Art Blog
This blog is for posting photos of new art pieces and the random thoughts of oil painter Stephen St. Claire.
New Art Gallery on the West Coast
Downtown Pleasanton, California
What a weird, unpredictable couple of weeks! I usually do not like unpredictable at all. I like planing my life as best I can. I know that’s impossible sometimes, but still…I try. But I’m so thankful that “unpredictable” isn’t always a scary thing! Let me back up and explain.
A couple weeks ago, the phone rang and I almost didn’t answer it. I totally assumed it was a robocall. Instead, it was a real live, breathing human! It turns out this guy is an artist who'd visited my studio, and in the course of our conversation, he said I should get into a gallery on the west coast; that he sells very well in a few galleries there. I explained that it’s a very difficult thing to find a gallery that fits you well when you live across the country. For example, a local gallery owner friend of mine once told me that she usually gets over a hundred artist requests for gallery representation in her email every week. She just deletes them without even reading them.
So, it turns out this complete stranger said he’d try to hook me up with a gallery he’s rep’d by in Pleasanton, California (in the Bay Area). I mean, who does that? A week later, I got a phone call from the gallery owner who had spent time looking over my website and studying my technique and…he was really interested. After he had a discussion with the gallery manager about what he thought, they sent me a contract for representation. And…I signed it. This is exciting to me for several reasons:
1) I’d love to expand my reach to the west coast.
2) I’d love a tax deductible reason to visit the west coast.
3) I was asked if I could come up with several “vineyard” themed pieces. This TOTALLY excites me. I love the way the rows of grape vines add a geometrical element to a natural landscape. A vineyard is beautiful and peaceful. This theme totally fits what I love to be painting. I can even sell the pieces in my Asheville studio (we have vineyards here too — heck, they’re kind of ubiquitous, you know?)
“…I’d love a tax deductible reason to visit the west coast.”
4) What the gallery has asked for is one large original piece and several prints. So, because of this, I’m going to venture into the world of metal prints. These are a relatively new technique of dye sublimation on a metal surface, creating awesome colors and really emphasizing contrast. I like that, because my paintings are painted on a metal surface. The reason I’ve done very, very few prints before is that compared to an original, the print on paper or canvas is just flat, dead looking. These metal prints glow. I’m excited to try them out and see how it goes. This could open up a lower price point possibility for someone that wants one of my paintings but can’t swing the price of an original.
So, I guess the moral of this story is: When the phone rings, (unless it says “United States” or “Unknown Caller”, answer the phone! You never know who’s on the other end.
And the Next Blog Post is...
I’ve been blogging since 2016, and to me, that’s amazing. I had no idea I had that much to talk about. When I opened up my art studio here in Asheville, I was told in the beginning that blogging was important, so I’ve tried to be consistent but recently I’ve had a had a hard time coming up with an interesting topic. I’m an artist, not a rocket scientist or a biotech engineer, so what I do in my art studio (talking to clients, hanging new paintings in my art gallery, talking with other artists in Asheville’s River Arts District, coming up with new ideas for new creative endeavors), while a lot of fun for me, does not seem like it would be interesting to anyone but myself. Is answering another question about what the “shiny stuff” is on top of my paintings “blog worthy”? I don’t know. But I suspect that just because something is an “everyday” and “normal” task to me as an artist, does not necessarily mean those things are not blog worthy. So…
“…what would YOU like to know?”
So rather than wracking my brain for something that I think might be interesting to a reader, I’m going to just ask the reader what would be interesting to them. I am an artist…an oil painter…I made up a technique I call “Dialuminism”. Dear reader, what else would you like to know? I’ll still come up with topics I would like to explore, but I really do want to regularly be asking gallery and website visitors what THEY would find interesting.
Anyone want to start??
Studio Expansion...Hello Northeast!
Joy and I are really excited. We’re expanding! Asheville is awesome and we love being here. There is no better place to sell my artwork than the River Arts District. But Asheville has turned into more than just a home. It’s more like a “home base” now, and the implications of that are pretty huge for Joy and I. Let me explain.
A couple of years ago, we opened a part time studio in our home in the northern suburbs of Dallas, Texas. That studio has been wonderful. It’s in very close proximity to three of our four kids and nine of our grandchildren. And…Texas has awesome barbecue so it really could be worse, you know?
This year, we have decided to expand, and open a studio in Pittsburgh, PA, just seven minutes from our oldest daughter and two more grandchildren. We’ve found a row house in the South Side, and has a huge attic space that will be perfect to transform into a cool painting studio. The area of town is awesome. It’s got real character. It’s right across a bridge from downtown, with bike paths, lots of restaurants and hip coffee shops right there. It’ll be a really different experience for Joy and I being right there, creating artwork in the middle of a major city.
We’ll be renovating the place and using it as an AirBnB when we’re not in town, so…if you’re looking for a super cool place to visit, let us know! We’ll fix you up!
”I guess this means I’ll have to start rooting for the Pirates now, right??”
Between these two remote locations, we’ve got easy access to not only the southeast (where our Asheville home base is) but also the southwest and now the northeast! I’ve got clients all over the country, and this puts me in great proximity to be exploring new local galleries in each general area (it’s much more difficult to find a good gallery if you’re searching from five hundred miles away on the computer).
So despite the really trying times we’ve gone through the last year (along with everyone else), we have lots of things to be thankful for, and are still dreaming and planning. Because of that, we’re still excited about the future and look forward to creating art (not just selling art) in different parts of the country!
I guess this means I’ll have to start routing for the Pirates now, right??
Story Behind the Painting: Autumn Day on the French Broad River
“Autumn Day on the French Broad River”
In my art studio, I usually just quietly work on this or that oil painting. Some of the pieces have no story behind them at all. Some paintings are just based on an idea from my imagination, and some are based on a nice photo provided by a client seeking a commission. But if you were to visit my studio in Asheville’s River Arts District, some of the paintings you would see would have stories behind them and I’m taking this opportunity to share some of those stories.
