Art by Paul Potts

Octopi Pendants

2011-06-07T15:09:00.006-06:00

I tried a combination of materials to come up with some Octopi looking pendants. This first one is Murano glass that was a twisted wine stopper top that broke off. I melted it flat in the kiln and attached two sandblasted fork ends to it. One of them I used a little bit of the handle to curl over as the bail. I added a heavy chain to it and sold it the first night of the show.

That inspired me to create more.

The lighting is not so great in this photo, but the colors in the glass are just what I wanted for this piece.

The Year of the Octopus

2011-06-07T11:26:00.008-06:00

I really enjoyed making the paintings I did for this show. I wanted to go with the title of The Year of the Octopus, but not everyone did Octopus pieces. You can see that I stuck to the theme though - at least with the paintings.

"Last Battle for the Red Nebula" - one of my favorite from this show.

"Fetch" - the story is that the little girl mermaid is playing fetch with her pet octopus.

"Cephalopod Menace" - This 28" x 36" canvas looks so much more vibrant in real life. I might add to it though after the show if it doesn't sell.

This is a fun study on three canvases 8x10. It is a mixture of stenciling with spray paint and acrylics. Each one turne dout a little different.

This is one of my favorite pieces. The movement and interest that is created by connecting the three canvases drew the interest of a lot of people at the show.

"Se Calma Mi Pulpo" - "Be calm my octopus" seemed like a good title for this tender piece. It appealed most to a pregnant woman who wanted to put it in her nursery.

I will add more later.

CHAC Show photos

2011-06-07T11:05:00.006-06:00

Here are some photos from opening night. Everyone did a great job filling the space. There was a variety of pieces to choose from. Our preview party on Thursday night did really well with our previous patrons coming out and purchasing more work from us.

This is Suzanne and I. The shirt is the rocket silkscreen of mine that I added a little red octopus leaning out the window right before the opening.

Toby and his pieces. Some fantastic automata pieces. He also did etching in metal with the theme of UFOs obducting cows, etc.Steve did a range of flowers in color and size.

Ann and her works. She did a variety of clay pieces but the Octopi sculptures were my favorite.

Voodoo like I do

2011-05-19T15:31:00.004-06:00

I had this idea come to me in a dream after eating a lot of spicy food. A few Voodoo dolls in a shadow box with the title "Some People I'm Keeping an Eye On" and a larger showdow box with at least twenty dolls titled "How to Torment a Small Village". Other variations to follow. Here is a photo of the first one.

The eyes are made of buttons. The clothing is scrap cloth or lace edging. The hair is braided yarn. I got a positive response to it at the show.

Prolific like Picasso

2011-04-26T08:55:00.008-06:00

I recently took a trip to Virginia to visit my brother, Sam. While there, we planned an adventure to see the Picasso art exhibit at the Richmond Museum of Fine Art. What an amazing show. The huge collection was on loan from the Musée National Picasso in Paris while it was being renovated. It was a variety of the mediums he worked in (which is everything). There were easily over 300 pieces in the show.

There were several photos of Picasso and his studio that I had never seen before. Here is one with him and his cat.

While we were in Richmond, I wanted to see Noah Scalin's outdoor skull piece "United Skull Of America" which has silhouettes of all 50 states arranged to portray a human skull. It was displayed at the Main Art X Gallery (which is outside of the Main Art Supply store at Main and Lombardy). Noah wasn't there, but it is a very artsy neighborhood and has a great Sushi place nearby.

Cracks In Time and Space

2011-04-25T08:51:00.004-06:00

This is the latest acrylic painting. I have been thinking about Steampunk so much lately that I am leaning towards that theme in my work for the June show. I want to do about 12 paintings, but we'll see.

Quick Rug from found textile

2011-04-21T11:41:00.005-06:00

I found a ball of this strange felt at a thrift store and thought I would crochet something fun out of it. It seems to be the remnants of a large tye-dyed piece. I was trying for an 'organic feel' rug and ended up with this unusual shape. It is thick and soft to stand on, so it works.

Largest Sculpture I've Done - Back Patio Update

2011-04-20T14:39:00.009-06:00

On June 3, 2010, I posted about the back patio "750 square foot sculpture". Well, it is finally finished - at least the South side of the house. I wanted to post images of the final project. The idea was to create a large Sun and surround it with the planets (including the Dwarf Planets - Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris.)

Sandblasted Stone Gifts

2011-03-28T09:08:00.018-06:00

My good friend, Suzanne Sigona, had a housewarming this last Friday. I had helped her last month install a foyer table made of the same granite as her kitchen countertops.

From that, I used the leftover piece to make he a matching cheese cutting slab. I polished the sides and blasted a design in the top (which I cut out using my new Cricut machine).

Suzanne had given me a Port bottle she has saved and asked that I sandblast something into it for her housewarming. I have had it for months and of course waited until the last moment to blast it. But I found a really appropriate quote from Benjamin Franklin "Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.” I think she liked it.

Fused Glass Dishes and Plates

2011-03-22T13:20:00.005-06:00

Here are some glass pieces I've been working on this week. Thanks to my friend Janis who has the bigger kiln for fusing the larger platters. After I got the green one back from her, I blasted some detail around the edges. I did the same with a blue platter that had rough edges. The sand blasting does soften the edges of the glass.

I used the new Cricut Personal to cut the angel our of resist. I then adhered the resist to the glass and blasted around it. It looks like the angel is stepping on a cloud. I found a heart-shaped mold in the thrift store for a few bucks. I like how it turned out.

The last two are some experiments with a new clear/black/white spotted glass. It certainly adds flair to the orange. It is a combination of orange and black that doesn't appear to be Halloween-esque.

Skull & Crossbone TicTacToe Set

2011-03-22T11:56:00.005-06:00

I saw a similar idea for a fused glass tic-tac-toe set, but I wanted to embellish this a little more. I like how this one turned out. I will make more while perfecting the concept.

First Harvest of Honey

2011-03-21T13:14:00.010-06:00

The bees survived the winter! They started coming out of the hive again about two weeks ago. I was noticing that flies were gathering around the entrance, so I cleaned up the hive this last weekend and got it ready for Spring. I provided some fresh sugar water and pollen pattie to help the queen start making new brood. I also was able to harvest some honey - about 20 pounds worth. The bees had built comb going two directions and I wanted to remove that so they could have more efficient rows of comb for the summer. They still have plenty to help them make it through the next couple of months. This is the first chance I've had to try the honey in the comb from our hive. I cannot describe what wonderful is, but you will have to believe that it tasted wonderful! There are nuances of flavors from the lavender, hyssop, cherry, all of the blossoms from the garden. I put the honey-filled comb in containers and then cooked down the empty comb to make really fragrant pure wax. I might make some lip balm next weekend.

