Dear Reader,

Greetings.

My muse and I recently celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. I'm proud of us, and grateful for her. That commitment we made in 2006 preceded all the other best decisions in my life, including becoming a painter. I think I would have still been an artist, but almost certainly in a different form, a different medium.

In two years it will be the 20th anniversary of this newsletter, which is sort of unbelievable.

I finished a new painting for the Summer Show opening this Saturday at Gallery 1261 in Denver.

Here is the first stage. Starting purely abstract. Creating a focused composition:

I start defining things from imagination (this is actually upside down) but end up scraping it back down again:

After a hiatus (busy with tattooing), I take the abstract composition and begin to paint from imagination.

The only reference I use for observation is one of my replica skulls. Everything else is made up.

Painting this way is definitely painting on hard mode for me. But it's the method I'm driven to use right now. At this point in the painting (above) I start to get that old familiar feeling of dread, despair, impending doom, the feeling that this painting was going to rot on the vine, like so many other failed paintings from imagination. There was something missing, and I was starting to lose interest. Then the bird came to mind, a dark shape looming over me, over my creative process. And so the purpose of this painting crystallized. I started painting angry. It was therapeutic, it was good.

And here is the finished painting below, "Hoarder Of Dreams" (18x14 oil on aluminum panel):

Hoarder Of Dreams

This painting is available through Gallery 1261, see it in person this Saturday at the show opening!

TATTOO STUFF

My tattooing journey continues! I'm currently splitting my work time between tattooing and painting. Mostly tattooing, but increasing the painting lately. You can track my tattoo stuff on my David Cheifetz instagram and my tattoo studio Turningshadow Tattoo instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turningshadowtattoo/

Here is just a sample of what's going on.

I recently had a final session working on this one. We had finished it in April but I knew I could make it better, so my awesome client came back for more! I put some finishing touches and better color and values into the tea pot.

Paradise Artist Retreat

I'm headlining and teaching at the upcoming Paradise Artist Retreat at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, MA in October! The other headliners are Jennifer Gennari and Peter Mohrbacher! Paradise is an annual event that was originally focused on tattoo artists, but now it is for all artists, focused on creative growth. Honored to be invited, I'm really looking forward to it.

From the website:

What is the Paradise Artist Retreat?
Three days of art creation, mentorship, and inspiration in the hills of western mass.

Each day is filled with art creations, workshops, panels, critiques, and more.

Exactly what’s happening at this event?

-Daily headlining workshops from the main stage

-Daily foundation. Figure drawing, still life, and landscape workshops for all artists

-Daily discussion panels from the stage

-Each ticket includes a 5 x 10 space to create art. Bring your easels and/or art creation tools to practice for three days

-Daily group art creation sessions

There will also be a seminar room for extra classes and workshops.

Thank you for reading.

Until next time, -David

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