hawkins travel / painting blog

Pendragon Circle 30x40

2012-01-24T17:26:00.000-08:00

I've really got to get better at taking pictures or get a better camera. The bright spots get way over exposed and even working a little photoshop magic can't seem to correct it. The clouds in this have a lot of great color and stuff going on that is lost on the poor photography/image.

I named this after a Sci-Fi story we've all read. Certain books make their rounds in our family and there was a series we consumed a few years back that almost consumed us. It was an otherworldly tale of dragons and sorcerers, fair maidens and knights...not too unlike my real life. This sky above is seen at the time of day called the "time between times" when travel to other dimensions is possible. Doctor Who and I have the same screwdriver and time machine so we don't really need to trifle with "special" times to travel the time/space continuum. Most of you, however, need something akin to this painting to get you started. Feel free to check it out...for sale on eBay here.

Honey Moon 20x16, Apple Valley Cows 30x24, Brush Pile

2012-01-17T16:55:00.000-08:00

I have several buckets like this. Stiff old brushes that should be discarded mixed with odd and misshapen brushes or ones with strange shapes or made from unreliable materials. I used to use quite a number of brushes to elaborate a painting. Anymore I lean on just a small handful of go-to shapes and sizes. My main criteria for a brush is that it have a long handle. I don't care if it is made from the best mongoose hair this side of the Nile, if it has a short handle it ain't good for nothing but dilly dallying around. Langnickel are the best economic brushes I've found to date. They are super durable and great for those lazy artists that leave their brushes in their paint pots soaking in solvent all the time. I don't really know anyone that does that but if there are some mis-guided individuals that pass themselves off as fine art painters and treat the tools of their trade with such disdain, these are the brushes for them.

Santa Cruz Moon...Pipe Dreams Vineyard

2012-01-15T05:04:00.000-08:00

My wife took a job...first ever (in 24 yrs.) I guess the starving artist thing was getting a bit old. Actually she has always wanted to work. She's a school teacher and if not for our own unruly, unschooled kids she would have happily plied her trade over the years. Instead, bound to clean up after a pile of messy ingrates she has resigned herself to a fate worse than mine. Which, truth be told, hasn't been all that bad. The new bionic leg prevents me from being called up to kick field goals during the playoffs (something about the rules preventing the use of adamantium enhanced X-men abilities) and a few other options are now off the table. So, I suppose she'll just have to support me while I put to canvas the fanciful images that dance through my mind; a veritable never-ending kaleidoscopic cornucopia of hues and shapes...like the pictures above.
The one on the top is the view I had last week. It's my favorite place to practice catch and release hunting. The one on the bottom is a larger version of a California vineyard view I've done before.

Beula land 24x30 Before the Great Flood 40x30

2012-01-13T16:33:00.001-08:00

Though I haven't updated on my recovery nor sent out many warm Christmas and new years greetings be assured that my sentiments are with you and that my leg remembers more and more its former strength and beauty. I saw a TV special last weekend commemorating the Tucson tragedy of a year ago. They focused on the incredible doctors and staff of Tucson's University Medical Center, specifically the emergency room. Well, I was there not long ago with one leg pointing north as the rest of me pointed south, if you recall. Of course my little ordeal was not that of the shooting victims but I'm sure the mystery magic of modern medicine worked on me saved me from years of trauma and penguin walking (I still walk like one...but not for long) Eleven weeks out from surgery and the damaged nerves are growing back enabling me to be able to lift my foot and walk without a brace; something the docs feared with the double bone break and the shattered fibula. I took advantage of the holiday cheer and seasonal tidings to take a small break from the computer machine and enjoy some wintry paintings. Also, my serious couch time with elevated foot has afforded me plenty of opportunity to meditate on important things...and to see the value of suffering. Can you say that? Well, I found a lot of very encouraging scripture passages that speak to the issue of suffering and have sensed a peculiar blessing on me because of (in spite of?) it. I know, it ain't like they took both my legs off and left me for dead in the ditch. And I did still my craven and self-pitying heart with that thought many a time while in the first few weeks of slightly Morphine/Percocet/Vicodin-mitigated writhing. Things can always be a lot worse but my point is that there is a picture that's bigger than all this. You can find a whole lot of comfort and insight in Hebrews chapter 12. Are things a bit rough for you and your weary heart right now? Read this passage. Are your tired eyes in need of a soothing salve? Look at these paintings. Have your ears grown dull of hearing? Listen to Bob Dylan sing a cover of one of my songs.

Christmas Moon 30x24 Northwest (Mt.) 18x12

2011-12-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

5 weeks out since major trauma visited one of my lower appendages. I put on my game face as I crutched (I wish I could say sauntered) my way into the doc's office. I told the surgeon I had seen the IM Nailing procedure on You Tube and it was not a pretty sight. "Yeah", he said, "We really get on it. It's pretty medieval and ...it's pretty fun. Yeah, it's a pretty fun surgery we get to do with this stuff". Wow, he said all that with a twisted grin and a few suppressed chuckles. Seems one doctor really found his calling in life!
The other attending physician went on to tell me all the details they hadn't divulged prior to the "your making excellent progress" comment. Come to find that a lot of nerve damage was feared and the prospect of having to wear a foot brace for life wasn't too far off. Well, I'm just glad to have both feet below me. I'm pretty much weened off the pain meds. and have even been to the duck blind a couple of times...keeping the catch-n-release hunt club going. So, you see, I'm just about as fit as a fiddle and soon will be jumping and leaping and praising God which is my normal daily activity as well as ...painting pretty pictures. The two pictured here are from Montana. They are for sale on auction on eBay. Just type in HAWKINS in the search category "ART".

Tall Trees (Namers beware!) Mike Mahoney's new book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-11-29T14:58:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to my new favorite book.... Artist, friend and mentor Mike Mahoney wrote a real good one! We used to hang out in Montana together. He's a native of the most red necked state I've ever known. But he's an artist...and a writer. That helps some. Montana still breeds 'em as individualistic as they come and if you get a chance to read his latest you'll see why and I doubt you'll be disappointed. It's a SUPER fun and intriguing read, perfect for a vacation book and one that will really transport you to another world...very cool indeed.
If you have read any of my blog entries you'll see that I am a big fan of being transported. Triple thumbs up!!! (who has three thumbs?) and five out of four stars review for this.

Cross Roads 18x24

2011-11-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

Montana near Wolf Point. The high line. Dry land wheat farms and lots of antelope, mule deer and ...weather. A good friend just paid his dues. One year in the clinker for a DUI. He lost his job, his house, part of his family and almost lost his mind. I'm all for lockin' em' up and throwin' away the key but there are some cases that make you want to create your own law a la Judge Roy Bean. One beer and a routine traffic stop many years after he had really driven drunk, two times in a row, was all it took. So this, the third strike was the one that put him away. The patrolman that stopped him regretted that my friend told him he had just had a beer with lunch. He wasn't going to ask or even check but because the information was offered and there was a previous history he was arrested on the spot. This cool scene of a dry land wheat field in northeastern Montana was made with freedom in mind. Good to have you back brother.

Huskies 18x12

2011-11-20T11:13:00.000-08:00

A happy little fall view of northern color. It was late October and there were still leaves on trees in the southern half of the state. Northern Minnesota was barren though and only offered a stark and silent cacophony of subtleties. Treks to my homeland are like a view into another life. Kind of like the television shows I've been forced to watched while tied to the sofa with this blasted peg leg. Bob Newhart and Mary Tyler Moore aren't nearly as funny as I remember them to be and the maelstrom of voices vying for a place in my ear only cause me to close my eyes and look forward to another round of Vicodin...or the next surge of energy that will allow me to paint. The truth is, I'm not much one for watching the tube and especially dislike the managed "news" that pours out of that glowing devil-orb in a constant stream (river Styx?) of bytes and hooks and venom-tipped barbs. Even so, bits and pieces make their way into the cracks and crevices of my pain wracked mind and I've been transported all over the place these last few weeks. So, nothing like a tranquil scene like the one above to remind me of real beauty.

Allegiant, Down Home 12x18

2011-11-17T15:35:00.000-08:00

Broken leg be danged. I am painting again and enjoying the new small format. Yes, for me 18x12 inches is small. I've got a few upcoming of my recent journey to the northland and these new ones of my fourth favorite state, California are already drying and for sale. I'm letting these go at a must-pay-the-doctor-bills low, bargain basement rate. So, if one of the new ones strikes your fancy feel free to bid. You can find the sale page by following the link at the top right of the blog.

Walmart Model

2011-11-12T08:42:00.000-08:00

Beyond pathetic. The Walmart shopper, relegated to search for unreachable third shelf items while riding a machine not too unlike the one which put him in this position in the first place. So was my first outing one week after surgery. I was running low on pain killers and we all know Walmart pharmacies are a good deal. Here pictured I have a whole bag full of stuff that should only be legal in Mendocino, California...or Russia.
The day of the surgery one of the kids ran over the dog in our driveway. Now both of us are limping around looking for affection and looking quite pathetic. The studio has been moved to the old school room and with no stairs to negotiate I'll have no reason not to put my feelings to canvas. Stay tuned. I should have some up this coming week.
My blog friends are awesome! Thank you so much for writing and caring. Many of you have kindly read through the veil of my (genuine but strained) jocularity and dared to peer deep into the dark, swirling pain-fraught specter that lies before us...with all its potential cares and worries and fangs and doubts about the future. I appreciate with all my heart the nice expressions and really take them to heart. With God's grace and the Lord Jesus showing Himself to be the kind master He is, we will make it through. Also, uncle Walmart is close by as you can see so there really shouldn't be any lack of essentials. No, I don't buy my paints there!

2011-11-09T12:52:00.000-08:00

All last week (and the week before) I was looking forward to posting some nice photos of Minnesota and had a whole bunch of clever and artsy things to say about our little excursion to the north land. Well, obviously my plans have been interrupted. And now, in the makeshift convalescent room my cyber activity has been severely downgraded. I'm working on an old laptop with missing keys and no easy way to plug in my camera etc. (Actually, it's quite easy...I just can't move) So, a little update here to thank my friendly well-wishers. A lot of mail has come in and it's really great...and really cheers me up. Thank you!

I tried to upload a picture from inside the ambulance. It's probably best I couldn't. I was taking pictures throughout my little ordeal the other day and even asked one of the kids to run and grab the video camera while I lay in a giant pool of agony and thorns. They didn't comply. But I did get a lot of shots of the emergency room and all my "health care professionals" etc. The hospital highlights are too many to tell but the ultra-sounds taken (there were four) seemed particularly humorous to me. I kept asking the techs if it was gonna be a boy. I got no laughs. But I did see the needle go into the sciatic nerve and dump a bunch of numbing effect down my leg. That was right before they put me out and said I was not going to remember any of this stuff anyway. I remember everything! ...even hovering over my body as they pounded that rusty ole spike into my shin bone. Well, enough gory details, you all get enough of that from watching the evening news. Thanks again for writing and caring and especially praying. As I lay on the naked desert surrounded by my family (before the ambulance came) I felt a compelling peace. I asked them to worship God with me. Strange, I know. But somehow, at that moment it seemed the most correct and good thing to do. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Before & After

2011-11-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is my leg. No, these are not photos from a box of old memories. Yes, it is as painful as you can imagine. No, I'm not addicted to pain killers...yet.

