“Autumn No. 3″ is Going to the International Watermedia XVI Exhibit!

Today I received my acceptance letter from the Pikes Peak Watercolor Society that Juror Tom Owens has selected my “Autumn No. 3″ painting for the International Watermedia XVI Exhibit!  I’m thrilled!  But, also in my mailbox was a rejection for the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition (I’m sad).

I have rather mixed feelings about “Autumn No. 3″… I’m actually a bit intimidated by it.  The precision of my elemental shapes and the razor-thin lines I achieved is truly amazing (if I say so myself).  I have it hanging high on one of my studio walls partly so that I don’t inspect too closely… because when I do, I instantly have a feeling that I couldn’t paint with that precision again.

Perhaps getting it down for this exhibit will inspire some precision elementals painting – we’ll see!

Autumn No. 3, watercolor on paper, 22 x 30 inches.

 

Thanks to Everyone Visiting Me at the Downtown Denver Arts Festival!

Thank you to everyone that came by to visit me and my artwork this past weekend at the Downtown Denver Arts Festival.  Despite the sometimes-soggy conditions, the hightlight of all of the hard work and energy it takes me to do this festival is getting to meet and visit with folks and talk about my art, inspirations and process.  So, again, thank you, especially to those that went home with new artwork and to my new Collectors who took a new one-of-a-kind, original painting home!

If you are interested in a followup visit to my studio to look at more of my artwork, to purchase a particular piece that you saw or would like to discuss a commission project, please send me an email, give me a call or use my “Buy Some Art” inquiry feature on my website and we’ll get an appointment set up at your convenience.

Me at the 2009 Downtown Denver Arts Festival.

Soggy conditions on Saturday evening...

 

Colorado Watercolor Society State Exhibition Opens Friday, 4/24!

The Colorado Watercolor Society’s State Exhibition opens this Friday at the Colorado History Museum in Denver (opening reception is Friday, 4/24 from 5-8pm and the exhibit runs through May 3rd).  My “Tall Spring Trees” painting was accepted into this exhibition by juror Mark Mehaffey.  And, acceptance into this exhibit now makes me a Signature member of the Colorado Watercolor Society!

I saw most of the paintings in the exhibit this morning when I dropped my painting off – if you’re in Colorado and like watercolor art, you don’t want to miss this one!

Tall Spring Trees, watercolor, 56 x 24 inches.The Colorado History Museum at 13th/Broadway in Denver.

 

Denver Public Library Adds My Painting “Denver Art Museum, Sky, Library” to Their Permanent Collection

I’m excited to announce that the Denver Public Library has acquired my painting “Denver Art Museum, Sky, Library” for their permanent Western History collection!

You may remember that I created this painting in 2007 for the first High Plein Air Arts painting event in Denver’s Golden Triangle Museum District.  At the time, my painting was juried into the exhibit at the Central Library where DPL staff first expressed interest in acquiring it.

So, they’ve now added it to their permament collection and, after cataloging, will use it for special exhibits at the Central Library at 13th/Broadway in Denver.  I had a great time working with Jim Kroll, Manager of DPL’s Western History/Genealogy Department, and here’s what he had to say:

“David’s watercolor joins several other images of the Central Library included in the Western History collection.  As a regional artist, the Library is pleased to add his creation to a collection that consists of over fourteen hundred original paintings and three-dimensional depictions of the West.  Several framed pieces and sculpture can be seen on the fifth level of the Central Library.” — Jim Kroll, Manager of Western History/Genealogy Department at Denver Public Library

 

"Denver Art Museum, Sky, Library", watercolor on paper (canvas-mounted), 24 x 26 inches.Delivering my painting to Jim Kroll, DPL's Manager of Western History/Genealogy Department.

Delivering my painting to Jim Kroll, DPL's Manager of Western History/Genealogy Department

 

Reject, Reject, Reject: Do Artist Need More Transparency With Juried Results?

2009 is off with a steady stream of rejections for me, so I’ve been thinking about the lack of transparency for artists into the results of juried exhibits.  Many organizations that hold juried exhibits only provide artists with a “yes” or “no”.  Period.

Why are artists OK with this?  Should we demand more transparency?  How about stats on how many artists/images were entered and selected?  How about details on what stage of jurying my art made it to… or the actual scores?  How about ALWAYS publishing who the jurors even are?  Is it valid to expect more information or am I just a whiner because I’m getting rejected?

Am I really OK with just sending images of my art off into a jury black hole?  If I think about it more, how do I even really know my art was looked at?

