Babysitters

Babysitters
Oil on linen • 18"x24" • Sold

The scene in my recent painting Babysitters was a real-life moment I never would have been able to stage. Andrea and I had been visiting friends, and all of us were exhausted one day after a long drive. I was considering a nap, when I wandered into our friends' sitting room to find them already dozing. Mommy and Auntie were sound asleep, but our friends' 2-year-old son was held in the fringes of consciousness by a video on Auntie's iPod. Topping off the touching moment was the beautiful, cool window light bathing the trio. I knew I had to act quickly if I wanted to capture this tender-but-fleeting scene!


I grabbed my gear and set up as quietly as I could. Sooner than I had hoped, the girls stirred, the little guy moved, and rest-time was over. Fortunately, it was not before I had noted some values on my canvas and taken a few photos.

Scottsdale Salon ad in Nov. issue of
American Art Collector Magazine

I count it a great privilege to have my painting accepted into the Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art at Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ. The exhibit runs 11/7/13 through 12/31/13. It was a tremendous surprise and honor to learn my painting had received the Southwest Art Magazine Merit Award! Thank you, Southwest Art Magazine, for sponsoring this award, and thank you so much, Bob and Curtice McCloy, for choosing my painting. I praise God for enabling me to paint this piece and for this incredible blessing!

Updates 

2013
"Babysitters" received 3rd Place, Oil Painters of America Fall Online Showcase

2015–2016 
"Babysitters" received Purchase Award, Art Renewal Center Intl Salon • Exhibited at the Museum of European Art Modern in Barcelona, Spain and at the Salmagundi Club in New York City

Work In Progress (click thumbnails to enlarge)

3"x4" preliminary sketch

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Stage 6

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Brush Creek Art Exhibit Opening Tomorrow!

Roadside Planter by Andrea
Oil on gesso board • 12"x9" • $540
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On display Oct 3–24
in the Brush Creek Art Walk Exhibit
at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center.
To inquire, email Contact@AdamClague.com

An exciting plein air art exhibit opens tomorrow night, October 3, in Kansas City, Missouri!

Between September 13 and 15, over 70 artists set up their easels along the city's Brush Creek to paint its beautiful views. A selection of these works will be displayed and for sale at the 2nd Annual Brush Creek Art Walk Exhibit, October 3–24 at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center (3700 Blue Parkway). The Opening Reception is tomorrow night, Thursday the 3rd, from 5–8pm at the BRWCC. Andrea and I are honored to have paintings in the exhibit, and we hope you can make it out sometime to see the show!

Update Oct 4, 2013
Andrea and I were so honored to receive awards at the opening! There were 4 "zones" along Brush Creek in which artists could paint. 1st, 2nd, and Honorable Mention awards were given in each zone. Andrea was awarded an Honorable Mention for her "River Bass," and I received a 1st and 2nd for my "Passing Through" and "River Rock." We are so grateful to our juror, Eva Reynolds of Eva Reynolds Fine Arts, for selecting our pieces, and we praise the Lord for enabling us to paint them!

It was a great opening night, with amazing refreshments by Succotash. We say big thank you's to Anne Garney for organizing the event and to Eva Reynolds for jurying. Congrats to all the winners! Pictures of the artists and their winning paintings can be seen on Brush Creek Art Walk's Facebook timeline. Be sure to check them out!

River Bass by Andrea
Oil on gesso board • 10"x8" • Sold
Honorable Mention
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On display Oct 3–24
in the Brush Creek Art Walk Exhibit
at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center

River Rock by Adam
Oil on gesso board • 8"x10" • $400
2nd Place
----------------------------------------
On display Oct 3–24
in the Brush Creek Art Walk Exhibit
at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center.
To inquire, email Contact@AdamClague.com

Passing Through by Adam
Oil on gesso board • 9"x12" • $540
1st Place
----------------------------------------
On display Oct 3–24
in the Brush Creek Art Walk Exhibit
at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center.
To inquire, email Contact@AdamClague.com

Congrats to Patrick Saunders, winner of
the $500 Quick Paint Purchase Award!
Presented by David Field Oliver

Kimbell McCurry
(See his beautiful work here)

Check out more great event pics in Brush Creek Art Walk's Facebook albums: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

2 Recent Paintings

Here are a couple of recent commissions. I just finished "Kiwi and Pomegranates" this morning! I had a lot of fun with the pomegranate seeds and the variety of color in the pomegranate skins. When I took photos for the house commission, the house was mainly in shade. This provided the great opportunity to play with the interesting, subtle grays within the cool shadows.

Kiwi and Pomegranates
Oil on linen • 6"x8"

Oil on linen • 8"x14"

Buttes, Buddies and Buffalo!

Andrea and me at Yellowstone Falls

Andrea and I just returned from an amazing 6-day painting trip to Montana and Yellowstone with our friends Ryan Mellody, Daniel Keys, and Tyler Murphy. Though we traveled far and wide in search of the very best painting spots, our "base of operations" was Tyler's hometown of Red Lodge, MT, where he has recently opened the impressive Montana Gallery. It was a fantastic time of painting, and a joy to spend time with these incredible artists. Check out some of the highlights from our trip below!

