Craig Gould Fine Art

Busy, busy, busy...

It's been six weeks since my last post mainly because I've been too busy with other aspects of the business to stop and talk about it.  I was part of a group show called "Moscow at the Palomar" that took place July 26-31 at the Hotel Palomar in Dallas.  The show was created to feature the Russian artists being brought to the US by Artfest, but they also wanted to include the work of some of the American artists associated with the company.  Between that event, rounding out my portfolio once again for another presentation to the Russian market, and trying to work out the logistics of exhibiting at the State Fair of Texas, July wound up being a busy month.

Let's take a look at what I've painted over the last five weeks.

As a follow up to the Tiger Woods painting I did entitled "Reading the Break", I completed this 16"x20" of Tiger entitled "Drive".  The title is so appropriate.  Not only is Tiger known for his long drives off the tee, but he is also arguably the most driven golfer ever.  He epitomizes intensity, focus and the pursuit of perfection.  Artistically I followed a style similar to the previous Tiger painting.  The painting is built in thin layers over a tan base with the most detail being given to the focus of the composition.  The work has elicited very positive feedback from those that have viewed the work in person.

A couple of years back I started the series of landscapes you see on my website.  The first landscape was a painting I called "Proclamation".  With each passing month I grew more and more disappointed with the outcome of the piece and so I decided to do something I never do and that is go back to a finished work and put more work into it.  It's challenging as an artist to know when to stop work or press on.  Sometimes you can work right past understated beauty and wind up with fantastically detailed piece that doesn't work.  In this case the painting needed the tweaking.

While meeting and greeting with the folks at the gallery last week I spent some time speaking with Jack Weis.  Jack is one of those veteran guys that has had his hands in just about everything: movies, professional football, Indy racing.  In talking with Jack it turns out he had helped run the Mecom Racing Team back in the sixties.  The team had great success with drivers Jackie Stewart and Graham Hill, the latter winning at Indianapolis in 1966.  On a whim I decided to paint an ode to that event.  "Indy '66" represents that Hill-piloted car crossing the bricks in Indy to take the checkered flag.  Hill was killed in a plane crash in the UK in 1975.  His son Damon won the F1 series championship in the mid-'90s.

I've been continuing to work on pieces in the Americana genre to hopefully appeal to the Russian audience.  That has led me to continue my series of Harley-Davidson and Southwest landscape paintings.  I'm also starting work on a series of cityscapes which we'll talk more about further down the page.  But here is the latest Harley titled "Texas Pause".  It actually combines the two themes I mentioned (Harley-Davidson and Southwest landscape).  The result is pretty compelling.  The landscape is certainly dramatic and the softail is beautiful.  I think it tugs on the right heart strings for the Harley fan.

The painting I get the most positive feedback on is the landscape titled "Reaped".  It is taken from a photo I took of a harvested corn field near my home on a summer afternoon after a storm had passed.  For some reason people make an emotional connection with these bails of hay.  They are evocative of something in their childhood or where they feel home is.  As a follow up, I recently completed a painting titled "Memorial".  Same theme, but a totally different painting.  Why call the painting "Memorial"?  Perhaps I should let the viewer try to piece that together, but I'll go ahead and share that insight.  I look at these two paintings and see the literal and the metaphor.  Metaphorically, these are graveyards or battlefields with the casualties of war.  Where there were once green stalks reaching high towards the sun there are now dead remnants dotting an open field.  The storm has passed, the reaper has come and these bails are memorials to those that sacrificed.

As a follow up to one of my favorite landscapes titled "Fury", this past week I completed a second tornado painting titled "Rage".  I believe these speak for themselves.

Recently I hit a huge canvas sale at a local art supply store.  I knew I would need plenty of 16"x20"s for the fair and I can always use 30"x40"s, but I also found these 12"x40" canvases that sparked my imagination.  Since they were sitting upright, I immediately thought skyscrapers and have set out to paint a series of New York's most famous.  I bought four canvases and only came up with three ideas to start with.  I kept scratching my head about it until one afternoon last week when I saw beautiful light and clouds out the window just after dinner.  I took a drive a couple of blocks down the street to where the pastures begin and started capturing reference photos for a panoramic landscape I call "Almost Home".  I love the light in the work and the scene is so evocative of where I call home.

