Friday, October 26, 2012

Two Years Out- The Carson-Newman University class of 2010 Alumni Exhibit

Photo by Michael Alvis
FRIENDS! It has been a couple of weeks since the Alumni Exhibit opening reception at Carson-College University's Homecoming. I've been really busy since I got back in town, but I wanted to let you all know how the weekend went. It went Great! As you can see above, it was a grand reunion among most of the exhibiting artists (my former classmates.) In the photo, we are doing the traditional pose of Strongfortism in front of the Warren Art Building. Want to see some more photos? Cool. Here we gooooooo!

Photo courtesy of Sarah Jones (Allison Smith and Alex Smith not pictured.)
Here we are being normal smiling artist people. It is good times. I spy art professors in the background of some of these photos!

Photo by Sarah Jones
Here are my pieces! They came out rather well, if I do say so myself.

Photo by Sarah Jones
Here I am with the cool Kourtney Kelley Smith & the stoic Daniel Aisenbrey.

Photo courtesy of Danielle Schlafer
Here I am again and this time with the talented Gretchen Hill and our brilliant friend, Danielle Schlafer.
And here is a closer look at the art I had in the exhibit: 






By Allison Smith
 Above and below are just some of the great pieces that were also in featured in the show!

Daniel Aisenbrey
Daniel Aisenbrey
Here some of us admire one of Allison Smith's pieces.
Allie Smith
Alex Smith
Alex Smith
Is everything ready? Yes! Let the public in!
Kourtney Kelley Smith
Kourtney Kelly Smith
Kourtney Kelley Smith
Meg Lynch
Cory Jones
Sarah Lynch Jones
Gretchen Hill
Gretchen Hill
Meg Lynch
pssst, Here are the business cards I set out. Each one has an original drawing on them!
Thanks for looking at all the photos, guys. There's plenty more that I could share, but I thought I would take it easy on you all. REALLY cool stuff huh? It was great times! 
Some of the totally amazing artists that contributed to the show have websites. You can check them out here:

Cory Jones
Sarah Lynch Jones
Alex Smith

I enjoyed it all so much! If you didn't get to be there for the opening reception, that's OK! The exhibit is on display in the Warren Art Building at Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, TN until November 20th, 2012. I hope you all get a chance to check it out. Thank you to everyone who stopped by and helped make it happen (especially the faculty of the Art Department!) See you guys next time, God bless!

BONUS PHOTO
Here is my sister, Mary and my girlfriend Kayleigh at the Homecoming football game.  They are very wonderful people.

Friday, October 12, 2012

This Saturday: Homecoming, Art, and More Gnomes


Hello Friends!!!  I just wanted to remind you all that this Saturday (October 13, 2012) is the wonderful opening reception for Two Years Out

An exhibit of recent artwork in a variety of media, made by Carson-Newman Art and Photography graduates of the class of 2010, including:

Daniel Aisenbrey
Philip Buck
Gretchen Hill
Cory Jones
Sarah Lynch Jones
Meg Lynch
Alex Smith
Allison Smith
Kourtney Kelley Smith

Opening Reception: Homecoming Saturday, 13 October, 9:30am to Noon

The work will remain upon display in the Warren Art Building until November 20th, 2012.

I know you are excited, guys. So am I! This is going to be very nice. I hope you all get to swing by and enjoy the art, but if not you can view it anytime while the exhibit is still being shown. You'll probably even see these little friends.


Hope you get to come. We'd love to see you! God Bless!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Gnome Games

Where is a good spot for this little gnome to hide?!

   After having completed a few paintings while studying the gnomes (1, 2, 3,) I decided to focus a bit more on practicing painting natural environments. One of the things that excited me about painting the gnomes was that I'd be challenged to paint more of nature than I usually do. This painting began simply as a way to study and practice painting moss and leaves etc. in watercolor. I quickly found that moss can be a little tricky. (Luckily I can be tricky too and employed my watercolor pencils as well as my usual brushes.)

 It didn't take long for me to start adding more and more little gnome children into the picture. The final result is a gnome game of hide and seek!


Here you can see the loose pencils I drew in the blank or blotted out spots of the painting. You can also see the slight differences that can occur between the penciling and painting stages. Sometimes, it can be a little discouraging when you try to paint something you have sketched out and it isn't the same, but many good things can actually come out of it. Its often good to let the process be a flexible one.


It looks like this little gal's found a good spot. But is it good enough?


Here she is finished and shown with a few of my fingers for scale. She is a very little lass. And I have some very crooked fingers, huh? (I broke some when I was a kid playing games.)


My watercolor pencils and small brushes came in handy while painting these tiny little guys. I'm often finding  new or forgotten ways to use everyday tools. Sometimes I just have to try things out to see what will work best.


 Uh oh, pals. It looks like this little guy is taking a peek!

You can click the images to see a larger view.

    It took a while, but here is the painting completed. The place they are playing is inspired by this photo by . I'm pretty happy with how the moss and leafy bits turned out, as well as with the little gnome friends. I'm not sure if this study will get to join the others in the upcoming exhibit because of its unusual format. But don't fret, gnome fans! There will be more! :)


BONUS SKETCH! 
   While I was looking through my sketchbook the other day while planning another gnome painting, I found some sketches and thumbnails for potential gnome illustrations and paintings that I had forgotten all about. They dated back to February or March. After putting them in the back of my mind for a while as I worked on a few other projects, the gnomes came back big time! haha! Above is one of these slightly older sketches. I may still paint something like this. I mean, that fellow is pretty proud of his special, treasured shell. That is pretty cool. 

I still have more gnome process posts I'm hoping to share with you guys before the show, but until then,
I'll see you later, gnomiacs! :) God bless!