An artist journal of flinging paint.

Jun 30, Giraffes in the grass

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:39:29 GMT

Woke up early to a Raven calling. It was a cool night which was good for the cabbage I thinned and transplanted. The garden is really taking off, vine plants are beginning to blossom, I have to thin the beets (beet greens!) and harvest the chard. Everything seems to be settling in and growing. We water every day, it is amazing how fast the soil gets hot and dry. We have a big field with tall grasses behind the house and studio. Last year when we moved here it was so dry the grass was this beautiful gold brown color and almost chest high. Made me feel like elephants, lions, wildebeast and giraffes should be walking through the tall grasses. If I listened quietly I could hear the rumble of lions in the distance. Well, it's happened. You can see the photos I took of two giraffes crossing the field. Just click on the 'scrap book' link at the top of this page or the 'click for more info' tag at the end of this entry. I have been visiting some old paintings that never felt finished to me. Not sure if I am making them better or worse! But , in any case I am painting. I will go out to the studio this morning, I may make some fish to swim through the grasses or work on my 4'x5' painting or wrestle with the 'old' paintings. I have come up with a winner for my buffalo painting. I will be announcing the winning title next week. Enjoy your day.

Jun 30, Scrap book, Photo album and stuff

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:55:16 GMT

My page of stuff, sketches, photo and whatever

Jun 26, Early Morning Light

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:01:51 GMT

I woke up this morning around 4:15 AM and it was light out, dawn was breaking. The birds were outrageous with their sound. The first light woke them up and they responded, now they have settled down and it is a quiet dawn again. It is the height of summer here, the garden is hunkering down and taking off. A garden is amazing to me, everything growing. Soon the vine plants like the squash, melons, cucumbers will have spread out covering the ground with tall sunflowers towering above them. Everything is settling in, putting down roots and growing. I will go out in a few minutes and turn on the water to the garden for nothing grows here with out constant watering. I am learning how to be a gardener in this dry climate. Grow shade, make an oasis. Put down lots of good organic mulch to help retain the moisture and nourish the plants. Maybe in ten years this will be a more self-sustaining, moisture retaining spot. I have got to plant more deep rooted shade trees like Maples. We are basically making a ring around the house while avoiding such things as water pipe lines, the septic tank and leach field. I have been spending my days painting, working on both new paintings and old. I have got several paintings going and they all seem to be in the same place... stuck. But that's okay while being stuck I came up with an idea for some outdoor art for our field. I hope to start working on that today. I am getting ready to pick a winning title for the big buffalo painting. So if you have any ideas now is the time to submit them. Now I go water. Enjoy your day.

Jun 20, Thunder and lightening

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:35:34 GMT

Big thunderstorm last evening and then it rained! This must be the season of the rain these last few days. The ground feels so refreshed after a rain, like it relaxes and breathes easy. With the rain the garden has taken off growing in leaps and bounds. We have eaten baby radishes and the birds have eaten the strawberries. It appears another wren has moved into the neighborhood claiming a birdhouse at the corner of the garden. He sings and flutters his wings all day trying to attract a mate. The wrens in the back yard are busy bring food back to their young. Such compact, aggressive little birds. Some of us from the 'I Am An Artist' workshop got together yesterday for a casual meeting. Everyone brought a piece of art and our revamped artist statements (I'll be posting mine on this site soon). It was nice to talk with other artists, enjoying each others company and helping each other out. Good support. We are planning on do a collective show this fall here in Spokane. I have finished the background on two large paintings. At the same time I have rearranged my studio... spring cleaning. It is nice to have that space to move about. I have ideas for these paintings, it will be interesting to see if that is what they end up as. Enjoy your day.

Jun 15, New Paintings

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:53:59 GMT

New Paintings from Mark Easton, working with acrylics Mark creates bold and unique paintings

Jun 15, not enough

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:50:42 GMT

not enough, an abastract acrylic painting by artist Mark Easton in red, white and blue.

Jun 15, New Art Coming

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:44:01 GMT

The weather has cooled down to a bit. Our garden is doing well, just about everything is up and going. The lettuce and carrots took a bit of a soaking to get going. Flowers are blooming, the hummingbirds are going crazy and there are butterflies about. This weekend several of us artists who attended the I Am An Artist workshop will be getting together. It's good to be around other artists, share resources and support. We are talking about doing a joint show this fall. You can check out the work of sculptor Vincent DeFelice at his website. He specializes in Bronze. I am putting the second coat of varnish on an abstract painting I recently finished. Hopefully will post it in a couple of days. I also will continue work on my large painting. I am still working on the background. It is interesting (and uses a lot of paint) working on such a large canvas. Moving back into the studio, cleaning up and organizing it. Where to stack all the paintings? How about we hang them on your wall! I am always open to barter or offers. Haven't had any entries for the Untitled Buffalo painting in about a week, so maybe it's time to pick a title. Just click on the 'contact me' button to the left and send me your idea for the title. Do you have a favorite? Enjoy your day.

Jun 11, Buffalo Painting

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:32:00 GMT

A bold painting of three bison/buffalo on a muted red background by artist Mark Easton

Jun 8, Why can't it rain?

