Dabbling Back Into Pastels

Just the other day, I received an email from someone interested in my "Swirl Sunset," oil pastel piece. This got me interested once again working with this medium. Easy clean up, fast application, vibrant colors, easily blendable (yes, that's right, I did just make up that word). To kick off the pastel fun, I decided to simply make a 2010 version of the original. The picture below is the results from attempt no. 1! 

Vibrant & fun colors. I was using my newsprint sketchbook, and the weight of the paper is just simply not acceptable for the pull on the pastels (in other words, the paper can rip quite easily since it is so thin! be cautious!...or just use better paper!) Since this medium is so "hands-on," I'm left with a oily, gritty (yet colorful) film on my fingers, which now is spread throughout my keyboard. Yay!

-Joshua Grabowski

Let there be sunflowers...

...at least one, so far. After looking at this piece hanging on the wall untouched for a couple weeks, I decided it was time to work on it some more and call it finished! The reason that I started this piece was for the About.com Photo Challenge of a sunflower I found. Submissions take 1-3 days to appear on their site, so I can't link to the image on their site, but I can however share the image on here. Enjoy!

This piece is an 8" x 10" oil on stretched canvas. Yes, to answer your question, the piece is for sale! Inquire within! :)

-Joshua Grabowski

More of the Reflections Project

I'd like to share a little collage of pictures from my Reflections series. This collage of images was put together for a gallery viewing opportunity but I went with another image instead (I didn't think this image showed them well enough). After browsing many sites for hosting my artwork, I think I may have found a couple that offer services with advertisements appearing on the page for their "free version" where at any point you can choose to upgrade for a reasonable monthly fee... I figure, what do I have to lose? It's free! I'm going to try to get these images up soon since it has been about a month and a half now and I've done plenty of research at this point!

I've been working on some still life pieces recently, just for fun. I'll put the results and the works-in-progress up over the next few days.

Hope everyone is taking advantage of the wonderful weather, and if not... get out there!

-Joshua Grabowski

Close-up Detail

In the effort to slowly reveal my work but keep everyone interested... I figured it was a good time to share some more photos of my recent series that I put together earlier this year. By now, I would like to assume that the pieces are close to completely dry, but will continue to hold off on the varnish for the recommended dry time of 6 months for the oil to fully cure and oxidize. These pieces will need to be removed from the stretcher bars I built (from scratch!) and then rolled up for shipping to either their new owners or the galleries I find to show them. I've casually titled the series "Reflections: A Series on Color" but that isn't set in stone and could possibly change as I put together the series statement.

Over the past few years, I've scoured the net for images of work, videos of the creation of that work, and written words about it. While doing this, I've stumbled across some interesting blogs, wonderfully put together sites, and even more importantly, some truly great artists. Most of these artists find a focus, a theme, and run with it as far as their creativity will take them. When the idea has run dry, they reinvent their "direction" and follow that path until... well, you understand the idea that is happening here. I've always been an artist to try many different things. One week I am focused on texture, the next week is figurative pieces. Later I start to study roses, while shortly after I get myself painting sunsets & clouds. I've been trying to keep centered on one idea as much as I can but it just continually seems that I can never stay held down for too long. My concentration goes awry, my motivation drops dramatically, and I find myself needing something else to reignite my creativity. Earlier today I decided that it was time for me to find some art groups, classes, ANYTHING that wasn't accessible exclusively through my computer (of course the numbers to contact were found through the internet, on my computer... so i understand and appreciate the importance of it, thank you vaio). After a few phone calls, I found myself talking to real live people. ARTISTS! Artists that weren't snobby acting as though they couldn't give me the time of day. I understand that calling out of the blue asking for help is awkward, and I am most certainly not asking for any handouts, but it was nice to get some genuine people on the phone offering assistance to classes, groups, showings, etc. I found a place located in Scottsdale called BRIO Fine Arts Center. It was founded by a woman originally located in the Chicago area who was an absolute wonderful pleasure on the phone. It's a start. Very easy conversation. Suddenly I feel like I could be part of a group of other artists. Artists with faces and a physical presence, rather than exclusively online. It's a great feeling.