This painting, entitled "Autumn Day on the French Broad River" is one that always puts a smile on my face. Joy and I love to tube down the French Broad River in the summer months. We park one car in the River Arts District and then bring our picnic (bagged watertight) in our second car and drive up the river about five miles, blow up the inner tubes and shove off. Talk about an utterly relaxing way to spend the afternoon. When I say "relaxing" I mean truly bordering on boring, as the river usually seems to be flowing at about a mile an hour. I love it.
By the time I painted it, “summer” themed scenes would be harder to sell, so I “autumn-ized” it.
So, we were floating down the river and there was this really cool tree overhanging the water and I knew I needed a photo of it. But by the time I realized that fact, I was almost past it. Thinking very quickly, I grabbed one of the lowest branches and stopped our ponderous progress down the river. After wading out into the water, I got us to shore, then walked back up the river (with my iPhone camera safely ensconced in it's ziplock bag) and put in the river again. This time I was ready, and I got my shot. I was happy. Joy was rolling her eyes.
I loved the composition but the only problem was that it was nearing mid-summer. By the time I painted it, "summer" themed scenes would be harder to sell, so I "autumn-ized" it. Easy. Rather than the greens, I applied golds, yellows and deep siena browns. The result was a piece I was really happy with. And it takes me back to that pleasant day in the river with my wife Joy. :)
"What's Your Best Price on This Piece?"
Most of the time, when people visit Asheville and come into my studio to browse the artwork, they either like it or they don’t. If they don’t like it, they leave. If they like it and if the price fits their budget, they make a purchase. Of that group of interested people though, are people who like to play the “what’s your best price?” game. Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE that game. I love talking someone down in price. It’s part of the fun of going to a garage sale. But…other than buying a house or a car, people don’t EVER try to bargain their way to a lower price with what they buy. I mean, imagine you’re at Walmart or Kohl’s or Home Depot and EverGreen Garden Center and you go up to the cashier, they inform you your total is $60.54. Is your response, “Okay, would you take $40?”
“The way I was taught to price my artwork makes the most sense…”
But there are people who buy artwork that way. I even had a gentleman visiting my Asheville art studio a couple years ago and he was looking at a painting and hollered across the room “well, you don’t seem to want to sell THIS one very much!” That was his way of asking if I’d come down in the price.
The way I was taught to price my artwork makes the most sense, and I wish everyone understood that I never price anything on a whim….”Oh, this one is awesome…I’ll price that high. This one…this is just okay, so I’ll price that lower.” If something is just “okay” I don’t put it on my wall. I remove the canvas from the frame and start all over. What ends up on my wall represents the best I can produce. I think everyone visiting my studio in the River Arts District deserves that. The only thing that determines my price is the rate of my sales. This year, I’m charging $3/square inch for my work. When I started selling my art, I was at $2.50/square inch. That was fine for a while, but when my artwork was selling faster than I could replace it on the wall, I bumped the price to $2.65. Then a year later, I had to bump it again, and then again. My goal is to paint as fast as I sell them.
All that said, if someone purchases something really large, or wants multiple pieces, of course I’ll give them a break on the pricing. THAT is the only point things get subjective as far as pricing goes. But I want to say “thank you” for someone willing to invest that much in me and my craft, and the most logical way to do that is by giving that type of a client a price break.
Aside from that though, I never, ever set prices based on what I “think” it’s worth. Based on my sales, I know what it will sell for and that’s the price I write on the tag. This is really important for my clients as well. They need to know that the value of the art they purchase is based on something more than what I “felt” like pricing it at. And so far, almost every year since I’ve started painting, the value (as set by purchases) is raising.
So setting prices is really a very simple and straightforward thing. If paintings sell too slow, you lower prices. If artwork sells too fast, you raise the price just a bit to slow sales down to a comfortable level. That’s how I was trained anyway, and it makes the most sense to me. If you have any questions or comments though, I’m really open to hearing.
Exploring Austin Galleries, Part 2
My wife Joy and I delivered a painting recently to some clients of mine in Austin, Texas. It was so nice to see the home my painting would become a part of (it was magnificent by the way!). After the delivery, we spent the day exploring several of the art galleries in town. The first gallery we visited was amazing. If you have not read my post on that visit, please click here first, then return to read the balance of this post, because that post will have a very different tone than this.
When we left that first gallery, I was really excited about what else Austin had to offer. Granted, we did not see every other art gallery in town, but we did see several and honestly, the rest left me feeling really frustrated. I hope it’s okay I say that but it’s really the truth. I know a lot of people who just do not visit art galleries any more because they think they obviously just don’t “get” art (because of some bad experiences with it in the past). If you are one of those people, I get it. If I could do anything, I’d just want to encourage you to keep exploring the art around you. Art is the voice of the culture, and so it’s really important. That said, the voice I heard singing the rest of the day in Austin was pretty off-key, and left me not only discouraged, but really frustrated.
Why frustrated? Well, if you want someone to appreciate your 12” x 18” piece of artwork priced at $8500, don’t make it something that looks like anyone could do it. There. I said it. In my opinion, really great art should wield the power of mystery. It should force you to wonder “Oh my gosh, how did they DO that?”. Over and over again though, the rest of the day in Austin, I was confronted with a lot of art that honestly left me thinking “If I had two hours and the right materials, I could make this myself”. Granted, I am an artist too, but still, if you are going to charge several thousands of dollars for something that I’m pretty sure I could recreate in 120 minutes, something is wrong (isn’t it???).
“With any painting, that skill is what you’re paying for.”
I am an artist in Asheville, North Carolina and I have an open studio there in the River Arts District. People come into and out of my studio all day long and so I hear a lot of comments. There are plenty of people who do not like my artwork (I can hear them making comments since I’m standing right there). So I totally understand that everyone has different taste in art and that’s totally fine. And because of that, some people will value types of art that I do not. But if an artist is going to charge several thousand dollars for a painting, whether I like that style or subject matter, I would hope I’d appreciate the skill involved. With any painting, that skill is what you’re paying for. I don’t like a lot of abstract art. I don’t like cubism. I don’t care for a lot of Pointillism. But I can appreciate the skill involved in the creation of abstract, cubist and pointtalist art. In other words, you don’t need to enjoy ANY type of artwork. But if it’s well-crafted artwork, whether you like it or not, you should be able to appreciate the skill involved.
