original photo of Hunter at Tent Rocks

Tent Rocks in-process painting

As I’ve been working on this painting, I’ve had my “Swell” painting hung on the wall next to my easel. I’ve intentionally tried to paint the rocks similar to how I paint water. If you don’t already know, I love painting water. Once I get into the flow, the process becomes very meditative for me.

A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to Houston with my colleague, Nisa from Landmarks on a mission to check out the Skyspace by James Turrell at Rice University, which is pretty awe-inspiring. Landmarks will be opening a Skyspace this Fall on UT campus! During our trip, we visited some of the stellar art museums in Houston, including one of my new favorites, the Menil Collection. They feature a permanent exhibition of surrealist paintings, which includes many works by one of my favorite painters, René Magritte.

The painting below immediately grabbed my attention because it is so similar to the painting I am currently working on. The scale is much larger, so I was able to see the detail of each stroke of paint. I stared at the painting for several minutes, analyzing the artist’s masterful technique, while at the same time letting myself enter the world he created.

The Glass Key by René Magritte 1959, the Menil Collection

With all this inspiration, I should finish my painting soon. I will post the final image when it’s ready…

Hi! – I’m not going to write this email only to say “Hi”, but it’s a good start…

I just think that you may be interested in seeing the work of a French artist, Bernard Rancillac (born 1931) who explored the same ways as you do now; have a look at this google search!

What is the link with your June Haver? During the 80′s Bernard made a series of paintings named “Cinemonde” (from the title of a cinema magazine) by reproducing on large canvas the pictures of many actresses … One of these paintings was called “Je me demande qui l’embrasse maintenant” and I spent months to find the name of the model; just a few days ago, I had the idea to translate the title in English: “I wonder who’s kissing her now” and I immediately got the answer: June Haver!

By searching more documents, I finally found your painting and your site…

Bernard Rancillac is a close friend of us and I’m sure he will love that story and the idea that young artists like you continue to work in the same direction as he did… I’ll see him and tell him in March.

One more story: I’ve seen that you studied or worked in Austin; a very good friend of Bernard and me is Peter Saul, who taught 10 years ago at the Texas University; may be did you heard about him. Bernard and Peter had several shows together (in “La Galerie du Centre” – Paris) and had their first common show probably in 1964 (see https://picasaweb.google.com/apacc19/MythologiesQuotidiennes1964FigurationNarrative)…

Peter Saul & Bernard Rancillac – Galerie du Centre – 2008

When I did a Google search of Rancillac’s work I was instantly drawn to his bold and colorful style of painting. I also discovered that he has work in collections such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Here are a few of my favorite paintings…

Bernard Rancillac, “Horloge indienne” (Indian Clock), 1966
Acrylic on canvas, 200 x 200 cm

And finally, below is my painting of June Haver, alongside the original Photoplay magazine I used for the source image.

Thank you so much for sharing Bernard’s work with me, Michel! How neat that the internet made this connection possible. A very special email indeed.

My heart was sponsored by country musician, Joe Nichols. Joe and his wife, Heather gave me inspiration for the design, suggesting the yellow rose to represent their daughter, Dylan. But they also wanted to make sure the heart still had a manly feel since of course, it would be representing Joe! So I gave the heart a rustic look and added the rose vine/barbed wire to give it some toughness…after all it is a giant heart! I also had a lot of fun painting the detail work on the guitar. I like that the painted sound hole in the guitar appears to be a real hole into the heart, playing off of the three-demensional shape of the surface.

I’ve certainly never painted anything like this before–what a fun project! Thanks Joe, Heather, and Triple 8 Management!

“Bringing people face to face to face with our objects is a way of bringing them face to face with people across time, across space who’s lives may have been very different to our own but who, like us, had hopes and dreams, frustrations and achievements in their lives. And I think this is a process that helps us better understand ourselves, helps us make better decisions about where we’re going.” -Thomas P. Campbell

Though I am an avid user of new technologies and love exploring the digital world, this video will give you insight into the role of museums and the value of authentic objects in our lives.

Warning: there is a bit of foul language in this video! 

My mom made me take this photo in full regalia…I’m glad she did.

Paper makes it official.

Our good friends Lindsay and Joe got married in the hill country…it was beautiful.

Me and Hunter taking a hayride to Lindsay and Joe’s sunset ceremony.

A day trip to Enchanted Rock.

At our annual lake house family reunion.

Hunter and me at his brother’s wedding.

“Street art” activity with the teens at HeART Camp.

Ripping up carpet at UP Collective, finally!

My sis and me at the beach.

After four weeks of renovations at UP Collective, we finally finished our new floors!

I still have more to update you on, particularly in relation to creative projects I have brewing and a couple new paintings. Stay tuned for more to come…