Want to see my Work with your own Eyes?

  If you find yourself in Eastern South Dakota, USA this summer there are a few chances to see some of my work on exhibit with your own eyes. Though the summer is half way over, there is still a lot of summer groove to capture through my work. Bugs thrive in the summer and they are going to be buzzing around at a few great shows and galleries. So make a day trip or plan a vacation around seeing some of the great art here in South Dakota......If you are lucky enough to make it to the receptions of these shows it would make me happy to meet you and hand out a few free hugs and smiles....

Here is a quick list of the shows that will be showing pieces from "My Bug Collection" and pieces from my "Abstracts Series" .

Brookings Arts Council 36th Annual Fine Arts Open

Brookings Arts Council
August 1st - 24th
Reception August 24th
Brookings, SD

Will be showing: "I am Just a House Fly" and "I am Just a Grasshopper"

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Lance Jeschke and Chad Smith at Gallery Go 

Aug. 31st - Sept. 28th

Reception on Aug. 31st

126 S. Main St. Aberdeen, South Dakota

I will be showing works from "My Bug Collection" and my "Abstract Series"

"I am Just a House Fly"

"I am Just a Grasshopper"

"Wasp, the Yellow Jacket"

"The Monarch Queen"

Abstracts that will be shown are still not set yet but will include: "Germ #1" "Peace in Blue" and maybe a few surprises and\or unpublished works. You will have to make it to the show to see.....

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Washington Pavilion First Juried Art Exhibition

 Sept. 14th - Dec. 2nd 2012 

Reception on Sept. 15th

Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

My piece called "The Monarch Princess" was selected and will be in exhibit at this great show.

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Piper Fine Art Gallery

 You can always view some of my pieces at Piper Fine Art Gallery in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Right now there are 4 pieces at Piper Fine Art for your viewing pleasure and purchase Click Here to see what is Hanging out

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These are some great chances to see my work and the work of other world class artists from South Dakota. If you would like any further info on these shows or any of my work please do not hesitate to drop me a message....I would love to hear about your adventures in art and any reaction to the shows I am involved with. There will be many more...including Artists Against Hunger 7 in December. Peace and love to you all

Hope to see your smiling face at one of my shows!!!

"The Monarch Princess" A Painting created with Love

THE MONARCH PRINCESS

24in x 48in (60cm x 122cm)

Oil on Canvas

Metamorphosis is one of natures wonders. The metamorphosis of insects has always triggered wonder into my thoughts. The morph of the Butterfly (and Moths) is amazing no matter how you look at it. Egg to Larvae, which grows into Caterpillar for about 2 weeks, then creates a chrysalis.....to emerge a beautiful, beautiful Butterfly. The wonders of nature....

So as many of you know I have been in the process of creating  large paintings of insects. I am working real hard to create an entire show with my minds eye view of some of the earths most beautiful creatures. I call this series "My Bug Collection" As a child, as with almost everyone, I was so interested with the creatures that lived in my backyard. I would collect, observe and yes, dissect a few. I love bugs, even the ones that are a pain in the butt ("I am Just a House Fly"). They all have so much beauty even if the are like mean, mini Jet Fighters ("Wasp the YellowJacket). My thought was to create very large detailed paintings of these cool creatures. Show some but not all detail, try and make a "feel" more than a picture. I do not want any real background stated in the piece. I did not want them to be anywhere but in a space. Just them....as I see them. They are my focal point throughout my series. Subtle colors grace and envelope the image. They are alone to be just what they are. 

My Bug Collection is far from complete. To date I have 3 completed. A House Fly, Wasp, and now the Monarch Caterpillar. I am in process with 2 others as we speak....A Monarch Butterfly (to compliment this piece ("The Monarch")) and a Grasshopper ("The Grasshopper"). I have a few other bugs in the pipeline to get created soon. 

You can see the step by step photo album of "The Monarch Princess" and all the painting in the series at my facebook artist page Click here to see the view... 

The Creation....and the Love that went into this Piece

Life is beautiful.....

   This year will be one I will never forget. Not only have I worked real hard and completed some of my best work to date it also brings my greatest creation ever.....My Masterpiece!!! I will be soon blessed with my first child. (July 30th is the due date) We know she is a girl and her name shall be Sparrow.............

   When we had confirmation that everything was 100% on the cool with the pregnancy I set out to display my emotions through the one way I know how, start a painting! I wanted to capture a few of my thoughts with my oil paints. This painting is the result of my feelings so far....

    I could not get her out of my mind......I would imagine millions of things as I was putting brush to canvas, what she will look like, her smile, her inner energy, her first boyfriend etc. etc, etc. It was the feeling of pure joy coupled by stints of pure worry. Every brush stroke I took the thought of her seeing this painting with her own eyes someday would bring tears to my eyes. The thought of, in the years ahead she will be sitting watching me paint and me watching her. Yes, many episodes of watery eyes as I painted thinking of my Sparrow....

