Solving The Worlds Problems

Solving The Worlds Problems 12x16 Oil on Masonite

This is my submission for Karin Jurick's Different Strokes From Different Folks (DSFDF) blog where she posts a picture and artists make their art. It's fun - for me, anyhow. Check it out.

Two guys, maybe in a barber shop, or waiting for new tires to be put on their cars. The guy on the right is doing all of the talking the guy on the left just wants to get out of there.

This is my first painting in a couple of weeks (more or less) as I've been moving my art stuff from a bedroom in our house to my studio. (See earlier posts). I'm not completely done with the studio; probably never will be. :-)

One of my next art projects will be working on rendering body parts. e.g. hands with fingers. Sheesh.

My Studio - still shaping up!

Here are a few photos of my studio as I'm "moving in." I play with model airplanes (they don't fly). For scale, the four engine bomber (B-17) pointing down has a wing span of 24 inches. It's BIG! They'e the old fashioned models made of balsa sticks & covered with tissue paper.

The other two photos show my "solution" to displaying many paintings in a small area. I made 3 "doors" from 2x2 lumber and 2' x 6' pegboard. The doors pivot on hardwood dowel pin "hinges" on the floor and under the upper shelf. I got the idea from the rug displays at home improvement stores. The idea is also used in tourist gift shop poster displays where many posters are sold. I make hangers to hang my paintings from 16 gauge galvanized wire. This wire is strong enough to support a load but is relatively easy to form using some pliers.

To hang unframed paintings, I used an idea for do-it-yourself plate hangers from Martha Stewart's website. I'm still trying to find the easiest way to hang and unframed painting. Most of my paintings are on Masonite panels but a few are canvas on wood stretchers. The framed paintings are really easy to hang on the pegboard.

Sorry for the mish-mash arrangement, the blog posting software has some limitations - or is it me? Nah! It's the software. :-)

My studio - taking shape!

These photos show my storage bins that live under my 12 foot long work table. The table is desk height. There are six "boxes" on wheels, the front wheels swivel and the rear wheels are fixed. At the time, they seemed like a good idea - a shelf on one side, peg board on the other. We'll see. They're painted with left over "rug" paint with three or four (who's counting?) coats of polyurethane.

I've been moving all of my art "stuff" from my art room in the house into the studio. Luckily the weather has been mild so far.

I have many paintings that I don't want "stored" away but I'm not sure how to have them available for viewing. Hanging on nails in the wall doesn't appeal to me because I'll want to change the pictures from time to time & I'll soon have walls full of nail holes. Does anybody have an idea how to show my paintings without damaging the wall - too much?

Faux rugs in my studio

These are the :"rugs" that we painted on my studio floor. The 4'x6' (approx) oval "rug" has dragonflies stenciled on it, the 4'x8' rectangular has Fleur De Lis in the border. I painted these freehand - without using tape - the tape tended to lift the floor paint even though we used the blue painters tape and the floor was painted more than a week ago. Whatever! The floor is OSB flooring - I felt that this floor will be abused over time so a "good" floor wasn't real important.

UPDATED 12/27/2009 - original photos went bye-bye for some reason. These photos were shot yesterday.




















The paint we used for the rugs is from the Lowes "oops" (their term, not mine) paint counter. The oops paint counter is where Lowes resells the paint (at a relatively cheap price) that customers return for one reason or another. I bought several colors and mixed up the "rug" colors with the help from some old acrylic paints that I had from long ago.

The part of the floor with the oval "rug" has three coats of polyurethane. I'll put three coats on the other half when the rectangular rug dries. When the polyurethane has dried/cured for several days I'll be moving the furniture from the house into the studio.

Rowing on Lake Michigan

Rowing on Lake Michigan 9x12 Oil on Masonite

My submission to Karin Jurick's "Different Strokes From Different Folks" blog challenge.

I haven't painted pictures in a while - I've been painting the floor of my brand new studio! This was a nice break. At least I wasn't on my hands and knees. :-)