Stars of Texas Juried Art Show

So the Stars of Texas Juried Art Show came to an end this weekend. I enter the show every year and this year won Honorable Mention for "The Diggers". If you are an artist or photographer and you didn't enter the show make plans to do so next year, the entry fee is low and the show just gets better every year. For anyone who didn't get by to see the show I am post my winning image and artist statement. Feel free to comment about what you think - I love to hear everyone's stories.



The inspiration for this piece comes from a very unlikely place - the public library in Woodward Oklahoma. When I was younger my mother used to take us to the library to pick out books to read. My favorite were a series of books about a little mouse. The best part about the little mouse books was that they contained no words - only pictures of the mouse involved in different situations and you got to tell your own story about the mouse.

20 years later I was stuck on a current project. In much of my art I try to get the viewer to interact with the piece, which is admittedly much easier with sculpture than with photography. That is where I was stuck - how to engage a viewer with a 2 dimensional artwork and my mind turned back to the little mouse books.

My memory of the little mouse books gave birth to a series of works that depict a climactic or decisive moment in a story - although what that story is is entirely up to the viewer. "The Diggers" is one of my favorite images in that series because it prompts so many questions - "Are they burying something or digging it up?" "Who are they?" "Why are they doing this?" "Who or what are they looking at?" "What happened leading up to this moment and what happens afterward?"

But the most important question is - what is your story?

Personal Projects: The Diggers

Today I wanted to share one of my personal fine art projects, titled "The Diggers". I think it is important for a creative professional to continue doing work solely for one's self not only because it stretches your creativity, but also because it allows you test out new techniques and concepts with people who are no paying you for absolute perfection.
Anyway, "The Diggers" is part of a series of pieces I am working on that tell a story, but exactly what that story is is entirely up to viewer. It is an exercise in imagination: Who are these people? What are they doing? Are they burying something? If so what? Are they digging something up? If so what? Who or what are they looking at? If they have been caught, what will they do next? What led up to this moment? Think about it and leave me a comment with your thoughts!

Red Cross

The Pecan Valley chapter of the Red Cross is currently in the middle of a fund raising effort called Home Town Heroes. To help with the fund raising I have donate a framed art piece entitled "Serendipity". It is on display right now along with many other art pieces donated by members of the Brownwood Art Association at Mills County State Bank, Texas Bank and Citizens National Bank. You can go by any of these banks to view the art work and purchase raffle tickets to support the Red Cross and win some great art!

Stars of Texas Art Exhibt

The Stars of Texas Juried Art Exhibit is going on right now at the Depot and yours truly has a piece in the show for the second year in a row! If you want to see some really great art both local and from around the state make sure and stop by. The exhibit is open from February 8th - 20th and gallery hours are as follows M-F 9am-6pm, Sat. 9am-4pm, and Sun.1pm-4pm. Don't forget to sign the guest book and pick a slip to vote for the People's Choice Award! If you still crave more art when you are finished at the Depot make your way down to the Art Center on Fisk for the Salon Des Refuses Exhibit and see some of the art that almost made it into the show. All works are for sale and benefit the Arts Council of Brown County.

Stars of Texas Art Exhibt

Wow, I am so excited this is the second year in a row I have gotten a piece in to the Stars of Texas Juried Art Exhibit! 151 artist from all over the state entered 340 works of art and "Each Touch Belongs to Each New Sound" was one of the few selected for the show. I am very honored to have been chosen and I encourage everyone to come out and see the show when it opens on February 7th.

Brownwood Reunion

Last weekend was the Brownwood Reunion and the Brownwood Art Association held a photography contest in conjunction. I entered a triptych of photos I took around town encased in one of my custom frames. I ended up wining Honorable Mention and the People's Choice Award! Thank you to all the people who voted for me, it is always nice to know people genuinely like your work. So for anyone who didn't get to see it in the show here is my piece "Each Touch Belongs To Each New Sound".