   When I paint, it is the time of my day that I truly can step into another world. I equate it to meditation or yoga or the artistic. This is the time I Dream!........Now the process has changed much like the Caterpillar will...... I have changed...and will change even more...I have a new role as a Dad.....and this painting is my first step into learning that role, at least on an artistic level. My paintings will change....I now know that Sparrow will have all of my work that I keep as an Artist Collection. If I should leave this earth, she will have a very large part of my being that lives in my paintings. She can always visit me by just taking a look. Yes that will change how you work as an artist......

   As you can probably figure....This painting will not be up for sale...Actually It no longer belongs to me! I created it with her in my thoughts....... and it now belongs to Sparrow. It shall be hers forever......The painting Daddy created when he found out he was going have a Princess of his own....My first gift of Love to my little Sparrow....

   Don't worry.....I will show it in the coming years. Place it in shows, let it hang in a few Galleries....get it out there so folks can see it for sure....it is so beautiful that I want to share it with the world. Matter of fact the painting will debut publicly for the upcoming Artist Against Hunger  Show. I will be showing..along with 80 of the regions best and talented artists to raise some cash for Feeding America...to feed the Hungry here in South Dakota USA on June 1st and 2nd....There is also some other Gallery shows that are in her near future (more info on that in due time)....In essence, It is special and will become more special....the more people that see it the more Love that enters it......and now it is hers!!

A Raw photo of her outside...

Follow the Step by Step photo journal of how I created this painting

Step by Step of "The Monarch Princess"

Thank you for taking the time to check this quick blog post out....Please Please feel free to leave some comments....I would love to hear your thoughts...here or on any of my social media stuff (you can find all those links in my side bar --->

Peace and Love to you on this....and everyday!!

A look into the SUN FIGURE Series...and a new painting

Life on planet Earth is a beautiful thing...Millions of species of animals, bacteria, plants etc. call this little blue planet earth. Some species are very clever and have developed complex systems of retaining their life and the world around them. Humans among the most clever....We build great monuments to our humanity, move about the planet in vehicles made of minerals, and communicate through machines also built with minerals and elements we think we have power over. Is this a fluke? Are we riding on the only body in the vast space around us that gives life?....I Think Not....

My Sun Figure series takes a look at one possible species that also shares the Universe with us. Here is a little bit about these fascinating beings....

The Sun Figures are a creation that thrives in the hostile environment of a Star or Sun. Hydrogen and Helium plasma feed their life-force. The magnetic field gives them power and communication. Their bodies are not carbon based, as most other life we know is, but concentrated light elements derived from the molecules around them. They need vehicles made of heavy elements we do know yet know exist to move around. The spheres give them mobility and are with them forever, almost a part of them. They are controlled by the Sun Figures thoughts, movements and arms (as we would call them). They thrive in the gravitational pressure and heat. The larger the star, the more powerful the Figures. They do not know death or any concept of it. They are pure light. To them the path to Heaven is achieved when the star they live on reaches it most powerful phase, Supernova! Heaven is entered only when the star becomes what we call a Black Hole, the most dense object we know of in the universe. This is where they meet God. 

The Sun Figures mission is to nurture the delicate balance of  the stars life. It is their garden to sow and love. The keep the balance of life energy flowing. With out them stars would not live....without stars...no other life would exist! The are vital to the clock work of everything....... They did not create life, but only help to maintain it........... They are Sun Angels of God.

The Paintings in the Series so far:

"Figures on the Sun"

24x36in Oil on Canvas

Dec. 2004 

"Figures on the Sun" was the first one in the series that brought my vision to light..... It was done in one session. It captures a group of beings congregated together for fellowship. It is bold in its movement and color. I knew once complete, the theory had to be examined more. This brought to me the vision to do the next one....almost the next day!

"SUN FIGURE #1"  

24x48in Oil on Canvas

Dec. 2004 

"Sun Figure #1"   My personal favorite...After completing "Figures on the Sun" I got excited and wanted to create a closer more detailed view of these beautiful beings...The colors are vibrant and flow by one another with a strong force in themselves. It also is the only painting so far with a view of their knowledge of humanity.... A hidden image showing a female human....proof that everything is connected....all life revolves in one large circle....

"Sun Figure #0"

16x20in Oil on Canvas

2005 (completed 2011)

"Sun Figure #0" This painting was lost at one point in time...I had painted the figure one night in 2005...playing around with the Sun Figure image....I put it aside and at it ended up in a box with a bunch of my other older works and when I had moved it was unknowingly stored in my basement and forgotten!! A few months ago I was digging in some boxes and found it.....it was a good find....I then wanted to have some fun with color and finished the background last Nov.

