Getting Ready for Great Waters

It's less than a month now until we gather for the 2013 Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo!

Somebody pinch me, but it's the 10th year anniversary. 10 Years! I hate cliche's, but holy moly, how time flies!
I can't for a minute think about the Expo and not pause a bit and thank the powers that be for the friendship  of Tom Helgeson, who started it all. Without his guidance and support, and some outright prodding, I doubt my artwork would be were it is today. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say I miss my friend daily.

 I've been an exhibitor at every one, selling raffle tickets for Kiap-TU-Wish at the first one, and selling artwork at all the rest. I dug a round and found a few photos of previous years Expos:

(2010 Chicago)
One of Wisconsin's finest
cane rod makers, Paul Julious

 (2007 Bloomington)
Tom was ready to strangle me when I dragged The Barn into the auditorium.

 

(2009 Bloomington)
Always good to see friends

(2009 Bloomington)
A Jeff Kennedy original of my Kinni Sulphur

(2009 Bloomington)
Demo-ing at the 2009 show

Local color at the 2010 Chicago show

I was asked in an interview recently about what was in my artistic future. My reply was that I really didn't know, but that what ever the case, I was going to "create and express myself in my artwork."

A pretty milk-toast answer; I think I was imagining at the time I would move into something like silver smithing or sculpture or something 3D. So I was a bit taken aback when I sat down today with some paper and oil pastels (of all things) and whipped out a quick drawing of my old buddy Herb's old Brittany Ginger furiously running through the late season grouse woods.

OK, so this isn't COMPLETELY new territory for me; I'd done a portrait  or two in school, um, 20-some years ago. So I sort of know the concept of pastels. Sort of. I totally botched the first attempt - I am a seriously bad draftsman. This is my second attempt, and I must say, there are more things that please me about the drawing than things that don't, so I consider it a success, I guess. I really like the way the dog's movement comes through - I think that was my first goal. I'm also impressed with how the oil pastel's work together as colors.

So, I think I've found my "next thing", so to speak. I'm certainly not laying down my wood blocks (as a matter of fact, I'm about half way done with the latest that I started not too long ago) but definitely on to something fresh.

For the Birds...

Deb and I have three (maybe four) more shows lined up for the rest of this year, and have been hard at work the last couple of weeks getting some new hand-colored linoleum block prints ready, for Art on the Kinni, Spring Valley Dam Days Teachers Art Fair, and the Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival.

We're continuing our bird-themed prints, as we had a terrific time with last years Orchard Calendar project, and thought it would be fun to concentrate on song/garden birds as a theme. When we started Trout Lily Studios years ago, it was with the intent that it would be a vehicle for both of us to pursue our art with; these are Deb's images, from blocks that she carved. I proofed the blocks for her, and printed them, then handed them back for her to hand color.

Goldfinch (blue)

Red Winged Blackbird

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goldfinch (yellow)

Eventually I'd like to carve some color blocks for some of these and see what that will do to the over all image. But for now it's enough to concentrate on rolling out the base prints.