, at the time.  I also found this old unfinished Manet painting and thought I might get some inspiration and try to finish it if I put it on my easel.  I will see how that goes.  Wish me luck,  it's been sitting around for a while!!!

Memories

While cleaning out my Art Studio closet I discovered some very old things that brought back some fond memories.  In 2011  our 50th highschool reunion will be held in Ambler, PA.  I found a few Pen and Ink drawings that I had done in 11th and 12th grade and sketches that had been done for our yearbook but  were never used.  We had one of those elderly cantankerous teachers that used his own photos instead of the student's drawings.  He was some kind of an encouraging teacher,huh?  Anyway, there is a picture there of our old Alma Mater which is no longer standing.  I think they put a small housing development there years ago.  It's hard for me to believe I was only 15 or 16 when I did these drawings, but I was and the paper shows it.  Please enjoy these drawings from 1960-61.  My first Pen & Ink is the old House and Tree.