I love working with UGallery as it allows my work to be seen and purchased from anywhere in the world.  I recently had the pleasure of them carrying my blurscape oil paintings at the Affordable Art Fair in New York City which they proceeded to sell out my work before the show was over.  UGallery is located in San Francisco and maintain a small physical gallery and through their website sell art online all over the world.  Check out and see my paintings for sale in my UGallery.com portfolio.

What I’ve learned Using Epoxy Resin on Art

Experiment and test then retest before ever applying it to something you value.  It’s amazing how fast you can ruin a painting with epoxy resin so make sure you know what you’re doing with it before ever applying it to a painting you want to sell or exhibit.  Also, realize that once the epoxy resin cures(which is under 24 hours) that whatever it comes into contact with will be ruined.  This is because it will become as hard as concrete, I’m talking about real solid.  I still have spots of epoxy resin that are permanent members of my studio floor and tables, there is no getting it off.  So take that to heart and be sure to have a safe, clean area to work in, and clean up any spills immediately.

Since epoxy resin is a two part mixture you will need to accurately measure out the necessary measurements.  Using epoxy resin containers that come with hand pumps is the best way to accurately measure the two parts, see below for some of my recommendations.  I started off using plastic measuring cups from Home Depot but after a couple of mixtures I couldn’t completely clean out the cups and then would give me inaccurate measurements.

Epoxy Resin Bubbles

Anyone who has used Epoxy resin on their art or paintings will know this subject all too well.  The dreaded epoxy resin bubbles.  The bubbles originate from when you mix the epoxy with the resin.  The tendency is to quickly stir it up but you should pay careful attention to slowly mix the 2 together to reduce the amount of bubbles you create.  You will not eliminate all of the bubbles however so don’t be too hard on yourself because you can drive yourself crazy over it.  Once the epoxy resin is poured onto your painting you can blow on the bubbles or use a hairdryer to get rid of the rest of the bubbles.  I’ve also heard of artists using a propane blow torch to get rid of the epoxy resin bubbles.

Applying Epoxy Resin

Lay your artwork flat and feel free to slowly pour the resin onto the piece.  I usually do so in the middle as I like to spread it around once it’s poured.  To spread the epoxy resin around I usually just use an art exhibit postcard of mine that I have laying around because again whatever you use will be thrown in the trash after you use it.  Spread slowly as you do not want to add any more bubbles than necessary.  Once you have it spread like you want it let it rest for about 24 hours.  Be sure that you are in a clean environment as anything that lands on the epoxy resin while it’s curing will be stuck on it such as dust, hair, or animal fur.

What I recommend

What I use is AeroMarine Epoxy Resin.  This is the good stuff.  It’s non-blushing which is key, meaning it stays clear after it cures.  It also comes with the hand pumps which makes everything so much more simple and you don’t waste anything while getting the perfect ratio every time.  The 1.5 gallon kit is the perfect size to get going.  It comes in smaller sizes but if you’re new to using epoxy resin you will need to test it and you will go through the smaller sizes quicker.  Also, what I found was that using epoxy resin is extremely addictive!  Once you get going you just want to pour it on everything!  If you have any other questions just send me a comment below.

"American Flag" oil on canvas 34"x64" John Diehl 2011

One of the most iconic American symbols and most recognizable flags of the world is the flag of the United States of America.  I painted this original oil painting for my solo corporate art exhibit at the Fidelity Investments headquarters in Boston.  Measuring over 5 feet wide and painted in my contemporary monochromatic style this American Flag painting is quite large and imposing.  Probably one of the most famous American Flag paintings was done by the artist Jasper Johns entitled “Flag” which was painted between 1954 and 1955.  Even though Jasper Johns “Flag” painting was of a popular image he never considered it to be a part of pop art.

The iconic value of the American Flag was what inspired me to paint it.  Also, the stripes of the flag lent themselves well to my soft edged painting style that is found in my “Blurscapes”.  The white stripes remained white while the rest of the American Flag become monochromatic as seen in my contemporary portrait paintings.  This painting is currently for sale for $1250.  Shipping and handling are extra so please contact me prior to purchase so I can give a quote on the shipping and handling costs.

