This week in the studio has been one that has kept me on edge. I recently found out that a good friend of mine may have breast cancer. Being who I am I tried to poke fun and make light of a situation that actually shook me up pretty badly. So how does an artist deal with near death experiences of a close friend?

Introducing a new project: Cure Reef

This is going to be a 24″ x 36″ painting of oil on canvas. It will be a traditional ‘On The Flats’ reef scene, but with a twist… A pink one, right in the middle of the reef.

I wanted to show all the reef fish gathering in the center of the canvas forming the shape of the all too familiar pink ribbon signifying the strength and unity of those who are fighting and those who have won the battle over breast cancer. Here is a quick sketch I completed this evening.

I still need to figure out what I am doing with the original and profits from the prints, but one thing is for sure and that is the majority of the funds raised will go to a breast cancer charity. At this point I am just unsure which one. If you have a suggestion, please shoot me a line as I am all ears.

Day 2

I have just finished painting the water column, sand bottom and pink ribbon for the Cure Reef project. I started with Cerulean Blue mixed with a little Titanium White to create the rays of light penetrating the sea. I also mixed in a little Cobalt Blue to start the foundation for the reef. Later I used yet more Cerulean Blue, some Titanium White and Burnt Umber to create the sand bottom. I mixed a little T. White and Crimson to make the pink for the ribbon.

Notice I painted over the original sketch and the fish. This is not a major issue for a lot of artists as the sketch is just a rough outline giving you an idea of where things will go in the final result. Once the oil paints have dried I will add detail to the reef behind the ribbon and some light shimmer to the ocean bottom.

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Breast Cancer 3-Day

While you are waiting on the next step of the painting, check out the Breast Cancer 3-Day. This is a three day, multi-city tour that is a Woodstock-ish gathering of survivors, fighters and supporters for the cure. This event isn’t just a walk-a-thon, but is more like a three day workshop that puts people in touch with each other to share stories and be educated and entertained. Check out their site and register for the 2008 Breast Cancer 3-Day in a city near you.

Step up and let your voice, and footsteps, be heard!

Day 3

Cure reef keeps getting better and better. Today I added some coral to the background reef. I don’t think I will add any more detail to the back reef. I feel if I put too much in the distance it will take away from the foreground. The way I see it, your focus should be on the main object, not on the background. I like to think of the depth of field in my paintings in the same way as you would with the aperture on a camera. I have also started on a few fish and a turtle. Notice that yellow is a dominate color now. I paint yellow first since I will eventually need several layers to keep it from looking green with the blue background. Enjoy!

While you are waiting for the next update…

Check out Toby Jones at www.tobyjones.com. Toby is another artist who is dealing with breast cancer as a male artist. He sculpts, er well, busts (pun intended). Take a look at his art and read his story in the above link.

Day 4

Today I have added more detail to most, if not all of the fish on the canvas. I like to work much like a silk screen printer by starting with one color and applying it where it appears over the entire canvas. Then when most of the color are applied I go back over the fish with more detail. Eventually you will see that I will add more fish to the painting to fill in some spots that I feel are too vacant.

Also notice I haven’t posted a picture of the dolphin. That is because I haven’t painted it yet. Getting a dolphin just right is a hard task and I will need to give it my full attention. If not, it will look like a shark, or worse, a dolphin who took a detour through Three Mile Island circa 1979. There is something about how sleek and solid they are. No only do I have to get a very well recognizable marine mammal into perfect proportion, but I also have to get their muscle definition in good balance with their hydrodynamics. And I can’t forget their eyes. If a dolphin doesn’t look sincere and friendly you can hang it up.

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Keep-A-Breast

Keep-A-Breast has targeted a generation that may not understand the importance of breast cancer awareness and the impact the disease may have on their future. With the average age of affected women being around 40, Keep-A-Breast speaks to a decidedly younger crowd… Say, 18-30ish year olds.

Their method of attack includes the Vans Warped Tour, Roxy, and some rather hip and well designed self exam cards. Not only do they work with art shows and music festivals, but they also create plaster casts of torsos for artists to paint and donate to their cause.