Farm Panorama Reveal

Crop of the large  BioMerieux panorama- by Greg Newbold

The client from my recent great advertising project as seen in the previous two posts here and here can finally be revealed. The company that chose me to create all this goodness is called BioMerieux, a French based multi-national corporation with a US division that specializes in testing for biological pathogens.

The Poultry Farmer stand alone image

My particular set of illustrations is for a testing machine and process called Gene Up that tests food products before they go out to market to make sure they are safe and free from any food borne pathogens or contamination. I know, exciting stuff, right? Their previous advertising and that of all their competitors has historically been dominated by photos of dudes in lab coats looking through microscopes and similarly boring imagery. I am hoping that the imagery will soon filter into their website, but print and trade show applications are in full swing.

Left side crop of the panorama

I think it will be refreshing to see something different and unique in this industry. I believe the response will be a very positive one for BioMerieux, one that will definitely distinguish them from their competitors. These illustrations will debut at a large trade show coming up this week, so I am excited to see how my imagery will be used in the BioMerieux booth space and hear how it is received.

Full Panorama size is 37.5 inches wide at 400 dpi!

The giant panorama will dominate the backdrop of the booth and the other images will also be used at large size. The kicker will be a twelve foot circle of sky suspended above the whole setup, Sounds cool, I can't wait to see pictures. Anyway, there you have it.

The final reveal from the best project of the year, or recent years, for that matter. Thanks BioMerieux, as well as Preston Wood and Kim Sorrentino at Love Communications for making this project such a pleasure to work on. Knock 'em dead at the show!

More From the Farm

Last post I mentioned that my recent huge project included nine pieces, well, here are three more to enjoy. I had a blast working on these and think they turned out especially nice.

Once again, these are for a multi national company in a field where the pictorial and advertising norm includes dudes in lab coats looking very stuffy as they gaze into microscopes and stuff like that. I am fairly convinced that this approach will garner more notice than their competitors.

Art and Soup is This Week

Oasis- 12" x 12' Oil by Greg Nrewbold.

Sorry for the lapse in posts, but I have been painting like crazy on new oil paintings for this week's Art and Soup event. If you are unfamiliar with Art and Soup, it is a yearly fundraising gala for Community Nursing Services of Utah.

Snow Canyon Morning- 12" x 16" oil by Greg Newbold

Annually they hold a three day event to raise money to help under served and disabled patients get the nursing care they need. At the same time, artists benefit from the sale and exposure of Their work. I think it's a win for everyone and I am excited to be involved this year.

Stansbury Bales- 12" x 20" oil by Greg Newbold

Tickets are $20 available at the door for Wednesday or Thursday sessions. Forty-four artists and twenty five restaurants will be on site so you know the food will be fabulous with something for everyone's taste. A percentage of the artist's sales will go to CNS. Tuesday night's Premiere event is sold out, but if you can make it to the other sessions, come join me! I'd love to chat and share my new paintings with you! If you are looking to buy something, I will have about thirty original oil paintings as well as note cards and prints of the painting featured in this year's calendar, all for sale. Come check it out.

Session times are as follows:

Tuesday, March 1, 2016; 5-9 p.m. -- SOLD OUT
Wednesday, March 2, 2016; Lunch 11:00-2:00 and Dinner 5-9 p.m.
Thursday, March 3, 2016; Lunch 11:00-2:00 and Dinner 5-9 p.m.

Location:

Salt Palace Convention Center Grand Ballroom

100 West Temple

Salt Lake City, UT 

Map

Art and Soup Facebook page

September Gallery Sales

Approaching Storm- 36" x 24" Oil on canvas by Greg Newbold

September Still- 12" x 9" Oil on panel by Greg Newbold

I'm pleased to get word from Evergreen Framing Co. & Gallery that two pieces from my recent show have sold. It's still hanging for a couple more weeks, so take a minute to swing by and see it if you are in town. I'm happy to see these paintings go to their new homes. Now, time to get some new paintings underway for the Art & Soup night at the beginning of March, 2016.

