"Satisfaction"
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I know this old guy who's always saying "I love work.  I could watch it all day long."  I kind of think that in this day and age, an information age when most of us go to an office and push ones and zeros around a screen all day long, many have forgotten what true labor is.  When it comes to actual labor, the kind where you get your hands dirty, dust is stuck to your sweat and you sleep well at night, that it's  become something of the past.  I'm a firm believer in the cleansing effects of work that makes you sweat and appreciate the opportunity I have every once in a while of stepping away from the canvas to do something dirty.
     A couple of hundred years ago art made a shift where artists started painting fewer of the aristocracy and choosing to paint the "noble peasant or farmer".  I don't know if the peasant felt all that noble but the people buying the art definitely had a way of romanticising the peasants role in society.
     I think it is much the same today.  Few enough people labor for a living that the idea or memory of labor can often generate feelings of nostalgia for a bygone era.  What does it mean?  I don't know.
    But in an effort to remind myself that there still are people who work hard and sleep without the use of medication I'm going to paint a dozen or so pieces dedicated to those "noble" few.
     So,  why the teacher?  My wife, Kay, teaches first grade and she insists that nobody works harder then she and her compatriots, and she insisted I do a teacher first.  And who am I to say she doesn't.  However, the next piece will probably be a coal miner.

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      A few years ago our town's veteran's memorial had fallen into disrepair and was also so heavily vandalized that the city finally dismantled it.  Efforts were made to raise money for a new memorial but there wasn't enough cash raised to do anything of significance so the project kind of fizzled.  A friend and I finally went to the city and recommended painting a memorial; something we could do for a tiny fraction of the price of actual sculpture.  The city was very supportive of the idea and gave us this wall  on what was originally the National Guard Armory and is currently the city's rec. center at the center of town.

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      This is what we produced for them.  There were seven large "windows" in which we decided to paint a tromp-loei' sculpture of 1 soldier from each of the conflicts that our city had men involved in. We chose to paint the entire thing with automotive paint because of it's light fastness, or, ability to keep from fading in the sun, especially as it's on a south facing wall.  It took about a month and was a very rewarding experience.  We'd usually get started pretty early in the morning to stay ahead of the heat of the day, a time when many old veterans would be out for their morning walks.  Over the first few days they would walk by and look at what we were doing rather dubiously.  I think they were disappointed in the communities efforts to do anything real in memory of their sacrifice.  But as it began to take real shape they would stop and take a longer look, chat with other old soldiers about it, and as it began to reach its finished state they clearly became very pleased with the result and were very vocal with us about their great satisfaction with the project some of them even tearing up as they expressed their gratitude for the beautiful dedication.  It is one of the projects that has brought me the most satisfaction, though it was almost entirely donated, and something I think my dad, a vet himself, would have been immensely pleased with.

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Everything you see is painted.

WWII Soldier Detail
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Blackhawk War Militiaman.
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Corporate Set Design

Take a look at the corporate set that we designed for ADP in Salt Lake City. Their management team wanted a set that would transport their employees to a restful, verdant place; even chase away the winter blues. They wanted a space at their facility, that the team members would look forward to visiting. They loved what we designed, constructed and installed. We would love to hear your thoughts abut this project. Jason

This was the cafeteria at ADP before we painted it.  They described what they wanted to do as far making the environment more inviting, especially to a group who spend most of their day in cubicles.

I got on the computer and designed different knots based on reference from nature. 

This was the photoshopped version I sent ADP to explain what I would try and do.

And this is the finished tree...that is to say, one of them.   All the other pictures I took of the room are corrupted.   I'll have to get a few more the next time I'm in Salt Lake.

Well, I'm finally going to finish up this Wasatch High Principle series I started last year and have an appointment to photograph the last and current principle tomorrow.  It's been kind of tough.  The reference was much less than adequate, most of the photos being about an inch and a half big out of

80 year old yearbooks.  Most of them were lit directly from the front which makes the subject appear all but completely flat which required me to take a few liberties while trying to come up with a decent likeness.  While I really struggled with some, there were others that went smoothly and turned out really well.  Especially considering that, for the price, (which I'm embarrassed about) I could only afford to spend a 2-3 days apiece on them. Here's a few...

This one was the first I did in which I established the color pallet I intended to use throughout the series.    I wanted it to be consistent so that even though they look different they will still go together because the same limited colors were used in each one.

With only 2 exceptions all the reference was black and white
so I spent a lot of time guessing at the flesh tones.

This was principal Vanwagoner, a firm and not handsome man.

this was his reference- a 2"x3" yearbook photo.

This was my principal back in 1991-Brad Kendal
I was the kind of student that wouldn't have necessitated  him having to even know my name.

You can see i placed his face in shadow for interest sake.  Does it work? eh.

This was Dr. Larson.  It's unfortunate this was the only suit we had reference of.

This was a tough one because his photo was so old and washed out I don't know if it looks anything like the guy.

I love how this early principals eyes turned out.

Maybe it's the garish colors but I love this one.

I think he's better looking in the painting.

Interesting note: the undercoat and background of all these is made up of the same two colors:transparent oxide brown and sap green in different ratios.  Some like the "garish" painting above have mostly the brown and less green, others like the one above less brown and more green.  It's impressive how many variations you can get with a very limited pallet.

Done and Done!

Whoa!  time to get back on track here.  I've been working on the house for the last couple of weeks; installing new windows, painting the kitchen, installing moldings, etc.  However, I try to keep limber by doing a little drawing everyday- art is much more like doing push-ups then riding a bike.  Kay and I had dinner last Saturday at the home of a new client and friend name Roger Sybrowski, General Manager at ADP.  He had a remarkable home and a lovely collection of art, antiques and other relics of interest.  He had a very nice study of a Sargent painting...the Vicker Sisters I think, that got the old juices flowing as it'd been a long time since I've worked in this style so I sat down Sunday and did a study of John Singer Sargent's Lady Agnew of Lachnaw, one of my favorites.  It's pretty rough and I've decided to try it again this time attempting to be more deliberate in my line choices.  Maybe I'll give it to Roger when I'm done to thank him for the very nice dinner.  One Sargent admirer to another.