Field Trip: The Studios of Louis Copt and Jim Brothers

Last Friday, at the end of my 'vacation,' I had the pleasure of visiting the studio of my artist friend Louis Copt, who then brought me over to his friend Jim Brothers's studio. The Copts' house, pictured above, was designed to accommodate Louis's studio and their art collection. While I was there, I got to see pieces by local artists including Dan Coburn and Phil Epp.

Here's Louis in his studio surrounded by several of his landscapes.

In this picture, you can see that a garage door leads to his studio, facilitating the movement of art in and out of the place. I'm a little jealous of this, since to get work out of my studio I either have to take the stairs and then get through 3 small doorways and down hallways or I can take the elevator to the same doors and hallways. That's really going to be a pain when it's time to get the sins out of the studio!

Louis is known for his prairie fire paintings, like the ones pictured above. However, he also does some great figure paintings, figurative sculpture, and abstract/mixed media collage.

After chatting about various things for a while, Louis, his wife Phyllis, my husband Derek and I hopped in our cars and visited Jim Brothers's studio. Or rather, we visited his studios. Jim has 3 or 4 buildings on his land that act in some way as work space for him. The amount and variety of work he has was incredible... there was the figurative and portrait sculpture you primarily see in these photos, plus pieces carved out of wood, and assemblages created from old machines and little bronze gargoyles.
Here Louis and Jim are walking between two of the buildings.

Various historical busts, and also notice the many animal skulls Jim has collected on the walls.


Notice the scale of the full figure in the background! (I think that's Eisenhower.)
Here's an in-progress wood sculpture in one of Jim's buildings. He creates it by attaching various-sized pieces of wood to each other and then carving them, so that the finished piece will have a mosaic-like surface.

It was a fun and interesting field trip, and I loved meeting yet another talented artist. This Friday, Louis Copt will have an opening at the Leopold Gallery in the Brookside area of Kansas City, MO. I certainly plan on attending!

Back from Vacation

This past week to week and a half I have been on a vacation of sorts. I've been visiting with my mom, my husband took time off from work, and we started to clean out our house so we can try and sell it. So, no painting of any sort got done. Today I just got back into the swing of things with the Sunday painting class. Same model as last time, but this time I decided just to focus on her costume. This picture isn't totally accurate, as I think the shadow on the flesh was a bit darker, but it'll have to do since Steve Sweigart took it home with him!

This week will be back to work for me, and I really hope to be able to somehow double my efforts. Maybe I will skip going to the gym!

Finally, I want to share the following series of YouTube videos. It is a recording of a debate of the validity of the following statement: "The art market is less ethical than the stock market." Participating in the debate are artist Chuck Close, art dealer Richard L. Feigen, Amy Cappellazzo of Christie's Fine Art Auctions, gallery owner Michael Hue-Williams, art critic Jerry Saltz, and Adam Lindemann, art collector. If you listen to all 13 parts of the debate and are still interested (as I am) please do a Google search of those names and you will find even more interesting related info!

Lust Facial Expression, Life Painting

We will have just two life painting sessions in my studio this month, and the first one was yesterday. I was surprised how quickly I pumped out the above sketch, and haven't decided if I am going to work on this more or start something new next week.

Today I just worked on the ecstatic expression of the middle figure. Still plenty of work to do, but I am getting there. Of course, I can't work on this without thinking of the ultimate ecstatic expression on Bernini's "Ecstasy of St. Theresa." This may be my all time favorite sculpture.

Heartland Artist Exhibition and "Lust"

Last night was the opening reception for the Heartland Artist Exhibition in Merriam, KS. I met a lot of great, talented artists at the opening last night that I hope to see again soon. I am also pleased to announce that my painting, "Reflection," above, won a merit award. Please do stop by and view this great exhibition before it closes on the 29th!

13th Annual Heartland Artist Exhibit 03-07-09 through 03-29-09
Reflection, Solitude, and Self Portrait were accepted into this juried exhibition at the Irene B. French Community Center in Merriam, KS.

• Irene B. French Community Center Art Gallery
  5701 Merriam Drive
  Merriam, KS 66203
  (913) 322-5550

I am also finally posting my first layer on the painting, "Lust." It is at 72" x 48" and there is still a lot to do!

Human Form Exhibition at Hilliard Gallery Opens Tomorrow Night!

First Friday March 6th
Show runs through March 27th
Opening Reception: 6-9 pm
Regular Gallery Hours: Tuesday 10-5 Saturday 11-4

"The Human subject forces the viewer to engage the artwork and enables the artist to express an entire range of ideas from the subtle to the intense." With this in mind the "Human Form", a group show comprised of artist from throughout the Midwest area, will open on March 6th and run through March 27th at the Hilliard Gallery. The "Human Form" show is the second annual figurative show comprised of artist and their work that was selected from submissions for the show. The show will feature artwork inspired by the human form, from different artist working in all types of mediums from oil, photography, ceramics, sculpture and more.

Some of the artists that are in the show are; Lacey Lewis, Guinotte Wise, Tarin Eicher, Erick Warner, Jessica Logsdon, Dorrie Koller, Adam Crowley, Orly Cogan, JoeRay Kelly, Kale Van Leevwen, Aaron Newell and Tyson Schroeder. The figurative work in this show ranges from near life-size sculptural portraits to fragment or abstractions of the figure. The figurative form can be used as the ideal medium to convey a spectrum of ideas with which the viewer can resonate.

• Hilliard Gallery
  404 E. 18th St.
  Kansas City, MO 64108
  Contact: Bob Swearengin
  816-561-2956
  

"Jake"

Here is "Jake" finished: 40" x 30" oil on canvas. I wanted it to be included in tomorrow's opening at Hilliard Gallery, but it just *will not dry!* I am so upset. I worked so hard to get it done in time, but the background is still very wet. Part of me wants to throw it in a frame anyway, but I know better.

Busy Week

This is going to be a very busy week for me. In fact, I think last week was busy, too!

Let's see, last week Ed Dwight visited Kansas City, KS and came through the Pressroom Studios on Thursday. Friday I took a trip to the Nelson-Atkins Museum, and then went to a talk Mr. Dwight was giving down at the YWCA. Both were very interesting and educational and it was a great evening, however Ed Dwight's talk made me laugh more than the museum trip did. What a talented and insightful character.

This week I am hustling to get "Jake" finished, varnished, and framed in order to have it included in Friday's Figurative Show opening at Hilliard Gallery. I've also been framing other paintings for the show, and I really need to send out some more invites and put out my newsletter to let people know what's up.

I'm also working on "Lust," but since not all of the white of the canvas is covered, I am not ready to post it. There's so little left to cover, too! Just give it another couple days.

After all the hubbub of the week, I have yet another opening to attend on Saturday. I have three pieces that have been selected for the Heartland Artist Juried Exhibition in Merriam, KS. I will try and post all the details this week, if anyone is looking to attend the openings.

Finally, I am listing work on Ebay again. I'm starting off with some still lives, and will add some knife landscapes in a day or two. After that, I might start adding some of my figure sketches. Please check my Ebay page for listings!