My annual studio sale just opened today and continues through Sunday! I have fun choosing a bunch of original paintings each year for this event (and included some unframed originals for 2024).
I can ship all of these, so if you live far, far away, let me know if you’d like details on that. If you’re in Denver and would like to visit my studio to see these all in person, I’d love to give you a tour! Email me and we can schedule a time. I’ve included a few of my favorites below.
Like many artists, my art studio is an important component in my creative process. Over the past 20 years, I’ve had no less than 11 studio spaces for making my abstract art. That feels like “a lot” and I’m hoping my current studio will serve me for a long time. The good news is that it is one of the best spaces I’ve occupied for making my art. It is just the right size, it feels open and supportive of my unique creative processes, I love the bright (artificial) lighting and my favorite purple floor always grounds me.
But, like only a few of my past studio spaces, this one is also a refuge for me. A calm space in the turmoil and drama of the outside world. A space free from technology other than my phone. A place to just sit and breathe or ponder or stew or reflect or meditate (briefly)… I’m very grateful I was able to create this space and that it serves me so well.
I launched my annual Spring Studio Sale and have selected over 30 original abstracts that are 50-75% savings from my regular prices. I love having my sale so I can clear out a bit of space in my studio AND send people home with some new art for their collections.
I’m so grateful for my second career as an abstract artist… nearly 20 years of painting abstracts after years in corporate technology! I sure don’t miss the days of software development, data warehousing and IT project management…
For most of my 20 years as an artist, I’ve painted mostly abstracts with square and linear shapes. Now, I’d like to “re-introduce” myself and my art as I’ve turned things upside down over the last 5 months… painting circles!
And, I’ll exclusively launch 12 of my new Circles abstracts in an online exhibit with Artburst Studios. The exhibit opens on 2/23 at 2:32pm MST and only goes for 3 days, so visit Artburst Studios website here for details on how to attend!
Last autumn, I was invited to join a new virtual artist group – Artburst Studios – and participate in their inaugural online exhibit coming up February 23-25, 2023 (visit Artburst Studios Website).
I’m quite excited about this group for many reasons – mainly because I’ve come to highly respect the founders and their approach to launching Artburst Studios and all of the detailed ways they’re doing it right.
But, it has also forever changed my abstractions. The way I paint shapes and colors “in my head” when not in my studio. The focus I’ve had for nearly 20 years on painting squares and stripes – lots of linear shapes and corners and sharp edges.
The theme for Artburst Studios exhibit is “Inside, Outside, Upside Down”. So for the past several months, I’ve embraced this by turning my square and stripe shapes “upside down” and painting… CIRCLES!
I quickly found circles to be a “perfect” shape to explore… just like squares. While I continue to use some of my favorite, self-discovered abstract painting techniques, my biggest challenge was how to paint circle shapes that I loved. I wanted perfect round shapes with some rough/irregular lines, giving me a break from some of the crisp, sharp edges of my square past.
So, here’s a few snapshots of how I paint my circles using an unexpected painting tool – PVC pipe connectors and caps! I’ve collected a variety of sizes (even ordering an 8″ cap online since Home Depot didn’t carry caps that large). I’ve sanded the edges of the PVC a bit, but they otherwise work great as is to create “perfect” circle shapes with lines that are varied and unexpected. More on how I apply oil paint to the PVC and stamp the actual shapes in a future post!
My growing collection of Circle-making tools.Stamping a Circle.Fields of Circles – perfectly round with irregular lines.
It has been awhile since my last post, but I need to get this topic out of my head (and my studio) and onto “paper”. You may have seen my Instagram (davidcastleart) posts recently about my Forgiveness Tour to Idaho where I verbalized to my Mom (who passed away 2 years ago) and my Dad (who has severe dementia) many things that I forgive them for from my 54 years as their son. Forgiveness topics included some big things like rejecting me completely just for being gay, and for some small things like reminding me to not be a “sissy” when I was young.
