Art at Your Door: Bird Nest discovery

Sometimes art comes to your door.

The last couple of nights before bed, when I opened the front door to check the front porch for packages, I heard a flutter.  I found out why this morning.  What a perfect nest in the front door wreath.  I'll be using the side door for awhile....

New pastel, Bright Flow

In a response to Carly Hardy on facebook regarding the previous pastel post, "Bright Flow":

Carly: Must learn to push more in my paintings!! Love the way your colors flow into one another but still retain their own identity!"

I responded: "...sometimes you just have to insist on the colors. For me, it is often an arbitrary choice, and then I have to see if it works on that spot just fine or if I have to make modifications there or elsewhere to resolve the new color. It's easy to get artsy - cute... a fine line between something thrilling or just tacked on for effect. This was a good day at the office."

Carly Hardy does great color work...check her out.

Perhaps you would like to attend my upcoming oil and pastel workshop:
Making it Fine Art
A two-day workshop in Denver, Sat-Sun, July 21-22.
Two-day workshop: $225. per person  Complete info
Also, there are plans for a 2012 Summer or Fall Houston, TX workshop as well.  Please inquire

New Pastel: Bright Flow

A new pastel: Bright Flow, pastel on sanded paper, 8 x 14 1/2 inches
Also available as limited edition giclee print

I got to push off on this pastel.  It's a line of trees that I'm familiar doing, but I never got this much glow and chroma going on before.  I was aware of what was happening on the paper and kept adding power.

The tree on the right was a big problem.  It was a dark mass and I kept trying to resolved it as a dark body.  I finally ran out of reasonable options and just smashed in a bright yellow over the darks to make something, anything happen.  I got an unexpected result of a delicate, transparent tree and with some added details, a convincing addition to the right side of this work.

On the lower left side I added the reds, subtracting red color with a blue overlay from the left to right.  I debated toning down the far left red but elected to leave it exposed and ran more reds up into the line of trees.  It screams a bit this way and I like the noise it makes.  This will make a great path to a larger oil.

I did this during the Casey Klahn workshop recently in Denver.  He had the room cookin' it that day!  Did I tell you he is a dangerous character? :)

Perhaps you would like to attend my upcoming Ken Elliott oil and pastel workshop:
Making it Fine Art
A two-day workshop in Denver, Sat-Sun, July 21-22.
Two-day workshop: $225. per person  Complete info
Also, there are plans for a 2012 Summer or Fall Houston, TX workshop as well.  Please inquire

New Pastel: Bright Encounter

New pastel on sanded paper, Bright Encounter, 14 x 14 inches.
This began as a completely different image, but the pastel got away from me, so I turned it upside down and began a new work over the failed one.  I do like the way this worked out via the moves I made to make this work a success.

Careful hanging around Casey Klahn...he can be a good motivator. This was pastel was done at his great workshop last weekend.  There were a lot of good works that resulted while we were 'under the influence."  thanks Casey...that dent you put in my head is barely showing now, and I have some nice pastels to show for it  ;)
Unframed, $1100.

Perhaps you would like to attend my upcoming Ken Elliott oil and pastel workshop:  

Making it Fine Art

A two-day workshop in Denver, Sat-Sun, July 21-22.

Two-day workshop: $225. per person  Complete info

Also, there are plans for a 2012 Summer or Fall Houston, TX workshop as well.  Please inquire

A couple of successful pastels at the workshop      photo: Casey Klahn

We had a great time at Casey Klahn's Denver workshop.  It was a full house with a lot of good ideas and artworks.  I can definitely recommend Casey to artists at any skill level.  Bravo Casey!

Exhibiting: Ken at the Total Arts Gallery, Taos, May 2012

My exhibition currently at Total Arts Gallery, Taos, NM     click to enlarge
Two-man show with David Hettinger (the figurative work by the flowers)


What an evening! We had a great turnout, interested lookers and many new friends were made. All these paintings will find their homes soon and I'm back in Denver making more.
It was an inspiring trip.  View the individual images here