I arrived at the venue spot (my tent) about 9:40 AM and unloaded the van and set up the studio area and the display area. It was chilly and overcast and the breeze was not as strong as yesterday. At times the breeze did gust, but over all a better day than on Saturday.




The morning started out busy and continued at a brisk pace all day. A man and his college aged daughter came along right away before I even got totally set up. He wanted a pastel of her to put in the windows and they waited until I got all of my pastels set out and I put out my portfolio and portrait literature in the display area. We got the light adjusted and started right away. The piece went well. He watched it being created and was very complimentary as it progressed. The woman informed me that she had to be at her job in about an hour and a half so I really only got about 45 minutes to work on the pastel. I took a couple of photos and they were on there way. I will finish the piece from the photos.




After that I was able to work on a charcoal drawings I had started on Friday. I completed the one of the 13 year old black girl. I matted it and hung it on the display wall in my tent.




I decided to go to the food court at the BOB to get lunch because I heard that there were several food trucks there. I thought it might be quick and reasonably priced. I saw a place with barbeque but the line was very long. A young young woman mentioned that there was no line at the pizza place so I got a couple of pieces of pizza and a coke for nearly $10 and went back to my tent.




After I had lunch an older couple came by. The man wanted his companion to have charcoal done so we proceeded. Margaret was a very attractive, middle aged woman with lots of bond hair. The piece went well and the man watched me create it. We had a lot of fun and it was soon finished. He wanted me to photograph her so that he might have a pastel or oil done in the near future. He paid me $50 for the $40 portrait and will pick it up after ArtPrize.




A party of three, a couple and their young son, came along soon after who all wanted a charcoal done. I was about to get some paper on my drawing board when got a phone call from a friend. I asked them to please excuse me while I answered it. The call was a short one and I proceeded to my storage area to get the paper and when I returned the three of them were gone with no explanation. But standing there in their place was a 6ft. 5 inch guy and a 5 ft. 2 inch girl. She introduced herself as Rose. Rose is the unofficial adopted daughter of Pete and Patty, my hosts. She and her boyfriend had just arrived at ArtPrize and saw my tent the first thing. They rushed off to see ArtPrize, Rose promised to model for a portrait soon, maybe back at the parents place.




Soon after that, a young couple came along and he wanted her to have a charcoal done for the windows. Caroline was a blond sophomore in high school with a pretty smile and dimples and he was a very young looking college student studying history education. He liked the portrait and they were soon on their way.




Then I had a some phone calls, one to my daughter, Shelley and one from Carol. I also got a call from a Rick who made an appointment for a charcoal portrait of his wife and himself for 12:30 PM tomorrow and from a guy who wants a pastel of his nine year old daughter for a Christmas gift. He plans to bring her by on Thursday.

Then I loaded up and left the venue about 8:30 PM. I stopped at Meijer on the way to Jenison to get some Velcro and some food items for lunch tomorrow.

I arrived at the venue spot (my tent) about 9:30 AM and unloaded the van and set up the studio area and the display area. It was chilly and overcast and the breeze was gusty but not as strong as yesterday. I decided not to set up my sun umbrella at all. Luckily no one was injured and I then disassembled it and laid it down not to be used again today. I decided to use the weights, whose purpose was to hold the umbrella up, as a force to prevent my walls from moving in the wind. To my surprise, the display walls still moved a couple of times, even pushing the weights on the sidewalk several inches.




The morning started out quietly and I was able to work on a couple of charcoal drawings from yesterday, completing the one of Lucky and hanging it on the display wall in my tent. I found that using a couple of small Velcro strips worked well to mount it on the carpeted walls (suggestion from Joe yesterday). Using a piece of fishing line held on with duct tape had not worked well as the line just slipped through or the tape pulled off.




I needed to take a restroom break, so I went to the arena doors where I had always entered in the past to use the restroom but found it locked. I noticed that there was a call-box on far end of the doors so I pushed the button and heard the words “secrurity” I told them who I was and asked to go in and use the restroom. She said “No”. I said I had always used the restroom in the past and was told I could use the restroom facilities at will. She said “We're closed”. I pleaded that I need to use it and didn't know what I would do. So she said “OK, I'll let you in”. Inside she told me she knew nothing about me and what my access was. I said I would need to get in later because my car was parked in their gated area and she agreed to let me get to it when I needed to.




At one point, while working with my back to the front of the tent, I hear a familiar voice and turned around to see that my hostess, Patty, had arrived to see my display. She introduced me to an artist friend of hers and we had a lengthy discussion about the venue and its location relative to the crowd and the wind tunnel that I was in. I had had a couple of snack bars, but that just wasn't going to satisfy me for lunch a second day so I decide to try a little place about a 150 yards away on Ionia Street to see what they had to eat. It turned out to be just what I was looking for, a salad restaurant. Although it cost me just under $10 for a salad with 5 toppings and a small bag of chips, it did the job.