They kept asking me how bad the pain was on a scale of 1-10. This first started while the young rural paramedics were gawking at my left foot flopping around at improbable angles as they tried to figure out how to put a splint on it. Later, in the hospital they showed me a chart, a series of cartoon faces expressing different levels of pain. They all looked pretty sour to me. I tried my best to look like the last two. It's not that I really needed more morphine. They were pretty liberal with that nasty stuff and though I was more jovial than expected (My son wouldn't call 911 'cause he thought I was joking as I lay propped up on my elbow next to the garden tractor (quad) smiling...till he saw my foot pointing south while the rest of me pointed north) it didn't take long to realize we weren't playing them for a free surgery, a few meals and a bit of pain killer. Now, after one week of writhing with a 16" chunck of rebar pounded into my tibia, I am learning what life is like with no pogo sticks or Zumba in my near future. But I must paint and paint I will. Look forward to new percoset-inspired works

Visits and words of comfort welcome.

Silver Creek 30x24

2011-10-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

I am mysteriously drawn to this scene. I have a number of photos of similar views from around the country (and Mexico). A creek in a meadow with a lone tree. There's got to be something symbolic about that. Maybe I could get someone to psychoanalyze me and we could get to the root of my inner turmoil. Or, maybe it's just another pretty picture that we can enjoy together. This, along with a few other new paintings is being offered on auction. You can bid by following the link at the top right of the blog page.

Which One of These is Not Like The Others?

2011-10-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

Sky, water and fowl. This is the perfect trifecta. Who could ask for more? I'm still piling the oil paint high and deep on the old palette. And it still needs replenishing at regular intervals. That means more fantabulous works are ready to be rolled out when next years' models are announced...if not before. Be sure to check on the link to "art for sale" at the top right side of the blog page. There I have a few new ones on auction as well as some available for purchase at prices that should cause redness of face and general embarrassment, shame and self loathing to any self-respecting artiste of this generation. (glad I'm from another era)

Mt. Lake 6x8 Never Saw It Coming 48x36

2011-10-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is like taking a large mastiff for a walk...on the same leash as a toy poodle. I'm gonna make a few smaller paintings to bridge the gap between the Haves and the Have-nots. FYI, both of these took over 30 years to make.

Mystery Muse 40x30

2011-09-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year. Slogging through mud and wet, partially decomposed vegetation brings out the best in me. I have been approaching my favorite marshes and swamps and catching the tail end of the monsoon cloud action as a bonus. I tried to make a teaching video the other day. Well, I did record and teach through an entire painting. It turned out real good 'cept for one thing. I oriented the camera to capture the pallette and painting...vertical. Come to find that there is no way to format the captured video horizontally. So, unless we want to get sea-sick we'll have to wait till the camera crew shows up again. Stay tuned.

The Way of Water 18x24 Boy with Girl on Horse circa 1989

2011-09-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

I must've been all of 27 years when this picture was took...a mere lad caring for a little child. That's my daughter holding the reigns of a horse that spooked real easy. He liked to buck me off...when he could. What was I doing letting her ride that wild bronc? Well, if I remember right, I sort of lived in a fantasy world then. I imagined myself a village doctor and one-time school teacher as I dwelt amongst backwoods natives in the hinterlands of ol' Mexico. At the very least it afforded me the opportunity to hone my woodworking, six-shooting and adobe making skills. Not to mention the spinning of yarns in multiple languages.
The Santa Cruz river (effluent) flooded the other day. I went out to check on my duck traps (don't worry, there ain't no such thing) and found some pretty cool vistas as the sun set...inspiring this nice new painting.

Sky Blue Water II 24x36 Painting Classes

2011-09-16T06:53:00.000-07:00

How many times have I heard the song Magic Bus by The Who? I finally looked up the almost indiscernible (to a Viking) words "...a thrupence (three pence) and a sixpence everyday..." If it weren't for words that make you flip the Brits would have nothing on the rest of us. Of course their use of toothpaste is nothing to be envied but toss around terms like "thrupence and sixpence" and I think you can just about own the world. I'm toying with the idea of getting a Camera with an external mic so's to make a few teaching videos. I'm not looking forward to rolls and streams of film piled on the splicing room floor but if we can make some informative how-to vids without losing too many thrupence it might be a good project. I'll keep the blog posted.

Painting Demo Speed painting-Tea Commercial

2011-09-16T06:48:00.000-07:00

Montana & California...respectively

2011-09-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

A couple of new paintings I was able to get in edgewise. I'm using more paint on the canvas as I'm slowing down with all my work. I like the effect a lot and have even been taking time with some of these new ones letting the initial layers dry and doing glazing techniques. It makes for a rich depth that's hard to get in alla prima painting. Anyway, tales from the crypt are forthcoming so stay tuned. We have decided that one the best careers of the future is that of Grave Robber. I've only done it a couple of times but a franchise business model might be in the making...or I'll keep painting. We'll see.

Hidden Marsh 24x18

2011-08-31T06:16:00.000-07:00

NOTE: Photo is skewed on this...I no longer have photoshop to adjust...don't get seasick while viewing

.Not that I should be afraid of them but really, cops on bicycles (if I were a criminal) inspire about as much fear (or confidence for those of us who aren't criminals) as snakes on a plane. Which in my world would register about a .5 on the one-to-ten scale. I suppose they do accomplish some "good" in the inner city where I witnessed two of them being jovial but stern to a pile of sun-baked hobos passing around a small paper bag. I tooled by in my 1 ton Chevy truck which tries to anonymously guzzle six-mile-per-gallon gas through a 2 in gas line (fire hose) imagining the utter futility if one of those guys had reason to nab me. They would be blowing whistles and cranking their handlebar bells 'till their thumbs blistered and I wouldn't even notice them over the purr (roar?) of the 36 square inch carburetor intake. And that's at idle! I suppose an errant spoke could theoretically poke through the 12 ply tread if I were to inadvertently drive over one of their Schwinn 10 speeds. In that case I would have to stop and give myself up.
So went the musings in my painterly brain right before I started this new glorious sunset the other day.

The heights 30x40

2011-08-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

Overlooking Tucson from the north. That's where this sky full of bluster was witnessed. Sometimes things are crazier than they appear, defying coherent explanation. Sometimes, there's inexplicable calm in the midst of outright bedlam. Well, however bland and blasé my life may seem to me, I must admit that it's not lacking for what could very well be considered exciting blog-fodder. It's just that the vicissitudes of life don't always contribute expeditiously to the verisimilitude of our little reality. Nor does my proclivity to exaggerated adherence to veracity necessarily make for profitable (or believable) reading. Take for instance our latest sortie across the border. One would think I had had enough of border skirmishes and third-world intrigue for one life. Apparently I haven't. Suffice it to say I am not in jail, was not shot at (this time) and am back in the safe (?) confines of my little desert studio peacefully painting away the hours till the unimaginable foists itself upon me with it's frequent and disconcerting irregularity. No, I will not tire you with the tedium of my yarn spinning...this time!
Just enjoy another big ol' painting...a speed painting demonstration video of this will be posted soon on You Tube . I'll add a link here in a day or two.

Gold Frame, Picacho Peak 30x24

2011-08-03T07:55:00.000-07:00

The last of the 24k gold was used in the making of this frame. It's pretty nasty to work with. Well, compared to metal leaf it is. You just have to go about it in the time honored fashion and since I don't have a specialized gold leaf horse hair brush I have to pick the stuff up with my corroded blacksmith hands and fumble the delicate ephemeral sheets on to the size (glue). And since I've not used rabbit hide to make my gesso or glue in many years my reference to time honored technique is just so much expended breathe. As long as I'm confessing, let me say that neither did I burnish said frame with a polished agate...also part of the time honored technique. The result was still as splendid as you could hope for (picture doesn't do it justice) and short of disturbing my mental equipoise, no one should be any the wiser. (I have my own secret techniques)

Picacho Peak loomed large and stark against the backdrop of the southwest sky. It was Sunday last and we were on our way to visit some illegal aliens that reside in Phoenix (I bet you think I'm kidding) My rig was full of Mesican relatives and as I locked up the brakes on the freeway to snap a shot(s) of this cool scene all kinds of expressions of fear and wonder reverberated throughout the cabin in tongues known and unknown. Later that day we witnessed a huge squall of dust descend upon Casa Grande about 20 miles from the mountain here pictured. I did take a picture or two of that...maybe I'll post them here before too long.

Air Head 30x40

2011-07-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

So, I've done this painting before just not in this size. It is a big'un and 'cause I got a few of these huge canvases I'm looking forward to making more. I really love painting large with my big fat brushes, lots of paint, hair in my face and a crazed look in my eye... and some cool jazz on the radio. I have yet to get to the point where I'm emptying $100 buckets of oil paint on a palette on the floor and applying it with a hockey stick. I had a tortured-soul artist friend that did that. While I languished in oxygen deprived misery last week I thought of that and...stealing aspirin gum from the medicine cabinet. Somehow, in my feverish dementia I combined childhood memories with mixing paint and the result was truly inspirational. Now, rejuvenated with iron lung treatments and fresh rain from the monsoons I am set to work on a new sky series. Stay tuned.

Lark Rise 40x30

2011-07-16T11:44:00.000-07:00

Our 23rd anniversary was celebrated with a tasteless (due to symptoms described earlier) Chinese meal. I'm almost at the point where I will give unsolicited advice at the slightest provocation. Maybe it's mid-life malaise or maybe it's brought on by my frequent bouts of night terrors where I scream like a wild boar stuck through the heart. Anyway, I'm starting to feel like I've earned it. And I'm seeing more and more young couples who need it. Of course we would all like to blabberate our opinions all the time, and be heard. Nothing new about that. There are a few topics though that I feel exceptionally compelled (in my paint fume induced opinion) to weigh in on. Sensitive subjects as they may be, marital bliss and child rearing come to mind. Take no offense, my ideas are not so much a comparison of one person's values/practices over another's as much as an observation that has borne itself out in over two decades of whip-cracking, God-thunder invoking, happy house making good will and cheer. I won't go into what makes a marriage stay together, too much stuff there but let me say that intentionality is the key to making good kids...not "love". Of course we need to love and nurture our offspring...usually not to difficult (at least at first) But too many folks raise their little kids based on their intuitive "feelings of love" and nothing more. Many of these little crumb crunchers are destined to be curses instead of blessings, at least till they pull out of the nose dive they're in in their mid twenties. They(parents) have such low expectations and high opinions of their children that the end result are disobedient, uncreative, self absorbed monsters. I'm here to say it doesn't have to be that way. Clear rules (parameters) with no exceptions with early and immediate consequences made with forethought (intentionality) and not anger go a long way in bringing up kids to be a blessing, not only to their parents but to others as well. Who do I think I am you say? Nobody (do X-men exist?), is my response but check this; My kids have never once talked back to me or their mom, never thrown a fit, never begged for junk over and over till they got their way and never have they ever asked me to turn Bob Dylan down on the radio. They are not angels by any means but in every area where we have been intentional about their growth/obedience/kindness etc. (and started early...like at 6mos-1yr old) they have responded. My encouragement is this; people can raise their kids intentionally to be a joy to be around. Simple as that. And with a little extra force be made to have the same taste in music as their dad. See, once again, I've lowered the high bar of excellence just so's to keep me and others like me humble and aware of our own shortcomings. This great and beautiful sky painting was inspired by my son Darell's recent car accident that he got in on the way to visit my other son Darell in the county jail. Welcome to Catalina!

