The Frame is the Father!

While I do have work in a big show opening tomorrow at the Eisele Gallery, I thought I would chat a bit more about the frame I made for the Star Wars show, hanging until the end of the month at the Brew House. If you and your children are Star Wars fans and you don't show up and buy them some art- someone really should call Child Protective Services on you.

Philosophical Sci-Fi Drive-By, Oil on linen, 20"x10", © copyright Richard Luschek 2017

It all started when I bought an old toy case in an auction. Also in that pile of toys was the AT-AT I used in the still life set up for the painting, the R2 cassette player in my other painting, and a C3PO case. I already had a Darth Vader case from my childhood and this one was in bad shape, so I did not feel as bad appropriating it.
First I had to cut the case apart and trim off all the extra plastic. I had to cut into the bottom to make room for a panel and then made a paper template that I would be able to screw to plastic Vader head.

I traced this and added lower frame section on a sheet of 1/2 plywood that I found set out by the street for the garbage. I just wanted a rough shape that I could add the actual frame to.

There were holes in the case for pushing in plastic bands to hold in and lable your Star Wars action figures. I was able to screw into those and secure the panel to the head. Next I cut a square in the panel so I could start adding hardwood to the front.

Again, the hard wood is from a painted shelf I had in my scrap pile.
Now I just had to sand it all and start adding my decorations to it.

The frame looked a bit blocky, so I added some edging, and a finally to really take it over the top I cut a piece for Darth Vader's cod piece. Which, after studying Vader's costume, I realized has a door on it. I guess even Vader needs to use the rest room. Now Im thinking every frame should have a cod piece.
After looking up reference for Vader's belt, I cut the designs out of cardboard and wood. They were glued on and the entire frame was sanded smooth. It was ready for painting. I bought gloss black plastic spray paint. Luckily it was a nice day so I was able to spray outside. I wore a respirator as that paint is pretty noxious.

I had a slight issue when during the second coat, the paint on certain sections started to wrinkle. I had waited what I thought was the correct time between coats (48 hours), but it was a chilly week and had apparently not cured enough. After a temper tantrum, which is very embarrassing in hindsight, I let it dry in my hot van for a few days, sanded it all smooth and gave it a nice clean final coat.

I love that it has a medieval icon look. I have more old toys in my basement, so another Star Wars frame may be in my future.

Art Show in the Hoosier State

Starting this Saturday I will have two paintings hanging in a region art exhibit of the Southeastern Indiana Art Guild in Aurora Indiana.
There will be an Open reception and awards ceremony on Saturday August 9th. The show was judged by painter Christopher Leeper.
Appetizers and drinks will be provided for the reception beginning at 6; award presentations at 7 and wrapping up the evening at 8pm. I will have a Cincinnati City view plein air painting and the still life shown below. I wrote about this painting before if you are interested. Click Here.

Off To The Races, 12"X 9", oil on linen, ©copyright Richard Luschek 2012

The Gallery is located at Main & Second St, Aurora, Indiana, 47001 
The Gallery will be open for public viewing that evening until 8pm 
The show will remain open the following week of the 10th through the 16th.
Hours will be as follows:
Sunday 2pm - 6 pm
Monday -Thursday 3pm-8pm
Friday noon til 8pm
Saturday 1pm-5pm


Stop and see the show. I will be there opening night. I can usually be found near the appetizers and drinks. 
On a side note, I got interested in the word Hoosier. Why are folks from Indiana called Hoosiers? Well, I Googled it and have the very vague and unsatisfying answer for you here:

How did Indiana get its nickname as “The Hoosier State”?
(Copied from the Indiana Historical Society.)
And how did people from Indiana come to be called “Hoosiers”? There are many different theories about how the word Hoosier came to be and how it came to have such a connection with the state of Indiana.
One of the earliest known uses of the term is found in an 1827 letter that states, “There is a yankee trick for you – done up by a Hoosier.” Other early uses provide some clues about the meaning of the word. In 1831, Gen. John Tipton received a proposal from a businessman offering to name his boat the “Indiana Hoosier” if Tipton would give him business in the area. Sarah Harvey, a Quaker from Richmond, explained in an 1835 letter to her relatives, “old settlers in Indiana are called ‘Hooshers’ and the cabins they first live in ‘Hoosher nests’ . . .”
The word “Hoosier” was widely used by the 1830s. Around this time, John Finley of Richmond wrote a poem called The Hoosier’s Nest, which was widely read. He wrote the word as “hoosher” and did not explain its meaning, which leads historians to believe that Finley felt his readers would already know and understand the word. Finley wrote, “With men of every hue and fashion, Flock to this rising ‘Hoosher’ nation.”
So, what does the word mean? In 1848, Bartlett’s Dictionary of Americanisms defined “Hoosier” as “A nickname given at the west, to natives of Indiana.” In John Finley’s poem, the word “Hoosher” seems to refer less to the pioneers of Indiana and more to the qualities he thought they possessed, like self-reliance and bravery.
No one seems to know how the word “Hoosier” came to be. Some people think it was meant to mock Indiana as a rough, backwoods and backwards place. Others think that early settlers used the term with pride to describe themselves as a hearty, courageous group. One historian, Jacob Piatt Dunn, even suggested that the word “Hoosier” originally referred to boatmen who lived on the Indiana shore. We may never know for sure, but research and debate are likely to continue about this mysterious word.

The following theories and stories about the origin of the word “Hoosier” are known to be false:

• It comes from the word Hoosa, which means American Indian maize or corn.
• Hoosier’s Men was a term used for Indiana employees of a canal contractor named Hoosier.
• “Who’s ear?” – Writer James Whitcomb Riley joked that this question, supposedly posed by early Indiana settlers following tavern fights which had resulted in someone’s ear being cut off and left on the floor, eventually became the word “Hoosier."
• “Who’s yer/here?” – This was supposedly the way early Indiana settlers would respond to a knock on their cabin doors. The story goes that it was eventually shortened to “Hoosier?”
• “Who’s your [relative]?” – Again, legend has it that this question was eventually shortened to “Hoosier?”

My Landscape Class and Museums

If you take my class I promise you that your work will not get into the MOBA (Museum of Bad Art) like the work below by an unknown artist.

Imagine Going From This:

Unknown
22" x 28", Acrylic on canvas
Acquired from trash

To This!
In just 8 weeks!

Frank Benson
Great White Herons, 1933
29" x 24", Oil
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts

Individual results may vary.


So, the above transformation may not happen at first, but I will keep your work out of the Museum of Bad Art. Probably doubtful you'll hang in any museum really- unless you keep taking the class over and over.
If you have never painted before but have always wanted to, this is a great introductory class that will take the fear out of oil painting.  This class is for both hobbyists and professionals. It is also a good class for teens trying to build a portfolio for college. Students that have taken the class multiple times see continued improvement. I try to introduce the techniques in a simple, easy to understand manner, not mention it is loads of fun.
Here is the information, and a link to the University site where you sign up.
Sat., 10 am-1 pm; April 12-May 31; 8 wks; $199 (no discounts), supplies are the student’s responsibility. A list will be sent with your enrollment confirmation or see www.uc.edu/ce/documents/comm/PAINTING.pdf.. 
Location: First class meets at my studio in Eden Park; then at various parks thereafter.
Click here to register.

Paul Ingbretson and The Guild of Boston Artists

As you may know I studied in New Hampshire with Paul Ingbretson. He was the best teacher I have had for any subject- and after 7 years of college and two degrees, I have had a lot of "teachers". He has been producing some videos, with the help of his son Whittaker and George Lambert, gearing up for the 100th anniversary of the Boston Guild. I wanted to post a few because I think they show very well what I believe are some of the major strengths of his teaching and how it is demonstrated in his work.
It is all about the start! As is often the case, painters are taught to concentrate on the drawing first. Then color comes in. The work becoming almost like a complicated 'paint-by-numbers' exercise. We were taught to ignore drawing and focus on the color first. Of course the idea is to get the right value, the right color in the right place. One could argue that placing a red smug in the upper third of the canvas is an early start to the drawing idea, but basically it is about getting a likeness in color without drawing. Drawing is very important- so save it for last. The painting slowly comes into focus, all the while the painter is "learning" the subject from careful observation.
This video gives some indication of how good start should look. There is a bit at the end of Paul discussing his views on art.

This second video shows the painting further along in the process.

At Least My Painting is Warm

I was honored to have one of my paintings selected for a show in Florida. I would have loved to travel down with the paining to get out of this miserable winter we are having, but alas I could not.