Some time later Patty returned with her husband, Pete, and we had the venue location discussion again. About that time, I family came by to view my display with a young high school senior girl who wanted to be in my ArtPrize display. Kayla decide to have a charcoal done because the family didn't want to wait for her to have a pastel or oil painting done. Kayla was a beautiful, brunette with brown eyes and a big smile. Her friends, who were also with the family, said I had to draw her with her big toothy smile. I said she could smile if she could hold it for half an hour. They all agreed that she could do it. So I said let's try it. That put a lot of pressure on me to work as fast as possible so I could catch the smile before her checks tired. Kayla held the prettiest smile for half an hour I have ever seen. We got it done and everyone said it looked just like her. I felt it needed some work so I took her photo for later reference before she left. Kayla said her cheeks were very sore, but she was happy with the portrait.




After Kayla and party left, I down loaded her photo and started to work on the drawing to finish it. While working on it a young black man, with three little children, stopped by, loved my work, and wanted me to do a charcoal of the children on one piece of paper. I told him I would try to do it, but I would probably have use a photo. We sat the children down and took a series of pictures to determine the pose we would try. We saw a photo that might work, but I wanted to make an adjustment on the lighting. When I turned to look at the children again, I saw that the little girl had a large amount of blood flowing from her nose and we all panicked to get it stopped. That was the end of the photo session and the charcoal drawing and off they went. The young father insisted that he still wanted the charcoal and would return. Later after finishing the charcoal of Kayla, they returned, the nose bleed taken care of and all was well. We selected the photo to use for the charcoal. So now I have three more subjects to draw.




I loaded up and left the venue about 8:15 PM.

Day Three of ArtPrize Seven




I arrived at the venue spot (my tent) about 9:10 AM and unloaded the van and set up the studio area and the display area. It was chilly and the breeze was refreshing but gusty and strong enough to blow my cards and papers around. I decided not to put my sun umbrella out for fear of it tipping over in the wind so I sat it beside the tent and didn't open it. I didn't weight it down, thinking it would be safe there, however I was wrong as it came crashing down in a gust of wind a few minutes later. Luckily no one was injured and I then disassembled it and laid it down not to be used again today. The wind was a source of discomfort and annoyance all day. At one point, a gust pushed the side of my tent in and the display walls moved enough to knock over a stack of stretched canvases and caused a loud crash. Nothing was damaged but it was scary.




There were a number of school children on field trips that stopped by with loads of questions and a fair amount of general traffic all day. A young college aged student in a small group of her peers said she wanted her portrait done to put in the windows and would return after lunch. She did return and we decided to do a pastel because I had not yet done one at ArtPrize. She was an interesting theater major and was quite talkative but she was able to pause enough for me to nearly complete the pastel in a couple of hours. While working on her, another young woman, with blue and black hair and a nose ring, and her uncle stopped by. They told me that they would return around 4PM to have her portrait done. Angela returned, she wasn't not sure if she wanted an oil or pastel painting done. After explaining the attributes of each we agreed to do a pastel. She was an aspiring artist as well and we discussed her art career plans. I was not able to complete the portrait but made good progress before she tired and we decided to finish it from photos or have her come back.


Joe Sukup returned before Angela and I were finished and, after he returned from getting some refreshment, we started on the completion phase of his oil painting. I finished that about 7:15 PM, said goodbye to Joe, and proceeded to pack up. Before leaving I placed 4 pieces in the windows of the Grand Rapids Griffins' offices. I left for the day at 9:10 PM.

I decided to wear shorts today but realized I had forgotten to bring a belt, so I stopped at Meijer and bought one. I arrived at the venue spot (my tent) about 9:30 AM and unloaded the van and set up the display area and the working area in the tent. I changed my working area to try to make it a little darker and hung a drape over the door to the storage area to hide more of my junk, I got everything ready to open by around 10:30 AM.

I decided to set out all of my pastels on a card table so I would be ready for someone wanting a pastel portrait. While attempting to arrange them on the card table, I accidentally knocked a tray of pastels onto the ground. I spent the next half hour picking up and placing the pastel sticks (many more of them now broken) back in their places. Since I never actually did any pastel work, this all was wasted effort (but better to be prepared).

Since I was expecting Marissa, my contact at the Griffins, soon for her portrait, I decided not to take the time to find a lunch and just eat three snack bars to hold me over. Marissa showed up for her portrait about 1:30 PM. She decided to have a charcoal done and so I proceeded. I placed two lights on the wall forming the storage area on my left, her right, in an effort to get a single point strong enough to see a light side and dark side on her face. I soon noticed that the stronger highlights were actually coming from incidental light filtering in from over my right shoulder so I turned off my lights and proceeded using that incidental light source. It worked well and the portrait was a success, however I took some photos to use for final details because Marissa had to attend to a scheduled conference call.

I was about to download Marissa's photos to the computer so that I could finish her portrait when a young man, Kendel, who was working in the arena to install the ice for the hockey season, stopped by. After discussing my project with him, and seeing Marissa's portrait, he wanted a charcoal portrait as well. Although he was on his lunch break and only had half an hour of time, we started it. I tried my lights again on him and by this time the tent was in the shade and the lights were effective. I was nearly finished when he said he needed to get back to work, so I took some photos and let him go. He seemed impressed with the drawing.

