Monday, April 19, 2010



Encircled

Oil on board, 5" x 7"
$125 plus $6 shipping in U.S.
SOLD

Here's a rock of a different color. I discovered this moss-covered stone at the edge of a Maui streambed. Roots from a large tree had grown around it, holding it in place. The grip seemed almost gentle, like a parent cradling a child in their arms.

And below is a dog of a different color; our Winslow as interpreted by my friend and fellow artist Brian Vegter, dog painter extraordinaire. Bri lives about forty miles from us in Baker City. He came to my studio a couple months ago and laid on the floor taking photos. Now he's come up with this great painting that I think really captures Winslow's character.

Check out Brian's blog: http://www.dogsbybri.blogspot.com/. His wife Corrine is a ceramic artist who does these great retro-style clay travel trailers. She has a blog too: http://www.dustydogstudio.com/




Lion Tamer, by Brian Vegter

Acrylic on canvas, 12" x 12"
Copyright 2010 Brian Vegter

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

a total abstract Don that keeps doing things the longer you look at it so it compels you to keep looking.
you know the way things are going, Winslow is going to be the most painted dog in the world! in this one he looks like he's about to call the lions in for some training, like in a circus (don't ask where that thought came from:))

Susan Roux said...

Lol, such a great title for Winslow...

Sheila Vaughan said...

Rahina's right. I keep coming back to look at this. It isn't an "easy" painting but it's a truthful one. Does that make sense? We are so used, in our society, to being "entertained" - having our amusements "canned" that it sometimes shocks us when we have to work a bit at "seeing, pondering and understanding". I like it Don. Also like Brian's depiction of ol' Winslow there. It's good to make changes.

Linda Popple said...

Love the rock and your description of it. It does draw me in and the more I look the more I discover. Would like to see it in person.

Winslow looks like a great dog. I'm going to check out Brian's blog and also Corrine's.

Don Gray said...

Thanks Rahina--yes, Winslow's getting a lot of artistic attention these days, isn't he? I don't want to say he's spoiled, but probably in Winslow's mind there's no such thing as too much attention.

I do have a chair like that in the studio, and it's interesting how Brian focused on it and associated it with Win. And it does look like a lion tamer chair, though I never thought of that before. I love how artists think.

Don Gray said...

Isn't it, Susan? It sums up his high-spirited personality very well.

Don Gray said...

Hi, Sheila. You touch on something pretty widespread--we do collectively tend to want to stay passive and have everything "explained" for us. Maybe it's a symptom of the complexity of our multi-tasking lives.

The other thing that sometimes frustrates me is how subject-oriented people are about representational work, as if the subject is all there is to it. It stops them from experiencing the work on deeper levels.

Always appreciate your thoughts.

Don Gray said...

Thanks a lot, Linda.

Anonymous said...

Don, the rock paintings are fascinating and this one especially so. Amazing what nature can show us.
Loved Winslow as lion/lion tamer. I appreciate your sharing these images with us.
Anne Thrower

Don Gray said...

Hi Anne--I appreciate your supportive words--thanks!

-- Me said...

Well with no kids in the house anymore, Mom and Dad have to dote on someone - why not Winslow! The grand-kids are getting jealous LOL.

I really like Encircled as well. I thought of Maui immediately when I viewed this piece, and then read that is where the inspiration came from.

Dogs by Bri said...

Thanks for the plug Don. It was nice to see the comments here about Winslow.

Bri-

Don Gray said...

Well now I KNOW which Heather I'm talking to! I read your comment on the work in progress post and was pretty sure.

You're right, of course--us empty-nesters shower attention on Winslow...pretty predictable, isn't it? Come visit and you'll get attention too! :^)

Don Gray said...

No problem, Bri--thanks for doing such a cool painting of Winslow!