"Out on a Whim" - A closer look with Robert L. Caldwell

Here is part two for those of you who have yet to see the amazing works from "Out on a Whim" with artists Robert Caldwell and Janice Sugg.   You have until 04/17/12 to come see these pieces in person...so, below are just a few more reasons to come and visit:  Robert Caldwell provides a behind the canvas look at a few of his works for "Out on a Whim."

In addition, at the very bottom of this post is a timelapse video of Robert painting live in the gallery at the exhibition's opening.

Woolaroc Visitor (Meadowlark)
Oil on 1/2-inch prepared maple panel
8" x 16"

As with many of my paintings, this one came from one of my “adventures,” this time from a visit to the Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve in Bartlesville, Oklohoma. I had just finished a group exhibit with The Gallery of Artists. Friend and fellow artist Paul Rhymer and I were packed up in the truck ready to head home to Virginia when we spotted this beautiful Meadowlark perched on the barbed wire bordering one of the pastures outside of the museum. Paul pulled over so we could see the bird move along its perch, and after sitting there for a few minutes, he slapped me on the shoulder and said, “Well?” I said, “Well, what?” He then reminded me that we had a long drive home and asked if I was going to take a picture or if I was going to let this fleeting moment of beauty pass.

For many reasons, this painting encompasses that trip for me — a wonderful exhibit in a beautiful museum with some great artists and, better yet, some fantastic friends!

Shadow (Scissor-tailed Flycatcher)
Oil on 1/2-inch prepared maple panel
18" x 24"

From a visit to the Midwest to dining on the Eastern Shore, this was a painting that I knew I had to paint!

I was out in the fields east of Tulsa, Oklahoma, last March with a friend of mine who lives there. We were on the hunt for oil pumps because I have wanted to create a painting with an oil pump for awhile now. After we found several pumps, my friend explained how the oil is pumped out of the ground to collection drums. We followed the aboveground lines from the oil pump to the collecting drum, which is when we found this old rusty drum with peeling paint. I knew I had to paint this as soon as I saw the hand hold in the picture frame — the pitted texture of the rust, the flaky texture of the peeling paint with the rigid structure of the rebar all nicely balanced with the delicate shadow. All it needed was a subject.

I played with several different ideas for birds to complete the composition but it wasn't until I was discussing Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, the state bird of Oklahoma, with friends and fellow artists Paul Rhymer, Jan Martin McGuire and James Hines over dinner on the Eastern Shore that it hit me. The composition now had a subject, a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.

A visit to Oklahoma, a scene from Oklahoma, the state bird of Oklahoma and a painting that I was extremely excited to paint…yet it was a trip to the Eastern Shore of Maryland that brought it all together.

Feathered Finials (Rock Pigeons)
Oil on 1/2 prepared maple panel
24" x 36"

While at an art show in February 2010, I decided to take a break and head outside to see what interesting reference material I might find for a future painting. My good friend and fellow artist Julie Bender was up for a break as well so the two of us grabbed our cameras and took to the streets of historic downtown Charleston, SC. I was so entrenched in conversation that I was taking random shots of architecture — anything that looked interesting. I was completely unaware of this particular enticing scene that I had captured.

This painting provides a visual buffet of textures and colors — from the red crown of finials to the bronze roof tiles with the highly textured ends to the white-painted metal fascia dotted with specs of rust to the row of tarnished copper green scalloped finials — all topped off with a large stone gable adorned with a dramatic decorative finial and three perfectly perched rock pigeons. Who could resist painting this festive feast?

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"Out on a Whim" - A closer look with Janice Sugg...

Thank you to all whom attended the opening of "Out on a Whim" and supported artists Robert Caldwell and Janice Sugg.   For those of you whom have yet to see these amazing works, you have until 04/17/12...so, below is your impetus, part one: Janice Sugg discusses the ideas behind her recent exhibition works.  Enjoy!

In addition, at the very bottom of this post is a timelapse video of Janice painting live in the gallery at the exhibition's opening.

Buffalo on the Move (One in a Million)
Oil on Canvas, 48” x 48”

Before modern times, before being bred in captivity, there have been only three white buffalo recorded in Native American lore. Considered sacred, their powerful imagery is striking. 

When I started this painting it just wasn’t working and I found I needed to surrender to its incompletion.  It took my stepping away for it to present itself. Then it seemed to naturally take form.  It was the letting go that made this piece special, rather than anything premeditated.

I am really drawn to this painting, the contrast of light and dark, the rare and the many.  I find myself asking questions like, “Does this buffalo know he stands out? Do we stop often enough to realize that we are each one in a million… a sacred being like this white buffalo?”

