Dog Day at the Beach revisited

So I posted this painting a few weeks ago but left it out for review.  It just wasn't measuring up to the drama that I saw in the original photo so I played around with it yesterday and now I think it is done.  I have this on ebay w a start price on auction at $275.  If you want to purchase directly, for $250 let me know.

to visit this painting on ebay where you can also click to see all my other auction and buy it now paintings click here

Jesse Aycock and the back story of his amazing record.

This has nothing to do with art.... well maybe a little in that music is an art, but I thought I would share this that my son, Jesse wrote about his experience in making his wonderful record.  I might add that his dad had just gotten out of the hospital after having a heart attack and he walked out of the hospital, got in the car, and I drove him straight to the Church Studio where he would let the music heal his body and his soul :-)  It was a magical, life affirming experience for us all.  The record was amazing, beautiful, otherworldly.  

It was just another normal day in Tulsa.... I had stopped into Cheap Thrills vintage clothing to do some rummaging before heading home. On the drive back this thought of making a record kept cycling around in my head. At one point I remember thinking “do I have enough songs to make a record and who would fit the vibe best”. It came to me instantly - George Sluppick and Neal Casal with Eric Arndt ! I had known of Neal since I was first introduced to his music in middle school by my dad. I was instantly a fan and really felt a strong connection to what he was doing. I had just met George pretty recently and had been playing with Eric for awhile. I will get more into this later -

Fast forward to the early 2000’s. I had finished making my first record “life’s ladder” and released it into the world. I received a message from someone named Lex on MySpace (who is now a friend of mine) saying how much she loved the record and that she wanted to send it to her friend, Neal Casal. She also wanted to send his music to me. She thought we should know of each other and maybe one day collaborate. I told her I was honored she liked the album and that she didn’t need to send me Neals work because I already had it. It wasn’t long after that I opened an email from Neal expressing how much he loved the record Lex had sent him, and that we should play music sometime. I couldn’t believe that someone I looked up too so much actually wrote me, and liked was I was doing, and wanted to jam sometime ! I wrote back and expressed how much his letter meant, and that I loved the idea of collaborating.

Fast forward again .... Neal comes through Tulsa with the Cardinals a few years later and hits me up out of the blue. At this point we had never met face to face. I picked him up from the bus that was parked outside the Brady Theater and gave him a tour of Tulsa. He had his camera so I figured he would like to see some of the stranger parts of town and some of the landmarks. After running around a bit I wanted to bring him by to check out my record collection. In talking with him I realized we had very similar taste in music and shared the same passion / addiction of collecting vinyl. We flipped through a bunch of stuff and picked around on guitars a bit before running back to the venue.

Fast forward a few years later ....My friend Eric and I were spending a lot of time in Little Rock, AR playing with our friend Jason Weinheimer who also ran a studio. Jason mentioned that he knew this great drummer from Memphis, George Sluppick and that we should meet him. He said George was coming through that weekend and that we should come over and jam at the studio. We got in my car and drove over. As soon as we started playing together I thought this is magic. George and Eric sounded great together ! We spent the rest of that night jamming and hanging out. By the end we all agreed we should keep playing together.

Fast forward a few months later .... I get a call from George and he says “hey man guess who I’m sitting with ?” I say “who” he says “Neal Casal”. “I tried out for this band the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, and am now the drummer. We were talking about Tulsa and your name came up. Thought we would give you a call.” What a small world.

So getting back to where I started ..... I’m leaving the vintage clothing store and thinking about making a record, and who I would want involved. It came to me instantly, Neal, George and Eric. At that very moment I got a call from George who I hadn’t talked with in months. He said “hey man what you got going on ? We have some time off with the brotherhood. Wanna do some shows or make a record ?“ I couldn’t believe the cosmic forces at work. I said “ I was literally just thinking of this.” I knew Leon Russell’s old Church studio had some gear moved back in after sitting abandoned for years. I thought it would be so cool to do something in there. My friend Jason Weinheimer from Little Rock said he’d come over and run the session. George, Neal and Eric were all into it, so I started making calls and had a session booked by the end of the day. It was all falling into place perfectly. We had 10 days to make a record in one of the most vibey places on the planet. During the session we got a surprise visit from David Hidalgo who happened to be in town for an experience Hendrix tour. He was hanging out in the control room with Jason while we were tracking and we had no idea. We all came in and said hello and listened back to what we had just cut. David was sitting in this chair smoking weed out of an apple when he said “can I try something ? I have an idea” we all looked at each other and said of course ! He went in, and in one take played this insane solo that almost seemed out of place. When he came back in the control room he said “now run the tape backwards” when we listened back our jaws dropped to the ground. It’s was pure magic ! He then went back to his hotel to grab his Hidalgophone guitar for another tune we cut called “out to space”. During the session we also got a visit from the legendary Jimmy Karstein. He shared all kinds of wild stories about tracking in the church back when Leon had it, and going on the road with JJ Cale. He also played some mean maracas on a few tunes. If you wanna hear a good Karstein story find a copy of “Don Nicks Road Stories and Recipes” there’s a great one in there. There were lots of magical moments throughout the whole experience. By the end we came out with a great record called “Flowers & Wounds” and some wonderful memories.