The show it the 9th Biennial National Art Exhibition and is one of the nation's most prestigious juried exhibits of traditional 2-dimensional media. Juror Carl Samson, nationally-acclaimed portrait painter, selected 130 pieces out of over 450 entries from 27 states for the "9th Biennial National Art Exhibition" at the Visual Art Center in Punta Gorda, FL. The exhibition opens this Saturday, February 1 and closes March 9th.

The Late Night, 13"x9", oil on linen, 2011, ©Richard Luschek

I also found out my piece was honored with an award as well, which is pretty exciting. If you need a vacation- drive on down and see the show and buy a prize winning painting.
Visual Art Center
210 Maud Street
Punta Gorda, FL 33950

Here is a blog post about the painting of this piece.

Panorama of Cincinnati Art XXVIII

I am proud to be showing in the Cincinnati Art Galleries Panorama show again this year. I love being in this show as a majority of the paintings are by Cincinnati painters who have long passed from this world. Most of my favorite painters are dead. So, if you see the show and notice my work hanging with all these deceased painters- don't worry. I am still alive for now.

The show also has an lovely catalog. Here a view of the interior of this fine publication with two of my favorite pages. The Louis Henry Meakin painting on the right was one of my favorites in the show. I am pretty partial to the paintings on the left as well. There were some wonderful works including a Volkert painting of farmers gathering hay in the field that was pretty stunning. Make sure you get out to see this show.

Panorama of
Cincinnati Art XXVIII
A Benefit for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Continues through December 31st

A portion of all sales for the month of December will benefit the CSO
Cincinnati Art Galleries
225 East 6th Street
Cincinnait, Ohio

Secret ArtWorks 2013

Once again I have painted a card for the Secrets Show. 
I know I am not supposed to show you the work- it being a secret and all, but here is a shot of the card.

It is not a great photo and really the other side is more exciting, but if you want to see it you had better show up and check it out. It is a happening party.
Click to buy tickets
Click to see the cards online.    Last I looked, mine was not showing, as I turned mine in about two weeks after the deadline- that is just how secret mine is. Anyway, if you saw it, you would know it is mine.

It all happens this Friday, November 22, 5:00 pm- 9:00pm

The Center in the Mercantile Building (The old Contemporary Art Center space)
115 East Fifth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202

5-6pm: Cocktails & VIP Art Sneak Peek
6pm: Doors Open to Secret Works of Art
Valet parking available on Walnut Street between 4th & 5th Streets.
Handicap access on 5th Street.


Art Preview Week
November 18 – 21, 2013
Westin Hotel Atrium
21 East Fifth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Greenacres is the Place to be.

I am pretty sure Eva Gabor would have decorated the Green Acres farm house with one of my paintings if she had the chance. But this post is not about the sitcom, it is about the new Greenacres Art Guild located in the Indian Hill section of Cincinnati.

I am excited to be a member of this wonderful new group and to announce that the Greenacres Artists Guild Inaugural Show will take place the fall of 2013.  This show will highlight the best pieces of art from twenty seven of the most highly accomplished living artists in Cincinnati.  Opening Night of the Inaugural Show will take place on October 18th. 
Opening Night of the Inaugural Art Show of The Greenacres Artists Guild
     October 18, 2013 6:00 pm- 9:00pm
     $50.00 per person 
     8400 Blome Road, Cincinnati, OH, 45243, United States

The event will run thru  November 17th with the following gallery hours and be free to the public:

• Fridays 5pm-9pm
• Saturdays noon – 5pm
• Sundays noon – 4pm

For more information about the guild Click Here
For more information about the opening 
                   and to purchase a ticket  Click Here

 
 

Madison, Indiana

Last month I talked about my upcoming trip to Madison Indiana.
The judging was tough. A room of 200 pieces of art that have to be whittled down to a few winners is always a bit intimidating.  There were a few that I wished I could have given a prize, but if there are winners that means a few were not awarded prizes.
So, if you did not win, are reading this and are starting to get angry- please enjoy this image of a puppy sleeping.

It was helpful to have my wife Laura there for a second opinion and to basically listen to me talk my way through the process. To start, we both walked through the show without talking to each other, attempting to pick the winners of each category- Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, etc. Interestingly, we agreed across the board. Now, of course Laura and I have very similar sensibilities, have been married for 15 years and she has taken my classes for at least 7 of those years.

