MIKEYZART on ETSY is now OPEN!!!

Thanks to encouragement from my pal Michael Sheridan, I have opened my shop MIKEYZART on ETSY for my artwork.
I'm starting with a couple prints from my catalog, which has exploded in size over the last year!!!
Take a look, and keep coming back... I'll be adding content regularly!
Click the banner below, or the link at the bottom:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/mikeyzart

A Riot of Red!

One of the pieces I had time to work on over the past few months is The Musketeer. 

Though it has been several weeks since I worked on the piece, I wanted to share a few fun aspects of this painting and its progress.
I was able to develop several areas that were giving me a hard time, and make a few key decisions about the piece. Unfortunately, I kinda mucked up the hues on the face, but that will not be too difficult to fix. (I shoulda left well enough alone! LOL)

Here is a close-up shot (kinda blurry!) of what I like to call "A Riot of Red"...!

Closeup of The Musketeer "A Riot of Red"

A few years ago, my (then) boss Dino Casterline took the gang to the Orlando Art Museum to see the Norman Rockwell exhibit. I was in awe. I had only seen reproductions of the pieces in print. I had always liked Rockwell's work... but the original paintings were a whole 'nother experience altogether. 

One piece that caught my attention was the painting Checkers showing a group of circus performers backstage.  The reds he created in the fabric of the ringmasters coat really caught me. I thought I knew the color "red", but could not believe how "red" the color red could be! 

At that moment I knew that one day, I would attempt to create reds in a painting that had that "red"-ness. And so here I was, with this beautiful musketeer costume, and the red satin of the cloak staring me in the face. I said to myself "Self... now is the time!" 

And what fun it has been! I have used many different reds, purples and browns, in adjacent swaths of paint and combined in layers. I never fully realized  how many variations of red I could employ in one section of a painting... until now!

This has turned out to be one of those 'long term paintings' that presents many unique challenges and opportunities for learning. I have repainted several areas - some more than once. I enjoy setting it aside and letting it 'percolate' in my brain, then coming back to it a while later. 

I'll be posting more from this painting as it progresses. 

S.P.0.G_Space Pug Zero Gravity

My entry in the 99 Pieces of Art show at Access Gallery:

S.P.0.G. - Space Pug Zero Gravity

The show raises money for VSA.
http://www.artdistrictonsantafe.com/events/99-pieces-of-art-on-the-wall-fundraiser
http://www.examiner.com/article/vsa-hosts-annual-99-pieces-of-art-on-the-wall

Thanks to Carrie MaKenna for the text reminding me that the pieces were due... ;)

Online operations resume at chateau MIKEYZART...

Being offline for the last few months has allowed me time - undistracted time - to get a lot done. Thanks to my agent, the gallery, and a few other happy circumstances, the past year has been without a doubt the most productive of my life. But I reached a point where not having unrestricted internet access was preventing me from making forward progress in many areas. And one day, a fellow came a-knocking on the door to tell me about the new fiber-optics installation in our area. It seemed there was a confluence of forces coming together that sounded something like this: "Hey, you! Get your *** back online!"

One of the problems with being offline for any length of time is getting your system up-to-date when you re-establish internet access. *sheesh!* This has been a grueling process, but I am getting up and running one small step at a time. The first step was to get the proper updates to be able to access - and utilize - my Outlook, Facebook, and Blogger pages. That being accomplished, I can now at least move forward.

I have many new and exciting news items, photos, projects, anecdotes and quips to post to the blog, and I am excited to finally be able to keep up with my friends, family, and peers.

So fear not, weary traveler... good tidings are ahead!

YAY!

FINALLY, I have internet service at home again!
(It only took CenturyLink about a month to get the service installed, but let's not dwell on that...
LOL

ACK! Grrr..!

Well, this laptop is not cooperating at ALL. It simply refuses to connect to any network at all, it matters not where or when.
*sigh*
I have loads of photos to post, but I guess they will have to wait until I get this 'situation' sorted out.
:(
So much to do... so much to do...

In the meantime, take a look at the dog I posted last week. ;)

Mikey's BACK!

Howdy boys and girls! Mikey (that's me) is back!

After a self-imposed Internet sabbatical, I am back – to a self-imposed, limited-internet, diet.

For the near future, I plan only to access the internet on a weekly basis. To quote about a dozen of my favorite action/adventure movies: “Remember – short, controlled bursts.”

The sabbatical has paid off big time. It has allowed me to focus more of my energy where it has been needed. The result has been a year of excitement, adventure and fulfillment.

And what a year it has been! So much has changed, and so much has been accomplished.

I have weathered storms and basked in sunshine. I have steadied some turbulent waters and rode some exciting roller-coaster s! All the while, I have been inspired, productive, and thoroughly enjoying myself.

I have lost 1 band, a longtime friend, and 3 computers; I have been reunited with almost all of my guitars and many of my longtime friends; I have played pirate in the desert and rolled the dice; I have been applauded, condemned, kissed and kicked; I have discovered new friendships; I have found support and inspiration, joy and exasperation; I have achieved many long-term goals and found new directions; I've gone out on a limb and put it all on the line – more than once, and in many ways!

I have done some soul-searching and made some tough choices; I've focused my introspection on becoming more connected with who I am and what makes me happy. I have come into my own as a creative force, and I have found my voice, as an artist and as a musician. And I am confident that where I am in the world and in my life is exactly where I should be.

I have completed some major projects, and entered some interesting competitions. 

And along the way, I have created a solid metric TON of artwork! I am organizing the files to post when I pop in to say hello.

I have created this giant snowball, and I'm ready to ROLL IT!!! :)

Stay tuned for tales and anecdotes, photos, posts, links and more.

Peace and love -

Mikey

[A dog.]

MORE progress on FABLE cover and interior art

Another meeting with the authors, and more progress.

The map - in progress...

Progress on FABLE cover

I met with authors Lisa Fender and Toni Burns to go over cover art, title typography and other details for the cover of "Fable - book 1 of the Lorn Prophecy."
I had narrowed the choices of title fonts down from hundreds, and created title treatments for several dozen. I narrowed that down to about 2-3 dozen, with about 4 or 5 top contenders to present to the authors.
I was pleasantly surprised when they picked my favorite for the title type. In fact, their 'top 3' was identical to my 'top 3.'

As a teaser... here's a preview of the top 3:


...here's the front cover illustration:

...and here's the interior map, before adding text:

my entry in the Spectrum 20 Fantastic Art competition

Here is my entry - the cover illustration for "Fable"...


...and here it is in the competition!!!...

I saw the photo and thought, "wait a minute... is that it?" Sure enough, I zoomed in and THERE IT IS!
Wow, there were a LOT of entries in this year's competition!
I wish the best for all the entrants... Can't wait to see the results, and the annual book... it's bound to be FANTASTIC!
:)