Death Knight

I'm almost finished with my "Death Knight" painting. It sort of matches the other painting I (last post). I not sure what to think of this one, but it was fun to paint, I am learning to paint quickly, yet in some areas the paint looks really good, in others it just looks slopped on.

I did this painting of a scene from the Linkin Park video "Numb", I was trying to do a very quick painting going for recognition and emotion.

I guess the gist of this is that I am honing my painting skills and searching for a style I love and can call my own.

Dead End Princess?

I have finally finished this painting, it is a little odd, and I am not sure exactly why I painted it, but here are a few of the thoughts that went into it:

1. I wanted to paint something quickly, I get bogged down and creative energy doesn't flow when it takes too much time to paint something.

2. I wanted to do another "journey" piece based on the idea that on life's journey, sometimes God closes doors, but he always opens windows.

3. I wanted to paint a dead girl. However, my love of the macabre never goes farther than the "fun" level, I wouldn't paint an actual corpse, or something that would be considered "evil" it just isn't in my nature. I love Tim Burton's approach to death, he just adds that element of "fun" to it.

4. I wanted to paint more loosely, anyone who has followed my style up till know knows that I paint rather tightly. Yet I find that the paintings I really love are mostly rather loose, allowing the brush strokes and placement of paint colors that "vibrate" next to each other to really make the painting come to life.

5. I don't really like cats, especially the ones that are pooping in my kid's sandbox all the time now.

So while I find myself constantly wanting to be a fine artist, I think I am more naturally prone to illustration. I am interested to see where this direction takes me.

I have included the beginning of my next painting. I decided I wanted to paint a more masculine painting this time, yet have it continue the series, so I have drawn this knight, dead again of course. I love knights, and suits of armor, and swords. I also wanted the door to be larger and more imposing, it is closed to him, and he will now need to set out and find a new door or window, kind of like me right now, being forced to reinvent myself, hence the push to really paint and produce artwork, I have a goal to be a successful artist, and that means I have to get going on reaching that goal now.

I love harlequin, and usually carefully measure it out when I use it, but since I am on a "loose" kick I thought it would be fun to paint it on by hand letting it be very loose.

This is the sketch of my Knight

Step One

Step One is a journey piece.

I have been through  so much over the last few years, culminating in the literal hell I have experienced over the past months, a hell of the mind as I have struggled against things of which I have no experience.

As I have searched deeply my relationship with God through these trials, the saying which says "When the Lord closes a door, he always opens a window" has come to my mind repeatedly.

I asked many times over, as I watched the door closed, bolted, barred, chained, nailed, welded, and glued, "where is the window, where is the light, will I every find the abyss fleeing before the tiniest light of hope? God are you there?"

Sometimes God expects us to try our faith by allowing us to step into the dark for a few steps before he actually opens the window.

The bride is beginning her journey, she is not looking up at the window which is the goal for which she begins the journey, but rather she begins the ascent without her eyes fixed upon the goal, rather her heart set on achieving the goal, trusting that the steps will lead where she wants to go. This is like the faith I have discovered and strengthened over the last several months.

The Journey begins when we place our trust in the divine and take our first step into the darkness.

Jeff

Miracle of Creation

I have been commissioned to paint a mural for a friend, and have been working on it the last few days, here are some pics of the unfinished mural:

Believe it or not, I have never painted clouds using an airbrush before, I am not trying to brag, but as I stood back and looked at the sky I had just painted, I marveled at how easy it was for me, and how realistic it looks, I took a moment to thank God for the gift to be able to create like this. It seems that anything creative I do with my hands just comes naturally to me, such a contrast from when I try to do things like real estate, or accounting!

Snow fun

For Christmas this year we had a ton of snow, a beautiful white Christmas! We also got to have Julie and Kyle and their kids come stay with us a few days, so we took our kids out sledding.

Jaden came home and bragged to his mother about how he "caught 50 feet of air on the jump"

I took tons of pictures, and finally asked Julie to take a few of me and my kids, so here I am with my girls.

Adrianne and I

Kyle, Me, Paris, Skyler

Jaden and I went down together.

Jaden and I

Jaden

Skyler and Adrianne

Paris

Adrianne

Aspen

Snow Bunny

Snow Stud

Julie and Jaden

Adrianne

Talon

Jaden

Aspen

Talon

Jaden

Adrianne

Lest We Forget

I was sitting in church today listening to a lesson a portion of which was entitled, "lest we forget". The teacher brought out a red poppy pendant which he wore on the lapel of his suit coat and explained that it is a British tradition to wear the red poppy in remembrance of the sacrifices made in World War I on Flanders Field:

It made me think of the poem "That Ragged Old Flag" by Johnny Cash:

That Ragged Old Flag

I walked through a county courthouse square
On a park bench, an old man was sittin' there.
I said, "Your old court house is kinda run down,
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town".
I said, "Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit,
And that's a ragged old flag you got hangin' on it".
He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down,
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town"
I said, "I think it is"
He said "I don't like to brag, but we're kinda proud of
That Ragged Old Flag

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
and It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it,
writing "Say Can You See"
It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson
tugging at its seams.
and It almost fell at the Alamo
beside the Texas flag,
But she waved on though.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville,
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on
That Ragged Old Flag

"On Flanders Field in World War I,
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun,
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp, and low, a time or two,
She was in Korea, Vietnam, She went where she was sent
by her Uncle Sam.
She waved from our ships upon the briny foam
and now they've about quit wavin' back here at home
in her own good land here She's been abused,
She's been burned, dishonored, denied an' refused,
And the government for which she stands
Has been scandalized throughout out the land.
And she's getting thread bare, and she's wearin' thin,
But she's in good shape, for the shape she's in.
Cause she's been through the fire before
and i believe she can take a whole lot more.