Double Dip 12x24

2011-07-14T05:42:00.000-07:00

I've discovered a new weight loss system. Eight pounds and counting, I'm in the second week of a strict regimen that has me drinking infusions of garlic and honey (tasty combination!) and coughing up all non essential organs and detritus that shan't be named. The upside is that I am not in the hospital. The downside is that if I don't take it easy I might still end up there. This, brought to my attention by the numerous writings and warnings I've received regarding the general recalcitrance and pertinacity of the lobal pneumonia that I've been plagued with these last few days. Take heart, I've not succumbed and just to flaunt my ignorance and delusional beliefs as to my invincibility I worked yesterday! Fueled by mega doses of under-the-counter analgesics I was able to cut down two trees with the chain saw and make it home in time to watch an episode of Lark Rise to Candleford. (If you're a fan let me know)
I am on the mend, receiving with gratitude the results of your prayers and well wishes.
We will paint again!

Creer 15x12

2011-07-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

I don't always paint big. But I do paint with big in mind. When I paint outdoors I have always thought of the "plein air" sketch as nothing more than a quick reference. It's always been hard for me to appreciate small work...I want to see it life-sized. Nevertheless, there are some cool nuances you get with working small and there is always a lot learn about color, values, shapes and lines. Changing up brush sizes makes me think harder than normal. In most cases that's a good thing. Usually in my case it leads to overload, steam pouring out the ears and a lung full of spider webs. How else could I explain it? I saw the doctor last week. I had experienced three straight weeks of coughing up chunks of old tires and mushrooms. He said my lungs were fine, sent me home with a voodoo cocktail and told me to call him after the weekend if I wasn't better. I called him pumping on one cylinder, having lost my eyesight, ears and sense of humanity from a continual fever and was ordered to get an x-ray. With a wry smile the doc said he didn't notice the pneumonia 'cause my lungs were half full and "compacted" and that if I wasn't better in fifteen hours I needed to be hospitalized. That was about fifteen hours ago. I'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, check out the few pieces I still have on auction. Who knows? They might be my last.

Scorpions On A Plane..."Reddy" 30x40 "Windom" 12x15

2011-07-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

One foot hit the floor, shoeless and bare. It was the only step between me and the little bunk; the only movement that separated me from a night of bone-tired, albeit hot and tropical fitful sleep. Fateful little step it was. I've described the intense, immediate feeling as though my toe had been placed on an anvil and whacked with a heavy ball peen hammer. This, the first of several scorpion stings I've had the pleasure to endure, was definitely the most intense. Numbness up to my knee could be felt for days and a lingering sensation was still evident a week later. The other, less dramatic brushes with the desert demons would have left me with little respect for the phosphorescent phantom's stinger, which were much more like a mild bee sting. This first encounter however was enough to put me on wary alert every time I climb out of my bed roll at 5 am and turn my boots upside down with a good shake before I slip them on. I suppose it was a bark scorpion that gave me my first welcome to the Sonora desert those years ago. Of the 20 or so different kinds that lurk and slink and crawl and creep around the ground here in the desert southwest, the bark scorpion is the most painful. I did see a young boy go into shock once from scorpion poison so they are nothing to be trifled with, especially if they get you in the head. If, however, you were to give me free plane tickets for every one of the blasted things I've encountered I'd basically own three or four airlines about now. I think I've squashed one or two in recent weeks...during the making of these paintings! Where's my headlines?!?!

Fire Tree 30x24

2011-06-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

Almost 30 years of self-employment of some sort or another. I can't remember ever being ripped off...until now. I've had several customers that thought I was about to rip them off and they made it clear that they would get me before I ever even tried to get away with it. (New York and Boston Snowbirds) I always wondered at how they could be so jaded and suspicious of others. Well, now that Larry is in to me for $1200 for hard , hot labor and refuses to take my calls I guess I'm starting to feel like a squint-eyed easterner. And as I look upon the emaciated forms of my young children battling for scraps on the kitchen floor it's doubly hard. Chalk it up to live and learn...and thank God I gave up packing heat a while ago.

One thing that never leaves me feeling ripped off is a view like the one above. A cool scene replete with grape vines and eucalyptus trees. This nifty new painting is available. Click on the link at the top right of the main blog page here to see and bid.

The Scrapper

2011-06-22T17:38:00.000-07:00

I've promised hillbilly pictures of knock-kneed, toothless, cross-eyed, bearded trash collectors, and you thought I was kidding? What greater proof do you need? This picture of me and my trailer was taken next to a 40 yard roll-off dumpster, all full of someone else's refuse. Many a time I've seen our brood off to the weekend yard sales with my words trailing behind in a plaintive and futile echo..."Remember kids, one man's junk is your dad's junk too" I don't like clutter and having a lot of stuff around clogs the arteries of life. But we do have good sun tans right about now (high today 109) and just a bit of clutter scattered around our desert compound makes for good conversation and some dandy bonfires come fall.
I guess it goes without saying that the foreclosure market is really hopping and it seems we have truly found a recession-proof business that takes advantage of other people's misery..or cleans up after it, whichever you prefer.
Last week I was attacked by hornets. Several stings to the torso, leg and arms. Thankfully none hit me in the face. They hurt and swell up pretty good, even seem to get a bit infected but hornets are wimps when compared to Africanized bees. Now those bad boys really know how to swarm and don't let off their attack very easily. The little hornets just let me fall out of their nest in the date palm branch cluster twelve feet up, trip over my fallen ladder and run directly at my two sons and a couple of my workers without even a feint at real pursuit. I figured if they're gonna get me they might as well get everyone. No, they did not follow and to my dismay, no one else in my crew of misfits was able to enjoy the first-hand encounter with nature the way I did. So continues the odyssey of a painter fallen on semi-hard times. Next post I will once again display my prowess at sky-gazing interpretation with a nice fresh oil painting.

Water Babies 30x24

2011-06-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

I mentioned a new job in the last blog entry. Fear not! I've not abandoned my paints altogether... but hopefully for sanity's sake I will be able to leave behind the humiliation of unintentional obsequiousness displayed in my recent auction prices that compete with snakes' bellies and other grovelers. You see, even the Play-Doh Fun Factory of landscape painters has a level to which he will not stoop, or so he'd like you to believe. Yet, as my yard takes on a distinct Sanford & Son hue I am reminded once again of the words my favorite uncle muttered..."A man's gonna do what he has to do when he's got a hungry mouth to feed." Bob Dylan ...and that there might be a bit of sinking left to do. That said, as I've stated on numerous occasions, I really like the fact that us common folk are able to buy fine art. Internet marketing has afforded a bunch of us this pleasure and for that I truly am thankful.

We (la familia nostra) have recently embarked on a new mission that alternately wears us out and has us staring blindly at the sun drooling and blistered while filling us with great joy and a sense of ultimate purpose and destiny. Single handedly we have been cleaning out the trashed, misused, abused and foreclosed houses of the greater southwest. Had I the energy, I could easily regale you with the most interesting and humorous anecdotes regarding America's love affair with high debt and it's resultant effect on the poor houses that bear the brunt of all the ne'er-do-wells that had no business owning a home in the first place. To be sure, there are folks who endure awful and difficult circumstances that end up losing their homes. But some of these places make the aforementioned sit-com look like the residence of Janitor-In-A-Drum. I will post pics and stories of our Beverly Hillbillies truck and trailer loaded to the sky next to photos of new masterpieces that can't help from pouring off my brush! I've always been about The "study of extremes". Stay tuned.

Was It You? 30x24 Eddie Graduation

2011-06-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

As milestones go, I guess this one is fairly significant. Much more so than the overdone fan-fair of the middle-school jump to senior high or the, now celebrated, 6th grade matriculation. To some, however, these dates are important and to that sentiment I'll tip my hat. It's been a while since I've tangled with anyone under 45 who could hold up to being compared to Captain Kirk, Thor or even my own dad. In my day, men you could run the river with were in abundant supply. Men who's tears flowed when they read "Where the Red Fern Grows" and who's indignation burned like white hot magnesium strips pilfered from eighth grade science class at the mention of the word homework. So, you guys that have never carried your own finger, loped off by the lawnmower, into the emergency room and take offense at my heroic references to yesteryear, take to heart my goading and turn your small, short lives into something of value. Keep all your promises even when it hurts. Remember, when it comes to marriage vows, calling ducks or making your house payment, there is no "plan B". Commitments fulfilled are the only things that breed character...and ALWAYS keep the lawnmower blade sharp. It's much easier to sew that thing back on if the cut was clean! Of course, had I done my homework maybe I wouldn't be scrapping out foreclosed houses and mowing lawns for a living!?!? So, congrats to the grads...and to all those who accomplish great things while striving for even greater ones. Remember, if you aim at nothing you're bound to hit it.

North Woods 24x30

2011-05-25T14:34:00.000-07:00

I continue to let masterpieces go out the studio door at an alarming rate and at heretofore unheard of prices. Yes, I know, it makes my head spin and my stomach turn. But paint I must and to that end I spend my days. What, do you think I want a house full of my own paintings? In more than one way I'm a lot like my estranged uncle Bob D. who just turned 70. He has said that he never listens to his own records. Well, I'm basically the same when it comes to my art. I just have to get it out of my system. When a painting is complete I can breathe easy...and go on to the next mystery muse that strikes my fancy. Enjoy this scene of the north woods shore line. It won't be around long.

Awert 24x30

2011-05-24T12:20:00.000-07:00

I hardly ever listen to presidential speeches or other politicos anymore...not too interested in getting worked up over things out of my control. I must say though that I did hear the prime minister of Israel today. He put a serious schooling on our president regarding history, the Palestinians and the middle east vs. the Jews...pretty amazing and quite a contrast between someone who really has experience and the US president's recent opinions. This was a very rare international spanking for a sitting US president. Interesting though how the media spin has it that he was agreeing with our president. What I would like to know, why don't they consult with those of us who are experts at the things we glean from media soundbites? While we're on the subject of armchair quarterbacks, why didn't they ask me if Bret Favre should play another season? Always out of the loop, stuck in the studio breathing fumes...the story of my life.