The Sentinel (Scissor-tail flycatcher)
Oil on Board, 36” x 36”

Oklahoma art gallery Lovetts Gallery inspired me to create this piece. The bird is integrated into the landscape, an emblem concealed in the trees.  At first, almost hard to see, yet so powerful, as if he is rising up from the flames. He is a scissor-tail flycatcher (the Oklahoma State bird), whose under-feathers are a beautiful bright orange – just like the fire from which he emerges. Made of flames and part of the landscape…it’s as if his strength is reflected by those lovely orange feathers hidden beneath his wings…his true color.

Land and Air: The Flavor of Water
Oil on Canvas, 48” x 48”

I love when paintings speak to the senses. With some it’s as though you can hear the breeze blowing through the trees or feel the cold of a winter seascape. The Flavor of Water seems to speak to the sense of taste.  For me, it is the flavor of mint chocolate chip ice cream!

From the beginning, this piece created itself.  While my idea was to play with different bands of color, the simplicity of the blue and green tones took over.  It was not meant to be a multi-colored piece, it is meant to resonate depth instead. It kept calling for new layers, and it took a very long time for it to feel complete.  The complex texture and movement are a result of letting go, discovering, removing, adding and allowing the piece to bring itself to life.

Please take a close look.  It invites you in…sharing messages…tempting you to touch it… maybe even taste it!

Horizon Aflame
Oil on Canvas, 48” x 48”

There is so much beauty in gray.  I am becoming interested in industry and its coexistence with nature.  For some, these are opposite poles.  However, natural sunlight disagrees.  The light makes a pact between these seeming opposites.

In a way, this is the deconstruction of a meadow.  The industry is in the background, the dripping gray lines.  The light, falling unconditionally on every surface, no matter its purpose or origin, touches everything.  It’s kind of a parable about working together, both physically and spiritually.

 
The Precipice
Oil on Anodized Aluminum, 48” x 48”

There is something romantic about standing on the edge of a cliff, or quietly on a range.  This piece started uninhabited; then the buffalo kind of roamed into the frame without my really inviting them.  But, I’ve really enjoyed their company!

I love the subtle gradations of white on the cliff and the way the metal shows through in places where the paint has been scraped away, similar to how the elements scrape away at a rock face over time.

Working with metal has been an exciting new challenge.  Paint reacts differently than it does on canvas, adhering rather than absorbing and taking longer to dry.  It creates new opportunities and unique results. I love the color of the metal background–it made a great sky and created a moody feel. It shifts and changes depending on how it’s lit and which angle you view it from.

Mile Marker 3
Oil on Anodized Aluminum, 24” x 24”

Industry and agriculture coexist in this country whether we like or not.  It’s a core truth–science and organic agriculture.  Amidst beautiful landscapes there always seems to be drilling or a refinery of some kind –it’s there to sustain us.

Mile Marker 3 was inspired by an industrial commission I did.  I wasn’t aware of these machinations until then, but now I notice them all the time. It was the inspiration for working with metal as a canvas.  Using the cured metal lends itself to the feeling of industry.  The farm was added last as a symbol of hope.  It invites me to drive down that road.

I think this painting is both sad and beautiful.  It’s challenging to paint things that aren’t part of my perceived reality, but the end results are quite enlightening.

The Road not Taken
Oil on Anodized Aluminum, 24” x 24”

The Inspiration for many of my paintings comes from everyday observations and the feelings they evoke. This one was a drive down a country road and seeing a field of dry grass of a striking ochre color.

The painting highlights the different aspects of the scene that came to mind. That’s why it’s so textured.  Each time I put my knife to the canvas other characteristics were revealed such as mood, the light at that time of day, and the life of the dead grass. The landscape isn’t literal, but the idea of its presence. There is a lot of movement in this piece...more than just a light pole and an asphalt road!

I like that the interpretation your consciousness brings to this painting determines what it represents. 

The Situation/The Conversation/The Resolution
Oil on Canvas, 16” x 20”

In ancient literature birds carried messages and were a means of long-distance communication.  They carried word of war and peace, and often served as omens.  Observing them from a distance, they appear like people in their desire to resolve problems.  The pitch and tone of their interaction and their body postures are so expressive…turning away…discussing…coming closer.

The words on this triptych are from poems I was reading that came to life as the first layer of the piece. The words are a stream of consciousness about nature, but not meant for interpretation, merely inspired dialog.

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Colorado contemporary wildlife and landscape painter Janice Sugg is represented by Tulsa, Oklahoma Art Gallery Lovetts Gallery.

Mark Yearwood and Something About a Bird Nude...this Saturday

Join us THIS SATURDAY from 10:00 to 5:00!

