What I miss most about film......

I love the world of digital photography. However, taking the giant leap from film and darkroom to digital media was, for me, like convincing ancient man to stop carving on stones. I still miss the darkroom. The image on the left is a prime example why. I could be creative in ways I have yet to discover in the new world. I could layer negatives to achieve some really strange and provocative sorcery. This one combines doll parts, iron railroad bridge cross members, and cemetery statuary. I used Kodak Tri-X black and white film with a Canon A-1 35mm film camera. I always developed my own black and white film, and got enormous pleasure playing with the images. These are one-of-a-kind prints. No two are alike.

A Little Bit Of Heaven.....

As winter refuses to release us from her icey grip this year, I can't help but train my thoughts on Michigan's Au Sable River in the summertime. The photo on the left is one of my favorite overlooks above one of the greatest rivers for camping, canoeing, fishing, and of course photographing. (This was shot with a Nikon D50 with a 55-200mm AF-S DX Nikkor lens.) Although I usually spend a week here in July, I've decided, this year, to make the trip in June. I won't take the boat this time. It's more peaceful in a canoe, and I can get to places I normally wouldn't risk going in the boat. Of course, I'll be armed to the teeth with photo equipment....my trusty Nikon Digital SLR, several lenses, monopod, and any other camera gear I can lug around. I dream of days spent fishing for trout and bass as I walk the streams around Alcona County, and mornings and evenings shooting some of the most beautiful countryside I've ever laid eyes upon. Ransom me, Oh Summer, winter has held me captive far too long!

Understanding....

Sometimes we can understand our place among artists by choosing some point in the history of art and imitating techniques of past masters. Many art instructors require students to practice earlier styles and techniques....that's how an artist eventually arrives at his own launching pad. The painting on the left is oil on board. It's a self portrait by Matt Krease, and is certainly not one of his favorites. It's actually a sketch for more developed work. I'm not sure he even knows it's still around. Myself....I find it intriguing. To me it demonstrates where "My New Home", the birds in the nest in an earlier blog below, came from. Isn't it wonderful that as much as we would destroy some of our own practice pieces someone saved them? My own early stuff is long gone to the landfill. That isn't going to happen here. This is oil paint on particle board....the style reminds me of Rembrandt. It's about 12x14 inches in size, and the image you see does not do it justice. What you're looking at is a photograph of the original taken with a Nikon D50 digital SLR.

Always Fascinating.....The Art and Mind of Matt Krease.

Matt's art always fascinates me. It's obviously a wimdow to his soul. These are small quick sketches from his Moleskine sketchbooks. Mostly pencil, with the addition of some paint and other art mediums. Please check out more of this work at Gallery 321 in the Places of Interest on the right sidebar. I'll give you more of my impressions in revisions to this blog later today. And, I'll be posting some of the artists other works as well...oil paintings, mixed media, cartoons, illustrations, realism, technical illustration and much more. I hope you enjoy them, and please give me your impressions and thoughts. Thank you for dropping by.

Matthew J. Krease, 2001.. oil on canvas

Please check out Gallery 321 under "Places of Interest"
in the right sidebar! Thanks for visiting!

The Art of Matthew J. Krease....

It's interesting....it's unique. Matthew graduated from College for Creative Studies in Detroit in 2002, with a concentration in Graphic Communications/Illustration. The works I'll be displaying here are from various sketchbooks, as well as larger works on canvas and board. The piece on the right is pencil and paint on paper. I like to call this one "Soulmates", for obvious reasons. Each viewer will have his own interpretation ......that's the art of it.

If this intrigues you, scroll down my side bar or sign up for a MySpace account to view more of the artist's portfolio. Just click on the "Farmer Matt" link in the Places of Interest in the side bar of this blog to check it out...it's worth a visit, you won't be disappointed.

I'll be posting various pieces weekly. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Also, scroll down the sidebar for more really wonderful new art, by talented professionals. If interested in publishing rights or ownership, please go to the bottom of this page and contact me. Thank you for looking.

Just A Bit Of Show and Tell....

I just feel like doing a little bit of show and tell today. The image you see, on the right, is a watercolor painting of a saw-whet owl. I found it in my basement when I was searching for Satan (see squirrel story below).

Some years ago, in the early 80s, I was very much into painting wildlife. Of course, someday I intended to make my fortune by winning the Federal Duck Stamp Contest. Then I could spend all my time painting. But, at the same time, I wasn't making a great deal of money even though all my work sold. I supplemented this by doing cartoons and selling them to newspapers and magazines. I'll post some of those in the coming days, but for now I just want to recall the peaceful afternoons in the nature preserves.

Maybe one of these days I'll dig up my old Windsor Newton paints and brushes and have another go at it.