to spend your days in the sunshine

January 16, 20142 Comments

This latest installment of the Panoramarathon actually took me a couple of days. Sunday afternoon, while my family went on playdates and baby showers, I went downtown with the sketchbook to keep on drawing buildings with nice shadows on them. However it was taking a bit long, so I finished the left side and came back next day at lunchtime for the right side. This is D Street, and keen observers will see the Pence Gallery on the right, and the building to tis left is one I sketched last eyar when it was still Antiques Plus. Alas it is somethign else now, being the home of Art Is Davis, and artist’s co-op. Always nice to see more art in Davis! On the left again is the Mustard Seed, a local restaurant. Now, if you saw the last post, this scene is directly parallel, on the same block, one street over. If you go through the alleys in this sketch, you end up emerging from the alleys in the last sketch. Moreover, a couple more paralels, the parking sign on the left is similar to in the previosu sketch, and the map-post also parallels the one seen last time (which had a yellow flag). Nice to look for those patterns. I might find more of them.

Belows, closer views of each of the pages. The sunshine continues. Davis is sunny in January, blue skies, leafless trees, excellent views of buildings with nice shadows on them. But we really need the rain.

pennywise

October 20, 20133 Comments

I have a piece currently on display at the Pence Gallery as part of their “Tiny” show. Each artist submitted a piece no bigger than 5″x7″ (about my usual drawing size!) and were given a piece of canvas board on which to create their masterpiece. I usually draw on paper, but wanted to give it a go on this different material, and it was fun. As you can see below in the step-by-step I actually put the paint on first, and then added the ink details. Normally I draw ink first (colouring-in is an afterthought) but the ink stayed wet on this canvas board so that wasn’t possible, but this way worked really nicely. The ink didn’t get glazed over by the wash, and really popped. Because of the rough nature of this canvas board, scanning was a bit difficult, so hopefully you can get a good idea from these photos.

Pennywise…that is – or was, I am now told – a shop in Burnt Oak (where I was born and grew up) that was there my entire life, unchanged. I didn’t exactly need to go there often (great place for plastic buckets and sponges) but it was just one of those shops, always there, with that funny little orange symbol. I’d always intended to draw it. I didn’t have time while in London so took a photo. I am glad I did – shortly after drawing this I learnt that Pennywise has now closed and become something else. “The curse strikes again” I thought. Several things I have drawn have subsequently closed down. I’m not going to list them now but this is why it is important for the urban sketcher to record the world while it is here. This of course is not an on-location urban sketch, being drawn from a photo, but it’s for the same purpose. I wish I could go back and draw all the other landmark Burnt Oak places from my past.

2013 art auction at the pence

October 7, 2013Leave a comment

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Pence Gallery‘s annual Art Auction as one of the contributing artists. It was the third year in a row that I have been invited to take part, in the auction; this year I submitted my panoramic sketch of the Davis Art Center (and it sold – many thanks Erie!!). I also went along (after a busy and late day at work; lots of those lately, hence lack of energy to post my sketches on time) with my sketching materials, and drew what I could. Last year I had sketched the patio from down below, this year I took the opportunity to sketch from above. The band was playing as the September evening got darker, and on the far wall is a huge mural currently being painted by artist Anthony Padillo, whom I had the fortune to meet while I was actually sketching this very scene.

Soon it was time for the Auction itself, and this year I brought some bigger paper to sketch on. It is a real education in art, going to an art auction. I know that sounds obvious, well it is really, but there were some amazing artists on display, local and otherwise, including work by the celebrated late local ceramicist (and UCD art professor) Bob Arneson, and even an original print by the father of Art Nouveau, Alphonse Mucha. I sketched in a large Canson pad, and had some nice conversations afterwards. Always fun sketching events at the Pence!

i’ll meet you on the stairs

July 15, 20138 Comments

Amid my many recent adventures I have not had time to post about my current mini-show on the stairwell of the Pence Gallery in Davis! I have several framed urban sketches on display, ranging in sizes, including the panorama of 18th Street San Francisco seen below. I’m very excited to be displaying my work there again.
The sketches will be on the stairwell for all of July so please come by and take a look! Most are of locations in Davis, places you may know well. If you have any questions about any of the pieces or of my work, please let me know!

