Tropical Storm Relief in Mexico… YOU can help! A big thank you to Frank Gardner and friends…

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I swear, some artist’s have the hugest hearts… with all the devastation that has pummeled Mexico, your help is needed! Frank Gardner has started a fundraiser selling his paintings at super prices. Once some of his fellow artists found out about this adventure, they shared their paintings as well… These paintings are sold on a first come first serve basis… and they are stunning… check it out!  They are going quickly, so if you check and there are none left, but you would like to help out anyway… I’m sure that can be arranged! If there is any way that you can donate any amount, it would be more than appreciated. Frank is easy to get in contact with… Just email him…

Here’s the latest from Frank 9/24/13 PM:

We are at $2,200. dollars so far in less than one day! Added new pieces today by Peter Kalill, Dennis Poirier, Colin Page and me. More coming soon. If anyone wants to donate or purchase please contact me.

frank@frankgardner.com

Details below… Click on the MY PAINT BOX BLOG link if you’re short on time…

My Paint Box blog 

Below is information from a newsletter from Frank… what a great group of artists!

I hope you are all well.
This newsletter is to let you all know that for the next week or so, I am going to be using the My Paint Box blog to set up a fundraising campaign. We are raising money to help people affected by the tropical storms that battered the Mexican coasts last week. The one-two punch of Manuel’s first landfall on Sunday and Tropical Storm Ingrid’s lashing of México’s east coast on Monday. (Ingrid was a hurricane offshore, but made landfall as a tropical storm.) Manuel became a hurricane before heading back to shore for a second hit on México’s upper west coast.
So far, at least 80 people have been killed in Mexico from the storms, not including the 58 people missing from a landslide in La Pintada, located a few hours north of Acapulco.As you probably know, my family and I live in Central México. While were wedged between the two storms and got a lot of rain last week, we were spared the brunt of these storms. As we began see reports from the affected areas we began to think of a way that we could help, beyond just taking a few canned goods down to be donated, we want to try and help in a bigger way. I can’t imagine losing everything and or losing friends and family members in a disaster like this.I decided to make the small gesture of putting a few of my paintings up for sale at specially reduced prices to raise some money for relief. Then take that money and buy necessities and non perishable goods to donate to the Mexican Red Cross. Both my niece and nephew are volunteers with the Mexican Red Cross here in San Miguel and the Red Cross has the best infrastructure for getting donations where they need to be.Before I could even get some pictures taken and get it on line friends began contacting me wanting to help out. This project continues to grow with the more than generous support from people who want to help. Please keep checking back, because we will continue to add more donations that are available.On my blog are images of donated artwork and other items. Many of these items can be seen at Galeria Gardner, Zacateros 75 in San Miguel de Allende. Some things that have been donated by friends will be shipped by them directly to the buyer. We think trying to auction these items will get too confusing and time consuming for everyone. After much thought we decided to go with the “Buy it Now” system of a set price, first person to make the offer to buy it gets it. Below each item I will put the Title, Artist’s name and information, Special Fundraiser Price, Shipping cost if applicable, and any other pertinent information.Because these are also available “off line” we are not using a “Buy it Now” button to avoid selling a piece twice. If you are interested in purchasing anything listed below you must email me at frank@frankgardner.com with the name of the item and your desire to purchase. Please do not try to purchase in the comments section of this blog. We can’t check email constantly, but the first email in my box for each item, or person that buys in person at Galeria Gardner, will get it. We can accept payment with PayPal on line, or cash and checks in person at the gallery. If buying on line, I will contact you to confirm your purchase. and send a PayPal payment request.Remember to keep checking back for more items. We will be adding more soon.
Please help out in any way you can. Every little bit helps.
Thank You.
http://frankgardner.blogspot.com

If you have not seen the damage from these storms you can see images here:

or here:

Catch you back here tomorrow!

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…     French Enamel House Numbers… Sharp!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O… Owls Head General Store… what a find, the best hamburger ever!

Featured Artist… Tibor Nagy!

“A Voiceless Belfry” by Tibor Nagy

What is not to love about this painting? Look at that exquisite brushwork! Oh, and the fabulous layering that makes his work so interesting. Tibor’s subject matter is so interesting as well, you wonder what it’s like as you walk through that opening, what awaits you as you walk deep inside? VERY intriguing…

“Layers” by Tibor Nagy

“Layers” has been aptly named. LOOK at those fantastic layers. Nothing flat and disinteresting about Tibor’s work.

Tibor has a wonderful website, included on his website are two videos that will blow you away! One is for the first painting “A Voiceless Belfry” the other is for “Country Church II”, click HERE to select which video to watch… I am oh so impressed!

Here is a blip about Tibor from his website:

Why the landscapes are special to me

When I observe the land itself, the first thing that happens is that it evokes 
a feeling or mood in me. A while later I slowly start to explore colors, 
structures and other details in general. And this very first notion is what 
interests me the most; trying to capture the vitality and rich diversity 
of the scenery while concentrating on the emotional context which is crucial for me.

I prefer to work using a “loose style” with many abstract forms, which I love, trying
to find a balance between what is abstract and what is real.

This form of expression is very energetic and often makes me push the envelope
a bit further. At this point I need some courage because beyond this border starts
an unknown territory and since I’m not just relying on the knowledge I’ve gathered
over time anymore, I never know what might surprise me. It’s like being on the edge. 
Sometimes I fall and other times new, unexpected possibilities of expression and 
technique become available to me. This is the way I can improve, being constantly
on the edge, where the process of thinking temporarily stops and spontaneity comes
in instead. If I manage to maintain this fragile balance, a work of art is created.

