painting LIVE

okay, so besides what I typically do with my art business Revelatorart (selling my paintings, doing commission work, teaching lessons, doing art shows, illustrating books, etc.), and in leadership with the VineArts ministry (installing gallery exhibits, leading art groups, painting murals & backdrops,etc.)....God has been opening doors this year for me to do a bit of performance painting (creating a painting live in front of an audience to music) in various venues for various purposes. Some events have been small, other events have been quite large. Some events have been worship focused, other events have been for charity, and other events have been arts & community related. Performance painting has been something I've always been interested in doing (as part of how I like to express the creativity God has placed within me) and I have been enjoying these opportunities by embracing them with all I've got to give. I wanted you to know about the most recent opportunity coming up.

You have another chance to see me create a painting live...

I'm going to be painting at another cool event THIS COMING FRIDAY NIGHT!!!

This event will be FREE and open to ALL AGES...

WHAT IS THIS COOL EVENT?: JERRY FEE  CD RELEASE PARTY

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?: Jerry just finished making a new cd titled "Still Alive". He will be playing songs from that cd. And you can have the chance to be among the first to actually purchase the cd (he'll give you several ways you can do that...all very inexpensive and tailored to fit for your convenience) 

Get a sneek listen to Jerry's music at: <http://www.jerryfeemusic.com> 

WHEN IS THIS COOL EVENT?: Friday April 3

WHAT TIME IS THIS COOL EVENT?: 7:30pm to 9:30pm

WHERE IS THIS COOL EVENT?: The Record Exchange in downtown Boise ( <http://www.therecordexchange.com>)

[1105 W. Idaho St, Boise: <http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=+1105+W+Idaho+St%2C+Boise%2C+ID>]

{This is a place where you can buy new & used cds & dvds & other merchandise. They also have a COFFEE BAR!}

WHAT'S IT GONNA COST FOR THIS COOL EVENT?: It's FREE to come to the event!

WHO CAN COME TO THIS COOL EVENT?: ALL AGES are welcome! 

WHY SHOULD YOU COME TO THIS COOL EVENT?: This will be loads of fun to listen to some great music, watch me paint, and enjoy the atmosphere.

WILL THERE BE AN OPENING BAND AT THIS COOL EVENT?: Yes, Low-Fi will open with an acoustic set.

IS THERE A BONUS AT THIS COOL EVENT?: YES! You can watch me create a painting live to Jerry's entire set of music. 

There will be a raffle for the painting (raffle tickets will cost $2 each...you can buy as many as you want!) and YOU COULD WIN THE PAINTING I CREATE LIVE AT THIS COOL EVENT!!! 

Remember...this cool event that I'm painting at is....THIS COMING FRIDAY NIGHT. 

Tell your friends. Tell you family. Tell your neighbors. Tell your co-workers. Tell your postman. Tell your barista. Tell the kid who bags your groceries. Put a reminder on your frig, on your computer, on your Blackberry, on your dog, on your forehead. 

THIS FRIDAY APRIL 3. RECORD EXCHANGE. BOISE. 7:30PM. FREE. LIVE MUSIC. ME PAINTING. COFFEE. GOOD TIMES!

Hope to see you there!

Scraping Paint

today i got to do something i hadn't done since my days in Scotland (2000/2001/2002) when i helped to transform a hundred+ year old building into a coffeehouse/church in Glasgow.  being an artist...typically you can find me applying paint to things....but today i got to scrape paint off. 

i've been helping with a large mural project (details in the previous post) and part of that project has been to not only paint the walls and ceilings...but also all the doors. we ran into a bit of problem when we realized that the paint that was originally on all 12 doors was an oil based paint. the paint we are applying to do this project is a latex paint. this won't work. as you know, oil and water don't mix...so latex will just peel off once applied on top of the oil based paint. 

we tried sanding the doors...but didn't get very far. so a stripping solvent needed to be brushed on (it's purpose is to eat away at the paint and bubble it up to make it easier to scrape off). special gloves and masks were needed to protect us from the toxic fumes. then we set to scraping the paint off with scraping tools. it's a long, tedious, and muscle aching job. 

once the paint is completely scraped off we can apply a coat of primer that will allow us to use the latex paint we have to paint the murals with onto the doors (creating a continuous scene). 