The Pence Gallery is on D Street Davis, and their opening hours can be found on their website at: http://www.pencegallery.org/

Here are some of the originals on display. Come by the gallery to see the rest!

studio lines

October 17, 2012Leave a comment

I am honoured to be in another group show at the Pence Gallery in Davis (212 D St; website), called “In Their Studio”. This show features the works of many local artists, along with a picture showing them at work in their studio. Well as you know, my studio is out in the street with my sketchbook! The two works I submitted are “A Londoner in Davis” (the double-decker bus drawing, which was recently featured on the cover of the Davis Enterprise), and “Old City Hall“, which I sketched on a very sunny, very windy day in January.

Can you guess where I am in that photo?

The show runs upstairs at the Pence until October 28th. If you are in Davis, pop by and check it out!

sketches from the auction

September 24, 20121 Comment

Saturday night I had the pleasure to attend the Pence Gallery’s 2012 Art Auction. As I mentioned in a previous post, I had two drawings in the auction (and I’m pleased to announce they both sold!) and so I spent the evening looking at some amazing art work by local artists. I am always particularly impressed with the incredible ceramic work on show, Davis is known as a ceramicist’s town and several luminary ceramic sculptors were there. The food was nice too! So for the live auction itself I sketched on the program. The auctioneer was entertaining, the bidding exciting (from where I was standing), and I sketched away. Local artist Marie-Therese Brown, who has an amazing show at the Artery right now, was there and sketched me sketching, so I sketched her sketchbook (see bottom left of the drawing above) when she sat down. Art just carries on!

I also sketched outside on the back patio area, where a really nice new sculpture of a woman now stands. A band was playing, people were chattering and eating and drinking, it was a warm late Summer night. The Pence is a great local resource, a true local art hub.

2012 art auction at the pence

September 18, 2012Leave a comment

This month I am participating in the annual Art Auction at the Pence Gallery, on D Street, Davis. The auction is a silent auction which started on September 1 and ends at the main Gala Event itself this Saturday September 22. The event is a fundraiser for the Pence Gallery, which supports the work of many local artists and serves the local community through its exhibitions, classes and events. There is still time thi week to place silent bids if you’re interested in owning some great local art – just visit the Pence Gallery, and see their website for details.

I actually have two pieces in the auction this year, both with a very Davis theme to them (of course):

Varsity panorama (actually, this one sold already!)

The Delta of Venus (still available!)

If you’re Davis-bound this week, pop by the Pence and check them out!

hop to it!

July 20, 2012Leave a comment

“Hop To It” is the name of the Bug Show currently on display at the Pence Gallery in Davis (details of the show are here: Hop To It). I popped down there last Friday and did a little sketching. Some of the pieces there are incredible! One of my favourites was the mechanical contraption above, “Mosquito Lamp” by Scott Rhoades, made of found objects such as an old drill. It’s remarkable! So I had to do a sketch of it. I also did a couple of sketches of some of the ceramic and stoneware bug objects – below is one of local art all-star Heidi Bekebrede’s ‘Cuteware’ bees, with the trademark cuteware smile, her work is always a pleasure. I also liked the ‘Grub Phone’ by Wesley Wright, he had a couple of pieces there that really stood out and got a lot of admirers.

My piece at the show, a drawing of a yellow VW Beetle, sold! Here it is below, with the little red dot. So you know, I wasn’t the only one who submitted VW Beetle for the bug show, there were a few in fact..! Anyway if you’re in Davis, pop by the Pence and see the bugs, the show runs until July 29.

pence gallery garden tour

May 4, 2012Leave a comment

This Sunday, the Pence Gallery in Davis is organizing the 21st annual Garden Tour, in which people can visit eight artistic private gardens in Davis. In each garden there will also be a local artist, painting or drawing away, and I am honoured to be one of those artists. I will be drawing pictures in a garden on 8th street. The other artists are Andrew Dorn, Debbie Gualco, Deborah Hill, Milton Kalish, Michael Mikolon, Patris, Marti Walker and Beth Winfield. tickets are $28 on the day ($20 for Pence members). The paintings made and drawings drawn will later be displayed for sale at the Pence. It should be fun! (If my allergies dont make me sneeze all afternoon…)
For more information, please visit: http://www.pencegallery.org/gardentour.html

halfway up the stairs is a stair where I sit…

March 9, 2012March 9, 2012Leave a comment

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know that I do have some original drawings still for sale at the Pence Gallery, in their gift shop area. Above are the Davis Lock and Safe drawing, Old City Hall and that one I did of Paris. You can find them at the Pence Gallery on D Street in Davis. Cheers!

http://www.pencegallery.org/