I did get that series of skyscrapers started and the first to roll off the line is the Empire State Building.  It is a sunset scene from the perspective of Rockefeller center looking south at sunset.  I call it "Empire Sunset".  I was able to once again use thin layers to emulate the warm light of this scene.  My wife adores New York and I'm afraid this painting will need to be pried from her hands.

So that's about it.  There are a number of business opportunities in the works, but it's probably most prudent to wait until later to discuss those details.  I'll post more as things firm up.

More good news

First off, I finished a Tiger Woods painting I had worked on for a few days.  The scene is of Tiger eyeing a putt (something we've all seen him do a thousand times.) 

Artistically, I really like some of the things I chose to do differently this time.  My goal was to be much looser with lines and color.  I wanted the colors to be more washed out and less saturated, but have the most color and tightness around his face.  I think it helps direct the viewer to the area of interest.  If I had given everything equal weight Tiger's legs would have been very dark and heavy and draw attention away from the focus of the painting.  As is, the legs at times blend right into the putting surface.  Tiger's features were a little more difficult to capture than I anticipated.  His eyes are very unique and he has a large mouth and a rounded nose.  Keeping everything in the correct proportion proved a little challenging.  I have another Tiger planned for completion soon, so stay tuned.

As for the best news of the day, I found out this morning that I'll be able to get a booth at the State Fair of Texas.  To me it seems like a real miracle.  I spoke to the folks at the fair three weeks ago and was told that all slots had been filled and there was a waiting list.  They also implied that if there were cancellations slots would be filled according to when they received your application.  My application didn't go out until last Thursday.  Even though I really wanted to exhibit at the State Fair, I seriously thought I was wasting my time submitting my application so late in the process especially after being told everything was booked.  But things worked out otherwise.  An opening came available in an exhibit space and the exhibit staff contacted me about the opportunity.  It sounds as though artists do well at the fair, they didn't have an artist in this particular venue and they liked my work.  The result was an invitation.  I agreed and we're now working on the logistics.  I have my insurance agent working on a liability policy that the fair requires while my wife and I try to figure out who's manning the booth when.  Unlike other events I've done in the past, it appears the fair would have me flying solo for the majority of the time and no one around to watch the store if I need a break.  The schedule is pretty grueling: 10AM - 10PM for 24 consecutive days.  I am looking at maybe paying someone to come help out from 2-7PM each day.  Some other options involve hiring babysitters and having my wife there part of the day.  The most viabale option may include renting an RV to use as home base.  We'll see.  I'm a little intimidated by the amount of work that is going to be involved, but after talking to veterans that have worked the fair for years I'm confident that it will all be worth it.

I'll keep you posted.

Jason Kidd is completed

I finally had an opportunity to put the final touches on the Jason Kidd painting that I worked on while on location at the Parade of Homes in McKinney, Texas.

The final product is pretty nice.  I'm very happy with the diverse palette and implied features in the face.  Having the image set against a dark background is going to result in some sharp edges, but overall I think the painting works.  I didn't want anything too complicated for my first on-site demonstration.  Plus, the dark background is excellent for having a painting signed by the athlete with a paint pen.

I spoke to the folks at the State Fair of Texas and they're saying that all the booths have been leased for this year's fair.  However, if I send in my application and application fee (just $25) I will be added to the waiting list for consideration upon any cancellations.  They told me that it varies from year to year.  Sometimes everyone is able to get their act together and other years they have as many as 10% back out.  We're praying that God's will prevails.

After some contemplation, I think my next painting is going to be a 1936 Harley Davidson Model E.  The bike was affectionately referred to as the "knucklehead".  The plan is to complete a six piece series of 30"x40" canvases and then flesh out some smaller 12"x12" paintings of parts, trim and logos before contacting Harley dealers about possible art nights.  I would anticipate it taking me another month to accomplish that.  There appears to be twelve certified Harley-Davidson dealerships in a 3-hour radius of Dallas.  I think I can make a pretty compelling case to throw an art party.  We'll see.  The folks at Harley headquarters e-mailed me the paperwork necessary to become fully licensed.  Again, I'd rather the company be on my side.

