Art and updates from my studio: Topanga, CA
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This is a short video clip of a recent commission from a collector in Texas. He sent me a photo of his girlfriend riding her bike with no-hands for the first time. He wanted to memorialize this important moment that they shared together with a custom painting. This is the first time I created a stop motion video of my artwork. Enjoy!
I am always available for commissions! If you wish, I could also create a stop motion video of your painting as it progresses through time.
Tags: acrylic, art, artist, blog, Joel Harris, Los Angeles, new work, original, Painting, speed painting, stop motion, video, youtube
Just before the holidays, Barbara asked me for a special gift: a pair of custom painted Converse All Star shoes. I love new creative challenges so I was really looking forward to working on this project…the inspiration was beginning to flow!
After a trip to the local art store, I had all of my materials for the project: a white pair of Converse All Stars, and a set of “Stained” fabric markers, by Sharpie. Let the creativity begin!
This was going to be an unusual project. I had two requests: one shoe was going to be black & white, and the other, color. On the first shoe, Barbara asked if I would use black ink, and draw whatever I wanted. And on the other shoe, she wanted a little house painting on one side, and she left the other side up to me.
I would love to do this again but it is time-consuming, and the shoes are a lot more costly than stretched canvas. If anyone is interested in a pair of custom shoes, I’m asking $200 for the shoes of your wildest dreams!
Tags: acrylic, All Star, art, artist, blog, ca, canvas, collage, converse, Found Object, harris, joel, Joel Harris, joel r harris, Los Angeles, Painting, Recycled, shoes, venice
Somehow, for some weird, strange, and beautiful reason, I have received the gift of fatherhood…once again ( and yes, that makes 4 girls). And by some random chance I am still here. And it is now 2012 and the world is still here around me. Life just keeps getting better and better and better [and busier]. I really do enjoy writing blogs and adding content to my website, but being a stay-at-home dad with a 3 yr-old and a 4 mo-old has me all tied up in dirty diapers, nap-times, baby talk, house cleaning, and bottle warming.
Making the time to BLOG has been a challenge. Today, I am sitting ALL DAY at the Topanga Canyon Gallery, an artist-operated gallery where I have been a member for several months. I am away from dirty diapers today so now I have no excuse why I can’t write a new blog.
Lots of changes: We had been living in Topanga for about 1 1/2 years and realized soon after having our new baby Sage Noel, last December, that it was too far from life in the city. Too far to commute back and forth in traffic. Too far from all the action. So, we decided it was time to move.
We found a nice apartment in Venice Beach. Now, I wouldn’t recommend moving when there is a newborn in the family because it has the potential for great disaster. However, some family came down from Northern California to help out – and it was a HUGE help – thank you, we could not have done it without you! We have been at our new place for two weeks and are still settling in – unpacking boxes, organizing the new play-room, and getting a new art studio space set up in our dining room (I like to be close to the food source so that when I am painting, I remember to eat).
I had my first show, “Dreaming”, at the Topanga Canyon Gallery in February (see pics here). I am not currently painting, but hope to have my creative studio space set up very soon. I am currently showing my work at Abuelita’s Mexican Restaurant in Topanga. If you are passing through, please stop by – they serve up a mean chile relleno, and if you have a designated driver, don’t pass up their margaritas.
Will I have time to paint with two kids on my hands? I don’t know, but I would rather have two kids on my hands than two paint brushes.
I’ll just keep having fun:
Tags: art, artist, blog, family, Joel Harris, moving, topanga canyon gallery, venice beach
