Who knows the places you'll go?

Bo Light, by Matt Menzies, 2014; photo Rob Chron Photography.

Those of you who’ve been around my studio for a while probably remember Matthew Menzies, who is now a junior at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). He recently built what he calls a “Bo light.” This is modeled after a very long staff, or bō, used in Japanese martial arts.

The prototype consists of a battery powered Led strip inset into a turned, tapered stick.

When Matt was in high school, he was an avid painter. He’s also a serious student of the martial arts. That makes this light, in his hands, a pretty awesome paintbrush.  

Bo Light, by Matt Menzies, 2014; photo Rob Chron Photography.

In art, more so than in any other discipline, nothing in your background is wasted. Everything you’ve done informs your present, but very little of it predicts where you’ll end up.

Bo Light, by Matt Menzies, 2014; photo Rob Chron Photography.

Matt started as a painter and is now a furniture-design major. Who knows what he’ll do for a career? The painter Eric Hopkins started as a glass artist, working for six years as an assistant to Dale Chihuly. What I’ve seen of his glass work is lovely, but so also is the painting for which he ultimately became well known.

By the way, Matt accepts commissions.

Let me know if you’re interested in painting with me in Maine in 2014 or Rochester at any time. Click here for more information on my Maine workshops!

All Flesh is as Grass

All Flesh is as Grass, 36X48, oil on canvas, by little ol' me.

My studio is in my house, so when Winter Storm Vulcan brought blizzard conditions to Rochester yesterday, it didn’t give me day off. Oh, well; I was painting snow anyway.

This apple tree was around the corner from my house. The landowner once told me to pick all the apples I wanted. He’s been gone for several years and his house has stood vacant, but still the old tree thrived.

This year, we picked an eight-quart basket for Thanksgiving pies. Shortly thereafter, a construction crew moved in to start a roof-to-foundation rehab. The first thing to go was the dated landscaping, including this old tree.

There are some things I may tweak, but I’m moving on to finish my fourth painting for my upcoming show at Roberts Wesleyan’s Davison Gallery. It opens Friday, March 28, from 6-9 PM.

Let me know if you’re interested in painting with me in Maine in 2014 or Rochester at any time. Click here for more information on my Maine workshops!