Fall and Winter Updates

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." - Pablo Picasso

It's my third post of the year and although I always want to post here more often, life often gets in the way.  It's been an eventful year. In the late spring I parted ways with my employer at my full-time job. I was/am very close to retirement, at least in the conventional sense. Meaning I would happily give up my day job to pursue art and related activities, but life doesn't always fit perfectly in a box does it. 

So instead of retiring, I'm refocusing my energy and efforts. The problem is that art and YouTube and even teaching don't pay the bills. I understand that these are first-world problems compared to others who are struggling just to make rent or keep the lights on. Still, the dilemmas are real for me. So that might mean finding a job again in technology or doing a mix of things, but either way, I'm going to work hard. 

I went on a great trip this fall to Theodore Roosevelt National Park (see the short film on my YouTube channel) and I plan to take more trips in 2025. I was energized being among the animals and nature and being able to do a lot of field sketching. Feeding the soul is as important as eating and staying physically healthy. 

These are some of the sketches and other works I've been busy on. Happy New Year and Merry Christmas. 

Sketching in the Wild

Art arises when the secret vision of the artist and the manifestation of nature agree to find new shapes. - Kahlil Gibran

Trying to get out to field sketch a lot more this spring and summer. Nothing really beats learning lessons when you paint from life. You don't have to be a talented or even accomplished Artist to get out there and give things a try.

Set your expectations appropriately and remember not to be hard on yourself if your drawings and paintings aren't masterpieces. Start with some simple thumbnail sketches and don't worry about details.

When I sketch in the field, I don't worry about how well I paint or draw as much as I think about how much I am learning from the experience. Here is a very short video of a gouache painting I did recently. It's far from perfect, but I learned a LOT in the work. 

I recently added Memberships to my channel and I'm adding new content regularly. I hope you'll consider becoming a member and if you do just visit my YouTube channel and hit the join button. https://www.youtube.com/@owingsart/membership

I'm hoping to generate enough support so I can keep adding content and spending time investing/growing the channel. I'm going to retire from my day job soon and hoping that I can create some income. I've had the channel for more than 15 years and posted almost 400 videos over that time. Now I'm devoting more time, effort and money into making the channel even better. 

There, that's my pitch. :-)

Interview on Lindsay The Frugal Crafter's Podcast and Some Sketches

“My hands are dirty because I have dreams in my pocket” ― Stefano Bosis

This past month I've been working on some homemade sketchbooks and doing some watercolor sketching. I traveled a bit locally because the weather here has been unseasonably warm. Mostly I take short road trips away from the city to be in nature. I recently took a 90 minute drive to Frontenac State Park, which is located on the high bluffs of the Mississippi River near Lake Pepin, which was formed when the glaciers in the area receded. 

In the autumn, Frontenac is a great place for bird watchers who can spot over 260 species of migratory birds. It's also a sketchers paradise. So many great subjects, including the wide open spaces over the river valley, abundant wildlife, prairies and hardwood forests.

The other really fun thing I did recently was connect with my very good friend and YouTube legend Lindsay The Frugal Crafter. 

It was like reconnecting with an old friend. Lindsay, I and few other YouTubers started around the same time, more than a decade ago. Since the community of Arts and Crafts was very small back in those days we all connected in a very special and positive way. Steve Mitchell of Mind of Watercolor who is another great friend also started his channel back then, along with a handful of others like Teoh Yi Chie, Mark Campbell, Lisa from Lachri Fine Art , Ivor Harrison from the Art Gear Guide and a handful of others. Then came the great James Gurney who has leveled us all up when it comes to teaching and entertaining the audience. 

Lindsay and I got to talk about a whole host of awesome topics and even how the art channels we have can be a safe and comforting space for people. Lindsay asked me some really insightful questions about what videos I like to do best and just about life in general. She's a great friend and we've been mutual supporters since the beginning. Weird to think that Lindsay, Steve, Lisa and I, along with a few others, are the OG's of YouTube art and art supply reviews.

Lindsay has started a podcast and puts the video up on her channel. You can find her podcast on most platforms. If you're reading this please help spread the word and subscriber to her YT channel and podcast.

Here are some of the sketches I've been working on lately.

The Travel Sketches and Paintings from 2023

"Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it.” – Salvador Dali

It's January 2024. Almost hard to see those words as I type them. The years are passing faster and faster the older I get. This past summer and autumn were filled with travels and I filled four sketchbooks and painted many more smaller pieces. Travels took me to the far reaches of northern Minnesota and across the states southwest. I'll be publishing a sketchbook video on my YouTube channel soon and share more of that work. Until then, here is some of the work I was busy with.

Some of these paintings I put up for sale on my Etsy page just before Christmas and they sold out. I usually put stuff up for sale a couple times a year. If you're interested in buying some of my work you can check out my Etsy at: OwingsStudio

You can also find my work for sale at Frameworks Gallery in Saint Paul, Minnesota if you're local to the gallery. I'm always humbled when people think enough of my work to bring it into their home or give it as a gift. 

Most of my paintings and sketches are done in the field or from photographs that I use in the studio. 

 

Field Sketchbooks

"I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.” - Walt Whitman

This is a video of my recent field sketching. I hope you enjoy it.

 

Some Recent Work

“What moves those of genius, what inspires their work, is not new ideas, but their obsession with the idea that what has already been said is still not enough.” – Eugene Delacroix

April 28, 2023

I've been busy with work and family commitments for a while, but thought it would be a good time to post some of the things I've been working on. 

“Art should be something that liberates your soul, provokes the imagination and encourages people to go further.” – Keith Haring


July 4, 2022

It's been a minute. I haven't posted on the site in a good while, however I have been trying to keep up on YouTube. So if you happen to be missing the content I usually share here and want to see what I'm up to more often, drop by the channel and say hi. I've been spending most of my spare time sketching, drawing and inking. I've also been doing a few gouache drawings here and there. 

A page from my sketchbook.

Small portraits.

Reference from a Karen Jurick painting.

Reference from a Karen Jurick painting.

 Ink and watercolor drawing from an Alfonso Dunn drawing.

The woods at night.

Tree drawings.

Pencil and watercolor sketch from reference.

Sketch of Ethan near White Water stream.

 Gouache painting from s Shirlene Perrin photograph.

 A bird in a tree at White Water State park.

 Ink and watercolor of a 1974 Toyota Corolla wagon.

 Ink and watercolor of a 1974 Toyota Corolla coupe.

 An ink drawing from Maximillians Triumph.