so i had a bit of a nostalgic experience today...scraping paint, something i did A LOT of when i was in Scotland. you can read about my experiences in Glasgow at my blog: http://www.streetsofglasgow.blogspot.com

working together

part of what the VineArts Ministry does is make ourselves available to do art projects for the various ministries at Boise Vineyard Christian Fellowship. this time the project was so huge that we opened it up to not only the artists who are a part of VineArts, but also to anyone who wanted to join in and help out. 
the building that the children's ministry is located in was in need of an "extreme makeover". so the head of the ministry partnered with our VineArts director and came up with an amazing artistic concept...to paint the hallways that surround the gymnasium with vividly colorful and fun scenes from our world.
these scenes include the desert, the ocean, the mountains, the jungle, space, etc....and are filled with water, foliage, animals, and other things that would be found in each of the scenes (all things that children would enjoy looking at). each scene morphs into the next...and some even continue through doors and up onto ceilings. 
this is the week for the project to be completed...so over a 100 people have been contributing their time and efforts to work together to get the job done (yes, you read that right...over a 100 people!). our director has made it easy for everyone no matter what their skill level in painting is. first the pictures were traced onto the walls with chalk in simplified shapes and then a numbering system was created to paint by number (match the number on the wall in the shape with the number of paint in the paint cans at the paint table, pick up a cup with that paint in it, grab a brush, and go to work)...this way lots of people can work together side by side with as little instruction as possible and the job gets done quickly and easily. 
today i helped do some detail work...like these pink water roses in a cross section of a lake. it's a really cool experience to work on such a large scale project as this. it's a reminder that if we all work together we can accomplish big things much easier than if one person or a few people were to try and take it on. and it ends up being way more fun too! 

Dreams Really Do Come True

Tonight I was one of several artists that were featured at a special arts event in downtown Boise.

The Forerunner Cafe owned by my friend Lisa Johnson is a company that specializes in promoting local talent and inspiring others to take hold of their dreams and be who they are meant to be. This evening was the first of many more events like this to come. There were hip-hop dancers, an actor, a poet, a musician, and a ballroom dancer featured along with myself (a painter). We were the evenings' entertainment for a semi-formal dessert theatre. It was an amazing night of inspiring art, creative hearts, and passionate performances. I'm still flying high from such a amazing time!
I painted on stage to a medley song of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What A Wonderful World" by Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole. I used a 3ftx3ft gallery wrapped canvas. I had prepped the background beforehand...writing the lyrics of the songs, some Scriptures, and various phrases onto the canvas and then rubbed on oil paint, and then brushed on latex house paints (let them tack up and then rubbed them off in certain areas to give a weathered look). During the performance I glued on various images and words and bits of other paintings I had done, and then applied acrylic paints with my fingers and did a bit of splattering too. Oh my goodness I had so much fun with this painting! 
Here is the final piece. I call this painting "Dreams". People were able to purchase a raffle ticket and get the chance to win the painting at the end of the evening. The MC joked from the moment I had arrived with the painting that he was going to win it. Funny thing is...his wife's raffle ticket actually did win! They both commented that it was really cool to have such a artistic reminder of the event to place in their home. 

The painting is a reminder...that dreams really do come true. 

THE BOOK IS RELEASED!

Today is the day! The book that I illustrated, "Formation Generation" by Robert Michael Kurz, is OFFICIALLY RELEASED. You can find it in all Major bookstores, Christian bookstores, and on-line at Amazon.com and directly through the Publisher and the Author himself. 

Here is a little promotional video made for the book:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpbJ0qt-Hyg

Here is the Authors Official Website for the book:

http://www.formationgeneration.com/

Here is the Amazon.com page for the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Formation-Generation-Robert-Michael-Kurz/dp/1606965565/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233809712&sr=8-14

Here is the Tate Publishers page for the book:

http://tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-60696-556-6

You can read reviews on Amazon.com.

some upcoming events that i'll be featured at

EVENT #1:

This next Sunday is the BOOK SIGNING for the book I illustrated.

What: "Formation Generation" Book Signing 

with Author Robert Michael Kurz & Artist Lisa Marten

When: Sunday March 1, 2009

Time: 10:30am-11am AND 12:30pm-1pm

Where: Boise Vineyard Christian Fellowship

Copies of the books will be available for you to purchase at the book signing.

The book will be released to all major bookstores and on-line at Amazon.com as of March 3rd. 

<http://www.amazon.com/Formation-Generation-Robert-Michael-Kurz/dp/1606965565/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233809712&sr=8-14>

EVENT #2:

WHEN: Saturday March 7th, 2009 

WHAT: The Forerunner Café will be presenting: 

The First Dessert Theater in Boise , Idaho

TIME: 7pm

WHERE: The Water Cooler in downtown Boise

COST: $8 

PURPOSE FOR THE EVENT: It is a semi-formal event to give you an evening of entertainment, 

and to show you what can be done when you pursue your passion and use the 

talents that God intended for you to use to make a difference in this world!  

The performances will encourage and excite you to pursue your own!

Artists that will be performing are:

Lisa Marten: Nationally and Internationally known local artist who owns Revelatorart.

