If I were to star in a roller disco movie, it would be titled "XANA-Don't"

"Beach scene #1" 8"x 10" oil This is a small and quick painting that I did last year. It was based on a photo that I took whilst visiting ROCKY NECK STATE PARK. We visited the park 2 years ago and I just got around to working on paintings of scenes from that trip last year. I have more beach scenes from that trip in the works right now, stay tuned. The day we had taken this trip my family had also received an invitation to a rollerskating party with some friends of ours. We decided on taking the trip to the state park for a number of reasons. Among them, our daughter was still too young at the time to do any roller skating. Also, I couldn't find as much inspiration for painting in a dark skating rink. Third; I couldn't roller skate to save my life. I know that I would really enjoy rollerskating if I could actually do it. But this is how things would probably have played out had we gone rollerskating. The very moment that I get out on to the rink, I would fall and crack my head open. When the E.M.T.'s would arrive moments later to examine the extent of my injuries they would be baffled as they discover the substance coming from the hole in my head is actually egg yolk. "How is this even possible" they wonder to themselves. The write up in the Register a few days later would read: "Local starving artist loved by many proved to be a real egghead..............literally." And so to avoid all of that needless publicity we decided that the beach would be safer and more inspiring. Stay tuned for a few more beach paintings.

A free painting demonstration.

Commissioned Portrait Oil on canvas 20"x 16" Singer/ Saxophone player Louis Jordan said it best in his song from the 1940's Look out sister, look out. I'll quote him by saying, "I'm giving you knowledge straight from the shelf- This is some jive I've used myself - I've found it to be successful to a marked degree and I'm giving to you for free" And so this will begin the first of what I hope will be many more painting demonstrations in my art blog. This piece was commissioned by a relative as a wedding anniversary gift.

Step 1.
I first prime the canvas with white gesso and then I sand it down. I'll usually apply a minimum of two coats of gesso and sandpaper each coat after it dries. This make the surface of the canvas smoother and allows me to blend the colors with greater ease during the painting process. Then I begin the pencil drawing using the photo reference.

Step 2.
The finished drawing. You'll notice a brownish stain on the lower half of the canvas. No, that wasn't coffee that I threw at the canvas in a fit of frustration................not this time anyway. That was an earlier version of the painting that I started but then I rubbed it out because of composition issues in the drawing............at least I think that's what the problem was, I can't remember but, because oil paint is a very forgiving medium, you can make endless corrections any time you want.

Step 3.
Laying the darkest values in the face.

Step 4
Establishing the overall color and value of the face.
You'll notice that when your in the blocking in phase of a human portrait it can start to look kind of weird at first but it comes together in the end. Your basically building the likeness of the subject. A house, for instance, will look odd when it is still under construction, like wise with a portrait.

Step 4
Note to self : Make sure your camera is in focus before you upload the image to your blog page.

Step 5
Blocking in the hair

This is the way I lay out the colors on my palette. I learned to arrange the colors on the palette from when I was at PAIER college. I still arrange my palette in the same order.

Step 6
Blending the values of the face and hair.
Step 7
Blocking in the back using the same process in creating the face.
Note to self : Keep that camera in focus, your no Steven Spielberg.
Step 8
Blocking the flowers.

Step 9
Establishing the general color and value of the flowers. Step 10
Back to the face. I lay in more values to define the facial features.This is Jamie our cat seconds before I sprayed the daylights out of her with a water filled squirt bottle for nearly knocking over my paint thinner. " How many times does I have to tells ya' to stay away from my painting area ya' pesty varmint!!!!!!!!!!!??????"

Step 11
Working in the background. Starting with a dark, warm and muddy color in the lower half of the background and a cool blue color in the upper half of the background, I'll go back to these areas in phases, adding layers of colors and values until I have an idea of which direction I'd like to go as far what the background will look like. I had an idea of what would be in the background when I started but I chose to focus on the composition aspect of the background and then worry about the details later in the painting. Working further on the background.
Detail of the flowers getting closer to the finished painting.
Detail of the dress nearing the finish of the painting

Detail of the face after blending the colors and values to get the likeness. This painting took altogether a week to complete but I don't work on just one painting at a time. Usually I'll have a number of paintings going on at the same time and I'll go back and forth working on different ones at various stages of completion. I have the attention span of a gnat when I'm working on a painting so when I need to take a break from one painting I can go to another and then when I get tired of that one I'll go back to the prior one with a fresh eye.