Wall Art for Sale

"Nighthawks" oil on canvas 35"x62" John Diehl 2011 $1250

In 2007 I attended Edward Hopper’s retrospective exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.  It was his largest exhibit in decades.  Among all of his great works was his most famous masterpiece “Nighthawks”.  Easily this painting is one of the most widely recognized paintings of the 20th century and one of my favorites.  ”Nighthawks” by Edward Hopper resides at the Art Institute of Chicago but was on loan in Boston for the show, it made a very strong impression.  This exhibit is what started my painting career as I went home with the exhibit catalog and copied 2 of Edward Hopper’s oil painting landscapes(I will write about this in an upcoming blog post).

With the summer heat fading as the fall is fast approaching my painting studio is now comfortable enough to paint for long hours again.  I have begun a new series of oil paintings which will encompass my own take and interpretation on some of my favorite masterpieces.  My version “Nighthawks” is an oil painting painted in my blue and white style with some edits made of the original Edward Hopper painting.  In the original “Nighthawks” painting there are 4 people within the diner/cafe.  I decided to remove the people as if they had all left and gone home for the evening.  Without the people in the painting the composition and shapes become the focal point of this piece.  Whenever you have people in a painting you will find that they usually steal the show.  I really wanted to give the ambiance of the scene and portray the mood of the evening.

When I saw the original “Nighthawks” in person I was very impressed with the size and shape of the canvas.  For my take on the painting I hand built and hand stretched the canvas to same exact dimensions as the original.  This painting is currently available for sale for $1250 plus shipping and handling.

Paintings for Sale

"KLeigh" oil on canvas 42"x32" John Diehl 2011

Having started painting portraits again I have found myself looking for better source material.  The common way of going about collecting images for portraits is to use celebrity photographs.  The problem that arises with painting celebrities is that I don’t really know them or having any form of connection to them since I’ve never met them.  This has led me to search out source material that I’m familiar with and have started calling on my friends to help.

This oil painting portrait that I have just finished “KLeigh” is of a good friend of mine.  The photo I used is from her wedding that I attended in Jamaica.  Both her and her husband go back to the days of elementary school with me.  I found that this kind of connection makes a much more rewarding portrait and painting experience.  Instead of just making an image, I am recalling on years of memories and knowledge of my friend and becomes more personal than say a painting of a famous actress.

Besides the fact that she is lovely, the pose instantly reminded me of the “Girl with the Pearl Earring” painting that I completed a few months ago.  With the pose and the lighting I knew that I could use my color palette and high contrast style to produce a vivid oil painting portrait.

Well, two things, primarily – commerce, and a larger audience. These are both due to the fact that the world wide web is just that – a world-wide network of computers that enable you to show new art to potentially huge numbers of people almost instantly, and with very little fuss. Art galleries are no longer the be all and end all of showcasing and selling your art.

The commerce side to art is a huge draw for artists who know that sometimes, the only way to see work sell is to have it exhibited, and as there are more artists than gallery spaces, this isn’t an easy task. But with the internet, all you need’s a Flickr account, or a basic website, and you can show off scans, photos, even 3D Flash-enabled content where someone can see your sculpture from three hundred and sixty different angles.

The audience numbers you usually get will also rise, as people have a far higher change of running into your art when they’re on the web – they don’t have to walk into a specific gallery. Someone might like it and tweet about it – that then gets retweeted, and again, and again, and soon thousands of people are checking out your art on the web and you’ve made a name for yourself.

Twitter’s not the only community, of course – Flickr, DeviantArt, art forums – all of these are viable platforms for promoting to and sharing your work with others. So get your work out there, and who knows – you could be selling you art online.

"Clearing 345" oil on canvas 42"x32" John Diehl 2011

Join us this September 21 – October 23 at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University for a great fall art exhibit.  ”Artist in the Arboretum 2011″ features 22 artists’ inspired works from the collection and grounds of the Arnold Arboretum.   Pictured to the left is “Clearing 345″ which is the selected piece for the exhibition.  This Blurscape painting is also the featured image on the exhibition postcard.

