Art Life/Brenda Semanick

David's First Sculpture

2009-07-05T18:43:00.003-06:00

After David met renowned sculptor Merlin Cohen and visited his studio, he couldn't wait to start carving himself. This is his first sculpture, made from alabaster. It measures 10x8x12. Click here to see larger images.

2009-06-20T18:52:00.002-06:00

Grijalva Park Update

2009-05-13T17:40:00.002-06:00

The painting of the figures for the poles is complete and they will be attached tomorrow morning. I tried to keep with a complementary color for the base/cap, and the plan is to pair the cap color with a pole of analogous color.
The only way to work outside in Tucson is to start by at least 6:00 am, so I've become a morning person again.

Grijalva Park Update

2009-05-05T20:18:00.006-06:00

Jerry Castillo went back to Austin, Texas to work on a commission, so I've been working with Ben Olmstead to finish up the steel pieces. Now I have to paint. It was a learning experience painting the poles, so I feel a little more confident about painting.

The caps under the smaller figures will be plug-welded to the larger posts which will mean I will need to paint those on site.

Showing below are three of the six larger pieces that will be bracketed to light poles. The children will go by the playground, the runners on the walking track and last by the ramada-I just had to put the ant in.

Grijalva Park Update

2009-04-07T19:12:00.004-06:00

Today was painting day for the steel posts. These puppies are eleven feet long and weigh 100 pounds each. Notice the picture of Jerry carrying one of the ten posts to the saw horses. I don't know how he did it!!

We began with wiping each one down liberally with mineral spirits followed by an application of metal primer. We are using Rust Stop oil-based paints, used primarily by sign painters. This paint has a reputation for long-lasting color which is
important in this Tucson sun.

The colors of the posts follow a modified color spectrum. The community wanted bright colors and they're gonna get it. I will be doing another application of paint over the next few days. I was pretty wiped out physically today; the temperature read just above the 90 degree point---whew!

Grijalva Park

2009-04-04T18:26:00.005-07:00

I recently experienced wiping out every painting I have done for several weeks. Needless to say, I welcomed the diversion of giving my attention to the public art for the new Grijalva Park in the Midvale neighborhood here in Tucson.

This is a view of the park as it is now, from the recently poured skateboard park.

I am fortunate to be working with Jerry Castillo, who is doing the plasma cutting of the steel figures.

Everything will be painted in bright colors. This is one of ten figures that will be on top of 8 foot steel posts separating the park from the adjacent Grijalva Elementary School.

In addition, there will be six large pieces that will be attached to light poles for signage: basketball and volleyball courts, skateboard park, ramada, playground and walking trail.

Teaching and Lovin' It

2009-03-01T18:18:00.005-07:00

I just finished a six-week session with beginning oil painting students and I think you will be as amazed as me when you see their progress. Please take a moment and look at the slide-shows.

This week promises to be a busy one. The live auction for the guitars for the Tucson Symphony is Saturday evening at the Star Pass Resort, and I still don't know what I'm going to wear;-) I scraped out almost all of the small paintings I did last week; maybe I was being hypercritical. Painting is an isolated experience that demands full attention and incredible discipline. When I was becoming unusually frustrated, I found myself doing really stupid things I knew I shouldn't do, and of course it was downhill from there.

I prefer to acknowledge these episodes as learning experiences. Tomorrow is another day, and also the chance to do a good painting.

Tucson Symphony Orchestra Art For Music Benefit Guitar is Finished!

2009-02-09T18:05:00.005-07:00

The guitar is finally finished! I am really looking forward to the Champagne and Dessert reception for the contributing artists this Wednesday. For information regarding the Art for Music Benefit and the live auction of the guitars please visit the TSO website.

Click on the following images for an enlargement.

Flora de la Luna

detail

sphinx moth detail

TSO Art For Music Guitar Update

2009-01-31T18:10:00.004-07:00

I don't have too much to go before I'm finished. I need to add a moon and stars, and I think the leaves at the bottom should be darkened. I have been using alkyd white to speed up the drying time. I have also changed the background from a solid dark blue to a gradient, which is much more effective. Click on images to enlarge.

Night Blooming Cereus, 48x36, oil on linen, Commission

2009-01-22T19:10:00.004-07:00

The painting in its new home.

TSO Guitar Progress

2009-01-10T15:19:00.003-07:00

Started the Guitar for the Tucson Symphony Music and Art Benefit

2009-01-06T19:06:00.002-07:00

Just beginning, and I hope, soon to finish. I decided to do Datura at night. The background you see right now is a light coat of diluted Burnt Umber, just to kill the whiteness of the gesso.

The background will be dark with stars and a few sphinx moths.

More tomorrow.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas and a Prayer Request

2008-12-22T20:57:00.003-07:00

David and I spent the day cleaning house while listening to Christmas music. I really wanted to go to the studio and continue a painting of pansies I started.