Another great feeling: possible sale of my three rose studies about to be finalized. Trying not to get my hopes up until everything goes through, but I would like to thank Michael for helping post these on the internet and actually turn them into $$$$!! 

Ideas: 

-making small still life piece daily to participate in "painting-a-day" programs, teach myself discipline, better understand my materials, as well as simply create more work!

-order some books... or finding them at a used bookstore! DISCOUNTS! (everyone loves a discount)

-get a new "glass house" for our little pet Jalapeno, the betta fish

All the best everyone! Happy Friday!

-Joshua Grabowski

Online Sales

After posting my paintings on numerous sites hoping for sales, I figure the best way for me to not go crazy over it is to just simply wait... and see what happens. If they are meant to sell from one of the outlets I have used, then quite simply, they will. In the mean time, I will try my hardest to put it out of my head will I continue working on my other pieces. Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all have exciting weekends planned!

side note: if the weather fails you, go to the movies! Michael and I went to see Valentines Day, awesome, lots of favorite actors/actresses! Alice in Wonderland is also a definite recommended flick. Be sure to load up on candy and popcorn... it's just not the same without it. I hear that Sarah fell asleep during Shutter Island, did you really think it was that bad?!  ;)


-Joshua Grabowski

A Rose Affair

OK FOLKS... they are done, framed, signed, ready to besold and placed in their prospective homes! I've been frequenting Michael's Craft Store due to their amazing sale on gallery wrapped canvas's. Something to note, 12" x 24" frames are not sold at Michael's, but rather Hobby Lobby (for those of you that just happen to have hardboard paintings laying around waiting for the perfect, non-overpriced pre-made frame to pop up... it's entirely common, right?). The first piece is from another recent post saying that it was finished and ready for the frame; however, without the additional leaves that were added (thank you creative mastermind Michael, with our wonderful brainstorming-sessions/art-critiques) it was flat and boring. Adding the leaves not only brought more color but more excitement to the piece. Overall, I think it is much better off with the additions. You'll notice my initials in the lower right hand corner of the yellow "frame."

Next up is "Study of a Rose #2." You might remember the original yellow rose I did almost a year back, if not, you can find it in the previous posts to my site. The light source here is strong and I like the way everything came together in the frame. Again, you'll notice my initials in the bottom right.

And last, but certainly not least (as it is my favorite of the bunch),  "Study of a Rose #3." I know I know, my creativity in the titles of these pieces is overwhelming. Try to contain yourselves. This picture shows a small glare from the light while taking the picture (again, credit to Michael for taking pictures of these today for me, THANK YOU!). This frame was very dramatic. Since the bimbos at Lowes cut these hardboards inconsistent sizes, it was about 1/8" too WIDE for the frame, so it is back-set in the frame which turned out very nice after all was said and done but you can't really notice here in the picture.

All three pieces are for sale on my Artbreak Site and hanging for sale inside SwapSmart here in Arizona. If anyone is interested in any of the three, you can contact me directly and I can hook you up with a sweet deal... maybe... 

About.com has been peaking my interest once again with another project they are having right now: sunflowers! It is a simple photo challenge, they give you and image and you use your creative talents to recreate it however you see fit. Since I have a surplus of canvas on my hands, I plan to try out a couple ideas that I have; some are well within my comfort-zone and others bursting out of it. As I complete these pieces, I plan to share my progress... did you expect anything less? :) 

-Joshua Grabowski

^ getting in the habit of putting 'Joshua' instead of 'Josh' to transition smoothly into my new domain/site. Enjoy all the links I've embedded and click the roses to view them larger! :)

New Etsy Store and craft store deals!

