Wednesday, December 23, 2009

CAVE MASTER, DSFDF PORTRAITS,...AND SOME MORE CHRISTMAS FUN

Michelle Burnette's Challenge for the year end for Following the Masters is to paint your favorite master artist of the past, inspiring me to render this...my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great,great, great, great, great, great. great. great, great. great grandfather... GROG PARKER!!!


Now, many of you may wonder how I knew about Grog. Well, my brother, Burney, was a marvelous geneaologist (and so much more)...and he was very, very thorough about our family history. So I'm working from some stone etchings he made. Pictured beside him is his small pet house dinosaur, Alfalfa. The little dinos were around then, but all the big dinosaurs had bought the farm and were way underground making fossil fuel for Dubai and Bahrain.

Different Strokes From Different Folks Challenge from dat big old sweetie and world-renowned figurative artist, KARIN JURICK. Karin has a year-end challenge comprised of participating artists exchanging reference photos and doing portraits of each other. What fun! What challenge!! What torture!!!
I sent in the reference photo below,and below it is the portrait that artist NANCY BLUM rendered from it.....


Nancy is a very talented portrait and figurative artist, and my portrait, I will assume, looks much like me, because, long ago, I came to the stark realization that I am no Robert Redford or Brad Pitt. However, when I did see my portrait posted on DSFDF, I took several Excedrin, 3 Sudafed, a bottle of Jack Daniel's and made a doctor's appointment.

I received Nancy Blum's photo from Karin, and, as the rules go, I had no idea whatsoever who I was painting. I
went back to a few challenges and explored and dug around trying to get an ID by referring to blog profile photos (turns out Nancy doesn't have one) to have a better idea who I was gonna immortalize (or mortify) in acrylics. So here is the reference photo and my effort beneath it....


One further note on this year-end challenge....there were 180 artists participating, and the artwork displayed so far is so incredibly talented it's awesome. But, in the midstof this marvelous art emerges two portraits that extend far beyond phenomenal....and that is the exchanged portraits of Edward Burton and Akiko Watanabe. They are simply breath-taking. Please take time to check em out. Click on their names and Click Different Strokes From Different Folks.

Now, for a bit of fun....

Many of you may not know it, but Santa Claus and I are best buddies. He and I have closed up the bars in Nova Scotia many nights (which is quite an accomplishment with those 2 month nights). Anyway, he sent me some interesting photos and breaking news from the North Pole.

Last year, Santa brought a few penguins up to the North Pole, after seeing the movie, and thinking they were real cute. Turns out, they are pesky little practical jokers. As if the polar bears didn't have enough to worry about with global warming,...now they have to put up with "pranky penguins".
On a sad note, one of the apprentice "Delivery Santas" that was being trained by the big guy himself, failed to heed Santa's warning about looking both ways twice over O'Hare. May he rest in pieces.

The tragic loss of his apprentice left Santa in a big labor crunch, so he had to enlist the aid of his sweet significant other, Ms. Claus. However, it's not too clear how well that's working out. If your presents are a bit late this year,,,,what the hey....blame it on the Post Office!

Special Note...After years of collecting the funniest, most inspiring, weirdest, most awesome stuff there is, I finally found a place to put it..WINDOWS OF WONDERS (WOW). Please take a moment to check it out...it's Mind-Bloggling! Click HERE

Next blog is about the Gallery and Studio....but, from the bottom of my heart....have a joyous and meaningful Christmas. Cya down the road...James


23 comments:

  1. Brilliant post James...lots of laughs. (Not referring to your portrait of course.) Great job on that! You captured her, and this did not look like a simple pose.

    Merry Christmas.

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  2. Thank you James, for making me laugh so much! The penguin was priceless! And I do think your portrait is really terrific - you caught her poise beautifully.

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  3. James, your sentiments echo my own on the portrait swap. Where was that Excedrin, Sudafed, and Jack Daniels when I needed them? Oy! Love your sense of humor as always.

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  4. Hey James, Nancy's portrait of you seems to sizzle with your humorous personality! The Jack Daniels appears to be dripping from your lower lip..Lol.
    That's a fine painting you did of her. This was a great end of year challenge.

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  5. Hey James - thanks for the holiday humor! Your portrait of Nancy has that little hint of mischief in it...makes me wonder, is she naughty? or nice? Ha! Good job!

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  6. ....you never cease to crack me up into laughter, kudos James!

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  7. Hey James, I love the portraits. The doc visit might be a waste of time. Sometimes we just need to say "what the heck" and go with it. LOL
    I'll share a jack Daniels with you but like mine on the rocks.
    Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and lots of art success with your Gallery in the coming new year.

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  8. Nice work, James! You captured her likeness and that surprised look on her face.

    Thanks for all the funnies...always love seeing what surprises you have here.

    Great family resemblance on that cave painting.

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  9. Great job with Nancy's portrait, James, and her portrait of you is wonderful - it's full of personality. Thank you for the very kind mention and for the laughs. Merry Christmas, my friend!

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  10. James, your portrait of Nancy is nice. And I want to echo what Edward said, the one she did of you is fantastic and you should CANCEL your doctor appointment because she took liberties with your handsome face in order to stress your great personality. So, never fear, you're still a killuh! You got it goin' ON! You da MAN! (etc.) :D
    Happy Holidays, James!

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  11. As always, a great post. Merry Christmas.

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  12. A-a-a-h...what wonderful people..you artful bloggers!!!! But Camille...you had me rolling on the floor laffin my fanny off. Pokey and TacoBelle thought I was having a seizure or something and tried to paw in 911.

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  13. Wow! Glad you are looking at your portrait (image somewhat squished on your blog)with humor... meant all in fun. It's good to be among such a talented group. Enjoyed your portrait of me (though you left out all my papers crashing around me!)and all the others in the Different Strokes challenge.
    Thanks! Nancy

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  14. Wonderful portraits, and thanks for the laughs!
    Happy Holidays and a joyous 2010, James!
    Liz

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  15. I don't know what I like best, your paintings, your photographs, or your sense of humor. Keep up all 3. You're great.

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  16. Hi James! Somehow my comments that were left a few days ago are not showin up here... :( Just wanted to say thank you for your kind mention of my DSFDF portrait. A HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Akiko

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  17. James, HA! Your killin me man! Nice portraits all around! Happy new year buddy!

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  18. Mr James
    I hope your hang over is gone after over medicating yourself! All those portraits were phenominal (sp).
    i wanted to bring up a highlight of the year 2000 for through the eyes of tweedles, I will never forget that special poem you wrote about you and taco belle and pokey and me and all my friends walking on the beach.
    To me- that was a highlight. I wonder if you will ever paint that memory so I can see it again and again.
    Happy New Year Stinky feet
    love
    tweedles

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  19. Happy New Year my friend. I know 2010 will continue to bring you more triumphs and blessings.

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  20. WOnderful POst with fabulous portraits James, as always.
    So glad your sense of humor rates high up there for us all to enjoy.
    BTW You won my GIVEAWAY it was very scientifically done.
    I will mail the cards shortly.
    Happy New Year 2010 is up to a great start !

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  21. You are always so entertaining James! Thanks again for the giggles, and happy new year!!

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  22. Your portrait is so wonderful, I like the colour of her clothes.
    Happy New Year!

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  23. Hey, I recognized you right away when I scrolled through the DSFDf....but wonder sometimes if the images get stretched And your portrait is very well done for a difficult pose. Really tempted to join this DSFDF, but just too busy this time of year. Thank you for all the humor over the last year and best wishes for the new decade.

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