I'll keep you posted.

Another Harley is completed

The latest painting in my series of Harley-Davidson motorcycles has been completed.  The subject is a 1940 WLA.  The motorcycle was the first generation of what is now considered Harley's recognizable style.

The WLA became the workhorse of World War II.  Thousands were dispatched to the European theater where they saw service in the trenches.  The bikes were reliable and easy to repair.  There were a few modifications for wartime use, which included blacking out the tail lights, minimizing the fender size so mud wouldn't get stuck, swapping the positioning of the headlight and horn, adding a rifle holster and of course the paint of choice was flat army green.

Just like the last Harley I completed, I really love this painting.  There are some things going on in the painting that are really captivating, like the headlight.   The headlight is full of these reflected colors of the terrain and sky, as well as highlights and refractions.  The headlight has all of these bevels that are intended to disperse the light over a wider field of vision.  It reminds me of the headlights on my dad's old '67 Volkswagen Beetle.  The refraction the bevels cause makes for an interesting image.  I also love the front wheel, the suspension springs, the seat and the gas tank.  The lighting on the tank is so interesting.  There is reflected sky, reflected sunlight, shadows from the handle bars, reflected ground and a reflection of the sun reflecting off the bike's chrome.  The result is an image that is anything but flat.

I am starting the process of having the images officially licensed.  I think these paintings are going to be extremely popular and I'd rather stay on Harley's good side.  We'll see how laborious that process will be.

I spent last weekend out at the Parade of Homes in McKinney.  It was a good time.  A little too much sun and definitely too much wind.  It's been windy in our area lately and this development is on a hill which resulted in serious gusts the whole weekend.  Luckily I brought a roll of duct tape to secure everything.  My set up included a portable easel, two portfolios and a stack of business cards.  I set up with my back facing traffic so folks could watch me paint over my shoulder.  I decided to paint a 16"x20" of Jason Kidd.  I started with a blank canvas on Saturday morning and by the time I left Sunday afternoon I was 95% complete.  I'll post that painting to the site when I'm finished in the next day or two.  Folks seemed genuinely interested in my work and were amused that I was painting Kidd as a Maverick even though the source photo had him in a Nets jersey.  I'm still trying to figure out a way to get the contact information for folks that have interest without seeming too pushy or threatening.  I'm not sure if someone who takes a card is going to follow up with me without a little provocation.

I'm starting to think about the State Fair of Texas coming up in October.  I'm thinking about getting a 10'x10' booth to display and sale my wares.  I spent some time with a local artist that worked the fair for twenty years and she provided some good insight on the value of the investment of time and money.  It sounds like you need to sell items priced for impulse purchase (under $20), which in my case may be matted 8"x10"s and note cards.  You can display originals and giclees and talk to people about them, but folks are likely not to buy that big ticket item on a whim at the fair.  I figure I would need to sell $200 worth of items per day to break even, that's 10 - 8"x10"s over a twelve hour period at a venue that draws on average 150,000 visitors each day. I'm sure I would sell far more than ten items a day.  The biggest drawback about working the fair is that you have to be in your booth twelve hours a day for 24 consecutive days.  The nice thing is that you'll be able to afford a vacation once the fair is over.  Applications are due soon, so wish me luck.

I've got to run, but I'll post again when the Jason Kidd is completed.

Captain America is completed

Over the weekend I completed the second painting in my series of Harley-Davidson images.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog, this painting is of the Captain America custom Harley chopper that became an American icon in the 1969 film "Easy Rider".

Again, I love this painting.  I'm having a blast painting chrome these days.  The colors can be a bit random and the lines rather abstract because it's just one warped reflection after another.  Look closely and you can make out what's being reflected.  A blue sky.  A desert highway.  Other parts of the bike.  Look closely at the air filter cover and you can see reflections of the bike's "ape hanger" handle bars, the massive exhaust and the extra large sissy bar - all things that made this bike the icon it is.  Below is a close up of a painting I did over a decade ago of a Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl victory including an image of Emmitt Smith holding the highly reflective trophy.  Same scenario.  The object has no color of its own, just reflections.