I also forgave them for never acknowledging my career change 20 years ago from a corporate technology guy to a full-time abstract artist. And this is what I’ve been thinking more about in my studio lately as I paint. I just don’t understand it and, given my Mom is gone and my Dad doesn’t know who I am, I’m sure I’ll never understand why.
Was this just another general rejection of me? Was becoming an artist not “manly” enough for their conservative/traditional views? Was giving up a 6-figure salary (and all the trappings that came with that) too “irresponsible” of me for my future? Was embracing my creative self being too much of a “sissy”?
I’ll never know.
But, after 20 years of pursuing my passion and embracing and living as my artistic self, I’m OK with letting this fade as I continue my forgiveness journey. Now, back to painting!
At work in my Denver Studio, where I paint AND think…
New mini abstracts with a brand-new, glass-like resin varnish… releasing to everyone on October 28th!
I’ve been hard at work in my studio painting fifteen new mini abstracts, each with a brand-new resin varnish. That’s the reflection you see above and I’m loving the rich, glass-like finish it gives each painting.
I’ll be releasing all fifteen new mini abstracts to folks on my email list first on Wednesday morning, October 27th. So, you’ll have first choice to add them to your art collection (or gift list) before I announce them to my social media followers the next day.
I’m super excited and think you’ll love them. If you’re not on my very-occasional email list, visit my website homepage to add your name to the list so you won’t miss out on the initial release!
This summer has been a flurry of activity (and stress) to get me and my husband Steve moved back to my native Denver, Colorado. We arrived to a temporary apartment living situation on May 1st and haven’t looked back. Less than a month later we were under contract to buy a great townhome in Denver’s Central Park (formally Stapleton) neighborhood. I can’t believe how blessed and fortunate we were to find a place to buy so quickly in the hot Denver housing market!
Now that we’re mostly settled, we’ve been enjoying the main reason we moved back to Denver – spending time with old friends and extended family here in Colorado. We even took a day off to hike one of my most favorite hikes in the world… the Hagerman Tunnel railroad bed trail near Leadville, Colorado.
Steve and I at the abandoned, narrow-gauge railroad tunnel – Hagerman Tunnel (August, 2021).
I’ve also been getting settled into my basement studio space at our new home. It’s a fine workspace for now, but this winter I’m planning to have the interior finished with drywall, electrical, new lighting, a work sink, a purple-painted concrete floor, etc!
My basement studio… awaiting interior finishing this winter!
With the galleries and boutique shops that carry my original abstract artcards closed for now, I’ve received several requests for them directly from my art fans. So, since my inventory is low, I’ve been ramping up production in my studio and want to show you a bit about how I make them.
David Castle original artcard (oil and metallic silver watercolor).
I started making original artcards a few years ago as a way for folks to keep in touch with family and friends “the old-fashioned way” – a hand-written note sent snail mail style right to their mailbox. And, the artcards are designed to be ready to pop into a favorite frame and added to the art collections of your family and friends. Or maybe they’ll be simply displayed in your kitchen as refrigerator art or in your office on an inspirational bulletin board. I think it’s a pretty versatile little piece of original art!
My most recent “batch” of mini abstracts starts as a larger painting on paper – typically 12 x 16 inches – in my layered oil and metallic watercolor style that I call my Pacific Rains Series.
Artcard original paintings… ready for varnish and the chopping block.
After a good week of drying/curing (the solid oil paints I use contain a wax component that allow them to dry quickly), they get a few coats of spray varnish to set the metallic watercolor layer and protect the painting from light damage.
Once the varnish layer has dried, I’m ready to cut the larger painting up into my mini abstract squares – each measuring 2.5 x 2.5 inches. I just use my artist’s eye to gauge where to make cuts so I end up with mini square abstracts that I like.
Finally, on some, I add a bit of acrylic paint to finish each abstract. Now they’re ready to glue-mount to blank cardstock. I use Italian-made Fabriano Medioevalis cards that I think present the abstracts nicely.
