Here are six weeks of work, distilled into 90-seconds. Thank you to my boy MH the Verb for a perfect soundtrack… now, let’s take a deep-dive into this massive project.
I’m excited to share my hand-painted-plate for this year’s 3rd Annual Plate Auction! I’m batting 1000% in participation for this amazing event, which will go down October 11th, at The Center For The Arts Jackson Hole. All proceeds from the evening will benefit Community Entry Services, Jackson Hole.
The 15th Hole at Teton Springs brings the temptation. From the tee box, you can see the pin, 269 yards in the distance… surrounded by water and sand traps. Should you drive the green, you are looking at an eagle putt… if you miss, that first penalty stroke is easily followed by another, and another.
So, in other words, the forbidden fruit of 15, coupled with the iconic Rammell Barn proved the perfect hole to capture on canvas.
When I spent three months in Teton Village in 2015, I met former Victor mayor, Scott Fitzgerald, at a Silicon Couloir meeting. He described Victor, Idaho (population 2,088) with such enthusiasm, I was sold, and moved to Teton Valley with my family in March of 2016.
It took one round of golf with the current Victor Mayor Jeff Potter, to inspire civic involvement… which lead to my role in the Victor Placemakers Committee, and eventual board seat on the Victor Urban Renewal Agency. While collectively discussing public art possibilities, another former mayor, Zachary Smith, came up with the brilliant idea to paint the stage in Victor City Park. With the help of my fellow Placemakers — Liv Goodale, Erin Gaffney and Molly Absolon… we built a mural proposal from the ground up… which was approved by City Council last week!
2017 what a year! Our family grew by one, with the addition of our son Esser. I spent the summer painting in Teton Village, created many paintings and even went snowshoeing! It was major… let’s take it from the top, with a time warp back to January…
The Art Association has made visual art a vital part of creative life in Jackson Hole for over 53 years. The staff, board, instructors, and volunteers provided visual art experiences to over 21,000 people last year, including 228 low income or at-risk youth and outreach sessions for 23 different service organizations in the valley.
Hold on, back up, what is this and how did we get here? Let’s go back to 2014, and take it from the top.
If you would have told me, “man, you’ll be a married father-of-two, living in Idaho by your 36th year”… I’d have replied, “whatcha talkin’ bout”, and called you Willis.
In the summer of 2009, I painted the Guggenheim on a 30″X30″ canvas and practically sold it on the street. In 2010, I longed to paint the Gugg once more… but it felt wrong. Opportunistic.
Unless? I wondered… if I made a more serious commitment. And with that, I decided to paint a 30″X30″ Guggenheim, each summer, for 20 years. Today, I’m proud to share Guggenheim #8 — “The Neon Guggenheim”. Fittingly, this painting will debut at The National Arts Club in November, for the Accessible Art Fair.
MH the Verb sent me “Good Morning”, and, well, I couldn’t cut a single beat… so this video is long, strong and down to put the acrylic on. From MH, “‘Good Morning‘ perfectly exemplifies the collaborative style ArtHouse95 is all about. I produced the track featuring live bass from engineer, Dave Humes and layered drums. It’s pure Hip Hop… digging crates for the perfect sample, chopping the jazzy groove, and linking with two of Philadelphia’s most lyrical emcees – Drusef and Mic Stew. We wrote the song during a cloudy studio session a couple years ago while reflecting on our daily grind and ambition as artists. The homie, Kuf Knotz even had to make a guest appearance at the end. Overall, when the beat drops after the intro, you can feel the energy build… I just can’t wait for people to hear what comes next.
Enjoy… and do read on for an unusual painting recap.
Attention Art Collectors… the 32nd annual Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival is coming to the Tetons from September 7-18th, 2016. Will you be in town? If so, I’d like to invite you to my studio in Victor, Idaho for a cup of coffee.
New Paintings. Works-in-Progress. Insider Art Market Information.
Another newsletter? You got that right. I'll honor and respect your inbox, as if it were my own. I endeavor to share everything happening at Borbay Studios & Gallery. No daily updates. No weekly updates. Simply a message, every month or two... updates on life, creativity, and the journey that began on July 2, 2009. Let's be in touch, as the first leg of my quest reaches completion in 2026. From a studio in my 600-foot Upper East Side apartment living room, to a museum collection. Oh, but friend, that is just the beginning. The road is long, and I am looking for cool, sophisticated company to navigate each challenging turn.
New Paintings. Works-in-Progress. Insider Art Market Information.
Another newsletter? You got that right. I'll honor and respect your inbox, as if it were my own. I endeavor to share everything happening at Borbay Studios & Gallery. No daily updates. No weekly updates. Simply a message, every month or two... updates on life, creativity, and the journey that began on July 2, 2009. Let's be in touch, as the first leg of my quest reaches completion in 2026. From a studio in my 600-foot Upper East Side apartment living room, to a museum collection. Oh, but friend, that is just the beginning. The road is long, and I am looking for cool, sophisticated company to navigate each challenging turn.
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