Is this an ethical question?  Do artists deserve to receive feedback when we’ve paid to have our art reviewed for a specific exhibit?

In this age of “transparency”, is this just a transparency question?  Should artists (and the public) be able to learn more about what those jurers did and how artists faired throughout the process?  So many questions…

I’d really like to hear thoughts from other artists on this.

Here are three recent examples of mine - and if anyone has more details on these particular events, then please comment and share with us all!

Cherry Creek Arts Festival ($35 app fee):  I’ve applied 4 times in the past 5 years and always get a “not selected”.  No other information is provided.  How about providing me with my scores?

Colorado Art Ranch - Trinidad Spring Residency ($30 app fee):  I’ve applied for 3 Colorado Art Ranch Residencies in the past few years and this year was informed that “once again” I was not selected.  No additional information is provided.  How about stats on how many artists applied and some type of feedback on scores?

Colorado Art Open, Foothills Art Center – Golden, CO ($30 app fee): I applied this year and received a “reject”.  Juror names were published and a few stats provided in an email – how about scoring results?  Also, how about details on how this exhibit is juried (images on a PC or projected)?

 

First Friday Open Studio: 5-8pm

Tonight is First Friday in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe and I’ll be in my studio painting between 5-8pm.  Hope you’ll come by to visit and then check out the more than 50 galleries and studios within a few block radius of my studio!

I'll be finishing this commission painting tonight.

 

New Bough House Painting to Benefit the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center

I’ve created another special painting for this year’s Bough House charity event that benefits the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center.  I’m thrilled to be supporting a great organization that does such wonderful work!  This event raises funds for the abused and neglected children served by the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center and provides a unique opportunity for Colorado art enthusiasts to celebrate the holiday season while helping abused and neglected children.

Come bid on my painting (my vision of a modern holiday tree) at the event finale on Wednesday, December 10 from 6:30pm – 8:30pm at the Denver Design District Atrium, 595 South Broadway in Denver.

Visit the Bough House website and blog for details on the event.  Suggested $20 donation at the door - no need to RSVP, everyone is welcome!

Star and Bough, watercolor on paper (canvas-mounted), 24 x 16 inches.

 

Glass Artist Karole Sharpe: Open Studio on Saturday, November 15

Plan to visit Karole Sharpe’s Open Studio in Denver this Saturday, November 15 between 12noon – 6pm.  I’ve been a fan of Karole’s glass art for years and have several pieces of her art in my collection.

Karole creates quite a variety of art from glass – ornaments, panels, sculptures, blown glass items, lamps… each piece is a one-of-a-kind!  Her art is fabulous and covers all price ranges, so I’m sure she’ll have a great selection of art perfect for gifts.  This year, she is one of my picks of an artist to support rather than mass-produced stuff from a big box store!

What:    Karole Sharpe Open Studio
When:   November 15, 2008 | 12noon – 6pm
Where:  2808 Quitman Street, Denver CO 80212
Phone:  303-477-4097

Karole Sharpe, Cystoidea, glass & welded steel, 24” x 11” x 7”

 

Mustache 4 Cash Charity Event – Bid on One of My Originals!

This Saturday, October 25 (7:30pm) is the annual Mustache 4 Cash charity event at the Sherman Event Center in Denver.  This great event directly benefits The Byrne Urban Scholars, Colorado Youth at Risk, and Escuela de Guadalupe. Donations will be directed towards scholarships, mentoring, tutoring and college prep programs.

This is the first year the organizers have included a silent auction at the benefit and I’ve donated one of my latest elemental originals for the event.  Visit their website for event details.

Studio Snapshot - The purple/green/blue original on the table is my donation painting.

 

“Divided We Are” Painting Finished…

I finished my political painting this week and titled it “Divided We Are”.  I started out with painting one of my “traditional” elementals paintings in blues and reds.  It’s a bit hard to see, but some of the squares run together, creating some purple areas, and I’ve added a bit of sepia into some of the red squares on the far right.  We’ll call it “mud”.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been keeping a list of words to add to my painting in my studio journal.  I think I ended up with over 200 words (people, places, things, actions, emotions) to work with – and, it took me two days to choose which ones to add to my painting.

Also a bit hard to see in my photo, I sliced the paper down the “middle”, leaving the outside edges intact so that I created an open slit.  I then mounted my paper onto acrylic-embellished stretched canvas (here’s how), inserting paper wedges under the edges of the slit so that they gaped open.

So, that’s how I see things right now in July of 2008: “Divided We Are”.  My painting will be on display in the “UnConventional” exhibit at The Other Side Arts in Denver through the end of August.