If you can go:

Evergreen Framing Co. & Gallery
3295 South 2000 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84109

Hours- M-F 9:30 am-6:00 pm Sat- 10:00 am- 5:00 pm Closed Sun

Previous Post about the show
And another post as well

Hazy Grazing

Hazy Grazing- 9" x 12" Oil by Greg Newbold

Here's another small painting that I just delivered to David Ericson Fine Art. It will be on display along with a bunch of other great work by the gallery's artists for the upcoming Gallery Stroll on August 21st. This marks the first $100 dollar sale at Ericson and although this particular painting will not be included as a $100 option, there will be  Greg Newbold painting in that group. The hope is lure in some potential collectors that have not really considered original art as an option and get them excited about owning actual one of a kind art from talented and  accomplished  local and regional artists.

Some of you may recall the start of this painting from a previous post.

As I almost always do when taking a field study to finish in the studio. I fix things that weren't working and change things to suit the intent of the piece. Here I have adjust a lot of  the values to add drama, softened the sky and the mountain edges in the distance to give a hazier mood to the piece and added the cows which were just quick smudges at the study phase. I also exaggerated some of the color for contrast and visual appeal as well. There are always things I might do differently when I reach the final signature stage, but for the most part, I am satisfied with how it turned out. Each choice I make along the road of creation yields a certain result and collectively all my choices lead to the final product. I try not to second guess too much what might have been since I would have to make a different set of choices along the way to get a different outcome. That type of introspective thinking is better often better left for the next painting. Learn, evaluate and move on to the next one.

10th International Art Competition

Fear Not Little Flock- Oil on Canvas mounted on board
24" x 32" by Greg Newbold

I am pleased to announce that my painting "Fear Not Little Flock" has been accepted into the 10th International Art Competition and will be on exhibit at the Church History Museum from September 29, 2015 until August 15, 2016. No word yet on purchase awards or awards of merit yet, so fingers are still crossed. Anyone interested in purchasing the painting can contact me directly but you won't be able to take it home until next fall! The Church Museum is currently undergoing extensive renovations and this exhibit will be one of the featured shows to kick off the grand reopening. I am excited to be part of it.

Recent Gallery Sales News

Siegfried Pyre- Grand Canyon, North Rim; 24" x 24" Oil on board by Greg Newbold

I found out yesterday that I have been having a really good week of sales at my newest gallery Evergreen Framing Co. & Gallery. All six of the paintings in this post have sold. Evergreen is a full service gallery and frame shop that along with paintings represents artists who create an eclectic selection of art pieces and handcrafted gifts. I am pleased to join their talented group of artists. It doesn't hurt that they are the closest gallery to my neighborhood either, making them effectively my "local" gallery.

Falling Shadows-Pulpit & Altar, Zion; 8" x 10" oil on panel by Greg Newbold

Third Wheel; 9" x 12" oil on panel, by Greg Newbold

Six of my paintings have sold in the last little while and I could not be more pleased with the news.
Sometimes sales are slow and then inexplicably, a whole bundle of collectors appear. I'll take it!

Freshly Mowed; 8" x 10" oil on panel, by Greg Newbold

Provo Bay; 8" x 10" Oil on panel, by Greg Newbold

Virgin River Ripple; 8" x 8"; Oil on panel, by Greg Newbold

I am slated to be part of group show at the gallery there in September, but with these recent sales, I will need to restock them before that, so I am going to be a busy boy! Thanks Evergreen for the shot in the arm. Now back to work.

Plein Air Painting- Oakley, UT

Last Saturday, I went out painting with friend and fellow painter Richard Hull. We ventured up to Oakley Utah to see if we could find a worthy subject or two for the day's efforts. My first painting subject was chosen based largely on the contract between the muted yellows and greens of the pasture and the black Angus cattle grazing in it. We were dealing with a distinct lack of color as the winter browns and grays have not yet given way to the vibrant greens and yellows of spring, so we looked for subjects that provided value contrasts more than color. Attempting to paint anything like a herd of cows from life is a failure waiting to happen and I knew that if the cows shifted too much, I would get nothing more than a quick indication of placement. As it turns out, about 45 minutes into the piece and just as I was getting ready to place a few cows, the ranchers came and herded all the cows away into parts unknown. I guess the cows will now be painted in studio.

We then enjoyed a wonderful lunch with another painter friend Don Weller, whose fantastic watercolor work I profiled here in an earlier post. He and his wife Cha Cha joined us at the Road Island Diner for some seriously good chow. I had the Turkey club which was delicious and featured the juiciest roasted turkey and thick cut bacon I have had on a club ever. The shoestring onion rings were wickedly crispy and delicious as well.