"Sun Figure #2"

24x48in Oil on Canvas

Sept. 2011

"Sun Figure #2" was my first painting last year....I wanted to play around with the color and feel of the Sun Figure...This painting is bright and a wonderful play on color....The Blue and Yellow create a sharp contrast in this work....and the flow of the background bring life to the piece.......It is the only painting in this series that is presently for sale..Sun Figure #2 for sale here and will only be up for sale at this price for another month or two....then it will become part of my personal collection (and get expensive)

-The DEBUT of a New Painting to the Series-

"Sun Figure #3"

18x24in Oil on Canvas

Feb.2012

"Sun Figure #3"....This painting was just completed this last weekend... It started as a fluke of sorts...I had set out to create a non-subject abstract painting for fun...You know just go play with some color and not take it as a serious thing....So I took my palette knife and some oil paints that I wanted to use up (partial tubes of paints that I may have lots of tubes of that color) and I just started to make a mess....well soon I saw a partial face on the canvas and proceeded to exploit it and worked it to being what it is today...This painting was done in 2 sessions and was done with about 90% palette knife...the only real brushing was to smooth out some of the face after my cat Winston had decided that he wanted to step on it (I had laid it down on my work table and got distracted hehehe Cats will be cats)...The paint on this one is very thick and the texture is wonderful.......I tried to get in a little closer to the being than the other in the series....I was just having fun and it came to life.....

 Thank you all for spending some time to take a closer look into a few of my paintings....Yes my mind is filled with crazy stuff....I am so happy that I can get some of that stuff onto a format that other folks can also enjoy and think about....I am sure that these are not the last in this series....I like to come back to it from time to time.....I would love to hear your thoughts on these pieces.....(the comments below are not set to be signed up....anyone can comment) Please also "share" the link to this story with your friends....Peace and Love to you I hope you enjoyed this latest blog post

 

 

"A SIOUX MUSTANGS SPIRIT"

"A Sioux Mustangs Spirit"

16x20in Acrylic on Canvas

02/02/12

He is the strength and grace....the keeper of heart and soul of a whole people...He lives in every Mustang that lives side by side with the Sioux Nation. He is wise and fearless with a heart that knows War and turmoil but also knows Peace and Love. A gift from Mother Earth. A keeper of the 4 directions...He helps provide for the beautiful people that worship him as natures master of the plains...He is light....He is darkness

His Eyes are blank with energy as he sees things with his life-force and heart. A cold stare of Respect, Love and Duty....His sight is within......He knows everything and nothing

He attracts the light...and it reflects from him like silver....In the moonlight he stands still with the world moving on around him. His mane is sharp with glitter and movement...He lives in the Light...He is Light!

His Nation is that of the Oyate, also know as the Sioux. His people lived on and cherished the upper Midwest of the United States...The Sioux Empire (as it is still known today) is where his light is shown...He is a buffalo hunter...He is a warrior. 

I painted this beautiful painting as a tribute to the heritage of my mothers...I am Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux\Oyate. My mother people lived on this land and thrived for many many moons. I wanted to capture a feeling of the power of the Mustang in my culture. The Spirit of a people who looked upon these majestic animals as equals. The Mustang gave them a whole world of prosperity...They where the means of the hunts and the wars. They allowed the Sioux to partner with them in life as a friend, a companion, and a bringer of life....I wanted to try and capture just a hint of that...

The background to this piece is a thick Impasto style...hints of red and violet share the sky with some of the darkness....This is a high gloss piece with texture and feel...in person it just sings!!! I hope you all enjoy this as much as I do....Last night as I worked on some finishing detail, excitement washed over me many times. I love it when it all just comes together with Peace and Love.....

This beautiful painting is up for sale on my Etsy...Click Purchase Here

 This would look great in your world...Frame it and enjoy it forever!

Thank you everyone for taking a look at my latest work,,,Please feel free to share this work...pin-it if you please....and Please leave a comment below (anyone can comment, you do not need to be signed up) 

Also remember I Love you all....I am so blessed to have so many wonderful folks interested in my humble work.....

"WHEN HE FOUND THE SUN"

"WHEN HE FOUND THE SUN" 

16x20in Oil on Canvas

01/2012

It was on this day he noticed....finally really noticed. It had been there his whole life but he was to busy with his fake life. The life everyone expected him to live. The banks, bill collectors and advertisers all had a good hold on how he should be living his life. Marketing departments owned him. They shove the "must have items" in his face. They influence him to spend money on things that are just things. The Rulers of his land worked to make him conform to the party line. They promised freedom but delivered nothing.....besides rules. He was taught to just "be". He became Blue...

.....and alone! When he finally started to notice what had been done he took a long walk....to the edge of the world. Where light is pure and energy is real. It is a beautiful but lonely place, cause not to many know it even exists...not to many have made this trip....not to many have admitted they are also Blue. He stepped close to the edge and looked up....With his bloodshot eyes, for the first time he actually saw the Sun...