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:52:38 GMT

The temperature has dropped, the sky is overcast... it wants to rain. And now like the release of tears it is. It hasn't rained here for so long, so, so long. Down it comes, a hard rain in the first burst. Now gentling off to a steady rain. How the ground must simply relax and slowly open up to the tears of the sky. I am watching rivulets run down the window, I can hear it 'binging' off the bathroom's fan vent. Now it is pouring, the wind is blowing... was that a flash of lightening? May the garden grow. May the plum tree drink deeply. This is a dry land, an arid land that happens to have humidity and mosquitoes. Grass and pine trees... brown grass and green pine trees that is summer here. Why do I bring 'green' to this place, growing flowers, shrubs, fruit trees, a garden fenced high so the deer won't get in. The deer that I watch in the early morning out in the field eating the delicate shoots. These ARE the things that inform my paintings, these are the things that my paintings are made of. Every time I take a brush stroke I paint these things. The things that make my life. Spent the weekend at the Artist Trust "I am an Artist" workshop. My head is full, it was both exhilarating and depressing at the same time. Getting all this useful, important information, meeting local fellow artists... and realizing how little I know and how much more I have to do especially on the business end. I don't think my website is 'ARTIST' enough. Perhaps to 'folksie' or home grown, too much me. But I do feel that is what makes my paintings, all the parts of me. Met a great artist Melissa Cole. Check out her art, you'll like it. The steady rain is falling a good day to do some cleaning, maybe a fire in the stove tonight. Enjoy your day.

Jun 7, Carlos Joy

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:10:40 GMT

'Carlos Joy' new painting by artist Mark Easton, beautiful bold colors depicting Woman and Raven dancing

Jun 6, A Full Weekend

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 12:59:45 GMT

Today I head to the Artist Trust Workshop being held here in Spokane this weekend, two days full of learning about the business and grant writing side of the arts. My goal right now is to get into a couple of galleries, to be out where a new audience can see my work. Have had lots of visits to the untitled buffalo painting page, but only a few entries. Are you having problems with the submission form? You can email your title entery directly to: mark@mark-easton-art.com Check out the entries so far by clicking on the link at the bottom of this journal entry. For those of you who haven't heard I am having a "Name the Painting" contest, you could win the wee painting that inspired the large buffalo painting. It's free and it's fun. It is fascinating what folks see in the painting, what it speaks to them. The titles all together become a poem, a prayer. Today is suppose to be cooler in the high 60's. Lately it's been in the high 80's... a little bit too hot for me. The garden is doing okay as long as I water it. Everything is germinating and it should be quite lush soon and create it's own shade. The fruit trees are doing well, the deer started nibbling on a couple of them so I sprayed them with deer repellent that we bought, boy does that stink. A spot of human urine also does the trick. The neighbors sheep was in the yard the other day, shooed it back and fixed the fence... it eats everything in sight. All right off to do some yoga and get ready for the big art weekend. Enjoy your day.

May 31, Summer time and the livin's easy...

Sun, 31 May 2009 12:48:35 GMT

It's going to be hot today, yesterday it reached 87 degrees... sweat and mosquitoes. Over night I have tried to cool down the house, fortunately the studio stays cool. I posted my latest large painting with a twist. It's untitled. My invitation to you is named it and you could win a painting. A lot of you know that my titles are a play on the painting, a play on words or just simply play and don't always make (obvious) sense in relation to the painting. So here's your chance to join the fun. Just email me your idea. I will post all the entries on the paintings home page and from them a winner will be chosen. The winning name will receive the painting that inspired me to paint the large one. It is a wee painting which I will ship anywhere so don't be afraid to enter even if you live half way round the world from me. Just click on the the link at the end of this journal entry to get started. And as the saying goes, you can't win if you don't enter. My job with the state of Washington ends this week so my focus will shift back to painting full time. I got to see parts of the state that were just beautiful, places like Kettle Falls. And out past Reardan there is this beautiful little canyon where I happen to watch a young moose cross the road and wade up the brook. We have been out in all kinds of weather and all kinds of traffic. It is amazing how few people notice the flashing strobe lights, traffic cones, bright safety vests or the many Crew Working signs. I have come to love the State Patrol. It's not even 6 am and the sun is up, the day is warming up fast. The garden loves it, seeds are germinating and pushing up through the soil. The birds are busy. The little male wren has found a mate, after stuffing the wren house with twigs they have decided to nest in the wood pile. Enjoy your day, your breath. Give yourself a lot of room, compassion as you walk through this day. That is my prayer. jOy

May 25, MAKE ME AN OFFER!

Mon, 25 May 2009 21:10:15 GMT

I really need to move some paintings right now, so if there is a painting you've been thinking about now is the time. Simply make me an offer. Email me at mark@mark-easton-art.com

May 3, It's a cool spring morning

Sun, 03 May 2009 14:31:47 GMT

It's a cool spring morning with an overcast sky. It rained most of yesterday afternoon into the night. Which was great for all the fruit trees we had planted. Everything is irrigated by drip line because it is so dry here, right now everything is green but if you dig into the soil it is dry. The mule deer are hungry and chomping down on just about everything, they love tulips. Yesterday I noticed that they had moved on to the lilies, so I covered them with netting. The lilies that is, not the deer. I put chicken wire around the new fruit trees (they was some in the barn) because that would have been really sad if they chomped those too. Lilacs do really well here, in fact today is the Bloomsday Race which has been going on forever in Spokane. I am done with the buffalo painting, maybe not finished but I am certainly done. I thought of a name for it in the middle of the night that was perfect, now I can't remember it. I have two other canvases that I have done the background on just waiting in the studio. I took 'Carlos Joy' with me to the Community Roots market, placed it on an easel behind our table. Certain people were just drawn to it. It is fascinating to me to see who is and listen to what they want to say about it. Today I will dig more holes for lilacs and flowers and jasmine. And go look for drip line supplies, I chopped one line while digging a hole for the cherry tree and the snow plow took out another this winter. Have a beautiful spring or fall day wherever you are. Peace.

