5K run

From this angle it looks like I am first. I like this photo.  ;-) 

 My legs did not hurt all the whole time, I was so excited!! My top speed was 7 mph according to my little GPS watch.  That made me happy, too bad I couldn’t do it the whole time…

We all (Neil, Emily, Mom, Me & Dan) ran the 5k race the night before Grandma’s Marathon last friday.  It was fun, we all know that we should have trained much more. Since none of us are runners…. but we did it all for Steve Jr.  Well, he made us all run the 5K if we wanted to stay in the hotel with him. So we did, since getting a hotel in Duluth during the marathon is like finding a lake in the desert!

My brother Steve Jr ran the marathon on Saturday and did awesome too!  How he does it I will never know. In case you can’t tell, he is the one with “JR” on his arm.

Good Job everyone!

Steve Jr

Steve Jr

16×20

Oil

As my studio is still closed.  Here is another older pieces for now.

This is my brother Steve Jr.  When I asked him to model for me for a head study at school he said sure.  Then when he got there, he could hardly stay awake. I think that is funny since he is a marathon runner.  Anyway, we got through this just fine, he was my 1st head study painted at school.  Nothing more challenging then to paint facial hair with your 1st portrait study…

I have come a long way since I painted him.

Speaking of marathon’s - My brother is running Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth this weekend.  Wish me luck - as I am running my 1st 5K friday night. (see what brothers make you do) - My shin has been hurting, so I will need all the prayers I can get!

Sandi

Sandi

16×20

Oil

My studio is currently closed, for we are getting a new roof!  Which is a VERY good thing.

So, this week I have dug out a few older pieces.   This is my 2nd head study I painted at The Atelier.  Since I am used to painting horses all the time, this was my first pale blond person to paint. I learned a lot on this one.  I am glad it was just a study.  The photo is bit darker then the real painting. 

We are given 45 hours to complete the study.  We start with a charcoal drawing, which took me about 5-7 days (I forget.)  Then the painting was the rest.  I didn’t get a good finish, but I am happy for my 2nd head study.

That is all I have for today!

Good Morning Sunshine II

“Good Morning Sunshine”

28×42

Oil on Canvas

Here is the completed interior painting.  When we started this drawing baby Hazel was 3 months old.  Now that we finished, she is now 10 months old!   When drawing from life, just try keeping a baby still, or even somewhat in the same spot,  I knew from the start this would be hard.  This was more challenging then I had guessed it to be. In time I learned that if someone came to visit in my studio and stood just behind Leslie, Hazel would almost always go into the same pose.  Then the challenge was to paint as fast as I could as Hazel was growing. There were things we added later (like her blond hair) and her cute smiling laugh.  Still keeping her 3 month old body and pose.  This is why the blanket appeared, to hide the squiggling.

The hardest part was to draw everything else in the room (persepectively speaking) and make it all look right.  If that was easier, I may have finsihed this months ago.  Now at least I know how to solve all those issues, or at least alot of them.  Next time should not take me nearly as long.

I titled this GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE, as I could hear my mom come into my room when I was little to wake me up.  She would always say “Good morning sunshine.”  With the sun coming in the room, and Leslie picking up Hazel after a nap, you can just hear her whisper to her “Good morning sunshine.”

Wolf Study

“Wolf Study”

9×12

Oil on canvas

$495

I was at the Como Zoo in St. Paul last fall.  For years I never seen the wolves there. Then a few years ago, I met a wolf named Dakota.  I went to visit every Sunday.  After a while, I could walk up to the fence and call his name and he would run from where ever he was hiding each time.  We did this for several years until his mate Mira died of cancer.  Then because Dakota was so old, instead of finding him a new mate, the switched him out with a pair from up at the Wild Life Science Center in Forest Lake.  Last I heard Dakota had also died of cancer too.  So, this is the new wolf, to which at this time I do not know either wolf’s name.  Someday…

Thank you! (part II)

Here is the last 1/2 of photos from The Atelier Studio Program of Fine Art show.

Dan Petrov 2nd Year and Susan Cook 1st year

Elaine Stolt and Laura Tundel

Grandpa, Dad, Auntie Debbie and Kristen

Joe Burns 1st year and Kathy Nomura 4th year

Kari Jo Johnson 1st year

Mary and Doug

Nanci and Allison

Debbie Norton and Dave

Kyle Shanahan

Malia and Mary Kay Weinhagen

Terrie Myers

Dan Fulmek and Dad

Grandpa and Grandma

Jennifer Miller and Husband

John Erica Abby & Henry Nutzman

Terri and Steve Hawkins

Terry Belden and Pat Schu

A sign of the end of a long hard day!

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!

Nanci

THANK YOU!

Thank you to all who stopped by The Atelier Studio Program of Fine Art show last weekend.  I didn’t get photos of everyone, but will just post a few of them.  THANK YOU!!!

Here is Day one photos!

The whole gang at the Atelier

Aaron Fahrmann (a wonderful photographer) and Laura Tundel 5th year at the Atelier.

My mom and stepdad with my brother Steve Jr.

Mark & Darice Koepke - standing next to Darice’s portrait (in progress)

Nanci and Uncle Arnie

Nanci and Ben S - 3rd year Student

Nanci and Bill Kelly

Nanci and Collette Pilon first year at the Atelier

My brother Dan and me.

Daniel Walter (1st year) and Jessie Wollin (3rd year)

Nanci and Emily Tran

Jeffrey Smith Alumni and Nanci

Nanci and John Woolly and Friend.

Nanci and Kim Monahan Instructor

Artist Rick Hansen and Nanci

Nanci and Sara Bobrowski

Nanci and Sylvia

Tamar Snir and friends

 

Godfather Still Life

“Tiamo Piu Della Mia Vita”

24×28
Oil on Canvas

$8950

Here is a still life I did which I thought was going to be just of my favorite vase. Little by little I added some items, the took them out, then added more, before I knew it - I had an eerie Godfather still life, not at all where I had originally intended. It is a bit funny to me.

I have the “horse head” as we all know was cut off in the movie. I have the olive branch (for the olive oil business), which also can mean a symbol of a peace treaty. Which I guess the guy who’s horse was cut off did agree to let the other guy get his movie part. Then I added the book itself, which my copy is a 1st edition hard cover. I added the single red rose to say “l love you” as the movie itself is a romantic one. The colors red white & green, could that be anymore Italian?

My favorite part is the errie reflection of the horse head in the vase. It might not have the same effect online as you do when you see the painting live.  Here the relection of the horse could be the blood covered horse head.  Not that I am about killing horses in anyway! (just want to make that clear!) But, it is my favorite part of the whole painting.

I hope you enjoy!

Black Arabian Horse

“Black Stallion”

9×12

Oil on Canvas

SOLD
Here is a little study of the horse “King.”  He is a beautiful black arabian, just like in the book/movie “The Black Stallion.”

SHOW TIME!!!

Just an update, I will be having my 4th year show at The Atelier Studio Program of Fine Art.  This is our full time student show.  There will be 18 of the best artist in the twin cites showing their creations this weekend!

www.TheAtelier.org

The Atelier Studio Program of Fine Art
1701 E Hennepin  Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55414
(3rd floor)

May 16-18

Fri 2-9 / Sat 12-8 / Sun 12-5

Contact me with any questions.