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Hi fellow art lovers! It’s been a while since I sent out one of these missives. I haven’t written because - insert your favorite excuse here -. People sometimes ask about my process; how I create a painting. I start by covering the canvas with a lot of color! I use whatever colors I think will invigorate the painting I’m about to start. Then I add the image I want to present on top of that base. When I’m done, I almost always leave some of this base coat showing. Did I just get tired and quit? Did I run out of paint? Did I “miss a spot”?  There are several reasons I paint this way, especially with portraits. Partly, I want to give the viewer a peek behind the curtain; to give an idea of how the work was created. But, more importantly, these layers that go into creating the work are a metaphor for the messy unpredictability of life. We all have experiences and journeys and battle scars that made us who we are. As Lauren Bacall said:
“I think your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that”. So, wear your journey proudly. Until next time… drj BTW, I be showing my work at Art Santa Fe July 15, 16 and 17. If you’re in town, stop by and say hi!
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In the epic TV series, Game of Thrones, one of the main characters, Arya Stark, is taking swordsmanship lessons from master swordsman Syrio Forel. On a regular basis, he would ask her the question, “What do we say to death?” The proper response was, “Not today”.  "Arya" 24X20 acrylic on canvas The corollary to that question is, “What do we say to life?” The answer might be,
“Today I will create something. Today I will do someone a kindness. Today I will embrace beauty. Today I will live.” Here’s to today. Until next time… drj What is the meaning of a work of art? Does it even have one?  Sitting Bull, a Hunkpapa Lakota native, was born at the edge of the western Great Plains and grew up as a member of a nomadic warrior society. As a young man, he fought against the encroachment of the United States, but in later years he became a star attraction of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show.He met, and later “adopted” into his family, the sharpshooter Annie Oakley. He died after being shot (perhaps accidentally) by a member of his own tribe. (More on Sitting Bull >here<.)
So, does this painting merely depict a rather grumpy looking old hippie with a funny hat? Is it a meditation for a vanished way of life? Or, is it a reminder that we are all just dog-paddling in the currents of history and we should take each day as a gift? Or, all of the above? Until next time… drj This past year has been exhausting! We’ve endured Corona virus, forest fires, unemployment, under-employment, and murder hornets! It’s worthy of a Billy Joel rant! (We Didn’t Start the Fire) But now it’s a new year, a blank canvas on which to project our hopes and dreams. So here’s to vaccines, social closeness, movies(!), dinner with friends, visiting museums and art shows.  Speaking of art shows... I had planned to do shows in Lubbock and Santa Fe in 2020, but that obviously didn't happen. When (if) a date is confirmed for either of those shows, I'll pass along the info. In the meantime, you can keep up with my work at red-hand-art.com. Fine art prints on paper or canvas and other merch is still available ->here<-. You'll also find poster prints there, such as the rather apropos Dylan poster below.  So, until the Corona is vanquished, wear your mask, wash your hands, keep your distance, and stay safe!
Until next time... drj These past few months, since The Corona arrived, we’ve all been trying to keep our Social Distance. We’ve been engaged with social media, reading books, gardening. All good things, but mostly solitary pursuits. That got me to thinking about the theme of the solitary figure in Art. From Renaissance to contemporary, examples abound. de Vinci, Vermeer, Hopper, and Picasso all painted solo figures. I wondered why so many artists painted so many solo people. So, I did a little research regarding the solitary figure in art. (OK, I googled it.) There seem to be two schools of thought... From Artsy.net... “As it is typically the fate of an artist to work alone, isolation and alienation are frequent themes throughout the history of art.” That's kinda heavy. Maybe I was thinking more of portraiture. From WideWalls.ch magazine ... “What makes [portraiture] so magical is its ability to depict not only the physical but also psychological characteristics of a figure. When it comes to painting people, we simply like to watch other people’s faces and figures.” That’s more like it. When I’m painting, I may be alone, but I’m trying to communicate with an unknown viewer. It’s my message in a bottle, my attempt to convey a thought or emotion. I send my creations out into the world, hoping they will find a receptive mind. Here’s one of my recent efforts...  I hope she finds a receptive audience.