The Moon - Up Close

2011-03-21T11:34:00.005-06:00

I give credit to my brother Sam who has the same camera that I do - the Sony Alpha A230L Black 10MP Digital SLR Camera. He was able to take a similar photo of the moon way before I could. But it still amazes me that we were able to take this photo while HOLDING the camera. Technology has come a long way. I wonder if we would have been considered "in league with the devil" if we went back in time to show Galileo these images?

Cricut - the mini all-in-one cutter

2011-03-14T11:48:00.004-06:00

I'm really liking the Cricut Personal. I bought the Sure Cuts A Lot 2 software and now I'm making lots of resist cuts for the sandblaster. I find images that seem appealing and use Photoshop CS4 to make a stamp version of the image. Then I trace that image with the Sure Cuts A Lot software. It is that easy.

Here are some of the pieces I recently blasted.

Other Fused Glass Platters

2011-03-14T11:46:00.005-06:00

I almost smashed some of my larger pieces of glass the other day, so I decided I had better use them. I got some other molds in the last D&L visit, but I wanted to do a set of these square platters for the next book club dinner I host. Here are a few pieces that are in the works.

"Lava Flow" Sushi Dish set

2011-01-25T13:38:00.005-07:00

I used COE 96 glass for these (instead of COE 90). I think the colors are more spectacular and there seems to be more interesting patterns available in 96 - at least at D&L Glass where we have been shopping for the glass. What is a little disappointing is that the yellow was supposed to be orange and the red was supposed to be red. The same red that is in the swirling part of the large dish. I guess that is what you get when you buy from the discount bin.

Sweater Sleave Scarves

2011-01-18T10:22:00.002-07:00

I found an inovated pattern online for sweater sleave scarves. I bought some similar yarn-type sweaters, cut them up and then resewed them together to make these fun winter gifts.

Carlos Martinez Ofrenda

2011-01-18T10:21:00.004-07:00

Carlos was a good friend. He died back in 2006, but I had some of his possessions from when I cleaned out his apartment - little things like glasses, a homemade rosary, and some old photos. I have been wanting to put them together in a shadowbox to keep them together and have an ofrenda for remembering him. I displayed it at the Day of the Dead party and got many positive remarks about it from people who knew him.

Ofrendas are altars for deceased loved ones. They can also be in other forms but with the same purpose. It usually contains favorite items of that loved one such as their favorite food or candy. Since Carlos was diabetic, I put in a box of sugar free jello. We would have Jello every week when he would come over for Sunday Art Club.

He was a great mentor and a good friend. He is deeply missed.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Rest

2011-01-18T10:20:00.007-07:00

I found this great little seat at an estate sale. It had some worn 80s fabric on it, but I envisioned something better on it. I made a Lady of Guadalupe flip and stitch piece that I then attached to the cushion. It didn't take that long, but I like the results.

2011 Art Goals

2011-01-13T11:23:00.005-07:00

I rethought some of my 2010 goals and made them more obtainable, yet still challenging. I will try to post them as I achieve them.

Make a 2011 self-portrait

Start selling on Etsy.com

Have 10 art shows

Set up woodworking space in shed to be usable
Get back to doing animation and make a short film

Relearn some movie making applications

Make 30+ automata pieces - kinetic box sculptures/paintings/collages

Make a 'day of the dead' automata carnival - with at least 6 rides

Donate at least 10 art pieces to good causes

Learn more digital illustration software applications & 3-D rendering tools

Sculpt the stone boulder on the back porch

Make more silk-screens

Make more block prints

Make framed collage pieces of trips I’ve taken

Finish 10 paintings (start with paintings I never got around to finishing)

Sculpt more marble spheres

Take an art class

Maintain the art blog - 50 or more posts
Make and sell another 500 greeting cards in 2011
Make at least a piece of art for each day in 2011 – be prolific like Picasso

2010 Art Goals Revisited

2011-01-13T10:33:00.005-07:00

I just recently discovered Seth Godin. He had a very relevant and pithy quote related to my "Goals" post - "Real artists ship." Godin uses ship to mean completion of any project, personal or professional.
He points out that not shipping is just an expression of fear of failure. In his failing is as much of being an artist as shipping. In this post on Tim Burton, Seth sums it up succinctly:
One key element of a successful artist: ship. Get it out the door. Make things happen.
The other: fail. Fail often. Dream big and don't make it. Not every time, anyway.

His post named YearInReview 2010 encouraged to post the following list.

Here is the list I posted last year of art goals I wanted to accomplish. I have added the comments to whether they were accomplished or not.

make a 2010 self-portrait - I made several, but I have to decide which will be the official one.
get back to doing animation and make a short film - No
relearn some movie making applications - No
start selling on Etsy.com - No
finish kinetic box sculptures/paintings/collages - started. I hope to do many in 2011 and show them in the June show
make a 'day of the dead' kinetic carnival - with at least 6 rides - No
donate 10 art pieces to good causes - finished 3/14/10
learn more digital illustration software applications & 3-D rendering tools - No
sculpt the stone boulder on the back porch - No, but I sculpted many other large stones.
make more silk-screens - No
make more block prints - No
start Flickr account - Started 2/10/10
make glass dinnerware for 10 settings in kiln by May - finished June, 2010
make Carlos Martinez memorial shadowbox - finished October 2010
make framed collage pieces of trips I’ve taken - No
maintain the art blog - 50 posts isn't great for a year, but it was updated with new art pieces.
sculpt more marble spheres - No
take an art class in oil painting - No
make and sell another 500 greeting cards in 2010 - Finished - I sold about 700 cards this last year.
Make at least a piece of art for each day in 2010 – be prolific like Picasso - No

Not to make excuses, but the back patio did take up a lot of my art time last year. I still have lots to do with laying stoen in the yard, but I am going to try to balance it a little better with the wood pieces I want to make. Several of the goals I didn't accomplish, I am going to add to my list for 2011.

A Scarf for my mum

2010-12-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

I made a scarf for my mom (who lives in Tucson). She loved it and wore it often while I was there (the evenings did get down into the 40s). I noticed while posting this that she is also wearing one of my fused glass pendants that I gave her.

The gift of The Daily Book of Art

2010-12-27T14:31:00.001-07:00

I got a great book for Christmas (from Steve) called The Daily Book of Art by Colin Gilbert and seven other collaborators.

