Artful Weekend

New Bern, NC at 60mph

It was certainly an artful weekend. A quick trip to one of the coastal galleries, to deliver new works, garnered some nice original sales and new friendships. Each day, it seems, is becoming more artful. Which is exactly how it should be when you're in the business of being creative. 

A happy art collector ready to take "Sea Shack" to it's new home.

And one of the perks of being in this business, is meeting other creative artists. And I've been very fortunate to meet several and even more fortunate to be able to collect some of their original works!

Three 5x5in. Holga prints by Gabriella Mirollo, matted beautifully to 11x14

which I'm looking forward to framing.

I've been admiring Brian Sylvester's work for about a year and a half and I finally have three of his beautiful mandala paintings. The colors are absolutely gorgeous.

My in-house studio. Showing Gabriella's "Hometown View" black & white photograph in it's new spot. Follow the link above and scroll down to see her beautiful image of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Me with "Hometown View" just arrived :))

Urban Impressions Exhibit: February - March 2012

"Passage"

6x6in. oil on panel

©douglas hoover

In my last post, I mentioned that I have ten urban inspired paintings currently on exhibit and available at 6th and Vine in downtown Winston-Salem. They will be exhibiting through March. You can view all of the paintings and their details by following the link below.

http://douglashoover.com/urbanartworks.htm

Up next... getting ready for a two month show and I have a little less than two weeks to get everything ready for that. And then... my art show season starts in April. I think I'm gonna need to learn to paint with my toes!!

Tiny Dancers

"Tiny Dancers"

6x6 oil on panel

©douglas hoover

I'm happy to say this painting is one of ten that are currently on exhibit and available at one of my favorite spots to hang out and socialize, 6th and Vine in downtown Winston-Salem. It's a restaurant and wine bar with over 300 different bottles of wine to choose from.

Well, even with so much work going on at the studio, I saw this as a great opportunity to exhibit in an alternative space. And I feel it was well worth the time and effort to get these paintings ready to hang.

When there's a little more time, I'll have the entire show posted for viewing. Every piece is framed in a black plein air frame so they all really look good together. Hey, I'm biased :))

"Storm Clouds"

"Storm Clouds"
6x6in oil on panel
©douglas hoover

This painting stemmed from a quick trip to the coast. The scene was very beautiful and ominous. I'm not sure if I really captured the feeling but these low, dark, overhanging clouds were just hovering over the harbor while this small sailboat made preparations to dock.

January has been a busy month in the studio and some good artistic opportunities are lining up for the next three months. Specifically, exhibit opportunities. I'll post more about it as the details start coming together.

"Soaking it In"

©douglas hoover

"Soaking it In"

6x6in. oil on panel

I've had this painting in my head for a long time. While on the ferry going to Ocracoke this past December, I sketched out the idea. Once the sketch was done I knew it felt right for a painting. 

365 Days of Sketching... I must be crazy!

http://douglashooverstudio.blogspot.com/

A creative buddy of mine gave me a sketchbook as a Christmas gift this year.  

One Sketch A Day: a visual journal. It's not a regular sketchbook, it's marked from day one to day 366. So I guess it would actually be 366 days of sketching.

Anyway, I'm usually sketching every day... but not in one book. So, I was thrilled with this. I see this not only as a method to keep my sketching chops going but also as a great resource for painting ideas as well. Sharing sketches is something that I'm not really comfortable doing... I know some of these are going to be crap and a bit revealing on what's on my mind any given day. But that's why we sketch right? To work out solutions, compositions, problems.

Let's see where this goes...

Sketches for the new year...

dec 31st 2011                                 

The holiday season was absolutely awesome and It's been a good first week of 2012. I made sure to get the year started off right by going to a place that good for my soul... the coast. Great friends, good food, good times... and awesome weather! I was able to paint outside or at least on the screened porch the entire time.

porch painting...                       

sketching ideas on the ferry...   

And of course working out new painting ideas for this year was key. Many sketches were made and a painting or two completed and some new ideas worked out. So there should be some good activity in the studio for the next couple of weeks.

when land touches sea...                

Staying inside was next to impossible... the weather was spectacular!

New Years Mascots...                      

More photos than words this time but more to come...

to my online friends, family and artistic comrades

Times like these....

"Into the Western November Skies"   ©douglas hoover

A million miles away
Your signal in the distance
To whom it may concern
I think I lost my way
Getting good at starting over
Every time that I return

I'm learning to walk again
I believe I've waited long enough
Where do I begin?
I'm learning to talk again
Can't you see I've waited long enough?
Where do I begin?

"Walk" -Foo Fighters

So many blessings come to us disguised as curses. It's up to us to see beyond and turn them around. 2011 has been a roller coaster ride to put it mildly. Not only for myself but for a lot of my friends, family and colleagues. But my optimistic side knows there are bigger and better things right around the corner. Just follow your bliss... do what makes you happy. And things start to line up. Sometimes I call bullsh*t on this belief of mine but it does work for the most part.

Onward & upward my friends...

Commissions and Inspiration

"Harborside View" 6x6in. oil on panel ©douglas hoover

October has kept me busy with commissioned paintings and freelance design work. Both of which I truly enjoy. That means, however, that I'm spending my nights at the easel creating my personal work. When I heard that 16 Patton Gallery in Asheville, NC was having an opening reception for a group show this past Saturday, I decided on a road trip for much needed inspiration.

The show features the work of Karen Hollingsworth, Karin Jurick, and Suzy Schultz. All were exhibiting phenomenal work. I've been following the work of Karen and Karin for many years now after originally finding their work through Neil Hollingsworth's blog, Karen's husband, who also is an extraordinary artist.

