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Dave Bellard's not-so-daily journal and sketchbook 

The world that winter...

 
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I’ve been neglecting this blog for a few months now. Not because there’s nothing going on - I’m actually doing more artwork this year than I’ve probably ever done any single year of my life, including while in university - but mainly because I’ve suffer from poor time management, and not being able to say “no” to any idea that pops into my head. So I have about 5 projects running concurrently, of which any one could use my undivided attention. Add to that the fact that promoting myself as an artist via this website, social media, and email is a lot of actual “work” work, so what happens is I don’t really have the time to keep up with the blog. It’s a shame really because writing a blog is like keeping a journal, and that’s a super healthy thing for your mind and personal development.

All that to say I’m going to dump a bunch of photos and thoughts in this post, simply to get them off my hard drive and onto this digital broadsheet. I titled this “The world that winter..” because it feels like every month that passes by in this age of ascendent fascism will be something that we will refer to in years to come, in some kind of wonderment that we survived the world in that time. Enjoy some process photos, I’ll post descriptions in the captions under each.

Creating the “Nature Victus” series on my large light table. There is nothing more glorious that working on the brilliance of light. Just kidding. It’s actually hard to work for long periods of time on a 3ft long light table - it gets hard on the ey…

Creating the “Nature Victus” series on my large light table. There is nothing more glorious that working on the brilliance of light. Just kidding. It’s actually hard to work for long periods of time on a 3ft long light table - it gets hard on the eyes and the brain and I have to take a break every 2 hours. The “Nature Victus” series is in the portfolio section.

A view of my monitor after scanning one of the “Nature Victus” compositions. Here you can see clearly what the letraset lettering looks like when scanned. This is actually very tiny actual letters I rubbed onto the surface of the film composition.

A view of my monitor after scanning one of the “Nature Victus” compositions. Here you can see clearly what the letraset lettering looks like when scanned. This is actually very tiny actual letters I rubbed onto the surface of the film composition.

I bought some vintage photo retouching color dyes to see how they would work on my transparencies. Not too good, as you can see from the dots of pooled dye in the four corners of this small piece. It’s a test, but it shows that these don’t really wo…

I bought some vintage photo retouching color dyes to see how they would work on my transparencies. Not too good, as you can see from the dots of pooled dye in the four corners of this small piece. It’s a test, but it shows that these don’t really work on transparency emulsion. I suspect these were to be used like watercolors on actual paper prints. Possibly even meant for fiber paper prints because this ink is so watery?

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PRINTED THINGS

In June I printed a bunch of new catalogs of work to send out to galleries, art consultants and interior designers, including the Color Zen series and a collection of my landscape work. I’ll be putting these catalogs for sale in my Etsy store soon.

In June I printed a bunch of new catalogs of work to send out to galleries, art consultants and interior designers, including the Color Zen series and a collection of my landscape work. I’ll be putting these catalogs for sale in my Etsy store soon.

This catalog includes 8-12 and 15-25 of the Color Zen series.

This catalog includes 8-12 and 15-25 of the Color Zen series.

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This catalog is about 24 pages of my landscape works, including the Forest Portal series and the Mt. Takao series.

This catalog is about 24 pages of my landscape works, including the Forest Portal series and the Mt. Takao series.

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MOUNTAIN WORSHIP

I had a group of 14 duo pics of Mt. Rainier from a photo shoot in 2017 that I started working with. Here you see a bunch of groupings of “nearly” identical duos of photos of the mountain, each similar, but in some small way different. There’s a very…

I had a group of 14 duo pics of Mt. Rainier from a photo shoot in 2017 that I started working with. Here you see a bunch of groupings of “nearly” identical duos of photos of the mountain, each similar, but in some small way different. There’s a very cool series of mountain worship pieces coming out of the studio soon!

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“HELSINKI HEXAGONS” FRAMED

I created a set of the “Helsinki, Finland: Hexagon Derivative” series, all framed at 20”x28”, and ready for exhibition. I’m thinking of putting these pieces for sale in my Etsy store as the edition size is more suitable for private collections and h…

I created a set of the “Helsinki, Finland: Hexagon Derivative” series, all framed at 20”x28”, and ready for exhibition. I’m thinking of putting these pieces for sale in my Etsy store as the edition size is more suitable for private collections and home display.

Signing and framing the prints.

Signing and framing the prints.

A photoshoot for the “Helsinki, Finland: Hexagon Derivative” series, where I pulled out all the compositions and photographed them on the light table. Theres some cool randomness happening in these photos.

A photoshoot for the “Helsinki, Finland: Hexagon Derivative” series, where I pulled out all the compositions and photographed them on the light table. Theres some cool randomness happening in these photos.

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The size of a typical “Helsinki” composition in my hand. Most of them are about 9” or 10” in diameter in any direction.

The size of a typical “Helsinki” composition in my hand. Most of them are about 9” or 10” in diameter in any direction.

Nobody has any idea what working with these pieces is like. It’s like holding a piece of celluloid stained glass.

Nobody has any idea what working with these pieces is like. It’s like holding a piece of celluloid stained glass.

 

NEW “RADIANCE” PIECES

Another light table photo shoot, this time for new pieces in the “Radiance” series. Check out the Radiance page to see this piece and the rest of the series.

Another light table photo shoot, this time for new pieces in the “Radiance” series. Check out the Radiance page to see this piece and the rest of the series.

An edition of “Radiance 1” and “Radiance 2” 45-inch square acrylic-mounted pieces is ready for a private or corporate collector. These were on loan to a consultant in Virginia, but now back in Seattle. Contact me for details or to stop by the studio…

An edition of “Radiance 1” and “Radiance 2” 45-inch square acrylic-mounted pieces is ready for a private or corporate collector. These were on loan to a consultant in Virginia, but now back in Seattle. Contact me for details or to stop by the studio to see them.

“Radiance” acrylic face mounting, hanging brace on back.

“Radiance” acrylic face mounting, hanging brace on back.

“Radiance” acrylic face mounting, the print is sealed to the back of the 1/4” polished acrylic, 45 inches by 45 inches square.

“Radiance” acrylic face mounting, the print is sealed to the back of the 1/4” polished acrylic, 45 inches by 45 inches square.

 
David Bellard