December was a busy month, and January promises to be even busier! I'd like to share some photos from an event we attended at the moveable theatre/art space at the Westminster School in Annandale Virginia this December. The event, planned in honor of the birthday of art collector Ellis Glover, doubled as an art show. The evening featured a performance by the Muddy Vesture Band and select pieces from the private art collection of Mr. Glover. My artwork was showcased, as well as paintings by Hector Vargas, Susan Glazier and Steven Schuman. Below, you'll find pictures of the sumptuous evening enjoyed by Mr. Glover's guests, as well as photos of the featured artwork and the Muddy Vesture Band.


The Party


Party guests enjoy the evening. Images of Steven Schuman's "Eyes of the Beholder" and Susan Glazier's "Tangled Hierarchies" grace the backdrop.


Steven Schuman's "Eyes of the Beholder"


Hector Vargas discusses his painting, "Dali's Crosses Guarding the City" with a party guest. "Dali's Crosses Guarding the City" is a 36x40" oil painting on canvas. See more of Hector Vargas' work at http://www.angelfire.com/art2/hectorvargas/


A guest studies my painting, "Ellis" 48x36" oil on canvas. This "Life Portrait" was commissioned by Ellis Glover. Ellis stands amid images of people and places that inspire him. Some images, such as the school tower and the guitar, represent his own life's work both in the arts and in education.


"Ellis" 48x36" oil on canvas


The glowing colors of Susan Glazier's "Presence" create a mystical backdrop.


My piece, "Papageno", is installed at the entrance to the theatre of the Westminster School. This piece is 48x36" and is rendered in oil on canvas. Papageno is the birdman from Mozart's Magic Flute. His name is believed to be a composite in Italian composed of papagalo (parrot) and genio (genius, smart). The meaning becomes: "a smart parrot". The animated sun behind Papageno represents the priest, Sarastro, and his followers; the moon and stars represent the Queen of the Night.


"Papageno" 48x36" oil on canvas


The Muddy Vesture Band featuring Ellis Glover (rhythm guitar and lead vocals), Brent Buckley (lead guitar), Brad Davis (Drums) Bill Flexsenhar (Bass) and Susan Glazier (background vocals). Learn more about Muddy Vesture at www.MuddyVesture.com.

Art work for Accidental Charm's Latest Release

Vintage Accidental Charm, chez the Artist currently known as Laurie Nelson


Accidental Charm will release their current album, "With the Crowd" on Saturday, January 16. I worked with Accidental Charm on the artwork for their last album, "Dream At Your Own Risk" and was commissioned to do the artwork for this CD as well. I worked with Guitartist/Singer/Songwriter Tom Godsman to create a look that worked with his concept for the album; the concept is satirical, with the band heading in the opposite direction from the crowd. This album primarily features the songwriting of Tom Godsman.

To learn more about Accidental Charm, visit www.AccidentalCharm.com

You can also see videos of some of the band's cover material at http://www.youtube.com/user/jackestra AND the albums are for sale on itunes.


Front Cover


Back Cover featuring 4 miniature portraits


Artwork for previous album, Dream at Your Own Risk, Collection Dr. David and Margie Bertman

Bird in Hand

22x28" oil on canvas

As promised, the photo journal of the creation of my recent new piece, "Bird In Hand". Enjoy!

Once my canvas is ready, I transfer my sketch and start with the sky.




Working on the red sky

Creating "Bird In Hand", continued...

Working on the background

Milshy (o:

Creating "Bird in Hand", continued...

Creating the full background




Working on the flying bird

Creating "Bird In Hand", continued...

Starting the Dress




Starting arms and hands

Creating Bird in Hand, continued...

Working on arms, hands and feet




Working on the hat

Creating Bird in Hand, continued...

Working on the bush




More detail

Creating Bird in Hand, continued...

Creating bird and bush detail




Creating transparency for the hat

Creating Bird in Hand, continued....

Creating hat detail




Creating ribbon detail

Life update!

The studio concert performances are finished for another year and my world swings back to visual art. A new oil painting has been conceived and paint is on the canvas; it will be a dreamy small scale juxtoposition between reality and fantasy. I completed my first mixed media piece today, which is a 30x40" painting in acrylic and liquid gold leaf. It will appear here soon.

Tonight my friend Margie and I enjoyed attending the intimate closing party for "Milgrom on Morandi" at the Cross MacKenzie gallery in Georgetown. Lilianne Milgrom's take on the work of Morandi was intriguing....in this exhibit she creates life where there was only "still". Her ceramic forms are grouped together in Morandi inspired clusters and when filtered through the modern sensibility many evoke feelings of modern life, skylines, and other archictectural constructs. In the paintings on exhibit, she injects small bits of biology which move the images back to land of the living. Altogether inspired.

It was lovely visiting with another artist, particularly one as charming as Lilianne, and gallery owner Rebecca Cross was a gracious host. Find Lilianne at www.LilianneMilgrom.com

New Painting!

Bird in Hand is a 22x28" oil painting on canvas.
Created from the figure of speech "One bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush." The phrase first appears in a British folk ballad published in 1781 as a lyric from a song entitled 'A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush' and is listed as being 'Sung at Vauxhall' [London].

The Lyrics were:
Gay Strephon declares I'm the girl in his mind,
If he proves sincere, I'll be constant and kind,
He vows that tomorrow he'll make me his wife,
I'll fondly endeavour to bless him for life,
For all other fwains I care not a rush,
One bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Flower Conversations in Laurie's garden...

Psst....Ellen! Don't tell Sid over there, but...

Hallloooooo!!!!!!!! Yo! You up there!

New Painting!

"The Birth of Mars" is the painting you see me working on in the photos here. It is a 60x20'' oil on canvas.

According to legend, Juno, the queen of the gods, gave birth to Mars after being touched by a magic plant. Mars was originally associated with vegetation and fertility. As the Romans became increasingly warlike, Mars gradually developed into a god of war, but he never lost his connection with agriculture and the plant world entirely. The Romans honored him with festivals in his month, March, when new growth begins in the fields. Here our "red planet" represents the god for whom he was named.