Experience slowly teaches me that it’s better not to think too much but to trust your
intuition instead. Having the courage to leave the safe but often boring road 
and “stay alive” is what matters to me.

I also make an extra effort to remain constantly open to new possibilities and innovative
ways and, if possible, not to remain at the same stage all the time. In this way I give new creative processes the opportunity
to carry me forward.

Check out his work, it’s amazing! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Scott Christensen!

“Life” by Scott Christensen

Image: M Gallery of Fine Art, Charleston, SC

LIFE. What a great title for this painting! It’s an impressive 70 x 70 ( 80 x 80 with the gorgeous frame included) let me tell you, it makes a statement.  Scott Christensen is an amazing artist. That goes without saying. Fred and I popped in M Gallery in Charleston, SC last weekend and saw the latest arrival entitled “Life”. I’m not kidding you when I say we walked into the room and stopped in our tracks. This painting is a stunner. If there is a chance that you can find your way downtown Charleston, SC you must stop in and check it out… there are so many great artists in one gallery it will blow your mind, including (but not limited to)… Frank Gardner, Tom Balderas, Robert Spooner, Gene Costanza, and the list goes on…

There is great video of this painting you must check it out! This was on the M Gallery blog… click HERE

Here’s a blip about Scott from an article in Artist Daily website. Click on the bolded Q+A link to read in it’s entirety!

Idaho artist Scott Christensen is one of the most well-respected landscape painters in the country, and his understanding of light, ability to achieve pure color, and reverence for nature also make him a highly sought-after instructor. In this Q+A section, we list Christensen’s responses to 10 questions on landscape painting to give readers a glimpse into the artist’s mind, process, and teaching style.

Then… what I’m always interested in… (from the same link in Artist Daily):

AA: Who are some of your heroes in the landscape-painting genre, both past and present?

SC: Past: Isaac Levitan, Emil Carlsen, Alphonse Mucha, Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, Nicolai Fechin, Anders Zorn, Arthur Mathews, Edward Steichen, and Ilya Repin. Present: Clyde Aspevig, Carolyn Anderson, Tim Lawson, Susan Lyon, Scott Burdick, Dan Gerhartz, and Sherrie McGraw.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

“Flag’ by Frank Gardner… an amazing painting!

“Flag” by Frank Gardner – Image: Randy Higbee Gallery 6×6 show


I just want to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude for all of you who have served, are serving now, or have lost a loved one serving our country. Thank you just isn’t enough. YOU are what makes this country great! Just know that…

On a side note… I wanted to select a painting appropriate for today, and a house with a flag seemed to be spot on. I’ve always loved this little 6×6 painting. This was done by artist Frank Gardner. Just love his work… check it out! I LOVE a flag in a painting, it draws me right in!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… William Wray!

“Bannister” by William Wray

Can I just say THANK GOODNESS I FOUND THIS PAINTING! I’ve had this in my mind forever… this painting is just so intriguing… it’s a bannister and a staircase I know, but it’s something mysterious or something that has caught in my brain and I haven’t been able to let it go. I swear I featured this artist already. I went through my entire blog… nothing. I couldn’t remember the artists name for the life of me, and if Fred didn’t also see it I would swear I was losing my mind. We tried to find it last week, searched every gallery, every artist that we could think of and came up with nothing. Then I was on Frank Gardner’s website (you must visit! he is an exceptional artist, he never continues to amaze me with his work!), reading his blog, this post specifically… (click HERE to read!)

“20 Representational Painters to be Inspired by in 2012”  My personal list of paint that inspires me.

When, WHEW… Frank had William Wray on his list as well as the image. YAY! I’m not crazy, whew! I think I’m going to order a cake to celebrate, ha ha… So THANK YOU Frank, for your list, which was SPOT on, I’m so thankful I ran across it again!

Ok, onto the featured artist… William Wray. Look at this painting… this man is not afraid to put some paint down with some color to it! I love that wonderful orange popping through the violet… whoa! I wonder if this was really the color this stairwell was or if this is his interpretation?  Would be interesting to know. Either way the color is amazing. I love how artists can take something mundane and by changing the colors within the image it takes it from drab to WOW! This painting is on his website under “Interiors”. Great website so take a peek! William has a tab on his website “INFLUENCES”, and it’s brilliant! A link to the artists who have had an influence on him. Great information! Thank you William!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… FRANK GARDNER

"Ben" by artist Frank Gardner

 

Frank Gardner… many of you have heard his name.

 Great artist, and a nice guy.

You may be familiar with the story where we met Colin Page, an artist in a cottage down the street from the one we were renting in Port Clyde, Maine. Colin invited us to their cottage on the last day to see all the paintings and WOW! I’ll save that story for another post, let me just say… what a group of amazing talent. (Frank was part of the Paintapalooza group of artists, like I said… future post)!

I have spent a great deal of time trying to find the ONE painting to post… all I can say is I can’t pick just one… this painting “Ben” is exquisite, and there are many more so you need to go check out Frank’s website. He’s in several galleries (website has links) and even a local gallery here in Charleston, SC the M Gallery of Fine Art.

Take a peak and see which your favorite is…

Remember to visit my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com ! Until tomorrow…