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JESSE AYCOCK - STRANGE CLOUD

Recording of "Strange Cloud" from Jesse Aycock's "Flowers & Wounds" album at the Church Studio in Tulsa, OK (aka Leon Russell's church studio home of Shelter...

On the Shore w Dogs

This is a 16x20 oil painting done from a friend's vacation photo that she took on the east coast.  I was attracted to that interesting sky and the little figures on the expansive, reflective shore.  This painting is on auction right now on my ebay gallery but can be purchased here for $190.  To visit the painting on ebay, click here.  The startling price on auction is $145 if you want to join the fun.

recent paintings

Oklahoma Visual Artists Coalition 12x12 fundraiser SOLD AND SOLD!

These are the two paintings that we entered in the show.... The Mock Orange Blossoms by me, and the dramatic Oklahoma Sky by my favorite student, Scott Aycock.  Sold!  and Sold!

Tulsa Artist Fellowship sketching group w live model

I have been fortunate to be able to attend several sketching opportunities in Tulsa provided by the generosity of Tulsa Artist Fellowship and specifically, Cynthia Brown, one of the fellows.  I wish they would do a longer pose than 15 or 20 minutes but I guess it is good practice and I actually especially liked the results of the seated nude that I painted on a canvas that had been painted over w a greyish green/blue color.  I liked how it showed up through the flesh.  If I had had more time I might have ruined that part and tried to make it "perfect."  Either one can be purchased for $125.

Video of the painting of the portrait of Father Powers

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipM9jd4QVaMjJ3oVtWzH6iev17gmB-x70eNjDrBA

SOLD! Revisit an older painting

I think it is important to revisit paintings that haven't sold, or that you are not real excited about.  We all have them.  I do a lot of plein aire studies and then just put them away if I don't have time to take a second look in the week in which I painted them.

On my way home one day, driving through my neighborhood, I spied this relic of times gone by.  Many years ago in the 1920s, there was a huge race massacre in what is now, my neighborhood.  Houses from that time sat empty for many years as much of the neighborhood was burned to the ground in the riot by an angry white mob.  Fast forward to when we first moved into our home.  This area is several blocks away and held the remnants of once loved homes which now housed occasional vagrants.  The city decided to raze the remaining homes and make way for a university ( which never got built on the land) So now stands only the stairs and an occasional tree or flower.

This redbud caught my eye that day and I decided to paint there in the field.

I revisited it today ( about 5 years later )  Below are the before and after photos.  The painting can be purchased directly from me for $200.  9x11 oil on linen, on board.

Father Jack Powers

These are all out of order but you can see the progression below.  When I get a moment I will try to order them correctly.

Colorado Stream

If interested in purchasing, $148  contact through this website.  This was a little demo sketch that I did for our adult painting class.

Crop an oil painting? SOLD!

Well cropping usually belongs to the watercolor painters but I think I am going to use it on this painting.  This was originally a 16x20 painting of one of my 3rd cousins who was waiting to see her grandpa's boat come into the harbor in Alaska.  I loved the photo and worked from that but when I finished the painting seemed to be less and less about the little girl and that wasn't my intention so.... I cut it out of the stretchers and will crop the painting on photo shop a time or two to see what best serves the intent of the painting and then stretch it anew.  I liked her whole outfit as to me it really says " I live in Alaska."  But I may loose the little boots to cropping.  Haven't decided yet.

Brook at Chickasaw National Park Oklahoma

This is a plein aire painting that I painted at the Chickasaw National Park in Oklahoma.  Crystal clear, spring fed brook.  So pretty.  It is 8x10 and can be purchased for $200

Wild Fork Show

I always jump at any chance to hang work at Wild Fork in Utica Square.  I will have a show running from mid July through Mid September.  I am working to get everything framed right now and should have everything hung for the 15th opening.  The food is always great, the atmosphere is wonderful, as is the service. 