Natalie Wickstrom: Dance Instructor and Choreographer who owns Carpe Danza Ballroom in Boise, Idaho

Matthew Le Baron: Actor and MC for the night and who is also a local Real Estate Broker

Chuck Cathcart: Videographer with Clear Creak Productions

Samual Fortner: Local singer and guitarist

This is just to name a few of the artists and performers...

WHAT TO EXPECT: Shortly after the performances, there will be a time of networking 

intended specifically for you to meet the artists and other prospective talents to help you pursue 

your personal desire to grow in that area.  The night will also be topped off as with 

specialty desserts, exquisite coffee and drinks.

BONUS: Watch me create a painting. You could win the painting in a raffle!

EVENT #3:

What: JERRY FEE CD RELEASE PARTY

Where: The Record Exchange, Downtown Boise

When: Friday, April 3, 2009

Time: 7:30pm to 9:30pm

Cost: It's FREE for ALL ages. 

Why: Come listen to Jerry play and pick up

his new CD titled "Still Alive" 

Opening Band: Low-Fi 

BONUS: Watch me create a painting to his 

entire set of music. And you could win the

painting I create in a raffle!

Check out Jerry's music at:

<http://www.jerryfeemusic.com>

word UP

the photo above is of a mural that i was hired to paint in a bookstore this week. it was a challenge to paint on a cement block wall (with all the bumpy nooks and crannies) but it also gave a cool texture to the Dead Sea Scroll and Clay Pottery Jar that i painted. i enjoy painting murals...it's the ultimate HUGE canvas! with this particular mural i got to do more detailed work compared to the abstracts i've been doing lately. it was fun to work on something different. 

doin what i do

this week i've been doin what i do.

it's a good week.

the beginning stages of prepping a 3ftx3ft canvas for an upcoming art event where

i'll be a featured artist. i wrote out lyrics, phrases, scriptures onto the canvas with ink.

then i covered the whole thing with various colors of oil paint with my fingers

(that's what you see in the photo above). i rubbed the paint off leaving a thin layer,

 allowing the words to show through. then i brushed on various colors of 

latex house paint and let it tack up. oil and water don't mix so i was able to rub away

some of the latex paint giving it a peeling paint kind of look with the oil and words

showing from underneath. i will finish the painting during a performance that i'll do

on March 7th downtown Boise. i'll layer on images, words, objects, and acrylic paint to 

give it the final thematic look i'm goin for. i'll be painting live to a song medley. 

look for my post about it soon and i'll put up a photo of the finished painting. 

Painting Scotland

recently i've been a bit nostalgic. it seems like everywhere i turn i am reminded of Scotland. last fall i traveled to Paris & Germany and even there I came upon a bagpiper playing on a bridge in Paris and men in kilts at a castle in Germany. this week a friend gave me a cd of a Scottish bagpipe band and I've watched "Braveheart" twice. the weather today made me think of Scotland...it was a bit damp and cool and had a musty smell in the air. it was brilliant! i guess you can say i miss Scotland.

you see...i used to live there. i lived in Glasgow for 9 months. in the big picture of life that's really not a long time...but it was long enough for me to know that I will always be going back. it's a place near and dear to my heart. in fact...if you're ever interested in reading more about all of that, visit my blog dedicated to my time in Scotland: http://www.streetsofglasgow.blogspot.com or my travel blog of my return visit: http://whatswhat-ukandireland2005.blogspot.com/

all of this Scottish nostalgia has made me think of the paintings that i've done of that beautiful land. i've painted so many i can't even count. but a few stand out as my favorites. so this post is about that...painting Scotland. 

"The Presence of the Future" 18x24 oil on canvas

Isle of Mull looking towards the Isle of Iona, Scotland

while living in Scotland i had the wonderful opportunity to visit some beautiful places in the Highlands and in the Hebrides Isles. i took lots of photos and would spend time painting while i lived in Glasgow. my paintings began to change from the ones i did after my first trip to Scotland. originally i tried to capture the romantic beauty of the "bonnie isle" but what transpired was a ruggedness & a wildness of what i came to know as the Scottish spirit...the kind we all learned about in "Braveheart". i got to set foot on some pretty historical battlegrounds and explore some pretty ancient sites. some of the paintings I've painted I did while I was living there. others i completed when i returned to the States. they speak of what continues to live deep in my heart for Scotland. as i know i will always be going back to Scotland...i know i will always be painting Scotland....like a "warrior poet"!