It is a good motivator when you have a mental block or just not inspired to do art. It talks about those who have done great works and where they got their inspiration from. There is an entry for Dia De Los Muertos, stolen art, museum mess ups displaying an artist's work, the history of the fig leaf, notable stolen art stories, and so much more.

Day of the Dead Party 2011

2010-11-13T13:55:00.012-07:00

I love Day of the Dead - everything about it. I've always wanted to have a party with that theme. Since I have been collecting Dead art and memorabilia for over 10 years, I had plenty to decorate the whole house. The mantle alone was "101 Happy Skulls". About 30 people attending. Many brought Day of the Dead trinkets for the host in order to receive extra raffle tickets where they could win door prizes which were in turn extra Day of the Dead trinkets that I didn't need. It really was a win/win situation. I made about 20 Day of the Dead pieces of art this year. The party must have really inspired me. Here are some photos from that great party.

Day of the Dead Fabric Collage piece

2010-11-06T13:11:00.001-06:00

I quilted and embellished this piece for the Day of the Dead show at CHAC (2010). The main skull image was a t-shirt I had that was impossibly too small, but perfect for an art piece. The overall size is 22 x 28.

Other Day of the Dead Show art

2010-11-06T13:06:00.001-06:00

Here are some other pieces I had at the CHAC Dia de los Muertos show 2010.

I blasted some "Dia" stones. I sold about 20 of them.

I also blasted several bottles. This one had a blasted stopper as well.

New stone fetishes and sculpture

2010-08-17T13:53:00.008-06:00

Here are some sculptures that I had at a show in August. A vendor a couple of booths down gave me/traded me for some stones to use on the fetishes.

Bender is the (robot) man!

2010-08-17T13:43:00.005-06:00

This is the 4th or 5th sandblasted Bender bottle I have done. They seem to be very popular. To avoid any copywrite issues, it is probably the last one I will do.

Here are some other bottles that I had for sale at the Country Fair Nursury show on August 12th.

Some fused glass pendants

2010-07-29T15:22:00.023-06:00

Here are a few of the fused glass pendants I have made lately. I realized I hadn't posted any for awhile. I am still making them ever week.

More Striped Glass

2010-07-22T19:00:00.007-06:00

Janis and I bought molds for doing the very thing I tried with the brown and black striped glass. I fused that one by surrounding it with fiber board and kiln blocks. This mold isn't very tall, but it can create a 1" x 2 1/2" x 61/4" block of glass.

I then cut it into 3/16" slices.

Then made into jewelry and a 10"x10" plater.

Mead Making

2010-07-19T10:37:00.004-06:00

I've been making Mead (honey wine) since May 2010. The first batch (orange spice) didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. I used a recipe off the internet that used baker's yeast instead of winemaker's yeast. You can still taste the fowl taste of fermenting yeast in it. I hope it gets better over time, but more hope is in batch #2 - Peach mead. I also have a third batch that is a pyment - grapes mixed with the honey. The grapes are from our garden! Can't wait to try that one.

Fused glass small dishes

2010-06-29T11:14:00.003-06:00

Here are a few small dishes that I have made in the small kiln. I certainly have been learning how long to soak the glass in order to not melt it too far. It starts to puddle into the center if it goes to long which makes the edges curved and look "wobbly".

Fused glass dessert plates

2010-06-09T15:06:00.008-06:00

Now that my friend, Janis, has a bigger kiln, I am able to do larger glass pieces. These are 10 inch round plates with a square base. I wanted to do a design to use with different colors so it looks like a set, but each dish is different. I want to make at least ten of these to serve dessert at book club. I'm really liking how they are turning out.

Liberty poster for ACLU

2010-06-03T14:35:00.003-06:00

I was commissioned to do a poster for ACLU in Denver for Pridefest 2010. This is the one they selected out of 5 drafts.

Bee House

2010-06-03T14:24:00.009-06:00

I have been SO distracted by my new bee hive. The bees are truly interesting creatures. The Top Bar Hive (TBH) I created for them also includes an observation window. It has allowed me to see their progress in building their comb. Within 5 weeks, they have filled fifteen hanging bars with double-sided comb! I built in an observation window so that I could see their progress.

Here are some photos of the TBH being built and the final design.

750 square foot stone sculpture

2010-06-03T14:16:00.009-06:00

The focus of summer 2010 was a huge installation sculpture otherwise known as the Back Patio. It has been 4 years in the making. I dunno...I might have made it more complicated than it had to be, but I need to be surrounded by art and the space just called out for something...spectacular. The idea was to create a large Sun and surround it with the planets (including the Dwarf Planets - Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris.) The pathway and sitting area around the West side of the house will need to be finished next summer.

A lot of work, but it moved along quickly considering that this is a photo from April 2010. There was still about 4 tons of dirt to move out, a French drain to dig and a 80 foot wall to put up before the patio could begin.

Hat and scarf

2010-06-03T14:00:00.004-06:00

I finished these after I discovered circle knit looms. These are so easy to make. You really can't tell the difference between these and something that has been knitted without being a knitting pro.

Fused glass of the week

2010-03-29T13:15:00.006-06:00

Here are some fused glass pieces I have been working on. I have been experimenting with fusing pieces of glass to create a block, then slice it with the wet saw. It is hard to see the details in them, but they are turning out well. The piece at the bottom is dull because it was just cut, but it clears up when it goes into the kiln a second time.

my new hat

2010-03-29T13:14:00.003-06:00

I crocheted a Sherpa-like hat for those cold winter days. Of course, I finish it the week that the temp is in the 70s. Oh well, Old Man Winter will return.

New stone sculptures in March

2010-03-29T12:04:00.009-06:00

Here are some more pieces I made this month.

New stone sculptures in March

2010-03-10T14:04:00.011-07:00

I had some time and enough nice weather this last weekend to work on some stone sculptures. I promised one for a fundraiser that is next weekend, so I felt the pressure of getting something finished. I haven't tried a large horse before. I'm not loving the ears, but I think with a 'taller' sone, I could manage the ears standing up and pointing forward. The lighter rabbit is made from a scrap piece of onyx. It turned out better than I expected and plan on making more. I polished it more after I took this photo.

Another Outdoor Chess Board

2010-03-04T14:02:00.006-07:00

I got another commission for an out door chess board after a patron visited my CHAC show last June and saw the one I had there that was already sold. Here are some images:

Gryffindor Scarf

2010-02-10T14:27:00.005-07:00

I've wanted a scarf like this since HP year 2. No one would make it for me, so I knitted one for myself.

Heart Show 2010 - Moving Parts

2010-01-30T15:50:00.003-07:00

I made other hearts for the CHAC Heart Show. These were made with clock parts so that I could have spacecraft circumnavigating the planets.

