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!

Roll Cap Cowboy - by Cadena

I've started a new series based on nostalgic toys and their packaging.  Roll Cap Cowboy is the first finished piece.

I had one of these smelly snappy cap guns when I was a kid. I definitely remember the painful sparks shot into my eyes from way-too-close face to face duels with neighborhood kids. It's a wonder that we even survived, especially during the roman candle fights! Where the hell were our parents?

The original and mounted prints of Roll Cap Cowboy and others in this series are available in the 2LF Etsy store.

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

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.

How 'Bout Them Apples -

Brent and I worked on this piece together, it's a mix of photography, drawing, and painting.  We didn't have to go far to find inspiration for this illustration. Our apple tree is dripping with bright red fruit and the backyard smells like hard cider. Most of the tree has wormy apples, however, I picked a big bag of pretty unblemished apples that will be perfect for worm-free pies and other treats.

Here's the link to our etsy store for a 6" mounted print version of "Delicious"

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.

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

New Woodland Critter Art

At last weekend's family trip to Estes Park, CO, we found ourselves on the scene of a woodland critter parade.  Across the road from the notorious Stanley Hotel, a very patient deer and her fawn put on a rather lengthy, and very adorable show.  The fawn repeatedly danced and pranced, ran and jumped, and then, would tumble to a brief rest.  The mother kept an eye on us, and I swear I heard a faint call from her... it totally sounded like "redrum".

Brent photographed the deer, some circling hawks, and bugs.  These creatures can be seen in the new woodland inspired art.

We have created a few new art works since last weekend, and, are presently making more.  The Fawn and other new 2LF art is currently available at CoArt Gallery, located at 846 Santa Fe Drive in Denver.

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!

A Painting A Day - Another onion painting by Derek Cadena

"In The Can" was painted on 01 29 2010.  I love the can-y-ness of the can, and the name just makes me laugh.  Check out the ad here: In The Can

 

A Painting A Day - Still life of Mighty Tonka by Derek Cadena

A couple of weeks ago, Brent's father dropped off a well used Tonka truck that was, once, Brent's favorite toy.  It's beautiful! And now, it's the studio mascot/art caddy, holding brushes and other art making tools.   I had to paint the Mighty Tonka!  You can see the ad for this original painting listed on ebay, and I will be offering larger Giclee canvas prints of this painting on etsy in the very near future.

 

Working on a selfish portrait

It's freezing in the studio today!  The heater dries my palette out, so I bundle up to paint.  And yes, I crocheted the hat.

I'm working on a new painting, a reflection of my grade school self playing a game of cat's cradle.  Although I haven't painted the string wrapping around the fingers, yet, the subject will be inviting you to play.   I guess he's saying "it's your turn".  A simple piece of string can become a complex formation, with a little help...

I'll post more when I'm done.
 -Derek

Finishing touches on - The Golden Judge

I'm almost done with this mixed-media painting that I've named The Golden Judge. A piece inspired by last week's project and the book Some Exits by Travis Cebula.

Thanks,
Derek

Finished Autumn Landscape Made With Cabbage Leaf

Although this project started with Tuesdays post with images of the painting progression, start to finish... I don't have the images of the last few steps. I had pictures of finger painting the clouds and adding glazes of ocher, red, and blue... Well, I accidentally deleted those images. Oops!

Here is the finished landscape that started with a dried cabbage leaf and grass that I varnished on to a wood box canvas (see previous blog post). I am very pleased with the finished piece!

On Wednesday I made Vietnamese pork served on a bed of shredded cabbage (the very same cabbage) with a delicious carrot pickle, fresh mint and peanuts. Delicious!!!

Cheers,
Derek

Autumn Tree - A Mixed Media Journey

I am starting on a new mixed media landscape with leaves and grass pressed and varnished on to a wood box style canvas. A friend who liked some of my past works of grassy mixed media abstracts recently commissioned me to do a piece with a Autumn theme. So, I thought it would be a good idea to share the creative process of this project.

I began by searching for organic materials that would work for a landscape design. I collected leaves from my garden and grass from the park. I pressed a large cabbage leaf until dry and flat and trimmed the grass that had dried and seeded in to shapes and sizes that would work for the design I had in mind. I want to convey a breezy Autumn moment, with a swaying tree and swirling grass or leaves floating off the canvas and out of view, imparting a lot of movement. I arranged my found materials in to a pleasing composition and varnished them in to place with poly-urethane (it dries quickly). Next I started laying in color on top and around the grass and cabbage leaf, which is now a tree.

I will finish this piece over the next couple of days and post the last steps with a image of the finished painting on Friday.

Cheers,
Derek

Two Little Fruits is selling on etsy!

2LF is now on etsy, a very cool website which provides self representing artists and artisans a way to buy and sell handmade items, including art, photography, clothing, and custom items!

I just listed 1,2,3 Chopsticks in our new etsy store, check it out HERE.

Cheers,
Derek

Obsessive Culinary disorder

Brent and I are working on a small series inspired by our O.C.D. (Obsessive Culinary Disorder). We cook just as often as we make art, sometimes while we're making art...

Check out our 2LF ebay store for more.

Cheers,
Derek

The Birth of a Watery Tart.

I started a new painting inspired by a daydream about my upcoming Summer road trip to the coast. The ocean breeze, collecting seashells, and hopefully mermaids. I really don't know where this painting is heading, but I am having a good time! I'll keep you posted as she pops out of the water.

Cheers,
Derek