Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Steve


Oil on board, 12 3/8" x 16 1/4"
Not for sale
Click image to enlarge

My friend, fellow artist and all-round great guy Steve Sedam. We lived about a block apart in Murrieta, California. He was working then as an illustrator for the Los Angeles Times, and I was doing studio work and hopping all over the country to paint murals. We both left California within a month of one another. Steve, his wife and two young kids moved to Colorado, and we ended up back in Oregon. We keep in touch by email and phone and keep threatening to visit one another, but it hasn't happened yet. Soon, I hope.

Steve refurbished an old letterpress and he's been making some cool, retro-looking images. Check his website out: www.inkpopstudio.com.



6 comments:

Sonya Johnson said...

What a fantastic portrait, Don; your affection for your friend is clearly conveyed in the sensitivity of this painting.

This also reminds me why I like your blog so much: you move effortlessly between landscape, still life and portrait subjects in your work.

Marilyn Flanegan said...

quite handsome...your painting too, Don.

: )

Marilyn

Sue Sullivan said...

Oh Don,
That is just gorgeous! You absolutely made Steve's day.
We miss you both so much,
xo
Sue

Don Gray said...

Sonya, thank you for being so generous and encouraging.

I'm enjoying seeing your recent paintings. Loved your post on the Grand Canyon hike. Your abiding connection to the land really comes through.

Don Gray said...

Hi Marilyn. So you think he's handsome? I was just kidding about it being a friend, it's actually a self-portrait. :^)

Thanks for the note.

Don Gray said...

Hi Sue--thanks! It was so much fun doing this painting, but a little wistful too--miss you guys!

Hey, you've got a new blog I didn't know about--great!