Still, as there were many other prizes to chose, we did have a few we did not see eye to eye on but in the end the decision needed to be mine.
Even though I have mentioned a similar judging process before on this blog, I wrote a brief statement for the show I thought I would post here:
It took every bit of the 3 hours I was given to choose the award winners from a strong show of work. I selected those works that met my list of criteria and I had the tough job of narrowing those down to a few now displaying ribbons. I will now try to explain my thought process for judging this show. 1)Composition is where I begin. Does the picture have a pleasing and lovely arranged abstraction of shapes? Is there a good, strong center of interest? 2)Color: I think most good paintings have some Red, Yellow and Blue­ meaning, there is color variety. Now, I do not mean specifically those colors, but at least a painting contains an assortment of colors in those primary families. A good picture will contain something "reddish", something "blueish" and something in the "yellowish" family. Color arrangements should also be harmonious and pleasing. Usually one color is prominent, while the rest are there to feature the "star" color and help set it off. 3)Breath and atmosphere. Easily the toughest to do and probably the unique quality that separates the masters from the rest of us. It is also a quality that in my view, elevates drawing and painting from mere photographic representation. Drawing by definition is the interpretation of form. Photographs by their nature are flat. By carefully managing the relative hardness and softness of edges, the painter can direct the eye and begin to create the illusion of form. This quality is best represented by working from life, or at least a studied knowledge of nature.
4) Subject matter was my final consideration. I did look at mood, story and the clearness of the message. If I was at all confused about the subject or forms represented, that work was crossed of the list. While subject matter is important and personal, it must be clearly stated through good composition, pleasing color, and breath of treatment.

Of course taste does come into play too. As I walk around the show I think about which paintings would I want to take home. While it was not a major factor, framing was a consideration. There were a few that I think maybe would have had better consideration had they been presented in a better frame, or one that did not overpower the image. 
I am probably most known for my still life oil paintings, so I was surprised that many of the top winners were not still life or oil. Best of show was a lovely watercolor by Rod Lance and Reserve Best of Show was a pastel by Ray Hassard.

Best of Show:
Rod Lance of Carmel, Indiana 'Madison House' watercolor

Anyway, that is about it. Hopefully everyone was satisfied with the judging and no one in Madison is  currently burning effigies of me on their lawns.
In all seriousness, I had a great time, was very inspired by the work I saw in this show and hope to participate in future events at the Madison Indiana Art Club. I was able to talk with some of artists in the show who were asking for comments on their art and how to improve in future work.

I will now add a bit of an advertizement for the Madison Art Club, since one of the members- Bob Saueressig, was such a hard sell for the Club's upcoming show. I would like to enter but probably have too much to do already- but you all should enter.  

Click here for an entry form. 
With the $25 entry fee you two canvases, a 12 x 12 and a smaller on that will be hung on a tree.
Deadline is Oct. 20th. This looks like it would be a fun event.  

I'm puttin' on my top hat!

"Tyin' up my white tie,
Brushin' off my tails.
I'm dudin' up my shirt front,
Puttin' in the shirt studs,
Polishin' my nails,
I'm steppin' out, my dear,
To breathe an atmosphere
That simply reeks with class"

I have a collection of landscape paintings hanging in a group show that opens this Saturday. The show is at the University Club in downtown Cincinnati and will feature other local artists Carl Samson, Linda Crank, David W. Mueller, Chuck Marshall, Ann Geise, Bruce Erikson, Clem Robins, Bruce Petrie, Jeff Gandert and Sue Gutzwiller. 
It is a wonderful historic private club with an amazing permanent collection of art from Cincinnati's Golden Age. The opening is a very fancy 'members only' event that is black tie. So I get to shove my crusty self into a tux. Though unlike the song, I do not have a white tie or tails, and I will certainly not be 'polishin my nails'.  I may dig out some dirt and oil paint from under my nails and brush my hair. My rugged handsomeness will have to make up for that "class" thing.

