Mural finally started!!!!!

It seems like years ago I got the commission for a mural. It is something like 50 inches high be 13 feet long. I have never painted larger than 30x40 inches. So it is quite an undertaking. I started the sketch today on the actual boards I will be painting on. I had done multiple sketches, but wasn't sure where I was headed exactly. I had been given free reign on what I paint, as long as it has beachy or water themes. I had sketched abstract fish, mermaids, sea lions, the beach, the bayfront, so many different things, but the mermaid and treasure chest idea just kept coming back to me. Here are the first rough sketches actually on the boards. I want it to convey the glassy feeling one of my fish paintings has. It is going to be hung on the outside of the Jennifer Sears Glass Foundry in Lincoln City, Oregon. And I am painting inside the foundry in their "gallery" area.

I spent quite a while talking with one of the hot shop guys about glass, design, my work, his work, and art in general. We finally worked our way around to torches and lampworking. He invited me to bring my torch over to the hot shop and set it up any time I would like to. I told him I had yet to fire it up, he said just do it. Then bring it over when I have time and I can try different gasses and see what I like best. We talked about the different glasses, color reactions, striking colors, etc. What a great time I had. So cool that is where I will be painting!!!

Here are the work in progress shots. There is another panel that goes on the right side with sea weed, etc. just leading off into the distance.


I took the photos for food for my head, and WIP shots to share. I told the glass guy I was just trying to get something blocked in, but not totally direct it, since I like to see how things unfold as I paint. I like to let the fun stuff come out on its own. I try not to paint things in a realistic fashion, even though I can, I just like the fun whimsical stuff better. He said, cool. Some abstraction is always a good thing.