The Afternoon session was a bit of a challenge. For the first time all day, the wind kicked up and a steady strong breeze hampered our painting. The same wind resulted in shifting skies and light that went from sunny to overcast every few minutes. I didn't realize how tiring it can be to try and make steady brush strokes while chasing a moving target both literally and figuratively. Not only did the lighting shift at inopportune moments, but my easel and arm felt the brunt of wind gusts as well. Al in all, I think it was a productive day.

Richard would disagree as he wiped off both of his attempts. I told him he was being a bit hard on himself and probably should have held off until he could evaluate the effort in the studio, but he insisted that "crap was crap" and was okay with obliterating his efforts. I usually wait until later to sand off my failures, but that's how it goes sometimes. My wipe offs came early in the process when I realized my drawing was way off. The barn was especially challenging in the wind and I never did get it right. It's a little too tall and I only had room for five posts under the shed roof, but that's fine. I still like the effort and I will once again look forward to fixing a few things in the studio to finish these up. And add some cows.

November Pastures

November Pastures- 10" x 11"- Oil by Greg Newbold.

This is one of two pieces that will be part of the upcoming 300 Plates show at Art Access. The Show and auction will take place on May 14, 2015, but I needed to finish one of my two plates early in order to be included in the promotional materials. I did the 300 Plates show for the first time last year and it was a blast.

For those unfamiliar with the show, it is the main fundraiser for Art Access whose mission is to provide inclusive arts experiences for disabled individuals. Each 10" x 11" plate has two holes at the top, mimicking the registration holes of original metal printing plates that were used when the show was first envisioned. Since the metal plates are no longer available, today's plates are cut from masonite and drilled to match. The auction is laid out in rows with prices starting at $85 and increasing by $1 increments up to $365.  About twenty pieces of exceptional quality are set aside for the silent auction and those go for well above the regular prices. Attendees buy a wristband to the gala, which includes a catered dinner, and wristband colors are drawn out by groups to see who gets first opportunity to buy. It's not really a bidding war for the most part (aside from the silent auction pieces) but more a first come first served sale. The luck of the draw aspect is what makes it fun. You don't know what you will have the chance to buy and the best pieces go quickly.

Last year, my piece sold in the silent auction for well above the regular auction rates. I am hoping to have one of my two pieces selected for this honor again. Proceeds of the sales go to fund the Art Access programs for the coming year.

Breakfast To Go

Breakfast To Go- 9" x 12"- Oil by Greg Newbold

I happened upon this moment one morning just after sunrise in the Heber Valley of Utah. I was fortunate to be there and capture a few pictures of the beautiful early morning lighting and the witness this young calf as he patiently followed his mother while she munched on her own breakfast. This painting is available at my newest gallery, David Ericson Fine Art, in Salt lake City, Utah. I'm pleased to join David's stable of talented artists.

3 Dutch Girls

3 Dutch Girls- 8" x 8"; Oil by Greg Newbold

In 2009, I drove cross country with a friend to my final summer session of graduate work. On our way to Hartford Connecticut, we made a few fly by stops, including Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This is the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country and it was interesting to see some of the Amish farms and get a glimpse of the horse drawn buggies that populate the roads there. I also took a pit stop to photograph these cows on a local dairy farm. The painting's name, 3 Dutch Girls,  comes from the location and not the breed, but I liked the ring of it. I painted this one in oil on MDF panel- over the top of another failed plein air attempt. I sanded off the most obnoxious texture, but some of it telegraphs through the paint and adds to the final look of this new painting. You can get this one at Meyer Gallery in Park City, UT.

Third Wheel

Third Wheel- 9" x 12"; Oil on board by Greg Newbold

Another small oil that I will be taking up to Meyer Gallery in Park City, Utah this week. Whenever I am out searching for subjects, I take tons of photos and never quite know what I have until I get back in studio. This is one of those cases where I didn't think there was a painting in there until I started looking at the photos. I decided that if I combined elements from several photos I could create an arrangement that I liked. It's a fun challenge to come up with a painting from seemingly nothing. It goes back to my assessment that picture making subjects are everywhere depending on your point of view. Almost anything can make a good painting if you apply principles of strong design, storytelling, color and value arrangement. The title refers to the horse on the left side who is about to awkwardly insert itself into the nice quiet lunch of the pair of horses.

