Walleye
– wood burner on table
Category: Uncategorized
Fall 2017
Zentangle
We are plotting an American veteran adventure! We are well on our way tangling every state for the group entry into the 2018 Veterans Creative Arts Festival.
I started with the states I love the most: (Utah, New Mexico, Alaska), and currently as of Oct. 4th, I’m working on Arizona. Next will be Colorado and lastly Wyoming to complete the intermountain West.
Stephen Bradshaw Blue started the project with me and has been a tenacious tangler. He started in Georgia and has been working on the southern states.
Other vets include Bill starting on Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
Stay tuned as the states stack up for a fun filled project.
The map as of 10/13/2017
More vet tanglers in action!
Dryhootch Zentangle session.
Dryhootch Zentangle class
11/08/2017 the map is nearing completion. We are waiting for a few more vets to turn in their states. Mounting the states onto the chalkboard will be the last step of our journey.
Map 11/16/2017
U.S. territories are included.
One state away 11/29/2017
12/07/2017
Idaho was the last state completed. Now it is truly a United States.
We are framed as of 1/10/2018
Framed and epoxy finish. Today we installed the hanging chain and are ready for the competition.
We Won!!!
Post Map Tangle
Winter 2017
Here’s a small collection of my recent work.
My display at the Elkhorn art show with mom.
-oil on reversed glass
-oil on reversed glass
Quick Sketch- oil on reversed glass
Winter Tree
-oil on reversed glass
Summer 2016
More lake scenes for sale at the Studio Gallery.
-Oil on reversed glass
Spring 2016
Starting a new season with lake scenes.
Treetops -oil on reversed glass
Inspired from laying on my back and looking up through the trees.
Combining the zentangle philosophy to non objective paintings.
Winter 2016
I was at the “Art&Soul” gallery in New Glarus with the Swiss Alpine series.
It has been a great winter of painting and there’s no slowing down.
Melted wax on reversed glass
I did take 1st place in the vet art show with the Surf board called- “paradigm surf”
“Study Grid” – oil on glass
“Charlie Don’t Surf”- Oil on old wakeboard.
Studies of the German Expressionists Der Blaue Reiter: G. Munter, F. Marc, and maybe W. Kandinsky on the bottom.
Oil on glass/reversed glass
Arboretum Wedding Setting – oil on reversed glas
A few more Swiss series for the New Glarus exhibit which starts March 1st.
Double Zermatt-
oil on reversed glass
Franz Marc study- Oil on reversed glass
1/18/16
Matterhorn- Oil on Reversed Glass
1/7/16
Fall
“Surf Style” Oil on board
“Surf Style” in progress – oil on board
“Alpine series #1” -Oil on reversed glass 11/17/2015
Oil on glass
Zentangle and travels with pen and ink.
Needles Utah 11/1/15
“The Stranger” oil on reversed glass 10/15/15
New Window 10/10/2015
Sharpie sketch
Close up- in progress
“Fading from Red” Oil on reversed glass
ALIVE DAY
Alive Day
On September 7, 2005 in Helmand Province Afghanistan, a Suicide bomber detonated a vehicle borne IED a few feet away from me. 8 local nationals died instantly to include a young boy on a bike. I was knocked out and lucky to be alive. No other Americans were injured. I feel that there is a piece of my soul left behind, lost, and confused back in Afghanistan.
Today is the tenth anniversary. Wounded vets refer to it as their Alive Day. I feel extremely lucky and grateful for the life I have. A sense of renewal has taken root. As you know, I like to share every morsel of goodness with friends and family. Ramping up to this day is always tough, yet this year has been nothing short of a miracle.
My intent was to extinguish the negative past and celebrate the new normal. As fate would have it my alive day would be at Snowbird, where all of my fondest childhood/young adult memories are based. The perfect location to bring in a new chapter of my life. The reunion with the Bounous family was pre destined by a higher power. (I needed that extra boost from those I admire most) Deciding where to go on the mountain to pay homage was so eloquently suggested by 90 year old Junior Bounous:
“Find a nice patch of flowers”
I followed his advice and started up the mountain in the pre dawn hours. As I hiked I was Flooded with emotions and planned a ceremonious burial. I brought with me the sleeve from my uniform that contained the blood and charred remains of the blast.
The crescent moon was my guide and slowly the light softened into the pastel shades of morning. The stillness interrupted by chirping and rustling chipmunks. The tops of the peaks were painted by the first rays of sun. I found a nice patch of flowers with a commanding view of the valley below, and the rocky crags above. Then I dug using a wedge of wood I found on the race hill. I placed my past into the shallow crater.
I said a prayer with gratitude, I asked for forgiveness for the things I saw and did while deployed. I prayed for those heroes whom did not return. I prayed for those who are preparing to deploy. Lastly I asked for guidance in how to live with honor and purpose.
I covered my little plot with flowers and granite, and felt instantly relieved. A weight has been lifted.
Thank you all for making my life meaningful. I am on my way back to the Midwest where I feel safe, amongst the lakes and trees. Furthermore the most important life additive; is the people we surround ourselves with. You make my world a better place.
Peace!
Glacier 2, oil on glass 10/16/15
Glacier 1, oil on reversed glass
10/16/15
Summer
Time to be productive. Summer means Mural season to compliment the studio sessions. My latest forray into the local fabric is volunteering for the Delavan Walldogs. I’ll be hosting an artist, and working on one of 18 murals in Delavan with 130 artists from around the country. My first experiment is an adorandak chair with an image of a clown motif to be auctioned off.
Artists unite
Great learning opportunities!
It was an amazing week with fabulous artists!
Final touches sealed with a kiss.
New window- oil on reversed glass. “Post Red”
“Chicago Sail”- oil on reversed glass
Finished detail.
Spring
I’m starting the new season with a three drawer dresser. I painted a scow on all sides for my mom who was an avid inland lake racer. It has been a productive day and night with out pause. I look forward to new themes and more windows… I still have a big wall in Williams Bay to complete, however it’s still snowing as I write this so I’ll stick to the studio for now.
Cheers!
Audrey Hepburn sketch-
Sharpie and watercolor on canvass.
“Adaptive Adventures Summer”
-oil on reversed glass
4/17/15
Winter 2014/15
The Frosty Wisco temps proved a reasonable excuse for studio sessions. I focused on several oil on reversed glass windows. The unexpected twists and turns in slathering the medium onto the smooth glass takes on a life of its own.
Mark Duran Art 