The Opening reception will be held Wednesday September 21 from 6-8pm.  Food will be served.  The beautiful grounds of the Arnold Arboretum can’t be missed as the expansive 265 acres are filled with rich trees, flowers, and water features.  In this art show the following artists will be featuring works as well:  Susan Johnson Bergin, Kurtis Brown, Alexander Budnitz, Jennifer Burnham, Deb Coolidge, John Diehl, Bob Evans, Susan CB Hampton, Susan Hardy Brown, Betsey Henkels, Alexander Korman, John Maciejowski, John Merrill, Candice Amber Milionis, John Nunziato, Maggie Redfern, William H. Scully, Rebecca Skinner, Regina Valluzzi, Maureen Vezina and Christine Wirth.  This exhibit will also be open during the Jamaica Plain open studios.

Arnold Arboretum

"Self Portrait, 2011" oil on canvas 42"x32" John Diehl

It’s been a number of years since I’ve created a self portrait, where as I’ve never actually painted one.  I completed a few self portraits when I used to draw with charcoal but haven’t done any since.  After painting some pop art figures with my new portrait style I figured it was time to paint my first self portait.  To make the painting special I started the painting on my 29th birthday.  I used a photo I had taken a couple weeks earlier as a reference.  In the painting I am seated wearing a shirt and tie along with a bowler hat that I had been extensively wearing for the past winter into the spring.  Using my high contrast style and signature color blue I also made the clothing and hat into simple line forms for a contemporary feel.

The painting is not available to the public as it resides in my permanent collection but I’m looking into making more self portraits as I progress in my art career.  For many artists painting a self portrait is a main source of material.  It can be said that one’s own image is always available to be painted.  Before cameras artists would have to use a mirror in order to capture their image.  They would have to pay careful attention to their pose as they would have to take their eyes off of the mirror to paint and then re-position themselves in order to take another look.

History of Self Portraits

Artists have been painting themselves in self portraits since man could paint.  It wouldn’t be until the early Renaissance era that artists could be readily identified as subjects in their own paintings.  This is not to say that all their paintings were strict self portraits. Instead of using multiple art models artist would place themselves in the painting to cut down on time and cost.  But the true self portraits as we know them(the traditional seated or standing figure) didn’t come about until it became a fashion.  This fashion was portrait painting itself.  With the increased wealth and interest during the Renaissance portrait painting became a very large movement along with religious painting.  In an age of no cameras or other forms of imaging it would be paintings that would document the faces of individuals and families.  Due to the high cost of producing such art works it was usually only reserved for royalty and rich patrons of the arts.  The artist themselves however could paint all the self portraits they wanted to.  Jan Van Eyck is credited with the earliest self portrait which he painted in the year 1443.

Artist self portraits have been painted ever since and most likely will never cease.  They document the artists life in a way that simple words or a memoir can ever match.  The art of self portraits have withstood the test of time and I’m happy to partake in what many artists before me have done.  I also look forward to continuing the tradition.

Wall Art

"Girl with a Pear Earring" oil on canvas 42"x32" John Diehl 2011

One of my all time favorite Vermeer paintings and arguably one of his most famous works of art is the “Girl with the Pearl Earring”.  It’s often known as the “Mona Lisa of the North” or the “Dutch Mona Lisa” as it’s popularity has world wide reach and recognition.   Painted around 1665 during the Dutch Golden Age of painting it is rumored that the model was one of Vermeer’s staff but has never been verified.

Painting the “Girl with the Pearl Earring” with my contemporary style has brought a newness to this work of art while still retaining it’s classical appeal and composition.  The soft gaze of her eyes follows you around the room and the depth of the darkness behind her feels as though she is about to step out of the portrait.

Paintings for sale

"Monroe" oil on canvas, 32"x32" by John Diehl 2011

SOLD

One of the most iconic images of the past century is none other than the famous Marilyn Monroe.  Known to millions as a movie star she also rose to iconic fame and pop art status, thank to Andy Warhol.  With such a dynamic look and dramatic lightning it’s no wonder I felt drawn to painting a contemporary portrait of Marilyn Monroe.  With my signature portrait colors and blurred edges I have made the American icon my own.