See all my paintings available at Meyer Gallery

Descending Mist

Descending Mist- 8" x 10"; Oil by Greg Newbold

Our family was driving up Logan Canyon one spring morning when I caught a glimpse of what would inspire this painting. The sunlight had yet to burn off the canyon mist. As we rounded a turn nearing Cache Valley, I saw a few cows wandering down the grassy slope. Camera ever ready, I snapped off a couple of shots. The only problem was that it was blurry. Still I liked the atmospheric effect and figured someday I'd use it. And I did. I'll be taking this up to Meyer Gallery in Park City, Utah later next week.

Lunch Interrupted- SOLD

Lunch Interrupted- 19" x 11"- Oil on board by Greg Newbold

How now black cow? Cows are such strong graphic shapes. I enjoy painting them juxtaposed against the softer textures of the landscape. The proportion of this piece is a carryover from a previous painting I did while attending a Michael Workman workshop a few years back. This one WAS available at Meyer Gallery in Park City, Utah. For about a half a day. I'm not sure if it even made it on the wall before a collector bought it and shipped it back home to Maine. This is a  new record fast gallery sale for me!

Water Break

Water Break- 32" x 24"- Oil on canvas; 2014 by Greg Newbold

Here's another recent painting that I delivered yesterday to Meyer Gallery in Park City, Utah. The weather and blue sky up there was spectacular. If you get a chance, go up to Park City, breathe deep and check out my paintings as well as the other great Meyer Gallery artists. It's worth the trip. This one is one of my favorite paintings of the year so far.

Roan

When I saw this beast, I knew he had to be a painting. I love the dappled color of his coat. This one is going up to Meyer Gallery in Park City later this week. Oil on board 12" x 12"

Recent Sales- Meyer Gallery

The Sentinels- 16" x 20" Oil by Greg Newbold

Twins- 16" x 20"; Oil by Greg Newbold

Young Angus- 9" x 12" oil by Greg Newbold

Bales- 8" x 8" ; Oil by Greg Newbold

I was pleased to receive the news that four of my recent paintings have sold at Meyer Gallery in Park City. I particularly excited with the news since I joined Meyer just three weeks ago. I have some serious painting ahead in the next few weeks to keep the gallery stocked, but it is a good problem to have, so I am excited for the prospect. I am also looking forward to a long and profitable gallery association. Thanks Meyer Gallery!

Waiting By The Emerald Gate

Waiting By The Emerald Gate- 36" x 24" oil on canvas by Greg Newbold

When I snapped the shot of this palomino horse on one of my outings, I did not think much of it. Mostly because there was another horse nose to tail standing right behind this one. The photo sat on my computer forgotten for a long time. While digging around for subjects, you never know what might strike you in those old files. I loved the lighting on the front horse as well as the swishing tail and figured I would just paint out the other horse. As I refined the composition, I realized that it reminded me a lot of one my favorite Andrew Wyeth compositions. Below is his "Young Bull" from 1960. I have always admired this piece and consider it a near perfect composition in which all the rules regarding tangents and lines are fabulously broken.

In retrospect, this may be one of the reasons why I was drawn to this particular scene. I only make the comparison to point out that as artists, we are all molded by our influences and many of those become so ingrained as to be rendered subconscious. My composition is divided differently and relies on repetition of pattern much more heavily than the Wyeth. I enjoy the series of parallel lines running through the corrugated siding as well as the gate and also the repetition of triangular shapes that repeat through the shadows and beams. The sunshine on the back of the horse also creates a a nice triangle of light. If I had created this composition intentionally as an homage to Wyeth, I think it would feel a lot more forced. I am glad I did not make the connection until after I was nearly finished with the painting.

#449- A Soft Spot For Sheep

#449- Oil on board by Greg Newbold

If you have followed my blog, you will no doubt remember a few other paintings I have done involving sheep. Growing up, I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with these creatures. Our family homestead where my widowed great aunt lived always had sheep and as she had no children, we took care of them for her much of the time. For a time in my teen years, it was my daily chore to feed, water and otherwise monitor the animals. I didn't always love taking care of the sheep, especially in bitter cold weather, but I loved visiting with my Aunt Mame. These are not her sheep, but they represent the memories I cherish from that time in my life. See some of my previous sheep themed paintings below.

Aunt Mame's Sheep
Winter Coats
Unburdened
Penned In