a work in progress

I have been tooling around with my appletini painting to make some fun and colorful poster prints. Starting tonight, these prints will be available at Henri’s Just One More in Eureka Springs, AR where I got turned on to the appletini and where my painting this artwork is based on hangs. I’ll post again to let you know when I add copies to my online shop.

I’m pleased with the mellow feel of the background and the looseness of the text and I am ready to get these printed and packaged for sale. I’ve also been working on a wilder design based on the same painting and I’ll post that later. The first prints will go on sale this Friday night at (you guessed it) Henri’s Just One More.

Friday night I took the painting down to Henri’s and began attaching hardware to it. I had to call a friend with a big ladder and lots of upper body strength to come help me get it on the wall. He made easy work of it and I was glad for the help and the good  company it brought. A couple other artists came out for karaoke Friday and it was a silly and fun time and I did not take any pictures. Drats! I had to return last night! I took a few pictures when I got there, but I think Sarah, who works there, actually took a couple of these shots for me. I had to include the last picture, which I took with a super slow shutter speed. It may not show off the painting to its best advantage, but it definitely gives the best idea of what it feels like in this friendly and beautiful little bar, especially after a couple of Appletinis! What is missing in all the photos are two of my favorite karaoke singing friends who have moved away to pursue high-powered careers. Actually, Jim is a photographer and I relied on his shots from a lazy Sunday afternoon at Henri’s for this picture. Check out Jim’s blog entry and photos from that summer afternoon here. Actually, check out all his photos, he’s really interesting and I am lucky to have a bunch of his earlier images on my computer as reference shots. And Jim, if you’re reading this, I’d like to buy you a beer and hang out with you and Laurie under the painting, so come visit.

Here’s a close up. The painting is 2′ x 4′. I think I’ll head back down to Henri’s this afternoon and try to get a shot of it in the daytime.

The appletini painting is finished. It is titled simply appletini along the left edge, with my initials on the front lower right and more info on the back. I am in between coats of varnish right now and I have gathered together a selection of hanging hardware. I’d like to screw it to the wall in at least four places and I have located some brackets which will work quite nicely. Tomorrow I aim to get it properly photographed and installed.

Coming along fine, I think. I have a couple little things to work out with this piece and needed a break from it to really see it again. Tomorrow I hope to finish it so I can deliver it Friday. If we can get it hung before karaoke begins, I’ll enjoy the first appletini underneath it.

I’m a bit behind on posting the photos , so here are three progress shots showing how I’ve stumbled my way through the beginning stages. The top one shows where I am with this piece now. This big painting is on a 2′ x 4′ sheet of furniture grade plywood, which I first sealed with an acrylic matte varnish. This painting is being done for a really sweet elegant and intimate bar in Eureka Springs, AR. I’ll be heading there later this evening for karaoke and dancing and visiting new and old friends.