The finished painting.

"Hey Chris, How did your art event go?"

"Old Wood" Oil on canvas

I'm back from a brief blogging hiatus. Last time we spoke I had announced that I was hosting a big open studio event. So you now may be wondering how it all went. Well........I didn't have the big turn out that I was hoping for but I'm very grateful to those who were able to attend. Out of 70 people I invited 4 showed up. Apart from the 4 visitors I had that afternoon, the studio was silent.............................Oh, wait there was one noise I heard, the sound of a lone cricket chirping in the distance. But I know it was busy weekend for many people and it was the first time I tried anything like that before so rather than be discouraged I tried to focus on the positive and use some of the lessons I've learned for the next time I host an open studio event. The first lesson that I learned from this adventure is that cheese and crackers can actually prove to be a very satisfying dinner...........two days in row.( next time I won't buy so much) The second lesson is to invite people individually rather than all at once. Meanwhile, my moms chihuahua, Mousie, the recently appointed CEO of Ferguson Art Studios was hard at work in her office having a Skype video conference with our frame supplier in South Carolina, Mr. Rufus Jenkins III, the president of Rufus Jenkins Fine Art Framers, Appraisers, and Barbecue Rib Supply Warehouse (a subsidiary of Christies Auctions). It appears that were some discrepancies in the billing and payment dept at our Studios that needed to be resolved. The discussions got a little heated and needless to say Mousie yet again lapsed into a poor grammar moment.

"Look Rufus! WE DONE PAID YOU YO' MONEY!!!....WE DONE PAID YOU YO' MONEY!!..."
"You know what Rufus.......I'm about hang up on you........................"

If three is company, more is an open studio event

"Three friends" oil on canvas 16" x 20"

(singing) "Come and knock on our door-come and knock on our door" "Take a step that is new-take a step that is new" "We've a wonderful space that needs your face and some paintings to view. Dee Dah Dee Dah Dah." Pardon me, but this is the first time I've actually sung in one of my blog entries. Aren't you glad you can't hear me through your computer. I figured the theme to Three's Company would be a fitting start for this blog entry because for the first time I'll be inviting people to my studio to see what happens behind the scenes. Also because I think the theme song to Three's Company was one of the best T.V. theme songs ever; but I digress. What I intend to do is set a day to invite a small group of people and from there I'll post my email address so that others who are interested can contact me to set up a time to come to see the studio. So, what can you expect to see at my very first open studio event. New paintings, paintings that are still in progress, and maybe a brief painting demonstration. Also there will be some light refreshments. This will be the usual open studio type of snacks like cheese and crackers and there will even be some expensive and fancy wines the names of which I can't pronounce. Actually, it won't be expensive wine; it will be one of those $7.00 bottles of wine that they now sell at Seven-Eleven...................Actually, it will be more like a very high end grape juice.............................Actually, it will just be regular grape juice. But, it will be one of the finest bottles of Welch's Grape Juice that money can buy.................................................O.K., it's only going those small children's juice boxes with pictures of Big Bird, Elmo and the Cookie Monster printed in on them. (artist's budget) Now you might be wondering who you'll see their. You'll see me. (sorry, but that will be unavoidable) You'll also get to meet my family.......I think. You'll also get to meet Meer The Pig, my 4 year old daughter's imaginary friend. (someone please tell me that that's normal for her age.) "How will the event end?" you may be asking yourselves. It might end with me doing a comedic prat fall over the living room couch. Followed by the laughter and applause of a live studio audience and then a closing title sequence. ( I admit, I probably watched a bit too much television when I was 5 years old) Look forward to seeing you. If your interested in coming please contact me at fergusonartist@yahoo.com I will fill you in on the details; date, time, location, etc. to anyone interested if you email me. Look forward to hearing from you.

WHAT!? You actually sold something?