Stranded Art

2011-05-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

So, left to my own designs I come up with things like the picture above. I was stranded at a Super 8 motel, car broke down and the summer swelter was like a hot tamale sizzlin' on the blacktop at noon on the road to perdition. (actually I was in Lordsburg, NM) I was/would have been a prime candidate for an alien abduction. Instead, I spent my time meditating on the vast implications of how a (now proven) finite time line (2nd law of thermodynamics, entropy, cooling of space etc.) influence bio-genesis (or not, as the case may be) Anyway, the theory of macro-evolution is scientifically way out there. It requires the suspension of disbelief that my profound ignorance just can't afford and eons of time that just don't exist in any hard-science / physics model. However, if you are a skeptic, the "new and richer understanding" of "maximum entropy production" leads one to believe in the spontaneous production of order from disorder as an expected consequence of basic laws. That to me is a much bigger stretch than to believe the guy at the garage who needed two days to replace one bad tire was from a parallel universe. If they were coming to get me (aliens...I was only 200 miles from area 51 at the time) then I would be ready. The other pictures (paintings) are from when I am not left to my own designs, in the safe confines of the studio. These are for sale this week on auction...see link top right of blog page to bid.

Eli in his father's footsteps Happy mother's day!

2011-05-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

Super heroes take on various shapes. Here in our house, well, you can see what we look up to. Eli (author of the smoking penguin) came up with this. Does he model his heroes after his dad? You be the judge.
I'd offer this for sale but it was made on the back of an envelope...and I've not done any self portraits lately. This is as close as I've come to owning biographical art.

Golder Ranch 12x18, Surmise 30x24, Flow 24x12

2011-04-28T15:36:00.001-07:00

New Family Portrait

2011-04-16T06:54:00.001-07:00

Eddie the frame maker is about to graduate! So, we snapped a pic in the front yard yesterday for posterity's sake. He wants to continue his studies and become a large animal vet. Has he ever even seen a cow? I have no idea where that came from.

Our short absence from the blogspot has seen us in ol' Mexico and cavorting around the southwest looking for new places to paint. I'll try to get more pics up here this week for those of you who are jonesing for an art fix.
A couple of these paintings are available on auction this week so be sure to visit the link (top right on blog page)

Arrival 24x30, Field Day 24x30

2011-03-26T17:30:00.000-07:00

Titulos apropiados. Acabamos de llegar de un viaje a Sonora y Sinaloa, Mexico, donde se consumieron montones de mariscos y rica carne asada. Estuvo bonito el clima, estuvo buena la pesca, y estuvo feliz toda la familia con la visita. Ahora volvemos al trabajo, contentamente produciendo cuadros para el confort del publico. Estos se pueden comprar aqui...

Atte.

M. Hawkins

Trebal threat

2011-03-08T11:28:00.001-08:00

New pics of new work. These are up for sale on eBay. I still start some at a low price without a reserve. Pretty gutsy I know but I gotta get these pictures hanging on walls before it's too late. So, feel free to bid. Who knows but that these won't be worth more than the paper (canvas) they're written on someday.

Three trees...how could that be?

2011-03-04T15:55:00.001-08:00

Today a friendly visit to our local neighborhood illegal drug smuggling detention center. We talked through the glass for an hour and a half on the barely audible static phone. Concertina wire and electrified fencing obscured every view we had as we peered through dirty glass decorated with bars and steel mesh. Colors of white and grey greeted us as friends and loved-ones, dressed in kool-aid orange jumpsuits looked on with the hope that one of the visitors would be recognised. Not the kind of place I'd like to spend much time. I dedicate the trees here to the awesome view you get from inside Florence prison.

The Falls 24x12 Trifecta II 24x24 Natural Sophistication 18x24

2011-03-01T12:35:00.001-08:00

There, now that I have that out of my system (previous blog...erased) I can return to my old happy-go-lucky self. You see, being an Artistical Expeditionary isn't always as easy as it seems and the most unlikely, inconsequential things can weigh you down if you're not careful. Well, these birds of a feather (paintings pictured) have definitely flocked together. Did you ever wonder about that expression? We were at the zoo the other day and with my highly tuned artistical waterfowler's eye I spied a few ponds with piles of seasonal ducks peacefully paddling around with nary a care in the world. If I were into puns I'd call them snowbirds, but I'm not. Anyway, they all pile up when there is someone handing out bread crumbs. As soon as the goodies are gone they each separate into groups of their own species. Red Heads, Bald Pates, Ring Necks, and Mallards all were present. A few straggling gaggles of geese made their raucous presence known as they all fought for scraps in a big ol' bunch of squabbling that very much resembled our dinner table. I am fond of saying, by way of reminder, that unlike ducks, there is only one human race. The question of "race" is not valid as regards human beans. We are all the same specie, us people are, and we are as interchangeable as Lego parts. Don't be fooled by Knex, Duplos or the odd pack of snow geese that try to mix with the other web-footers as they vie for attention.

Enemy Mine

2011-02-23T17:28:00.000-08:00

Headland 24x18, Eternity's Road 12x24

2011-02-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

Eli the smoking penguin

2011-01-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

Don't know which is worse, a smoking penguin or a drunken cow. Here we have two milk cows which appear to be about three sheets to the wind. A third bovine observes from a safe distance, a friend of the penguin no doubt. The marshy view hides several dozen ducks. Can you spot them all? This is my attempt at a Bev Dolittle painting. These are available for sale on auction. The link at the top right of the blog page leads you there. The penguin is available for $22.38 It is colored pencil and pen and ink on paper.

Stealing Time 24x24, Little Voice 36x24, The Cut 18x12

2011-01-08T15:21:00.001-08:00

We were stuck in traffic today. I promised my wife I wasn't going to drive through the police barricade at Oracle and Magee Roads, that I wouldn't fume at the incredibly slow drivers trying to gawk at the pile of emergency vehicles down the road. I finally blasted my way into the back alley of a series of strip malls trying to outrun the congestion only to come face to face with another traffic cop. I rolled down the window to ask what the matter was. He told me there had been a tragic shooting, to turn on the radio. No need to say more. Our thoughts and prayers are with our congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and these families and neighbors so close to us here in northwest Tucson. What a crazy world we live in.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2011-01-01T07:53:00.001-08:00

I spent Friday slogging through swamps. The sky was overcast, the air was cool and damp and I was one with nature. There was a new year's eve party scheduled for the night's festivities. It included a bon-fire, lots appetizers, a big pot of chili and fireworks. The crowd began to arrive a little after nine. Too bad, I was already in bed dreaming about ducks on the wing. This a.m. I was the only bright-eyed creature to greet the day and new year at the crack of dawn. I will have painted on two previously started canvases before anyone of the house full of slackers even opens an eye. So begins the year for one addicted to paint fumes ...and quack! These paintings are all available on auction. See the link on the blog page to "Link to Art for Sale" if you're interested in bidding. Regardless, enjoy them with the hope that this coming year brings ye lots of joy and cheer and beautiful vistas on the horizon of your tomorrows. Feliz An(y)o

So Good 18x24, Highway 12x24, Breakaway 24x36

2010-12-16T16:39:00.000-08:00

Three versions of the same sky! I know, it's hard to believe. But just as we are all experiencing winter in varying degrees, these new paintings show the heavens in a variety of wardrobes. I have been sleeping with the windows open the last week or so. Highs have been in the low 80's. Obviously our "winter" isn't the same as that experienced in my home town of Frostbite Falls, MN. Conversely, they haven't had to struggle with the difficult dilemma I've been confronted with. Matching smart combinations of shorts, sandals and T-shirts isn't as easy as one may think, and summer is right around the corner. That reminds me, I've got to get the pool ready.

Merry Christmas!

Snowbirds 24x36 Germaine 30x40

2010-12-09T14:49:00.000-08:00

I wanted to post these with a cool Thanksgiving message a week or so ago. Sorry, I have been busy giving thanks and throwing oil paint around the studio like there's no tomorrow. I'm getting ready for post-holiday show and we're now preparing for a party the like of which our valley has rarely (if ever) seen. Warning; keep dogs and cats away. We are planning a multi-cultural, omni-culinary, all-faiths, international Christmas extravaganza event. Be sure to watch my uncle Bob's (Dylan) Must Be Santa video. It will put you in cheer mode faster than two pints of Tom & Jerry.

Cat Eye View 24x18

2010-11-30T09:48:00.000-08:00

Not far from here (200 meters) I spied a long-legged, rusty brown bobcat. I was on a little jog and instinctively reached for my side-arm. (which I never carry...lucky for him) And had it been a mountain lion, all the more luck for him that he didn't encounter me in a surly mood. Here's a little known secret and one that you don't often associate with men of my adventuresome cut and profile. I'd sooner fight a salt water croc (been there, done that) than climb on rocks while dangling from a rope or just about any other kind of popular outdoor adventure "sport" people (crazy people) partake of these days. But give me a six inch knife clenched between my teeth and mysteriously and magically I channel Jeremiah Johnson and Grizzly Adams at their best. I know this might not sound like it jibes with the Catch-n -Release Hunting club philosophy I espouse, but, truth be told, no ferocious creature in his right mind should ever try his hand (or paw) at meddling in my affairs. I am quite inexplicably unafraid of even the most venomous and dangerous of creatures. That said, I am a fairly passive painter of peaceful pictures, and for the most part, am content to spend my time making pretty pictures and contemplating things eternal. I really like these simple views...silhouetted trees and the Santa Catalina mountains at sunset. This is available on auction. Open link above to view/bid.

Picacho...Organ Mts. 48x60

2010-11-22T16:31:00.000-08:00

I had to get the profile right for these mountains so I drew the whole painting with a pencil first. I used to do that a lot for studio pieces...or with vines charcoal. The top pics shows how I built the sky first working top down. Since I already had made a study of this and had it as a reference I didn't feel the need to block in the large shapes of the mountains and foreground. I pretty much had the values nailed in my smaller first piece and was fairly confident I could get it right. It turned out nice for a big ol' bad boy. The photo is a little over exposed so I had to turn it down a bit/lost a lot of the detail on the clouds and darkened overmuch the foreground. Well, you get the idea. These are the kind of paintings that keep the paint companies in business. For the price of your favorite dog and next first-born child I will make one for you too.

Come Sit A Spell 18x18 Wonderment 24x36

2010-11-19T18:27:00.000-08:00

Both of these neat new pieces are available for sale on auction. If you'd like to place a bid open this link.

