Lucky Number 7 - by Derek Cadena

This digital illustration was inspired by the coolest ladybug ever. Brent captured this image of a mammoth ladybug (biggest I'd ever seen) that was brick-red and spotless and resembled a V.W. Bug...  Inspired, I added spots, a 7 then tossed in a winding country road for Lucky No. 7  to race down. He makes his own luck. A print is available on etsy, here.

Here's a before and after.  

Waiting For The 6 - by Cadena

Tuesday, around noon, I grabbed the Nikon and jumped in the car following an impulse to capture an anonymous figure to paint.  Within 10 minutes I was back home drawing an image of a girl I had just photographed. It was a drive-by shot at the corner of 48th and Pecos. The startled girl glanced apprehensively at me as I "clicked" and drove on. She really had a Kung Fu grip on that bag, either she thought I wanted it or the number 6 bus is super shady.


That was SO much damn fun!

Waiting For The 6

Sandbox Brigade and Race Day - by Derek Cadena

Here are two new pieces from my toy series.  I love the green toy soldiers! I want to paint more of them... I sold the original Sandbox Brigade, along with Race Day, to a fantastic collector in Washington D.C.  Thanks, Christopher!

Although these two originals have sold, prints are available in our Etsy store!

2 Nude Back Studies by Cadena

Here are two new little 5x7 studies that I painted last week for a friend. Both figures ready to greet the day, the man sleepily pausing just before getting off the bed, and the women about to step into the shower, once the temperature is agreeable. 

Thank you, Kari!!

Merge Left - New Painting by Derek Cadena

I painted these cars yesterday from a photo of Matchbox, Hot Wheels and other old toy cars that fill a shelf at a nearby antique shop. I'm pretty sure that little Derek had that black Trans-Am with orange and yellow stripes and maybe the pimp-y green Lincoln, too. 

"Merge Left" is a 8x10 oil on panel available in our Etsy shop.

Jiu Jitsu Love Story - Derek Cadena

My working title for this painting has been Matt's Practice, although a more appropriate title like "Jiu Jitsu Love Story" or "Couples Therapy" may be in order, since I ended up painting two sparring figures, Matt and his wife Rachel.  I painted this for Nordstrom's consideration, they passed on this one and choose the boxer, "Ramon".  I love this painting and I am glad to still have it, although I should be polite and give Matt and Rachel a chance to buy it before I decide to keep it or sell it to someone else.

I painted this image from a still video on YouTube.  In the video the couple is demonstrating Brazilian Jiu Jitsu defense techniques to a crowded room.  I heavily edited the scene, getting rid of people and other distracting elements that took away from the focus on the couple's practice. The light filters into this space beautifully, enveloping the figure by the window. The painting, in person, looks and feels as if I was actually in the room painting this scene.

Goy Paints Jewish Calendar

This is the second part of my two-part post on working with Scott Lyon on the permanent exhibit recently installed at the Mizel Museum in Denver.


This past Spring I was invited by Scott to help paint, fabricate and install pieces of the exhibit titled 4,000 Year Road Trip: Gathering Sparks. I was given the task and huge privilege of illustrating the large Jewish Calendar that hangs in the Synagogue. I had some concerns when I started, one being that I am not Jewish! I didn't know bubbe from bupkes... Although, now I know not to get the two confused.

The Jewish calendar is only similar to the Gregorian calendar in that it has twelve months. The months are lunar, which I painted a band of moon phases corresponding with observed religious holidays and their months.  Each month starts with a new moon, the first month is Nisan. Passover is celebrated in Nisan. Pictured here is a detail of the months with moons and seasons of the calendar.

 My favorite symbol that I painted here of the holidays is the Sukkah in the upper right corner of the banner, which is the wooden structure with twigs and fruit hanging from it. Sukkot is the harvest holiday celebrated in the middle of the month Tishre or Tisheri (roughly October).  Many Hebrew words have different spellings, which I was often told to change... I'm just the goy with a brush. Like the rest of the exhibit, I painted this banner in a colorful whimsical style. Here is a detail of the top half of the banner with the Sukkah.

You'll have to go the Mizel Museum if want to see the full calendar and all the other wonderful exhibit pieces. I had a blast working with Scott and the Mizel folks for those last six months, but the project is done and it's time to move on.  Now, I have seven paintings (possibly more) commissioned by Nordstrom to complete in the next six weeks. The paintings are for several store remodels. I'll be painting vintage looking mid-century styled athletic male portraits in oil for Nordstrom's menswear/sportswear department. I'm VERY excited, it's my biggest client ever! I'll keep you posted.

Derek

Tuff the Dog - Pet Portrait by Cadena

For the last 8 or 9 years, usually starting in October, I get calls for people wanting pet portraits by Christmas.  I painted one for a friend long ago, and her friends called me, and their friends called me, and on and on.  Some years I paint several, however, this season I only painted one. This is Tuff the Dog, an adventurous black lab who resides in Summit County because he loves the mountain life. 


If you love your pet, and need a cool portrait to show just how much you love your pet, then contact me.  I'll be happy to paint for you! 