While the opening is for members only, you can visit the show during its run. It is a private club with a dress code so I think men need a jacket to get in the club. Not a good idea to drop in shirtless, wearing flip flops. I suggest you call first- 513- 721-2600.
http://www.uclubcincinnati.com/ 

One of the paintings in the show was started and finished the summer of 2008- or so I thought. I got it back from a gallery and decided it had some issues. One was the hard diagonal tree that clipped the corner. It was just too insistent. The skyline had changed a bit too.
I went back to the spot in Fairview Park to have  look so I could fix these issues. Well, for one thing, my tree was gone. Our skyline also has a major addition. I decided to add the Great American Insurance building (the tall one on the left) since it is such a major part of the skyline and because it improved the design.

Hazy Downtown View, 25 X 30, oil on linen, ©copyright Richard Luschek 2013

 For some reason I never got a good shot of this painting the first time around, but here is a shot of the painting 5 years ago, before it was even finished, but you can see the issue with the tree cutting that corner. The interesting thing, was with the tree gone, I decided to just paint until lit looked the way I wanted. I improved the shape, added some light along the edge, and pushed some green over the trunk to break up the mass.
Hope you can stop by to see the show.

Hazy Downtown View, unfinished from 2008.

 

Saturday Art Opening and a Little Secret

I wanted to let you know about a few Art Events I will be involved in this November.
If you come to at least one, I will think you are totally cool.
If you attend both, you will receive Gold Status in my contact list. *

Behind The Dryer, 24" x 18", oil on linen, ©copyright Richard Luschek 2012

This week:

Art Opening at Gallery 42 in Mason.

I will be the featured artist for November.

Open House, Saturday November 10th, 5 -9 pm.

Live music, Wine and hors d' oeuvers and me.

117 West Main St., Mason, OH 45040

Contact:   513.234.7874

http://www.gallery42fineart.com/

The show will feature my new Basement Series and other various still life and landscape.

Next Week:

Also, Once again I will be participating in the Secret ArtWorks fund raiser. 

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

 Secret ArtWorks:
November 16, 2012
MCA

120 East Fourth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202

This is a fund raiser for ArtWorks so you have to buy a ticket to get in to the event. You get to purchase a Secret art work with your ticket price. There will be 100's of 5" x 7" works of art for sale. I have one card in the show. Tickets for the event can be purchased here. Tickets.

Shown above is my entry for last years event, a painting that kick started the basement series which will be on view this Saturday at Gallery 42.  

* Gold Status members are not subjected to any special treatment or discounts. It is little more than silly name I came up with. Though you may use this as a resume filler.

Opening at Gallery 42

I will have some paintings on view at Gallery 42 in Mason, Ohio starting tomorrow. The gallery will be showing a few paintings from my basement still life series.
Here is the latest of the series- it is still a bit wet.

Basement Still Life- Storage Closet #1, Oil on linen, 16 x 20, ©copyright Richard Luschek 2012

There is an opening tomorrow for the photography of Anna Ogier-Bloomer as part of the Cincinnati Photo Focus thing that many of the local galleries are doing.
ARTIST’S RECEPTION
Saturday, October 6th, 5 to 9PM
Wine and hors d’oeuvres

Exhibition continues through October 27th

Unisex Art Club and Art Club for Women.

I have a small piece in a show that opens tonight at the Cincinnati Art Club.  

Unbolted, 3 1/2" x 5", oil on linen, ©copyright Richard Luschek 2012

Signature Member Show Opening Reception
Friday, September 14, 6-9 p.m.
Exhibit open Sat., Sun., Sept. 15, 16, 22, 23
1021 Parkside Place, Cincinnati, Oh 45202


Yesterday I was honored to be asked to judge an art show for the Cincinnati Women's Art Club. The show is the Annual Members Exhibit, and will open this Sunday, September 15 through October 7th.

I had to chose 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Out of an entire room packed with paintings that is a challenge. I thought I would talk a bit about my method for choosing the works I did. I do enjoy judging art shows, as it is a solid lesson in what makes a painting successful. 
My first method is to do a cursory stroll through the gallery to quickly look at everything. I then stand in the middle of the room and slowly spin around to see what attracts my eye. I grabbed some cards they had stacked by the door as advertising for the show- I grabbed a handful and dropped cards in front of pieces I thought should be considered for the top prizes. I quickly narrowed it down to about 10. The only issue with this is that twice, club members strolled through while I was judging and tidied up the space, picking up my cards.
Then I made sure to slowly walk around and look at every piece. I found it interesting how many pieces I had not seen at all in the first two go arounds. Now that I was forcing myself to look at each one I was finally looking at some of them. Interestingly, this did not change my initial decisions at all. The paintings "invisible" to my initial look, were not helped by careful study.
 