Three Fingers Of Death

2010-11-18T06:28:00.001-08:00

I had to accommodate a very large 48"x60" canvas the other day. So, I moved my trusty easel and as I did, caught a glimpse of the rarely seen back side. The paint encrusted support that holds my canvases seemed larger than I remembered. I knew there was a bit of a build up of old paint there but never imagined what I was about to discover. To my amazement there were fossilized remains of old brushes, teeth, bits of bone and hubcaps and handlebars from a bygone era. It was over three inches tall and 1 1/4 inch thick. I cut it off on the table saw (wouldn't break!) and it revealed a multi-hued mosaic of beautiful layers, each one representing a color phase as I developed as a painter over the centuries. I will post pics of the big ol' canvas in a day or so...Organ Mountain Monsoons. In the meantime you can check out new paintings for sale here.

Highwaymen 24x18 Swiftly On The Mountain 24x24

2010-11-13T15:40:00.000-08:00

Two of my personal favs of late. Highwaymen is a view I have heading west from Catalina. I got in some good monsoon action (photos) towards the end of summer and have a whole lot of ideas for future work in a "Highway" series. The second painting is a "master series" piece built over some time. It wasn't really my intention to build it that way but I needed to nail those mountains. They're the Organ Mountains looking east from Picacho Country Club golf course in Las Cruces, NM. I didn't want to sell this yet since we are supposed to hang a little show this winter in New Mexico. I had it up in the store and someone made an offer and the pot of beans was getting low and, well, you can imagine the chaos that ensues when my voracious and calumnious progeny gets hungry...It ain't pretty. These, however, are (pretty) and one is for sale...you can click on the link at the top right of my blog page. (If you get this as an update in your mailbox you'll need to go to the blog to see the sale link)

Oregon, Arizona and California

2010-11-11T15:51:00.000-08:00

Three of my favorite states are represented here. Nothing to show for a fiery blast round trip to Minnesota this past week. My Vikings beat up my Cards at the noisy, purple Metrodome and I found a few new subscribers to the Catch and Release Hunting Club I founded (Eddie has been removed from the honor roll...Christmas goose is in the freezer. Need I say more?) So, forthcoming; pictures of barren trees, frosty land, rusty cars and wildfowl on the wing. I didn't have much of a chance to get in any real art pursuits. The few photos I took will have to suffice for winter inspiration. I came home to sunny skies and balmy temps. Hardly the elements necessary for wintry wonderlands. I am working on a very large 4x5 ft. canvas this next week or so. It's a big ol' monsoon cloud over the Organ Mts. in New Mexico. I'll post pics when it's done.

"Rio Grand" 12x24, "Golden Grassland" 24x24

2010-11-04T16:10:00.000-07:00

Guest post by Marissa Hawkins.

When the cat's away, the mice will play. And when the artist's away, his progeny will work. That's the way it goes in a family business. Although working at home is nice. Where else could you be excused for a piano/chocolate/let's-blow-this-off-and-go-out-to-lunch break?

Packaging days are the busiest for us. Getting a painting from the drying rack into a home takes several steps. My brothers scramble to finish frames. The shipping department (that would be me), handles printing of packing slips, varnishing, final inspection of paintings and frames, packaging, labeling, and delivery (from the basement to the front door), as well as the occasional blog post or Ebay listing. All the while, my dad keeps a watchful eye over our work, answers emails, practices duck calls, creates masterpieces, and does just about everything else.

It's not a bad gig, being a painter's kid, aside from any infrequent disagreements over music in the studio and the potentially brain-damaging fumes. But we really don't mind Uncle Bob (Dylan). And it would not be home if it didn't smell like Kamar varnish, fresh oil paint, and mineral spirits.

The best part is, if your favorite artist (and mine) should choose to take a half-week duck hunting trip up north, he has someone to cover for him. That's the way it goes in a family business.

At The End Of The day 24x30

2010-10-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

MAKE YOUR MOVE (picture a chess board) writing by Marissa- student, philosopher, writer, ...packager of paintings

Is it simply human nature to grow restless? We need consistency, but we crave change. If a person is middle aged, this might lead to buying a Corvette. In the times in between it might lead to a new hairstyle (and dyeing my bangs purple sounds really tempting right now).For twenty-somethings it seems the change may be something more internal, constrained, invisible. Like a nuclear reaction.21 may be a young age to check quarter life crisis off one's list of life experiences. Or not. As of now, it is just half checked for me: a single line, like a castaway marking the days of his exile without knowing when it will end, but at least comforted in knowing how long he's been gone. So maybe I can at least claim some empathy with other victims of uncertainty or even (dare I say)purposelessness.All these decisions, choices, possibilities, options, questions, unknowns, wonderings. Comfort comes in strange ways for what we of the quarter-life section face. Here are a few oddities that have emboldened me to take a few of those frightening steps, albeit small ones, without looking back. Because, really, what's the use of looking back if you can't go back?
1. There is nothing new under the sun. You are not unique in this. The stress you face is nothing that humanity has not suffered before. Yes, that is a good thing.
2. There is a saying that goes, "You become an adult when you begin to take responsibility for your decisions." Something like that; I translated it from Spanish. Decisions are hard. This is growing up. Maybe we never even really "arrive" at certainty at this life, so maybe this is being an adult. Maybe. I'll let you know when I get there.
3. "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be" (Psalm 139:16). Free to choose what path we take, but foreordained. Not impossible, just hard to grasp. What logically follows is that no choice you take can really result in missing out on something you were "supposed" to do. Not that we escape consequences or responsibility. But you'll never catch Providence off guard. God has a plan and He's working it out in your life too, no matter what you choose.
4. What breaks your heart and what makes you come alive? Give it some thought. The answers might cut down on the "what to do with my life" quandary considerably.
Thoughts?

Simply 24x18, Paramount 24x24, Greenling 18x24

2010-10-15T07:50:00.001-07:00

New paintings pouring out of me. The 24x24 was built over time. It's one of the "master series" paintings made with multiple layers. The other two are made in a more of a direct painting approach, alla prima style-painted in one sitting. Classes at the Arizona Art Supply store in Tucson will be on Mondays from 10 till 12. November 15th is the first class. I'll provide more info. soon. Let me know if you're interested.

Happiness Is, Whistler, Sundowner, Espejo

2010-10-09T11:03:00.001-07:00

Happy foursome of new paintings...a foretaste of the classes I will be teaching in Tucson starting November 15th. at Arizona Art Supply. I'll have more info. about the up-coming workshops soon so stay tuned. Meanwhile, enjoy the rare and weird fact that I still read to my boys almost every night. They're 17 & 15. Even more strange...our reading this past week or so. Winnie-The-Pooh. Now, lest you think we're failing at child rearing, I'm quite sure they could beat up most kids younger than themselves...or shoot faster and straighter if it comes to that. Rest assured the desert is dong its job at bringing up redneck poets and artists.

Canyon Lake Lodge 24x36 Catalina On My Mind 18x24

2010-10-01T19:04:00.000-07:00

Both of these little beauties are fresh off the griddle and available for sale or private consumption. Shouldn't all art be required to carry labels like that? My child with the busted gut is on the mend and my second first-born son (I show no favoritism) has taken up the slack and done admirably well for a teen with his mind still half in Legoland and the other two-thirds stuck in comic books. A little scare once in a while is good and I suppose it adds a bit of urgency and purpose to just about everything in life...or peels away things that aren't all that important. So, you see I'm still painting and have continued through it all. That must mean fine art is pretty darn important and, it's good to have a back up plan. I have two of each sons and daughters so I'll always have a spare in case one burns out. I have yet to get approval though to add another (unnamed) family member to the plan...

Three Songs In Paint

2010-09-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

A happy trio of effectual and fervent landscapes to dot the horizon of your day. Eddie the wonder kid is out of the hospital (gracias a Dios!) and the frame making should benefit from his counsel. (He knows where the secret tools are hidden) So, I will have these available here for sale this week.

Stormin', Tree Spirits, Island

2010-09-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

Stormin' is a local view...not far from the studio. Tree Spirits is another look at an Oregon scene I've done before. Island...well, this new painting was inspired by my friend's recent move to Oahu, Hawaii. I have a number of shots from commissioned paintings of Hawaii done in the past. I've never been there but...wanted to capture the volcanic island feel in this new work. I've been invited. The next thing will be to actually go. First order of business though will be to get my chief frame maker and shop sweeper out of the hospital. Eddie was layed low this week with a nasty ruptured appendix...makes for a sad studio and slow going with the frames. Patience and prayer have been the somber timbre of the paint shop this week. Join us in both and we'll come out none the worse I'm sure.

Vineyard Rose 24x18 Eye of Light 30x24

2010-09-18T06:57:00.001-07:00

Available for your listening pleasure...here.

Fantastic Four

2010-09-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to pull myself to do some instructional videos. First off I need some new hardware-something (camera) with a remote mic capability. (any ideas?) The real rub though is in finding the time to do it. I think we could put together some real fun and informative How-To stuff...to awaken the creative genius inside all my would-be artist friends. I do employ a number of techniques that enable me to paint with the alacrity of a gazelle. This is what you desire, No? Anyway, I'm sure these would be fun to learn to a lot of budding painters that struggle with the mysteries of oil paint. I'll keep the blog posted with updates about this as I get to it. In the meantime, enjoy these four paintings for sale here.

Alamos Man 20x16 Bear In Water 9x12

2010-09-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

A wheelbarrow full of ...bears. These two little paintings hang on my walls in very snazzy (sorry not pictured) hardwood and gold frames. Made with thinned washes and multiple layers of paint (glazes) they describe a luminosity that's hard to replicate with an alla prima approach. I will make these available for sale here.

How Beautiful 30x30 Girl Kills Dove

2010-09-13T16:49:00.001-07:00

The girl at the sporting goods store was holding back tears. We were buying hunting permits to kill symbols of peace. I too started choking up as I described in sordid detail what happens once every twenty five shots of my scatter gun. My daughter, on the other hand, is a dedicated carnivore. I doubt she has ever cried once over a dead animal. I, like many proponents of catch-and-release-hunting, (I'm forming a new club) am torn between an insatiable appetite that has me looking to consume something edible and delicious at least five days a week and, fascination and wonder at the beautiful creation God made for His pleasure and our enjoyment. I believe I have shed more tears than most over fury, finned and feathered friends lost. And my moral extremes have me more confused than Fernando Garcia watching an episode of Homero Simpson in Sapochopo, Sonora, Mexico. Be that as it may, this grande painting will be available in my eBay store.

Three Paintings

2010-09-08T06:53:00.001-07:00

These three happy scenes, inspired by our recent travels across America are for sale here.

Mille Lacs lake 24x18

2010-08-31T10:36:00.000-07:00

Most of us have at least a few devastating weapons in our verbal arsenal. We toss them out from time to time to fend off would-be adversaries or simply to inspire awe and respect. For example, I can basically trump any argument with any person who grew up south of the 45th parallel by this simple statement- I have skated on thin ice...literally. Actually, there is a whole passel of northernisms I keep handy and I do use them whenever I'm feeling the need for attention here in the desert. I use them sporadically and usually to great effect. (especially in Mexico where 30 degrees Fahrenheit is a known killer) I have found that any reference to 50 below zero while ice fishing on Mille Lacs lake is enough to dumbfound and benumb any would-be teller of tall tales. It's kind of like a concussion grenade...leaves 'em momentarily deaf and blind. However, the Mille Lacs lake of my sub-zero yarns of yesteryear has a gentler side. The pictures above show a placid pool; backdrop to our tranquil summer idle. The slooping sail boats slipped slowly by and the big walleye winked at us as the far away shore gave us this blossoming orange-cloud ...and a bunch of mosquito bites! Here is the sale page for this painting.