He knew it was always there....but he never really ever "Saw it".......... He raised his hand and with a deep sigh and a tear, he pointed to the sky. A visual snapshot entered his mind, he would never forget this moment. He would live his life different now. An awakening moment. He realized that he had forgot about the natural energy of the world and the universe as we know it and the power of light and color...

He would never be the same again....He now took notice of the beauty and life all around him...Maybe it was from that point on "When He Found the Sun" that he was actually alive for the first time?

Do you need to take that journey?

***This is a painting I finished up today...I started it about a week ago (the background and sun...everything except the figure...which I completed today). As I was painting it, I tried to capture the feelings and mood of the story that was swimming in my head. I wanted to show the loneliness we all feel....and sometimes the palette knife is the best way to show that....hopefully the bright colors yield the viewer a glimmer of light and promise....even if they live their life in the Blue......

Thanks for checking it out....I had fun with this one...I would love to hear your thoughts!!!

***UPDATE*** This beautiful painting now lives in Australia....It was sold soon after I posted this blog....It is now part of a collection by Temporary Galley . I am super happy that it has such a great new home....I hope many can enjoy it.....Peace and love to you

 "Lance: your painting arrived alive and well in Melbourne, Australia. Thanks a Million. Erik The Viking"

"WASP the YELLOWJACKET" an insect in Oil

A Wasp, or sometimes called a YellowJacket, they are know to strike fear in even the bravest of humans. They seem to taunt us by living and hunting in close proximity to places close to where us humans also spend our days. The bright yellow and black contrast shows the world "Don't mess with me, I am way more mean that that happy Honey Bee!"... "I will make you hurt!" It is a beautiful respect they have gained or shall I say Earned!!!

I set out to paint this beautiful Wasp to make a few small statements. First of all the beauty that can be found in nature, even in the villains....matter of fact evolution has given most of the villains of the animal kingdom some of the most beauty. A warning sign to would be predators. When I say villains I mean the creatures that possibly strike the most fear to other animals...the predators, the ones who can make you hurt. They are not real villains they are just doing what they need to do to survive on this planet. Actually the Human race are the real villains on this planet, they are the ones who destroy it!

Second, I wanted to paint a subject that would arouse emotion around the beauty I can show. I don't know how many comments\messages that stated "Oh this painting is beautiful....but I hate Wasps, they scare me" or simply "That creeps me out, but the painting is real good." A close relative came over to the house a few days ago...I showed her the painting...she said " You did a great job but I would never have a painting of a wasp hanging in my house"....Mission Accomplished!!!!

Third was simply the personal challenge to paint this guy. I had a vision of what I wanted to create and it actually came out they way I had originally envisioned, that happens on rare occasion. I usually start with a vision or idea and even a well thought out plan but throughout the painting process it either changes or my skills will not allow it to be as I visioned. This time everything came together. I always find the process interesting...from idea to hanging on a wall, the painting process is a beautiful journey that few ever get to see....they usually just see the finished product...and do not know the work or decision making that goes into a painting. I try and show that from time to time on my facebook page in photo journals....folks seem to really like to watch the step by step and of course I get real excited to post a new update...it adds a special feel to the painting....and yes I do have an album for this guy...."Wasp the YellowJacket" photo journal  Looking through that album you can really get a feel for what was going on at the time...my comments and the comments of others can put you, in some part, into the mind of the artist...It is a fun journey!

I ran into a few challenges during this painting but no more or no less that on any painting I do. That problem solving is one of the things I really enjoy about painting. Its like a big puzzle that changes from minute to minute. The main issue was the colors....I had to let certain colors dry before I could move on to the next...Black and Yellow are notorious for making a mess with each other. If you get even a tiny amount of Black into the yellow wet paint...it is very hard to remove and it can turn that Yellow to mush real fast...Oil paints are a skill!......So for me, I always got excited and wanted to keep moving when I knew I could end up making a mess of it all.....so I had to practice a lot of patience! It was worth it in the end! Another point about colors...my palette was very limited for this painting, but limits provide a chance to do big things with very little!!!

Well the Wasp is now in drying mode....spending his days curing out....in a few days (when he is a bit more dry) I will hang him in my living room to enjoy while he is doing the process of shedding his linseed oil...then I am looking forward to getting him into a beautiful, big, black frame. Someday maybe prints will be made so lots of folks can enjoy him or someday someone may pony up the cash to have the original hanging in their world...but for now he will just be part of my personal premium collection.

I want to take this time to thank everyone who is reading this....and all the folks who followed his creation....I enjoy sharing my talent with you all very much. It makes what I do, so very enjoyable!!

I just wanted to share a little more about what was going on in my twisted mind about this crazy painting....Please go check out my facebook page and see what else is brewing...Peace and love to you all!!!