Smart Felix

Felix

Oil on canvas, 12x12

101 Dogs commission

 A few months ago, a woman I'd met at the Paradise City Arts Festival decided to become a three-dog sponsor of the 101 Dogs project.  It took me a while to get to the paintings, but I did, and two of them - Hershey, the chocolate lab below, and Kody below him - worked well for her and for me. Alas, Felix did not. I redid the original painting, (you can see that one just to the left) but it still wasn't right, so I took a fresh start, made a new painting, and it was good for the buyer and for me.                                                                                                                       This is not a big deal. Usually, I get the dogs right off, but about one in 10 needs to be redone. Often it's because I don't like the painting, I don't think it captures the dog. Sometimes it's because it's a miss for the dog's human. It happens, and it's fine. I learn something from every one of these. But it means that I always have a few dog paintings floating around. With the 101 Dogs project, and the return of some very old sample dog paintings from a gallery, I have more than usual.                                                                                                                            I  like to give a painting away at every show, usually to a young person, and so these extra paintings often go that route. Groups often ask me for donations, and sometimes that's where they end up. But sometimes they just end up in the studio, watching me. A few weeks ago, I had a great idea! I'd put hats and glasses, scarves and ties, necklaces and who knows what else on these dogs, and price them low. So I took Kody, put him in glasses and a tie, and put him on my website, Jacobson Arts.

Remember my mentioning that the lovely Lulu ate my glasses? I went to my local optician to get new ones and since my prescription was old, the woman behind the desk suggested that I have him recheck my eyes. I really didn't want to spend the money, but my eyes are my life these days, and so I did. Dr. Keyes was such a nice man! We got to talking, about his life and mine, and of course I mentioned the website. After the exam (my eyes are worse, imagine that), one of the women was measuring something on my eyes when the doctor came out with his laptop. 

"Is this one available?" he asked, pointing to Smart Felix, with the glasses and tie. "I have to have him!" 

So Smart Felix has a new home, and is very much loved, and the sale helped defray the cost of the eye exam, and I met a bunch of nice people who live nearby and love my paintings. 

     Smart Felix

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Yikes! Snow in Wachapreague! 

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Dog of the Day

It's Koko, Doc and Lulu - Koko has seen snow before, but this is the puppies' first adventure, and they loved it. I froze myself, chasing them around to get them in! 

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A Final Thought

"Simply put, making art is chancy - it doesn't mix well with predictability. Uncertainty is the essential, inevitable and all-pervasive companion to your desire to make art. And tolerance for uncertainty is the prerequisite to succeeding." 

- David Bayles and Ted Orland

 "Art & Fear / Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking" 

                                                                              

Boy - And Good Times at Paradise City

Boy

Oil on canvas, 12x12

Part of 101 Dogs project! 

I was part of a wonderful surprise at the Paradise City Arts Festival a couple weekends ago. 

Last year, in Omaha, I met a lovely woman named Fran, and we hit it off right away. We were similar in many respects, and had a number of shared experiences that shaped our lives and personalities. 

Fran bought a painting, introduced me to some of her family, and we kept in loose touch. A couple months ago, she called and asked me to make a painting of Boy, a beloved little poodle owned by Fran's sister Rose and her partner Terri. 

Rose and Terri live in Northampton, and Fran and I landed on the same idea at the same time: I'd make the painting, hang it on the wall of my booth, and surprise Terri with it. (Rose had to be in on the surprise, for photos and to make sure the women arrived at the show, etc.). 

At the time, I said that it would be extra great if Fran could come out from Omaha to be part of the surprise. She'd love to, she said, but she had a wedding to attend on the Sunday of the show, so it wouldn't be possible. 

I made the painting, and happily, it dried in time. I hung it in my booth and waited. 

A couple hours after the show opened, I looked up - and there was Fran! For a moment, it didn't compute. Then I think I shrieked, and ran up and hugged her, astonished and delighted. A moment later, Terri caught sight of the painting and stammered, "That looks like... that really looks like... That's Boy!" 

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THIS WEEKEND, I'll be at the Omaha Summer Arts Festival, in beautiful Omaha, Neb. I'm in Booth 134, just about where I was last year, and I have lots of exciting, new paintings that I hope will go to new homes this weekend! It's going to be very hot, so if you come to the show, please be prepared. 

The show is Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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THERE ARE LOTS of things that make shows successful. In addition to the wonderful surprise I wrote about, Paradise City was filled with other delightful meetings and connections. 

Amy Davidoff and Penny Winn came to the show, and we had dinner together afterward. Ames and Penny were friends from college, and we hadn't seen each other since. It was such a treat to get together with these amazing, smart, talented women, and continue a friendship that had begun 40 years ago. Forty years!  That's Amy below and Penny to the right. 

