Back from Vacation-Exciting News!

Hello Everyone,

Well, I'm back from Ohio and Pennsylvania. I know I've been gone for a week, but a lot has happened.

Exhibitions:

Well, I submitted an entry to Manifest Gallery's "2nd International Painting Annual". I sent in the spray painting of my self portrait stencil with the halo. I really hope I get in, it would be nice to have an Exhibition via Print on my resume. Here's hoping!

Gallery:

Well, a few days ago I was approached by a co-op gallery owner that I know about showing and selling my ceramics in her gallery. It is a sale gallery, so it's not an exhibition, but I'm getting a great contract and I'm going to be in with a fantastic gallery and maybe even make some money while I'm at it, spread my name around, and it's just a wonderful opportunity. I'm really excited to go meet her at the gallery on Saturday, sign some papers and drop off my work. I'm so excited!

Senior Show:

I believe I've finally got my senior show nailed down. I hope I can stick to this one and that it will be a great show! It's going to teach me a lot about painting, that's for sure! I'll drop a journal/blog on it soon explaining it all, I still have to figure it out a bit myself. But it's Greek Mythology inspired if that gives you anything to go on.

Making up Price lists and Figuring out Overhead:

Well...who knew selling things at a gallery could be so complicated. I've been making spreadsheets galore to keep track of all my art spending per medium and total studio overhead. Hopefully I can finally get in the green, since I've been in the red since I started my ceramics studio, but now I've branched out a bit, so hopefully we can get more cash flow.

Suggestion:

I suggest any of you looking to start a career as a fine artist, as a real professional, read "How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist: Selling Yourself Without Selling Your Soul" by Caroll Michels. It will change your world, just saying. It's the most helpful, practical, and entertaining how-to-be-an-artist book I have ever read. READ IT!

Well, that's it for now I believe, cheers!

Ben

Oh...P.S....came out to my Dad, glad I did it. I feel much better now.

Deviantart: http://www.devianart.com/the-angel-gabriel

Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/gabrielsgrove

Website: http://bcoffmanart.webs.com

Exciting news!

Hey Everyone,

Just got an offer today to show my ceramics in a gallery for sale. I can't stress enough how much contacts are worth and keeping them! I'm going to sit down with the gallery coordinator and see what we can figure out. I hope it goes well!

Ben

P.S. In PA for the weekend, so no updates with pictures for a while...sorry.

Medusa Painting WIP II

Hello Everyone,

Well, here is Medusa so far. I'm working the underpainting right now and trying to blend it all together well. Her skin has turned out to be a grey-green color with just the smallest hints of red. I'm trying to build this up like I would an oil painting, make a nice, well blended underpainting then glaze the rest of the painting over it. I have some glazing medium for my acrylics and I also have a gloss varnish that will go over the top of it once I'm all finished. It's going well so far, I figured out all the shadows on photoshop first, then I started painting from my digital painting. I'm pretty happy with it so far, but I can't wait to see it build up!

Size: 11x14

Media: Acrylic on Panel

Time: 7hrs.

Ben

Avatar WIP II and Bluebrid WIP I

Hello Everyone,

So, got a lot of work done yesterday, but I haven't gotten around to posting it until today. Here are the two I have worked on.

Avatar Portrait: Jake

Size: 8x10

Media: Acrylic on Panel

Time: 9hrs.

-I moved the right eye over, added some high contrast areas and started blending out the nose and left cheek so that the surface was more 3-D looking. It's coming along well I think!

Bluebird

Size: 8x10

Media: Acrylic on Panel

Time: 3hrs

-Base coat of colors, just to set the base colors so I can start working on it soon. I'm pretty excited for this one, I think i'm going to leave it a bit painterly and maybe even list it on my etsy shop when it's done!

Ben

Medusa Painting WIP I

Hello Everyone,

Well, I was so excited that I had to start this painting right away. I'm really looking forward to working on it and maybe it will become part of my senior show! I inhaled a lot of visual material for this painting in references, greek mythology, and other artworks of Medusa. I believe I've tacked down what I want her to look like and the kind of monster she is. Hopefully this painting will reflect what I'm trying to do which is to scare the looker upon him/her seeing the painting. It will be very intense lighting for dramatic effect and I know I can do a really good job on this one!

Size: 11x14

Media: Acrylic on Panel

Time (Including sketches, transfers, and tracings) 5hr.

Ben

Medusa Sketch for Painting

Hey Everyone,

Did a new drawing today for a painting. This is the final sketch, all other changes will be made during painting. I hope you like it, I was really inspired by Oscar Wilde today and his talk about greek mythology. I'm really looking forward to doing this painting!

"The head of Medusa that turns living men to stone; you have been allowed to look at in a mirror merely."

-Oscar Wilde in his De Profundis

I think this painting will simulate that mirror, since art is like a mirror, showing the world but never actually existing in reality.

Bird Sketch for Painting

Hello,

Well, I finished up an ink drawing tonight of a bluebird that I've transfered onto a board so I can start the painting within the next few days. Hope you like the sketch and keep watching for the updates on the painting!

Ben

New Items Listed on Etsy Shop!

Hey,

Check out my studio's Etsy Shop, Gabriel's Grove, for some new items that have been posted!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Gabrielsgrove?ref=si_shop

Thanks for watching!

Ben

Full Time Artist for the Summer

Hello Everyone,

Just to let you all know, I am now done with work for the summer and I'm going to be employing myself as a full time artist! I'm going to be starting pieces for my senior exhibition, making some pottery to sell at my Etsy shop and also getting some stuff together for applications to graduate school come this winter. I'm really excited to get started and I hope you are all ready to ride along! I would love to have some followers on this blog to comment and critique! Keep an eye open and an ear to the wind and I know this will be a great and productive summer!

Ben