This is just my opinion, but I feel pretty strongly about it. But if you disagree, that’s fine. And if you disagree strongly enough, I can spend a couple hours creating a mock art piece and charge you $8500. Hmmmm. This could be the start of a new creative direction for me!
Exploring Austin Galleries, Part 1
We’ve been spending the winter months in Dallas, TX so while there, we really wanted to visit the state capital, Austin (mostly because we heard it was a lot like Asheville). I had a list of galleries we planned to visit and while most of what we saw was really frustrating (see next blog entry), the exception was the Guo Aihe exhibit at the Russell Collection Fine Art Gallery. Understand, I may be unique in the way I view and judge art, but what really grabs me is when I see a painting and wonder “Oh my gosh! How the HECK did they do that?” See, to me, that mystery is what captivates me.
When Joy and I entered the Russell Collection gallery, we were warmly greeted by a young Chinese man and woman who explained what it was we were looking at. Rather than being pushy salespeople, they were merely informing us and I really appreciated that. Turns out his father comes from a village of artisans in China and he produced all the art on display in this exhibition. When we entered, I thought we were looking at lacquered paintings, but I was wrong. They were each ceramic paintings, glazed with extraordinary color; luminous, shiny, bright (see why I was attracted to them???). I commented about the amazing color and was told that when the color is applied, it’s applied as a ceramic glaze, i.e. EACH color looks like a brick red slurry. How that uniform monotone slurry turns into the intricate coloration I saw in each exquisite piece utterly baffles me. I felt like I was in the presence of greatness, and that I was only a poser. I don’t mean that in a self depecating way but in a (I think) really healthy, humble way. This was really unique to me. I’ve never seen anything at all like this and oh my gosh, if you’re anywhere near Austin, you should visit this gallery.
I am an oil painter in Asheville, North Carolina (which BTW is still way cooler than Austin). I have an open art studio there and meet people from all over the country on a daily basis. And it’s easy to get comfortable and complacent with what I do. But it truly is not often that I see artwork that really causes me to pause and wonder. What I saw in Austin (at the Russell Collection gallery) did. No other gallery hit me this way on this trip, but I’ll spill my angst in my next blog.
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
In thinking about one year closing and another just beginning, I guess I'm not alone in getting a bit introspective regarding the accomplishments of this past year, and excited about the possibilities of the next. So to just get these things out of my head and on virtual paper, I’ll take advantage of this blog and record my thoughts and dreams here. So, in looking back…
2018 was very good to us. Here are some of the highlights:
1) Individual customer base grew to the highest level to date. See, there are basically three ways I sell paintings: individual clients who are purchasing artwork for their home during their trip to Asheville, sales from art galleries that represent me, and corporate / institutional jobs (public art, art installations, things like that). So the fact that more individual sales happened in 2018 is really, really encouraging.
2) Earlier last spring, I came up with a new method of creating an abstract painting. It involves applying texture to the canvas and then applying the metallic leaf, then drizzling resin over the entire piece in a random design or grid. Then when the resin sets, I add the paint in the "resin valleys" and then finish it all off with more layers of resin.
3) Just at the tail end of the year, I came up with a new form of installation art which will literally billow out from the wall. I've tested individual elements of the idea and so far, each test has worked awesomely. In the next few weeks, I'll be working on three prototypes. These will just be 20" x 24" pieces, but if this works (and I'm very positive about it so far), this concept could be accomplished with 4' tall panels, or eight foot tall panels, extending to whatever length desired to fill up the space.
And here are some of the things on my wish list for 2019:
1) Find more key galleries around the country that would represent me. This would result in "spreading out the sales" and income sources so that most does not just depend on Asheville, North Carolina. This seems wise. It would also be fun more me because I could expand the landscape themes I could paint.
2) Locate and work with more interior designers so that my corporate work would grow. These are really fun projects just because of the possible scale of them.
3) Develop and market my new "sail-form" art panels (see point three above). In my head, these could be really cool because the surface reflecting the light and holding the paint layers would be bent, so the colors would differ greatly from top to bottom and/or side to side. That could be really interesting.
I'm really, really grateful that I can now make a living doing what I absolutely love to do. This is something I never want to take for granted. And I'm really excited about dreaming together with my wife Joy regarding goals and ideas and possibilities for the next year. You never know the ride a year (or even a day) can take you on, but I'm ready to take a deep breath and dive right in! Wooo hooo!
Percolating Creativity
I love it when this happens. I’m consumed with this new concept for artwork. I’ve now got all my “ingredients” together to fabricate three prototypes and then…if…it…works, I’ll release them into the world. Pardon the drama. I’m excited.
Two blog posts ago, I mentioned that I was thinking about a new concept for artwork…a “sail” shape that would billow out from the wall. I’ve figured out how to make it secure and stay in place and hold the shape I dictate, so that’s good (see my last post “So then” for more info on that). But what’s blowing my brain is that there is so much I could potentially DO with this. I’m thinking of boring holes in the sail shapes, creating voids. I’m thinking of playing with strips with or instead of (in some cases) the sail shapes and bending them around each other (like a bent wood sculpture does). But the surface of all component sheets would be texturized with a flexible agent, covered with my metallic leaf, paint and one layer of resin. These shapes will be luminous and not contained to a single plain.
The next step will happen after the holidays, and that’s the fabrication of the first prototype. If that works (and per my experimentation, I’m pretty sure it will work now), my next post will include photos of all the prototypes.
In my Asheville art studio, I will probably always paint mostly landscape paintings (and that’s because I love painting landscapes!) but I do really enjoy creating abstract art as well. These would in a sense be abstract. The colors will be simple, but because the surface will be reflecting light through my paint, AND because as the surface bends and each inch of the surface catches light differently than the next, I’m thinking the result will be something visually rich, graceful and dynamic.
Well, that’s the plan. :)
We’ll see what happens. Stay tuned!
Lessons I've Learned as an Artist
I love my job. I really love it. I’m a painter in Asheville, North Carolina and have an open studio in the River Arts District. I work around 200 other artists (within a square mile) and share a very precious comradery with them. Every day, I walk the three miles to the studio and gear up to the tasks of the day, and then walk three miles home to unwind. My life is awesome right now.