Apr 25, Did you see the Moon?

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:58:18 GMT

Did you see the moon last week early in the morning? I was walking out to the truck as the day was dawning and looked to the east where a sliver of the moon hung low on the horizon, just over the pine trees. And hanging like a brilliant jewel off of the moon was a star (actually a planet, Venus I think). I had never seen this before, it took my breath away, it was just amazing. As I came up out of the little valley we live in a few minutes later and had a view for 360 degrees up on the plains the moon appeared high in the sky. No longer was it's 'jewel' visible. But, the horizon was beautiful with clouds and soft colors of sunrise. It felt like the earth was making love to me, to us. Those incredible beautiful, quiet time when our activity is at a minimum the earth seems to being say, "Here I am, come with me." Yet, we so often don't. I go too fast. Well, there is a wise, wise saying that for me applies to everything... "slow, slow is fast". It is those quiet times that are the invitation to slow down, to be, to breathe. Today I will head out to the studio and see what I can paint. I think it is time to finish up the Buffalo, to realize that they are done. Sometimes a painting isn't finished but it is done or done but not finished. And that is how the buffalo is feeling. It is definitely spring here, the daffodils are in bloom with the tulips just beginning, at least the ones the deer didn't chomp off the bud. I put up two more bird houses, one a little wren house. Friends gifted us with a hummingbird feeder, saw my first hummingbird two days ago. I haven't heard the frogs croaking early in the morning recently, maybe it's been too cold. For something different I made a short video which is posted on Youtube, it's a humorous look at the bank bailout here in the USA, also known as TARP. You can view it by clicking on the 'Permalink' at the end of this entry. I hope wherever you are you are able to go 'slow, slow is fast' and breathe in the day. jOy

Apr 25, Visitors Guest Book, leave your thoughts behind...

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:28:59 GMT

Visitors to Mark Easton Art can post their comments here.

Apr 17, Far, far away

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:30:04 GMT

I looked across the horizon, across a field of deep, deep spring green that went forever until it reached a low brown hill followed by undulating hills of blue, purple, violet and then the sky. The sun had been deep, almost blood red earlier as it rose up through the trees. Now it hung low in the eastern sky in the clouds. Red in the morning sailors take warning. The wind kicked across the prairie and I wondered. Wondered what it was like before there was a road here, before there were ranches and farms. Before when there was just the deep, deep stillness of space. Before the vastness was made small by this road, or not small but of no notice. So before I bent over to pick up my first piece of trash, before I got caught up in the work of my day. I looked to the horizon and just for a moment breathed in those delicious colors, the amazing deep green that went forever, followed by a startling, earthy brown and then the morning haze of blues and violets melting into the sky. I thought of my painting Night Dogs of the sun melting into the horizon of the Arizona desert, this was the same thing just a different place. I realized it was the same time of year that I was in the desert, the mysterious lighting of a spring. Also the space, the large space where my soul just expands. I want to paint those colors, that horizon. Just the hint of form. The voice under the road, under the noise of traffic, under the power lines. That voice that has nothing and everything to do with us. I want to listen and breathe it in deep. This week we head back to Fresh Abundance for the Community Roots Market to set up our table of wares. Maybe plant a few fruit trees, dig a few garden beds. And I will find a moment to breathe into that space, that morning, that horizon and take a brush to my buffalo. And fill them with that vast, vast voice. Touch the earth.

Apr 14, Hawks and Eagles

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:18:05 GMT

Today I saw a Bald Eagle perched on a branch in a dead tree overlooking a lake. As we got closer it flew off. But for me the thrilling thing to watch was a hawk flying overhead. It would glide with it's wings extended for a bit then tuck them in and dive/swoop down maybe thirty feet then glide back up as it moved forward and do it again. It was just beautiful against the darkening storm clouds above it. Saw several mule deer today, they did not seem concerned at all by several people working nearby. Deer are definitely the number one dead animal we find as we clean the highways of trash. It's been a typical spring day, going from clear to snow to rain to clear to snow to clear. Giant clouds gathering around Mt. Spokane. I can imagine the storm Gods gathering about mumbling and jostling up above the mountains. I didn't get much chance to paint this past weekend as I had a relapse of the flu, so I took it easy wanting to get over it. Lots of fluids and vitamin C. Now it's home after a hard day. Sometimes just the volume of trash and the lack of respect for the earth that it shows is discouraging. The earth certainly takes a pounding from us humans. A little gentleness, a little compassion, a pinch of awareness goes a long way. Swoop like the hawk. jOy!

Apr 8, Fresh Air

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:24:05 GMT

It's the middle of the night, I woke up thirsty. All that fresh air and sun from walking the highways and byways of Washington state have dried me out. Seen a lot of deer out there and people drive way too fast. Today we head west to the wide open spaces of Washington on busy I-90. Zoom, Zoom, Zoom. I am getting focused to finish the Buffalo or I should say work on the Buffalo this weekend. Unless I get distracted by Spring. All our bulbs are coming up that we planted last fall... except for the ones the deer have munched on. And the garden is drying out , we got a load of manure last week for it. We will be placing the raised beds and setting up the drip lines and soaker hoses to them. The birds are busy stuffing the houses with nesting material. The last few days have been really nice and sunny and warm. Although it is suppose to cool down for the weekend. More snow maybe? I will be posting several visitor comments soon, I have gotten many over the past few weeks while I was down with the flu. I really appreciate you taking the time to write, I enjoy reading what you have to say. I get so many ideas every day as I am out walking the highways for paintings. It will be interesting to see what actually ends up on canvas. I think being out in the wide open spaces gives me a bigger sense, a desire to paint bigger and bolder... even on small canvases. The coyotes have started singing as I sit here in the dark, I love their voices. I have drunk quite a bit of water, quenched my thirst. So with the coyotes serenading me I am headed back to bed. Peace to you. Enjoy your day.

