New Painting - Little Arkansas in Spring

The river behind my studio has been inspiration for several of my oil paintings. This photo shows the very beginning of a new painting of the Little Arkansas River - in spring. At this stage of the painting I have blocked in some colors and I'm beginning to define shapes with brush strokes.

I'm using oil on pvc panel 24" x 22" which has been sprayed with XIM primer.

My goal in this painting is to keep the colors light and use brush strokes to define shapes and to draw the eye the focal point. The large triangular shapes help define the focal point.

Much more work to be done here......

Let me know what you think. Comments?????

The Little Arkansas in Spring

The Little Arkansas in Spring. A view from James Butler Studios of the Little Arkansas River. Perhaps it will be the subject of an oil painting.

Comments????

Saint George Icon

This is the final (?) version of the Saint George Icon. Egg tempera on wood panel. After a few more weeks I will coat it with shellac thinned with denatured alcohol to preserve the surface. I hope to show this one in a liturgical exhibition which Karg Glass hosts every year.

Icons are quite interesting to paint. Many hours of research was required before I could even start the sketches for Saint George. Perhaps learning about the saint depicted in an icon is as important as learning about the technique used to paint it. Anyway, I have learned more than I thought possible about 11th century Icons during the process of painting Saint George.

Let me know what you think. Comments ???

Mermaid Mosaic

This is the famous mosaic which resides in the middle of the floor inside James Butler Studios. I finished it about two years ago. It was my first attempt at a real mosiac and it took me FOREVER to complete. I would sit on the deck for hours with small colored vitrious tiles and a tile cutter working on this design. Anyway, it's finished at last. It is in the style of some roman mosaics which I saw at Pompeii during my last trip to Italy.

The mosaic is about 28 inches in diameter. It is evocative of the river which flows past the studio a few yards away.

Let me know what you think... Comments???

James Butler Studios

Inside James Butler Studios.

Some works in progress as well as some older pieces on the walls. The studio has very good north light from two sets of double french doors on the north wall which lead you out to the patio and garden and eventually the river.

The studio is not huge (about 500 sq feet) but also has a large garage style sliding door along the east wall to facilitate moving large pieces into and out of the studio.

In the center of the floor is a large circular mosaic which I finished about two years ago. (photo tomorrow - I promise)

Let me know what you think.

Comments???

Finding Vincent

This is an oil painting on pvc panel (26 X 34) I finished a couple of years ago but have never shown outside of my studio (until now). I had always admired the dynamics in the very famous "Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh and wanted to try something inspired by his painting but with a Kansas connection. Since it has so many elements of the famous Van Gogh painting in it I would never sell it as an original work so it will always hang in my studio as inspiration. I call it "Finding Vincent."

Comments??

St George Icon

This is a photo of the (in progress) St George Icon which I have been working on for a few days. It is still very much in progress but you can see the composition and generally the color scheme. Egg tempera is certainly interesting to work with The colors are quite strong and are very durable and long lasting. However, on the negative side, they are somewhat difficult to use. Every day I want to paint something I have to grind new colors and mix them with egg yolk. Nothing out of the tube here. Then everything must be carefully cleaned at the end of the day.

Preparing the wood panels is also a long tedious process.

But I started this as a way to learn 12th century painting techniques and I have certainly learned a lot. Next time I visit the Icons in the Philadelphia Museum I will be much more appreciative.

Let me know what you think... Comments????

Exploration Place Exhibition

James Butler Studios will be exhibiting oil paintings by Jan Vavra and James Butler at Exploration Place in Wichita during the month of October. The exhibition opens the last Friday of September and runs through the end of October. Several new works which have not previously been exhibited will be on display.

For more information please E-mail tassie_jim@hotmail.com and ask for exhibition details.

Moon Gate O Fortuna, Velut Luna

"Moon Gate" is a sculpture which sits outside of James Butler Studios on a bluff overlooking the Little Arkansas River on the edge of Wichita KS. It is about eight feet in diameter and is constructed of cedar painted red.

"Moon Gate" was inspired by traditional Chinese circular gates built into doorways and constructed of stone.

Inscribed with "O Fortuna, velut Luna statu variabilis, semper crescis aut decrescis," from Carmina Burana the "Moon Gate" is an elegant yet stark connection to the lunar cycles which guide our lives.

"Moon Gate" was designed and assembled and installed by James Butler Studios. The basic carpentry was done by Bob Krause, a local craftsman.

Comments Anyone?????

Koi

Jan Vavra is the other artist who works in James Butler Studios. Here is a watercolor she finished a few days ago. This is the third iteration of the watercolor "Koi." There is also an oil version.

Let us know what y0u think. Comments???