Moonlight Rodeo 16x20 $800

I live near the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa where they house a lot of the famous old paintings of the west.  Some of my favorites have been the night paintings.  I love how they painted a white horse, green or blue and that is exactly what a white horse looks like in the dark!  Anyways I found a rodeo that was going on near our house and decided to snap a few photos and try my hand at a night painting of my own.  I really liked the way it turned out.  You can see this painting on my ebay site ( where you can bid or purchase this or many other paintings. http://www.ebay.com/itm/173945412621
or better yet make a direct purchase here.  It is $800 on ebay.

Class Still Life

I have this on auction this week on my ebay site starting at $99.  If anyone wishes to purchase it directly from me ( and there are no bids ) I would be happy to sell it at that price.  It is a class demo that I did a couple weeks ago in my adult class.  I think the size is 11x14.  If interested please drop me a line and I will send a request through paypal for pmnt.  

It will be on ebay till tomorrow http://www.ebay.com/itm/173929037389

You can click to visit and see the other items I have on auction this week.

This week's Project Big Sky

Our assignment for the last couple weeks was to paint a painting whose main feature is a dramatic sky.  This is my take on the subject.  It is on my ebay auction this week.  If you want to visit my ebay gallery, click here.  If you wish to purchase anything you see there, consider contacting me through blogger and I can lower the price slightly as I won't have to pay ebay fees and would be happy to share the savings with you.

Persimmons against a blue sky

This painting won entry into a recent Plein Aire Exhibition here in Tulsa.  I really enjoyed painting outside on this cool fall day and was glad that there were a few spots of color left.  One had to look up to see it though.
This is listed at $395 on my ebay galler but those wishing to purchase directly from me may do so for $350.  To see other paintings on my ebay site, you may click here.  Feel free to contact me through blogpot if you wish to make a purchase outside of ebay as I can lower the price slightly here as there are no fees that I incur on blogspot.

Yellow Tree and receeding Storm SOLD!

You are invited!

And now for something completely different.... Disaster Averted

                It takes a lot to get me into that chair.  The promise of laughing gas has helped throughout my adult years.  Childhood dental trauma has me stressed and worried weeks before my appointment for a simple checkup and cleaning

This day I arrive early, as is my nature.  After all who wants to piss of their dentist?  My hands already clammy, and my body tingly,  I check in, and find a spot in the tiny waiting room.  I know the office is designed to create an atmosphere of calm, complete with ambient instrumental music, low lighting, comfortable furniture, a mini waterfall, and an essential oil diffuser that releases calming scents into the air, yet still I am anxious.   

                There are three others quietly looking at magazines and cell phones.  No one else appears to be the least bit nervous.  This is how adults are supposed to be, I think. 

I reach for the magazines and pull one from the pile.  ‘What is Killing These Girl Scouts?’ the headline reads.  I am drawn into the mystery.  As I read the tales of the now grown up Girl Scouts, who all have cancer, it sparks a distant memory of my own experience at summer camp with the Girl Scouts when I was a child. 

I remember that we used lake water, sand, and pebbles to scrub our pots, pans, and plates.  We boiled lake water to rinse them and hung them to dry in our individual mesh bags.  Later, each sporting their own home made ‘sit-upon,’ we gathered to sing songs, eat s’mores, and tell stories around the camp fire.  But the most memorable thing about our weekend at camp was seeing strange fish and ducks.  I remember telling my mother that there was a fish with two tails, one with a bent back, and a duck with a foot growing out if its back.  This was to be my first, and my last Girl Scout camp out as our family’s’ three year stint in that town had ended, and we moved on. 

                The article relayed story after chilling story of women experiencing cancers of the reproductive organs, and went on to say that there was an alarming rate of men who were dying of brain cancers. The author described the idyllic little town, and the nearby lake that housed the Girl Scout camp.  The lake, she said, had been built next to reclaimed land that had once been a toxic waste dump belonging to a now defunct chemical company.  The men and women of the town, who ironically were all around my age, had been fighting to find answers to the questions of whose negligence was responsible for their pain, and who would help them as they fought their own personal battles with cancer, and their desire to protect future townspeople from the still present menace. 

                I was reminded of the strange and awful smell whenever the wind shifted our way.  Not knowing its source I remember my parents joking that there must be a city sewer nearby. 

                The name of the town was shared at the end of the article, and as I was beginning to suspect, it was the town where my family lived for three years of my childhood. 

The stories left me frustrated, and sad for all those sweet little girls,  their husbands, and children, but grateful that I had never had cancer. 

                Disaster averted……

                I had a moment in the quiet of the waiting room to take it all in when the door opened, and the hygienist, clip board in hand, called my name.