By Adam
(plein air study)

By Andrea
(plein air study)

L to R: Me, Dan, Ryan (Ryan is painting a deer skull
hanging inside the shed. No, the shed did not fall on him!)

Breaks from Landscapes
Andrea and Ryan were kind to model for the rest of us to paint. Life doesn't get better than this!

Painting Andrea in a tent house

Painting Ryan at Montana Gallery

Ryan by Adam
(alla prima study)

Ryan by Andrea
(alla prima study)

Yellowstone

L to R: Tyler, Me, Ryan, Dan at Yellowstone Falls
(I need to get me some rad shades like these guys!)

On our way to MT, Andrea and I passed signs for Yellowstone and regretted being so close without time to stop. After we arrived in MT, we were surprised and excited to learn the guys had planned to take a painting day-trip there!

On Saturday, the five of us piled into a minivan and headed out from Red Lodge to Yellowstone. The drive took 6 hours one-way, but it was so worth it! The diversity of Yellowstone's geography and wildlife is astounding. The landscape is characterized by vast mountains and valleys, bubbling hot springs, and the magnificent Yellowstone River and Falls. We saw elk, antelope, a coyote, dozens and dozens of buffalo, and even a black bear cub!

Ryan painting Old Faithful

A steaming thermal hot spring by Adam
(plein air study)

Beartooth Mountains

Back in MT, we visited the breathtaking Beartooth Mountains. As I sat on the ground with an expanse of valleys and lakes displayed before me, I was awed by God's creation and felt very small! I prayed that God would allow me to capture just a small portion of the stunning scene before me. I determined to put all distractions from my mind and simply make my painting a celebration of His glory.

By Adam
(plein air study)

Ryan met a curious friend!

L to R: Ryan, Loren, Keith (friend of
Tyler's fam), Tyler, Andrea, Me
Everywhere: Mosquitoes

It was a treat to have Tyler's mentor, Loren Entz, join us. We gathered around to watch as he made a beautiful painting, finishing just as a glorious sunset completely changed the landscape. To see Loren's work, visit his website here.










Signing Off

We accumulated quite a collection of paintings!
And this doesn't even include the last day's work
(Works in progress)

Early Tuesday morning, Andrea and I headed home feeling energized and inspired, with lots of studies and photos we're excited to work from. It was an incredible time with great friends, and we can't wait to do it again!

Check out these links to see our friends' amazing work and more photos from the trip:
• www.TylerMurphyFineArt.com
• www.MontanaGallery.net
• www.DanielKeysFineArt.com 
• www.RyanMellodyArt.com
• Ryan's Facebook
• Daniel's Facebook

Only 4 Days Left to Vote

More Whipped Cream
Oil on linen • 24" x 14"

Update June 28 (Congratulations to the winners!): 
Congratulations to the winners of the 2013 You Be The Judge Art Contest! The Grand Prize package went to Osiris Rain, 2nd Place went to my friend TJ Cunningham and 3rd Place went to Michal Dye. To view their winning pieces, click here.

Thank you, everyone who voted for my piece! I am honored that, because of you, my painting "More Whipped Cream" made it to the Final Round. Thank you for making it possible for me to participate in this exciting contest!

Original Post:

I'm excited to have my painting "More Whipped Cream" competing in the "You Be the Judge" Art Contest, in which online visitors can vote for their favorite artwork. The deadline for voting in this round is this Sunday (14th) at 11:59pm EST. The results will determine which three pieces move on to the Final Round. I'd be honored if you would consider voting for my painting!

To vote, visit the contest's website here: http://www.brianneher.com/you_be_the_judge_art_contest_2013_voting_page.aspx. Then, scroll to the bottom of the page, past the artwork images, where you'll find the voting interface. To those who decide to vote for my piece, I'd like to say a big "thank you!"

He Is Risen!

Easter Sunrise 2013
Oil on linen • 6" x 8"

A few days ago, our good friend Jonathan Stasko invited my wife and me to join him in his annual tradition of painting the sunrise on Easter morning. Unfortunately, since Jonathan lives in New York state, we couldn't join him in person, but we did so in spirit.









When the alarm rang at 5:40 this morning, I was certainly not in the mood to paint, but I pulled myself out of bed anyway and staggered around a bit until I started to wake up. Fortunately, we had prepared all our gear last night, and my sweet wife had made muffins, so we could just grab everything and go. After a quick stop at Starbucks to grab two coffees, we were on our way.

I began painting before the sun rose and made the mistake of starting out too light. When the sun appeared, I had no values left to make the sun bright enough! As a result, I had to darken everything else. Aside from this setback, and the annoyance of my coffee going cold too fast, and the humbling fact that Andrea made two paintings in the time it took me to paint one, it was a great time!

Andrea's 1st
Oil on linen • 6" x 8"

Andrea's 2nd
Oil on linen • 5" x 7"

Jonathan inspired us to adopt this tradition as our own. We hope many other artists will do the same, in celebration that our Lord Jesus Christ is no longer in the grave, but is risen indeed! Happy Easter, everyone!

