Jō Mikals-Adachi Studio

Painting Process2: Second Layer

2009-11-10T12:05:00.002-05:00

This is a sequel to the 10/21 recording of my underpainting. This recording is from 11/4 and shows how I work on the second layer of the painting

Groundswell Community Mural Project 2009 Annual Art Auction Benefit

2009-11-04T10:12:00.003-05:00

Thursday, Novermber 12th
7-10pm at

Affirmation Arts LTD.
523 W 37th Street
New York, NY

Tickets prices start at $35/person prior to the event and $40 at the door.

For more information regarding the benefit and Groundswell please visit

http://www.groundswellmural.org/Benefit/benefit.html

Click here for Mapquest direction

Looking forward to seeing you there!!

Painting process 1: Underpainting

2009-11-01T19:09:00.001-05:00

This is a video from a new painting that I am currently working on. It is an underpainting and the first step in my process of painting.
Hope you enjoy it!

Step by step progress of "Our Lady of Guadalupe"

2009-07-14T11:35:00.007-04:00

Close up of the underpainting

2009-06-29T20:50:00.003-04:00

Detail of the underpainting for " Our Lady of Guadalupe"

Studies for "Our Lady of Guadalupe"

2009-06-21T19:52:00.000-04:00

Recently I have created several studies to avoid another failure. Below are a few gouache color studies for my second canvas.

Failed attempt :(

2009-06-21T19:19:00.004-04:00

A few months ago I made my first attempt at painting "Our Lady of Guadalupe" for St. Francis de Sales. This first attempt regretfully ended in a failure. My eagerness to begin the painting caused compositional misjudgments leading to the need to scrap the first canvas. Below is an early stage of a 6' x 4' canvas painted partially in grisaille.

OPEN STUDIOS MAY 30-31

2009-05-21T00:02:00.007-04:00

Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of

The Queensboro Bridge Long Island City

organized by Long Island City Artists

Saturday & Sunday 1-6pm

My Studio is located on the 3rd floor at the Juvenal Reiss Studios at

Studio 306

4301 22nd Street

Long Island City, NY 11101

Mapquest direction

Looking forward to seeing you there!!

Painting for a church: Our Lady of Guadalupe

2009-03-04T17:38:00.000-05:00

I am getting married this summer at St. Francis de Sales in NYC and was excited to hear that the church was hoping to have a painting of "Our Lady of Guadalupe." I have always wanted to donate a painting to a Catholic church and I decided this will be the perfect occasion.
"Our Lady of Guadalupe" is the patron of Mexico which makes me doubly excited about the painting since my fiancee is Mexish (Mexican and Irish descent).

In any case, I recently I started the project and below are a few sketches for the painting. I will be posting periodic updates with new images.

Sketches

2009-02-28T15:21:00.003-05:00

Today I decided to take a moment away from all the chaotic hustle and bustle and flip through my sketchbook. Drawing has always been a refuge for me and my sketchpad has become a time capsule filled with memories. In any case, most of these sketches are stored away and they almost never see the light so I thought give them some attention and share a couple with you.

What's hanging at the studio

2008-12-06T01:01:00.001-05:00

Sorry for my long absence. It's been a while since my last post. Work at the studio has been slow with my new large scale paintings. My new work are not complete but here is an image of them hanging side by side.

Thank you for your support!

2008-10-30T11:51:00.001-04:00

I want to thank those who came to the Groundswell Benefit. I think the event was a success and that once again we were able to show support to a great cause. Although I wanted to share some photo's from the event I forgot to bring my camera. If anyone is interested I'm sure Groundswell will have pictures posted soon.

My donation to the Groundswell Community Mural Project 2008 Annual Art Auction Benefit

2008-10-27T16:17:00.003-04:00

Here is the piece I am donating to the Groundswell Community Mural Project 2008 Annual Art Auction Benefit.

This is an untitled painting painted on paper with Gouache. I completed it in 2008 and it measures 11" x 16". I donated it to Groundswell framed and signed on the back. I am excited to take part in such a good cause and I hope to see you there!

GROUNDSWELL ART AUCTION & BENEFIT

2008-09-30T10:38:00.003-04:00

I will be participating in Groundswell Community Mural Project 2008 Annual Art Auction Benefit on Wednesday October 29th at 7-10 PM at Affirmation Arts located at 523 W. 37th St. NY, NY. It is a great way to support a organization with a great cause and a great way to add to or start an art collection!! To learn more about Graoundswell Community Mural Project you can visit http://groundswellmural.org.

I hope to see you at the Groundswell Community Mural Project 2008 Annual Art Auction Benefit !!

