Double Moon

A couple more shots from my evening of experimentation photographing the moon, featuring that floating orb from my April post. Yes it's only the result of my inexperience in leaving the shutter open to long, and my primitive editing techniques left a lot of digital noise and artifact that a professional would find undesirable, but the results were fun!  The blue sphere above the moon looks like some distant planet, adding an otherworldly feel to the scene that appeals to my sense of imagination... 

...today I turned forty-two...

More Night Photography...

"April Moon"

Digital photo, 2014

As with the last photo I posted, there was little in the way of post-production technique applied to this photo. I could buy better software and try to be a little more serious with my photography, but I enjoy the spontaneity of my lo-fi approach. I may or may not be a step up from Instagram, and worse am socially arcane in that I still do not own a smartphone. My twelve year-old niece has one. But I don't care- never let societal norms dictate your vision. Be an an individual and think for yourself.

April Moon

"April Moon"
Digital photo, 2014

I missed the recent "blood moon" event, but did take a few dozen bad photos one evening shortly thereafter, experimenting with my new point and shoot- the Panasonic ZS20. There were some happy accidents while leaving my shutter open too long however, and though I've no aspirations to be a great photographer, I do love to play. The photo above turned out interesting, floating orbs circling the overexposed moon, from light reflections through the lens of course. The blue sphere at the top looks like some distant planet, giving the scene a far-out science fiction vibe!

I've kept very busy working on recording more of my nephew's new songs, writing & preparing to record an album with my brother, taking a lot of photos, and occasionally painting. My career requires a great deal of time as well, and my band is preparing for an upcoming show, but I like to explore many things at once. It's often been said that to be truly great at something, one must focus only on that. And while I may never be truly great at anything, I don't subscribe to the aforementioned philosophy- variety is the spice of life.

HBH: The Needle

My nephew Harry seems to have inherited some of my brother Myles' songwriting talent, and has been working with his uncles recording some of his very own songs. Needless to say, we are very enthusiastic about this, and I even got in on the process this past weekend, playing drums and singing background vocals. I also made a video for one of the songs Harry & Myles recorded a couple months ago, "The Needle", which is undeniably full of hooks. Give it a listen and I think you will agree that this fifteen year old kid has a bright musical future. My sister's kids are all super-talented, and it's fun watching their talents develop as they grow...

I seem to have been doing a lot more photography and videos than painting lately, and instead of harboring anxiety about that, have just decided to just roll with it. Keep checking into my ShawArt Films channel at YouTube to see what I'll do next. Happy New Year!

Secret Melody

"Secret Melody"  2013
11 x 14"
acrylic, mixed media collage on masonite

Like "Her Night", this mixed media collage of mine shares a setting of opulence, both paintings containing a jeweled chandelier and female in fancy dress. The subject in "Secret Melody" faces away from the viewer, a seeker following song to it's hidden origin at the top of the stairs. I wasn't sure where this piece was going, and finished up a year after I began work on it, the musical staff on black the final pieces collaged onto the board. A lifelong musician, I can recall hundreds of melodies from memory and recite them at will.  I remember the minutiae of recordings in great detail, and feel I can play them like a record in my head. Music is part of my every day, often times enjoyed singularly, no other activity involved- I can just get carried off by it. Naturally, the themes in my art frequently center around music. While remaining convinced I experience music more profoundly than the majority, I do feel that most people have a certain affinity for it, and perhaps even a special melody or two that appears in their head. What song does the little record player spin in your head?

Above: Art enthusiasts stop by Norton's Fine Art to get a closer look at "Secret Melody" and all the other artist's works at the Nov. 23rd Size Matters Holiday Show opening.

"Secret Melody" is displayed for sale until Jan. 11th, so call Mary at Norton's Fine Art if you need the perfect holiday gift for that music lover in your life    :)
314-645-4040

Her Night

"Her Night"  2013
11 x 14"
acrylic, mixed media collage on masonite

I actually finished work on this a year ago, along with a couple other mixed media collages on masonite I was working on simultaneously, before stopping to paint a few acrylics on paper. Collaging matboard and magazine scraps onto my paintings began many years ago, and is a process I always seem to come back to- using found element always creates a surprise in results I don't achieve in the same way when drawing or painting with convention media. The female in tight gold dress was the catalyst for the implied narrative, finding the houses at sunset and extravagant chandelier scraps thereafter to furnish the setting. Her hipshot stance frames the doorway, confidently announcing the evening to come belongs to her.

This collage won the Bruce Zuckerman Memorial juror's cash award at last weekend's Size Matters Holiday Show at Norton's Fine Art on Big Bend. Though I've sold a lot of paintings, I honestly can't remember the last time I won an award for my work, so that was an unexpected honor. With so many artist's pieces on the wall, it felt special to be singled out for "Her Night". The upswing in my 9 to 5 career and other creative endeavors had taken a great deal of attention away form my painting in the last year, but this humble accomplishment made me feel I should perhaps get back to exploring that. A nice crowd of art lovers in the gallery on that unseasonably cold November evening, and I enjoyed meeting new people to talk about art with.

"Her Night" is displayed for sale until Jan. 11th, so call Mary at Norton's Fine Art if you need the perfect holiday gift for that diva in your life  :)
314-645-4040

Size Matters Holiday Art Show

Join me and over 25 other artists for the annual Size Matters Holiday Art Show at Norton's Fine Art on Sat. Nov. 23rd, from 5 - 8 PM! The pieces submitted for this juried exhibition were restricted in size to satisfy the need for fine art on a holiday budget. I haven't participated in any art shows in over a year, and will be showing three of my new mixed media collages from the last year, all 11 x 14", framed and ready to hang at great prices. Special thanks to Dick Blick for the generous goodie bags we received for participating in the showing- visit them today for all your art supplies!

The Proposal, 2012

11 x 14", acrylic/mixed media on board