2010 Art Goals

2010-01-26T13:40:00.012-07:00

This is a little late in posting, but I have to make goals to push myself out of the happy, comfortable box I'm in. I try not to "compare" my lists to others lists and I don't intend to flaunt my list - only to ask for encouragement from my artist friends. If you think I'm nuts for making such goals, well, that is fine. I'm still going to list them. My 20 art goals for 2010 are:

make a 2010 self-portrait
get back to doing animation and make a short film
relearn some movie making applications
start selling on Etsy.com
finish kinetic box sculptures/paintings/collages
make a 'day of the dead' kinetic carnival - with at least 6 rides
donate 10 art pieces to good causes - finished 3/14/10
learn more digital illustration software applications & 3-D rendering tools
sculpt the stone boulder on the back porch
make more silk-screens
make more block prints
start Flickr account - finished 2/10/10
make glass dinnerware for 10 settings in kiln by May - finished June, 2010
make Carlos Martinez memorial shadowbox
make framed collage pieces of trips I’ve taken
maintain the art blog
sculpt more marble spheres
take an art class in oil painting
make and sell another 500 greeting cards in 2010
Make at least a piece of art for each day in 2010 – be prolific like Picasso

Heart Show 2010

2010-01-20T13:15:00.006-07:00

I will have a few hearts at the CHAC Heart Show this year. "Milagros del Corazon " will be held at the Space Gallery (across the street from CHAC) on February 13th. The doors will open at 6:00. Here are my entries.

Home Show 12/12/09

2010-01-20T13:11:00.006-07:00

The Home Show went really well. The house was open from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. It took about two weks to take down all of the artwork that was hanging int he front rooms and replace it with pieces for sale. About 70-80 people came through the house that day to share some holiday cheer and to look through art from previous shows. Here are some photos.

Flickr Friends

2010-01-06T11:36:00.007-07:00

I have several friends posting their photographs to Flickr. I have added a page of my own work at this site:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulpeppyhare/

Anyhow, a friend at work drew my attention to Flickr when she showed me some of her recent digital creations. I liked this one so much that I bought a 11x14 of it from her. It is hanging at my work place.

See Some of Nancy's other work here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/simplynano/

Dichroic Glass in Mixed Media Art

2010-01-06T11:17:00.005-07:00

Whle in Napa, I got to see some of Gordon Huether's pieces where he uses "home made" dichroic fused glass mixed with metal and other materials. One that impressed me was a shadow box with branches without bark in front of a piece of dichroic that reflected the wood in a red hue. That is hanging in the Artesa Winery. More details can be found in the links below.

http://www.gordonhuether.com/

http://blog.glassquarterly.com/2009/09/24/prolific-public-artist-gordon-huether-unveils-latest-glass-sculpture/

More Blasted Bottles

2010-01-06T11:16:00.002-07:00

I found some great shaped bottles and glassware lately to sandblast. I added some of the results here.

Art Framing

2009-11-10T08:25:00.004-07:00

One of the best jobs I ever had was working for a custom frame shop. It didn't pay very well, but I really enjoyed seeing new art every day and discussing the most flattering way to present the client's artwork.

I've bought and created several art pieces over the last few months that I put in the "need to be framed pile". I started getting to those this week, because the pile had started getting in my way. I have a shed full of frames waiting to be filled and mat-cutting tools to do most of the mat designs I want. It is finding the time to do the framing that has been the challenge.

The other problem is finding a place to display the art after it is framed. I love art. I love collecting art that speaks to me. I hate not being able to see all of the pieces in my collection at all times. I'm still working on that problem.

New Places, New Artists

2009-10-01T10:27:00.005-06:00

I just got back from a road trip up to Canada and discovered some talented artists along the way. There is a great Museum in Jackson Hole, WY named The National Museum of Wildlife Art. It contains a significant collection of contemporary wildlife art. My favorite pieces were by artist Carl Rungius. His work is colorful and interesting. Some of his works are just animals posing, but the best works in my mind are the ones that tell a story about nature that humans don't see.

Red Fox, 1933 by Carl Rungius, (1869-1959, Germany, active U.S. post 1894) Oil on Canvas, 30 x 40

Chili Harvest Festival photos

2009-09-04T12:01:00.011-06:00

The Chili Harvest Festival was held at the Lakewood Heritage Center. It was a great venue and a beautiful weekend for the event. About 1000 people came through over the two days. There was entertainment and great food. The smell of roasted chilis permeated the air all weekend. I debuted my glass pendants and got some great compliments on them.

Glass Bugs

2009-09-04T12:01:00.008-06:00

I want to get more diverse than just glass pendants with the kiln. I have been experimenting with mixing other materials in with the glass - including various wires. Below are some of the first bugs that I put together. The beads on the antennae were added after kilning.

Some wire does not fire well. "Kiln wire" has no coating that burns off during the firing. But really, any wire will work. You just need to be careful that the burn off doesn't fly into the glass or it will be permanently lodged there. You can just cover the wire with little strips of kiln paper and then wipe off the wire when it comes out of the kiln. Some wire, like 10 gauge bailing wire, get a really neat patina effect on it.

garden photos

2009-08-14T08:53:00.006-06:00

I know I just posted some garden shots, but the garden changes every other week and I am trying to get out there and see the details as often as I can because I know winter is coming and I will miss the garden while it is dormant.

glass works

2009-08-14T08:49:00.005-06:00

Here are a few of the glass pieces that I have finished this week. I am loving the kiln and I was thankful the electric bill only went up $20. I was fearing that the electric bill would be $400 or more with running the kiln every day. Yes, I run it every day after I get home from work and on the weekends, I sometimes run it 2 times in one day. There are endless combinations of color and texture.

Finished Sculptures from previous posting

2009-07-08T13:52:00.008-06:00

Remember these? I posted the carved stone images that weren't quite finished yet. Here they are finished. I got some great feedback on all of them. I plan on making many more this summer. Send me a comment on what you would like to see.

My first fused glass piece

2009-07-07T15:24:00.007-06:00

Here is the first fused glass piece I've made.

10" x 10" x 3"

I made this at a clay and glass do-it-yourself shop a block from work. As I mentioned in a previous blog, I recently got a glass kiln for fusing small pieces. I got up the nerve to actually start trying a few pieces with mixed results. I can see why they suggest to keep a firing journal. Sometimes the kiln gets too hot or cools down too fast. The first small piece didn't fuse all the way and the second one (with questionable COE pieces) cooled down too fast and had small cracks in it. The one planned for tonight is some "real" COE90 pieces that I hope will fuse correctly. I'll post an image if it does.

