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.
Visit my sale page on my website here: https://www.davidcastleart.com/spring-studio-sale.
Here are a few sneak peeks!
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!
Check out this 70-second video on the homepage of my website for a bit about my art journey into 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!
After the horrific shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs last month, I painted two rainbow abstracts as I processed this. One I sold to wonderful Collectors here in Denver and donated all the proceeds to the Colorado Healing Fund to benefit those affected by the shooting.
The second rainbow abstract was cut into my Micro Abstracts and sent out to both allies and haters in positions of power right here in my native Colorado.
Earlier this week I sent rainbow Micros to allies who clearly use their voices and votes to support LGBT+ folks, including: US Representative Diana DeGette, Senator Michael Bennet, Senator John Hickenlooper and Governor Jared Polis.
Today I’m sending out more rainbow Micros to haters here in Colorado who use their voices and take actions to continue oppressing LGBT+ folks. And they continue to normalize hate. Clearly sometimes the consequences are death for those just living their authentic lives, whether they are shot in a safe space or they take their own lives.
Blood is on their hands: US Representative Lauren Boebert, US Representative Ken Buck, US Representative Doug Lamborn, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, Focus on the Family President Jim Daly.
I’ve been painting while I process the recent shooting in Colorado Springs this past weekend. At first I felt numb and just “jumbled up”. As I painted these rainbow colors, weary sadness and sharp anger is what holds me now.
I firmly believe from my own experiences and observations that this is the result of the non-acceptance and hate TAUGHT and FOSTERED by many on this planet of so many people, but especially LGBT+ folks just being themselves. Just being the people who God created them to be.
To the many conservatives out there – this means YOU! And if you truly believe that your own heart and mind are hate free, you continue to elect leaders with loud voices who don’t accept, who oppress, who voice false nonsense and hate about those different from you. And if you remain silent while this goes on and people die, your hands are bloody too.
And for some of my family members – “love” without full acceptance isn’t love at all. It’s hate and fosters this world where people are killed just for being themselves.
I’m done trying to change minds and hearts about acceptance and love. Now I’m working to support those who are hated and in crisis because of it.
And, I’ll also keep painting rainbows.
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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!
I’ve never posted much about the “big gay journey” part of my life, but this Pride month it has been on my mind. So, I’m sharing what I thought about as I painted this Pride-inspired, colorful abstract today.
I knew that I was different somehow from a pretty early age. Those who say “don’t say gay” are wrong… I think I would have benefitted from knowing that gay people and gay parents and gay families even existed at an early age. It never came up in my conservative family and I had no idea what was going on with me through my childhood. There were no visible gay people around, nor role models in rural, conservative southern Missouri. By the time I figured things out on my own, I knew being gay must be very much hidden from the world. And loathed by myself.
After years of suppressing who I was, accepting the oppression I witnessed around me, thinking about ending my life (just a jerk of the wheel going 100mph on the autobahn), I finally accepted me as God made me. I was 27 when I finally came out, and then spent the next decade trying desperately to change the minds and hearts of my immediate family, while my parents pleaded with me to get “cured”. But, the resolve of my parents, and brother, and sister to continue rejecting me only solidified as the years progressed. I believe this kind of hate is taught, learned and still advocated by many. I still am in wonder that I made it through it all, but I did and my journey continues out the other end.
Now, my life is full. Full of my art, the love of my life and best friend Steve, many wonderful extended family members and a sense of peace. Yes, I’ve had to let go of much and have found forgiving my immediate family, especially my parents, is more of an ongoing process than a single decision point.
So yes, it does get better and yes, I’m proud. Proud of being the gay man God made me to be. So I paint these rainbow colors with lots of reflection and pride!
I kicked off my career change in 2003 from computer scientist to abstract artist by exhibiting at many art festivals in Colorado and the West. The Denver Arts Festival has been one of my favorites and I was awarded the Best in Show award in 2008!
Now that I’m back in Colorado, I’ve been selected to exhibit once again at this wonderful festival, full of local and national artists. If you’re in town, please plan to come by to visit (or meet) me and see almost all new abstracts that I’ve painted over the last several months.
Denver Arts Festival details are below and you can find me in Booth #85… hope to see you this weekend!
I’ve released 15 new mini abstracts on my website and invite you to jump over to www.davidcastleart.com to check them out!
No waiting for the supply chain to catch up, these original abstract paintings are all ready to go, for shipping or pick up at my Denver studio.
