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On the Easel - In progress. Click to View Larger Image.
Tomorrow I will set out on a journey to Miami, Florida to attend Art Miami. This journey will take me to a magical place where galleries from all over the world will be gathering to celebrate, promote and discuss ART. I am going to tuck my portfolio book under my sweaty little arm pit, swallow hard, gather all the gumption, grace and guts that I can muster and talk to as many people as I can about my art.
Yep…I’m going to do this…I’m pretty sure…no…I AM going to be brave and do so! [I have a back-up plan…my sister, friend, and biggest fan is going to be behind me pushing all the way]

To all that have supported me and encouraged me and been by my side up until now, I thank you! For it is my friends, fellow artists, family and foes that have given me the courage not to give up on my dream of becoming a full-time artist and pushing my art even further out into the world.

I’m not sure what adventure awaits me at Art Miami; but I am keeping my expectations real. At the very least I hope to garner some feedback and criticism that will help me become stronger as an artist, and as a painter. I am already anticipating filling my head with art that will be represented and presented by art galleries and artists from all over the world, and that is exciting in and of its self.

I will look forward to sharing with you all when I return, to let you know just how the journey un-folded! In the meantime…wish me luck and...guts!!

ON THE EASEL

I received an e-mail from a great friend and follower of my blog that inquired about where the ‘on the easel’ blog updates had gone! Well, my bad! I have been holed up in my studio and definitely taking pictures along the way of my work…just have been hoarding them to my self! I apologize. To make up for it I have included a snap [above] of the piece on the easel at this very moment! I am in the beginning stages with only about six layers into it at this point…many more to go!
It is a 48x48” canvas, and a continuation of my current series, which can be viewed here.

Keep your e-mails and comments coming! I will be reading them and re-reading them to keep my engine going over the next week and beyond!

Until next time…ROCK ON!
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Peace and Love Art Friends! And may I add a…BRRRRRRRR! WOW, Mother Nature has really decided to Chillax this winter! Ahhhhhh, but don’t let that bother you too much! There is plenty of warm stuff to do inside. Like, for instance, Attack the White coming up on this Friday!  

All of my fellow studio artists from The Artists Upstairs Studio Group will be working up a sweat and attacking a 4’x15’ canvas! I am SO excited about this event. Sure, the weather outside is indeed frightful, but the event is going to be just delightful!! Eight plus artists, each of their own discipline and design all spontaneously working off of one large canvas with music pumping in the background…wow, I say Let the paint fly! We will be attacking this canvas with no forethought or pre-designed notions. We are just going to let our emotions, our talents and our ‘what the hell’ instincts kick in. We will be responding to each other, the music and the crowds. At the end of the evening we will either have a complete mess, or a beautiful and collaborative work of art! Nothing like this has been done before to my knowledge, so I think it is going to rock this conservative little mid-west place on earth!
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What excites me the most about it is the collaboration with the other artists. We are going to all be working together and just letting it happen as opposed to being hidden in our studios all snug within our comfortable little worlds. Many of the artists have mentioned to me how they are going to have to put aside their inhibitions and fears and break outside of their comforts zones. That, to me, is just cool as hell.

So…if you are in the area, and are looking for something to do, and a warm place to break the cabin fever winter blues – then consider coming out and witnessing ‘Attack the White.’ You can click HERE for Directions. You can also click HERE for other stuff going on as part of the on-going 2nd Friday events!
Below is an article that ran on the front page of the local paper about the event!
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On the Easel – I have been working away at some new work in my studio. I have finished a couple of pieces. The first I am calling “Dead Dreams.” It is a mixed media piece with the primary media being pastel. I used to do quite a bit with pastel, and it felt really good to go back to it. I have to admit that I was very much inspired by an exhibition I went to at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Spain of the work of Paula Rego. Seeing her work up close and personal really inspired me to get back into pastels, especially on a larger scale.
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The next piece I am calling “Re-Born.” This piece came about in my continuing journey with textures. Constantly working with new material ideas, the combination of materials and the resulting textures is so exciting to me! This piece involves for example the result of some studies that I did involving carpet glue, wall paste, concrete, cat litter, marble dust and tile grout. I know, I know...I can’t help myself. As you can tell, a walk through Home Depot takes on a little different meaning in my world. But after working with the various materials, I have come upon some textures that I find visually exciting and fun to explore. So as you look at this abstract piece, I hope you will see how they have all worked together to create a motionless emotion.

I also have some other pieces in concrete that I am still working on. They are not quite ready to reveal yet, but I am getting close! One I am going to call ‘Taking Control of Horizons’ and the other I am debating between ‘Drip’ or ‘Don’t get Wet’ I can’t decide. Perhaps in my next blog I should reveal the painting and let you decide the title! That would be cool. I think I’ll do that! Be ready to put your thinkin’ caps on!
And lastly on the Easel is a portrait painting of the beggar lady that I discussed back in an April post. (http://www.cagneyking.com/1/category/april%20show/1.html). I have FINALLY gotten back into it and have started blocking in some colour and will soon begin on my skin tones. She is up on the easel in Studio 8 – so come by and check her out! And, since she is in what we artists call the ‘ugly’ phase you can go ahead and paint on her at this point to if you want! Just ask me and I’ll hand ya a brush…just don’t be upset if I cover it up laterJ 

I hope everyone has buckled down and is ready for a whole new year!

I hope to see everyone very soon! Keep your e-mails and comments coming…I just love it!

Until next time – Rock on!
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