This lifestyle and occupation niche is really rewarding but doesn’t come without challenges and lessons to be learned. Actually, I’ve learned a whole lot as a result of being a full time artist with an open studio:
1) Learn to be patient with tactile visitors
People love to touch my artwork. It’s not enough to look at it, they have to touch it. And they don’t just touch finished pieces. Every time I step away from my work table, I have to put up several “PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH” signs around my work (because it’s wet paint!). Otherwise, I can come back and see foreign fingerprints. I can let this frustrate me (and it has) or insult me (and it does) but my work inspires curiosity and when I remember that fact, it makes it much easier to just deal with the inconvenience of painting over a fingerprint. Inspiring curiosity is an amazing thing and (when my head is in the right place), that makes me smile. That’s what this is all about.
2) Learn to be patient with people’s questions
Every day, I have to answer exactly the same questions multiple times and honestly, it’s exhausting sometimes. The artwork I do is something no one else is doing and while I love that fact, my artwork baffles some people. Before they even look around the studio, some folks have come over to me and almost demanded “So what is that? What’s your process? How do you do this?” I want to say “Why are you worried about HOW I do this? DO YOU LIKE IT?” And that’s because that’s really all I care about. When Joy and I go out to dinner downtown and have an awesome main course, I do not go back to the kitchen and ask the chef “What is this sauce? How did you make it?!” I would never even think of asking. I’m just consumed with “I really love this sauce” or “this doesn’t taste right” and that’s all. So this area frankly baffles me. But…again, if artwork inspires curiosity and ignites questions in the mind of the viewer, is that a bad thing? I don’t think so. It can be exhausting for me as the artist involved here, but I think it’s a very good thing. I don’t want my artwork to look like everyone else’s work. I do want it to be unique. So I’ve learned to be okay (most of the time anyway) with the hundreds of times a week I’m asked this question and try to answer it with a genuine smile (because when they ask, that means my artwork has done it’s job: inspired curiosity).
3) Listen well
I love my business model. Because I work right in the middle of public setting, I get to hear all the comments people make to each other. And this is really helpful. I come up with all sorts of ideas for artwork, but I honestly don’t know if they’re all good ideas until I hang the artwork on the wall and listen to people. This can be humbling, but so helpful. This is my job, and because of that, I can’t afford to be “angsty” and put my artwork up on the wall with the attitude that if people don’t appreciate it, there’s something wrong with them. That attitude won’t fly here. I put up an idea and I know pretty quickly if it was a good idea or not. I can hear some artist say, “Okay, he’s a sell-out”. I disagree. If I want to make a living selling hot dogs, I’d better make sure people enjoy my hot dogs, right? Get some focus groups together and do blind taste tests and see what sells. I’m not saying that an artist should just abandon the passion inside and paint only what people want. But if a respect for people and their interests and tastes is not part of the equation, that artist will not be able to create full time. Unless it’s a hobby, art needs to sell and if it’s not, it’s either too expensive, or the quality is lacking or it’s not executed with the right (popular) color palette, etc. All these things need to be factored into the production of a painting that (hopefully) will one day sell.
That’s probably enough for this blog entry. I’ve got more to say so…this will be continued.
Blog Archive
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2025
- Oct 12, 2025 What can I learn from Pablo Picasso in 2025? Oct 12, 2025
- Oct 10, 2025 What can I learn from Raphael in 2025? Oct 10, 2025
- Oct 8, 2025 What can I learn from Georgia O’Keefe in 2025? Oct 8, 2025
- Sep 28, 2025 What can I learn from Caravaggio in 2025? Sep 28, 2025
- Jul 25, 2025 What can I learn from Thomas Gainsborough in 2025? Jul 25, 2025
- Jul 20, 2025 What can I learn from Leonardo da Vinci in 2025? Jul 20, 2025
- Jul 15, 2025 What can I learn from Michelangelo in 2025? Jul 15, 2025
- Jul 2, 2025 What can I learn from Van Gogh in 2025? Jul 2, 2025
- Jun 25, 2025 What can I learn from Renoir in 2025? Jun 25, 2025
- Jun 23, 2025 What can I learn from Claude Monet in 2025? Jun 23, 2025
- Jun 21, 2025 Using Complimentary Colors for Shading Jun 21, 2025
- Jun 17, 2025 How and When to use Complimentary Colors Jun 17, 2025
