Thursday August 26 2010

My mood is changing for the better.  Thanks to those who wished me well. I feel a new sense of excitement about my work and will be posting new offerings soon .... The summer has been a good one of renewal. I will be going to local beaches and city locations for inspiration on new pieces. In October, I will be going the Laguna Beach, CA to their 12th Annual Plein Air Invitational. Just being around, and interacting with, so mnay fine artists gets the juices flowing.


Saturday June 19, 2010  ....

Beyond the artisitc content, I've decided to get personal in this blog ...why not, it's my blog on my website ..... I thought I'd level with anyone who looks far enough into this website to find this. I invite comments and I've decided to be posting more regularly here. This past year has been a difficult one for me. My "day job" is Elementary level substitute teaching. That has been very rough the way CA school budgets have been affected by the 2008/09 economic meltdown.

However, I have been subject to medical problems much of my adult life which is why I have gravitated towards the arts both fine art and poetry for expression. My problems have centered around depression and anxiety/panic syndrome. I'm not whining or complaining, or thinking myself unique, as everyone has their problems, many much worse than mine, but I have lived a very "interesting" life that has been a mixture of  highs and deep lows. It both helps and hinders my art. 

For a couple of months I've been in an 'artistic block' phase. I am off from teaching for the summer starting today June 19 ... I may or may not be working on, and offering, new work ... I feel if I do, it will be more Post Impressionistic or semi Abstract type work, like the my charcoal "Dissolution"  that is on this site ....  that may fit my mood these days, we will see. This entry is also intended to partly explain why my website has not had much new art offered lately.

Again I will be posting personal and artisitc struggles on this thread more frequently.   ...... Jesse



Tuesday July 20,  2010

I am still in a artist's block mode. I have some ideas of what I want to do, but no clear current vision. My several months of a long depression has lifted somewhat, as I am off sub teaching for the summer. I am grateful for that. However, I just learned one of my very best friends from my late teen years died at age 57 yesterday from a heart attack. That does not help me move forward creatively, but puts a new urgency to sieze onto life. I want to get important artwork done before my 'end game' comes ....   - Jesse

The Juices                        August 21, 2000 

It’s time to grab,
my charcoal
and start to scratch.

seminal moment,
when the skull is
almost ready to hatch.

Creative
vision comes out of
my head and
to my arm.

Then
to the fingers
move.

the charm
of light
glistens,

And all
listening eyes
search
that message.

That
speaks
of inner truth,

but does not
shout
so clearly, so

as to,
pinch out
response.

That was
not waiting
to be born. 



 Late in the Night      September 26 2009



Late in the night,
when all the little voices
are stronger
and dance,
not droned out,
to the daylight
of silence

 

I find myself
ponder,
what plead become
of us - or me,
or what
will we ever
disown,
to make things
brew rightly,
or do
we cause our own
rightly,
past
sullen eery
sight … (I think too much).

Leave
the voices
still,
to chatter
among
themselves.

While take
we,
daring steps
outside
to absolve
our past weakness,

eagerly devise 
an essence
past wonder
or ponder
worry, or fret.

where
no one 
whispers
our primal
pivot,

but ourselves. 

.

 William Wendt at Laguna Beach Art Museum - December 28, 2008 

On Sunday December 27 I traveled to Laguna Beach with a friend to see the William Wendt paintings exhibit. In a word it was wonderful. The entire main floor galleries were filled with large important works by Mr. Wendt, who is one of the foremost masters of California Impressionism. It was a great show. A book was published of this exhibition, I'm going to try to get a copy. 

John Moran Auction  -  October 13, 2009


My high school friend Johnny Rodriguez and I attended the October 13, 2009 John Moran - California and American Art Auction on a cool rainy night in Pasadena, CA . The economic recession is still having quite and effect on fine art prices. Most of the lots went for below the low end estimate. I kept shaking my head, and wishing I had more than an artist's bank account to bid with.

Of note were two Maurice Brauns Lot 68 a 14x14.25 oil  and Lot 113 a 20x24 oil masterpiece, which sold at $5,500 and $19,000 respectively. Prices for very nice Brauns, not seen in years. Lot 147 a very nice Jack Wilkinson Smith 16x20  High Sierra oil solf for $8500. Lot 180 a wonderful Ritchie Benson 26x36 watercolor of tidelands sold for $1,150 well below market for this fine artist. As I say I wish I had unchecked funds, as these paintings were just the tip of the iceberg, and there were bargains galore. The signature piece of the show, a 30x40 Granville Redmond masterpiece sold for $450,000 just under low estimate, but still a price which brought excitement and applause after the gavel. The John Moran three times a year California and American Painting Auction in Pasadena is always well worth the effort to attend. 




John Moran Auction  -  June 23, 2009

Tuesday June 23rd,  I attended the John Moran Auction in Pasadena, CA . Again I stayed at the Saga Motel on historic Colorado Blvd.which is a very nice place to stay. It was warm weather but I did not go in theri pool as planned. The auction itself was very nice, but the effect on art sales due to our economic recession/depression was evident. Prices have come down and the Auction offered only 157 Lots as compared to the ususal 250 or so.