Yard Art in the Garden

2009-06-23T21:25:00.008-06:00

For this last art show, I made stone sculptures specifically to put in the garden. I used high heat paint to emphasize the features of most of the stones, which will hold up in the daily extreme in temperature and moisture. They were very popular at the show.

Garden Wolf 8" x 8" x 2"

Garden Cat 1 - 8" x 10" x 3"

Garden Rabbit - 8" x 12" x 2"

Garden Cat 2 - 10" x 8" x 2"

A Garden Full of Art

2009-06-23T20:12:00.005-06:00

I have been so into weeding and prepping pathways for stone that I have missed just how much "art" that is happening in the garden. There are thousands of blossoms which means that the garden is alive with creatures that need flowers to live. There are bees, butterflies, dragonflies, flies, millipedes, ladybugs and hummingbird moths feeding to their fill. The bugs have been bringing a beautiful variety of birds to the yard as well - including Robins, Grackles and Woodpeckers. Looking closer to the worlds within the garden, I see details of the amazing art that Nature creates - wasp nests, tomatillo husks from last year's crop that have turned into a fine messed sack, and a Preying Mantis egg nest stuck to the vegetable garden fence. I need to remember to take time this summer to photograph the many wonders of my own garden or at least I need to "take time to smell the roses".

Bumble Bees on Lupins

"Hair" Aliums

"Candy" Rose with blue glass garden art

CHAC Show 2009 opening photos

2009-06-11T15:07:00.004-06:00

The opening nights of the show went so much better than I expected. We all had a great time and most of us sold very well. Here are some images of the setup and the friends who came by.

The stone table (click to enlarge)

Celebrating the sale of the outdoor chess board!

"Stone Smile" just invites you to give it a kiss. Go on, give it a kiss.

Thanks to Site Sensations for the new "face" for paulpotts.com!

2009-06-11T14:50:00.003-06:00

My good friends at Site Sensations (http://www.sitesensations.com/) did an excellent job reworking my blogger page to look like a power seller's web site. THEY CAN DO IT FOR YOU TOO! Give them a chance to price a site where you can sell your wares. Then you have a site that pays for itself. It is much easier than most people think. They can even set up an easy click and purchase process with your PayPal account. I love it! Thank you Des and Josh!

A new toy

2009-05-03T20:52:00.001-06:00

I got a new toy last month - a glass kiln for fusing glass! I'm excited. I have totally run out of space for toys, but I will move things around to make it work! It came with a workbench, a small glass grinder, and buckets of glass!

I have a couple friends who make glass fused jewelry and just talking with them and seeing what they can do get me jazzed about getting started with my own designs and art pieces.

I will post photos of them as soon as they come out of the kiln!

Supporting new artists

2009-03-04T20:03:00.009-07:00

The thing I like about CHAC is that it supports young artists get started in the art world. I especially like purchasing art from a "new" artist. I bought my first piece of art when I was in 7th grade. It was a mermaid weeping on a rock. I saw it on the shelf in the art room and went to go ask the teacher how I go about buying someone's art. I remember, she looked at me with such surprise and realizing I was serious told me to approach the artist with why I liked the piece. If the artist was open to the discussion, then I could bridge the idea of buying the piece from the artist. If the artist was open for that, start the negotiation with a price I thought was fair to the artist. I offered $7 for that mermaid. It was all I had in my pocket. Luckily, the artist accepted and I still treasure the piece today.

The latest artist who I love to support by purchasing her work is Amanda Wahl. She is a student at Denver University and has some fresh ideas about subject matter. When she has a website, I'll let her interpret her own pieces, but I think her pieces speak volumes on their own.

Time to sculpt

2009-03-04T19:34:00.010-07:00

The ice has broken and the warm weather is trying to return to the Mile High City. I had a chance to focus on sculpting stone outside last weekend. These are the "raw" pieces I'm developing for the June show. I will post them again once I finish them. One of the things I love about stone is converting a rough, abrasive hunk of stone into a smoother-than-paper, shiny surface. That in itself is an art form.

Bear, Abstract, Woman, Bird

Oh, and I have a new appreciation for the stone-masters. It is a risky medium. My hands are bruised and scarred from one weekend of work.

CHAC Heart Show 2009

2009-02-09T21:20:00.007-07:00

The CHAC Heart Show is this Friday. It is the biggest fundraiser for the gallery of the year. Most members and friends of the gallery decorate the a masonite heart to donate back to the gallery. It opens the door for some great creativity. The Heart Show has been going on for ten years now, so needless to say, some folks have started seriously collecting the best hearts they can find. I'm one of those. I have about 25 hearts in my collection and hope to add a few more to that this year.

There is always music, food, a live auction with other donated art, and lots of people - it's just a big Valentines party.

Here are the hearts I made for donation this year. I always try to do one with a rooster and hen theme. I also did a polymer clay sculpture of a mermaid. She is spilling a sea shell full of gold and silver coins. The title is "Buy Me Love". The third I cut out of my own stock of masonite so I could have outspread wings. I added a heart-shaped jewelry box with a heart milagro. The title is "Milagro del Corazon".

Art shows in 2009

2009-02-02T15:58:00.003-07:00

I am booked for the month of June at the CHAC gallery, 772 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO. I'm hoping to have an extensive collection of stone sandblasted sculptures for sale art that show. Maybe some paintings too.

I'm going to host an artist sale at the house sometime this summer. Maybe early April depending on the weather. Artist friends bring things to sell as well as lots of my own art - cards, matted block prints, framed art, sculpture, sandblasted glass, miniature paintings and more.

I'll post updates of other shows when they become a reality.

Dia de los Muertos 2008

2008-11-07T08:37:00.007-07:00

I love the idea of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It is intended to be a Celebration of Life - a Day of Rebembrance. I grew up in Tucson, Arizona, where there was an infusion of Mexican culture and traditions, but it wasn't until I moved to Denver and became a member of CHAC that I became a fan of Dia de los Muertos. Now I have a huge collection of Day of the Dead art. The art usually depicts the dead as skeletons who have returned for the day to celebrate and participate in activities that they enjoyed when they were alive. It is meant to be happy, not grim in any way. I would think that it helps talk to children about death and make it less scary for them.

Here are some pieces I made for the show this year.

"Kitchen Helpers" - cut sponge in shadow box.

Sandblasted stones - I sold about 30 various stones and glass with smiling skull images on them.

Skullking - blasted antique mirror.