Yesterday and today, I've spent probably more time that I should setting up my account on a website devoted to providing artist with the ability to sell anything handmade, Etsy.com. Great site with great features made for aritsts trying to sell their work, whether it be clothing, paintings, pottery (the list goes on and extends to basically anything made by your own two hands...within the legal guidelines of our country of course). The store I've started putting together is much more elaborate of a process than I'd imagined and I've realized it will take a little more than just 20 minutes. Over the next week or so I plan to work on the in's-and-out's of Etsy. I put together a banner for the top of my page that I was pretty pleased with. You can see a preview of it below:

Hope everyone is having a great week so far. The rain in AZ is brutal, but the way I see it is, "at least it is NOT snow." Either way, I think it has finally eased up and I think there is expected 80's next week, should make it hard to want to stay indoors, but my paints and brushes will keep me motivated and working. Last night, Michael's Craft Store has a great sale going on this week of 50% off gallery wrapped stretch canvas's. They also had a buy one get one sale on their frames! (ATTN: all broke artists looking for a deal, get there ASAP! artists are like mad dogs during business hours, buying canvas's like no one's business!) I had to indulge in the sale and walked out with plenty of painting surface to keep me busy for a while. Hopefully these frames will make some of my pieces more appealing at some of these venues I've found in AZ to turn my paintings into cash! Lots of progress will be posted as I create it... thanks for reading and keeping up with my stuff everyone!

-Joshua Grabowski

Working through the list.

Trying to make my way through some older pieces I had been working on a couple of months back. Let's just hope that I can get these out the door and make some money. :) Maybe this piece looks familiar? (this time around I was using a much better camera than my cell phone...the difference is 5.1 megapixels baby!)

This picture doesn't show it yet, but all I have left to do is sign it, varnish it, and put up a FOR SALE sign. Finally I can cross this off my list of unfinished work and move along to the next one.

-Joshua Grabowski

the pictures are in!

Thanks to the help of some friends of mine, I recently was introduced to a young photographer willing to help me get some quality photos of my work ready for the new site! :) It has been a blast putting the work together for this collection and I can't wait to share it with everyone!

a very awesome detail shot from the photo shoot 
last night of one of the new pieces

Info on the new site & body of work will be coming soon. Pooling the materials together now, including photos, website, and business cards (if you'd like one of my snazzy cards let me know), so I can present this new material properly. Looking forward to what the universe will send for me ('universe' can also be read 'often-times-harsh-and-cold-world').

Live life passionately, create your path.

-Josh(ua) Grabowski

.com is a reality

Today I officially registered the domain for my site which will launch featuring my newest series of paintings sometime in the very near future. For the time being the domain forwards visitors back to my blog (maybe you know this by now from being redirected here already). Looking forward to stretching my HTML building skills and seeing what I can come up with.

Site address to bookmark:

joshuagrabowski.com

Thanks for all the support it has taken for me to get here. Much more to come.

-Josh Grabowski

working!

after all the preparation and planning, my current work is coming to fruition what seems to be effortlessly. stay tuned for the "unveiling" of my newest series and (hopefully) a link to my new art site. :)

creativity is inevitable, being able to actually create it is a blessing.

-Josh Grabowski

Special Thank You

I would first like to start this post out by thanking anyone that has made it to my blog to check out my work. With encouragement and feedback from family, friends, and the many people who appreciate artwork, I continue to post my progress and further myself in my work.

            "All art requires courage."

                        -Anne Tucker


"Artistic growth is, more than it is anything else, a refining of the sense of truthfulness.  The stupid believe that to be truthful is easy; only the artist, the great artist, knows how difficult it is."
                -Willa Cather, The Song of the Lark, 1915

There is so much going on with my work right now and it is all very exciting. I look at it all with extreme optimism and hope, but also understanding what-it-will-take-to-get-there and desire for greatness. Again, Thank You to all the people who matter most, you know who you are!

You can expect some pictures of more recent work coming soon.

sketch i did quite some time ago, i still really enjoy it and thought i'd share it.

-Josh Grabowski

The scent of oils...

...has filled my painting space. Working on some masonite boards right now (as well as many other projects) shown below. Each is 24" x 48" primed oil on board. Work-flow on full force forward. Something has to happen, the universe must align soon. I can feel it.




above left is progressing well. you can see my attempt at putting a reflection for the lowest "angel", right is the start to another similar scene with a parthenon dome in the sky rather than columns. considering addint wings or angels to this as well to link these as a pair a little more.


Other projects going on that I will share more information about later. Thanks for reading friends.