"So we raise her up every morning
And we bring her down slow every night,
We don't let her touch the ground,
And we fold her up right.
On second thought
I do like to brag
Cause I'm mighty proud of
That Ragged Old Flag"

- Johnny Cash

The idea of the poppy being to remind us, "lest we forget" of the sacrifices that we all must make for freedom.

It was brought home to me today that freedom is not something we are entitled to, we must be willing to fight for it and make the necessary sacrifices to maintain it. Over the past year and a half as we have watched the world economies in commotion, I have seen very keenly that wealth or riches are "slippery". What a day may bring, a day may take away.

Perhaps freedom is really just as slippery, and in order to maintain the freedom we all take for granted we need to be willing to step up and work for it. Our society of entitlement cannot uphold freedom, we must each accept the responsibility in our own lives to work for the freedom we love. Perhaps it is up to us, individually, making wise decisions on our own use of time and talents every day that allows us to have the freedom we so love, not waiting for or relying on our government to give it to us. The United States, after all, is supposed to be "For the people, by the people". In other words we each need to learn from the lessons of the past, do our part today and envision a bright future, lest we forget, and live to see our freedom slip out of our grasp.

Jeff

Art Classes!

This is so exciting!

I am going to be teaching art classes starting October 2008 at the Hobble Creek Learning Center!

Here are the class schedules:

5-11 years:

Painting

Tuesdays 4-5

Begins October 6th

Cost: $30

Kids love to paint! In this class we will learn new painting tricks and experiment with color and texture.

World Art

Tuesdays 4-5

Begins October 7th

Cost: $30

Students will explore the art of Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania and make their own world art.

Sculpture

Monday 4-5

Begins November 3rd

Cost: $40

Students will use clay, Model Magic, and recycled materials  to create unique 3-D designs.

Modern Art

Tuesdays 4-5

Begins November 4th

Cost $30

Modern art is all about color and new strange techiques. We will be using non-traditional methods to create exciting vibrant artwork.

***************************************

Ages 12-18

Instructor: Jeff Goodsell

Cost: $75 per month, student is responsible for materials.

Fun with Art

Tuesdays 4-6

October 7th-December 9th

An exploration of the fundamental building blocks of art. Students will build a foundation for visual art that they can build upon in subsequent classes.

Drawing

Wednesdays 2-4

October 8th-December 10th

This class will explore basic drawing techniques including line, shading, line variation, blending, etc.. Students will use a variety of media.

Painting Basics

Wednesdays 4-6

October 8th-December 10th

Students will learn techniques for using watercolor and acrylic paint, then create unique artwork using their new skills.

Oil Painting

Wednesdays 6-8

October 8th-December 10th

Students will learn techniques for preparing painting surfaces, applying paint, blending, and finishing surfaces, while exploring different artistic styles and genres.

*************************************

Adult Classes

Instructor: Jeff Goodsell

Oil Painting

Saturdays 10-noon

October 7th - December 13th

Cost: $175 for 10 weeks, Student is responsible for materials. Students will learn techniques for preparing surfaces, applying paint, blending and finishing surfaces, while exploring different artistic styles and genres.

Call the Hobble Creek Learning Center today to sign up for classes: (801) 491-0825. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at: jeff@jeffgoodsellart.com or call me directly at: (801) 602-3594.

If you have any other interests in art and would like to attend a class that teaches other areas of art, please let myself (Jeff) or Julie know, we are interested in creating classes that are valuable for all of our students.

"A sincere artist is not one who makes a faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries to create something which is, in itself, a living thing." -William Dobell

Assuming The Mantle

I have completed this beautiful portrait of our prophet, Thomas S. Monson entitled "Assuming The Mantel. I have never painted any leader of the church before, so I decide to give it a try. I am very pleased with the outcome, one person I showed it to said "it has soul".

Of course the original is best in person, but this is a pretty good scan.

I spent a good deal of time coming up with just the right pose, I wanted something that shows his loving personality, a happy smile, and the characteristic "Monson tilt" (when he speaks his head is often slightly tilted to one side).

President Monson is the personification of a man who loves his life and all those around him. From his compassion toward the widowed, to his amazing memory of those he has met, he makes those he comes in contact with feel good, uplifts them, and helps them to know that they are a loved son or daughter of God.

Thank you for you life President Monson!

I am hoping to have the opportunity to present this painting to him as a gift, if anyone knows any way to get into contact with him or a secretary please let me know.

Also, I am selling prints of this portrait, if you would like to buy a print, please visit my portfolio site at: www.jeffgoodsell.com and click on the Fine Art->Portraits->Portaits in the drop down menu at the top. You can then add it to your cart, choose the size you wish to purchase, and order it right there from my website.

Please feel free to call me if you have any questions or compliments!

Jeff

Rosmary Rita

This is a recent painting I completed of a character for a ghost story we created as a family one evening at Thanksgiving Point (truth be told we were trying to scare Jaden, my oldest boy, he was six, and it worked, we let him in on the story tho, great parents eh?) Anyway, the story has become a family tradition. I am thinking about writing it and having it published with the kid's illustrations. We will see.

The Main Character's name is Rosemary Rita, and she haunts Thanksgiving Point Gardens in search of kid's stickers to steal.

Justin Portrait Slideshow

Here is a slideshow showing the progression through different phases of painting this portrait. I think it would be great to so a painting and film each brush stroke so you can actually see the painting "paint itself" right before your eyes.

I apologize that the painting moves slightly in each frame. This about a week to do so you can imagine that it was difficult to keep the easel and tripod in exactly the same position the whole time.

View Album

Get your own