OK, that’s all for now. Wash your hands. Wear your mask. Keep your distance. Until next time... drj PS: I recently joined the San Antonio Artists Collective (more about that later). You can see - and purchase - my work at gallerysa.com. Just a quick update to let you know that I’ve been doing something other than watching Netflix marathons. Here’s a brand new piece (not even signed yet). She’s ready for a new home!  "Looking Back" 16X20 acrylic on canvas And, these two were delivered to Blair House Inn and Gallery. If you’re planning a trip to the Texas Hill Country, you won’t find better accommodations than the Blair House Inn!  If you’re interested in any of these, or any works from the website, send me an eMail at [email protected] and let’s talk.
OK, that’s it for now. Wash your hands. Wear your mask. Keep your distance. Until next time... drj More Art in the Virtual WorldAs some of you may know, I was selected to participate in the Art Santa Fe 2020 show in July. Well, the Corona put the kibosh on that. So the show runners, Redwood Art Group, decided to set up an online presence and invited the artists scheduled for Art Santa Fe to participate. So, I’m pleased to be a part of that. And even more pleased to have two of my paintings appear on the home page of the web site! Go to https://redwoodartgroup.com/ to see these two ladies in all their virtual glory... You can see some of my other original paintings by clicking on Shop / Shop by Artist and looking under the D’s (for D.R. Jones).
And fine art prints on paper or canvas and other merch is here -> OK, that’s it for now. Wash your hands. Wear your mask. Keep your distance. Until next time... drj The Joys of Home Quarantine! Hi boys and girls, How is everyone surviving their quality time at home with loved ones? Has watching daytime TV in your pajamas until noon lost its luster? Have Zoom happy hours, sans pants, lost their allure? Don’t worry, we’ll all get through this together. To avoid letting all this prescribed social sequestration go to waste, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the studio. Among other things, I created a series of paintings from a single reference photo. Interesting exercise. Three different interpretations of the same scene. Here’s the result...  I also used the time to update my web site. Most of my current work is up there and it’s for sale. I ship anywhere in the galaxy, so eMail me if you’re interested. You can see the current web pages here -> https://www.red-hand-art.com. I’ll have more info about web updates later, so stay tuned... And, since the whole world seems to have gone online, I decided I’d dive in, too. (I’ve previously just been dog-paddling around the shallows, but I put on my big boy trunks and jumped into the deep end.) Most of my recent paintings have been uploaded to a web-service that allows collectors to order fine art prints, t-shirts, and other merch featuring my images. Click ->here<- to visit the website.  The t-shirt/face mask ensemble is particularly apropo at the moment. The t-shirt shown is from the Collection “Legends and their words”. If you’re so inclined, go online and peruse the offerings. Decorate your walls or your bod. Satisfy your art urge and support your art community.
So, stay home, stay safe, wash your hands. This won’t last forever (probably). We’ll see each other soon at a gallery, art show, or social event. Until next time... drj Art in the time of Coronavirus* The galleries are closed. The museums are shuttered. How you gonna get your art fix? How about a stroll through New York’s Guggenheim Museum? Or London’s British Museum? Or maybe the Louvre in Paris? Of course, you can’t do that, you’ve been corona’d. But you can enjoy world class art from the comfort of your living room.  In this time of self-isolation, many galleries and museums are offering free online tours. You can get nose-to-nose with a Giacometti, smell Monet's water lillies, or admire Picasso's jigsaw-puzzle ladies.
Here are some links to get you started: Google Art & Culture Mental Floss museums you can visit online And check the websites of your favorite galleries. Many now feature online viewing of their artists' work. So sit back on your couch and let your fingers do the walking as you browse through the many online offerings. Until next time... drj *with apologies to Gabriel Garcia Marquez An Ekphrastic epiphany While driving to yoga class this morning, I was listening to NPR (yeah, I’m that guy) and they were discussing “ekphrastic poetry”. I thought “How fascinating”. (Actually, I thought what the...?) Turns out, an ekphrastic poem is a poem describing a work of art. The term comes from the Greek word for “description”. So I thought, “I’ll write a haiku about one of my paintings”! (Yep, still that guy.) Here goes...  There you have it. That’s my poem. If you have a poem about this work, or any other, post a pic and a poem in the Comments section. Let your ekphrasis flag fly!
Until next time... drj |
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