So, the lesson learned- a painting has to have a powerful abstraction of lights and darks. When I say light and dark, I do not mean white and black, but some arrangement of values that catches the eye. Paintings can be monochromatic, but they should never be monovalumatic- is that a word? Well, it is now, it means having a single value. Paintings are going to be more successful with clearly stated value patterns with a pleasing arrangement.
I also considered good used of color and edges to control the space and atmosphere in a picture. There were a few paintings that had deep space, with good drawing, but the artists had not adjusted the color or edges at all to control space.

I want to stress how little subject matter influenced what I chose. A painting of road kill could have won if it was done well enough and had some beauty. A judge does of course have specific tastes. I tend towards realism, so any paintings that were merely abstract were probably not going to get much consideration. Sorry, life is not fair.  

I think most people see me as a still life painter. While a few still lifes were in my top 10, I did not pick a single still life for an award. Again, I may have been harder on still life, but again, I tried to make it a visual game.
I will be at the Fund Raising Event on September 21st, so anyone with paintings in the show that has questions about my thoughts on their work can of course talk to me. Be prepared, I may be a bit tipsy and opinionated, but my wife will be there to make sure I am well behaved.

Summer Landscape Class for Humans

 A class so informative, a monkey could get something out of it- but that monkey should have some prior experience with oil paint.
I will be teaching a Summer Landscape class that will try to push some of the things learned in the beginner classes. We will do studies for a larger piece, and work on it for the rest of the class. Let me know if you have any questions about this class. The description of the class and the link to sign up is listed below.

Click here to Register.
https://webapps.uc.edu/communiversity/browseClasses.aspx?classId=_xx1 Plein-Air Painting: Beyond the Basics
Designed for both those with previous oil painting experience and those who have taken the beginning
plein-air class, this class will take you beyond the basics. Continuing the studies of impressionistic
painting techniques, we will meet in a scenic park to work on a large painting. By scouting out a desired
spot, we will do the sketches and color studies to prepare and finish a larger painting that captures the
impression of light and color of the Cincinnati landscape.

• Sat., 9:30 am-1 pm (bring a brown bag lunch or snack if you wish); June 23rd- July 14th; 4 wks; $110
(no discounts), supplies are the student’s responsibility. A list will be sent with your enrollment confirmation
or see http://www.uc.edu/content/dam/uc/ce/docs/Commu/Classes/paintingsupplies.pdf.; #3505-01
Location: First class meets at artist’s studio in Eden Park; then at an awesome part of my choice for the rest of the class.

This is a great class for humans too.!

Contact me if you have any questions. richard_luschek@yahoo.com

Cincinnati Art Club Demo and Talk

I will be giving a talk and painting demonstration at the Cincinnati Art Club this coming Friday, April 20th at 8:00. There is a social hour, and dinner before the talk, see info below.

I am very honored to have been invited to speak to the club about my work. I was so honored I thought I should really do something special for my demonstration. Of course the first thing that came to mind was that I do a full length, life-size nude self portrait as a demo. Has this ever been done before? This may be the first!

The nice thing is that I do not have to worry about what to wear, I can just show up au natural. All I need to bring are my paints and a full length mirror.
This demo will be an Expose' of my "work".

An Example of one of my fine charcoal nude self-portraits. 24"x 18"  
©copyright Richard Luschek 2012

There is a dinner before the Talk. The cost of dinner is $15 per person. You may skip the dinner and come to the talk after the dinner free of charge. .
To make a reservation call Catering Chair Person Noella Trippetti at (513) 631 -5084 or send an e-mail
to: dinner@cincinnatiartclub.com. Reservation deadline is 4:00 p.m. the Wednesday before the meeting, i.e., April 18,2012. Early reservations are very much appreciated. If you should need to cancel, do so before the Wednesday deadline. Traditionally the Club requests payment at the door by CHECK.

