Monster Attacks the Contests

My still life A Monster Attacks at Breakfast was selected as a finalist in the Artist's Magazine 28th Annual Art Competition. Pick up a copy if you want a magazine with my name in it. For a small fee, I will personally sign your copy. It is nice to see the painting be recognized like this. It recently won a prize in a local show as well.
This is my third year in a row to make it to the finalists selection. One of these days I hope to win one of the top prizes- you know the king where you get featured in the magazine and are celebrated with money and women. As always, it was an honor to be selected. There were some great painters in the finalists selection. So I am in good company.

A Monster Attacks at Breakfast, 22" x26", oil on linen, ©copyright Richard Luschek 2010

A creepy new friend.

I have really been wanting a Mannequin.
I don't mean the 80's movie starring Kim Cattrall, though it was pretty awesome. Honestly I think I liked the sequel a bit more- but I digress.
I have been looking for a poseable manikin for the studio to use for doing portrait work or to set up if I need to do fabric studies. It is tough to get any model to pose for long periods of time, so it is useful to have something to dress in the costume.

The full-sized wood ones sold at art supply warehouses are pretty expensive and can run up close to $1000. I figured I could make my own or find something cheaper that I could make work. Even an old department store mannequin could be used somehow.
There is a local fellow that has a great suite of warehouses full of antiques. He has some great stuff and I am often dropping in to look for still life objects or for stuff I need to fix my 100 year old house. I called him and told him if he didn't already have something to be on the lookout. He just called and said he had found me a creepy dude. It is an old medical mannequin, and was not really in great shape, but the price was right.  I spent a day and an evening getting it fixed up. I built a new hip, made a wooden foot and fixing up some of the joints. The other nice perk is that I can practice my CPR technique.

I still need to fill the chest and stomach areas somehow, the light patches on the arms and legs are spots where you can practice giving the doll injections. They were missing in a few places so I sprayed expandable foam then trimmed it smooth.

The fancy new wooden foot I made out of a piece of 2x4

My next order of business it try to make it so I can set a pose. The joints are pretty loose so I can't lock a pose yet.

As it stands he is just a creepy fixture sitting in a chair in our basement. It freaks my wife out every time she goes into the basement.
I will probably be dressing this fellow up like a Knight Templar for a painting I am working on. Look for more photos of my new creepy friend in the future.

I will tell you a Secret

I just got back from the Secrets event. I had a great time. It was very crowded with lots of fancy Cincinnati people there. I ran into a lot of old friends and meet a lot of great people. Of course we can discuss the real reason I enjoyed it- the snacks and beverages. Very nice.
The event opened at 5 and I got there around 6 and my secret card had already sold. It's no longer a secret so I can post the image here.

Basement Bulb, 7 x 5, oil on linen. © copyright Richard Luschek 2011

Yes, I did another light bulb. This time I did a lit bulb. I have to say, it is a challenge staring at a light for that long. I was doing a lot of squinting, but still it took a toll. I hope who ever purchased it appreciates the possible long-term retinal damage this painting may have caused.

I knew the trick to getting this painting to read was to get the overall key of the picture correct. Even the lightest light in the painting has some color to it, a warm chromatic yellow. Very near white, but not quite. So I had to darken everything else down to get that to read as a lit bulb. In a heavy squint the aura around the bulb was an orange to red glow that filled the darks.

Psssst, Pssssst

Once again it is time for Secret Artworks.

Below are two Secrets cards I did a few years ago. I can't show the card I did this year, but I can tell you it is very cool.

Secret ArtWorks: The Masters

 The Party Starts Next Friday (Nov. 18^th!)

Still haven't made plans to attend Secret ArtWorks: The Masters? Here are 3 reasons why you should:

1. You could be the proud new owner of brand new, original work of art by some of the best artists from Cincinnati to Columbia!
2. Proceeds from Secret ArtWorks supports ArtWorks programming! That means your money will help ArtWorks employ youth and artists, and engage the community to create public art that will transform our city! 
3. It's a lot of fun! There's food, drinks, live music, and a room full of art-loving individuals like yourself!

