The New Year is starting out busy for me! I have two shows lined up for my paintings, my Frameable Art Cards will be in the New York International Gift Fair (January 30 - February 4, if you're in New York), and we're doing our first ARTconnectsLA art placements in agencies. Wow! It's a lot to handle all at once, but I'm grateful for the interest in my work.

I did manage to squeeze in some studio time recently, and you can see a preview of my new paintings on my website. They haven't quite jelled into a body of work yet, but I'm enjoying the experimentation phase.

I hope 2010 is a great year for all of us!

Best wishes,

Three of my large paintings are part of the "Re-Appropriate" show at OBJCT Gallery in Pomona. "Re-Appropriate" features the work of nine artists who re-use cast-off items in their artwork. In my case, the cast-off item is latex house paint that would otherwise go to waste and potentially end up in a landfill.

The opening reception coincided with the Second Saturday Pomona Artwalk, and drew a large crowd of art enthusiasts. The Second Saturday Artwalk is a very popular event in Pomona, and typically attracts about 5,000 people. I uploaded more pictures of the opening reception to Flickr.

The show runs through February 27th, and there will be another reception on the next Second Saturday, February 13th, from 7-10pm.

Gallery hours are Wednesday - Saturday, 12-6pm.

I'm starting to showcase my smaller paintings in a shop on Etsy. If you're new to Etsy, you might want to spend some time checking it out. It's an amazing assemblage of handmade and vintage items. Some of the work is really beautiful, and it's a fun place to shop. Etsy has done a spectacular job of providing you with many different ways to search for treasures.

I'm slowly adding my small and miniature paintings to my Etsy shop, and it will continue to grow with time. I have small paintings available to fit all spaces and budgets, and some of my larger paintings are on Etsy, as well.

All of my paintings are originals, and I use repurposed latex house paint for both my large and small paintings. I really like the way that latex paint moves on the canvas and the way it looks when it dries. The colors stay separate, which gives the paintings a more graphic look.

Miniature painting, 3.5  x 2.5 inches,
acrylic latex on canvas

Q: Via e-mail, Don asked how I achieve the effect of my Haz Mat paintings.

A: Thanks for asking, Don! The Haz Mat paintings start with a textured layer of molding paste on primed canvas.  I like the light molding paste, but regular molding paste is good, too.  I apply it roughly with a knife so that I get peaks and valleys, and let it dry for a day or two.  Next I apply a coat of latex paint and let that dry, so no white will show through.

I decide what colors of latex paint I want to work with.  I like to use a complementary color scheme, such as reds, oranges and yellows underneath, and blues and greens on top.

I apply the first layer of paint with a brush, and before it dries, I pour a second layer of colors on top.  Then I use a wide scraper and pull the paint across the canvas.  I continue pulling with the scraper and pouring on more paint until I like the way it looks.

Hope this explanation is helpful!

New Day, 36 x 24 inches, acrylic
latex on canvas

Re-Appropriate
OBJCT Gallery
250 W. 2nd Street
Pomona, CA 91766
Pomona Artwalk second Saturday, Feb. 13, 6 -10pm
www.objct.com

The Home Grown Store
5455 West Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
323.933.5400 
www.thehomegrownstore.com

LACMA Art Rental and Sales Gallery
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.857.6500
www.lacma.org

Pierre Paul Art Gallery
3370 Washtenaw Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734.975.1050
www.pierrepaulartgallery.com