Apr 3, Flu Flew

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:58:28 GMT

For over two weeks now I have had the flu, it is (hopefully) coming to the end of it's course. There was a blurred weekend of cold medicine and sleep that I don't really remember. I haven't been this sick in a long time. During all this I had a couple of interviews for some short term work. Things are pretty slow right now with the art and while I do live simply I do have to eat, pay basic bills, taxes. So I went looking for work that I could make a bit of money. Last week I started working for the State of Washington running a Youth Corp crew that picks up the litter on the state highways, specifically in the median strips. It feels good because I am outdoors all day and I am picking up trash. It is amazing what we as a people throw out of our cars. Welcome to the world of pee bottles and disposable diapers, plus everything else you can and probably can not think of. I came across a Raven carcass my first day. I just want to stop and look at it, take it in but had to keep moving, picking up trash. I am getting to see parts of Washington which is a new place to explore for me, so that is a good thing. Once you get up out of Spokane it is wide open spaces. The grand vista which fills my soul and gives me enough room for myself. I never feel small in wide open spaces, I feel like I finally have enough room. This morning I woke up to 4 inches of wet snow burying our spring flowers that have just started coming up. The deer have found them so we recharged the deer zappers, a simple little device that works pretty humanely to keep the deer away from the plants. We've been thinking garden and are hunting down sources of manure for it. Soon we will get a couple of fruit trees and some berries to plant. So for the next ten weeks I will be walking the highways and byways of Eastern Washington State. If you see me honk as you go by. It is good to be outside to feel the wind against my face. I soak up the views, the hawks overhead, the sky... everything and I see paintings wherever I look. Enjoy you're changing season wherever you are. Peace.

Mar 28, All is quiet....

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:36:27 GMT

All is quiet this morning as I awake to a partly overcast sky. Why is it I look to the sky first thing to "see what kind of day it is" or is going to be? I don't know. I have the flu and am hopefully on the recovering end of it. It's the achy joint, congested, sore throat, fever flu. I could never figure out the difference between a cold and the flu. So now I go by achy joint, no energy then it's the flu. I am drinking tons of fluids and am bundled up sweating it out. I made chicken soup yesterday which I have also been eating. I take lots of vitamin C, which my body seems to really use well. And rest. The problem for me right now is I accepted a temporary job with the state of Washington and it's starts monday! Yippee! Things have been slow with the art and this is how I make my living. So I was looking for opportunities to bring in some extra cash. I have always done handy man/maintenance work on the side. Plus odd jobs which I find interesting and don't commit me to a huge amount of time. I have been a disaster victim for a National Guard training, been an extra in a movie... things like that. If anyone has ideas or remedies to break the flu I am very interested in hearing. I haven't been painting for over a week because of the flu, last weekend was a blur of sleep and cold medicine. This week has pretty much been the same with the exception of a job interview and then filling out paperwork for the job. The job is nice and I will be outdoors all the time for the next couple of months. And I will be working 4/10's so will have three days off. Before I got sick, actually while I was coming down with this flu, I was working on the big buffalo painting. I was adding a white wash to it, which wasn't working, at about the time I was coming down with a fever. Probably not a good idea. So I wiped it off and walked away. This painting like so many of my big ones lately are challenges, puzzles that require sitting with, figuring out how it fits together. One misstep... A raven just flew over carrying something in it's mouth. The birds are so active now, the ones in our yard which include finches, sparrows, bluebirds, nuthatches, chickadees to name a few are busy checking out all the bird houses. The bulbs we planted last fall are beginning to poke up out of the ground, the earth is slowly waking up. The Robins are back, but the Varied Thrush that was at the feeder for the last three weeks seems to have left. Now it's time for more Vitamin C, Chicken soup and liquids. Enjoy your day.

Mar 21, the snow is melting

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:03:45 GMT

The days are warming up and the snow is melting fast making for moist days. This morning it is overcast but I dont think it will rain, the clouds look too high. But, I am wrong has it has started to rain. So with the rain softly falling I thought I would share with you several pages on this site that you may not know about. These are the pages that are tucked away here and there and dont have their own Navigation Bar. I also have several videos that I have made on this site, two are of me painting Carlos Joy and are located on Carlos Joys page. The other videos you will find on Store and Humor Me pages. Here are some links to those pages which include my scrap book where youll find all kinds of photos not all art related. I have several Over Flow pages for several main pages like Artist Journal Archive where youll find all the entries I ever wrote going back to the beginning of this site. There is also a Guest Book overflow page where youll find more site visitor comments. Another overflow page is More Art at Home where youll find more photos and comments from folks who have my art in there home. Then there are a couple pages that you may not have visited like Fake News and the infamous Albuquerque Sketches which have nothing to do with Albuquerque other than I painted them there. And last but not least in these interesting economic times please check out myBarter page. You might be pleasantly surprised in what I will take in exchange for my work. And just a reminder whenever you visit New Paintings, Gallery One, Two, Small and Wee Paintings by click on the image of any of the paintings you will go directly to that particular paintings page where you will see an enlarged image of the painting. You will also find the size and price of the painting along with my thoughts about that painting. There also might be details of the painting, poetry and any number of things. There you have it, an insiders guide to my site. Now I havent told where all the goodies are, I have left a few for you to find on your own while youre poking around the site. Ive got a bit of the flu this morning, so I am going to take it easy to make for a speedy recovery. Enjoy your day and thanks for stopping by. Oh, yeah there are many ways to contact me just check the Navigation Bars to the left, I would love to hear from you.

