NEW PAINTINGS

Fishing the Delaware, Palmyra NJ
48 x 32, casein on muslin

I've been mainly working on bigger canvases recently, and this piece is my largest to date. The scene is from the Jersey side of the Delaware River on a hazy afternoon in early summer. I was attracted to the contrast of the gleaming skyline (the city of Philadelphia) on the left, and a hulking old dredge on the right. In the foreground, a family fishes on the sandy shore near the shadows of the overhanging trees in New Jersey's Palmyra Nature Preserve.

Clouds Over 84

36 x 24, Casein on Muslin

On my many trips back an forth from Boston to Philadelphia during my recent transition, I was always attracted to the cloud formations over the highway. I hope to do a series of paintings expressing different light conditions, weather patterns, and geographic and structural elements of highway travel. In this piece, I'm pleased with the colors and movement both on the ground and in the sky, and the exploration of how these two elements interact.



ART FESTIVAL HIATUS UNTIL CREEKSIDE COOP OPENING

June 18th was the semi-annual meeting for the membership of the Creekside Coop, the first since the beginning of construction. I was very happy to make a presentation showing the digital 3-D models I've been creating for the interior. It was the first visual preview the members got of their new store. I will be very busy until fall, when the coop opens its doors, building custom millwork and helping with the design implementation, so I'm not planning to do any more gallery shows or festivals until after the coop is up and running.

Below are a couple of the drawings showing some of the fixtures and layout.

 



Bruce at the Beacon Hill Art Walk, 2012

June 3, 2012, Noon-6pm in Boston's beautiful Beacon Hill neighborhood

The Beacon Hill Artwalk is one of Boston's best festivals for painters, and I am very much looking forward to participating in this venue. For more information, you can link to the festival website at:  http://www.beaconhillartwalk.org/

Too Much to Do....
Since re-locating to Philadelphia, I have been insanely busy setting up a workshop, settling in, and getting re-involved in the community I left several years ago. Finding time to paint has been difficult. I've completed a couple pieces shown below, but need to find more time to paint before the Art Walk! I apologize that I have not updated the painting inventory in some time, especially after selling a few pieces at the Frame House gallery last month. Please touch base if you have questions at bstarrpaintings@gmail.com

"Urban Produce, Rainy Night" 24" x 16", Casein on muslin covered frame

"Backroad Sunset" 18" x 27", Casein on muslin covered frame

Creekside Coop story
The happiest coincidence of my timing in returning to Philly is the constuction of the new Creekside Coop.

Many years ago now, I opened the Elkins Perk Coffeehouse next to a well-established neighborhood gourmet grocery, Ashbourne Market. But when its family owners retired, the store went downhill and soon closed. The community has worked long and hard to create a new food cooperative in this once-thriving space, and was finally able to buy the building and begin renovations this year. I am priveledged to be working on the design committee, and have created a 3-D Sketchup model to help envision the space. Here's a 2-D graphic of what the new market will look like:

As the local-foods movement has gained momentum, food coops have changed greatly. The Creekside Food Coop will be an amazing full-service grocery, great source for local produce and products, have a huge selection of salads, deli, and prepared foods, plus a cafe/community gathering place. I'm very excited to watch this great idea come to life! 

More Design-Build Projects:
Meanwhile, I've also been finishining projects in my old stomping ground, Cambridge!  Here's a couple pictures of my friend Jeff's condo, with his new fireplace, shelving and media cabinetry:



The fireplace is double sided, with the other side facing the kitchen eating area. The tall doors on the right open and retract to access TV and other media components.

   And lastly, the local foods movement has made some progress on the home front also, My housemate Cindy is an avid gardener, so I just built a new 3-section compost bin for the yard. Looking forward to soon having nutritious compost and mulch for all her beautiful plants!

Gallery Showing throughout March at the Frame House in Elkins Park

Visit the Frame House website HERE

My good friend Cynthia Blackwood's gallery and custom framing store provides a great backdrop for my paintings throughout the month of March. I think this my pieces look better here than any other gallery venue I've had to date! 

Artists Reception

Sunday March 11, from 2 to 4 pm. 

Please join me at:

The Frame House

7900 High School Road

Elkins Park PA 19027

Unfortunately, the painting selected for the printed cards was subsequently sold at the Artist's Crossing gallery in Boston shortly before I brought the pieces to Pennsylvania! 

It's great to be PAINTING again!
I am up and running in my new space just outside Philadelphia

This new piece is a scene from Forbidden Drive along the Wickahisson Creek at the Walnut Lane Bridge. This park system is an amazing undeveloped tract of land that was preserved to feed the original municipal water reservoir, now the site of Philadelphia's beautiful Art Museum.  Another of bit historic trivia I love: When it was constructed in 1903, this bridge was the longest concrete structure in the world.

New Series of Figure Paintings

This is the first of a series of figure and portraiture studies that I will continue to develop this year. The richness and intensity of Casein paints offer great opportunities for interesting lighting and color effects when working with the human form.

The new painting space is working out beautifully, with great northern light and a great new draft table/easel.  

Still working  hard on the new studio/shop space in the garage--a bigger challenge to renovate.   When I removed  a dingy and crumbling masonite ceiling,  I discovered that raccoons had formerly inhabited a large nest there. Several inches of petrified raccoon feces came down along with the ceiling and other debris stored in the rafters!  

EW!

Bruce Starr at Artists Crossing Gallery, Downtown Crossing, Boston

My paintings will be featured through the month of February at this cool space in downtown Boston, just off the Common. Note that the gallery is now in its new location:

Artists Crossing Gallery

505 Washington Street

Boston MA

Just around the corner from the Downtown Crossing T Station, between the Paramount Theater and Macy's on Washington Street!


Sorry I have no new paintings to show. The last month has been crazy as I've been relocating to Philadelphia! However I will be set up in my new space soon, and hope to have some new work to share by the end of February!


Meanwhile, I will be donating this piece to the Winter Warmup Silent Auction and Dance Party to benefit the Friends of High School Park.

For more info, you can visit the website: http://www.highschoolpark.org/index.shtml