Highlights of the show for me included a very nice 25x30 Sam Hyde Harris hazy southern California moutain landscape which sold $17,000 at gavel. There was also a very nice 12x16 Hanson Puthuff  "Grand Canyon Vista" sold for $25,000 which was a good price. I always love looking at the wonderful art offered  in the California and American Art John Moran Auctions they have in February, June and October. 



John Moran Auction - February 17, 2009


I attended the John Moran California and American Art Auction in Pasadena, CA on Tuesday February 17, 2009. There were many very nice lots for sale in this auction. Look in my links section for a link to the John Moran website. Click on Fine Art to view an online catalogue.

Because of the current economic distress, there were many paintings to be bid on for very good prices. Of note were very fine paintings by California masters Guy Rose and William Wendt that sold at very reasonalbe prices in my opinion. One Anna Hills 10x14 Laguna Beach seascape sold for just a touch over $3000, very good painting for the money. An early, qualitiy, 10x14 Sam Hyde Harris painting, "Newport Beach", sold at a 'buyer's price' of $3700.

In any case,  I enjoyed my overnight stay at the Saga Motor Hotel on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena very much. I am looking forward to the June 23, 2009 auction and another nice stay in Pasadena. Next time I plan to bring my swim trunks to have a dip in the Saga's pool ... it was tempting this time, but a bit chilly this time around.

This was my first stay at the Saga Motor Hotel and I highly recommend it for those visiting Pasadena, CA. The Huntington Library and Museum, the Norton Simon Art Museum, many cafes, art galleries, the playhouse district, are all nearby.

John Moran Auction  - October 21,  2008  Pasadena, CA

I attended the John Moran Auction in Pasadena, CA.  John Moran Auctions has a California and American Art Auction three times a year. These usually take place in the Pasadena Convention Center on Green Sreet in February, June, and October. I have been attending for several years now. I always find many pieces that nearly take my breath away. This time among my favorites were Anna A Hills "Fairy Woods" oil,  Benjamin Brown's watercolor of "Hillside Eucalyptus,Poppies,and Lupine" (that sold for several times it's auction estimate ... it was exquisite).  Other favorites were two Paul Lauritz paintings of Catalina Island , Birger Sandzen's lively watercolor of  "River, Estes Park Colorado" , Sam Hyde Harris' oil "Newport Beach" ,  plus several oils by Dana Bartlett, oils by Hanson Puthuff, Edgar Payne and Paul Grimm. If you are going to be in the Los Angeles/Pasadena area check out this wonderful Auction at their website:  www.johnmoran.com . 

11th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Invitational - October 2009
 

On the weekend of October 16 to 18th 2009, I traveled to Laguna Beach, CA to attend the Plein Air Invitational. Highlights of the weekend included the Saturday morning "quick draw" in which the 50 artists invited all had two hours to paint a piece on the beach or in Heisler Park overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Fog rolled in while they were painting, demonstrating what plein air arttists sometimes contend with while trying to capture a scene quickly in changing light and weather ... After the quick draw, they immeduiately had a silent Auction of those works in the Laguna Art Museum. I won an 8x10 painted by California Artist Jennifer McChristian titled "Moring Dew".

Saturday night was a Reception Soiree at the Laguina Beach Art Museum. It was a fun night of art and interesting conversation and a good opportunity to meet these talented artists in person. Artists John Cosby, John Budicin and Bryan Mark Taylor won awards for their participation. It is very inspiring to be among the artists. It makes me want to work all the harder on my own art.






10th Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational - October 2008



I attended the 10th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational. 50 noted artists from around America. The highlight of event for me was the Saturday paint out on Main Beach and Heisler Park from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. It was amazing to watch the artists create such beautiful paintings in such a short time. The pieces were framed and made available for sale in the Laguna Beach Art Museum. I met several of the invited artists and was very inspired to continue in my art career with the friendliness displayed at this very fun event. 
     Of the 50 artists invited to the event, I especially enjoyed interacting with Scott Lloyd Anderson of Minnesota, Doug Martin of Colorado, Greg Scheibel of Montana, John Burton, Kimberly Lordier, Michael Obermeyer, Ray and Peggy Kroll- Roberts (who have a lovely new gallery in Laguna Beach) of California. I also want to acknowledge the friendliness of artist Jennifer McChristian (and her boyfriend) of California, with whom I shared a nice fireside chat, as we happen to have stayed at the same motel .
     I am already looking forward to next year's event.

 

Ken Auster Workshop  August 7 - 11, 2008  Laguna Beach, CA


I spent 4 nights and 5 days in Laguna Beach at the Hotel Laguna. Highlights included attending artist Ken Auster's workshop, and discovering it was the monthly Thursday Night Art Walk Aug 7. I got to see Early California Art by many of my favorite artists at DeRu's Fine Arts, The Redfern Gallery, and the Bluebird Gallery among others.  Edgar Payne, Jack Wilkinson Smith, William Wendt, Anna Hills, Marion Wachtel, Sam Hyde Harris, the list went on and on .... who could ask for more? Starting from the early 1900s, Laguna Beach is still one of the premier art colonies of California. As for the Laguna Beach artist Ken Auster, view his website at:   www.kenauster.com .  He is a wonderfully creative artist, and I enjoyed my second 3 day workshop with him very much.