"History Maker" 22x28 oil on canvas

waterfall in the GlenCoe area of the highlands, Scotland

"Breakfast on the Beach" 11x14 oil on canvas

beach on the Isle of Tiree, Scotland

"He Says Come" 11x14 oil on canvas paper

the falls of Dochart, Scotland

"Can I Ascend?" 11x14 oil on canvas paper (and again 14x18 oil on canvas)

the GlenCoe area of the highlands, Scotland

"Breathe Again" 11x14 oil on canvas paper (and again 18x24 oil on canvas)

beach area on the Isle of Coll, Scotland

"Break These Chains" 18x24 oil on canvas

ancient broch on the Isle of Tiree, Scotland

touch screen for a tactile finger-painting artist

so i've joined the 3G network with my new Blackberry Storm thru Verizon Wireless. i've got internet access, text & pix, Facebook, an 8GB memory card, and an international chip so i can use the phone when i travel overseas, and much much more. i've been trying to get used to the touch screen and all the doo-dads. it's a little intimidating...but i think with practice i'll get the hang of it. being that i'm quite the tactile touchy-feely finger-painting kind of artist that i am...i think i'm gonna become good friends with this phone. i'm sure that before long it'll have paint smudges all over it. makes me smile just thinkin of it. 

Hanging A Sale

today i finalized a transaction. remember in a previous post i wrote about being able to paint during a class that was being taught at the Boise Vineyard...the painting (titled "You Shall Not Pass!") that transformed during that Revelation UnCorked class sold and is now hanging up in the bookstore of the church as a permanent piece of art. i was able to help Bob (the Builder) in the process as he let me use some brand new bolt cutters to cut the chain that would hang the painting. (*enter the Tim the Tool Time grunting sound here*) . Oh yeah! 

VineArts Exhibit: Transformation 09

today was the launch day for the new art exhibit in the VineArts Gallery. the name of this exhibit is Transformation. it's all about the process of a transformed heart, life, spirit, world through Christ. here is a little video i took during the opening reception today to give you a feel for what the show is like. today's opening receptions included a band that played live music, refreshments for the guests, and a chance to allow people to mingle, view the art and meet the artists. the show runs till the beginning of April. 

A Full Days Work

so yesterday i put in a full days work (i mean a FULL days work: 9am to midnight!)

it was installation day in the VineArts Gallery. we install an art exhibit about 4-5 times a year with the shows running usually a couple or so months. each show has a theme and the artists are required to submit their work (with artist statements) by deadline dates. the artwork is then judged as to thematic congruity and theological integrity (the gallery is inside a Boise Vineyard church...so we do have some guidelines as to content). we don't judge on artistic skill. any age can submit. and artists do not need to be a part of the church.

the deadline date for submissions was on Wednesday. we had the jury day on Thursday and then on Friday we installed the show. i have a team of faithful helpers (i call them Gallery Grunts) who take time out of their schedules to join me in hanging each of the shows. i couldn't possibly install a show without them. they are my hands and feet and sometimes even my brain as we work together to bring what at first appears to be a palette of artworks that differ in size, medium, and style...and create one fluid exhibit that speaks the theme and flows aesthetically. there are so many details to handle to hang a show and i am so grateful for my Grunts!

launch day for this new exhibit "Transformation", is this Sunday. the opening reception is from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. it's a chance to meet the artists and view the artwork. we will have refreshments for all those who come and a band will be playing live music. the show will be up till the beginning of April.

so once we finished up the installation (which was about 4pmish) i needed to head over to the venue that i would be painting in the evening. the Visual Arts Collective is a venue that houses an art gallery with a bar and an area with stage that is set up for events (like concerts and theatrical productions). i had the wonderful chance to work last night with my long time friend Jerry Fee. he is a musician and has a real heart to create benefit concerts. so the night was filled with 4 bands (including his) and i painted to songs by 3 of the bands. part of the ticket price benefited a local charity and tickets holders had a chance to win the paintings i would be creating throughout the night.

this was my first opportunity to paint like this in a venue outside of the church. the crowd seemed very receptive to art being created during the music. each time i was to paint there seemed to be a little crowd that would form around me to watch as i quickly painted to the rhythm of the songs.

earlier in the week i had prepped the 3 canvases in my studio. like i've blogged...doing "performance art" is a new thing for me, but it's something i've always wanted to do and am enjoying. i hope to get to the point where i could actually paint something from start to finish during the length of one song...or even throughout a set of songs. Jerry and i talked a little bit about the possibility of some more future events that we could do together. but for this show i prepped the paintings in my studio ahead of time (doing the main backgrounds) so that while i was actually painting at the show during the specified song, i would just add in the final touches and people could watch as i did this. each painting corresponds with a song that the bands were playing at that moment.

as you know, concerts tend to run long into the night (especially ones that have multiple bands) so the show ran till about midnight. i've always been a bit of a band groupie when it comes to my friends who are musicians. so it was a fun experience to actually be part of the show (set up/perform/take down) along with all of the bands. i enjoyed meeting the band members and hanging out. i was also really blessed by some of my friends & family who turned out for the event...it was nice to see some familiar faces amidst the crowd. all in all it was a great experience.

i've included some photos here of me painting, of Jerry singing, and of the 3 paintings i created.

photo taken by J.D.