-Josh Grabowski

prime time

The body is constructed, time to put on the final supports, stretch the final pieces and prime. Patience and anticipation is key here everyone. The hard work for the proper, well-executed beginning has been put in. Everything seems a little easier when it is done correct the first time. Looking forward to where this project is headed. Consumingly exciting, just as much as it is excitingly consuming. Just some pics here that I took while working over the past couple days. Maybe they will come in handy if I ever compile all my thoughts and "lessons learned" to write that book I've always been looking for everywhere that sells oil painter books. Book due date: 20-and-longtimefromnow! Lots of work to do before I get ahead of myself. Preparation meets opportunity nicely, I'll be ready.

above left is the nail gun and wood glue used to brace the corners, right is the blank canvas with staple gun used to stretch the material taut over the framework.

GO BE CREATIVE! :) IT'S EVERYWHERE AROUND YOU!

-Josh Grabowski

on track

everything is flowing very smoothly. if i keep this momentum going forward, i'll be way ahead of the estimated timeline for my new project!

time to call it a night so i can do this all over again tomorrow

side note: painting.about.com's suggested art contests turned out to work in my favor as i was one of 20 winners for some free acrylic paint! lucky me! chroma europe is shipping me my prize! :o)

-Josh Grabowski

Breaking Ground

Starting the next BIG thing! Just wait, it's going to be great everyone. You can count on it! Going for the WOW factor on this one and I promise to deliver just that!!



I promise to keep up my posting of other pieces as I work on them!

-Josh Grabowski

The First [of many yet to come] in 2010

Well, the time has come to start out the new year with progress! Tonight marks the official "completed" status on a piece that has been taking up a lot of my time since before Christmas. Experimenting with a new medium (drying linseed oil) that I had never used before set me back a couple days longer than expected in between painting sessions, but the final results are wonderful and well worth the wait! This piece is a 24" x 36" oil painting on store bought stretched canvas (I know, I know... time and cost effective for the project at hand, otherwise I prefer to build my own). Within about a weeks time to ensure the final layer of oil is dry, kamar varnish will be applied to "seal the deal" on the completed status and really make the painting shine! Literally! The frame needs a little TLC to really give this painting the perfect final touch: we got it on super discounted clearance price because of some minor cosmetic damage to some of the edges that can be easily filled with wood putty and painted. This "flaw" is so minor you can't even see it in the picture below. The hardest part is over with, time to get the final things in order and get this baby out the door. I will miss this painting, but I'm learning not to get as attached to my "babies" as I have in the past since it is obviously inevitable to part ways with them. The fact of the matter is that I am an artist and I need to make money for the works that I create. Don't know how I plan to create pieces and keep them all while also making this my only job. Ha!





All in all, this was a great experience. I can't wait to deliver the piece later this month and see the reaction on everyone's face! Next up, more oil paintings coming your way sooner than you think! BIG THINGS happening, and it is pure GOLD! Stay tuned everyone!

-Josh Grabowski

updates coming soon

i promise.

in the mean time, check out the most awe-inspiring site. simply amazing images.
if you got 6 minutes to devote to a great video with nice relaxing music, watch this!

-Josh

just because....

I really like the way that this is turning out. My admission to the crowds is that I'm realizing how much I like working in this style, but I'd never tell to any of my other paintings. ;)

Time to get off the procrastination horse and pack my suitcase!

-Josh Grabowski

progress shots that progressively blur.

There is a little bit of bad and good news here. First some bad news: since I just couldn't seems to speed-dry the oils fast enough, not all six that I set out to finish over the weekend will be done in time. Now, some good news: the roses are coming along beautifully. Some more background work (which is debatable) and some final color glazing will be sure to finish these pieces off. Below is a picture of the "home and gardens" piece. Not 100% complete at this stage and although this picture was taken with a regular digital camera, apparently my horribly shaky hands leave me with yet another blurry F-ing picture. Total FML type shit here, I'm tellin ya! Even though the pictures are to be recording the progress, they are progressively blurring. Thanks bartender, I'll have another round.


Tomorrow I'm takin a little plane ride back to the midwest. Lucky me! Land of beer and cheese awaits me!