Mar 18, The sounds of spring

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:12:34 GMT

I opened the door this morning to the sounds of spring. The yard is full of birds making a raucous sound. A joyous sound to my ears. I love the sounds of spring after a long, quiet winter. The sound of neighborhood children playing in the fading light of the evening, calling back and forth. That's what daylight savings time does in my neighborhood, children play later in the warmer evenings when it stays light so late. I love the sound of spring rain on our metal roof. It feels like spring, it smells like spring even when we still get a snowstorm. Two days ago we got our first thunderstorm, the lightening was real close. Hail started falling, boom, crash boom, crash. Spring is here even with so much snow still on the ground, even when it gets real cold at night... spring is here. I have been doing yoga every morning now for over three weeks. It makes a huge difference in how I feel during my day, it's amazing. I am just following along with a video by Rodney Yee. I have my own version, like when he asks you to hold onto your toes or your ankles, I add, "or your knees". Some days I do it in the afternoon also. I love how it opens up my body. Work progresses on my big buffalo painting. I had to put it down the other day and just walk away. Let it sit for a bit, paintings shouldn't be forced. I painted some undercoats and backgrounds on a couple other paintings. I think I will start work on another painting. I have reached a place where I have several paintings going at the same time. Because lately paintings have shifted into an over time process, not one or two sittings where they just pour out. Instead I have to ponder them, sit with them, feel into them and put them down to pick up later. Now I can, completely with ease, shift to another painting. We spent last Sunday at Fresh Abundance's Community Roots Market here in Spokane. A great little market which such a variety of vendors. We took our tiles, wee paintings and sculptures. Met so many great people so enthusiastic about life, gardening, living on this wonderful earth. Today I work on my taxes! Not really a big deal, it's just finding the money to pay them that's a big deal. Lot's of folks discovering my site through www.stumbleupon.com. Check it out, it's a great way to explore the internet. You will 'stumble upon' many wonderful sites. Click on the "Stumble It" button near the top of this page to learn more. Have a raucous, joyous spring day.

Mar 12, Where the Buffalo roam

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:03:46 GMT

Maybe it is the right music, maybe it is the right color, the right lighting. Maybe it is struggling and struggling until there is no more struggle and then it becomes what it wanted to be. Most of my paintings lately have been epic struggles, trying to find the path that takes it to a place of completion. Many paintings I do are never complete, never, but they are done. There is nothing more I can do, there is nothing more in me to put on the canvas, there is nothing more flowing through me. So it is done but maybe not complete. I have been struggling with this big Buffalo painting I am doing. I was inspired by a miniature painting I did and decide to create that image on a large canvas. That is not a bad idea in itself but I should have realized that immediately I would have to let go of the small painting, immediately. But I didnt and of course that painting had already been painted so what I was working on was a new painting. A new painting with its own experience, its own process, its own unfoldment. I often fall in love with solid color, especially blue. I just like bold color, I just like solid color. Blue, yellow, red, green, white. But I am striving like a salmon swimming upstream for a crystalized moment of truth, of beauty of something deep and expansive that simply says, Yes. And then I reach a point of confusion, what to do, which direction do I take the painting in. I see parts that dont fit, parts that are excellent and then I have to ask the question is that the direction I want to go in. And can I even technically do it, do I have the necessary skill? So I keep going. Sometimes I just stop knowing I can't go there yet, that I dont have it in me. I dont have what it takes. So I put on music. Rifling through my CDs I came across a compilation CD I made. Its the right choice, I breathe easier, deeper. I realize that the three buffalo are uniquely different, that they cant be the same. I notice the spin of the earth in the underbelly of one. And finally they are each telling their story. They are each humming, vibrating. Whether this will be a great painting or simply a good painting or nothing special... it is at its fullest evolution that I can create. It is perfect, the Buffalo are done. I pick up my brushes, my dirty water and head out of the studio. It seems lately I have been striving, striving to break out. My painting reflects this with an urgency, a thrusting. Like trying to break out of a shell or some confinement. Which was fine but no longer fits, is too small. I have no idea what is next, I just know its time.

Mar 11, Shows

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:44:17 GMT

Upcoming, present and past shows of the work of Mark Easton

Mar 9, Fired up, cool down

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:31:54 GMT

I just went out to the studio to see if the kiln was done firing, it wasn't. But any minute now it will be. We have been getting ready for the Community Roots Market which is next Sunday at Fresh Abundance with the making of tiles and small sculpted pieces. Cat's been creating some beautiful sculpted tiles from slabs of clay along with painting some incredible designs on blank tiles. I made some more Buffalo totems and then sculpted this little bear that is different then the one you'll find on this site. I liked it so I made a couple more but they ended up a bit bigger. A little pig crawled out of another lump of clay along with a hen. I am working on my big painting, really liking it so far. It feels quite powerful to me, so of course I reach a point where I am afraid I am going to blow it. That is when I stop and breathe and let that moment pass. Some times that takes several days. Spring is in the air. Where we live there is still plenty of hard old snow on the ground. We are located in a small micro-climate, just a mile from here the snow is all gone. I am glad we still have snow because hopefully that will recharge the ground water better. And we have less drying out by the wind. Which is what is happening just nearby. It's only the beginning of March, hopefully the snow will release itself gently over the rest of the month. Business is picking up in the yard with more and more birds arriving. I haven't seen anymore Robins since those four the other day. But new finches and sparrows and other birds I am not familiar with are showing up. Last night when I was taking the trash can down to the end of the drive when a coyote let loose at the back of the field with a beautiful howl. It had a unique high pitch note on the end that I had never heard before. That got the neighbors dog Lady barking. Of course she barks at anything and everything. This is a big dog neighborhood. We are probably the only folks around here who don't have a dog. Most nights I can hear the owls hooting which I love. There is something so primal, so part of the human/earth experience about the hoot of the owl, the sounds the earth makes. I read somewhere the earth emits a high pitch sound out into space. Planets talking. I am going to go back out and check the temperature of the kiln now. Breathe.