- May 30, 2025 Perspective in Art 101: How to Make Your Drawings Pop Off the Page May 30, 2025
- May 26, 2025 How to Really Understand Medieval Art May 26, 2025
- May 22, 2025 Staying Creative May 22, 2025
- May 10, 2025 AT Experience May 10, 2025
- May 3, 2025 Go Take a Walk! May 3, 2025
- Apr 25, 2025 Periods of Art: Mannerism Apr 25, 2025
- Apr 17, 2025 Finding Meaning in the Abstract: Pointers for Understanding Modern Art Apr 17, 2025
- Apr 16, 2025 The Quiet Labor Apr 16, 2025
- Apr 12, 2025 To Art: a Poem Apr 12, 2025
- Apr 5, 2025 The Enchantment of Art Nouveau Apr 5, 2025
- Mar 23, 2025 "What was it like going to art school?" Mar 23, 2025
- Mar 18, 2025 Why I Love the Rococo Period Mar 18, 2025
- Mar 4, 2025 Expressing Joy Through Art Mar 4, 2025
- Feb 28, 2025 The Connection Between Art and Frustration Feb 28, 2025
- Feb 23, 2025 Neoclassicism: Bringing Ancient Style Back to Life Feb 23, 2025
- Feb 18, 2025 On my walk Feb 18, 2025
- Feb 12, 2025 Art at the Very Beginning Feb 12, 2025
- Feb 10, 2025 Monet and Renoir: A Personal Reflection on Their Differences Feb 10, 2025
- Feb 6, 2025 The Fount of Creation: A poem Feb 6, 2025
- Feb 1, 2025 The Connection Between Art and Grief Feb 1, 2025
- Jan 29, 2025 A Journey Through Medieval Art: Stories from the Middle Ages Jan 29, 2025
- Jan 26, 2025 The Story of Art: The Romantic Period Jan 26, 2025
- Jan 16, 2025 The Relationship Between Music and Painting Jan 16, 2025
- Jan 12, 2025 Periods of Art: Baroque Jan 12, 2025
- Jan 11, 2025 Marketing your Artwork Jan 11, 2025
- Jan 7, 2025 Exploring the Golden Ratio in Art Jan 7, 2025
- Jan 3, 2025 Artistic Enlightenment: Lessons from Italy Jan 3, 2025
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2024
- Dec 29, 2024 Why Travel is Crucial for Unleashing Creativity Dec 29, 2024
- Dec 22, 2024 Steps to Becoming a Full-Time Professional Artist Dec 22, 2024
- Dec 10, 2024 How to Determine Subject Matter for Your Next Painting Dec 10, 2024
- Dec 3, 2024 My Favorite Artist Dec 3, 2024
- Dec 1, 2024 Creativity and Exploration Dec 1, 2024
- Nov 13, 2024 Impressionistic Heroes of Mine Nov 13, 2024
- Nov 10, 2024 "So how do you DO this?" Nov 10, 2024
- Nov 3, 2024 Discovering the Bond Between Nature and Art Nov 3, 2024
- Nov 1, 2024 How Art Can Help Us Cope with Stress Nov 1, 2024
- Oct 27, 2024 How to Select the Perfect Art for Your Home Oct 27, 2024
- Oct 24, 2024 What to Do When You Feel Like Giving Up as an Artist Oct 24, 2024
- Oct 14, 2024 Book Review: The Artist’s Way Oct 14, 2024
- Oct 11, 2024 How to find Inspiration for your art Oct 11, 2024
- Sep 24, 2024 Crafting the Perfect Title for Your Artwork Sep 24, 2024
- Sep 14, 2024 The Worst Advice I’ve Ever Received as an Artist Sep 14, 2024
- Sep 8, 2024 Overcoming Artist’s Block: Practical Tips Sep 8, 2024
- Aug 30, 2024 Exploring Lessons from Vincent van Gogh Aug 30, 2024
- Aug 29, 2024 Why Purchase Original Artwork? Aug 29, 2024
- Aug 25, 2024 How do you determine the best size artwork to purchase? Aug 25, 2024
- Aug 15, 2024 "So, what's this painting worth?" Aug 15, 2024
- Aug 9, 2024 What color art would go best in my home? Aug 9, 2024
- Aug 4, 2024 How to deal with criticism as an artist Aug 4, 2024
- Mar 27, 2024 Question 12: "What do you do when you have a mental block?" Mar 27, 2024
- Mar 27, 2024 New Goals + Winter Months = "Outside the Box" Creativity Mar 27, 2024
- Jan 8, 2024 Question 11: Where do you get inspiration for your work? Jan 8, 2024
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2023
- Sep 11, 2023 Question 10: "Do you have your work in galleries?" Sep 11, 2023
- Aug 27, 2023 Question 9: "How do you manage the business side of your art business?" Aug 27, 2023
- Aug 20, 2023 Question 8: "Do you advertise?" Aug 20, 2023
- Aug 13, 2023 Question 7: "How do you price your work?" Aug 13, 2023
- Jul 30, 2023 Question 6: "What are the positive points and negative points about having an 'open studio'?" Jul 30, 2023
- Jul 19, 2023 Question 5: "Would you mind critiquing my work at some point?" Jul 19, 2023
- Jul 1, 2023 Question 4: "Would you recommend art school, and if so, how would you find the right one?" Jul 1, 2023
- Jun 24, 2023 Question 3: "Did you go to art school? If so, where?" Jun 24, 2023
- Jun 16, 2023 Question 2: "How long have you been selling your work professionally?" Jun 16, 2023
- Jun 10, 2023 Question 1..."How long have you been an artist?" Jun 10, 2023
- Jun 4, 2023 So, you're thinking about art as a career? Jun 4, 2023
- Mar 3, 2023 "What inspires you as an artist?" Mar 3, 2023
- Feb 15, 2023 Should I buy a completed painting OR commission a painting? Feb 15, 2023
- Jan 23, 2023 "How do you Price Your Work?" Jan 23, 2023
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2022
- Dec 1, 2022 An Artist in Italy (Part 3) Dec 1, 2022
- Nov 16, 2022 An Artist in Italy (Part 2) Nov 16, 2022