-Josh Grabowski

The Study of Roses

Today has been the great start to a weekend saturated with art, more directly my art. If the universe aligns and my hard work and commitment leave completed pieces in my hands, art sales could come through which would make me a very happy boy! (all the more reason to keep goin!) Below are two rose pieces that I have worked on today. You'll notice the left piece is a little different than what was posted earlier with a few minor changes. The piece on the right is the newest to join the bunch and has the most work left to go.


Another that I like to think of as my "home and gardens" piece is posted below. For some reason I feel like this is just something that you would find in one of those types of magazines... or in someone's bathroom. (note: anyone with floral print bathroom/office/bedroom/etc looking to "jazz it up" with some fresh oil paintings, let me know!) Still toying with the idea of changing the green area of the picture to a deep maroon color, but not sure. I like the way that all three of these paintings form a link between each other, especially when you can see them all at once like this.


If for whatever reason clicking on the image doesn't make it larger, you can click here: top left - top right - bottom or visit my blog directly.

Thanks for checking me out everyone! :-P

-Josh Grabowski

Painting Filled Saturday Continues

Here you'll see the second texture piece which accompanies the first wide piece I posted earlier today. Now I have a "tall" and "wide" painting, otherwise known as a portrait and a landscape piece that could jump start the body of work needed for a "lights on water" series? Either way, things are going great. Lots of paint out right now but the air has been at the mediums all day and most of the night yesterday making it heavier and thicker than normal. When this happens, the paint begins to form a gel almost, somewhere equivalent to painting with semi-dry rubber cement... it's not the most ideal situation. Better put the unusable paints aside and keep on pushin' out these pieces. Deadline is approaching quickly!! :)

-Josh Grabowski

-in case you didn't notice, these pictures were taken with a digital camera, not my phone... much better quality!

Bringing Back Color and Texture

After realizing how much I missed colors while working strictly in black and white I decided to jump head first into my arsenal of pigments! With six primed surfaces (each waiting patiently for me to return back to them), it seemed like a good idea to get creative. These six paintings have many more painting sessions ahead. On that note... headed back to my new babies now.

This piece will be done in the style very similar to Lights on Water (blog title image). This piece is a 12"x24" oil painting on hardboard. All the recent pieces that I am working on share a lot of the same color palettes and all being mixed with Galkyd Lite to promote drying within 24 hours for thinly applied layers.


note from the studio: red oil paint on hands and under nails is very hard to completely remove! forget about it if you get any of it on your clothes! slowly but surely each article of my clothing is going to have some amount of paint on them. occupational hazard.

here comes # two

In relation to the title, this picture is obviously just like my previous rose study... making this completely "original" title: rose study #2. Much more work left with this piece including adding another leaf, color glazing, (and a vase?). Not sure exactly what I want the final piece to look like but excited with each step of the way to completion. Look forward to the final product coming within the next couple days.

I'm going to say that this is one of 6 pieces I hope to finish before Tuesday of next week. Maybe writing it down will get my brush back in my hand and painting! I hope to write about each piece as they progress throughout the weekend to entertain you all with something nice to look at! :)

-Josh Grabowski

a post for post sake

I've been working on a couple piece all at once since I'm working in oils and successively layering the paint. I'm sure that I'll blog a little about each piece later on. Since I seem to have lost my camera in my move, I've been taking pictures of my work with my cell phone. The pictures aren't great, but not too bad. Colors seem washed out and blurry, but it gets the job done. Maybe you are one of the select few to have received a picture mail or two from me already in which case you know what I am talking about.

Anyways, not in much of a "blog" mood right now, but thought it'd be nice to post something. The image above is just a colored pencil study I made the other day of the lemons that had grown on the tree in the backyard. YES! The backyard. Not too many lemon trees around Kenosha, WI...especially this time of year! The colors are very rich and fun! Maybe I should bust out the list from highschool of the 40 aspects that we had to submit; there were actually some pretty creative things on there (anyone reading this who had Mrs. Wells as an art teacher, they know exactly what I am talking about, and for all of you who don't, you're not missing out on much).

side note: coming back to WI in a week. time for jackets! it's going to be a cold ride from the airport though!