- 358: Gumroad Video “Painting with Palette Knives”
I RECENTLY added two new videos about painting with palette knives to my Gumroad site (download for $9.95 each). I…
- 357: Look Until You See
“CAN’T you see the red in that shadow?” I was taking a painting workshop at the Grand Canyon from one…
- 356: Plein Air Painting with Palette Knives
—I’VE been involved in art all my life. I have illustrated book covers, executed editorial work for publications such as…
- 355: Glazing & Scumbling: A New Gumroad Video
–ONE of my early influences was Maxfield Parrish. I loved his bright color and unique subject matter. I admired his…
- 354: Love Your Collectors
The object becomes aesthetically significant when it becomes metaphysically significant. –Joseph Campbell I RECENTLY had an interview with Jerry Hardesty…
- 353: Talking About Paintings
REALIST ARTISTS believe their work explains itself. They think what the viewer sees and feels is adequate. I sympathize with…
- 33 Why is painting with thick paint so hard?
zzz GENERALLY speaking, it is easier to paint thinly than it is to paint with thick, rich strokes of color….
- 352: Black is a Color
–I HAVE read how many artists avoid using black paint at all costs. Some even decry it as not being…
- 351: Drawing Like Van Gogh
–LEARNING to replicate the energy of your drawings in your paintings is one of the most productive advances you can…
- 350: How to Get Bright Color Using Color Charts
–SIXTEEN years ago I read an art instruction book that recommended making color charts. I used artist tape to mark…
- 349: Painting with Bright Color–New Instructional Video
–I published a new instructional video with Gumroad (see preview below). They provide the best download speeds and easiest purchasing options (Paypal or credit card). The…
- 348: Studio Visit Video
–MANITOU Galleries suggested I make a short video giving collectors a view into my studio and my process. I filmed a…
- 347: Paintings at Manitou Galleries
–IT has been a lifelong ambition to get gallery representation in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which is the third largest…
- 346: Understanding Creativity
–WHY do some people love art and others seem unmoved by it? I’m always interested in the reaction of people who visit our home….
- 345: Cypher Show Interview
–A few readers who were unable to attend the Persistence of Vision Show requested I upload some footage. I forgot…
- 344: Persistence of Paradox Show
“Out of the fires of desire and despair are forged all the formerly irreconcilable opposites of paradox.” –Cypher –OVER the…
- 343: Painting Interview
–TO be in the company of those who wish the best for you is one of the greatest blessings a…
- 342: Writing a Press Release
–IT is a good idea when having a show to write a brief press release. Press releases are prewritten articles to intrigue journalists into…
- 341: “Persistence of Paradox” Interview
Marker painting, Dali, 12″ x 14″, with QR code –I was honored to be interviewed for James Gurney’s blog about…
- 340: Why Paintings Crack, Part 2
Closeup of Summer Sky, 48″ x 48″ –PAINTINGS with thick applications of paint are especially prone to cracking. So I’ve…
- 339: Review of 12 Rules for Life
Cypher Graphic Novel, by Brad Teare –I was honored that clinical psychologist and Youtube superstar Jordan B. Peterson sent me…
- 338: Publishing with Zno
–I recently published a book with Zno and found it to be an easy way to print on-demand books. The prices…
- 337: Why Do People Like Abstract Art?
–I was honored to receive a review copy of Nobel Prize recipient Dr. Eric R. Kandel‘s latest book Reductionism in Art…
- 336: Making a Portfolio Magazine
–I recently made a new portfolio magazine via Blurb (you can preview the entire magazine below). I find the method vastly…
- 335: Preventing Paintings from Cracking
–IN time nearly every oil painting will crack. But the challenge is to postpone that inevitability as long as possible….
- 344: Playing with Pinterest
–I HAVE mentioned several times that Pinterest and Instagram are my favorite social media platforms. Instagram has proved useful, and I’ve sold…
- 343: The Power of Your Environment
–ONE of my favorite philosophers, Jordan Peterson, wrote; You are neither your own master nor your own slave. You cannot easily tell…
- 342: The Power of Newsletters
–MY original article about defeating a creative block was condensed and included in a newsletter for Plein Air Magazine (read…
- 341: Is Painting Still Relevant?
–AS my exploration of digital media continues I decided to check out Quora. I’ve answered a few questions relating to art…
- 340: Using a Failed Acrylic Painting as an Underpainting
–I transferred my acrylic supplies to my new studio in the hopes of doing some large abstract landscape acrylics–even though…
- 339: Using Acrylic Markers with an Underpainting
–IN an attempt to unify my woodcut and my painting style I’ve been experimenting with using a woodcut-like underpainting as…
- 338: Triggering a Transformation
–IN a previous post, I mentioned that I avoided plein air painting for three years. When I returned to the…
- 337: Smashing a Creative Block
–ALTHOUGH I always loved painting outdoors, my plein air work lagged far behind the authenticity of my studio work. On…
- 336: New video venue
–I AM just one exhibit away from being able to finish my new studio (my latest show will be this…
- 335: Varnishing a Painting
–RECENTLY I was preparing a set of paintings to send to my new gallery, the Leopold Gallery in Kansas City. To…
- 334: Adding Audio to a Blog
–MANY writers have remarked on an overall drop in blog readership. This blog is no different and reflects the trend….
