The Gang's All Here

The Gang's All Here is a whimsical painting created with ink and acrylic on gesso board. I got such a kick out of the way we would be driving down the road and look out at the bush and see nothing and then up pops the head of a giraffe above a tree. A closer look would find more giraffes, camouflaged by the bushes and trees. Their spots blended in with the leaves, their long legs looked like tree trunks , they were easy to miss until their heads popped up to take a bite of leaves out of a tree that was shorter than the giraffe.



I took advantage of the hard smooth surface of Ampersand Gessobord to work in permanent ink and washes of acrylic. It was fun. I think I will try this technique with some other subjects too. The painting is 10" high x 30" long and is for sale at $600. at Barton Gallery, 1723 I Street in Sacramento. The Hot African Nights show is up at the Barton Gallery until September 9. Gallery hours are 3:00pm to 9:00pm. Telephone is 916-443-4025, website http://http://www.sacartz.com/.



I leave to paint in Italy at the end of this week, and will be blogging as I go. To follow our journey type your email address in the subscribe blank on this blog and my posts will be delivered straight to your email.

Masai Mother and Child Watercolor

Kathy Young Ross painted this portrait of a Masai Mother and Child in Kenya from a photo she took of the proud young mother while visiting a Masai Village last summer. See this painting at the Hot African Nights exhibit at The Barton Gallery, 1723 I Street, Sacramento. (916) 443-4024. The show ends September 9, 2008. Please read the poster about the Primary School in Kenya that this show is benefiting and if you can contribute you will be sending a poor child in Kenya to school.

HER WAISTED YOUTH

Meanwhile, back at Elliott Fouts Gallery where I have my studio and the rest of my work is exhibited, the current featured artists are Caren Halvorsen, Kathleen O'Leary and Gilbert Amivisca.

Caren's show "My Waisted Youth" is so cleaver and so beautifully done, it deserves to sell out. Here is one of her ceramic sculptures in the show.

The show continues into the first week of September, at 4749 J Street, Sacramento http://www.efgallery.com/, hope you get to see it.

The Opening Reception of Hot African Nights Show

The artists; Kathy Young Ross, myself and Cay Drachnik would like to thank all of you that came to our opening last Saturday evening. We especially want to thank those of you who purchased paintings, and donated to the donation box to send poor Kenyan children to school at the Patrician Primary School in Kabongo, Kenya.

Jackie and Lauren Barton did a fabulous job of hanging our paintings and the show looks great. If you missed the opening, the show will be up until September 9.

Barton Gallery, 1723 I Street, Sacramento open 3:00pm - 9:00pm. (916) 443-4024.

African Memories

This is a 24' x 24" Acrylic on canvas painting that incorporates many of my memories from last summer's trip to South Africa. To create this painting I started with my photo of a Cheetah and then took a left turn into my memory. I chose to depict the smoke and embers from the bush fires we saw and some graphics from the African fabrics that I so admire.

This painting is part of the Hot African Nights show at Barton Gallery, 1723 I Street in Sacramento, California. To purchase the painting for $700. please contact the gallery at (916) 443-4025 or http://www.sacartz.com/.

To see more images from this show and learn about the Patircian Primary School of Kabongo, Kenya scroll down and see previous posts.

Hot Zebra

This Hot Zebra is a watercolor on Aquabord, varnished.  He is mounted on a 2" wide frame painted the same as the background.  This is the second watercolor I have done on Aquabord.  The advantage of working on this surface is that when I finished my zebra I simply sprayed him with 3 coats of Acrylic Varnish and he is ready to smile his crocked smile at you from the gallery wall.  No glass, no mats, no frame, nada!  The look is very contemporary.

He takes his place in our show "Hot African Nights" today, at the Barton Gallery, 1723 I Street, Sacramento.  He will  be posing on the wall there until September 9.  If you wish to purchase him he is 12" x 12" and is priced at $400.  The gallery's phone number is (916) 443-4025.  Second Saturday Opening is Saturday August 9 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.  Regular gallery hours are 2:00pm - 9:00pm weekdays and Saturday.  

MAASAI WARRIOR

This very regal looking Maasai Warrior was painted by Kathy Young Ross for our show Hot African Nights at Barton Gallery August 8 - September 9. Stop by on Second Saturday August 9 between 6:00pm - 9:00pm at the Barton Gallery 1723 I Street and see this and 30 plus other paintings created for this show by Kathy Young Ross, Cay Drachnik and myself.

The show is a benefit for the Patrician Primary School at Kabongo, Kenya. To learn more about the school we are helping go to their website at http://www.patriciankabongo.com. Brother Paul Brennan spoke about the school, the horrific violence experienced in Kabongo last January and the need for help on Capitol Public Radio's program Insight on July 23, when he was in Sacramento visiting his cousin, Cay Drachnik's husband. The show is archived on the website http://www.capradio.org if you would like to hear this fascinating interview. (It is the third segment of the program).

Hope to see you at Barton Gallery, second Saturday of August, the 9th.