New diptych in progress

The painting of the lamb is the counterpart to the swim painting. Although the painting is a bit more loose I think they speak to one another. Please note both are still in progress.

I finally feel that I have a dialogue with the brush and I understand the voice that is my own.

New painting for The Wapsipinicon album

The current stage of the painting still doing some glazing and color tweaking. The painting is the inside cover art. The painting is acrylic on hardboard 24" x 48".

Another shot of the painting. My studio is quite narrow so I have to shoot it from the side.

The painting in the drawing stage. I usually improv most of my paintings but I wanted to plan this out a bit more to reflect to complexity of album lyrics.

New Painting 7/27/09

This is a new painting done in the studio.  This is a painting that was commissioned to be a nature influenced abstract.  The painting took over and it is a little more representational than I intended.  I have posted the progression of the work.  I thought it might be interesting to review my process on this.  The element I wanted to focus on was composition.  I felt it were important to have a play between 2d and 3d space.  Like many of my works I started out with line and movement inspired by music.

At this early point I was still working the painting while flipping it vertical and horizontal.  Much of the composition was determined by looking at it backwards in a mirror.

At this point I had chosen a format to work in.  Line being equal to shape and color.  The color was again dictated the music.

This is the final painting.  I am disappointed in the photo.  I don't think you can capture the layers of paint and texture.  I will take a quality photo for the gallery page in my site (www.myritual.com).  

Portland - 5/10/09

I am revisiting the concept juggling archetypes.  This live painting is titled Eliminate the bad ones.  I have to apologize for the poor photo of this painting the lighting was a low yellow light.  The painting actually had lots of greens and blues involved.  In this photo it appears very washed out.

The Portland crowd was really awesome!  I think this is one city I could see myself living in.  It just has a positive vibe to it.

Vancouver - 5/9/09 Headed back to Canada!

Giving in to monsters is the title of the live painting in Vancouver Canada.

A some what abstract shot of dancers at the show.  I tend to enjoy the abstract elements of photography.  The things that happen in lens that are not in reality.  It gives the images a sense of time.

Eric from Say Hi.  They will be touring with us on the west coast.  Eric is a incredible song writer.

I have to say that Say Hi have some incredibly tight drums.  Check the show out if you can.  Good times!

Seattle - 5/8/09

Live painting titled Reluctantly dancing with bears.

A photo of my paints while setting up for the show.  

Cloud Cult during sound check in Seattle.

Craig Minowa checking mics at sound check.

Shawn Neary warming up his horn.

Sarah Young checking her monitors.

Shawn Neary asking for just a little more of Craig in his monitor.

Shannon Frid waiting to check mics.

Connie Minowa practicing her keyboard part.

Adam Sorensen of Ice Palace showing Seattle who is who.  They gave a great show!

Amy of Ice Palace singing backups during the set.

Jacob of Ice Palace giving Adam backup.

My trumpet shot on stage before we went on.

A photo of my hat hanging on my easel.  Funny that I took this shot, I lost the hat after the Seattle show.

Missoula Montana - 5/6/09

The live painting done in Missoula is titled Flying lessons.  I was thinking of the mountains we were about to drive thought the next morning.  Actually this painting is about reminding yourself to take the moments you have to fly.  Forget the past, never mind the future, enjoy the moment you have.  While on tour this is the reality.  Back home I seem to get lost in routine, always looking to the future for a better moments.

The crowd in Missoula getting crazy after the song Take your medicine.

The next morning on our drive to Seattle we stopped off on the Columbia river scenic overlook.  The winds coming off of the cliff were so strong Shawn had to lean into the wind to remain standing.

Amazing views.

Shawn Neary taking in the views.

Jeff D. Johnson making the most of the moment.

Wild flowers growing on the cliff.  If you have the opportunity hop in your car and drive across the country.  There are so many wonderful things to see and experience.  I feel lucky to have the opportunity.