You Be the Judge Art Contest

For those who haven't heard about the amazing online art contest "You Be the Judge," I would like to spread the word! Between Feb 18 and May 26, there are seven bi-weekly rounds, with 15 finalists chosen in each round. True to its name, "You Be the Judge" relies on online viewers to vote on the finalists' pieces they wish to move on to the final round. The contest is open to all artists worldwide and offers a Grand Prize worth over $10,000. Furthermore, it's FREE TO ENTER!

The Grand Prize Package is made up of valuable offerings from a huge list of top-name sponsors. It includes $600 tuition to the Scottsdale Artist's School, a signed lithograph and books by Richard Schmid, a full-length article in Artists On Art Magazine, DVD's by Weistling, Gerhartz, Quang Ho, Christensen, Bowler and Brian Neher, ads in national art magazines, multiple gift cards from art supply companies, and more! For the complete Grand Prize Package, visit here.

To find out how to enter, visit YouBeTheJudgeArtContest.com. The deadline to enter is April 30, so before it was too late, I wanted to pass this on to anyone who's interested (and with a prize package like this, who wouldn't be)!

Edgar Payne Exhibit in Tulsa, OK

The Rendevous by Edgar Payne
(Santa Cruz Island, CA)
Oil on canvas • 33" x 42" • 1915

On Saturday, Andrea and I made a four-hour journey southwest to the renowned Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Missouri Valley Impressionist Society, a painting group we belong to, had planned an outing there to see an exhibit of nearly 100 works by landscape painter Edgar Payne (1883–1947). Previously in two Californian locations, this is as far east as the exhibit will come before ending March 24. Andrea and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity while we could, and it was absolutely worth the trip!



Payne was born in Washburn, Missouri, but eventually settled in California. He painted extensively along the coast and helped found the Laguna Beach Art Association. He also traveled to and painted some of the most beautiful and varied landscapes on earth, including the American Southwest, the Swiss Alps, Italy and France. Each section of the exhibit displayed work from a particular time and locale.

Hills of Altadena by Edgar Payne
Oil on canvas • 36" x 45" • 1917–19
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The hills in this painting have a fascinating
velvety texture. This was Andrea's favorite piece.

It was evident that Payne had a passion for the grand and epic, and his brushwork was typically bold and very thick. But much of the strength of his work comes from the simple-but-strong compositional designs that support his scenes. I was awakened to the importance of creating stronger value patterns in my own work. I was also stunned by the incredible illusion of depth Payne established. By reserving the darkest values for foreground elements and painting mid-ground and distant elements with progressively lighter values, Payne infused his work with an amazing sense of atmosphere. This was especially evident in his paintings of the Sierras, which were Andrea's and my favorites. It seemed like we were not looking into frames, but rather through windows.

Matterhorn, Late Afternoon by Edgar Payne
Oil on canvas • 53" x 53" • 1923

Sierra Peaks by Edgar Payne
Oil on canvas • 42" x 42" • 1919

Below is a short video trailer for the exhibit.

Andrea and I also loved exploring the Gilcrease's permanent western art collection, which includes works by Frederic Remington, C.M. Russell, Frank Tenney Johnson and Thomas Moran, among many others. When we returned home to Kansas City around 11pm, we were tired, but after a full day of absorbing such incredible works of art, we also felt revitalized and truly inspired!

The Stampede by Frederic Remington
Oil on canvas • 27" x 40" • 1908

Three Recent Still Lifes

Spring's First Array
Oil on linen • 12" x 9" • Available
To inquire, email Contact@AdamClague.com

Today, I added three recent still lifes to my website. I just finished "Spring's First Array" (left) this morning. The flowers are from a bouquet I gave my wife for Valentine's Day. They were so beautiful, I just had to paint them!

Blues and Yellows
Oil on linen • 7" x 5" • Available
To inquire, email Contact@AdamClague.com

Longing For Beauty
Oil on linen • 11" x 16" • Available
To inquire, email Contact@AdamClague.com

I am in awe of God's Creation, and never cease to be inspired by its beauty! Recently, I had the privilege of writing an article on beauty for the Winter '13 issue of Artists On Art Magazine. If you don't already have a subscription to this incredible digital magazine, I highly recommend signing up! Below is an excerpt from the article that describes the painting to the left:

"This fall, my wife and I stopped at a convenience store that had a large basket full of unusual gourds. Initially, we laughed at how delightfully ugly the gourds were. But eventually, we also marveled that each was unique, fascinating, and even beautiful in its own way. My wife surprised me by buying several for me to use as still life items. To me, one of the gourds (pictured in the upper left) resembled a freakish creature with a swan’s head and spider-like legs gripping a yellow-and-green beach ball. Try as I might, I could not abandon this characterization of the gourd. As a result, this painting is somewhat allegorical. The gourd peeks from behind a leaf to hide its supposed ugliness as it gazes upon the lily and longs to have its beauty. But unlike the ugly duckling, which eventually becomes a beautiful swan, the gourd will never become a flower. But it does not matter, because all Creation, from the majestic sunrise to the humble gourd, is already beautiful. We just have to teach our eyes to recognize it."

More Art Humor

Here's a new comic I made. Click it to enlarge :)

Click image to enlarge