Mini abstract artcards… mounted, signed and ready to send.
I just popped this mini abstract into a fun, silver metal frame and love it! This’ll be a hint at another blog post to come about my mini abstracts that I mount for original artcards.
I haven’t been liking much of what I’m doing in my studio since the lockdown started nearly 2 weeks ago, but loved this mini so much that I just had to share today! And, the cool colors remind me of the now-closed Oregon coast beaches that I love so much.
I hope you’re all staying safe and healthy!
Mini David Castle Abstract (Oil and metallic silver watercolor)
I’m in a bit of an “artist intermission” full of anxiety, and the familiar depression that I’ve battled for many years. Nope, not a glamorous star here bringing awareness to those of us who live with depression and anxiety. And, I don’t have the resources to completely “take time off” to check in to a place of wellness to work on myself. Although I’m happy for those creatives who can work on their own wellness with time off and a dedicated (even inspirational) place to do it.
For me, I’m still here – in my home studio which has sat empty and alone for the past several weeks, just waiting for me to come back. I’ll admit that I’m acutely struggling right now.
Not much going on here lately…
Meanwhile, some of you have asked what I do with myself?
Well, I sleep a lot. I’ve worked on office chores such as household budgeting and financial actuals. I sit in my green leather studio chair and pet studio cat Stan. I managed to finally update my website with snapshots from my Arctic Circle Expedition. I take pills and go to talk therapy. I attempt to help myself with hard-to-crack wellness workbooks. And, I generally try to get back into things I’ve enjoyed in days gone by like gardening… one weed pulled at a time.
I’ve had this self-help workbook for months… I’m on page 18. 😦
I miss painting my abstracts… I really do. Hopefully a new and inspirational project will come along for me soon. In the meantime, I’ll just try to tread water.
And a big thank-you to my husband, Steve, who through it all, helps and loves me lots.
This weekend is the final weekend for the 19th Annual Portland Open Studios Tour and I’ll have my studio open. If you’re in Portland, come check me out Saturday and Sunday, 10am – 5pm each day, at my studio at SW 71st Ave/Ashdale in Portland. Visit my website for details and my address – http://www.davidcastleart.com.
And just for visitors, I’ll have all artwork in my studio priced at 10-75% off regular prices, plus see more about how I paint my abstracts and hear about my upcoming Residency trip to the Arctic Circle!
I think we’re officially into the dog days of summer here in Portland with temps expected to rival our all-time high of 107 this week. Even though it’s summer, this is one of my least-favorite times of the year. Heck, I’m hot if the temperature is above 65!
The good news is that my studio is air-conditioned and cool, so I’ve been working on larger and larger oil-and-metallic-watercolor abstracts. But, I think the psychological effect of the heat outside is impacting my success since I’ve recently failed at two attempts of a 52 x 52 inch original… each has clear process mistakes in them and the overall finished paintings just failed to come together. And, due to my unique process of layering oil paints and metallic watercolors, these aren’t “fixable”.
I must keep trying though, as I must finish a spectacular 52 x 52 inch painting for a special exhibit that starts in September… the dog days are ticking!
My studio set up, ready to start another 52 x 52 inch original!
I’m having a summer studio sale! I’ve selected 16 (or so) original paintings on canvas and have marked them down by 50%. Check out the selection from my studio wall below and let me know which favorites you’d like to add to your collection! Sale goes through Saturday, July 15th.
Painting Details
Top two rows: 12 x 12 inches; 50% off price = $200 each
Bottom row, left to right: Painting #1 is a collage of 100 mini metallic silver squares, 24 x 24 inches, 50% off price = $600; Paintings #2-4 are a collage of mini metallic squares,18 x 18 inches, 50% off price = $325 each
I’ve posted more snapshots of these paintings, plus a few bonus ones on my Instagram.