This Saturday promises to be a great day with Tulsa temperatures in the 60s and Oklahoma abstract artist Mark Yearwood painting, layering, and scraping new work live in the gallery!   So, if you have been waiting to do something amazing, something cultural, something mood and mind altering...this Saturday at Lovetts Gallery is your opportunity!

As for the rumors that there will be painters painting in the nude, or a painting of a nude with a bird, or a bird that is nude, or a painter that is a bird who is also nude...those are all completely false. We have no clue who started that rumor...and are disturbed with the idea as a whole...Not to say that Mark Yearwood isn't an attractive individual, but the whole bike chain Seinfeld episode comes to mind.

Mark Yearwood will be at the gallery painting live and large on Saturday, February 25th from 10:00 to 5:00.  Many of you have become familiar with Mark and his very distinct style over the last year, including ravenously collecting his 12"x12" series, which remains in a constant state of SOLD OUT!  Well, it's time for you to see, in person, what exactly goes into the creation of Mark's emotive abstract work.  His demonstration promises to razzle, dazzle, and amaze with the creation of a large scale piece.  In addition to Mark's live painting demonstration, he will be exhibiting several new works!  Please note, all 12"x12" work will be available on a first come basis.

"Don't just imagine the possibilities," start realizing them with Mark Yearwood and Lovetts Gallery on 2/25/12! 

University Medical Center to receive 3-D art of Erika Pochybova-Johnson

So, many of you were fortunate enough to meet Erika Pochybova-Johnson (wife of James W. Johnson) at FAMILIAR?, featuring James W. Johnson and Shanna Kunz, this past December.  You may even have been fortunate enough to see the one piece, Aries, which Erika brought with her, before it was acquired just moments after opening the exhibition (which she wasn't even a part of!).  Since the introduction of this singular piece, there has been so much demand for her work that Lovetts Gallery has invited Erika to participate in an exhibition with acclaimed contemporary painter Jeff Ham in December of 2013.

Yes, we know what you are saying, "December of 2013?"  However, that timing is perfect as Erika is working on an amazing and consuming commission project for University Medical Center in Texas.  Check out this great article and studio photos: http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2012-02-19/university-medical-center-receive-3-d-art-erika-pochybova-johnson.  As you will read, Erika can certainly use the additional time...especially if there are to be a few 3-d pieces at the show!!!

MOM! There are dead birds in the freezer...again!

Check out this great interview with trompe l'oeil artist Jhenna Quinn Lewis (who is brand new to Lovetts Gallery), produced by Oregon Art Beat in 2010.  And yes, there are dead birds in the freezer...

 

Contemporary realist, trompe l'oeil, and wildlife painter Jhenna Quinn Lewis:  "I was born with a love and appreciation for art and nature, or maybe a better word to describe this feeling is awe. Art is a universal language that can teach us about ourselves and our world. It is a part of all our lives and surrounds us even if we don't notice or understand it.

 

I have created art through images on canvas since I was in kindergarten. My need has been to foster an understanding of nature that is reflective, which suggests the presence of some unacknowledged mystery or spiritual force. A painting is a moment held in time. I strive to capture something in that moment and give it life.

 

For me, paintings have a meditative quality. Through the manipulation of composition, subject matter, color, light, and shadow, I try to bring out a subtle inherent quietness that the viewer can be drawn into. My hope is to create a state of mind that unites the real and the imagined.

 

I endeavor to capture the everyday items and scenes that are a part of our lives, but that we lightly pass over, take for granted, or completely ignore. For example, I use the play of light across a pear or flower in such a way that the observer's senses will remember the image and perhaps delight in seeing an ordinary piece of fruit or a plant in a new way when next they see it. To deepen the viewing experience, I may drape a cloth across the table with a ray of translucent light creating an inner glow to the painting.

 

Finally, the darkness and shadows can beckon us to experience the parts of ourselves that we mask or hide.

 

For me, there is an unacknowledged beauty in all things: in the light, in the dark and in the shadows. We need to bring forth and honor this beauty. Through experiencing the beauty of our ordinary life we are able to create solitude, a mutual solitude." - Jhenna Quinn Lewis

 

 

Oregon trompe l'oeil artist Jhenna Quinn Lewis is represented by Tulsa, Oklahoma Art Gallery Lovetts Gallery.

What happens next? Mark Yearwood will show you...

"Abstract possibilities are endless...and after each mark is made on the substrate, I have to make a decision of what comes next.  In realism, you know where the painting will (or should) end up. This is the part of my work that is the most thrilling to me. What happens next?" - Mark Yearwood

Oklahoma abstract artist Mark Yearwood will be at Lovetts Gallery painting live and large on Saturday, February 25th from 10:00 to 5:00.  Many of you have become familiar with Mark Yearwood and his very distinct style over the last year, including his 12"x12" series, which remains in a constant state of SOLD OUT!  Well, it's time for you to see, in person, what exactly goes into the creation of Mark's emotive work.  His demonstration promises to dazzle and amaze with the creation of a large scale piece, possibly replete with drop cloths and hairdryers?!?!