Mar 5, So it snows...

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:30:22 GMT

Though it is quite warm outside it is snowing. The snow changes from small hard flakes like it is getting ready to settle in for the long haul and then changes to fat, wet warm spring time flakes. Back and forth it goes. This morning I saw a beautiful hawk flying overhead, the glory of it. I have started a fire in the studio stove as I hope to work on a couple of big paintings. I painted a wee little painting and realized how good that might look three feet wide. So as my mind goes back and forth between hard thoughts and wet, fat thoughts I come back to my breath, to the space around thought where nothing has to be done. It just is. Spaciousness. That is the place I want to come from after my long winter of discontent. What is discontent other than not being in that space of the now, the space that is. We are such great beings that it isnt surprising that it hurts or is ecstatic when we go so small as to be a thought. I am letting the snow calm me, be an invitation to being. Simple presence. On March 15 we will be setting up a table at Fresh Abundances Community Roots Market. I will be taking all my wee paintings, some clay sculpture, along with some larger paintings. I plan to make several buffalo totems and perhaps some garden rabbits, small pieces. I will take a small painting to work on while I am there. Eventually I will make other things like bird and bat houses, and one of a kind items. Cat will be taking some labyrinth tiles she has been working on along with some of her paintings, sculptures and needle work. She makes these exquisite free hand tapestries, I think that is what you would call them. I love this little market, such an expression of bartering of goods. I create, you create, we exchange. We pulled down our show at Ginas yesterday, it was a great show for us. We sold several pieces. The folks at Ginas, especially Lacey were the best. Now I will concentrate on entering juried shows. There are several that have caught my attention. I just need some good photos of my paintings. If I cant get a good image it just isnt worth entering. I am thinking of entering the Poudre River Arts Center Artist in Dreamland show. My painting Earth Dogs was in the show last year. This year they want art that is created from a specific dream, with a character in it from the dream. For me all my paintings are my dreams, they come from that place deep with in me where all my dreams come from. To narrow it down to a specific dream is hard, but I like the idea of it... if I have enough time to meet the entry deadline. So it snows, so I breathe... Peace.

Mar 3, Roof doesn't leak when it doesn't rain...

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:42:07 GMT

I climbed up on the studio roof yesterday to try and fix a leak. It's leaking and saturating the fiberglass insulation in one place. During the big snow we had back in January it leaked but I figured it was because of snow and ice build up. It's a metal roof with not a lot of pitch and yesterday I couldn't find any obvious. I tighten a few screws but didn't find any holes. It's been raining now for over 24 hours, a good hard rain. There is still snow on the ground but it is melting fast. Hopefully it is recharging the ground water and will give us a good boost this spring. Last fall we planted over 100 bulbs it will be wonderful to see those come up this spring. We also plant about 50 perennials, hopefully they will make it through the winter also. Once we got the deep snow the deer stopped coming around, the only thing we have to worry about are moles. The first few years anywhere is a deep learning of how the earth works. What is the ebb and flow on this patch of ground? You can follow me on Twitter as markeastonart. Mostly I will use it to let you know when there is a new posting to this page or some other page on this site or upcoming shows. I have started doing yoga every morning and some evenings, it really is opening up my body. Letting energy flow and get unstuck. My body is grateful for this attention to it. We will be attending Fresh Abundance's Community Roots Market. I plan to build a few bird houses and maybe a bat house too. I will be taking my wee paintings, Cat is working on some tiles along with her sculptures. We are just happy to be part of this market. You can check out their website by clicking on the link below. With spring comes the urge to travel, explore. All this rain invites me to warmer, sunnier places. Until then I will be working on two large paintings today, along with my stand up routine. What a mix! What a life! My roof don't leak when it don't rain. peace

Feb 28, The Robins are back...

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 13:03:05 GMT

Four puffy robins sat in our little maple tree the other morning, spring is right around the corner. I uploaded a smaller file version of Painting Carlos Joy - Part Zero which should view easier than the first one. That one kept stopping to load, this one is a bit fuzzier but loads fast and doesn't stop. These are the things I do in the middle of then night when I can't sleep. That and think of spring and gardens, flowers and fruit trees. This will be a whole new venture for me growing in a dry climate where watering is crucial. There is a complete drip line irrigation system set up here for all the trees, flower beds and the garden. It seems a bit weird to me after so long in Maine to be in a place where you have to pump water out of the ground in order to grow anything. We've signed up for the local natural food store, Fresh Abundance, open market. We will be selling our wares, small paintings, ceramic tiles and sculpture and one of a kind items. I may build some birdhouses, one can never have enough bird houses. I have been painting a number of small paintings, the little wee ones. And have started the background for a medium painting which I bought the canvas for to fit the size of a frame I had. I am thinking big white chickens... It's exciting to feel a painting start taking on a life, wanting to be painted. Next week we take down our show at Gina's Design Corner. That was a great space, great people. Here's the new, smaller file (fuzzier) version of Carlos Joy - Part Zero