For those of you inclined to prayer, which I greatly believe in, please include the little boy across our street named Taylor, a two-year-old who has just been diagnosed with cancer of the eye. The tumor in/around his eye is 12mm and they are hoping to shrink it to 6mm and then I guess operate or freeze it. His father told us this morning that he has a permanent bruise on his forehead from falling down all the time. They didn't realize that he had almost no vision out of one eye.

Before going to his first chemo today, he came over with his Dad and delighted in spreading snow over the people in our Christmas village.

Daily Paintings December 2008

2008-12-18T16:44:00.001-07:00

Tucson Artist Colony Grand Opening

2008-12-09T18:01:00.003-07:00

Grand Opening for the Tucson Artist Colony is this Saturday, December 13th from 5-8pm, at the beautiful Placita de la Luna located on Castro, one block west of Stone (north) of Grant. This is where I have my studio and teach Beginning Drawing.
For more information about other artists who teach and have studios visit http://tucsonartistcolony.com/grand_opening.html.

Susan and Greg Alexander are an awesome couple. Tucson Artist Colony will soon be a place everyone has to visit.

Drawing Classes in Tucson

2008-11-24T13:21:00.003-07:00

I am offering two sessions of Beginning Drawing classes to begin in December. Classes will be held at Placita la Luna in a large beautifully remodeled studio located at Grant and Castro, one block west of Stone.

Sessions meet for three hours once a week for six weeks. Cost: $150.

To register, go to http://www.brendasemanick.com/classes.html

Painting From Life

2008-11-22T19:00:00.003-07:00

There is literally no other practice for an artist more powerful than to paint from life. Please look at the second blog I've started about Painting Every Day. I am following in the tradition of Duane Keiser to produce a painting a day.

The following are block-ins. I'm working on three small paintings at a time. The reasons are both technical and pragmatic. At some point, the paint becomes too wet to paint into and needs to set-up, or become "tacky"; the other is to change focus when a subject becomes too complicated or boring.

Art Classes in Tucson

2008-11-18T19:31:00.003-07:00

Susan and Greg just finished remodeling the most awesome studio space for classes in the same complex I have my studio.

I am now accepting registration from folks interested in taking a class in Beginning Drawing or Beginning Painting. Check out my page on Classes.

Without overstating things or exaggeration, I can teach anyone how to draw.

My New Studio

2008-09-28T20:26:00.002-06:00

Fishing at Conchas Lake with my Dad

2008-09-23T20:27:00.008-06:00

At the end of last month, I spent a week in Albuquerque with my family. Dad and I went fishing to Conchas lake. We caught fish all day long, but none reached the required fourteen inches to take home.

On the way back to Albuquerque I asked Dad if we could stop at the ghost town Cuervo. I wanted to go in all of the buildings, in retrospect, I wish I had. There are signs posted to "keep out". The old salon looks as though someone decided one day to close shop, and that was it. I loved every minute of my snooping. Time stood still.

Tamera, Ash and I went to Santa Fe for the day and ate at The Shed. Nothing like Mexican food in New Mexico-------HOT!

Hand-Made Ceramic Village

2008-07-04T18:30:00.003-06:00

I watched my friend Connie make the village that now sits in their backyard. Of course I love it because I LOVE miniatures. The door is the exit for their three cats. She hand-modeled all of the structures and animals from clay and then painted them with acrylic. Click on the photo below to go to the slideshow and enjoy!

Spry for Dreamweaver CS3

2008-07-01T16:52:00.003-06:00

It looked like it was gonna be easy, but that was before I considered IE!! I think we should get rid of the little browser brother that won't play by the rules.Egads! But persistence seems to be my call in life; David says I get like a terrier with a rat and won't stop until the rat is dead or the problem solved.

I have "fixed" almost all of my problems with IE, but then there is always another hurdle to jump. At one time, I had my sub-menu items lining up under their parents, but they are now again offset and the items for the sub-menu have a large gap. There really should be one place to go to find out how to hack all IE issues, but instead, one is left to search endless threads in forums. We all seem to have the same problem. I'm beginning to think it is some kind of secret and I don't know which club to join.

Anyone with a definitive answer for me, please write and share.

peace.

Summer Showing

2008-06-08T20:01:00.005-06:00

From now until August I have paintings on view at the galleries at Ventana Medical Systems in Oro Valley (map).

I'm also very busy with two public art projects: the new Grijalva Park, and the new Cushing Street Bridge. They both bring quite a bit excitement and challenge and I am loving every minute of it.

Below is a ceramic birdhouse I made for my friends Alex and Anita Oberlick who live in the Presidio Barrio. I modeled it from the look of many of the houses in Barrio Viejo.

Cool Art Watch

2008-05-10T17:47:00.002-06:00

I love this watch by Whimsical Watches. They have a gazillion different designs from cloggers to qwanza. The embellishments are molded and hand-painted.

Bridge Pier Revisted

2008-01-06T16:27:00.001-07:00

I have not made an entry to this blog since the end of July, which also means I didn't include pictures of the finished mural. School started at the same time with no rest in between and life has continued at a lightning pace since.