When you start doing research on this bike and the film, some interesting stories come up.  Peter Fonda produced the film himself and actually customized the bikes with some help from some friends.  They trolled the police auctions and came across the bikes they would use as the basis for customizing.  The Captain America bike was a '52 Harley-Davidson Hydra-Glide.  The engines on these old Harleys were called panheads because the cylinder head covers were shaped like pie pans.  The only modifications Fonda made were extending the front forks, adding the ape hangers, customizing the exhaust, adding the sissy bar and replacing the gas tank with the now famous stars and stripes peanut tank.  Everything else was supposedly stock.  As the story goes, they build four bikes - two Captain America bikes and two Billy bikes.  One of the Captain America bikes was wrecked in the final scene of the movie and the other was going to be a memento for Fonda.  Two months before the film was released, someone broke into the storage facility where the bikes were being kept and stole the three bikes that hadn't been wrecked.  The movie hadn't even come out yet, so the thieves didn't know what they were stealing.  It's safe to assume that the bikes were parted out and scattered to the wind.  Fonda gave the last bike (the mangled wreckage) to Dan Haggerty (you may remember him as Grizzly Adams) as a gift for helping with the production and the customizing of the bikes in the first place.  That bike has since been restored and was sold at auction in 1996.  You can safely assume that any Captain America bike you see on the road (or even in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame) is just a faithful reproduction of the original, not unlike the many Shelby Cobras you see darting around on weekends.

I did try something new this time around.  I've started experimenting with time lapse to show the progression of the piece.  It's a little rough, but I think it's intriguing to watch.  The music is courtesy of East of Western.  I knew these guys when I lived in California and I feel the particular song is a nod to Dick Dale and the classic surfer rock.  It seemed to fit.

I'll be starting on the next Harley this afternoon.  I'm still thinking about what would be best to work on while on location at the Parade of Homes this Saturday in McKinney.  These 30"x40" canvases are a little hard to set up and paint on out in the field, so I'll probably just pick something fun in a smaller format.

I'll keep you posted.

Artist Craig Gould Uses His Work to Benefit Multiple Charities

PRESS RELEASE

Artist Craig Gould Uses His Work to Benefit Multiple Charities

Frisco, Texas, May 28, 2008 –  Artist Craig Gould has auctioned a number of original oil paintings in 2008 to benefit multiple charities, including the North Texas Food Bank and the Dallas Mavericks Foundation.  The proceeds of these donations have been used to fund after school programs, finance mission trips and provide up to 5,000 meals for at-risk children.

On March 21st, an original oil painting of Dirk Nowitzki was auctioned as part of the Dallas Mavericks Foundation’s Tux & Tennies Gala at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas, Texas.  The event raises funds that are distributed to local charities that provide development and support for needy children in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.  Craig’s portrait of the league MVP was signed by Nowitzki and included in the evening’s silent auction. 

On April 13th, an original oil painting of Roger Staubach was auctioned as part of the 2008 Taste of the NFL Ultimate Dallas Cowboys Tailgate Party at Gilley’s in Dallas, Texas.  The painting was signed by professional football legend and local businessman Roger Staubach with all proceeds of the auction benefiting the North Texas Food Bank.  The organization, which is the largest food bank in the state of Texas, distributed 32 million pounds of food and groceries to needy individuals in 2007.

Most recently, Craig has partnered with fine art distributor Art Channel to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas as part of the festivities surrounding the 2008 Parade of Homes in McKinney, Texas.  Craig was commissioned to complete the first of a series of Harley-Davidson oil paintings commemorating Harley-Davidson’s 105th anniversary and coinciding with a local Harley-Davidson charity ride to the Parade of Homes event on May 17th.  The painting “2008 Fat Bob” captures the latest Harley incarnation and focuses on what has made the brand so famous - the v-twin engine and an enormous amount of chrome.  A limited edition of the painting is being published by Art Channel with 20% of all proceeds benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas. 