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Happy Buyers! 

I had lots of Happy Buyers at Paradise City! 

AND I HAD Happy Bidders, too! This family put in the winning bid on a painting I'd donated to the Kestrel Land Trust, which has been conserving land, waterways and farms in the Pioneer Valley for decades.  Below, more friends visiting in the booth! 

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Dog of the Day

FAITHFUL READERS of this blog know that the Dog of the Day isn't always a dog. But it's NEVER been a giraffe until now! I saw this amazing sculpture at Paradise City... here it's being loaded up for its trip home. Wish I could have seen the looks on other drivers' faces! 

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A Final Thought 

"It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done." 

- Vincent Van Gogh

Daisy - and a Revelation

 Daisy

Oil on canvas, 30x30

Please click here to email me for price and availability

The Paradise City show was great for me in terms of seeing people I know and like, and meeting new people who appreciate my paintings. I've enjoyed meeting new artists, too, and, of course, seeing all the amazing art and craft items on display.

A few people picked up commission pieces, some large, so I made money (yay!) - but I did not sell very many paintings just off the wall to strangers.

At the end of the day on Saturday, I was picking up my friend, jeweler Cynthia Battista (check out her stuff by clicking here), and I said hello to the lamp-maker across the aisle. He asked how my sales had been, and I said just OK.

I asked him back, as you do, and he said, "Well, I won't know for a year."

And in that moment, everything changed for me.

He was so right! When I looked back at my day, my week, my year, my career in this amazing world, nothing is of the instant. Nothing is really of the day, or of the show.

People fall in love with an image in the moment, sometimes,  but often, that's just the start of things. They fall in love with the colors, the texture, the light, the movement, the journey I'm on, or with something neither of us can identify. I fall in love with their vision, their imagination, the stories they share with me about their lives and about the thoughts and memories and hopes that my paintings evoke. It's a relationship built on color and texture and excitement and possibility, and it unfolds and deepens, and the right paintings come, and the sales come with them.

So, yes. Ask me in a year, and I'll tell you how this show went.

***

Along those lines.... I met Susan a few years ago at Paradise City, and she (and her family) fell in love with my paintings. We saw each other at the shows over the years, and in the spring, she commissioned me to make this Big Cow painting for their new house. They picked it up on Saturday - and they are happy buyers, indeed! 

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Dog of the Day

I found this tiny sculpture (and a bunch of other hilarious and charming little pieces) at the booth of someone (or someones) whose work is called Arthead Studio. I was never able to get to the booth when the show was on to meet the artist - but isn't this fun? Check out more pieces by clicking here.

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A Final Thought

"Inspiration does exist but it must find you working." 

- Pablo Picasso

The Road Home

The Road Home

Oil on black canvas, 24x36

Please click here to email me for price and availability

In just a few minutes, I'll be getting in the car to head north for the Paradise City Arts Festival, this weekend in Northampton, MA. 

The show runs Saturday through Monday, and it's one of the high points of my show year. There's wonderful 2-D art, great jewelry, the most beautiful furniture ever, and very cool clothes, clocks, glass, sculpture and wood. Much of the work is very expensive - as long as we have dogs, we will never spring for furniture like what I see at the show - but it's inspiring to look at, and it's an exciting festival in which to participate. 

All that being said, this will be the first show I've done since Jojo and Zoe died, and my first foray into a sort of public space, where my own expectations are that I will engage and enthuse and transmit my excitement about my paintings. I believe I can do it, but it will be an internal stretch to bridge my sadness. I also believe that I need to do it, that it will help me get closer to the joy of living again. And I am truly excited about my paintings. 

Another wonderful thing is that my friend, the amazing jeweler Cynthia Battista, will be in the show, too. You can see her jewelry by clicking here.  We won't be set up very close to each other, but it's always good to do a show with a friend. 

I'll be in the Morgan Barn, Booth 409. Cynthia will be in the Arena building (the big building), near the Gazebo, at the far end. I think her booth number is 642. 

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Fatal Beauty

This stinkbug somehow got part of one of my paintings on him. I know it will kill him, 

and I do feel bad about that, but he's very beautiful, all in color. 

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Dog of the Day

 I ran into this woman and her four dogs in Mystic, during the show there. The dogs were all so different, and so funny, and they got along great together.

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A Final Thought

"The emotions are sometimes so string that I work without knowing it. 

The strokes come like speech." 

- Vincent Van Gogh

Rooney - and 101 Dogs Is Live

Rooney

Oil on canvas, 16x16

commission

The 101 Dogs project, which is now up and running, puts my love of art and dogs - especially rescue dogs - together, and it is bringing joy back into my life. 