Week of building stretchers

2008-07-18T10:24:00.003-04:00

I haven't touched a brush for the past couple of weeks. It may sound horrifying that a painter hasn't touched a brush for that long but there is a good reason. I have been making a few trips to the lumber shop and the wood shop to create the stretches which are the back bone of my paintings. I get a lot of joy out of making my stretchers from scratch. There is something very rewarding about having the control over the dimensions and knowing the canvas is stretched over your own wood works. I am now in the process of preparing the ground for these canvases and are full excitement to start a group of new paintings.

Portrait process

2008-06-24T09:47:00.007-04:00

I'm sorry for the long absence. I've been busy in the studio working away that I neglected to update the blog. In any case, here is a few images of the detail of a work in progress.

In the first stage I painted the underpainting on a toned canvas. Here I used a mixture of Burnt Sienna and Yellow Ocher.

Once I was satisfied with the sepia tone underpainting I began painting with opaque colors to fill in the skin tone.

In this stage I refined the facial features and left it to dry for a glazing layer.
This painting is not complete but I hope it demonstrates my working process.
I will return with more images as I make progress through out this summer.

My Palette and paints

2008-05-29T08:48:00.010-04:00

This is one of my Palettes and my favorite. It is a hand made palette inspired by my father's palette. When I made the choice several years ago to switch from a glass palette to a hand held wooden palette I consulted my father and here is the result.

The palette is simply cut out of laminated fine wood ( I can't remember which kind) and coated with an initial layer of linseed oil. After several uses the surface begins to have a smooth coat of oil and medium that becomes an excellent mixing surface. I also attached a counter weight under the curve next to the handle. The counter weight is used to balance the weight of the large mixing surface while holding the palette. For the weight I used a flat stone I found on the street and attached it with hy-poxy glue.

The colors I use on this palette are (from left to right)

Titanium White
Unbleached Titanium White
Naples Yellow Hue
Cadmium Yellow Light
Cadmium Orange
Yellow Ocher
Cadmium Red Light
Alizarin Permanent
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
Asphaltum
Olive Green
Cobalt Green
Ultramarine Blue
Cerulean Blue
Prussian Blue
Ivory Black

I use paints manufactured in the United States from Williamsburg and Gamblin.
Williamsburg started in Brooklyn, New York and Gamblin is based in Portland, Oregon. I recommend both brands. Gamblin has an informative website and claims they are green and have local artists on staff. I have contacted Gamblin several times with questions and they are quick to reply and very helpful.

Jury Duty

2008-05-19T08:41:00.001-04:00

No post this week. Been selected to be an alternate juror. I'm serving my civic duties and won't be able to work in the studio:(

Thanks for the support!

2008-05-18T18:47:00.008-04:00

Open Studio was a success!!
Thanks for all of those who stopped by my studio this weekend!!
It was great to see some familiar faces and some new faces.

Long Island City Open Studios

2008-05-11T12:00:00.000-04:00

I'm opening up my door for the LIC Open Studios!! If you are free on the 17 th or 18th then swing on by to check out the scene!!
My studio is located on the 3rd floor of the Juvenal Reis Studios.

Click on the image to enlarge the invitation

Art Walk in Long Island City

2008-05-11T11:00:00.001-04:00

Open Studios at my studio building is coming up in Long Island City along with other neighboring buildings. Why not make a weekend out of it by visiting the art scenes in Long Island City.
Don't know where to start? Here's a video tour of the art attractions of Long Island City.

At the studio

2008-05-10T22:45:00.001-04:00

Here's another painting currently hanging at the studio. This one is a life size portrait and measures 90" x 48".

Currently hanging at the studio

2008-05-07T22:49:00.002-04:00

I'm back from the internetless world and to celebrate I'm posting an image that is currently hanging at my studio! I have some work to do on this piece but I'm almost done with this painting.

No internet

2008-04-30T12:32:00.002-04:00

Ahhhhh... My computer is down and out for repair.
I'm now posting from another location since I haven't been able to post any new entries from my machine. Life without the internet is difficult and now I'm realizing how reliant I have become to this piece of technology. I don't have any patience and want information immediately. God bless the internet, but I don't even have the patience to wait for the local weather on the news. The good ol' days of pre internet age seems so long ago. I suppose I should enjoy the disconnection but I hope to return to civilized internet land by the end of this week.
When I return I promise I will have some images of my new work.

An old watercolor

2008-04-14T19:47:00.010-04:00

My apology for the long absence. No soda and no coffee has made me groggy for the past couple of weeks. I didn't realize how reliant I have been to caffeine...
In any case, I have been going through some of my old images and came across this old watercolor. A few years ago (2005) I participated in a group project organized by CTS called "YOU ARE I AM." For this project a blank book was passed around the world for artists to fill using the theme "YOU ARE I AM." You can check it out at the CTS website by clicking on this link.