So, mark your calendar for this live painting demonstration!Saturday, February 25th, 10:00-5:00

In addition to Mark's live paint, he will be exhibiting as many new works as he can bring with him!

 

More from Mark Yearwood:

I grew up in rural Oklahoma working early on my Grandfather's farm. Good old fashioned gritty, hard work. Later, I worked with my Dad in his custom auto shop where I eventually learned to pinstripe and letter cars. There was more gritty, hard work involved there as well!

I went on to develop a graphic arts career which spannned over 25 years with appearances in major industry publications and awards, all the while experimenting with various art projects. One day, out of the blue, I purchased some palette knives, acrylic paints, and some canvas to try my hand at abstract art. I immediately became amazed at how great it felt to express my own original thoughts to substrate. 

My textural work reflects the "grittiness" of working in nature and the structural elements come into play from my design backgound.  As for color?  Well, it may sound cliche, but I truly just paint what I feel inside.

 

Oklahoma abstract artist Mark Yearwood is represented by Tulsa, Oklahoma Art Gallery Lovetts Gallery.

Toys and treats, treats and toys...

Here are the two newest works from Oklahoma native, K. Henderson...as with all of K's work, you have to see these in person to truly appreciate them!  In fact, if you don't make haste to see these, we already have a four year old who has laid claim to "Sunday Drive"! 

Sunday Drive, 30 x 40, Oil on Linen
by K. Henderson 

"Toys! I love them. This Sunday Drive of the future includes tin rocket ships, robots, a poster from Forbidden Planet and an alien landscape. The rocks are all from my yard." - K. Henderson

Brer Rabbit Molasses, 16 x 20, Oil on Board by K. Henderson.

"I recently read that one of the most collected items is vintage cooking pieces. I happen to be one of those collectors. Many are keepsakes handed down through family.

This Trompe L'Oeil painting shows a 1920's Brer Rabbit Molasses ad. The rabbit peeking from behind the ad is a die cut 'premium' from the same company. The handmade (made by me) chocolate girl and rabbit is from a vintage chocolate mold. And, yes, I made the Ginger Bread Man, too, from a recipe in a vintage cookbook. The other vintage items include wooden blocks, a ginger can and a cookie cutter." - K. Henderson

 

Trompe L'Oeil & Contemporary Realist K. Henderson is represented by Oklahoma Art Gallery Lovetts Gallery.

"Animals are the perfect creation" - Texas Contemporary Artist James W. Johnson

Check out the Lovetts Gallery interview with Texas contemporary artist James W. Johnson, captured during FAMILIAR?, an exhibition featuring James W. Johnson (TX) and Shanna Kunz (UT) on 12/3/11.  We have also, once again, included James' painting timelapse from the same exhibition.

"Trees are my figures" - Utah Landscapist Shanna Kunz

Check out the Lovetts Gallery interview with Utah landscape artist Shanna Kunz, captured during FAMILIAR?, an exhibition featuring James W. Johnson (TX) and Shanna Kunz (UT) on 12/3/11.  We have also, once again, included Shanna's painting timelapse from the same exhibition.

 

Landscapist Shanna Kunz is represented in Oklahoma by Tulsa Art Gallery Lovetts Gallery.

Sky Dancers Unveiling - Paul D. Rhymer, Wildlife Sculptor

So...you have waited, patiently, for this first-ever, Oklahoma-specific bronze offering by renowned wildlife sculptor and 2011 Nature Works Monument Winner, Paul D. Rhymer...and come ice storm or earthquake...it finally arrives at the gallery Saturday, December 17th!

As you know, there are only 25 sculpture in the Sky Dancers - Scissortail Flycatchers edition, and it is available exclusively through Lovetts Gallery.  We thank you for helping us pre-sell the first 10 in the edition and we are moving forward with pouring the next 10 (ETA mid January). How great would it be to sell out the entire edition exclusively to Oklahoma collectors!?!?

We are so very proud of Paul and this piece...and we are very excited to finally be sharing it with you!

Please join us Saturday, December 17th from 11:00-2:00 in welcoming Paul Rhymer back to the gallery and for the unveiling of this much anticipated sculpture.

For those of you interested in acquiring Sky Dancers, deposits for the next pour will be taken at the event. Please note that they are no longer available at the pre-cast price. Edition numbers are reserved on a first come basis with deposit.

Paul D. Rhymer is a wildlife bronze artist who is represented by Lovetts Gallery, a Tulsa Art Gallery.