“The ability to have proceeds from a limited edition print go to a specific charity is far more effective than what I’m able to accomplish through a charity auction,” said the artist.  “This specific arrangement with Art Channel can lead to a contribution to Make-A-Wish that is up to 25-times larger than the amount we are able to raise through the auction of just one painting.”   Still, the auction of an original painting signed by the athlete can make a significant impact at the type of fundraising events non-profit organizations have come to rely on.  “Craig Gould’s recent donation of a one-of-a-kind Dirk Nowitzki painting was instrumental to the success of the 2008 Tux & Tennies Gala, benefiting the Dallas Mavericks Foundation,” said Matt Miller, Community Relations Coordinator for the Dallas Mavericks.  “The Dallas Mavericks and the Mavs Foundation were thrilled to partner with Craig for our 4th annual event, and we hope to be able to work with him again in the future.”

It hasn’t been just the large organizations that have benefited from Craig’s work this year.  On March 1st, an original oil painting of Michael Jordan was auctioned at a charity event in the Chicago area to benefit student missions for Faith Church in Dyer, IN.  The proceeds from the auction of the painting (which in this case was not signed by the athlete) proved sufficient to create scholarships for two students to go on church-sponsored mission trips this summer.

"I’ve found myself in times of need where it’s been a true blessing to receive a helping hand from organizations like these,” said Craig.  “I know that God wants me to use my gifts to provide that kind of assistance for someone else.  I can’t go through life with the knowledge that my work can help those in need and choose not to help.  My gift is painting, but each of us have been blessed with unique skills that enable us to help our neighbor.  Look around.  Get involved.” 

Craig and Art Channel will be on hand again at the Parade of Homes in McKinney, Texas (which also benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas) on June 7th and June 8th.  Advance orders of the Harley-Davidson print can be made at the event or online at www.craiggould.com. 

For additional information on Craig Gould and his artwork, contact Craig at 972-335-2211 or visit www.craiggould.com.  Free samples of Craig’s work are available for galleries and interior design professionals by e-mailing craig@craiggould.com.  Limited editions of selected works are currently available through Art Channel at www.artchannelgalleries.com.

ABOUT CRAIG GOULD FINE ART – Craig Gould Fine Art markets and distributes the work of noted artist Craig Gould.  Craig is a sports artist whose oil paintings capture the spirit of professional and collegiate athletics.  Although his portfolio includes themes as diverse as landscapes and motorcycles, Craig specializes in oil paintings for the fan of all sports, including football, basketball, baseball and various olympic events.  Craig's portfolio of sports art includes a number of portraits of current and former Dallas Cowboys, as well as other sports icons.  These oil paintings are fine works of art which allow us to reflect on the power, passion, grace and brutality of sport.  It's the game from the perspective of the athlete.

CONTACT:
Craig Gould
Craig Gould Fine Art
972-335-2211
craig@craiggould.com
http://www.craiggould.com

What's currently on my easel

After a year of focusing almost exclusively on sports art, I recently sat down with one of my distributors and discussed current market opportunities and what we can creatively do to respond to that.  The particular opportunity surrounds the launching of a dozen art galleries in Moscow, Russia that want to focus on the marketing of American art.  With my portfolio of American sports art and Southwest "stormscapes", it seemed like a perfect fit to expand into a number of other themes that are intrinsically American and pitch me to the Russians as their painter of Americana.  That pitch is going on this week in Moscow, so I've spent the last several weeks thinking about Americana and what I can offer.  I'm excited about the direction it's taking me.

