LIzardbrain #3

I've been working long hours to try to have one or two brand new paintings ready for the exhibit "Spectacular Beasts" which opens May 6 at the Incline Gallery in San Francisco. It is going to be very tight to try to complete Lizardbrain #3 in time, but I really like how the painting looks so far. As usual, while painting I found that the perspective was a little bit off in the preparatory drawing, so today I spent several hours making corrections to the cutaway section of the skull. But it was worth making the correction. I'm sure only a trained eye would have noticed the error, but I knew it would bother me forever if I didn't fix it.

I'm on the last part of the painting. The lizards have been blocked in, and now I'm putting the scales in. The final stage will be adding the brightest scales over the layer that I'm putting in right now. The lizards appear dark right now, as this is the underlying layer. The higher value paint will make the scales stand out.

I got quite a bit done last week to get ready for the show: framed 3 drawings and 2 giclee prints, drafted an e mail announcing the show for folks on my mailing list, and developed / submitted a list of works for the show with pricing. I have two other new paintings that would have perfect for this exhibit, but they are still at the gallery in Santa Monica - unfortunately, the timing was just a little too tight to have them shipped in time.

Done, Finally

Well, done practically speaking. I have to highlight several blades of grass (which were added very last, swaying over the snake). And I have to perk up the whites on the baby snakes. Which shouldn't take too long. So this painting will be ready for my next group exhibit, Spectacular Beasts, at the Incline Gallery in San Francisco. This small group show will feature two other artists, Travis Kerkela and Scott Greenwalt. Their work is accomplished, and fascinating. Here is more info:

Incline Gallery and San Francisco Art Beat Presents
SPECTACULAR BEASTS
May 6, 2011 – June 4, 2011

Opening Reception: May 6, 2011 6 – 9 pm.
766 Valencia Street (@19th) San Francisco, CA


Incline Gallery and local arts and culture organization San Francisco Art Beat are thrilled to collaborate for a three-person group show entitled, Spectacular Beasts with Bay Area artists Travis Kerkela, Scott Greenwalt, and Sandra Yagi.

Appropriating the gallery space’s original function as embalming station for an adjacent mortuary, Spectacular Beasts explores the diverse perceptions of corporeality, the body’s thin human veneer over a fundamentally animal nature, and how the physicality of the body informs and influences the personal psyche.

The artists’ works explore these ideas through dynamic anatomical (re)design in various states of transformation and hybridization, and abstracted molecular topographies among surrealist and somewhat ominous situations. An incredibly skilled draftsmanship with foundation in anatomical drawing in tandem with knowledge of their subjects, both in science and art emphasizes the skill of each the artists’ art and exploration of the genre.

About San Francisco Art Beat: San Francisco Art Beat is an arts and culture organization that provides support and creates interest in the San Francisco Bay Area art scene and its artists of various experiences, lifestyles, and backgrounds. San Francisco Art Beat chronicles SF Bay Area arts news with critical insight into contemporary art events. San Francisco Art Beat also curates exhibitions throughout the city to provide opportunities for artists, both emerging and established to exhibit work, gain exposure, and take on larger roles in the community.

About the Incline Gallery: Through the unique collaborative relationship between Paxton Gate and the San Pancho Art Collective, an unusual series of ramps and volumes is transformed into the Incline space, a new San Francisco contemporary art gallery. Incline Gallery seeks to offer a nurturing platform and a solid support system for Bay Area visual and performing artists. By reaching out to these artists, curators, and the public at large, Incline Gallery opens the doors to an inspirational and experimental place of growth and community building

Skull Complete

The past few paintings with skulls used warm colors, with a warm studio light cast upon the skull. This new painting of hatchling snakes uses an outdoor setting with a cool light. Even the highlights, though warmer than shadows, are much cooler than the colors I normally use for skull highlights. The skull in this painting has subtle shades of violet and viridian. The green of the grass is reflected on the shadow side. Mixing the colors was a challenge, but I was happy with how the skull is relating to the background.

All that is left is to paint in details of the baby snakes and finish the foreground foliage.