I downloaded the photos into the computer and was about to finish them when two woman stopped to inquire about my project and were excited to have their portraits done. The older woman decided that they wanted oil portraits and that she would be first and the other woman, she said was her baby sister, would wait and be next. When I told her that the oil portraits may take as long as two hours she decided they would have charcoals done now and would come back for oil portraits later when they had the time. The older lady told me she would like to have her children painted as well and that they were both models for Sears catalogs (a four year old girl and a two year old boy). The woman was a round faced, blond with interesting features and was fun to draw. She seemed to love the finished sketch, but I took a photo to use for details. She told me that her sister would benefit from the portrait because she has self esteem problems. Her sister (?) was a 13 year old African-American girl who looked 20 but yet was attractive and interesting to draw. It didn't take long to realize that she was not able to hold a pose because she kept dropping her head so it would take longer than it should to finish it. I took a photo right away, because I doubted this would go very long. After about a half hour, I decided that she no longer was able to sit still and told her I would let her go and finish it from the photo. She liked the drawing of both herself and her sister (?).




After talking with several other people who were interested in my project but not able to participate today, I started to pack up and left for my home away from home slightly after 8 PM.




My hosts live in Jenison, only about 15 or 20 minutes from downtown. Patty and Pete are short time empty nesters. Their last one goes to Grand Valley and just moved out recently. They are a very interesting, intelligent couple who told me to make myself at home and that they intend to feed me whenever I'm there. They are very accommodating and considerate of my special foibles. They also have been promoting my project to their family, friends, and neighbors. I'm very much enjoying my stay here. I am still pondering what I can do for them in partial repayment.

Arrived at the venue spot (my tent) about 9:30 AM. Proceeded to unload the van and set up the display area and the working area in the tent. I got everything ready to go just before my subject for the first portrait of the event, Joe Sukup, arrived. After lunch, Joe sat for his portrait and we agreed to doing an oil because it was the first oil portrait I have done on location so I asked him to be my guinea pig. I was not able to complete the portrait because he had to leave for a business appointment after about an hour and 40 minutes. I took photos of him to use for finishing it and he is planning to return on Friday to sit again to finish it.

I had a large number of people who stopped by to ask questions and look at my samples in the afternoon and evening. Several appeared to be interested in have a portrait and a few said they would be back. I have been at this business long enough to know that most people do not return but a couple might.

I took a few minutes to go to the front side of the arena on Fulton Street, where they show a dot on the ArtPrize map indicating my location, to use sidewalk chalk and put my name down on the sidewalk with an arrow pointing in the direction of my tent. ArtPrize said they were not able to correct the error on Google Maps placing me in the wrong place. So if you come to see my exhibit, you won't find me where the map shows me. I am 200 to 300 yards south of there down the alley between the arena and the HopCat restaurant.

Although I only did the one oil portrait the first day my spirits are still high that I will do well as long as the weather still continues to be good. The last few days have been and the forecast is great weather. I packed up and left for the day around 8 PM.






I arrived in Grand Rapids today about noon and met Marissa Malson, my contact at the Grans Rapid Griffins. She and I agreed where I would set up my temporary studio/tent then she filled me in on details about my parking spot, restrooms, and security issues. I then went to get my ArtPrize name badge and goody bag at the artists' lounge area and had lunch. After lunch I set up my tent and walls and organized my display, storage area, and work area. Because the windows in the Griffin's offices, where I am to display my work, were so dirty, I asked Marissa if it would be OK if I washed them. She and I obtained the tools and materials needed to do the job. I washed the first set of windows inside and out but I decided to wait to wash the second set of windows until I know that I will need more space. I then finished buttoning up the tent by adding the front outside wall and zippering the corners. About 6:15 PM, I headed to Jenison to find the home of my host couple.




Joe Sukup called about 8 PM to confirm our lunch and his portrait setting for tomorrow, He has the appointment for my first official ArtPrize Seven portrait. Marissa previously told me that she and a few of her Griffins colleagues were planing to have me paint their portraits sometime during ArtPrize. It was a beautiful but tiring day and I'm looking forward to painting tomorrow.

 I will be in Grand Rapids, Michigan from September 23 to October 11 working on my ArtPrize Seven exhibit.   Please stop by my hosting venue, The Grand Rapids Griffins at the VanAndel Arena. My temporary studio/tent be located near Weston & Ionia S.W. near the HopCat restaurant in the Heartside neighborhood. 

I will draw your portrait in charcoal or paint you in pastel or oil and hang it in the windows of the Grand Rapids Griffins' offices. If you would like to have the portrait for yourself or as a gift for a loved one you may purchase it at a fraction of my normal prices and I'll see that you get it after ArtPrize Seven is over.

Charcoals are $40 each

Pastels are $120 each and

Oils are $200 each

shipping charges will be billed after the portrait is shipped to you.

If you just want to watch someone being painted, you are welcome to stop by. I might even be painting a hockey player and you just might be able to purchase a portrait of a Griffins hockey player.

Here I will keep you informed of my progress toward my ArtPrize Seven exhibition project goal of completing 20 to 40 portraits of ArtPrize Seven visitors during the event.