DINNER MEETING MENU - April 20, 2012
6:00 Social Hour; 6:45 p.m. Dinner, 8:00 My Talk and Demo
• Hog Hair Soup (wild, plump boar tails optional)
• Herb Roasted Chicken Quarters with BBQ Sauce
• Mashed Potatoes
• Steamed Vegetable Medley
• Tossed Garden Salad w/Spring Mix: includes red cabbage, carrots, shredded cheese, croutons; Dressings
• Dinner Rolls & Butter
• Assorted Chocolate Fudge Brownies

 UPDATE:
The Art Club has just contacted me to say that they really like my still lifes and have suggested that I do a demonstration of a still life lay-in rather than working on the nude.
Fine!
So, I will discuss my training, the Boston School, and my materials and method. I hope you will join me at the Club for this event.

The Cincinnati Art Club is located at the foot of Mt. Adams at the corner of Parkside Place and Martrin Drive.  Our nearby neighbors are Playhouse in the Park and Krohn Conservatory and the Studio of Richard Luschek.
Cincinnati Art Club
1021 Parkside Place, Cincinnati, Oh 45202
 513-241-459
 For more info about the events of the Club this April click here.

Panorama of Cincinnati Art XXVI

Sorry to be so lazy, but I just copied and pasted last years announcement of being in the Panorama show- with some updates.
______________________________________________________

A panorama is any wide-angle view or representation of a physical space, whether in painting, drawing, photography, film/video, or a three-dimensional model.

I am honored to have been selected for Cincinnati Art Galleries 26th anniversary Panorama of Cincinnati Art.

Opening Day 1977, 18 x 24, oil on linen, © copyright Richard Luschek 2011

Click here to see the painting on their site.
There are two reasons I am sure this show will be fantastic. For one thing the title ends in -orama. Secondly, most of the paintings are by the "Old Masters" of Cincinnati painting. The list includes Edward Potthast, Joseph Sharp, and John Weis.  This is an Artorama of great art by wonderful dead painters. I have been quite vocal of my support for and love of dead painters. They have done the best art in the Western world and it is a club I hope to be part of in the future. In fact I have pretty much  guaranteed it. 

The opening was last Friday. Sorry, I should have told you.
Anyway, it cost $100 a person and will benefit the Cincinnati Opera. Now as much as I think it is completely fair for you to have to pay money to see my work, you can check Panorama for free the rest of the month. If you buy my paintings a percentage also goes to help the Opera. It's for a good cause. If you do go to the opening, I imagine  there will be wine and cheese. I don't know if there will be entertainment, but for the 26th anniversary, if it were up to me, we would celebrate Panorama with the band Bananarama. That would be incredible.

Anyway, below is the information about the show.

Panorama of Cincinnati Art XXVI

Over 100 works

by Cincinnati's most famous artists 

from 1850 to the Now.

Opening Reception Friday, December 2rd from 5:00 - 8:00pm

$100 per person (payable to Cincinnati Museum Center)

Located at 225 East 6th Street, Cincinnati OH
Please call Sarah at 513-381-2128 for reservations

*Ticket sales as well as a portion of all painting sales during the month of December will benefit Cincinnati Museum Center. The exhibition and sale will open free to the public Saturday, December 4th and will continue through January 31st. All items can be viewed on our website at www.cincyart.com

Exhibition and sale includes paintings by the following artists:

Stephen Alke, Paul Ashbrook, Tom Bacher, Herbert Barnett, Robert Blum, Paul Chidlaw, Mark Daly, Matt Daly, Julie Morrow Deforest, Frank Duveneck, Louis Endres, John Joseph Enneking, Henry Farny, Reginald Grooms, John Hauser, Arthur Helwig, Edna Boies Hopkins, James Hopkins, Charles Salis Kaelin, Kevin T. Kelly, Robert Knipschild, Thomas Corwin Lindsay, Richard J. Luschek, Lewis Henry Meakin, Emma Mendenhall, William Meuttman, Kate Reno Miller, Franklin Morris, Henry Mosler, Frank Harmon Myers, Elizabeth Nourse, Edward Potthast, Charles Reiffel, John Rettig, Wolfgang A. Ritschel, Paul Sawyier, Joseph Scheuerle, Dixie Selden, Joseph Henry Sharp, Leslie Shiels, William McKendree Snyder, William Louis Sonntag, Sr., Rudolph Tschudi, Louis Charles Vogt, Edward Volkert, John Ellsworth Weis, Bessie Wessel, Herman Wessel, Carl Zimmerman
& Others

 

Full Color Catalog available for $20

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.