Tri-color silkscreen

2008-10-08T21:57:00.003-06:00

I added two more colors to the robot silkscreen to make it more interesting. The lightning bolt from the gun and electricity coming from the rod on the robot's head is the first layer. The background to the robot is the second layer. and the black outline is the third.

I learned a lot doing this myself and without a hinge screening setup. Lesson learned: don't try to line them up freehand. But I had fun doing these. I made about 50 prints on shirts and about 10 prints on paper and canvas.

People loved the robot on the button up shirts. Not surprising when you see the saturated t-shirt market. I like what I saw Eighty Eight brand doing with the striped button-up long-sleeves. I'm already thinking about future silkscreen patterns that would work well on blazers and classy long-sleeves.

Rockets and Robot cutouts

2008-10-01T14:56:00.004-06:00

I needed some real fun in my life this month (September), so I created some wood cutouts to go around my rocket and robot paintings. We'll see how popular they are at the October show, but they were real fun to make. I wanted to add some interest to the presentation at CHAC Norte. There is so much wall space that there needed to be some cohesiveness to the wall. I would love to make them more kinetic - like turning a crank would more the robot's arm. I might not have that done for this show, but will be in the works for future shows.

I also wanted to do these, because they were easier to do than stone sculptures. I wanted to mix in the "beginnings" of the stone work I've been doing, but I really only have three pieces finished. That doesn't really look that impressive in a show. I'm glad I didn't add them, because I just learned that there is going to be another stone artist showing this month at CHAC. Her work is MUCH more advanced than mine. Her level of detail and smooth finish is where I hope to be in a year or so. I know I have the tools for it but the time isn't so readily available these days. And you really can't rush stone.

Sandblasted Stemware Sets

2008-09-10T09:52:00.005-06:00

I made this set of sandblasted wine glasses for a work mate who stopped by the show. I had some other stemware at the show that generated a buzz. I got three more commissions for additional sets, so I'm planning on working more with glass. They aren't too complicated, just time consuming. I could see making these sets and having them available at the CHAC gallery on an ongoing basis.

The small stones were also popular. People wanted to commission specific words and images on them, but for $4 a piece that isn't much profit.

Art du jour 9-9-08

2008-09-09T13:32:00.007-06:00

I have been looking for some 4"x4" frames for over a year to put these etched mirrors in. I finally found some and they work well with the silver of the mirror. I saved the images to blast in stone later on, but I thought these would make an interesting display. I want to experiment with blasting the front and the back of mirrors to create a layered effect.
(These sold in the October show.)

October 2008 show at CHAC Norte

2008-09-09T13:32:00.005-06:00

I will be showing again next month in CHAC’s North gallery, CHAC Norte, located at 774 Santa Fe Drive. I plan on showing sandblasted stone furniture and sculpture. I rented a large space, so we'll see how much I can get ready for this show.

I have outdoor tables ready to blast now. I'm using botanicals and outdoor themes, including butterflies and flowers. I'm also thinking about layered glass table top blasting. I've experimented with glass plates, but it might be a challenge to go to the bigger size. Should be fun to try and beautiful if they turn out.

Sandblasted Marble spheres

2008-09-09T13:30:00.007-06:00

These have been popular. I’ve found some solid marble spheres in several places, including a couple 2 inch ones on my recent Tucson trip. I'm selling the 4 inch spheres for $45 each and have sold a few already.

Sponsors make an art show great

2008-09-09T13:29:00.001-06:00

The show opening went really well. The First Friday crowd was smaller than usual due to cloudy weather, but there were still about a thousand people through the gallery over the weekend. We had some great sponsors. Julia Blackbird’s Restaurant provided appetizers on Thursday night for our preview party. Mountain Man Fruit & Nut Company donated 600 pieces of wrapped candy. It was the perfect sanitary thing to have available for our guests and surprisingly no mess. I’m not sure why people will throw a wrapper away, but they leave cups and plates all over a gallery, including on top of art sitting on tables. We also had Country Fair Nursery donate half a dozen potted Fall containers to display around the gallery. We got many complements on the above donations. So, many, many thanks to our sponsors and friends who helped out with this show.

Silk-screens

2008-09-09T13:25:00.010-06:00

I needed some way of producing the same image over and over for this idea I had for the robots, so I got out the silkscreen kit I had and made a couple in only a few hours. I had forgotten how easy it was when you don’t have to stretch your own silkscreen. I did a robot and a spaceship that I used in several pieces for my September show. Just like any medium, I learn with every new piece the things NOT to do the next time.

The kit came with drawing fluid and masking fluid, so one of the easiest ways to make a silkscreen is actually drawing on the silkscreen what you want to be inked on the surface of your art form. You can even correct any “over-spill” of this preliminary masking liquid after it is washed off. So cool! These two are just outline silk-screens, but after this show, I want to make some multi-colored prints using 3 or 4 silk-screens.

Rainbow Invasion, Silkscreen on paper, 14x24, 2008.

Zap I, II, III, silkscreen on crackled acrylic canvas. 5x7, 2008.

New Robots

2008-09-09T12:59:00.006-06:00

Here are some images of the new robots. They are going to be in the September show. I don’t have anywhere near the number of pieces like I’ve had in previous shows. Well, unless you count every card and small stone a separate piece – then I probably have more pieces in a show than ever before.

Robot Toy, 30x30 Acrylic on canvas. Comes with toy.

Oblivious of the Destruction, 18x48 Acrylic on canvas.

Detail from Oblivious of the Destruction.

September Show flyer with times

2008-09-09T12:57:00.003-06:00

This is our show flyer for the September 2008 show. I’m showing with 5 other artists. We named the show Nuestro Otoño, meaning Our Autumn. I like the graphic and the look of the card, but I think that there is a major advantage to putting samples of each artist’s work on the card. People see something that looks like what they would want to own and they’re motivated to come take a closer look. A show’s works don’t have to look the same or match a color scheme for people to get a sense of what will be showing. I think we didn’t do that this time because I didn’t want to spend the time in Photoshop editing six different images like I’ve done in previous shows. Lesson learned.

I plan on showing a dozen rocket and robot paintings, silk-screens, and illustrations. I’m also setting up a table for my sandblasted stone and glassware. I’m also going to try selling some greeting cards. The items on the tables are low price-point pieces that get people to stop and look.

If you’re in Denver during the month of September, stop by the CHAC gallery at 8th and Santa Fe Drive to check out my new pieces.