Each features a brand-new resin varnish and I love the rich, glass-like finish it gives each painting. I think you will too… they’ll make a great addition to your own art collection or for your gift-giving list for the upcoming holidays. I included a few sample mini abstracts for you to browse below, but please visit www.davidcastleart.com to view them all!
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.
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!
If you’re looking for art to fill a larger space, several of my new HorizonLine paintings look great grouped together!
Can’t come to my studio tonight for my Super First Friday FREE Flapjacks?! Well, I have a few extra and will give 5 away right here on my blog. So, I’ll send a free Flapjack painting to the first 5 people to leave a comment here on my blog… GO!
Today is Super First Friday to kick off Denver Arts Week! I’m all ready in my studio to give away 50 FREE Flapjack mini paintings to the first 50 guests in my studio today between 5pm – 9pm!
My studio is located at 800 West 8th Avenue in Denver. I’m in the building on the southwest corner of 8th Avenue & Inca – entrance is on Inca under the “Creative Studios” awning… hope you can visit!
I’ve been getting ready for this coming First Friday… SUPER First Friday, that is, since November 4th kicks off Denver Arts Week! I’ll be in my studio giving away art again this year as my way of helping folks get to know MY art (“Know Your Art” is the theme for Super First Friday).
So, here’s my stack ‘o flapjacks, with backwashes painted in all colors, ready for the first 50 guests to my studio. If you come by, I’ll invite you to pick out your favorite color and I’ll finish it and mail it off to you in the coming weeks. All for free!
Can’t come to my studio?? Be sure you “like” my FB art page and watch for me to give some away on FB this week. Just visit my website and click on the “like” button at the bottom of my homepage and you’ll be set to get my FB updates!
I’m excited to announce my upcoming 2012 Winter Painting Sojourn on the Oregon Coast, January 10 – February 7, 2012!
I can’t wait to stay in my usual spot in the tiny town of Oceanside, Oregon and get my fill of inspiration from the mighty Pacific, the lush and rugged coastline, wicked winter storms and the ever-present horizonline. In fact, let’s make that “HorizonLine”, and use it for the name of my latest series of paintings that I’ll be painting while on the coast.
As in past years, this is where you come in… I’ll be pre-selling a limited number of my new HorizonLine paintings to everyone before I head to the coast. With a color of your choosing, I’ll then paint your original 12 x 12″ painting during my sojourn, whilst I soak up all that inspires me there. Comment here or email me to order yours – I can only paint a limited number! Here are the details:
HorizonLine Paintings (Winter Sojourn, 2012)
Special Sojourn Price: $150 (regularly, $275)
Description: Each painting will be inspired by a color of your choice in my new HorizonLine style. Original paintings are watercolor on paper, mounted on gallery-wrapped, stretched canvas. Canvas edges will be finished with acrylic paint and ready to hang with a clean, frameless look. Each painting will be a finished size of 12 x 12 inches and protected with a final varnish with a UV filter. Finished paintings will be available for pick-up at a special studio exhibit on First Friday, March 2, 2012 (paintings can also be shipped for $15/each). I guarantee that you’ll love it, or I’ll return your payment!
For the last month, I’ve been working on my ideas for my upcoming Oregon Coast Winter Painting Sojourn that I’m announcing… well, right here and now! My studio has looked and felt a bit chaotic during this time, but my ideas have really solidified and I’ll be rolling out details here and on my website in the next few weeks.
So, if you missed my special Sojourn painting offer last year, you’ll want to stay tuned for this year’s offer! Meanwhile, here’s a snapshot of my choatic studio from this morning…
Here’s one of my summer commission projects… finished and delivered! My clients love it, so it was a success. Now that I’m done with my summer projects, I’m on to experimenting for my fall Open Studios and working on ideas for my Winter Sojourn!
This weekend marks my seventh year exhibiting at the Downtown Denver Arts Festival! Come by to visit and to see my latest series, “Solo, Duo, Trio”… I’ll be in my usual location at the intersection of Glenarm and the pedestrian walkway. Here’s the schedule:
Friday: 4pm – 8pm
Saturday: 11am – 8pm
Sunday: 11am – 5pm
Monday: 11am – 4pm
Hope to see you there!
My painting sojourn to the Oregon Coast is over and I’m back in my studio! For the past week I’ve been working hard to get 62 of my Oregon Coast flapjacks ready for a special studio exhibit this First Friday, March 4th. This special exhibit will only be intact at the beginning of First Friday, so come by early. If you are a sojourn Shareholder and would like to pick up your share(s), please come by anytime Friday, March 4th, 4 – 8 pm.
David Castle Art 