Painting the Town: A Plein Air Fest

I'm official. I'll be taking part in the first time event "Painting the Town" that's part of the Art in the Adobes Festival coming up on September 15th.

The walking tour for the Art in the Adobes Festival is focused on a four block area of Old Monterey. I think I'll be setting up in front of the Larkin House. So, if you're local to me, and in the area, stop by and say hello. I'll be there from 10am-5pm.

At In Spirit Gallery...

The paintings are hung at In Spirit in care
In hopes that some collectors soon will be there...

This afternoon was the artist's reception for my showing at the In Spirit Gallery in Carmel Valley.

Thanks, as always, to Joe, Brian, Pia, Jake, Jet, Diane, and Iris for their show of support. It was also a treat to see some unfamiliar faces!

Susan and Hugh did a great job with the exhibit. The show opened today and will be there until August 15th. So, if you're in town, and so inclined, go check it out!

In Spirit Gallery. 13750 Center Street, Carmel Valley, California.

MBPAPA

I'm official. I received the welcome email from the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters Association.

After meeting one of the painters at the Carmel Valley Art and Wine Festival, I decided that this would a natural progression for me. I want to do some plein air paintings. And what better way than to learn in the field, literally, from the guys and gals that are already doing it. So, tonight I began working on my portable set-up. And I'm going to start getting out there and putting brush to canvas in the wide open spaces of Monterey County.

In Spirit Gallery, Carmel Valley

One nice thing came out of those long hours at the 7th Annual Carmel Valley Art and Wine Festival - a gallery gig. I'll be featured as the guest artist for a month at the In Spirit Gallery in Carmel Valley next month. It fits perfectly in the window before I'll be hanging at the WestEnd Celebration in Sand City in August.

Look for more information. I'll post details about the opening reception for all you local people.

First Festival

I displayed my paintings at a festival for the first time today. The 7th Annual Carmel Valley Art and Wine Festival.

What a long day. We arrived to set up at 9am and were loaded up and on the road by 6pm. The boys were troopers.

I didn't sell a single piece, but it was nice to see other local artists' works and get the experience of a set-up and tear-down since I'm signed up for the WestEnd Celebration in Sand City in August. I have some things to work on before that though.

We did get to taste some phenomenal wines. Holman Ranch Vineyards just labeled their wines yesterday and today was their first pour. The pinot gris was delicious as was the pinot noir; but I have to say that the rosé was a delight! Surprisingly dry. Check them out if you have a chance. And Scheid is always a favorite!

Putting a Price on Art

How do you place a value on art? As I'm working on price lists and a printed booklet for the Carmel Valley Art and Wine Festival tomorrow, I've been grappling with this question: how do you put a price on art?

The obvious answer is that a painting is worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it. True.

One way to do it is size, meaning any canvas this size will be 'x' number of dollars. Another way is by time, answering - How many hours did the painting take? How much is my time worth?

Those are all quantifiable, logical ways to put a price on a piece of art. But the more fleeting value is this - how does a piece of art make you feel? What emotions or memories does a painting evoke? And how much is that feeling worth?

As I'm new to the art scene, I'm just going to have to go with what I think that feeling is worth and what my wife thinks the feeling is worth. And if we disagree, we'll land somewhere in between. We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

Quick Sketch

While I was doing a test run on putting up the walls of the booth, late last night, my wife hollered out the door, "Can you please do a quick sketch for the boys' end of the school year presents?" Sure thing. I needed a break. So I grabbed my pencils and whipped this out in about half an hour.

What I didn't understand was that she wanted one for each present. Nope, I had to get back to work on the booth. That's what a photocopy machine is for...

So, the booth is all set; I reminded myself of how to get it all assembled. Come check out my art at the 7th Annual Carmel Valley Art and Wine Festival this weekend! I'll be in booth space #7 (on Del Fino Place), showing my art and doing some quick sketches.