It appears that the same fascination we American's have for things Parisian and European street scenes is mirrored in the tastes of the home decor buyer in Russia.  However, they supposedly crave for those scenes to be American.  It's hard to find the market research to back that up, but that's the word on the street.  Supposedly this is still a country that will pay four figures for a good pair of Levi's.  The difference these days is the expanding Russian economy.  Capitalism is now in full swing and annual incomes are said to be growing at 30% per year (hopefully inflation is less).  The result is a burgeoning middle and upper class of nuvo riche that are still fascinated with American iconography.  So, how should I respond?  I already have the American sports box checked.  My portfolio is fully stocked with portraits of "America's Team" - the Dallas Cowboys.  I thought about what else would be uniquely American and of interest and I was taken back to the landscape series I had left unfinished last year.  If you do a little research, you'll find that there are quite a few storm chasers that provide guided tours of "Tornado Alley" each Spring and early Summer driving up to 15 hours a day to put their guests in plain sight of a tornado.  The majority of this clientele is European.  These folks have only heard of this type of severe weather, but have never been on the same continent with a supercell.  So, the question is whether a Russian would like to hang a painting of a tornado on his wall and say this is a painting of Texas painted by a Texan.  We'll see.  In preparation for the meeting in Moscow, I expanded my portfolio of storms and tornadoes to see if there would be any interest.  I love painting these storms.  It is so freeing to be able to work so much more quickly as compared to painting a portrait.  But for me the colors are what resonate.  Somewhere inside of me there is an itch that is scratched when I see the perfect pairing of blue and orange tones.  The colors are complimentary on the color wheel, so it's no surprise that there's a relationship, but there is some sort of endorphin release when I paint with these colors.  It's like the feel of hitting a baseball in the sweet spot or that perfect cappuccino after months of swearing off $4.00 cups of coffee.  I'll save another blog for talking about complimentary colors in nature and how God uses these combinations to provide natural beauty in the world around us.  But I digress.  I added five storms (four supercells and a tornado), most of which include late afternoon lighting. 

It just so happens that these storms pop up at the time of day when the lighting is most dramatic.  The one other landscape I added was a painting that I had put on the back burner 2-3 years ago of the Golden Gate Bridge.  I had become annoyed by the tediousness of trying to paint bridge support cables and had moved on to other things.  If I was now the "Painter of Americana", I had to finish that painting.  Plus, I had started the painting for my wife and she had been waiting patiently for its completion for years now.  I put it on my easel and thought long and hard about how best to accomplish these cables.  Straight thin lines are incredibly difficult.  And there is the issue of perspective and at some point on the horizon the cables disappear altogether.  So after some head scratching, I decided to paint the interior of the bridge spans the burnt sienna color I wanted the cable to be and let it dry.  I then came back and covered the same space with my blue combination for the sky.  While still wet, I took a pallet knife and scraped the straight cable lines revealing the burnt sienna underneath.  It worked and the painting was finally finished. 

So, we've checked the American sports box and the American landscape box.  What else does the world longingly see as uniquely American?  With a little thought the answer came to us ... Harley.  The object of longing for so many middle and upper class American males seems to be shared by our friends in Russia.  Sources say it is one of the brand's hottest emerging markets.  So, I've decided to dish up a heaping helping of "hog" ( a term of endearment for Harley) for the Russians and the true blue Harley faithful here in the states.  I've selected the themes for the six paintings I'm going to complete as part of the series.  I'm planning on capturing individual aspects of the bikes that are iconic.  The first painting was completed in time for a charity Harley ride to an event I was appearing at in McKinney, Texas.  That painting ("2008 Fat Bob") is a large-scale close up of the classic v-twin engine and all of the chrome that is part of the unique exhaust on that bike.  I love the painting.  When my wife asked why I was just painting just that one part of the bike, I explained that painting the entire bike would be like painting a full figure of a woman, but focusing on just this one area would be like painting just the bosom.  Hopefully the painting makes that dramatic of a statement to the Harley faithful.  I've received nothing but positive feedback thus far.  Limited editions are currently being sold through Art Channel Galleries with 20% of the proceeds benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas.  You can check out the painting and purchase your copy by clicking on the thumbnail below.

So, what's on my easel?  Captain America.  No, not the comic book super hero.  The customized '52 Harley chopper that became an icon in the 1968 cult classic "Easy Rider".  Can't you just hear "Born to be Wild" in the background.  Again, I'm looking at the bike from a new angle, so hopefully folks like it.  I'm experimenting with grabbing short snips of video that I can piece together into a time lapse and stick on YouTube so folks can see how my paintings evolve.  Let's hope I can pull that off.

Well, back to the easel.