Bozeman Montana (Bears oh my!) - 5/5/09

Between the tours Craig Minowa composed the music for a National Geographic documentary Expedition Grizzly featuring Casey Anderson and Brutus the bear.  Before our show in Bozeman we had the amazing opportunity to meet Brutus the bear.  We had met Casey before at a previous show.  Honestly I thought he was a bit off when he told me that he lived with a grizzly bear.  I just shrugged my shoulders and figured the drinks had gotten the best of him.  I was mistaken, Casey does actually live with a grizzly!  Casey runs the Montana Grizzly Encounter.  A grizzly sanctuary that provides a place where the public can come and learn about grizzly bears as they watch the majestic animals up close in a beautiful mountain setting.  If your ever in Montana look this up and stop and visit Casey and Brutus.  They are both amazing!

This shot is to give you perspective of the type of relationship that Casey and Brutus have.  Keep in mind that on one else can handle Brutus in this manner.  Brutus was raised captive by Casey  but he is still a grizzly bear.  I can not put into words the type of relationship that Casey and Brutus have.  It was one of those experiences that change your life.  Thank you Casey for the amazing experience.

Brutus was doing a little showing off for the camera.  Keep in mind that I am only about 5 feet away from him.  I was very hesitant when I found out that the only thing between me and the bear was the two wires you see in the background.  When I asked how much voltage was running through the wires.  Casey told us that Brutus is so trained to stay away from the wires that they were not attached to anything.  I admit to being a little scared since Brutus is over 7 feet tall and weighs over 800 pounds.  This is not the normal grizzly experience that the public would get at the grizzly sanctuary.  We have a special friendship with Casey and safety was always Casey's  first priority.  It was amazing to see how Casey could read the body language of Brutus.  He knew what Brutus was thinking at all times.

A shot of Shawn Neary with Brutus the bear.  Note they were holding the wires down to try and keep them out of the shot.  Note the smiles the band members had wile getting a photo taken with Brutus.  

Casey measured the head of Brutus in at 52 inches.  

This was Jake, another younger grizzly at the sanctuary.  He was standing up while watching Sammy and Micah (Sarah and Adrian's kids) play behind the concrete barrier.  It was kind of disturbing how aware they were of the little ones.

Arlen and the Bear.  I think the look on Arlen's face was enough said.  

When we were standing around chatting with Casey, Brutus was doing his cowboy walk.  A territorial strut that shows male dominance.  This is a trait the grizzlies have in the wild.

Craig and Connie Minowa posing for a picture with Brutus.  This gives you a sense of scale.  Craig is 6'2".  Brutus is standing about 5' behind them.  Another thought to ponder is that in 3 strides grizzly bears can reach a speed of 40mph!  

Red and the band posing for a photo with Brutus the bear.  I was not in any of the photos because I am the guy with the camera.  Again wow!

Some of the band members chose to feed the bear by hand!  This was a shot taken when Adrian volunteered to feed the bear some doughnut holes.  Keep in mind Brutus is a captive bear and it is not safe to try this with a wild bear.

Adrian feeding the bear!

This was the live painting I did that night.  Titled Brutus

Rapid City South Dakota - 5/04/09

Dreaming of Bears is the title of the live painting done in Rapid City.  I was having dreams about meeting a grizzly bear because we were going to meet one in Bozeman the following night.

A shot of my bushes on stage.  Sometimes I love the mix of paint that ends up all over my equipment and clothes.  

Shawn Neary singing a tune at sound check.  If you ever get a chance to see Shawn do a solo show check it out.  The man is a incredible song writer.

Jeff D. Johnson running the board.  Kind of a strange shot since he is actually floating.

Sarah Young calling for more monitors.

Arlens hands shot during the song When water comes to life.

Craig Minowa singing Grandson and Jesus.

Shannon Frid giving me "the look" because I have a camera in my hand.

Sometimes even the cables running into the soundboard create beautiful compositions.  It seems everything on the road is art.

Connie Minowa is back on the road with us.  Here is a shot of her sketching for her painting.

All of us like to bring a bit of home with us.  This is Craig Minowa's garage light he hangs on his mic stand.  It brings him back to the farm when we tone down the music and get acoustic.