New Humming Bird

This 8x10 mixed media piece on wood turned out beautifully.  It features a brightly colored jewel like humming bird all up in some daisy's business.  The bird was drawn from a photo taken by a friend's Costa Rican Jungle adventure.  Shannon, thanks for letting us use your fabulous pic!

The original artwork is currently hanging at Bliss Salon, located at 2845 Wyandot Street
Denver, CO 80211.  The 8x10 mounted print of "Humming Beauty" is available in our Etsy store.

Woodsy Wall Flowers

Summer is almost over, and the once lush green gardens are now not so green and lush... However, our aspens are turning a lovely gold, and the apples are almost red.  An Autumn palette is a welcome change! 

These new mixed media floral artworks reflect the rich warm colors seen during our recent backyard adventures.  Afloat (the bluish floating flower), Flying High (tall pink columbine), and Lurking About (red flower with shadow) are the three most recent 2LF works hanging at CoArt Gallery this month.  If you can't make it to the gallery at 846 Santa Fe Dr. in Denver, you can see them here! Contact us for availability.

Female Nude Study

Is it back-to-school time already?  Well, if that's the case, I need to head over to The Art Students League of Denver and drop in on some open studio figure painting classes.

Before I go, I need to warm up with a few small paintings...  Here's a new little Female Nude Study I painted on 08 20 10, my first oil painting since April!  I think she's pretty, and a little scary... 

Bleeding Heart - Needs Good Home

We still have a couple of mixed media floral pieces from our Spring show at CoArt Gallery.  The Bleeding Heart is one of Brent's favorites from this series, however, we have no more room on our walls... So, he would like it to go to a good home.  We now have it listed in our ebay store.  Here's the link: Bleeding Heart

June's Mixed Media Floral Art

The June First Friday art walk was crazy busy! If only the art sales flowed as much as the wine... The wine bar had a line all night!  Brent and I were in that line a few times. Then, later, sat out in front of the gallery harassing people for our amusement.

We showed our latest co-pieces inspired from a day at the Denver Botanic Gardens, and got great feedback from the crowd.   Brent did most of the photography and digital composing of these designs, then, I hand colored the images before we transferred them to their supports.  They turned out very cool!  We sold one that night, and a couple since the show.  Once the art comes down from the gallery walls, we will have them available in our online stores.  Here's Sumac, Lupine, Iris, and Peony.

The Goose Tamer - Whip it good

The Goose Tamer is a new mixed-media acrylic photo transfer original that Brent and I both worked on. We showed this Joe for the last First Friday art walk.  Brent spent a day at the park rolling in crap to photograph the image that was used to make this piece... I hope you like it. Mounted 8" prints available on etsy and ebay!

Atomic Grotto - A 2LF Co-Creation

"Atomic Grotto"  features our favorite hero, Joe, chewing over the other half of the battle.   The original acrylic/mixed media piece by 2LF is hanging at CoArt Gallery in Denver (contact us for availability).  We are selling the mounted print version of Atomic Grotto online, visit our etsy or ebay stores to see more!

A Rainy Day Drive - Brent Rodgers

I love Spring!  The cloudy wet cool mornings that glow with rich green plant life are some of my favorite moments of Springtime. A Rainy Day Drive is the latest in the Fruitville Girl series, illustrating that perfect moment.  I imagine she is zipping down the road, rockin out in her VW with not a care in the world.  Check out her ad on etsy here!

The March Harvest Oddity - By Derek Cadena

Last weekend, after the snow had cleared and the ground thawed, Brent and I pulled some forgotten root veggies that had been sown last Spring.  The parsnips and carrots were boiled together and pureed, it was delicious.

One huge beautiful freakish parsnip was saved from the boiling pot, it was a perfect subject for me to paint! I even dressed up the still life set with draped red fabric, creating a proper stage for exploiting my subject. 

The March Harvest Oddity

Mighty Tonka Giclee Prints - by Derek Cadena

The original "Still Mighty" recently sold, however, I have two sizes of Still Mighty stretched canvas giclee prints now available in our online stores.  The sizes are: 8x10 and 16x20.  Each size of this print series has a edition size of 25.  The retail prices are: $75 and $149.  Contact me for purchase info, or click here to visit the 8x10 ad.

Joe and the Sisyphean Orange Project - By Derek Cadena

Joe is sick and tired of hauling that damn orange up the mountain!  He's only got one good arm...

I really enjoyed working on this little painting.  For the still life, I used a rock from the front yard for Joe to climb, and then I had to prop-up a rather juicy orange with a chopstick (not painted).  It only collapsed once.

This painting is on a 6 x 12" panel and comes with a black frame.  See the ebay ad here!

A Quick Study of 1964 G.I. Joe by Derek Cadena

I bought a couple of busted up old Joes on ebay this week.  They have no clothes or guns, and one Joe is missing most of his left arm.  They do have some pretty sweet beards and almost all of their hair, however, they smell like decades of musty basement storage.  I had to have them in the studio, they're great art manikins!  Here is a 45 minute study on a 5x7 panel of the first Joe.  Click here to see ebay ad for Joe!