Secret ArtWorks: The Masters

Friday, November 18^th, 2011

5 pm - 9 pm

MCA Event Center 

(former CAC, in the Mercantile Building)

120 E Fourth Street

Cincinnati, OH 45202

Admission: $125 (single), $175 (double).

Includes admission to the Event, an art voucher redeemable for one (1) Secret Work of Art, drink tickets, and hors d'oeuvres.

Additional vouchers can be purchased for $75.

Click here to purchase your tickets now! Online sales end at noon on Thursday, November 17^th. After that, you will have to purchase your tickets at the door.

You've already seen the Online Preview of this year's Secret ArtWorks. Why not go ahead and see them in person?

Preview Week

November 14^th - November 17^th

Westin Hotel Atrium

21 East Fifth Street

Cincinnati, OH 45202

This is your chance to get up close and personal with the art that will be available at Secret ArtWorks: The Masters. You'll have the opportunity to decide on your favorite works. That way, when the doors open next Friday night, you'll know exactly what you're looking for!

Art Show Season

Fall is a busy time for art shows. So, if you have been thinking about how much you would love to drink cheap wine, eat cheese cubes and look at some art, then I have a few events for you!

43rd ViewPoint show at the Cincinnati Art Club
My painting A Monster Attacks at Breakfast is showing at the Cincinnati Art Club. You can see all the paintings in the show if you click here to see the slideshow.
I was also honored with the Viewpoint Chairperson Award. 
I did not get any photos of me receiving my award last Friday so here is another photo of me accepting an award.

Show continues weekends (Saturdays and Sundays)
November 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 2011
Hours:   1:00 to 4:00 p.m.  
Cincinnati Art Club's Wessel Gallery
1021 Parkside Place
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Indian Hill Church Art Show
I have done this show two other times. It is a pretty good show, though it can get crowded. They have a new  event this year that is pretty cool. Artists were asked to do a 6x8 painting, these "miniatures" will be on sale in a separate area. Here is mine.

Tea on Green, 8x6, oil on linen, ©copyright Richard Luschek 2011

A social fund raising event featuring local artists. Each artist donates 30% of their proceeds to benefit the church's Outreach Programs.

Friday November 11th:
6 PM - 9 PM. Wine tasting, appetizers, complimentary valet parking.
$5 Donation for adults.

Saturday November 12th:
10 AM - 3 PM. Light refreshments.
Free admission.

6000 Drake Road, Indian Hill, OH 45243 · Get Directions

 

Finally, I am in a secret art auction that is a fund raiser for LAM Foundation.

Here is the information for this event. I plan on being at the signing event on Thursday.

ART MASQUERADE 2011

                             Who is the artist?

WHAT:

A charity/fine art show for which the artists will create an 8” x 10” unsigned original piece of fine art that may, or may not be in their style. (hence the Masquerade).

The signing of the artwork will take place on the last day of the show.

All artwork will be 8” x 10” and priced at $250 with half of the proceeds going to the LAM Foundation. The $250 price will be in effect until November 3rd when a silent auction will begin and end on Nov 10^th.

WHY:

To support the LAM Foundation Charity. (A lung disease striking mostly young women)

WHO:

Participating artists include the following plus others:

Eric Franke              Richard Luschek                 Diane Young                        Bonita Goldberg

Lilnda Fisler              Mary Beth Thompson          William Cole             Rich Bitting

Carl Samson

Hosted and Sponsored by:

Christie Crawford

Cal Weigold

Laura Heidorn

Jim Aria

(All four of the sponsors are formerly associated with Closson’s)

WHERE:

Aria’s  Oriental Rugs

9689 Montgomery Rd.

Montgomery, OH 45242

WHEN:

October 27, 2011 through November 10, 2011**

Opening Reception – Thursday October 27, 2011, 5-8 p.m.  RSVP to 513-378-3836.

Show will remain up during business hours: 

Mon-Fri 10-7: Saturday 10-6, Sunday 10-5

Signing Event – Thursday November 10, 6-8.  Come and meet your artist.