Feb 23, Painting Carlos Joy

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:32:26 GMT

Here is the second video (which is actually the first) of painting Carlos Joy. This is where I put on the blue background. I never checked the video while I was filming and now realize I could have had a better camera angle. But, you'll get the idea. I also talk a bit about what I am doing and you can see me paint the figure in Borealis while I am waiting for paint to dry. You can see the finished painting by clicking on the link at the end of this entry, along with the other video. The rainy season has started, spring is coming. I love the sound of rain on a metal roof, soothing and very meditative. The breath of rain, the movement of nature. To be in this world. Today I think I will be working on Be Still My Heart as well as some small paintings. Cat and I will be setting up our wares at a local market, along with our paintings, ceramic tiles and sculpture we will also be making other items just for the market. I plan to build some birdhouses for the next one. I love the very basic exchange that takes place in that type of setting. Here are my wares on this table, no middleman, no nothing just two people trading. Thanks for stopping by. Please take a moment to send a reply, just click on the link above. jOy!

Feb 22, It's quiet here

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:48:19 GMT

It's quiet here in the middle of the night not even the coyotes are talking. I couldn't sleep, my stomach was calling me awake so I came in to my computer and played some solitaire. And I wonder at this hour where is the car going that is driving up the street? Are they on their way to work? To the casino? The 24 hour Wal-mart, Carl Jr's? Or did they too wake up and choose to go for a drive this cold winter night. Yes it still is winter though we haven't had snow for over a month and some days it does warm up only to freeze back up at night. But there is a different quality to the light and it starts noticeably earlier and stays later. As I was sitting here playing solitaire on my computer I was paying attention to my breath, in and out. And I would come to center and open up to the core of myself feeling a depth, a breadth of being. The more I breathed with gentle attention the more I won at solitaire with ease, listening. The more ideas floated into my awareness as to what to do. I realize that I am not good at planing, scheduling, making informed linear choices. But, if I breathe with attention if I bring my depth to the surface then I know how to be in this world and can make appropriate choices with out charge. Maybe the coyotes are all curled up together staying warm as their breath condenses in the air above them and falls gently on their coats. Stay warm, be well, snuggle up with your inner soulmate. Peace

Feb 17, It's a clear night

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:32:46 GMT

Actually it's a clear pre-dawn, the big dipper is hanging low in the sky. The big dipper is the only constellation I can name which is kind of funny given how much I have gazed at the stars my whole life. Maybe I haven't learned their names because I have been gazing, not looking, taken in by the beauty and wonder. Naming is a funny thing, I believe naming grounds us in this world but can also limit us to. For me they are simply beautiful the stars. But I am also glad that there are people who love the stars in a different way and can name them and tell us what they are made of and all the other fascinating bits that make them twinkle in the sky. I rejoice that people have passions, curiosity, inquisitive minds and hearts about things that I do not. I also know the North star, I love the fact that it is there. Have you seen the cover of the new Bruce Springsteen CD? It reminded me of a certain painter that I know. Many, many years ago I was sailing in the Caribbean and saw the Southern Cross hanging just above the open ocean horizon, it took my breath away. All was quiet that night, I could hear the waves against the boat, the wind in the sails and the glorious Southern Cross and a million other stars. If a starship landed in your backyard and offered a ride would you get in? I have upload another video showing the painting of Carlos Joy. This segment I am calling, "Part Zero - The Lost Tape". It shows the painting of the blue background. I talk about my process and you can also see me start work on the figure in "Borealis". And again there is some of the finest speed painting ever set to music. You will find both on Carlos Joy's home page. Today I will be working on a grant application, lining up a show in March and painting on "Be Still My Heart". Yes, that's right I am re-visiting this painting, while I always felt there were parts that were beautiful I never felt it came together. So back I go to paint away and boldly explore the path in the painting that keeps beckoning me. Hopefully it will be a fulfilling journey. May you be well.

Feb 13, New pages, new posts

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:25:28 GMT

I think winter is over here, while it still is overcast most of the time with foggy mornings it just seems over. We haven't had any snow to speak of since the first of January and most days are warmer than the one before. Having been here only six months I don't yet have a feel for the weather, for the seasons. It just feels done. It is warm enough now that I am going to move back out into the studio. That will give me some room to fling paint. I like leaving the house to go to work, the walk across the yard is nice. I did a lot of work to this site yesterday posting new paintings and putting up a new page for clay. If you go to New Paintings you'll find my new painting 'Carlos Joy' click on it and go to it's page where you can watch a short video of me starting to paint the woman and raven. On Small Paintings you'll find my new series "Almost Being". I want to paint some more of these. Go to Wee Paintings to see a whole slew of new miniature paintings that come with their own display easel. Original art for only $20, can't beat it. And I created a new page titled Clay where you'll find my clay sculptures. I really enjoy working with clay it adds a nice balance to my painting. For those of you in the Spokane area my art is still up at Gina's Design Corner and will be through this month. The coyotes are howling outside my window, I think I will crawl back into bed. Enjoy your day.