Divided We Are, watercolor on paper (canvas-mounted), 24 x 24 inches.

 

Awarded Best of Show at the Downtown Denver Arts Festival!

I was very excited to have been awarded “Best of Show” this past weekend at the Downtown Denver Arts Festival!  What a great honor to have been judged the best out of 130 of Colorado’s top artists!

Thank you to everyone that came by to say hello and to those that took a David Castle original or Limited Edition print home with them!  If you missed it, please call or email me anytime to arrange a time to come by my new studio in the heart of the Santa Fe Arts District, just south of downtown Denver – I’d love to show you my new “digs” and artwork.

Me and my “Best of Show” award at the 2008 Downtown Denver Arts Festival.

 

10th Annual Downtown Denver Arts Festival – This Weekend!

In town for Memorial Day Weekend?

Please visit me at the 10^th Annual Downtown Denver Arts Festival, May 23 – 26, 2008.  The Festival is held at the Denver Pavilions and I’ll be in my usual spot on Glenarm at the pedestrian walkway (Booth #16).  Hours are:

 

   Friday, May 23: 4-8pm

   Saturday, May 24: 11am-8pm

   Sunday, May 25: 11am-5pm

   Monday, May 26: 11am-4pm

 

I have several new Limited Edition prints now available and will have many framed and ready to go at the Festival!  Have a safe holiday weekend!

 

My location at the 2007 Downtown Denver Arts Festival.

 

Great Opening Party!

Thank you to everyone that stopped by my new studio opening party last Friday.  I had well over 125 people come check out my new “digs” and help me celebrate!

If you missed it, be sure to let me know and we’ll schedule a time for your own personal tour!

Artwork hung… couldn’t wait to make holes in those fresh, new walls.

We had an Italian/French soda bar to refresh everyone.

Some of the first guests arrive.

 

Rudeness is Just Unnecessary…

This morning I drove down to the Curtis Arts & Humanities Center in Greenwood Village to drop off artwork for the upcoming Colorado Watercolor Society’s “New Trends Exhibit”.

The Curtis Center is a great little art space, but I’ll have to say that the Cultural Arts Coordinator, Jo Cole, was just a bit unnecessarily rude to me.  She first ordered me to remove the packaging on my art and then instructed me to lean my metal-framed art up against the glass/plexi of another, larger painting.  When I voiced my concern about damaging the art, she rudely informed me that glass can’t get damaged (which is untrue for glass and VERY untrue for plexiglass).  I left not only wondering why I deserved even this minor rudeness, but concerned about how well my art would be taken care of while at the Curtis Center.

I think there is way too much rudeness in our everyday lives.  I’ve personally struggled with anger issues for many years and am sure I can further improve my interactions with others.  In fact, I will renew my personal pledge right now to be kinder and gentler to everyone I meet!

 
Elementals No. 9, watercolor on paper, 16 x 26 inches.  On display at the “New Trends Exhibit” at the Curtis Arts Center, May 3 – 30, 2008.

 

Arts on Vine Exhibit Opening Tonight!

I have art in a group show right here in my own neighborhood this weekend at the Arts on Vine Spring Exhibit.

This is a wonderful and casual exhibit at St. Barnabas Church and Timothy, Elizabeth and all of their volunteers do a great job with it.

I’ll be at the Opening from 5pm – 7:30pm tonight (Friday) and the exhibit is also open on Saturday, 1-3pm and Sunday 10am – Noon.

Several other artists will be exhibiting, including David Harms and Kerry Aufderheide - please stop by!

Location: St. Barnabas at 1280 Vine Street (corner of 13th/Vine Streets).

 

Artist Sharon Feder Exhibit, “Passages” at Ironton

Last night I attended a wonderful preview reception of Denver artist Sharon Feder’s new exhibit, “Passages” at Ironton Studios in Denver.  Sharon paints “abstractions of nature and architecture” and captures something that I really love – a sense of “place”.

Her Trainyard No. 1 in particular was my favorite… it made me want to step right in and soak up the scene that she created.  I’ll admit that I’ve always been drawn to trains.  I even wanted to be a train engineer when I was young, but according to my father, I’d have to join a “union” and would then be “kicked out of the family”.  I was only about eight, so didn’t know what a “union” was, but surely didn’t want to become an engineer and then get kicked out of the family (can you imagine?!).

With all of Sharon’s art in this exhibit, I also love the layering that she acheives with color and texture.  And, I like that she is now painting on panel.  Sharon was a pleasure to meet and fun to talk with!