Block Printing

2008-08-04T19:22:00.000-06:00

I bought myself a small present awhile back. A Blick Econo Etch Model II printing press. I’m starting small, but I’ve made some interesting linoleum cuts this year. I need to make the time to create some more. I’ve sold about 2 dozen prints so far, so the press has paid for itself already. I'm saving up for a press like Picasso had. I saw it in his home (now museum) in Paris. It was beautifully ornate and looked to be about 24 inches wide with a 6 foot table. The closest I can find like it for sale these days is this: http://www.dickblick.com/zz450/35/ I'll have to keep looking for a better example.

Here are some of my favorite blocks that I’ve done this last year.

The New Couple. 5x7, 2007

Contemplative Angel. 11x14, 2007.

Pincher Series I. Six 5x7 prints, 2007.

Self-portraits

2008-08-04T19:21:00.003-06:00

I started putting myself in my art as far back as 7 years old. I did a small oil painting of me sitting on a park bench, Jesus sitting on a red rainbow and God hidden in the universe beyond.

I have a portrait from almost every year since. Some are more intentional than others. Here are a few.

I intend to organize them all in one place someday. They’d make for an interesting display if I had any more wall space to hang them. You can tell I love trying different art forms. I’ve created my likeness in oil, collage, charcoal, photographs, paint-by-number, clay and digital art.

Robots Robots and more Robots

2008-08-04T19:15:00.002-06:00

The buzz is big about ROBOTS. I’ve wanted to create a series of robots doing things that you wouldn’t think they’d be trying or doing. I did a series earlier this year, before the WALL-E craze, of robots “discovering” butterflies. They turned out cuter than I had intended, but that’s what you get when working with butterflies.

Robot Meeting Butterfly I, II, III, IV, 11x14 Acrylic on canvas. I sold this set in August 2008.

Handmade Collage Greeting Cards

2008-08-04T17:10:00.000-06:00

I’ve been creating and selling collage greeting cards for the last 5 years now. I’ve been selling them fairly regular at a coffee shop in downtown Denver called Curious Coffee. Well, last week, I was asked if I wanted to sell in a bookstore in Golden, CO. Not like I’m trying to get ready for an art show coming up in September or anything, but I committed to 50 cards the first week of August. I have about 25 done so far. I never pressure myself.

Here are a few examples.

Inviting people in

2008-07-29T17:31:00.000-06:00

Many people have asked me if handing out business cards are worth it. I think that depends on what you consider worth it. If I was a "fell-time" artist (unfortunately my computer knowledge pays the bills), then I would feel I needed to get my name out there as much as possible. I've had dozens of business cards, personally and professionally, and my experience is that about 1 in 100 people ever use the information on the card to contact you. I think that is worth it - especially since I print my own business cards and the cost is about 2 cents a piece. Usually, the contacts are wanting a piece of art they were undecided about at a show. Any sale helps. I think everyone should have at least one business card. You never know when people might decide they want what you're selling.

A few words about other artists named Paul Potts

2008-07-25T18:52:00.002-06:00

I am NOT the British Opera singer, Paul Potts. I am the American multi-media artist, Paul Potts.
You wouldn’t think it was that common of a name, but I had similar troubles of mistaken identity back in high school. When I was a freshman there was a senior also named Paul Potts. We even had art class together! He was also a very talented artist – beautiful illustrations. I think he owns a hair salon in Tucson, Arizona these days. Anyhow, I remember a couple times when I was called into the principal's office for misdemeanors that my namesake had committed. That was exciting – let me tell you.

If you are interested in the singer artist Paul Potts, click here. http://www.paulpottsuk.com/frontpage

And no, I don’t sell his CDs here…but you can find them at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000UAE87Q/denverreadandfee/104-8119966-3691960

Selling Small, Making Big

2008-07-24T17:06:00.000-06:00

One of the things I’ve learned about selling art is that you have to have some sort of low price point items for sale. I have sold more than four times the dollar amount of small items than the total of medium to large item sales at a show. It makes sense that more people would be willing and able to buy smaller items, but the point is, you have to have enough small items available to purchase.

A good example is the small sandblasted stones that I am making every day. I could easily sell 100 of them at $4 each before I sell one $400 stone sculpture. The key is how much time is being spent on making the art. I might take 16 hours to create a large sculpture. To make the math easy, let’s say I want to make $25 an hour as an artist. That would mean I would charge $400 plus material costs for that sculpture. But when I consider the small stone that I try to spend less than 10 minutes creating. If I charge $4 a piece, that means I am making about $24 an hour. That includes the material cost too, so really it comes to be only about $20 an hour. I have been known to give away a few small stones at a show, so that profit just plummeted to about $14 an hour when I create the small stones versus when I create the large sculptures. But the key is, I really sell the small stones well. Plus, they are fun to make. So, the true lesson is, keep my day job and create the art with no regard to how much money I am making.

Pet Portraits

2008-07-18T23:18:00.000-06:00

I've been doing pet portraits for several years now. I love doing cartoon/characteristic looking images of animals. The first one I did was of my beloved companion, Prancer. She had been my buddy for 14 years now and she still seems healthy and happy. She has a very distinctive personality, but for the most part, seems disinterested in the goings on with the rest of the world. The exception is when other animals are in her kingdom. She tolerates the other two house cats, but she has chased dogs out of the yard on more than one occasion. I hope this portrait lasts through time to be a monument of this artist's beloved cat.

The artist Carlos Martinez

2008-07-17T16:58:00.000-06:00

My friend and mentor artist Carlos Martinez died back in 2006, but I still miss him. His presence in still in my life, because I have dozens of his pieces of art on display in the house. What I miss most is the motivation and inspiration he provided when we talked about art and artists.

Carlos was a prolific artist, especially in the 80s after his divorce and the tough years that followed. His pieces are filled with interspection and sometimes you see a deep level of grief in the eyes of his creatures. I think that is easier to see when you view his body of work. You can get a better understanding of the artist from several pieces than from one that might seem "scary" or "dark". They don't look that way to me. I feel their connection to Carlos' Experience of Life.

I wish I could find a way to put his works online - even create a web page dedicated to his complete works. His family owns the largest number of his pieces, but he left me his slide portfolio that contains over 400, well-documented, images. Someday soon, they will find their way to a place where people can view and enjoy the works of Carlos Martinez.

Paul

Sandblasted works by Mike Penny

2008-07-16T18:51:00.000-06:00

Talking about sandblasting, Mike Penny really is the one that got me into the medium. Awhile back, we started talking about his idea of creating faux relics. It is a time when people are willing to buy an ancient-looking stone without having to pay the price of a true relic. I love the idea of taking a new piece of art and half-burying it in your yard for guests to discover and be in awe.

