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.