Fabrication of the Spar has begun on Matt’s piece for the City of OP.  The stainless steel pipe must now be ordered so he can prep it, weld on the flanges, grind the right texture into the surface, etc.  We want to make it appear light-weight, but in reality each pipe will have a .25″ skin, making some lengths weigh in excess of 250 lbs.  That’s overkill, but only in that way will we know that it can withstand any windload below tornadic levels, or any bunch of drunk college students trying to hang from the end.

So I went around to the yards and priced the stuff, negotiating with several Missouri rednecks, as I love doing. Heck of it is, I learned that if I buy the pipe new, it’ll cost  $6000.  Holy *&#@!.  But if we get it used, it’ll work just as well, since pipe is pipe when it comes to sculpture.  What matters is the finish, and it takes a lot of work to grind out the right finish, because as you can see, stainless ain’t pretty when you first get it.

May get it through American Compressed Steel, who are looking into used it for me.  Good bunch of folks; their CEO has been buying sculpture from us for years.  He was one of the first to believe in regional artists, way back in 1995; now everyone does.  I’d to believe we had a hand in that. 

Gave my Seminar for Artists last Saturday at Meininger’s in downtown Denver.  Had a great time.  Always dig connecting with the artists, and they always seem to appreciate my straightforward, no-messing-around, realistic approach–though it’s done with abundant humor.

Blows my mind how many artists have graduated, whether a year ago or 20 years ago, without a clue as to how to prepare a resume, photograph their work, get into juried shows, approach galleries, approach prospects, write a letter of intent, etc.  Universities don’t seem to teach them these things.  Well, that’s why I do. 

Dirty Fall, Oil on Panel, Derrick Breidenthal

One of Derrick Breidenthal’s paintings was featured this month on the cover of Review, an area art mag that is sophisticated beyond its years.  This is pleasing though no surprise to me, as he’s quite simply a brilliant painter.

Stayed in Glenwood Springs the other night so we could soak in the Hot Springs.  Love that town in a tourist sort of way.  Then we hiked up to hanging lake just to listen to the water fall.  Beautiful place.  Very soothing. 

Later on did a little business in Vail.  I went the usual round of galleries, looking for one or two that might be a fit for a couple of my artists.  But the truth is I’ve always found the Vail art scene, if it can be called such, disappointing.  A lot of poorly executed landscapes and figurative bronzes, with the occasional brilliant piece, and nearly no contemporary work.  We’ll see what shakes out later.

Went mountain-biking earlier this week in Moab.  Slick Rock Trail.  100-degree heat.  All up and down for 10 miles, with the occasional sandtrap, or rattler skittling out of the way.  Hardest bloody trail I’ve ever ridden.  By the time we finished, my sons and I were done in.  In fact my younger one got disoriented at the end, took a wrong turn, and we had to back out into the desert after him.  It took a couple of miles to find him, which I don’t mind telling you was more than a little worrying for me.  Man, we rode fast and hard in that search.  What a relief when I finally rounded a cliff and saw him down in a valley.  He was almost out of water and beginning to wonder what had gone wrong. 

That sort of thing can happen easily in the desert, but all wound up well.  It made everyone closer, as it tested our endurance.

What does this have to do with creating art?  Nothing.  But it has everything to do with staying inspired.

Denver tomorrow, and my seminar at Meininger’s.  Looking forward to that gig.

While I was in Santa Fe this week, before going on to Moab, I placed the work of Brent Collins with one of the leading contemporary galleries there.  By this I mean they’re one of the leading galleries in the country, not just in Santa Fe.  I don’t want to mention them by name yet, but will after the inventory has been installed.

Why would I bother with this?  Because no matter how successful my gallery and book might be, the fact remains that we’re rooted in Kansas City, and my artists need wider exposure than that if they’re to have national careers. Placing their work with established galleries in meccas like Santa Fe, NY and LA facilitates this.  It also allows me to prove–time and again–that the talent in the provincial regions these days is often comparable to that of the major art centers, it just doesn’t have the same exposure.

I knew when I met Brent in 2006 that he could become a major player. Since then, and his commission for H&R Block, we’ve placed his work with Warner Bros, Wesleyean University, and many private collectors. He’s on his way. I can’t tell you how much I dig facilitating that–especially such a great dude from the MO hinterlands.

The picture of Brown Eyes at Palace of the Governors has nothing to do with Santa Fe galleries, I just happen to like it.  Besides, she always helps me select the galleries that I work with.  What does she do when we’re not on vacation?  She’s a teacher for low-income kids, something that she finds hugely gratifying now that our own are grown.

As I write this I’m in an espresso joint in Moab.  It’s 7:00 a.m.  Time to wake my family, rent some mountain bikes, and hit Slick Rock Trail.  It’ll be a great, and very hot, day.

Went whitewater rafting Sunday on the Rio Grande with my sister Robin, her husband Dan, and my own troop.  We put in well below Taos, where the water was fairly high.  In some areas Stage 3, others Stage 4, then rather placid after.  Brown Eyes got bounced into the drink in one of the rough sections.  I jumped out to help her back in.  Captain Dan, who’s an expert raftsman, said I wasn’t supposed to do that.  I was thinking Like hell I’m not, though of course he was right.  Anyway it allowed her to improve upon her swimming technique.

She and our sons loved it: sunburned, wet, exhausted at the end from all the paddling.  Damned good day. 

Did business in Santa Fe for two of my artists a couple of days after.  Went very well.  Details later.

Meininger’s is a huge place on Broadway in midtown. Been around since the late nineteenth century. I didn’t realize so many of those gold miners were artists, but Denver’s always been full of surprises. Looking forward to it, after passing time in Santa Fe and Moab. Want to do some rafting, a little mountain-biking, and a lot of hiking. Oh yeah, and bourbon in the evenings with Brown Eyes and old friends.

Illuminations Media, a British outfit, sent a film crew through town recently on a coast-to-coast jaunt called Art Race.  From what I gather, this will be produced as a Reality Show sometime in the fall.  It will air on Gallery HD. 

They interviewed me for a bit, covering the various ways in which I waste time, but more importantly they spent a couple of days with one of my clients–which wound being a wonderful experience for all.  This centered around an exceptional American painter, Kenny Harris, who is traveling with the crew, a painting he executed for my clients (in progress, above), and the great time that everyone had together over the course of two days.  I love it when things like that transpire.

More details after they’ve finished their race.  For now, it’s the Fourth.  I’m going to hit the rollerblade paths with a friend, later a barbecue, still later blow off some works with my sons, and see if I can’t find some Brits to tease.

I always dig working with new clients.  In this case, they chose paintings by Louie Copt, Kim Casebeer and Derrick Breidenthal.  Had to rearrange the existing collection a bit to make it all work, but things came together beautifully.  What you can’t see is a red-and-black Chihuly off to one side.  I’m having a custom pedestal built for that piece.

A good day, all in all.