Shows and upcoming events....

So far I'm surviving my first week back in college.  I'm absolutely LOVING my drawing class so far.  It's really nice to go back to my roots of charcoal and getting dirty for a while.  Since my last post, I've received some great news:  Not only do I have 6 or 7 pieces going into a show at Splendorporium in Portland, OR for the show in October, I was also accepted into a juried show at the Bush Barn Art Center in Salem, OR as well!  This is the first juried show I've been accepted into in about 6 years, and the first as a "professional" artist.   The only hang up is that these shows both open the night of October 7th.  I'll be a busy guy that night.

In the mean time, I thought maybe I would post some pics here to give people a chance to see my work.  Just remember to respect my work, and don't download it.  It's kind of lame when people do that, and part of the reason why I'll be taking down the facebook account in a few months.

 "Watcher"
2010 Watercolor on Yupo

 "Blinded"

2011 Watercolor on Yupo

 "Mossman"
2011 Watercolor on Yupo

 "Creature"

2011 Watercolor on Yupo

"Siren"
2011 Watercolor on Yupo

"Back in Session"

2011 Watercolor/Acrylic on Canvas

will be on display at 

 the Bush Barn Art Center

Bush Barn Art Center:

http://salemart.org/?page_id=83

Splendorporium Gallery:

http://www.splendorporium.net/

Come visit the shows, get free food, and see me!

The hussle and bussle of life...

I started this page to really set in motion a chain of events that would lead me to creating my own website.  I still think that this is the right first step, but life has a way of delaying the best laid plans.  Since my first, last, and only post here (in July), I've started teaching again, registered for fall classes at two different colleges, and have been completely overwhelmed with the responsibilities and pressures of keeping up a home by myself.  I knew what I was getting into when my wife took a job in Alaska, while I had to stay in Oregon continuing to teach and go to school; but that doesn't make it any easier.  I've been extremely busy ever since she left, and unfortunately it's only going to get busier for me as I start my college classes next week.  But an artist's work is never done.  I've also got a show opening in Portland on October 7th, which means I have to submit work next week as well.

The show is entitled "Pets and Portraits" and is being held at the Splendorporium Gallery in SE Portland.  This will be my third show at Splendorporium, and I'm hoping this one will be particularly successful for me.  Much of my work consists of ethereal imagery, and I've been working on a series called "Watchers" for about a year now.  These pieces are reminiscent of the feeling I had growing up, playing in the woods at my grandparents' house thinking I was being watched.  When I turned around and saw that no one was there, it was an eerie enough feeling to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up.  I'm constantly trying to rediscover those feelings and emotions I had growing up that shaped me into the person I am today.  Some of these pieces are fairly benevolent, a spirit to watch over me perhaps, and keep me from harm.  Others are the flip side of the coin.  There's always a struggle of good and evil, right or wrong in our lives.  I hope that I've been able to convey that in this series.

"Watcher"

20X26 Watercolor on Yupo

2010, the first of the series that will be on display for the upcoming show.  Follow the link below to see more.





https://www.facebook.com/pages/Impulse-Art/144499828912186


http://www.splendorporium.net/

Just Getting Started

Well, where to begin....

Welcome to the impulse art blog site.  I'm going to try to utilize this space as a sister site for my facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Impulse-Art/144499828912186) keeping as up to date as I can with events, shows I'll be in, and life in general.  This may very well turn into my own personal sounding board in the coming months, more so than facebook, as my wife leaves for Alaska to teach for the year.  We've been married 7 years, been best friends for 20 years, and this school year will be the longest we've been apart since we started dating almost 9 years ago.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't apprehensive, but I have faith in our relationship.  We'll be ok.  It'll just be different for a while.  My hope is that the time apart will give me the motivation to further persue my goals an artist, possibly strengthening my ability produce quality work. 

Last summer, I finally started painting again after 2 years of nothing, following a year of absolute hell.  Since then, I've been in two shows in Portland, OR, have started the facebook page with quite a few followers, and I've even been fortunate enough to sell some work.  I don't do this for the money, and that can sometimes be frustrating because supplies are so expensive, but I have always been infintely happier creating a piece that I'm proud of, that means something to me, as opposed to painting a paycheck, as so many artists do.  You won't find me putting a bird on anything.  I don't want to sell out, and that may very well lead to my downfall as an artist.  I'm not the best artist around, far from it, but I enjoy it, and that's all that matters. 

Thanks again for stopping by, and stay tuned for more.