I had the great honor to be asked by my good pal Andy Chasteen to paint at his wedding last weekend in Arkansas. It was a 12 minute flurry of paint and beats while friends Steven Charles and Jason Roy jammed out on guitar and didgeridoo as people were being seated.
photo by Lucas Marshall
Above: CD cover for Kinsey Charles.
Kinsey came to me looking for a CD cover for her first release. After reading her lyrics, I asked if she did any sewing or quilting. Although a strange question, she responded in shock- “Actually yes, I often sew and create my own clothes.”
Eventually, I crafted her portrait with patterns, paper, and wallpaper using a sewing machine to put the pieces back together.
Look for Kinsey Charles “The Keeper” on Itunes.
Every Day I didn’t climb in patagonia, I was out in the wind drawing or painting…
The sketchbook was made from a 1935 childrens’ book I found at a garage sale before I left.
Sitting and drawing in the wind and light rain didn’t make a whole lot of sense at the time, but when I try to recreate the experience– drawing similar images here in the studio, it’s not the same. My linework may be better do to a controlled situation; my reference may be more constant- using a photo instead of evolving, rolling clouds and shadows, but the onsite reality of drawing in the chaotic environment is what connects me to the moment.
I can vividly remember sitting across from an Austral Pygmy Owl the size of a orange, and the deafening water rushing under my feet in the glacier runoff beneath the Torres Del Paine.
Also, when I returned I printed various photos into the pages. The photos of me drawing are by climber and photographer Mike Schaefer.
The music? What else? Sigur Ros.
Windy Sketchin’ from Jeremy Collins on Vimeo.
Today is hectic.
But… I must post.
Tomorrow night are two exciting things-
My assistants Kevin and Kristen are getting married Saturday, so it’s the dress rehearsal.
Here’s Kevins hard working feet while we set up the reception hall-
Kev, I’m so proud of how far these feet have walked this year… and the year ahead looks like more than just a stroll. Keep on walkin the walk, buddy.
Also, if you are in town tomorrow evening, try to swing by Leopold Gallery on 63rd and Brookside in KC.
It is their 15th anniversary/birthday in business. Gallery Owner Paul Dorrel has done so much behind the scenes, and IN FRONT of the scene work in KC for artists in that time span. He also penned a book I read before I met him after my wife highly encouraged me to. Living the Artists Life walks the uninitiated and seasoned artist through the pitfalls, joys, darkness, and total madness of being an artist and how to sell your work should you ever figure out who you are. It has been a wildly succesfull book for Paul and has sent him all over the country on book tours and lectures. Paul showed up at a slideshow of mine in 2002, where I talked about climbing El Capitan in a day. He had done a fair ammount of climbing at our local gym and he was curious.
We connected. Some day soon, buddy, I will get you in a harness and on some big wild wall of rock.
Today I showed up with a few paintings for tomorrows show, and Paul was on his hands and knees, doing the dirty work- planing a door, washing windows, and laying floor. It’s not all pretty work owning a gallery, and Paul knows how to get it done. I appreciated seeing him taking care of biz.
Leopold employee Brandon prepping my tree paintings for hanging. Thanks man!