Be sure to check out her art during the exhibit – the Opening Reception is tonight, Friday, April 18th from 6pm – 9pm and again on First Friday, May 2nd from 6pm – 10pm (after you come by my new studio party!).  The exhibit is ongoing through May 17, 2008.

Sharon Feder, Trainyard No. 1 (detail), 36 x 48 inches, oil on panel, 2008.

 

Jetting off to Denver International Airport!

Well, at least my painting, Autumn No. 4 is!

I found out last week that my autumn tree painting, Autumn No. 4 was selected for a special exhibition at the Denver International Airport:  “Colorado, See the New West Like a Local”!

A panel of respected members of Denver’s art and business community selected 78 artworks from 697 artworks submitted by 407 artists.  How cool that this painting (one of my best tree paintings) will be viewed by millions of travellers this year!  This painting also made a wonderful Limited Edition print – visit my website for sizes and pricing.

 I’ll post an update when I find out where my painting will be displayed.  Exhibition runs April 11, 2008 – January 4, 2009.

Elementals – Autumn No. 4, watercolor on paper, mounted on canvas, 2006, 36 x 36 inches.

 

artma Fundraiser this Saturday!

As an artist, I’ve found that I donate my artwork to great organizations, resulting in raising more money than I ever donated in cash when I had a corporate paycheck coming in.  However, I firmly believe in doing some solid research on the organizations that I donate to and have learned alot about what factors are important to me.  I look for opportunities that generate a good rate of return on the value of my donated art.  I also look for organizations that appreciate the donating artists and that are non-discriminatory in their employment and charity beneficiaries.

With all of that said, this weekend is the biennial artma art auction, benefitting the Morgan Adams Memorial Neuro-Oncology research fund at the Denver Children’s Hospital.  A good artist friend alerted me to this event and I donated the painting below.  Visit the artma website for details and tickets to the event.

Purple Dusk, watercolor on paper mounted on acrylic-embellished canvas, 2007, 24 x 24 inches.

 

Kathy Beekman Opening (Friday) & Demo (Saturday)!

A good friend of mine, pastel artist Kathy Beekman, opens a new show “Chasing the Light” tomorrow at Gallery 821 in Denver.

Kathy is one of those artists who creates paintings that I could step right in to.  For me it has to do with my fascination of “place” – Kathy’s paintings really do evoke a sense of yearning to just be there in that place and time (and her painting below is a great example!).

It promises to be a great show… and, there’s a bonus!  Kathy will be demonstrating her pastel painting at Gallery 821 this Saturday, February 16, from 12pm – 3pm.  Not only is she a treat to watch as she creates, but she’s a fun person to chat with a bit about her art and process.  Be sure to check it out – details below!

 
Kathy Beekman, North to Montana, pastel.

Kathy Beekman: Chasing the Light
Pastel Paintings
February 14 – March 1, 2008

Opening Reception: Friday, February 15  |  5pm – 7pm

Artist Demonstration: Saturday, February 16  |  12pm – 3pm

Gallery 821
821 Santa Fe Drive
Denver, Colorado

Visit Kathy’s website to view more of her wonderful paintings:  www.KathyBeekman.com

 

Painting accepted for the 33rd Annual Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Exhibition

I’m continually fascinated by the jurying results of the various events I send art entries in for… from outdoor art festivals such as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival (to which I’ve applied for years and have not been accepted yet) to group exhibits like the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibit (where my painting, Elementals No. 18, was selected for the 2007 exhibition as the only painting not framed traditionally under glass).

In December, I was notified that my painting, Elementals – Autumn No. 3, was selected as one of only 15 paintings choosen from Colorado artists for the 33rd Annual Western Federation of Watercolor Societies (WFWS) Exhibition at the Tubac Arts Center in Tubac, Arizona (February 22 – April 6, 2008).  Wow!  I’ll be honest that this isn’t one of my favorite paintings, but I achieved a great level of precision in the creation of my elemental squares in this painting.  Sometimes I’m still amazed at how precise my technique was when I created this painting.  Over the last year, I’ve submitted it to several exhibits and am happy that it was finally selected for this exhibition.

By the way – I’ve created a Limited Edition Fine Art Print from this original that reproduces wonderfully.  It also looks great when hung in a grouping with my LE print, Elementals – Five Autumn Trees, as I recently installed in a CEO’s office at a corporation here in Denver.

Elementals – Autumn No. 3, 2006, watercolor on paper, 22 x 30″.