It's a wrap

These are the paintings, post shooting, that graced the office walls of a character on the TV pilot "Body of Evidence".   I was surprised that they chose some of my older work, but glad that my paintings escaped the storage rack and got a little moment under the big lights.

It was a fun experience, and I'm looking forward to seeing if I can spot them in the pilot, whenever it comes out.  That is, after I get a TV.

slogging on

My computer really should keep a safe distance from my studio...

Casting Call

I haven't watched TV in years (Hulu doesn't count, does it?).  I do own a TV, but it's in the cellar, a big monstrosity that we bought with wedding money 20 years ago.  I did get the HD converter box, but never got around to hooking it up, so it no longer gets any of the 3 channels it used to.

But I don't miss TV,  have no time for TV,  most stuff on TV is not worth watching —— and what? You want to use my paintings for a TV show? How EXCITING!

A few days ago I got a phone call from a set designer for a pilot called "Body of Evidence" being filmed in Providence. The show is about a medical examiner who solves crimes, (cadavers and crime, prime time requirements). Anyway, they need pictures to put on the faux office walls, and the designer was referred to my website. So my work is now standing by on the set.

Since the building they're using is just a block from where I work, I was able to get a tour.  I had no idea that they were filming when we walked through the chaotic, equipment filled rooms, but somehow my guide innately knew when to give me the signal to freeze every few minutes when she knew they were rolling.  After standing like a statue for about 5 minutes we heard someone yell "break for lunch", everyone relaxed, and I got a peek at the autopsy room, lab and offices while the designer and art director discussed which of the just-purchased pillows worked best for the office couch. 

A few people came off the set including a woman in purple scrubs.  It slowly dawned on me that it was the star of the show, Dana Delany. I only recognized her since she had a show back when I used to watch TV, China Beach, I have no idea who the other people are in the show, but my work will be in "Kate's" office.  So watch for it...hopefully it won't be blocked by those camera hungry actors.

Providence Art Window

Here's some photos of my art window on Fulton Street in Providence. It's kind of "hidden in plain sight" being right next to City Hall, but on a quiet block long side street.  I kind of like the fact that it's off the beaten track, but close enough to check up on during my lunch break.

Click on the images to see larger.

March Madness

Providence Art Windows officially opened last night, so I popped over to City Hall for the reception then hit the streets to check out the other windows and see how my window, just to the right of the Haven Brothers truck, looks at night.  The city was crazy with some NCAA Basketball nonsense, but once I got out of gridlock and parked my car it was easy to walk a few blocks from the beer-tent district over to the white wine and cheese part of town.

It was warm enough to feel like a summer night, and lively enough to feel like a big little city. I checked out the other art windows, then on Westminster Street I spotted the "Art for Chile" benefit silent art auction I had heard about. There was some really nice work in the gallery and I decided that I'd "spend" my prize money there, as all the proceeds go to aid the earthquake victims. I was very tempted by some of the prints and small paintings, but I then spotted a beautiful blue necklace and paid the "buy it now" price.  The only problem is I don't really feel that I've been all that charitable. The painting prize was money out of nowhere, and now I have a nice new necklace. So I'll just have to send a like amount to Haiti so I can feel a little more virtuous. But no more earthquakes.... I can't be winning prizes every month.

The auction is going on until Sunday, so stop in, buy some art and feel like a hero.

A few doors down there's a show at Craftland by Shannon Rankin. She works with maps to make elegant distillations of their symbols. It's worth checking out too.

From Providence Art Windows to Old Furnace

This is a shot of my "Providence Art Window" halfway through installation on Tuesday. Truth is, I was too beat to worry about photographing it when it was done, and too anxious to escape the claustrophobic confines of a 15'x3' glass window box and plunge into the woods of Old Furnace State Park.

The hike was the perfect respite after hours of unrolling yards of canvas, maneuvering a ladder almost as wide as the window and climbing up and down with the aim of avoiding losing my balance and plunging through the plate glass.


The installation also involved importing thorny branches, thistles and burrs into the floor of a city window. They scratched and drew blood in protest as they tried to wrestle from my hands. In the woods, the understory let me pass unscathed, the sharp edges softened by days of rain and the emergence of spring.

The opening of Providence Art Windows is tonight at Providence City Hall atrium from 5 to 8. My window is right across the street on Fulton Street, right next to the windows displaying the Big Nazo Puppets. It's also gallery night, so there's a lot of art going on in the city tonight. Oh, and I've heard something about some basketball game...you might want to take advantage of the Gallery Night parking.

I'll post some photos soon of the completed window for those who can't make it downtown. It will be up till June 11.

Prize surprise

Since I wasn't able to make the opening of the members show at the Bristol Art Museum last night I took a break today from planning my Art Window — figuring out how to transport yards of canvas curtains without wrinkling, and brittle thorn branches without pain. I headed over to the Bristol to check out the show and how I was hung. Turns out I was hung with a label that said "First Prize"!

Now I am not usually a prize winner, a few honorable mentions were the only ones in my trophy case, so First Prize is kind of a kick. It even comes with a small check.  But me and Obama, we like to donate our prize money to charity. (Although if I had gotten his Nobel Peace Prize one million plus, I confess I'd keep it in order to ditch the day job. But I'm glad he likes his job enough to hang in.) I'll send mine to Haiti, the rainy season is fast approaching and they need all the help they can get.

—Written as the rain beats against the windows and the wind gusts, and I sit warm and dry in my house.

OIL PAINTERS - FREE BRUSH

Just for taking a W&N short survey about brushes. Just sayin.

Caution - Opening!

I just dropped of my painting of the Goodyear Welt machine (see previous post), titled "Caution" to be part of the Bristol Art Museum Member's Exhibition. The show is up from March 13 to March 27 and the museum is at the corner of Hope and Wardwell Streets in Bristol (map), right behind the Linden Place mansion. The opening is Friday, March 12 from 7 to 9. Unfortunately, I won't be able to go, but they put on a very nice opening so if you can make it, enjoy!

The Goodyear Welt

 Here's another memento from the shoemaker's shop, a 1945 manual of the Goodyear Welt Sewing Machine.

I love the elegant engraving of the machine, a nice contrast to my own interpretation.

• • • 

The weather is getting warm enough to wander outside on my lunch breaks, and last week I stumbled on a couple of good exhibits on College Hill. Both have a good representation of paint on canvas, rather shocking in this day and age.

The first, "Extreme Scale",  is at the Providence Art Club. Among the large pieces is Sue McNally's  "Paradise at Night" which I first bowled me over when I saw it at the Newport Art Museum last June. On the other end of the scale one of my favorites is a beautiful sculptural rendering of a tree trunk in frosted glass and wood by Kat Ely.

Just a few blocks away, The List Gallery at Brown has their Student Exhibtion. Despite the obligatory pile of stuff in the corner and annoying flat-screen TV spewing static, it also has some pretty nice paintings.

The shows will be up for about another week and a half, so if you're in the neighborhood, they're worth a look.