Rio Grande 24x18

2010-08-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

Method #2. - This cool scene, looking west-northwest of the rain-swollen Rio Grande and its little playmate in the sky, was captured by my handy mega-zoom camera. It's pretty much a direct representation of the scene as we viewed it two weeks ago. Correct range of values (light to dark) is the main difficulty painters have in making art from photos. That's where plein air painting comes in. I try to approach photographs with a plein air mentality, knowing that I can push the saturation of color and the value scale more than I'm typically perceiving by just looking at a picture. A super good (mac) and very large computer monitor helps for this but nothing replaces getting out there and painting directly from life...rain and all. This is available on auction now. Feel free to bid here.

House On A Hill 36x24

2010-08-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to drag myself to do this magazine article. I have to describe my art process and take pics of the work in various stages. I will get to it. It is a nice honor after all and we do love International Artist magazine so it will be worth the effort I'm sure. Also it should be a handy reference for the few cyber-painter friends we have that would be interested in cracking open the jello-filled cranial vessel that houses my inner artist psyche. Typically I follow one of three, check that, four routes to finish a painting. House On A Hill is an example of a method I use painting "alla prima" with no reference photo or previous sketch/painting to go by. Sometimes I get great results with this. And even though I don't use a reference photo there are a few thumb nail drawings either on paper or canvas I do beforehand to work out the composition. With these I get to spend a lot of time on color mixing and painting technique/experimentation. I'll be sure to post more info. on the three other (secret) methods to my madness and the up-coming article so stay tuned.

Hawkins' In Yellowstone Flitting By 30x40

2010-08-24T06:14:00.000-07:00

I was in the ER the other night at Northwest Medical Center in Tucson. I have pictures. They're not as gruesome as I had hoped. If they were of blackened and swollen-ten-times-their-normal-size limbs you can be sure they would have replaced the pics of the dowdy family at Yellowstone's hot sulphur springs above. As it was, my neighbor and good friend Brian was lying all too comfortable and chatty and smiley after being tagged by a desert demon (rattlesnake) while pruning a hedge. With an initial infusion of 6 vials of anti-venom and some morphine to boot he really had no reason to wake me up at 9:55 pm as far as I could figure. Then again, what is someone of my youthfulness doing in bed at such an hour? Well, Brigid (Brian's wife) needed a vehicle and it had been a while since the local hospital needed my expertise so I obliged them their request. Just for good measure and while no one was looking I whipped out my pocket knife, cut two small X's over the fang marks and sucked out any remaining venom. (No, it wasn't on his behind...) And just for double good measure Brigid drove over (three times) a big ol' rattler as she pulled into her drive later that night. This is the season when a lot of little snakes are out. They give hardly any warning and will strike at anything so beware.

Happy Birthday Marissa!

2010-08-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

A grand total of 4,891 miles. That was how far we travelled. We were on the road for 17 days. We ate mass quantities of questionable road fare. We saw deer, elk, dogs, porcupines, 'coons, muskrats, armadillos, snakes and one possum dead on the side of the highway.(did not eat any of those) We spent one night in the car, only three in hotels, listened to an audio book twice (Treasure Island) and still were able to brush and floss at regular intervals. All this with six grown people in one mini van. The kids were, as usual, their normal noble selves. Better travel companions I couldn't ask for. Carmen spelled me from time to time at the wheel and the nomadic days just clicked by in happy procession as we ate up miles like so many Mike & Ike's at a Saturday matinee. We arrived home just in time for Marissa's birthday. She is twenty one today! Her mom and I took her to a movie last night. Unfortunately we had to sit separated. I in an aisle seat next to a middle-aged couple and Carmen and Marissa a few rows back, together. I hear it was a good movie. All I know is that it was loud and long. I woke myself up snoring several times and finally realized how unfortunate it must have been for the lady seated next to me. Did I ever tell you about the time I spent a whole night on a crowded bus in Mexico with a 400 lb. man snuggling on my shoulder the whole way? Well, I was getting back at him vicariously through my row mates. Yes, I am quite the pathetic movie goer and had the occasion not been such a special one I would have refrained from such a night out. ( I know myself) A lot of new, humidity-charged paintings should be coming up soon. The playdoe fun factory will be up and running this week and I can hardly wait to get oil paint all over myself once again. Stay tuned for more glorious clouds too. I got some sketching in (Montana) and a lot of snazzy photos to work from so the next tear should be a good one. They'll call this my "blue" faze in years to come.

Jesse McReynolds smash hits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-08-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

I had the very great honor of making the album cover/painting for Jesse McReynolds' latest effort...a tribute to Jerry Garcia & the Grateful Dead. Check out the links to his web site and music. Good music worth listening to.

Jesse McReynolds has been added to the lineup of the Philadelphia Folk Festival!
His show is at 9pm this evening (Saturday, August 21st) and he will do a workshop on Sunday at noon!

Jesse will have advance copies of his new project,
"Jesse McReynolds & Friends: A Tribute to Jerry Garcia & Robert Hunter ~ Songs of the Grateful Dead"
and will be performing a few songs from it.

We are honored to have so many of Jerry's friends join Jesse in making this historic recording.

The official release date is October 5, 2010!
Special advance copies will be available Sunday, August 22, 2010 on our website, http://www.jimandjesse.com/

Please visit our website for more information on our Tribute to Garcia & Hunter!
http://www.jimandjesse.com/

or contact
Jesse & Joy McReynolds J&J MusicPO Box 1385
Gallatin, TN 37066 (615)452-7321

Desert Sage Lane 24x12

2010-08-17T18:15:00.001-07:00

Eight states and counting. So why write about another desert adventure when there has been so much Americana sucked through our radiator fan the last 3500 miles? Why, you ask? I'll tell you why and you'll be the better for it. But let me digress a bit before I broach a subject that might seem a little, well, unsavory for typical table conversation. Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota all greeted us with temperatures that made us want to crawl back to the cool comforts of home in Az., no kidding. As to the much vaunted fishing in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, well, let's just say that we learned once again why it's called fishing, not catching. The surface-friendly mid-westerners that keep the tobacco companies rolling and Wonder Bread cranking out truckloads of pasty white fluff greeted us with toothless grins and predictable questions about Arizona's immigration law (you people watch way too much television) and our dry heat, but they have endeared themselves to us with their quaint farm-country charm and Swedish accented linguistic oddities. For that and for some wonderful life-long friendships we give them a A+ ...After all, I was once a Viking myself don'tcha know. My kids see the north as an exotic place of legends and mystery, much like we imagined the tropics or the desert to be when we were their age. And since I do hale from said Land-O-Lakes my somewhat obtuse observations might ring a bit hollow I know. However, I need to show off the place of my most infamous exploits from time to time and the giant statues of Paul and Babe that greeted us as we rolled into Brainerd just helped solidify my place in Northern lore.(in the kids eyes) Suffice to say that we have had our fill of bratts, dill pickle flavored potato chips, high humidity and chlorophyll. It's time to head south via Montana. But before we do let me tell you about the giant toad that was fed the palo verde beetle pictured below...with a Black Cat firecraker taped to it.

It's not as bad you're thinking so read on. We did succeed in taping a firecracker to the back of the beetle and in getting the toad, the size of a softball, to gulp it down in typical fashion. (remember the video we made of the one that ate the tarantula?) The long green fuse hung out the corner of his mouth in perfect position. He even sat still (after the third match) long enough for Eddie to light it. The fuse sparkled and smoked as we sadistically giggled and chortled our diabolic approval. I'm actually glad to say the bomb was a dud, the toad belched smoke for a half a minute and proceed to eat more June bugs and shiny green beetles...none the worse for wear. Three days later I spied a black iridescent thumb-sized toad turd on the shop floor. We dissected it to find a wadded up piece of scotch tape and half the firecracker and a piece of fuse. The moral of the story?-You might have to dig into a toad turd to find what you're looking for.

What Are You Looking At? 24x30 oil on canvas

2010-07-30T10:34:00.001-07:00

What you're really wondering is who won the tennis match on the grass court last night in stormy Tucson. Right? I will say this, the Palo Verde beetle pictured on the victor's forehead was a fitting crown. And Scott's humbling loss quickly and happily faded into the pantheon of bitter sports-defeat memories aided by the fury friendship of one of several large, golden tarantulas that were amongst the myriad witnesses. The heavens flashed their approval and rain threatened as bugs of all sizes and sorts seemed to cheer us on, each punishing serve and thunderous ground stroke, miraculously synchronized with the lighting cracks, proved, once again, that one of us was outmatched. Friendship of venomous creatures notwithstanding, my opponent ceded the match to me 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 It was a good old-fashioned shellacking, as we call it in The Old Pueblo and not a thing was hurt in the making...except for one man's pride. (I shouldn't have lost those four games!)

Robin's Egg 24x36

2010-07-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

My point? If this road sign is necessary than, it's not really necessary. Meaning, you got no business tooling around in your sedan while attempting an ascent on Mt. Everest. Actually, this is the road to my old house in the mountains in Mexico. It used to be dirt and I used to make the climb on my motorcycle and assorted VW's. Over the years it caused several flat tires a number of dumped bikes (with and without passengers) and a couple of mild situations that called for extra hands to push or pull as the circumstance warranted. It was steep but navigable. Now it's paved and I think someone got a little over-zealous with the signage. I forgot to take a shot of the cow crossing sign just down the highway. I think the same sign maker used the same amount of licence on it. The picture depicts a cow with three times the normal body length and short stubby legs...pretty cool sign. Maybe I'll steal it next time I'm down there and smuggle it back across the border.

Aaron's Rod 24x36

2010-07-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

A greenish glow inspired by the monster skies of the southwest's 2010 monsoon season. More of this to come so hang on. This can be viewed/purchased by following link at the top right of this page.

Max The (Cabbage patch) Wonder Dog 1995

2010-07-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

Here's one anecdotal perspective on the dicey dilemma that we're facing in the southwest. My niece, a lovely girl of 28, is about to have her second baby. She lives in Phoenix with her 2 year old daughter and husband Fabian. They work hard and enjoy the fruit of their labor- a little apartment and a bright and shiny SUV. They are a happy little budding family in the American southwest. There are a couple of things wrong with this picture though. They live here illegally and to that you might say "so what?, they aren't hurting anyone." etc. And of course you're right. They are hard-working stay-out-of-trouble folks. The problem is that there are "agencies" that usher them into the welfare system as soon as they arrive here. These are government-grant funded agencies specifically designed to help (give free stuff to) people in need...regardless of background etc. That is a good thing of course, where it's needed but these agencies specifically target illegal immigrants. The Latino community here is a veritable network of where and how to get free stuff from Uncle Sam. The birth will be paid for by the rest of us. One political party in particular will seek credit for the help and subsequent votes from the "poor minorities" who will feel either beholden to or dependant on the government for this "help". Still, I (you) might not have a problem with that but here's the other side of the coin.

My friend manages an art store in town. He's a guy my age and loves art, is a fine watercolor painter. A family member of his was sick, in between jobs and had no insurance. A short three day hospital stay and the small fee of $25,000 was layed to his charge. He and his wife are hard-working people too. I'm almost positive they aren't yanking down six-figure incomes and now they will have to pay for this out of their hourly wage earnings. My point isn't that we need universal health care. No, there is no money for that...and I suppose (maybe wrongly?)it would be an endless money pit of gov't.-fouled bureaucracy if it were implemented.(Just try to get something accomplished at your local Social Security Administration's office...it will make your worst experience at the DMV seem like a walk in the park with bluebirds singing in your ear) It's just that this border-state dilemma is a dicey one. The above scenarios are played out here everyday by countless thousands of hapless victims of circumstance, and has been for many years. I say, make art available to the masses and get yourself a good dog like Max, pictured above. The first candidate that runs on that platform will get my vote.

Voladores 24x36

2010-07-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

See this painting at auction here.

36x24 Superstition

2010-07-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

Back alive from ol' mejico. We were not involved in the running gun battles I had feared nor were we detained at the border for reasons that we cannot prudently discuss here. Those are the precise reasons which would have precipitated the imagined gun battles I had anticipated...and prepared for. No, our journey was graced from on high with peace and purpose and a few healthy doses of salt water and seafood soup. I have a nephew who played professional soccer on one of Mexico's big teams. He had knee surgery last year and has been out of contention since then. We took a "short" therapeutic 10 k run to prove to each other that 1, he didn't have to grab his leg and whine about it every other step like the rest of professional soccer players do and 2, that I, in spite of the giant dirt clods I kept coughing up, could stand in there and slug it out with the best of 'em. After we had proved our manhood well enough we walked arm in arm like school chums do in the foreign films you watch with an askanced eye and a quizzical look. The skies are acting quite alborotados these days and there is inspiration floating behind every cloud. Stay tuned for more from the studio...should be posting another two or three this coming week.

Wonderment, Fullness, Majestuoso

2010-06-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

Come to where the flavor is. Come to Marlboro country. Do you remember that Tv commercial? Had I looked a little more rugged and had that been a cigarette in my mouth and had the little Honda Rebel 250 been a sorrel horse than maybe the picture above would have inspired the pioneering of something great, or, the start of a bad addiction. That's me in the late 80's in Mexico going after Pancho Villa's descendants. Little did I know that the wild monsoon skies looming on my horizon would serve to inspire the paintings here pictured. Twenty two years ago I married a sweet little senorita in the small and dusty Sonoran town called Los Buidbores. We will be there precisely on our anniversary which is a first. July is not the best time of year to visit that part of the world. Can you say 130 degrees, salt in the air and malaria mosquitoes so thick you eat ten every time you breathe in? Ah, but the rainy season is upon us and the skies make it all worthwhile. Malaria is not fun, neither is dengue fever but get a taste of heaven's deluge pouring down on a dry desert land and you'll be back for more, plagues be danged. All three of these are available for sale. See link at the top right of this page.

A Marshwiggle Lives Here 24x30

2010-06-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

Huh? Wake up? What's all the commotion? I guess the US soccer team scored a point, uh, correction, they won a game. And it was a high scoring game too. USA 1 Losers 0. The headline reads something like -"Fans Can't Contain Themselves After Historic Win". Ok, one question, where did they come up with "fans" of US soccer willing to fly half way around the globe to watch a bunch of guys grab their lower leg in feigned agony every time a playmate clips them a bit (in the shin guards) in the first place? And if there is anything "historic" related to US soccer, I think the world is in more trouble than we originally thought. For all you conspiracy nuts out there, I think we have a lead on something. I normally don't weigh in on things (publicly) I got strong opinions about but not a lot of investment in. However, I sat through a professional soccer match (awake) and watched the Minnesota Kicks win some sort of title game in 1981 to the roaring ovation of a dozen or so spectators at the sixty thousand seat Met Stadium- home to many standing-room-only crowds of below zero Vikings watching a real "football" team win NFC title games where the only shin that ever even caused a limp was a compound fracture and its subsequent loss of two pints of blood that quickly froze on the late December tundra. That's why I think I have the right to offer my two pence worth. Now, I can understand how the teams that other countries field generate the kind of money and support that real US professional sports do (who really watches hockey?) but there is no way this side of the Stanley Cup that American soccer even comes close to garnering the Krugerrands necessary to send a team to the world championships. Do you have any idea how many Euros it takes to bribe FIFA officials? We're talking serious Deutschmarks here. Like Greece's financial bailout serious. Here's where the conspiracy angle takes hold. My kids have never played soccer but we have lost a number of friends to the uber-secret conspiracy that is called futball.

Music Ether 30x24

2010-06-21T06:10:00.000-07:00

I wanted to send a Fathers Day greeting to all the mothers that made it possible but the day was filled with such festive activities and fatherly duties that my goodly desire was precluded by constant distraction. Once again, a day late and a dollar short, the story of my life. This however is a nice cloud in anticipation of the upcoming monsoon season. And in honor of the season (and to show that the decision to not fill the pool this year to save money on water etc. was an exercise in futility) certain persons, (who will remain unnamed) have left the hose running all night long on two occasions generously flooding the yard and drive and basically doing their part to help replenish the southwest's dwindling aquifer. This can be purchased on-line at auction here.

Charlotte 40x30

2010-06-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

If you've ever cooked food on an engine block while tooling down the road than you're someone I'd like to talk to. No, it's not because I think that it's cool or dangerous or exceptional in any way. It's just that I'd like to swap recipes and get some ideas - pick your brain a bit, as it were. I hope to travel across the country this summer and visit some of my childhood friends and haunts and I want to do it in style. The last time I drove across America we packed into a 1980 Mercury Zephyr wagon. It was a faded yellow four speed with two hundred and seventy-five thousand miles on it. The a/c worked intermittently (On downhill glides. Something that had to do with leaky vacuum lines), but it had a new headliner and a nice stereo and could go 0-60mph in about 120 seconds! Baked beans and Dinty Moore stew were strapped down tight on top of the manifold and took about an hour to heat up real nice. I debated within myself as to whether I should punch a hole in the cans to relieve the pressure or run the risk of the whole thing exploding under the hood and making a real mess. I vacillated between the two, both options having their inherent risks. Anyway, I can't remember which method I used but we had a few hot and hearty meals at rest stops somewhere in Nebraska and Iowa. I know people who have cooked whole roasts on their engine and figure I'm game to try something like that. If you have any expertise here, feel free to send it my way. Regardless, please don't confuse this with the unfortunate experience of the family cat who, looking for warmth, slept under the hood on a cold winter's eve. I think her name was Socks. About three blocks from home she jumped through the radiator fan... to keep from getting roasted.

Carlsbad Eve 30x40

2010-06-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

Back from a week at our secret seaside getaway. I can't tell you how many times I said "Life's a beach" while overlooking the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean. It wasn't even funny the first time I said it. (well, to me it was) But my family is used to my unoriginal and stunted sense of humor. Yeah, I'm the guy who quips "People are just dying to get in there" when we drive past the cemetery...every time we drive past it. So it was that our SoCal friends Rex & Monica blessed us with a nice little beach-side villa in the quaint and cheery town of Carlsbad. I got in some good reading (Tolstoy) a little fishing and we all got our fill of splashing and surfing and drinking salt water. Who ever said "...and not a drop of it to drink."? Of course you will die if you do but then again, isn't that where we're all headed anyway? Not if the painting above has anything to say about it. No, I think this imagery is all about just sailing into the sunset with nary a thought to cloud the horizon of your tomorrow. Or maybe those clouds are an ominous sign...

Sheep & Cows Dine Out

2010-06-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what qualified me for special consideration and inclusion into the elite list. I can understand the Dr. from Ethiopia and his pleas for help to free-up some millions of dollars. I can even see how the adds for Viagra shotgun-target people like me (and you). But, to be counted among the chosen few to receive notification of the latest sale prices on forklifts, well, let's just say that's an honor I'm not really comfortable with. I get spammed about three times a week by a forklift manufacturer. What is up with that? I tell you what. As soon as I'm out of the last gross of forklifts I purchased in May,(I run through them like crazy) I'll be sure to pick up the phone and order another pile of 'em. OK?

A Satisfied Mind 30X24

2010-05-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day 2010, when contemplation is good. You might have assumed that I'm given to bouts of melancholy, strange fits of passion and frequent flights of fancy. And right you might be if not for one small caveat. I have the attention span of a multi-level marketing scheme. No, these ills are more closely associated with those who dedicate themselves to pondering overmuch about things they can't do anything about. And except maybe for the flights of fancy part, I have no real connection with the above. My internal queries are more along the line of deep questions with multiple choice answers. Sitting at my bowl of porridge this morning Eddie and I wondered aloud as we grappled with the oft-thought of but rarely voiced conundrum-"Which is worse, getting your undies in a bundle, your nickers in a knot or a bee in your bonnet?"

Cow & Yearling 18x24 LaJoya 24x18

2010-05-23T08:14:00.001-07:00

All Quiet On The Western Front. Have you read it? It's not often I revisit a book. The copy we have is old and tattered. Pages fall out in clumps, ten or twenty pages at a time. When I finished I think there were no less than ten pieces of yellowed paperback tenuously stuck together by the dried-out binding and haphazardly strewn throughout the house in various reading nooks and reclining areas. Credited as the best (?) book on war ever written it's an autobiographical styled narrative filled with gripping imagery and poignant despair. (To put it mildly) The setting is WWI trench warfare in France. I don't remember when I first saw this book. I think I read it sometime before all the kids showed up. Anyway, the re-read left an impression. If you're in need of a little sobering up than I would recommend it. If you find yourself in the middle of present-day trench warfare, then I would say this might help you through another day. Of course, as far as recommended reading goes, it's not at the level of the Psalms of David or the Proverbs of Solomon. But for the purpose of healthy contemplation, (how do you get that from poignant despair?) it's a good start.

RIP Davey The Dog 1999-2010

2010-05-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how he wormed his way into my heart. He was supposed to be the kid's dog. My years of fighting off wild dingos, desert foxes and Los Lobos in the dangerous and deadly outback of Latinamerica should have been enough to anneal my rocky hard heart against growing fond of anything canine. Alas, Davey did what all others of his kind were unable to do since my favorite childhood companion Flop, the black and white spaniel mix, died at 14 in 1980. Oh, except there was Max the great tri-colored sheltie (made Lassie look like a rebellious mongrel) and Bluey the tiger-striped Mexican dog bred for sleeping and eating tortillas and, of course there was Amy, another Mexican hybrid who was golden yellow but could not come to America (no green card) with us and a couple of others that only had half my heart in their paws. Anyway, I would like to believe that a dog is not good for much 'cept breedin' fleas and cleaning up table scraps (and fetching ducks and pheasants and shoes and balls). And believe me, I have seen some pretty mangy curs in my travels and have had enough experience with these fanged friends to know better. After all, they are only dogs and there is nothing in the world more tedious than to have to listen to people carry on about their stupid pets and all the human-like characteristics they ascribe to them. The thing is. Davey would literally cry with joy when I would return home from a long absence, his big brown eyes pooling up and melting everything in sight. That's it. That's how he wormed his way in. No more crying dogs for me. And please don't tell me about yours and how he is smarter than your kids and neighbors.

Forever 24x24 Sandman 30x24

2010-05-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

Both of these are new paintings. I built these over time with some fairly extensive glazing. There is a bit more planning involved in the process I use for these "Master Series" paintings, as I call them. I'm not trying to blow my own horn, (I'll reserve that for my more redneck pursuits.) it's just that the time involved in letting the paint dry is more reminiscent of the old Masters' style than the direct-painting approach employed by on-location (plein air) or direct painting techniques. This is how I go about making commissioned work and all the pieces that go to the galleries. These differ from my other "alla prima" paintings in a couple of ways. I usually start off with a ground of gessoe which is colored with a warm, thinned wash of something like burnt sienna or a more neutral burnt sienna/Prussian blue mix. I do this with most everything anyway but I make sure it is on the substrate for these layered paintings especially. Once I get an under painting established I build heavier and brighter layers of paint, making sure to let it dry between coats, till complete. This really does give a luminosity and depth to the image and as much as I like the spontaneity and expressiveness of alla prima work these little bad boys really glow. They are both available for a thrifty sale price in our eBay store. See link at top right of page for more viewing.

Belief Suspened 18x36

2010-05-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

There are things people ought to do, at least every once in a while, to keep themselves anchored in reality. Eating a Grand Slam breakfast at Denny’s is one of them. It’s the perfect way to stay connected to humanity and you might even gain a little insight into why some folks resort to NASCAR for entertainment. Just don’t order any sides ‘cause that $2.99 special will soon turn into an Olive Garden sized ticket if you do, thus mitigating the true benefit of the au natural Denny’s experience.
I’ve been mulling over an idea lately. A kind of anti-goal to-do list whose objective would be simply this - to keep a person honest. Of course by honest I mean down-to-earth, humble etc. Mind you, this isn’t a list of noble goals and accomplishments meant to garner praise and adulation upon successful completion. No, these would be almost the reverse of that. Ignoble and mean they would serve the purpose of taking from you any real bragging right and casting you in an oblique light that would be anything but flattering. Maybe you can come up with some of your own but here’s a few quick ideas to help you on the path to ignominy and …reality.
1) Walk around with oil paint smeared all over your face.
2) Put a bumper sticker on you car declaring your child’s bad grades.
3) Fire a shotgun in your backyard on occasion.
4) Get kicked out of the local grocery store’s dumpster.
5) Shoot your TV set (in the living room)and post the result on You Tube.
6) Kill your own food once in a while.
7) Mess with a nest of Africanized bees till your face is an unrecognizable swollen mass.
8) Sit through an entire black & white movie (in Spanish if you can handle it…no subtitles)
Does it sound like I’m speaking from experience? Well, I won’t cop to any of these but I will say that should any of them be true of you, the healing, therapeutic benefits would be undeniable and you will be the better for it…or not.(It kind of depends how far you take this)

The Marsh 18x36

2010-05-16T06:58:00.000-07:00

I'm letting this one go on auction without a reserve. Is it better than an investment in silver? Well, you must decide for yourself. I know it's a hard choice but sometimes you're on your own with these kind of difficult decisions. At some point we must all walk that lonesome, deep dark valley road alone and make up our own minds. No one else can do it for you.
A friend just forwarded a promotional you-tube add touting the benefits of silver- as in you need to buy piles of it. He must think I've got piles of priceless paintings laying scattered all over the studio here just waiting to exchange themselves for piles of bullion. Hey, wait a minute. I do have piles of paintings here. I think I'll do to them what my erstwhile uncle with the strange and impish sense of humor would do. Just change the word woman with paintings in the following lyric and you can imagine me on my merry way to the nearest silver dollar dealer. " ...feel like falling in love with the first woman I meet, put her in a wheelbarrow and wheelin' her down the street." Bob Dylan Things Have Changed
Too bad the wheelbarrow is already full of hungry kids and the grocery store is on the way to the Easy Money Market.

Solitary Man 30x30

2010-05-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

Why Some People Are So Aware of Their Surroundings That They Can Hardly Stand It. This was the title of a "news" program to be aired on NPR last week. I, for one, am so aware of the media creating and managing "news" that I can hardly stand it. Maybe a more appropriate title for a program should be, Why Our Tax Dollars Are Spent To Fund Nonsense. It seems that there is nothing better to do than for our media to report and create and twist news for the sole purpose of fomenting fear. If it's not the bird flu (two years ago) it's the swine flu (closed thousand of schools and borders), if that weren't enough you've got half the nation stirred up over Arizona's new immigration law. What they never tell you is that half (or more) of our border patrol, sheriff deputies and police officers in the state are Latino. It seems every issue is framed in terms designed to create the maximum amount of fear and hatred. I suggest that the above painting be framed with hope and love...and a nice hand-milled antique black frame made right here in my little mexed-up studio in the Arizona desert.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2010-05-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

There is a fine line between being a do-it-yourselfer and being a loser, between independence and rebellion. I suppose I have danced that blurry slim strip most of my life. It's like an old chalk line on a sandy field after a few games have been played. You're not always sure if your last hit was a superbly placed line-drive to the corner resulting in an in-the-park home run or a foul ball. Of course the independent side always has an excuse when there comes the need to fudge things a bit but it gets complicated when one needs to instruct one's own offspring. My kids are all old enough now to analyze my fish stories from a variety of angles and...my driving habits. Lucky for them they have a mother who is as true and faithful as the day is long. Not too unlike the painting pictured here. Happy mother's day to all the moms and especially to all the great men who made them mothers in the first place!

Portrait of a Field 12x24, Tree Fall 36x24

2010-05-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

"Full Luster" 24x36, "Breezy" 18x24, "A Wry Turn" 24x30

2010-05-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

Estos tres bellos paisajes fueron pintandos por el gran "Pintor de Nuves" de Ebay. Obviamente. Se ofrecen por venta de subasta. El del medio, "Breezy," se acaba en menos de dos dias. No se pierda esta oportunidad. O, si prefiera "A Wry Turn" o "Full Luster" le asegura la hija del artista, quien los a visto con sus propios ojos, que estan igual de hermosas como las fotos.

Ademas, les asegura la hija del artista, que se empacaran con todo el cuidado de una madre empacando a sus hijos. Quien sabe porque una madre empacaria a sus hijos, pero asi se hara.

Attentamente,

Guest blogger Marissa Hawkins

We now return to your regular programming.

"This Isn't Rocket Surgery" 36x24, "Three is a Magic Number" 24x18

2010-05-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

Why all the outrage? After all, if I lived in the neighborhood with the Family Food Store on the corner I'd be delighted at the handy convenience. Wouldn't you? Well, the subtitle on the signage says it all. "Snacks, cigarettes, beer, liquor". I mean, what more could our quaint little community ask for? Yes, it is a flippin' drive-through liquor store disguised as "The Family Food store"! It's on the corner of La Cholla and Ruthrauff roads, a peaceful residential area with grade schools, churches and lots of lotto ticket stubs scattered around in and amongst the prickly pear and desert scrub. Now Arizona has even more to get riled up about.

PS. The imagery described was not used as inspiration for the above paintings

Dew U C What I C? 30x24

2010-04-24T07:19:00.000-07:00

This mountain view was greeted with 40 degrees and a skiff of snow not more than a few hundred feet from the house...on the 23rd of April...in Tucson, AZ.! From time to time I hear from people interested in attending a workshop...wondering if I offer classes etc. Well, I'm thinking about hosting/teaching a painting workshop in San Diego, Ca. the first week of June...or in the fall. I'm putting feelers out now to see if there's much interest. If we can get 6-10 students for a two or three day gig I think we can make a go of it. What think ye? Let me know if a rendezvous of this sort would trip your trigger and we can begin to make plans for a smashingly good time of painting near the surf, wind in our hair and sun on our back...or something to that effect. Write to LosHawkins @ Yahoo

Encandila 30x24 Trigger Happy 18x24

2010-04-18T06:40:00.001-07:00

Rainbow Coalition 30x24 High Riser 24x18

2010-04-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

BORDER PATROL UPDATE: Well, San Luis isn't really the bleak and barren place I thought it to be. I mean, they even have a Wal-Mart! After a shorter-than-usual four hour road trip with Eddie the wonder kid (learning to drive on freeways) we were greeted with lush fields of wheat, onions and other green stuff that produced a variety of fresh and happy smells and (windows rolled down) my favorite sound in the whole wide world...the song of the meadowlark. Turns out they really did need Paco the shape-shifting man of international intrigue and loquacious linguistic abilities, to get their car back. We met with the administrative lieutenant of the San Luis police department who helpfully and efficiently released the imprisoned vehicle to us. From there we proceeded to the impound lot. Once at the lot we hatched the daring border-crashing plan. At first they wanted me to be the driver to get the car across. But it was I who engaged the tow truck owners with friendly conversation and delicately described to them our dilemma. It seems no one there (on the US side) was very intent on making anyone's life harder than it already was. These guys (we'll call them Pepe and Pedro) offered to drive the car across the last border check point for Lizeth who wouldn't be allowed to 'cause she only has a Mexican driver's license...won't work with an American car that is owned by the driver...get it? Pepe and Pedro also agreed to reduce the tow/impound fee after we discovered that Pedro's nephews were attending school in Alberto's home town (and I reminded them that the police had told us it would be less) So, after all was said and done, the car that was supposed to be released to me by the impound lot ended up being released to the friendly tow truck operator who ran the lot and I and the wonder kid just shook our heads in wide eyed amazement. We followed them a few blocks to the border as they brazenly crashed the line with happy countenance and innocent smiles all the while whistling a little tune that sounded something like a cross between the theme from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, and the Mexican Hat Dance. It might be interesting to note that all our interactions with people and even the official proceedings were conducted in Spanish. From Tucson to Yuma to San Luis, all in America, all speaking Spanish. I think it's time some of you did some serious investing in Rosetta Stone. (The In & Out Burger in Yuma was the only exception...if they would have pulled the tex-mex thing on us ...well, I did still have my .357 magnum.)