Art of Healing at Hillcrest

As Hillcrest celebrates 100 years in Tulsa, I am revisiting some of my own work there.  This was one of my favorite patients.  We really got to know each other as she was with me for many weeks.  For someone confined to a bed for weeks on end, she always surprised me with her upbeat attitude and willingness to find a positive focus for each day.  There was a happy ending to her story.  :-)  You may always make a donation to the future of this program through ahha with a memo that funds should be applied to the Art of Healing program.

06Aug

Breathing New Life into the Art of Healing

Some mothers come to the hospital weeks and even months before their baby’s due date. Hearing the whoosh of the baby’s heart beat from the fetal heart monitor can be welcome news that everything is OK. It also serves as a continuous reminder of why they are here.  “A lot of people – before I came to the hospital – said, ‘You really have to go to the hospital for two months?’” says AuraBelle “Belle” Laskey.  “And I said, ‘Where would you be – I’m sorry (fighting back tears) - if the doctor tells you that you have a 50 percent chance of losing your babies after 24 weeks. There was no thought to it.” Belle sits among a table of three other expecting mothers, telling her story as she slides shiny pink beads onto a brass wire. “I’m having identical twin girls and they are monoamniotic, which means they share one sack. It is rare. Only one percent of identical twins share a sack.”

Making two dainty pink bracelets for her daughters, Aessiah and Aurbany, whose ultrasound images are taped to her hospital refrigerator, Belle is able to take her mind off the heart monitors and onto her jewelry design. She has scheduled her 30-minute break from continuous monitoring for the art cart – a time patients on the Peggy V. Helmerich Women’s Health Center high-risk floor gather with an artist to make jewelry and crafts. It is possible through a program called Art of Healing. For a few moments, Belle doesn’t have to think about her babies’ movement, heart rates and if their umbilical cords might tangle. It gives her time to unwind and recharge. “I try to be patient and content,” she says of spending more than 20 hours a day in her hospital bed. “The nurses are surprised that I’m so patient, because I’m in that bed so much, but what else can you do? This is where I have to be.”

“These women have absolutely no outlet,” shares Margee Aycock, an artist and member of the Art of Healing team since the conception of the program in 2002. “With all the studies they’ve done on how a mom going through stressful times and depression can affect the infant and on into adult life, I just really thought it was important that there is some sort of outlet.” Margee wheels her art cart onto the high-risk floor every Monday and Wednesday at 1:30 in the afternoon. She often walks into the room to familiar faces, as mothers are hospitalized several weeks to months during their pregnancies. They schedule ultrasounds and breaks from monitoring and bed rest around this valuable time. “It is a job where everybody likes to be here. They have very fond memories of this place. They tell me, ‘You coming is the only thing I look forward to all week.’”

A lifelong artist, Margee says art revitalizes her spirit. “Something about art feeds my soul, brings me happiness and relieves my stress.” Not only does she love what she does, Margee has countless stories of the impact this program has had on patients. “I have seen how it has calmed patients - reduced their anxiety and pain.” When budgets for the program are tight, Margee has even volunteered her time, knowing what it means to the patients.

History of Art of Healing

Originally a gift from the James D. Harvey Foundation at Hillcrest, Art of Healing began with a small committee of interested employees, physicians and senior staff in partnership with the Art & Humanities Council of Tulsa (AHHA). “AHHA has provided Hillcrest Medical Center with trained artists and musicians that serve our patients and family members by incorporating the arts into their health care,” explains Art of Healing committee leader and Administrative Director of Cardiovascular Services at Oklahoma Heart Institute, Nat Torkelson, MS, RN. “At its peak, we had a program coordinator, several artists-in-residence who served clinical areas in the hospital, as well as numerous visual arts activities in the hospital throughout the year.” Nat says it would not be uncommon to walk into the lobby of the hospital and hear the strumming of a harp or catch a dance performance or poetry reading. There were even occasional care-for-the caregiver sessions for staff – one of which was called a drumming circle that served as stress relief.

“The idea behind the inclusion of the arts in the hospital, a nation-wide movement to enhance the patient care experience, is to lift spirits, reduce boredom and lessen anxiety; studies have even shown that integrating art into the care of the patient can reduce the need for pain medication,” Nat adds.

Studies on Arts as Healing

The arts are healing, research has found. From recovering from disease, to reducing stress, anxiety and even the need for less pain medication, music, painting and creating art have both mental and physical benefits. For example, music may be one of the first arts we are introduced to as a baby listening to nursery rhymes. It is also one of the last things some experts believe those with Alzheimer’s disease let go of when severe memory loss sets in. When we sing, researchers say, a natural pain-killer substance is released. Singing also builds trust and bonding by releasing hormones. From a molecular level, just listening to music boosts our immune system.

