Where does the time go?  It has been said that ''the older one gets, the faster time passes''.  I'll go along with that analogy. Add to the mix a pure joy and love of life - joie de vivre - and the combination throws life into fast forward on overdrive.  That's me. 

And, just when I think I couldn't possibly be more blessed, I find myself more blessed!

I confess I have been  neglecting my journalling duties of late and also haven't been posting new works recently.   In fact, the glorious days are getting longer with spring's arrival and my hours in the studio are keeping stride.  

I am happily creating new works for my 'new' gallery and with that, I take great pleasure in telling you all about it!.....

GALLERY ANNOUNCEMENT:

Brandon Michael Fine Art
202 Canyon Road
Santa Fe, NM 87505
(505) 670-6603

Contact/Owner:  Brandon M. Fitzpatrick

Website details to follow soon.

It is with great excitement that I announce my recent signing with Brandon Michael Fine Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.   As many of you know, Santa Fe has become an incredibly beautiful destination spot for artists, art lovers and collectors.  The plethora of exquisite art work to be found in Santa Fe is a veritable feast for the senses with, literally, something for everyone.  

Brandon Michael Fine Art is located on Santa Fe's famous Canyon Road and will be opening on June 1st, 2008.

 I've created a new 'Events' category on my website.  Stay posted for updates on upcoming appearances at the gallery, as well as information about the gallery opening.

New Detail photo...."Art Student at the Patheon"

This isn't a new painting, but the photo is new.

This new photo, and the complete image, was taken by my very good friend, photographer Geoff Williams. Normally, I photograph the paintings myself as I go along. Once I have accumulated a number of new paintings, Geoff comes around to my studio and photographs them for me. The man is amazing....his photographs are incredibly beautiful.

Photographing a painting is not an easy task, but Geoff is a master. So now you know. All the extraordinary photographs on my blog, and my website, are the creation of Geoff....the rest of them are mine.

I haven't posted for quite some time. Besides taking time to celebrate Christmas and the birth of Jesus plus enjoying family and friends, I'm now involved in a commissioned painting. I will post it when it's done for you to see.

Also, please see my ad in the Oil Painters of America section of the March/April, 2008 edition of the Art of the West and Southwest Art Magazines.

I would also like to invite you to visit my friend's blog:  Chris Bolmeier  is an artist, living in Omaha, NE. She's also an amazing singer and you will be able to hear  for yourself when you visit her blog. Chris is  one of the funniest people I've had the pleasure of meeting. We've become friends and Chris, of Italian heritage, actually mailed me a Christmas tin of authentic Italian home baked cookies! I was incredibly touched and the baking was incredibly delicious - we love Italian food in our house.   Aside from that, she's a wonderful painter.

Chris is a huge fan of singer/songwriter, Joni Mitchell, whom we all know and love. Because Joni Mitchell and I are both Canadians, Chris likes to put our names in the same sentence. I will be eternally flattered. However, the bit of trivia that I pointed out to Chris is that I was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and this happens also to be the birthplace of our beloved Joni Mitchell! In fact, Joni was in my oldest brother's grade one class. Small world, isn't it? Alas, Joni was last seen heading due south, a common occurance for many talented Canadian artists.  But we continue to hold on to them, in our hearts.

Oil on linen, 12x14 - completed

The Pantheon is referred to as the glory of Rome, and its magestic beauty is no less than breathtaking. Some of Italy's most famous kings and artists are buried at the Pantheon, most notably Raphael. I was taken with the collection of art students, focused intently on their sketchbooks, both inside and out. I love to watch people and the young students were particularly irresistable to me. This painting is one of several from that experience.  I've painted a companion piece to go along with this one....it's still in progress but will post it soon.  

To see this painting close up, as well as a detail, please visit my blogsite, Rembrandt, Etc.  (and click on the image to see it enlarged) or to see a few of my painting demonstrations, visit Dunlop Demonstrations 

And, while you're here, please sign up for my newsletter!

Oil on linen, 12x14  - work in progress

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If you'd like to see this image close up please visit my blog at Rembrandt, Etc. and click on the image.


To see a few of my demonstrations, please visit Dunlop Demonstrations

The Pantheon is referred to as the glory of Rome, and its magestic beauty is no less than breathtaking.    Some of Italy's most famous kings and artists are buried at the Pantheon, most notably Raphael.  I was taken with the collection of art students,  focused intently on their sketchbooks, both inside and out.   I love to watch people and the young students were particularly irresistable to me.    This painting is one of several from that experience.   This smaller painting is a work in progress....almost done.   Detail above....

oil on linen, 10x14 - detail

Oil on linen, 10x14

Such a simple subject, but incredibly irresistable to sculpt with paint. Who would imagine that these two little mac apples would be able to carry a painting with such grace and beauty.  And what a joy it was to paint them. This is a subject I will turn to again, I have no doubt.

Oil on linen, 18x14

'Apple Blossoms and Pear' is now complete....it was painted from life with a branch picked from an apple tree, in the spring, and completed only now. The blossoms are now just a beautiful memory, and the fruit long perished, so in finishing I really had to rely on my memory and the concept that was so firmly in my mind. Because the painting was completed without the set up in front of me, I left areas in their original, roughly painted state, which I'd grown to like very much. All of the focus and beautiful brushstrokes have been devoted to the pear. Please see the detail of it above.

Oil on linen, 11x20

This is the first painting completed on my beautiful Utrecht linen which I primed from the raw state and demonstrated in my blog, Dunlop Demonstrations   Looking at the original, you are able to  catch a glimpse of the beautiful canvas, peeking through the paint. Preparing my own canvas from scratch and stretching it onto stretcher bars is rather time consuming and most artists don't feel they have the time to do this, nor do they want to. Personally, it is a joy for me and I derive such pleasure from applying brushstrokes of paint onto a canvas knowing that every mark on it is from my own hand. There's just nothing like it, to my mind, and it is well worth the time and love that goes into it. In addition, I feel that I am experiencing a practice that was not optional for the great Old Masters, such as Rembrandt, who personally ground pigments and made his own paints. This painting isn't varnished yet and I will rephotograph it once it is. Varnishing always brings life back into the paint and the painting.
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