Feb 12, Wee Paintings

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:31:20 GMT

Wee little original acrylic paintings by artist Mark Easton

Feb 12, Small Paintings By Mark Easton

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:37:48 GMT

View the smaller works of acrylic paintings, new and works in progress by Artist Mark Easton

Feb 9, Three Magpies and a Raven

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:25:35 GMT

Well, the magpies have found our compost pile out by the garden. Took them a lot longer than I expected. I looked out this morning and two magpies were sitting on fence posts all puffed up while one magpie was down on the compost. A big raven heard the noise and landed on the top of a nearby pine, waiting and watching. We have one bird feeder that is always hopping now with several different types of birds. I wrote a little poem about the feeder this morning... So many birds at the feeder Hopping about all a tweeter, tweeter Then came along the neighbors cat It was a tragedy after that... (You have to say it in a certain type of voice.) Okay, not really.The neighbors cat does come by, but it's fat and lazy and just likes looking. Anything else is too much effort. We had a good opening reception at Gina's Design Corner Friday night. Sold three small pieces. There was good food, good music and Lacey the interior designer who works there was the most gracious host. It's a nice space, you can see photos on my scrap book page. This morning we picked up all the clay pieces and several small paintings. The paintings on the wall along with several small ones will be staying there through the month of February. Gina's is open Monday-Friday 10-5. If you are in the area stop by. I will be putting up images of several new paintings on the site today or tomorrow, please check back. Now it is back to work, paint 'til you faint. jOy!

Feb 5, Show up

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:04:17 GMT

Yesterday we hung the big pieces for our show this friday. It looks good, it's a high brick wall about 26 feet long covered with bolts, nails and screws from previous installations. I pulled some of the bolts out and drilled holes in the brick for new ones. The last show we did was a long narrow hallway also brick that spread the art out, it made for a very up close and personal look at the art. Also a lot of 'Excuse me' 'Pardon me'. This time it is a large open show room which will allow the viewer to take all the art in at once and see the flow and connection between the pieces. Cat's and my pieces compliment each other which is nice, while at the same time being completely different and unique. One theme that runs through both of our paintings are ravens and crows. Friday we head in early to tag all the paintings and to set up our clay pieces. Along with all my wee paintings, I have about 20 of the really small ones on easels. I also have small paintings that range from 4x4 inches, 5x7, 3x12 and combinations in between. What is interesting to me is the power of these small works. When I photograph them and crop the photo so just the image is showing it is hard to tell what size they are. They have a power all there own. You can get a sense of that by looking at the two paintings I posted on my 'Scrap Book' (see link above). Guess how big those two paintings are? What I like about doing the small paintings is it opens up the possibilities for large paintings. It seems freeing in that part of me says it's no big deal, there is nothing at stake, which allows for possibility and exploration. I find myself drifting towards less form. I will take photos of the show, along with some video which I will post. This show includes several new pieces that I haven't posted on this site. Unintentionally I seem to have done two series. One of dragonflies and one of these new beings. I really like the series of 'being' paintings I did, they look real nice grouped together on the wall and in relationship to rest of my paintings. Yesterday the sun finally burned through the fog and it got to almost 40 degrees so I hopped on my bicycle and went for a ride. Not very long, but oh it felt nice. Nice to get the energy flowing through my body, I always feel better, have more clarity when I use my body. It loosens me up, expands my heart. And besides all that it is just fun. Maybe I will go today if the weather holds. It's been foggy and overcast for so long it was a joy to just pedal, pedal. Enjoy your day.

Feb 3, Signed, sealed, delivered

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:04:07 GMT

I finished a painting I have been working on for five months, the longest I have ever worked on a painting. That made for an interesting process of trying to find my way again over and over. I will be hanging it at the show this Friday. I also have done many wee little paintings. It is fun to tell a story in such a small space. The big painting I just finished is 30"x40", the little paintings are less than a 10th of that! Lots of traffic to my "Humor Me" page, if you click on the album images it will take you to them on Amazon where you can listen to snippets of the album tracks. I am working on putting together some video of live performances. But right now I am concentrating on getting ready for the show. Cat and I checked out the space again yesterday, it's a massive brick wall that has all kinds of bolts, screws and nails sticking from it from previous shows. I will be hanging Call It, Bruised Fruit, Singing the Moon, coyote dreams the night and the new one for big paintings. Along with several smaller paintings, the wee paintings on easels and a few of my small sculptures. Cat's got some large paintings 4'x5' and some smaller ones along with her clay sculptures. I think it will be a great show. The small pieces will only be up for the Friday night reception. It is another foggy, icy morning here. I believe I live on Planet Fog. I went out to the studio to check the temperature of the kiln and heard an owl across the field in the woods by the railroad bed hooting. Most nights I can hear three hooting at the same time. It is nice along with the coyotes howling. Had a coyote walk past my window the other day around 10 am, trotting on top of the hard snow. I am revisiting a couple of older paintings that while I enjoyed where I stopped on them have continued to feel like I needed to go further. So I am which is a terrifying prospect, it's like jumping off a cliff. Once you leap, you are committed. Today I will be getting the practical stuff ready for the show. Stuff like painting tags, my tool box (I have one that is dedicated to hanging paintings), sending out email reminder invitations, packing paintings, making sure I have business cards, receipts, sales tax license... and it seems like I am forgetting something. The northern sky is lightening up with pink clouds and fog and wood smoke mingling with the pine trees. Enjoy your day.

Jan 31, Mark Easton Art, Acrylic Paintings,

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:14:41 GMT

Mark Easton's bold, intuitive Acrylic Paintings are unique. His paintings tell a deep story of the art of being human. Using bold colors his paintings impact the viewer deeply.

Jan 30, Humor Me

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 23:51:12 GMT

The humorist side of Mark Easton, Hugh Maine and storytelling, standup,

Jan 24, Albuquerque Sketches

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:14:22 GMT

Two canvas panel sketches painted in Albuquerque by artist Mark Easton

Jan 24, More paintings from Mark Easton

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:20:21 GMT

More paintings by artist Mark Easton showing his vibrant alive style using acrylics

Dec 10, