The Artistic One

I have talked about my brother before a time or two. In this post I share my thoughts that while we are both good cooks, my brother is a much more imaginative cook than I am. I am a great recipe inspired cook, whereas he is much more likely to create an entirely new recipe. (Which he alluded to on a facebook post but then never told us what he created....brother?? care to share?)

Though we both share a talent in the kitchen, when it comes to the art studio he stands alone. I am not creatively/artistically talented at all. My brother, on the other hand, is VERY talented.

This post is about showcasing this spectacular talent of his. He has graciously allowed me to share with you some of his work. I just want to tell you all how impressed I am with his skills! I love these pictures, drawings and paintings. I simply do not have the skills to do this and I find it so impressive. (Okay, I'm a little jealous, but that is totally normal! We are siblings!)

These are all *original* pieces of his work. Please, do not use or share these works without permission. They are all the property of my brother.

I asked him to share some of his favorite or most interesting pieces and to write a little bit about each one. My comments will be in (lavender). Please take a moment to enjoy these original works. And then, take a moment to share your thoughts in the comments! Please remember, too, that you can click on the picture to see a larger image.

Wasp Study

This is one I like. Probably the first time I drew a picture and was extremely pleased with the result. I had found a dead dried wasp in excellent condition and decided to draw it. I was going to do front view in the lower right corner, but decided not to push my luck. Colored pencil. (I like this...I feel like  the wasp is about to start talking to me. "hey baby...wanna go for a ride?")

Inside a Forest Fire

This was an experiment in texture. The paint is thick and built up in several layers giving the trees a deep and rough texture. To me this reinforces the feel of burning wood. The orange and white in the main trees represents burning embers, where the yellow enhances the cylindrical shape but also embodies the powerful force of fiery wind. One other aspect that really worked out in this painting is that from a distance of a few feet it is difficult to make any sense of. One needs to stand very close in order to see definition in the images, which helps to narrow the view and eliminate distractions in the environment, lending intimacy to the feeling of being “Inside a Forest Fire”. Acrylic on paper. (I thought this was a really cool piece and then when I read his narrative I thought it was even more amazing! He is right...it is like being inside a fire!)

Untitled mountains

This was the first painting where I enjoyed looking at the result. Unfortunately it is done on top of one of my first attempts at painting from several years ago and the underlying texture is obvious. I did not expect to paint something I would end up liking. I learned a lesson from this painting (beyond the mechanics), and that is to not pre-judge the product. I went into this painting with low expectations and ended up with something that makes me feel good. Acrylic on canvas board. (I really like this, and I think whatever is underneath just gives it more character.)

Wine Country

When I was an expectant father I undertook my first remodeling project to make a nursery for my daughter. My grandfather came to see the results of my labor and good naturedly remarked, “it is a comedy of errors”! That is what comes to mind when I look at this painting, a comedy of errors. As a whole the painting does not work, but individually there are many things I enjoy about it. The sky has the overcast sunset feel I was going for. The table cloth has the feel in the pattern I was going for (if one can overlook the wrongness of the angles etc.). The wine and the glass are the best parts. The glass looks like a glass, hard to do with paint. The wine bottle has depth and dimension and just worked out well with the built up paint and shading. This painting is less than the sum of its parts, but for my third painting (watercolor excluded) and my first attempt at a large painting, I can find joy in its pieces. Acrylic on paper. (Chris and I both really like this painting. I could see hanging this in my house...despite all the ??wrongness?? of the angles.)

Untitled Colors

I don’t know what to say about this one. There is not a lot to it, but I really enjoy looking at it. I think the way it came together has something to do with the fact that I like it. It was just one of those instances where I set out to do something completely different and the mixture of paints on my palette and the brush in my hand just led me to this free flowing burst of colors. Acrylic on canvas board. (This one just speaks to me...I LOVE the colors and shading!)

Tree

Again, just practice. I am new to painting so, for the most part, everything is experimentation. This was an experiment with a fan shaped brush. This was a quick painting of about 15 minutes. I was just trying to see what the brush was like, but ended up with a very nice tree. The light is from the left. This can be seen in the highlights in the leaves, and on the trunk. There is a nice shadow under the tree and the flowers there have less variety and appear to be stronger. I could have done without the water and the bank at the bottom, but it is practice. Acrylic on paper. (This one caught my eye right away, too, when I first saw it. I love the flowers with the fan brush.)


I just want to take another moment and thank my brother for being willing to share his work with us. Putting yourself "out there" in any creative endeavour (including writing!) can be very uncomfortable. So THANK YOU for allowing me to share your work brother! Your art is beautiful!