I rededicated it to Jojo and Zoe, and I have to say that working on the web page, Facebook page, flier, press releases, button, totebag, notecards, stamps and other items are helping me get through my sadness.

In the project, I'll make portraits of the first 101 dogs who share the lives of people who sign up at $375 or more. The people will get the portraits, a book or poster of all the dog paintings in the project - with their dog on the cover, or in the center of the poster - and a variety of other items. People sponsoring me for less than $375 won't get original art, but will receive a variety of thank-you gifts bearing art from the project. And anyone who sponsors me at any level will have my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation. 

Please click here take a look at the 101 Dogs page on the Jacobson Arts website - and please consider sponsoring me. If you've been thinking about having me make a painting of your dog, this would be a perfect time to do it! (Here's the link, if you'd rather copy and paste: http://www.jacobson-arts.com/#!101-dogs/ci93). 

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I HAVE LOTS of exciting new paintings, and I'll be bringing a lot of them to the Paradise City Arts show this weekend. 

The show takes place in the Three-County Fairgrounds in Northampton, MA, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It's a terrific show, with plenty of lovely art, beautiful, fine craft, good food and music, too. There's a fee to enter, but you can get a discount coupon at the Paradise City Arts website. Click here! 

I'll be in the Morgan Barn. Please come and say hello, and see my new paintings. 

***

HURRICANE JOAQUIN has left the area, and the flooding has nearly stopped. The photo above was from Saturday. Sunday's high tide was even higher. I took a video of a guy who just had to drive down flooded Atlantic Avenue... and then had to stop to make way for some ducks. Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYXQlbtOcRg

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Dog of the Day

It's Maggie, who lives down the street and decided she needed to bark her head off at me. We used to call her the fake Jojo, because she looked just like Joey, but with brown eyes. 

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A Final Thought

"The artist's world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives

 or a few feet away. It is always on his doorstep."

- Paul Strand

Eenie, Meenie, Mynie - and Fun in Omaha!

Eenie, Meenie, Mynie

Oil on canvas, 36x60

sold

In the past few weeks, I've had two shows that have showed me that there's more success possible than I ever imagined.

The market was tumbling and the economy crumbling in 2007 when I left the editorship of the paper in West Warwick, RI, and set out to Wisdom, Montana, on my first painting trip. The radio reported financial disaster after financial disaster, as I drove west.

A year after that trip, I went back into journalism, working for Patch.com. When I left there a few years ago to paint full-time, the economy had hit bottom and was just beginning to be healed.

So I've never been involved in shows when the economy has been strong. I've heard tales from other artists, but have not really believed them. I still don't believe the hype - but after the past few weeks, and the Paradise City and Omaha Summer arts festival, I have a new idea about what shows can be.

At both shows, I had good sales. Steady sales. I didn't wait the entire show to sell one painting. In both these shows, people came into my booth, loved my art, and bought it. It was pleasure for all of us, and an eye-opener for me.

Click here to check out the Happy Buyers page on the Jacobson Arts website!

And, in addition to buying my art, and telling me how much they liked it, the people of  Omaha were as friendly, polite and pleasant as could be. I felt welcomed and appreciated. Thank you!

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HERE ARE SOME photos from the Omaha show

My booth in Omaha

Comic book characters roaming the show, 

to publicize a comic-character murder mystery play

Some Friends of Bill W., who stopped by my booth

Saturday morning rain... People came out in surprising numbers, in spite of the weather! 

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Dog of the Day

There were lots of dogs at the Omaha show, including these two, happy to be on a bike! 

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A Final Thought

"The emotions are sometimes so strong that I work without knowing it. 

The strokes come like speech." 

- Vincent Van Gogh

The Optimist's Declaration - and Paradise City!

The Optimist's Declaration

Oil on canvas, 40x40

Please contact me for price and shipping/delivery options

Sara Genn, daughter of the late Robert Genn, sends copies of "The Painter's Keys," a  newsletter that her father wrote while he was alive. (You can read all about the newsletter, and sign up to receive it by clicking here). 

I love getting this newsletter and usually learn something from it, or am inspired to think a new thought or look at life and painting in a new way. 

A recent newsletter focused on the value of titles. "The right title makes a difference as to how a work is seen and understood," Genn wrote. "Not only are titles a bridge to the viewer, they are also part of the art. I'm a believer in giving your titles some careful thought." 

I finished this painting, "The Optimist's Declaration," a month or so ago, and gave it that title in my inventory list. 