- 333: 9 Steps to Instagram Success
–MY favorite social media platform is Instagram (if you want to see painting updates click here). Many assume that internet sales are…
- 332: Keeping Your Studio Safe
–THE best insurance is taking measures to keep ourselves safe and healthy. To comply with that belief I recently made several adjustments…
- 331: The Cure for Bad Art
–THE poet Alexander Pope, describing the slippery slope of degraded expectation wrote, “vice is a monster of such frightening mien, that…
- 330: My favorite palette knives
–AS promised I finally put together a video outlining all of my favorite palette knives (see below). I’m using all…
- 329: My Favorite Palette Knife
–I recently switched over to using palette knives for the entirety of my painting process. I cross-examined my motives, as I…
- 328: The Mystery of Plein Air Painting
–”YOU can’t till you can” sounds like a quip from baseball’s low-brow philosopher Yogi Bera. But it’s actually a quote from…
- 327: Acrylic Show
–IF you are in Salt Lake City from June 1 to June 17, 2017, I hope you will drop into Alpine Art…
- 326: The Importance of Daily Sketching
–EVERY artist knows the importance of a daily sketchbook. My problem has been that I often don’t have my sketchbook…
- 325: Our Dream World
–WHY do people like paintings? Why do they hang them in their homes and offices and travel to see museum…
- 324: The Difficult Truth
–I recently came across a video by Jeffrey R.Watts that had a lot of valuable information, especially for young artists. Watts…
- 323: Anti-advertising
–WHY is art important? This is a question even artists, who should appreciate art the most, have trouble answering. When…
- 322: My New York Adventure
–RECENTLY I was a guest on the Zion Art Society podcast, with Dr. Micah Christenen, and was asked about my experience as…
- 321: The Privilege to Experiment
–WHEN you learn about the techniques of fellow artists, you come across suggestions that have the ring of truth, such…
- 320: Repetition Fatigue
–WHAT type of artist are you? When I began my illustration career, my intent was to be a science fiction/fantasy book…
- 319: New Painting Workshop, May 2017
–I AM enthused to announce a new oil painting workshop Thursday, May 25, 4-8 pm, at Weber State University (click here…
- 318: Advanced Field Effects
–I HAVE often said in my posts and Youtube videos that the color it looks like is the color it…
- 317: Getting Temperature Right
–THE temperature of a painting is always relative. If a painting is mostly made up of blues nearly any color…
- 316: James Gurney’s Living Sketchbook
–IMAGINE being invited to your favorite artist’s studio and getting a chance to thumb through his or her sketchbook. That’s…
- 315: The Art of Textured Paint
–I’M enthused about an upcoming landscape show at my new gallery, Anthony’s Fine Art, on March 17. As suggested by…
- 314: Building a Portfolio Website
–THE internet offers an unprecedented means to connect with fellow artists and potential art collectors. But the connection is only useful…
- 313: Sleeping Well = More Energy
–SLEEPING well is a struggle for me. I often face the easel wishing I could have slept better, more prepared to…
- 312: The Power of Meditation
–TO be successful artists need to learn how to generate and maintain energy. The best ways are to eat well,…
- 311: Paradoxical Surrender
–ONE of the worst creative blocks I ever had was when I contracted to complete a 112-page graphic novel. I…
- 310: How to Scrape a Canvas
–ONE obstacle to painting thickly is the limit of one alla prima painting session. Once the highly textured paint has dried,…
- 309: Add More Joy
–WHEN we are unhappy, we fixate on what is wrong. It becomes difficult to focus on the positive. Our current unhappy…
- 308: Overcoming Creative Block
–I DON’T struggle with creative block often–but when I do it is overwhelmingly painful. It usually happens when the stakes…
- 307: Live Consult Via Carrot
–CARROT.FM is an online service that lets you consult with a wide variety of experts via mobile phone video. This Friday (tomorrow,…
- 306: Intuitive Composition
–AS a contrast to abstract elements in my new, looser painting style I thought I should improve my linear composition skills. (For a discussion…
- 305: Painting as a Discipline
– WHEN I worked in the animation business, the sentiment was expressed that if you weren’t drawing enough to need…
- 304: A Massive Thank You
–I’M coming to the end of an incredibly productive period. I want to thank everyone who gave me a boost…
- 303: Frontiers of Internet Connectivity
AS you know I love experimenting with new and innovative online opportunities. I was recently contacted by Carrot.FM to be…
- 302: Neither a Conformist nor a Rebel
–FOR years I resisted using a palette knife simply because a famous local artist used the knife exclusively and I…
- 301: Tribute to Louisa McElwain
A gallery I follow recently asked the question, “Can you name five women artists?” In the comments section I typed Mary…
- 300: Rise of the Artistic Polymath
–TWO decades ago I was speculating with a fellow artist about the future of fine art. I predicted that after…
- 299: Respect the Line (book review)
Click to view book –A THWARTED dream of mine has been a print show exhibiting the sketches that inspired the…
- 298:Learning Art Online
AS many of you know I’ve experimented with online learning although the major venue for my videos has been Youtube….