Even though I have my own sandblaster now, I still purchase Mike's pieces because he finds such great stone to work with and comes up with some incredible designs. Here is a piece I commissioned from him after I saw a similar piece he had done (that is a quarter in the bowl to give an idea of how large it is):

Mike Penny's website where you can purchase his blasted wonders is:
http://www.archembellishments.com/

What image or words would you leave in a long-lasting medium like stone?

Paul

View Other Artists

2008-07-15T23:26:00.014-06:00

Here are sites of artists I know and some I wish I knew in person.

Marcos Lima - Painter
http://www.artbythebit.com/Art_by_the_Bit/Welcome.html
My good friend. He inspires me to try new mediums!

Mike Penny - Sandblaster
http://www.archembellishments.com/
Mike is just like me. He has enough ideas for three lifetimes. He has taught me so much and I am eternally grateful.

Derek Cadena - Painter
http://www.twolittlefruits.com/Home.html
http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=twolittlefruits
Derek is a great guy and an outstanding artist. I have several of his pieces hanging in the house. I like the EBay store that he and his partner, Brent Rodgers, built. Check it out.

Joseph Nigg - Writer
http://josephnigg.com/index.htm
Joe inspires me to write. His books are...magical. Check out his Magical Beasts!

CT Nelson - Painter
http://ctnelson.com/
CT is another artist who shows on Santa Fe Drive in Denver. His work is very unique and has a very jagged feel - shattered images of beautiful stories. I met him and plan on owning one of his paintings some day.

Matt Alber - Musician
http://www.mattalber.com/matt.htm
http://www.youtube.com/mattalber
I don't know Matt personally, but what a great voice, message, man. End of the World is a-m-a-z-i-n-g! I support his goals.

Read About Me

2008-07-15T23:26:00.012-06:00

Who is Paul Potts?

First off, I am not the British opera singer that received his fame from the Britain's Got Talent television show. If you are interested in the singer artist Paul Potts, click here. http://www.paulpottsuk.com/frontpage

And no, I don’t sell his CDs here…but you can find them at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000UAE87Q/denverreadandfee/104-8119966-3691960

I am the American multi-media artist, Paul Potts. You wouldn’t think it was that common of a name, but I had similar troubles of mistaken identity back in high school. When I was a freshman there was a senior also named Paul Potts. We even had art class together! He was also a very talented artist – beautiful illustrations. I think he owns a hair salon in Tucson, Arizona these days. Anyhow, I remember a couple times when I was called into the principal's office for misdemeanors that my namesake had committed. That was exciting – let me tell you.

I was exposed to art when I was a young kid. My dad dabbled in oil painting, so he stretched some canvas over some plywood and gave me brush. At 7 years old, I painted this.

I have it hanging in the house and several friends are drawn to that abstract style of art. I try not to get hurt feelings when they prefer that piece to my more current pieces.

My inspiration really hit when I moved to Denver in 1999. I got involved with a non-profit art gallery on Santa Fe Drive called Chicano Humanities and Art Council or CHAC for short. Having a major show each year and several other showing opportunities really motivates you to produce. And of course, the more you produce, the more chances you have of selling. Selling your art then gives you the self-confidence to try more and expand your look. You can see by my portfolio that I have a diverse range of creations. I like trying new things and mediums that I perceive as challenging or out of my understanding seem to appeal to me the most. For example, I have always loved the smooth, polished marble sculptures. It is interesting that after I did a little research and bought some tools at the local hardware store, I could make a polished sculpture. And now that I have done it, I appreciate even more the old masters who didn't have the modern electric tools and yet they still produced life-like representations in stone.

I still have idea books filled with mediums and techniques that I want to try. I hope to soon be into glass fusing and kinetic wood sculptures. Keep checking my blog for my latest pursuits!

Browse My Portfolio

2008-07-15T23:25:00.037-06:00

Here is just a sampling of some of my art. More to come soon! Click on any piece in the slideshow to see the larger version at Picasa Web Album.

Buy My Art

2008-07-15T23:24:00.037-06:00

These are a few of the items I have for sale right now. After the art show, I will post some more. Please contact me if you are interested in commissioning a piece.

Shipping fee is $18.00 per piece. Shipping method is United States Postal Service.

Rich Peach 36" x 36" acrylic on deep canvas $450	Contemplating Buddha 24" x 24" acrylic on deep canvas $400	Near Escape (dog & rabbit by saguaro) 8" x 24" watercolor & ink on paper - framed $125	Robot 8" x 10" silkscreen on paper - framed $75

Attend My Next Show

2008-07-15T23:22:00.012-06:00

I will have some items in the Mercado show at CHAC in December. I plan on showing off a tray of my new glaze painted pendants.

I might also have a home show in the Fall. I'll post it when it becomes solid.

First posting for the new Paul Potts blog site!

2008-07-15T21:10:00.000-06:00

Oh yeah, I'm excited.

A new venue to post my art and talk about art. That really is my goal here. Art is my passion, and regardless of my audience, I want to explore making new art as I discover new artists and view new art mediums.

For instance, this year I got help from my brother, Dan, to install my compressor and sandblasting cabinet. This new tool has opened so many new art forms for me. I started with stone and glass, but there are possibilities with blasting blocks for block printing in wood, plastic or even linoleum. I've done a few pieces of furniture and stone yard art pieces. This one is called "Garden Sparrow" (granite, 2007). I love it. It is a fun start to the type of sculpture with sandblasted highlights that I want to create.

Two other quick thoughts:
Take a look at my older website that has over 100 of my art pieces in the "Virtual Gallery". Please comment on what you see there. Here is the link:
http://www.angelfire.com/art2/pep/

Also, a BIG THANKS to Skinnyboy for the help on getting this blog set up and running for me. Sorry that it has taken me so long to get it together. Visit his blog at http://dogsarefunyes.blogspot.com/

Paul

It's Coming...

2008-07-05T13:15:00.000-06:00

The new site is coming! I got stuck on a few things and got sidetracked but the new site will be up soon because I know that getting my artwork out there is important. I know you will find one piece or many pieces that you absolutely just need to have!

* New Site Soon *

2008-07-01T13:15:00.000-06:00

Hello friends!

Coming very soon is my new site. On it you can view my latest works, my favorite pieces, and a whole lot more! There will even be a way to purchase something you absolutely love and have it shipped right to your door! So be sure to check back soon and do not miss the debut of my new site!

Until then, do not miss a moment of Skinnyboy's antics. He is a competitive eater, and ranked 35th in the world by the IFOCE!

Did you see Paul Potts win the "Britain's Got Talent" competition by singing the opera song Nessun Dorma. Cool, huh?