Today, when I went to put it on the blog, I couldn't remember where the name came from. Certainly, it was nothing I invented! I know it was a quote, but the only one I can find today came from Kierkegaard - and it feels unlikely that I was searching Kierkegaard! (the quote is below). 

So if any of you recognizes this quote from a more friendly source than Kierkegaard, please let me know. 

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SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY, I'll be at the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton, MA. The show takes place at the Three County Fairgrounds, and includes really wonderful art and fine craft. You will see amazing furniture, sculpture, mobiles, glass, clothing, photography, painting and more. It's a fun, fun show! You can find out more about it, and get a discount off admission by clicking here to visit the Paradise City Arts website.

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A Final Thought 

"The joy of faith is different from mere happiness or sheer enjoyment. The movement of resignation distinguishes faith from both a naive optimism and a careless hedonism. In the face of the former, the difference is that the optimist's declaration (when facing adversity) that 'everything will be alright' is not based on trust but rather on a refusal to acknowledge the full extent of loss and human limitation. In the case of the latter, the difference is that the hedonist's immersion in finitudes is not based on deep attachment but rather on seeking pleasure."

- Soren Kierkegaard

Two Pairs - and that Paradise City Magic

Two Pairs

Oil on canvas, 36x60

Available at Center Framing and Art, West Hartford Center, CT

I think this painting is one of my best cowscapes ever. I love the expression I saw and caught on the cow right in the front. I like the barns a lot, and the trees along the ridgeline, too. The white-gray sky seems to work in this painting, and I like the rich, undulating field, too - in spite of last summer's dismay with such green blocks.

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THE FIRST BIG SHOW that accepted me was Paradise City, in Northampton, MA. (Here's my first booth) I'd gone to the show for years, and had applied thinking that I'd never, ever get in. The work in the Paradise City shows is about the best of any of the shows I've been in. I'd go, and ooh and ahh, and maybe sometimes buy something - and always, always, be motivated and inspired. 

When I got the notice that I had been accepted, I was just stunned. Honestly, I thought someone had made a mistake. I think that that acceptance is the single most confidence-building event in my painting life. 

When I left Patch.com, and journalism, to paint full-time, my first show was Paradise City. We were living in Connecticut, and I had packed the van and was ready to go when my brother called. The Hartford Courant's entertainment magazine had Paradise City on the cover, and the entire cover, the first day after I left the safe world of corporate employment, was a painting by me. 

Paradise City has continued to generate magic for me. I just returned from Pendleton, SC, where I had a good time and met fine people, but had very low sales. This is the third low-sale show in a row, and I was feeling deflated and confused. Then, Anne Pinkerton from Paradise City reached out and told me she was doing a piece on me for the show's online magazine.  It's a fine piece, and it really brings me and my art to life - and, in the moment, helps me feel that the low sales have nothing to do with me or my painting. Click here to read it! 

The Paradise City show is May 23-25, at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton, MA. I'll be in Booth No. 415, in the Morgan Barn. Click here for coupons for discounts on the entry fee. 

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Dog of the Day

Stormy, a very interesting woman, came into my booth in Pendleton, SC, on the second day of the show. She was clearly a free spirit, and entertained me with stories of her adventurous and eccentric life. She was wearing a great cross necklace, with a Russian Orthodox cross scratched into a block of metal. I really loved it, and traded her a small acrylic painting for it. She asked, then, if she could take a photo of me with Buster, her Boston terrier. I looked around for a dog.... She put her purse down on the ground, reached in and pulled out Buster! He is cast iron, and weighs a ton (she said 9 pounds but he felt heavier than that). She takes photos of him all over the place. So today, Buster is the Dog of the Day! 

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A final thought

"A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles 

than any wonder drug."

- Patricia Neal

Autumn Morning - and Xmas Already???

Autumn Morning

Oil on canvas, 10x10

sold

I nearly drove off the road about six times, on the way from Cynthia and Kevin's home in northwestern Connecticut to the show a couple weekends ago at Paradise City in Northampton, MA. The autumn colors sang out, brilliant and clear and voice by voice. It was not the full chorus bellowing out "Hallelujiah," to carry out the metaphor, but a small choir singing an airy, complicated, gorgeous contrapuntal song. 

Finally, it was too much for me, and I got out and set up the easel and painted. I hung the little painting wet - and was thrilled when this mother and daughter decided to buy it. The daughter is an artist, and we all were on so much the same wavelength, it was, well, music to my ears. 

Happy buyers

My painting in the landscape

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Really??? It's not even Halloween. 

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Dog of the Day

Here's Abby, attack dog. She is turning out to be a gentle soul, but I think she'd definitely attack anyone who wanted to mess with Peter or me, or any of the dogs.