- Nov 8, 2022 An Artist in Italy (Part 1) Nov 8, 2022
- Oct 10, 2022 When Remodeling a Home... Oct 10, 2022
- Aug 22, 2022 How to Handle Failure Aug 22, 2022
- Jun 3, 2022 "What is it like being an artist these days?" Jun 3, 2022
- May 21, 2022 "Are All Artists Introverts?" May 21, 2022
- May 9, 2022 What Makes a Painting a Good Piece of Art? May 9, 2022
- Apr 1, 2022 The Story Behind…"Gentle Showers on a Summer Afternoon" Apr 1, 2022
- Mar 19, 2022 The Story Behind..."Blue Ridge Summer Afternoon" Mar 19, 2022
- Feb 18, 2022 Your Opinion Please... Feb 18, 2022
- Jan 22, 2022 What's in a Compliment? Jan 22, 2022
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2021
- Dec 25, 2021 My Christmas Present to Joy Dec 25, 2021
- Dec 12, 2021 Deep in the Heart Dec 12, 2021
- Nov 29, 2021 "How do you know you're done with a painting?" Nov 29, 2021
- Nov 1, 2021 Does it Matter What Other People Think of My Art? Nov 1, 2021
- Oct 12, 2021 Creatively Inhaling... Oct 12, 2021
- Aug 31, 2021 More Fun than I Know What to do With Aug 31, 2021
- Aug 13, 2021 “Are You Self Taught?” Aug 13, 2021
- Jul 21, 2021 New Art Gallery on the West Coast Jul 21, 2021
- Jun 23, 2021 "Art from the Heart" vs "Commissioned Art" Jun 23, 2021
- May 28, 2021 More Questions and Answers May 28, 2021
- May 17, 2021 What does Diversity have to do with honest artwork? May 17, 2021
- May 4, 2021 More Questions and Answers May 4, 2021
- Apr 30, 2021 Questions and Answers Apr 30, 2021
- Apr 16, 2021 And the Next Blog Post is... Apr 16, 2021
- Mar 10, 2021 How do you create when you don't feel like creating? Mar 10, 2021
- Feb 11, 2021 "Mullaghmore": The Story Behind the Painting Feb 11, 2021
- Jan 28, 2021 A Look Back to "The Dark Year" Jan 28, 2021
- Jan 17, 2021 Studio Expansion...Hello Northeast! Jan 17, 2021
- Jan 7, 2021 How to Create the Perfect Painting Jan 7, 2021
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2020
- Dec 1, 2020 A personal answer to a personal question... Dec 1, 2020
- Nov 4, 2020 Using Art to Express my Politics Nov 4, 2020
- Oct 16, 2020 Sometimes, just "having fun" is a good enough reason Oct 16, 2020
- Oct 4, 2020 The Best Painting Delivery Ever... Oct 4, 2020
- Sep 7, 2020 How a Dinky Little Virus Changed my Art Business Sep 7, 2020
- Aug 9, 2020 Adaptation: Survival of the Most Flexible Aug 9, 2020
- Aug 3, 2020 Story Behind the Painting: "Sundown over the Blue Ridge" Aug 3, 2020
- Jul 18, 2020 Cure for Covid blues Jul 18, 2020
- Jul 5, 2020 Where Does it Take You? Jul 5, 2020
- Jun 3, 2020 Story Behind the Painting: Autumn Day on the French Broad River Jun 3, 2020
- May 24, 2020 Story Behind the Painting: Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat May 24, 2020
- Apr 30, 2020 Q&A: SESSION TWO Apr 30, 2020
- Apr 22, 2020 Q&A: SESSION ONE Apr 22, 2020
- Apr 8, 2020 What I'll Miss When This Pandemic is Over... Apr 8, 2020
- Mar 20, 2020 Entertaining Angels Unawares Mar 20, 2020
- Mar 8, 2020 In Celebration of Art Mar 8, 2020
- Feb 27, 2020 "The Bridge" Feb 27, 2020
- Feb 8, 2020 The Most Interesting Question of the Year (but it's only February so...) Feb 8, 2020
- Jan 29, 2020 "Can I Watch You?" Jan 29, 2020
- Jan 14, 2020 From Point A to Point Z Jan 14, 2020
- Jan 5, 2020 An Impractical Idea Jan 5, 2020
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2019
- Dec 17, 2019 My Beautiful Baby on Display Dec 17, 2019
- Dec 3, 2019 Regarding the Selection of an Artistic Theme Dec 3, 2019
- Nov 20, 2019 "What's Your Best Price on This Piece?" Nov 20, 2019
- Nov 13, 2019 A Really Unique Commission Project Nov 13, 2019
- Nov 6, 2019 Fun with Art Scammers Nov 6, 2019
- Nov 3, 2019 "How did you know you wanted to be an artist?" Nov 3, 2019
- Oct 30, 2019 How do you know when a painting is "done"? Oct 30, 2019
- Oct 20, 2019 The piece I had to paint: "Côte d’Azur" Oct 20, 2019
- Oct 18, 2019 Inspiration Everywhere! Oct 18, 2019
- Aug 26, 2019 Contentment vs Restlessness Aug 26, 2019
- Aug 14, 2019 "Why Should I Purchase Artwork?" Aug 14, 2019
- Aug 11, 2019 What Was Art School Like? Aug 11, 2019
- Aug 7, 2019 "The Four Seasons on the French Broad River" Aug 7, 2019
- Jul 30, 2019 Joy Unspeakable Jul 30, 2019
- Jul 7, 2019 Of Mountains and Oceans Jul 7, 2019
- Jul 3, 2019 Lessons I've Learned as an Artist Jul 3, 2019
- Jun 26, 2019 St.Claire Art Opening at the AC Hotel, Asheville Jun 26, 2019
- Jun 23, 2019 "How do you decide what to paint?" Jun 23, 2019
- Jun 5, 2019 One of my All-Time Heroes Jun 5, 2019
- Jun 2, 2019 Regarding "Inspiration" vs "Necessity" Jun 2, 2019
- May 29, 2019 The Best Complement I've Ever Received May 29, 2019
- May 19, 2019 "What are you Working on These Days?" May 19, 2019
- May 5, 2019 "Frankenstein-ing" a painting May 5, 2019
- Apr 17, 2019 The Big Reveal Apr 17, 2019
- Apr 3, 2019 "How do you Decide What to Paint?" Apr 3, 2019
- Mar 27, 2019 "I'm just not making the sales I need!" Mar 27, 2019