It has been awhile since I posted a snapshot of my studio… I’d sure be lost without my large, main studio table that I got at The Ohio State University’s surplus warehouse before we moved out to Portland! In fact, I’ve found several pieces of great “studio furniture” at university surplus stores, so if you’re looking for furniture you might check with your local universities to see if they sell surplus furniture and equipment.
For the last month and a half, I’ve been working on a large commission triptych project for a client’s office. Today I’ll apply the final coat of varnish, so the project is nearly complete. And, my client loves these paintings, so… yay!
However, the last week of finishing these paintings up has me stuck between loving them… and not loving them. In general, I love my birch tree paintings and, with this particular set, think I captured (from left to right) a solid feeling of Summer, Autumn and Winter. In fact, I wish I was sitting smack in the middle of the Autumn panel right now!
So why am I sometimes feeling that “I love them not”? Is there something wrong with my composition across these 3 panels? Is it just my usual feeling of depression that I experience whenever I finish a painting?
What do you think?
“Tall Birch Trees – Summer, Autumn, Winter”; oil and metallic watercolor on panel (middle panel is 45×18″).
The horrific events in Orlando have taken over my creative process in my studio since it happened nearly two weeks ago. As an artist, I paint what I’m thinking and feeling – first I paint in my mind (often while I’m supposed to be sleeping!) and then, ready or not, I put paint to paper in my studio.
As a gay American, tragedies like Orlando impact me deeply. My own family has rejected me on this “issue” and I’m saddened that hate and anything but complete acceptance, still fills many people on this planet.
So, I paint. And then I paint more as I process what happened in Orlando and the 49 young people who died. The painting below, one of my Pacific Northwest Rains series, is one that I finished this week. I’m conveying the lives of 49 colorful people (as the stripes on the bottom) who are being transported through a black line into whatever silvery “light” is above and next for them.
I’ll never forget what happened in Orlando and will be painting many more as I try to make sense of people like the shooter… and my own family.
“The Orlando 49 – Into the Light”, oil and metallic watercolor, 12 x 12 inches.
I’m still getting settled into my new studio space on the northwestern edge of Portland’s Pearl District. My space is small – about 1/4 the size of my studio in Columbus (and more expensive!). For now, I’m making it work!
As a followup to my last post about my crumbling love affair with Daniel Smith paints, I’m sad to say that Daniel Smith has definitely discontinued their entire acrylic paint line. I’ve primarily used Daniel Smith acrylic paints (along with their watercolor paints) since the “beginning” for me over 10 years ago. The last time I visited their website to order acrylic, I noticed all of them appearing on web pages that contained “discontinued” in the title.
My acrylic drawer filled with now obsolete Daniel Smith Acrylics.
Well, after a few emails to them, I was told they were discontinued, but they failed to respond with any additional info. I couldn’t even find an official note from them to their customers and fans (lovers) to explain the what, why, when, etc.
I guess I could go on and on about my breaking heart, but seems I should just move on and start filling up my acrylic drawer with paints that are going to stay around!
Many of you will remember my fun Flapjack events in my studio in Denver, and now that I’ve settled into an awesome new studio space here in Columbus, I’ll be hosting my first Open Studio and Flapjack giveaway!
On Saturday, April 26th (11am – 2pm), come tour my new studio at the 400 West Rich building in the Franklinton Arts District just across the river from downtown Columbus. There will be many open artist’s studios and a fun Farmer’s Market going on and if you stop by my studio, each visitor will get to choose their favorite “Flapjack” mini abstract to start your David Castle Art collection. All I ask for in return is for each recipient to sign up for my very-occasional art email list. So, bring your family, kids and friends!
Event: David Castle Open Studio
When: Saturday, April 26th, 11am-2pm
Where: 400 West Rich Street, Columbus, Ohio
And for my fans outside of the Columbus area, be sure to watch my blog here or my David Castle Art page on Facebook, because I’ll be giving away a few Flapjacks online through the end of April, too!
David Castle Art 