- 297: Finding Your Style
–AT A CRITICAL moment in my plein air development I attended a prestigious art festival. My studio painting was in a precarious evolutionary phase–I…
- 296: An Interview with Dan McCaw
Work in progress, 48′ x 48′, acrylic –I FIRST met Dan McCaw at a guest lecture at Utah State University…
- 295: Acrylic Landscape/Abstract fusion
–IN this video I demonstrate how I fuse my experimentations with abstraction with conventional landscape. I use the underpainting not…
- 294: The Art Paradox
IS ART the most important aspect of human culture? Or is it of no importance at all? Many might deem…
- 293: Adjusting a Painting
Spring Road, 12″ x 16″ –I PAINTED this painting at last week’s workshop. I did 90% of it with palette…
- 292: Painting with Markers
–AFTER my abstract painting reception (tonight at 8pm) I will be starting a new project. A few weeks ago I…
- 291: Thursday Artist Reception
—AFTER several incorrect posts I finally conferred with the gallery director and confirmed that the artist reception for my abstract…
- 290: Embedded Book Preview
–AS many of you know I love exploring digital possibilities for artists. I’ve explored making books for the Kindle as…
- 289: Daily Painting
–I RECENTLY received an advanced copy of Daily Painting by Carol Marine. As I opened the packaging I read the title on…
- 288: Workshop Preparation
–FOR those attending my workshop at Weber State University this Friday, June 24, 2016 I thought it would be beneficial to review some…
- 287: Elements of Abstraction
Subterranean Heat, 48″ x 36″ –IN this short video I discuss how and why I paint abstracts. Concurrently I also…
- 286: Upcoming Abstract Show
On view starting June 28, Dream of Blue, 36″ x36″, acrylic –IF you are in Northern Utah from June 28 to August…
- 285: Promote Your Work
Cover to new abstract collection –IN my continuing quest to secure quality promotional material I assembled a new collection of abstracts…
- 284: Interview with Paint Maker Walter Haas
Dry pigments from Lilly’s paint lab I MET Walter Haas online in a group about painting with thick paint. During…
- 283: My books on Wattpad and Amazon
–MY Wattpad book, The Art of Thick Paint, is being featured this month as an example of a book with embedded…
- 282: Sell Your Art
Abstract as it appears at Alpine Art in Salt Lake City –I WAS talking with a fellow artist who was…
- 281: Cloudscape Using Lilly Paint
Cloudscape, 12″ x 12″, Oil on Canvas – I WAS invited to an online group about thick paint from a…
- 280: The Longevity of Acrylics: An Interview with Mark Golden
The Gravity of Light, 48″ x 36″, acrylic FROM time to time controversy emerges about the archival reliability of acrylics….
- 279: Woodcut show
Eight block color woodcut I AM enthused for my woodcut show opening 15 April 2016 at Alpine Art from7-9. It is…
- 278: Painting Workshop
(NOTE: The class sold out on April 27 but the University is scheduling another session. If you add your name to the waiting list you will be added to…
- 277: Understanding Woodcuts
Long Valley Morning, 12 block woodcut COLLECTORS need to understand why you create your art. Additionally if no one understands…
- 276: Fostering Creativity
Persistence of Vision, by Debra Teare, oil on canvas Study hard what interests you the most in the most undisciplined, irreverent and original manner possible. –Richard…
- 275: Winner Take All
ART culture has problems. One of them is the rise of celebrity culture eclipsing 99% of art being created. For some…
- 274: The Path to Painting Success
If it bleeds, it leads. — Newspaper adage I HAVE bad news–everything you’ve learned about how to become a successful…
- 273: Painting an Acrylic, parts 3 and 4
6″ x 6″ closeup HERE are parts 3 and 4 in which I finish the 36′ x 36′ acrylic, Waiting…
- 272: Using Pinterest
RIGHT before I went to New York I was advised by a mentor to “look at everything–suspend judgement and just…
- 271:Why we like what we like
WHILE I was painting my newest acrylic I reflected on the impulses that drive us to find our particular styles. Although…
- 270: Painting an Acrylic Underpainting, part 2 of 4
HERE is the second part showing how I finish the underpainting. It is now ready to apply a layer of…