- Mar 20, 2019 Making the Most of Mistakes Mar 20, 2019
- Mar 10, 2019 Exploring Austin Galleries, Part 2 Mar 10, 2019
- Feb 25, 2019 Exploring Austin Galleries, Part 1 Feb 25, 2019
- Feb 10, 2019 Progress! Feb 10, 2019
- Jan 23, 2019 Preliminary Photos of my "Sails" Prototypes Jan 23, 2019
- Jan 16, 2019 The Benefits of Slowing Down Jan 16, 2019
- Jan 8, 2019 New Idea Taking Shape Jan 8, 2019
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2018
- Dec 29, 2018 Looking Back and Looking Ahead Dec 29, 2018
- Dec 19, 2018 Percolating Creativity Dec 19, 2018
- Dec 16, 2018 So then... Dec 16, 2018
- Dec 12, 2018 What if... Dec 12, 2018
- Dec 5, 2018 Recent Projects on my Plate Dec 5, 2018
- Dec 3, 2018 Claude: My Creative Hero and Muse Dec 3, 2018
- Nov 22, 2018 Lessons I've Learned as an Artist Nov 22, 2018
- Nov 12, 2018 Planning for a Second Studio Location! Nov 12, 2018
- Nov 7, 2018 Steps Involved with a Painting Commission Nov 7, 2018
- Nov 4, 2018 How do you stay "balanced"? Nov 4, 2018
- Oct 28, 2018 What makes art "Art"? Oct 28, 2018
- Oct 21, 2018 "How Did You Stumble Across This Type of Artwork?" Oct 21, 2018
- Oct 17, 2018 "A Personal History" Oct 17, 2018
- Oct 14, 2018 Commission Confusion Oct 14, 2018
- Oct 10, 2018 "Aqueous Dream" Oct 10, 2018
- Oct 7, 2018 Beauty in the Center of the Pit Oct 7, 2018
- Sep 30, 2018 Only North Carolina? Sep 30, 2018
- Sep 23, 2018 The Price of Being a Landscape Painter Sep 23, 2018
- Sep 9, 2018 Thoughts on New Directions, New Possibilities Sep 9, 2018
- Aug 29, 2018 SURVEY: GLOSSY OR SATIN Aug 29, 2018
- Aug 22, 2018 Regarding Commissioning a Painting Aug 22, 2018
- Aug 19, 2018 On the Brink of a Huge Failure Aug 19, 2018
- Aug 7, 2018 "The Trail That Never Ends" Aug 7, 2018
- Aug 5, 2018 Inspration Begets Inspiration Aug 5, 2018
- Jul 19, 2018 Rejuvenating Creativity! Jul 19, 2018
- Jul 15, 2018 A Word About Accolades Jul 15, 2018
- Jul 10, 2018 Where it Began Jul 10, 2018
- Jul 4, 2018 Funny Things People Say in an Art Studio Jul 4, 2018
- Jun 29, 2018 "The Time Between Times" Jun 29, 2018
- Jun 27, 2018 World View #8: Post Modernism Jun 27, 2018
- Jun 21, 2018 World View #7: New Age Pantheism Jun 21, 2018
- Jun 12, 2018 A New Opportunity -- A New Idea Jun 12, 2018
- Jun 6, 2018 The Art of Dinner (at the Grove Park Inn) Jun 6, 2018
- Jun 3, 2018 National Geographic?!? Jun 3, 2018
- Jun 1, 2018 World View #6: Modernism Jun 1, 2018
- May 24, 2018 The Art of Dinner (with the Dallas Cowboys) May 24, 2018
- May 13, 2018 Carving Mountains from Scratch May 13, 2018
- May 10, 2018 "Trigger Warning" May 10, 2018
- May 7, 2018 World View #5: Existentialism May 7, 2018
- Apr 29, 2018 World View #4: Nihilism Apr 29, 2018
- Apr 11, 2018 World View #3: Naturalism Apr 11, 2018
- Apr 4, 2018 World View #2: Deism Apr 4, 2018
- Mar 26, 2018 World View #1: Theism Mar 26, 2018
- Mar 23, 2018 A Time to be Disturbed Mar 23, 2018
- Mar 14, 2018 Understanding Art 101 Mar 14, 2018
- Mar 8, 2018 The Organ Mountains Mar 8, 2018
- Mar 7, 2018 "Remember...there are no mistakes with art" Mar 7, 2018
- Mar 2, 2018 The Biltmore Estate Mar 2, 2018
- Feb 21, 2018 How to Make a Living as an Artist (Part 2) Feb 21, 2018
- Feb 12, 2018 How to Make a Living as an Artist Feb 12, 2018
- Feb 4, 2018 How do you create when you don't feel creative? Feb 4, 2018
- Jan 24, 2018 Gallery Representation in Hendersonville! Jan 24, 2018
- Jan 19, 2018 Metalizing the Biltmore Estate Jan 19, 2018
- Jan 15, 2018 Four Seasons on the Blue Ridge Jan 15, 2018
- Jan 11, 2018 About Ice... Jan 11, 2018
- Jan 10, 2018 What's Next? Jan 10, 2018
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2017
- Dec 20, 2017 Mountain Top Experiences Dec 20, 2017
- Dec 18, 2017 The Power of Mystery Dec 18, 2017
- Dec 7, 2017 Forsyth Park Fountain Dec 7, 2017
- Dec 6, 2017 Angsty or Terrified? Dec 6, 2017
- Dec 4, 2017 To the "Angsty" Artist... Dec 4, 2017
- Dec 3, 2017 "I woudn't pay HALF of what he's asking!" Dec 3, 2017
- Nov 20, 2017 "On the Water" Nov 20, 2017
- Nov 19, 2017 Song of Autumn Nov 19, 2017
- Nov 15, 2017 "Top of the Mountain" Nov 15, 2017
- Nov 5, 2017 "How do you decide what to paint?" Nov 5, 2017
- Nov 2, 2017 "Valley of Shadows" Nov 2, 2017
- Nov 1, 2017 Forest of Autumn Gold Nov 1, 2017
- Oct 25, 2017 Then and Now Oct 25, 2017
- Oct 24, 2017 Catawba Falls Oct 24, 2017
- Oct 18, 2017 "Valley of Shadows" Oct 18, 2017
- Oct 11, 2017 Autumn River Song Oct 11, 2017
- Oct 3, 2017 Autumnal Shift Oct 3, 2017
- Sep 28, 2017 Mystic Summer Morning Sep 28, 2017
- Sep 24, 2017 Valley of Shadows Sep 24, 2017
- Sep 1, 2017 the breakers Sep 1, 2017
- Aug 24, 2017 When the Sun Went Dark Aug 24, 2017
- Aug 17, 2017 Secret Blog Post Aug 17, 2017
- Aug 14, 2017 Waterfalls Everywhere! Aug 14, 2017
- Aug 11, 2017 "Cullasaja Falls" Completion photo Aug 11, 2017
