Dear Reader,

Greetings.

New still life. Yellow beacon in the darkness....This little pitcher calls to me from the my props shelf. Even though this type of smooth, glossy enamel is the absolute most pain in the ass texture to paint, haha. The turning of color and value is so smooth, so delicate. At least I know what I'm getting into.

I choose darker things with complimentary colors to support/emphasize the value and color of the pitcher. I arrange in a way that I find interesting and pleasing. Leading up to the focus, framing the focus, creating depth.

Here I start my umber block-in on a 9x12in Artefex aluminum panel. I'm not feeling the need to be particularly tight here. This comes from experience. When I had much less experience, it was valuable to be more precise with the layout and shape-of-shadow.

After the block-in, I'm in the mood to use a painting knife. I go straight in with full color. I know there will be dark grapes at the bottom of the painting, but I'm not sure exactly where they will be.

Always painting the focus first. In this case, when I've neglected to add a tone to my panel in advance, it's also important to cover up that bright white as soon as possible so that I can properly judge my values. To gauge how bright or dark everything needs to be.

So it goes: Paint focus first, radiate out to supporting objects and background, back to focus, back to supporting objects and background, back to focus, and thusly the cycle continues. The focus defines what needs to happen with everything else, and everything else informs how I can push my focus. I need to gather information from one or the other in order to continue. In the end, most of my time will be spent on the focal area/object. The focus should be focal in every arena: color, value, and detail/refinement.

Constantly experimenting with background colors and values that will add interest while supporting the focus.

Everything getting refined. And the foreground grapes are finally defined. The end is near, but the focus feels too plain for my liking. I play with a glow.

I decide to invent a little swirly pattern on the pitcher. For detail and color. If you look closely at the high res image, you'll see that the pattern has its own tiny highlights and cast shadows. Like it's a raised texture. I also add a grape. The grapes needed a hierarchy. A grape that will be the leader of the other grapes. Here is the finished painting:

View high-res image here.

"While You Weren't Looking"

9x12in oil on aluminum panel (Artefex), 2025

$4200

April 26th 2025 Group Exhibition at Gallery 1261 in Denver, CO
Send purchase inquiries to info@gallery1261.com

In its frame. Another gorgeous handmade frame from Masterworks Frames:

Friends and Tattoo Adventures

My friends from Wisconsin Colt Brown and Chris Burke came to visit and paint with me in my studio for a few days! They are both incredible artists, tattooers, and business owners. We had so much fun. I'm so grateful for the camaraderie and creative energy. I worked on a portrait painting during this time.

Here is the beginning stage.

I'm pushing the shadow areas, background, and grapes towards greens and greenish blues to support the warmth in the light, especially the red notes.

Here is the finished painting.

"Drifting" 12x9in oil on aluminum panel.

This isn't the final photograph, but it does the job. I still need to it to dry before I varnish and take a good photo. I'll show you in the next newsletter.

This painting is already on hold.

Chris decided to do a bit of tattooing while he was here. I got to observe and learn about the process. So fascinating!

After a few days at my studio, we all headed down to Eugene, Oregon for the Evergreen Tattoo Invitational! I spent three days hanging around the Empire Inks booth (Colt's tattoo ink company), painting, learning a bit about tattooing, admiring tattoos, and talking with other artists. I wrote this little testimonial for an Empire Inks Instagram post:

“My first tattoo convention was an awesome experience. I loved the vibe and the sense of community. My interactions were all positive. As people came by to talk shop, discuss color, or just say hi to the amazing humans in the Empire Inks booth, I realized I was surrounded by fellow artists and art appreciators—my people! Chris and Colt gave me a valuable taste of the tattooing process, which has only increased my awe and respect for this fascinating and often beautiful art form. I can’t wait to learn more. It was an absolute honor to watch Chris skillfully adapt and tattoo one of my paintings onto the wonderful, patient, and generous Miranda. I’m still blown away! I look forward to more tattoo conventions in the future.” - David Cheifetz

Here I am painting in the booth alongside Colt:

I got to doodle with sharpie pens on Jamie. Colt was teaching me how to create a freehand tattoo design on skin! So... much... fun!

Carolyn and Jamie of the Empire Inks team:

This is my painting that Chris chose to tattoo at the convention!

(Flrrbl Bombus, 7x5in, 2015)

Instead of using a stencil for the design, Colt suggested that Chris use me as a human stencil, haha. I was like... uuuhh... are you sure? I soon relented. Using my painting as reference, I freehanded the design directly on skin with sharpie pens. It was a really cool experience. Then Chris completed the freehand design with a patterned border around the bug. Then he started tattooing.

And then they made me try tattooing for the first time. It was only for a minute. My first time ever holding a tattoo machine is on a real human, at a convention. Lol. Chris guided me through it.

The machine felt so alien, so clunky. Here I am, concentrating, trying not to fuck it up too badly:

It was like holding a paint brush or a painting knife for the first time.

Chris did an amazing job adapting my painting on this leg tattoo. Here is the final result. I'm so impressed with what he can accomplish on skin. And he freehanded all of that design around the edges--so cool to watch!

I'm going to learn more about this ancient art form.

If you want to see some video clips from the convention, head to my IG profile and click on the Tattoo icon in the Stories Highlights section.

Upcoming Shows

The Vendue
KINETIC

Group Show Opening April 4th 2025

Charleston, SC

5-8pm, with wine and food

If you're in or around Charleston, go check out the opening of "Kinetic" on April 4th, 5-8pm! My two paintings below will be in the show. Here is a preview of the entire show: https://www.artgalleria.com/view-room/51703

Arbiter

Between The Saltwater And The Sea Strand

Gallery 1261
GROUP SHOW

Opening April 26th 2025

Denver, CO

On April 26th, Gallery 1261 is having a group show. The details aren't available yet, so be sure to watch their website for updates. I've sent my two newest still life paintings for the show!