JJ at the Sheldon

I'm in-between a couple big projects waiting for some details to finalize but still itching to paint so I'm working on this in the mean time. It's gotten so bad around here with supplies that I'm reduced to connecting smaller canvases together to make one large piece. In this case I've taken three 12x36 canvases and made a nice 36x36, a triptych as it's known. I have two more sets of canvases like this that can be made into a larger canvas and then that will be about it. Except for the three larger canvases that I'm saving for The Royale project. After that I'm going to have to humble myself and make a visit to the new Dick Blick that just opened in The Loop. I'm going on two years now on not having to buy any art supplies, using what was left over from my failed business, but those days are coming to an end.

The pieces above are of JJ Hamon performing at the Sheldon Ballroom back in November during the May Day Orchestra album release show. JJ is a very talented and nice fellow who plays in a number of local bands including Theodore and Magic City. I honestly don't know him too well but he's always kind enough to say hello when I see him out and he can play just about any instrument you put in his hand.

I'm trying to keep things loose and easy and so far it's working but I suspect my heavy hand will show up sooner or later and weigh things down a bit. Started it off with spray paint, then switched to acrylic and now I'm on oil. Probably go back to acrylic before it's all done.

now playing - Prince

Wood and Oil

Lately, when I have extra money, I've been buying Steve Keene paintings from Vintage Vinyl. They are nice acrylic pieces done quickly on thin plywood and sold for a reasonable price. Original reproductions of well known album covers from bands and artists like Motorhead, Public Enemy, Bob Dylan, Velvet Underground, etc.

They're pretty cool and all done on wood. Wood is a strange surface to paint on, it's rough and causes the paint to dry faster. I've had a large piece of plywood laying around for a couple of years and figured if I ever used it for something I'd work in oil so the paint wouldn't dry so fast. But I was never sure what to paint on it. Then an opportunity arose. Union Electric are working on a new 7 inch and are looking for some cover ideas. They sent over some lyrics from one of the new songs called “Tunnels” and I worked from that. So far, so good. Still have a lot of work to do but it’s coming along nicely.

Now playing – Pops Farrar

More Royale Studying

A couple more recent studies of the interior of The Royale. Slowly starting to get an idea of what to do on a larger scale.

now playing - Uncle Tupelo