- Aug 8, 2017 Finishing up "My Marathon" Aug 8, 2017
- Aug 1, 2017 One of the Best Days Ever! Aug 1, 2017
- Jul 26, 2017 "Glacial Fractures in situ" Jul 26, 2017
- Jul 24, 2017 Inspiration and Rest Jul 24, 2017
- Jul 18, 2017 Half Baked Ideas... Jul 18, 2017
- Jul 13, 2017 Oaks on the Water Jul 13, 2017
- Jul 9, 2017 Challenged to the Core Jul 9, 2017
- Jul 5, 2017 Boats on the Water Jul 5, 2017
- Jun 30, 2017 Glacial Fractures Jun 30, 2017
- Jun 29, 2017 Winter in the Summer! Jun 29, 2017
- Jun 27, 2017 What's in a Compliment? Jun 27, 2017
- Jun 23, 2017 Thoughts on a Mighty Failure Jun 23, 2017
- Jun 20, 2017 Sunrise on the Mountain Jun 20, 2017
- Jun 14, 2017 The Last Sunset (is that dramatic or what?) Jun 14, 2017
- Jun 12, 2017 Sunset or Sunrise? End or Beginning? Jun 12, 2017
- Jun 9, 2017 At the End of the Day Jun 9, 2017
- Jun 8, 2017 Giverny: My Homage to the Man Jun 8, 2017
- Jun 2, 2017 A Funny Thing Happened at the Studio Today... Jun 2, 2017
- Jun 2, 2017 Sunrise, Sunset... Jun 2, 2017
- May 29, 2017 Color Explosion May 29, 2017
- May 22, 2017 My Largest Painting to Date... May 22, 2017
- May 18, 2017 What to do with 2000 visitors in an art studio... May 18, 2017
- May 9, 2017 My Creative Muse May 9, 2017
- May 3, 2017 Joys of Life May 3, 2017
- Apr 28, 2017 Regarding Art & Beauty Apr 28, 2017
- Apr 25, 2017 Getting Better Acquainted Apr 25, 2017
- Apr 23, 2017 Rainy Sunday Morning Thoughts Apr 23, 2017
- Apr 22, 2017 Personal Thoughts Apr 22, 2017
- Apr 19, 2017 Favorite Hikes (Inspiration in the Making)... Apr 19, 2017
- Apr 15, 2017 Inspiration is Everywhere (some of our favorite hiking trails) Apr 15, 2017
- Apr 9, 2017 "Where should we eat tonight?" Apr 9, 2017
- Apr 6, 2017 Who Else Should We See in the District? Apr 6, 2017
- Apr 1, 2017 Spring in Western North Carolina Apr 1, 2017
- Mar 29, 2017 "Can you really make a living here?" Mar 29, 2017
- Mar 25, 2017 Of Ruination and Rescue Mar 25, 2017
- Mar 21, 2017 How I decide what to paint... Mar 21, 2017
- Mar 18, 2017 Musings of an artist... Mar 18, 2017
- Mar 14, 2017 Winter thoughts Mar 14, 2017
- Mar 13, 2017 "What makes this painting so sparkly?" Mar 13, 2017
- Mar 10, 2017 You're From Where? Mar 10, 2017
- Mar 5, 2017 "No Boundaries" Mar 5, 2017
- Mar 3, 2017 Appalachian Trail Mar 3, 2017
- Mar 2, 2017 What is 'good' art? Mar 2, 2017
- Feb 26, 2017 A Trip to the Art Museum Feb 26, 2017
- Feb 23, 2017 "The Rules" of Art Feb 23, 2017
- Feb 15, 2017 To School or Not to School... Feb 15, 2017
- Feb 10, 2017 How Do I Start This Thing? Feb 10, 2017
- Feb 9, 2017 Rocky Mountains reflection Feb 9, 2017
- Feb 7, 2017 Getting Inspired Feb 7, 2017
- Feb 5, 2017 Inspiration for a painting... Feb 5, 2017
- Jan 31, 2017 Understanding Abstract Art Jan 31, 2017
- Jan 29, 2017 Chi Jan 29, 2017
- Jan 26, 2017 Process: Rocky Mountain Commission Jan 26, 2017
- Jan 12, 2017 "Summer Path Thru the Birch Trees" Jan 12, 2017
- Jan 9, 2017 "Daybreak" Jan 9, 2017
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2016
- Dec 31, 2016 Revisiting a friend Dec 31, 2016
- Dec 28, 2016 The Trial Run Dec 28, 2016
- Dec 17, 2016 Asheville Channel Interview Dec 17, 2016
- Nov 28, 2016 "Big Mamma" begins to sing.... Nov 28, 2016
- Nov 22, 2016 An Experiment with Moonlight Nov 22, 2016
- Nov 17, 2016 Transfiguration Nov 17, 2016
- Nov 11, 2016 My Cluttered World Nov 11, 2016
- Oct 30, 2016 Sacred Space Oct 30, 2016
- Oct 22, 2016 Omikron (Fire & Ice) Oct 22, 2016
- Oct 19, 2016 "Do you know what you're going to paint?" Oct 19, 2016
- Oct 15, 2016 "Golden Pathway" Oct 15, 2016
- Oct 14, 2016 Flowers, Flowers Everywhere Oct 14, 2016
- Oct 13, 2016 OKC 2 ("The Bridge") Oct 13, 2016
- Oct 12, 2016 Headed west... Oct 12, 2016
- Sep 7, 2016 A Year of "Largest" Sep 7, 2016
- Aug 2, 2016 Transformation of an idea... Aug 2, 2016
- Jul 27, 2016 Beginning my "marathon" painting: Cullasaja Falls Jul 27, 2016
- Jul 18, 2016 My Marathon Jul 18, 2016
- Jul 13, 2016 Welcome! Jul 13, 2016
- Jul 11, 2016 Aegean Waters Jul 11, 2016
- Jul 2, 2016 The Red Planet Jul 2, 2016
- Jun 17, 2016 Puzzling and Playing Jun 17, 2016
- Jun 10, 2016 St.Claire Art Studio Tour Jun 10, 2016
- Jun 6, 2016 Hominy Valley Jun 6, 2016
- May 25, 2016 "The Acolytes" is installed in Georgetown, SC May 25, 2016
- May 19, 2016 "Zuma" May 19, 2016
- May 18, 2016 Fishy Art May 18, 2016
- May 13, 2016 "The Journey" May 13, 2016
- May 10, 2016 Hyatt Ridge (26" x 16") May 10, 2016
- May 5, 2016 "Broad River in October" May 5, 2016
- May 2, 2016 A Blast From the Past May 2, 2016
- Apr 22, 2016 Beginnings II Apr 22, 2016
- Apr 21, 2016 Appalachian Panorama Apr 21, 2016
- Apr 18, 2016 "How do you get the aluminum on the painting?" Apr 18, 2016
- Apr 14, 2016 Beginnings Apr 14, 2016
- Mar 24, 2016 St. Claire Art News & Updates Mar 24, 2016
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