"Evening Conversation" Oil on Canvas SOLD This just in. This painting has just been sold. I created this image 7 years ago and showed it in several venues over the years and now, finally, it sold. The buyer is the father of one of the woman in the painting that I used as models for this image. For privacy purposes, I'll give him the alias, "Manuel San Antonio Boulevardez". Actually he's a very good friend of mine and I'm glad this painting will have a new home. It just goes to show that you never know when someone will be moved buy a painting even after you've had it for awhile. Now if you'll excuse me, I must go digging through the trash to find the sales receipt book that I thought I'd never have any use for. :o) More adventures coming soon.

Jerry. Gone but not forgotten

"Jerry" oil 9"x 12"

"It's a dog first, me eat me world..........no wait..........that's not right.........well, you know what I mean. Anyways if you've read my blogs recently, you'll know that this past summer was filled with some joys as well as some setbacks. Getting into a wonderful gallery and then not being able to stay there because of other obligations was pretty disappointing. But this event wasn't nearly as upsetting as the lose of our beloved dog Jerry. I completed this portrait of her a couple of months after she died. Jerry was the sweetest dog that ever lived. A few things that I fondly remember about her - the way she would make a stinky in the grass and then, after using her hind legs to cover it over, she would take off running in a burst of happiness. I remember the way she would walk around with her squeak toy in her mouth. Another thing about her was all the nicknames we gave her during her 12 years of life, if your a pet owner you probably understand what that's all about. These are names that wouldn't make sense to anyone else to but the owners. So whats next in the adventures of the New Haven artist? Well this fall I plan to host an open studio tour, where I'll invite people into my workspace so they can get a behind the scenes look at how I create my paintings. Also I have a solo show at the Yale Medical School in January or February 2011. I also plan to shop around for a new gallery along the CT. shoreline and also out of state. In the meantime there will be new episodes of the New Haven Artist coming with new paintings and more boring stories. Stay tuned.

Front Page News

"Front Page News" 10" x 8" Oil This is a small painting that I recently finished. I must apologize for the poor quality of the photo. In this painting I wanted to capture the bright intensity of the noon day sun during the summer time. Light tends to over power color and shadows which means washing out a lot color intensity with titanium white. And now for the front page news you were waiting for..........here it is. I am no longer showing at the Elm City Artists Gallery. I know this is quite a surprise. "Why would you leave ELM CITY ARTIST?" you ask. Mainly due to schedule issues. As a member of the gallery you need to sit in for a number of hours every week. Unfortunately it was very difficult for me personally to meet this requirement because of other obligations. Also my work wasn't selling as well as I had hoped. The folks at the gallery were incredibly kind, gracious and understanding of my circumstances. Although my work is no longer showing there, I would still highly recommend visiting the gallery to see the works of the wonderful artists showing there. I had a fantastic time working at the gallery and I'm truly grateful that they allowed me to be apart of it. I plan to show in other venues in the area in the coming months and starting next year I'll be sending samples of my work to galleries outside of CT. for representation as well. I'll keep you posted on that. Meanwhile, Mouse, my moms dog and recently appointed CEO of Ferguson Art Studios was none to pleased about my decision. In fact she was so upset that she lapsed into a poor grammar moment as everyone does at times when one is giving an impulsive response to shocking news. Here was her statement.

"YOU DID WHAT!??......Is you owch yo mind!!!!!??????"

"I mean........Chris, you are crazy for leaving ELM CITY ARTIST! Why didn't you consult me first?!"

"What am I supposed to tell the hundreds of people who regularly flock to New Haven from all along the Connecticut shoreline and New York City to buy up all your latest paintings?" To which I replied with a chuckle "What people?" Mouse forgot what studio she was working for. She realized she wasn't working for the studio of Wayne Thiebaud or Willem De kooning. I also reminded her that just last month I actually had to pay a wealthy relative to allow me to hang one of my paintings in the living room of a house that he owned in Cape cod that no one had lived in for 5 years. "Oh yes, that's right.......never mind." she replied and she went back into her office. Obviously, I'm making all that last part up. I learned a while back that as an artist, it's important not to take oneself to seriously. To be honest though, I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't deeply disappointed by the fact that none of my paintings had sold for the entire three months that I was there. That's always a very difficult situation for an artist face. It makes no difference if your just starting out or you've been exhibiting for years. Although I'm disappointed I'm not discouraged. This just means I need to refocus on goals that I've set for my artistic endeavors all of which will be posted along with my most recent paintings on this here blog. Stay tuned.