"Museum Hours" Karin Jurick's new book of paintings available here.

Karin, Karen and Neil were in attendance and it was such a pleasure talking "art" with them. They were all very gracious with their time. The gallery had several of their books available, so I couldn't resist picking up Karin's "Museum Hours" book. If you love art, this is worth getting!

I've returned from the gorgeous fall mountains of Asheville, newly inspired with fuel for my creative fire... ready to get back to the easel!

"Island Girl"

5x5in. acrylic on 300lb arches  © douglas hoover

I am in motion, I am blue

love is an ocean, i'm anchored in you
but I am a dreamer,
so you sent me away
sometimes we dreamers
just get in the way
but i've always known
since I was a child
that the road is my home
and my spirit is wild
now I have my memories
and i've got lots of time
and i'm stoned in san francisco
with you on my mind
I am in motion, I am blue,
love is an ocean
i'm anchored in you, love is an ocean

Anchored in You by Shawn Mullins

This is a small acrylic painting from this past spring... this one and many others are the inspiration for new paintings this fall. I'm not giving up my coastal scenes... just expanding my horizons. I'll be attending several coastal art shows in the next two months plus counting on a lot of painting and creating time in the studio... we'll see where this inspiration leads.

How is it September already?

"Ocracoke Reflections" 4x4in oil on panel - ©douglas hoover

What is one to say about June, 

the time of perfect young summer, 

the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, 

and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade.  

~Gertrude Jekyll

I'm slowly easing into the fall season preparing for a couple of festivals this month. Saturday Sept. 10th I'll have my tent set up at the Archdale Heritage Festival from 9am - 4pm. Then on Saturday Sept. 24th I'll be showing my works at the saxart river-walk juried art festival from 10am - 6pm.

Needless to say there's a lot of activity in the studio this week. But it's fun. I wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't!

New Paintings & Friendships

24x12 oil on galllery wrapped canvas - ©douglas hoover

I'm gonna sit right here and watch the sun

Disappear into the ocean

Because it's been years since I smelled the salty sea

I'm gonna turn my bottle up and down.

You'll see me lost and you'll see me found

I don't know what I've been looking for... I guess me.

~Shawn Mullins

my palette

There are times when everyone questions where they are in their life and if they've made the right decisions. I think it comes down to being grateful for what you do have at the current moment. And right now I'm certainly grateful for a wonderful client and friend who hired me to create the painting shown above. It has been a busy couple of weeks in the studio with this current painting and also preparing for some upcoming festivals in September. And I've been working on my new 2012 Coastal Impressions calendar which features my paintings from the last year. It's currently available for pre-order here.

2012 Coastal Impressions Calendar 

I'm also grateful for my artistic comrades. Last year, I met Brian Sylvester of Inkpunk Artworks through the very talented and insightful Manon Doyle. Brian is an artist currently located in Massachusetts who creates beautiful paintings of geometric mandalas. Visit Brian's Facebook page and click *like* to keep up to date with his latest works. 

Me and my Inkpunk Tee

Be sure to check out Brian's Mandala tee shirts too!

Life Drawing & Studio Time

Faber-Castell artist pen @2011 douglas hoover

charcoal @2011 douglas hoover

graphite @2011 douglas hoover

Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend a two hour drawing session with the local arts guild. About eight of us set up our chairs and easels around the model for a good vantage point. It had been a few months since doing some life drawing so this was a good challenge for me. We started off with several 5 minute poses, then a few 10 minute poses and then closing with two 20 minute poses. The drawing wasn't the challenge... just staying focused for that long was the challenge for me...lol!!

Currently, I have a commissioned painting on the easel I'm happy to say!! I'll be able to show it off once my client views the final and approves everything... fingers crossed :)))

"Sunset Calm"

Sunset Calm 6x6in. oil on panel

Capturing that golden hour... my favorite time of day.

This painting is currently showing and is available at Carolina Creations in New Bern, NC

It's good to listen...

North Carolina Lighthouse Triptych

In June, I was convinced by a very wonderful person in my life that I should finish these lighthouse paintings... even when I didn't think I could.

It's always a good idea to listen to what others have to say.

A note to self... shut your mouth and open your ears, Doug :)

And then, don't think about it... just do it!

I'm happy I listened!

Harbor Sunrise

18x18in. oil on gallery wrapped canvas

I enjoy sunrises almost as much as I do sunsets. This painting was inspired by an early morning walk around Silver Lake Harbor in Ocracoke, NC. The morning sun just barely making it's way above the trees allowed the clouds to capture it's brilliant colors. Oh yeah, it had to be a painting!

This one is available at Carolina Creations in New Bern, NC.

Island Lights

Island Lights, 6x6 inches - oil on panel - Sold

My favorite time of day is during the golden hour... when the sun sets low in the sky in the evening. This is my attempt to capture that warm glowing light and the feeling of that moment.

"The Conversation"

"The Conversation" 6x6in oil on panel

When I'm traveling, I tend to take a lot of reference photos. Too many. But I see potential paintings everywhere. And there's not always time to stop and sketch... which I'd rather do. 

This painting captures a moment from coastal North Carolina along the banks of the Neuse River.

Thursday Afternoon Sketch-Out

Sketch #1 - pencil

Well, last night I did something that I don't normally do. A good friend and mentor (my art instructor from middle school years) invited me to join a group of artists for an outdoor drawing session. It felt good to be outside working alongside other like-minded people.

Sketch #2 - india ink

The local arts guild holds a drawing/painting session once or twice a month and this is right up my alley!! Before the session was over, two sketches were complete and I'm now inspired with new painting ideas. So, take my word for it... it's good to get out of the studio!