“I truly believe that integrating the arts into a patient’s hospitalization is a unique way to enhance the care we offer our patients and families at Hillcrest,” Nat shares. “Hearing and reading comments from patients that the artists serve are compelling reminders of how important this ‘little program’ has been to the patients that have been touched.”

Some of those comments include:

“This program is a very effective and intriguing way for families to cope with the stressful waiting of surgery. It was a great escape from our thoughts and concerns about our dad’s procedures. Thanks!”

From a Kaiser Rehabilitation Center therapist: “This is the most this patient has spoken since he came here.”

“This is the best thing that has happened to me while in the hospital. This raised my spirits – I have been so depressed.”

Revitalization of Art of Healing

Nat says Art of Healing is not only close to her heart with more than 40 years of nursing experience at Hillcrest, it is part of who she is. “I grew up in a family in which music was a big part of our lives,” she says. Her mother was a professional pianist and organist, her father played both as well as the accordion. Nat chose the violin, while her sisters played cello and piano. “My mother spent her life volunteering and would tote us along to the nursing home to visit shut-ins and play music for them. I still recall seeing faces light up; some residents would get up and dance or in their chairs. I saw how music would lift their spirits.” The connection to the arts from her childhood has stayed with Nat throughout her life and fuels her passion behind not only keeping Art of Healing at Hillcrest, but ensuring its prosperity. “I would love to see us get back to the level we were headed 10 years ago.”

As part of her vision, “special activities planned monthly, artists in several locations every week, new patient populations served such as oncology patients who are in isolation for long periods of time undergoing treatment,” Nat would also like to bring the program to heart failure clinic patients and others.

To fund that goal, Nat has enlisted the help of a committee consisting of physicians, nurse management and other Hillcrest employees to garner hospital-wide support and fundraising. Events have been held throughout the year including the sale of Art of Healing t-shirts and a popular sundae sale, with more planned this year. Total fundraising to date nears $10,000 from funds raised and matched by Hillcrest leadership. Plus, all money raised is a tax-deductible donation through the partnership with AHHA, a non-profit organization. “While this is wonderful, we are trying to at least double that amount for our artists to be able to serve patients and families in many areas throughout the hospital, and also provide music occasionally in our lobbies and waiting rooms,” Nat adds. “The opportunities are endless.”

Funding the program makes possible the days Belle gets to temporarily leave the confines of her hospital room and walk into the art room to talk, create and think about something other than the day-to-day survival of her unborn twins. “This is very therapeutic for me,” she shares. 

Contributions to the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa may be designated to support the Art of Healing program at Hillcrest

16x20 and 20x24 paintings for sale

I am keeping less paintings on my ebay gallery these days and moving some to etsy and some to my blog here.  You may always contact me here if you are interested in purchasing a painting from me or having one commissioned.  Here is just a small sample of the 16x20 and 20x24 paintings available for sale at the moment.

Flowering Hemp SOLD!

Flowering Yellow Hemp original 8x10 oil painting.  This painting was a 2nd place winner in a regional Plein Aire Painting Competition last fall.  It was raining the day I painted this and decided that since it was raining, I would find something close to home to paint and ended up in the little Montessori school around the block where  neighbors had built an amazing permaculture garden for students.  This is a very tall, ( over my head nearly) flowering hemp which was to be tilled into the soil to build nutrients into the earth.  Meanwhile we got to enjoy the beauty.

To bid, Click Here or contact me for purchase.  Bidding starts at $175 with no reserve, or purchase directly w/o competition for $250

Commission portrait, Father Steve Mckee from Trinity Episcopal Tulsa

I thought I would share the process of this painting that I was asked to do.  Many long term priests have had their portraits made and hung in the great hall upon their retirement.  I was honored to be asked to do one of my favorite bridge partners, and retiring priest, Steve McKee.  He supplied a photo from which to work ( after asking him to retake the first one which, although I loved the idea, it was very blurry)  I also took my own photo of a window that was installed on his watch, and a candle burning, which actually I used the real candle to get a better rendition of one.  This is nearly finished but not quite.  I must say that it was really fun to capture that unusual lighting and working with breaking a couple of painting rules... with more than one light source but I liked how this portrait is so different from the stiff, seated portraits of the other priests.  I really liked Steve's artistic suggestion and I liked that it tells a little story with the obvious darkness and light metaphor and I decided to include a suggestion of the stained glass window behind him that was created after an entire family from our church perished in a plane accident.