Some Christmas present painting!

On a lighter note, here are a couple of Christmas present paintings I did.

Old paintings of Antarctica

Dear readers, humor some nostalgia and rumination, please.

These aren't new, but are new to this blog, since they're older than it.

I recently went through a lot of old work, especially Antarctic work, for a good, talented friend named Rob Bilek who wanted to do an art trade.

I went to Antarctica in 2005 to paint for three months. It's a huge part of my life, but truthfully I've done very little with the work in about a year. I've been too involved in work with Big Huge Games, teaching, and other artistic pursuits.

Seeing these, looking closely at them, kinda breaks my heart.

I'll never be able to leave oil painting behind for digital completely.

Real media breathes in a way digital cannot, and I say this with full knowledge that I am as much now a digital artist as I am anything else. In another context, I would cry out the virtues of digital work.

Here, though, I get caught up in those little moments of chaotic abstraction happen in landscape paintings with oil or watercolor. They make me catch my breath. I get washed over in it.

And remembering painting Antarctica makes me terribly nostalgic. Looking back at art I did at specific times in my life is like listening to music you listened to in a specific place.
I always return to Antarctica as a subject, and I suspect it's time to explore further, even if it's from my memories and my studio here in Baltimore. That sometimes seems odd to me, since I was only there for three months, and it's been five years now.
But as artists, we have to be honest with ourselves if we're to work honestly, as well, and Antarctica dug deep into me and has never let go.

Two new oils

It's been awhile since I've posted. A lot of the work I've been doing is game work, so I can't show it for awhile, and it's absorbed a lot of my free time. I've been learning a great deal, though.
I have, however, managed to make it to my studio to work a couple of new oil paintings.
These are both very much works in progress.
This one, from this digital sketch:


And this one, from this digital sketch for the "What's Your War" show at the Load of Fun Gallery.


Too much going on in the first one right now, I think.
More to follow, I promise (myself).

Eve finished up.

This is an oil I just finished up. Now I need to make Adam.

Oils WIP

This is an oil I started this weekend for a group show this summer.

And a better picture of "Elopement" WIP.

Elopement Oil Painting WIP

Getting some good headway into an oil painting of the Elopement.
This is being painted in my studio at School 33, which I love. I've been too busy to spend all the time there I want, but it's been great. I'll post some more photos of the space soon.
I'm enjoying doing digital sketches that I then take into traditional medium. It allows me the ability to test things out quickly and make drastic changes.
Ultimately, though, I still love oil and watercolor. They have a quality digital can't reach, though it has its own unique characteristics. It's not just the texture quality or anything like that - those things can be simulated, digitally. It's the reality of it, the weight of a canvas, the object made by human hands that you can live with. Traditional media breathes.
I'll post more as it nears the finish.

Maine Paintings

Some studies from our trip to Great Spruce Head, Maine. These were quick, small paintings, trying to get a sense of place.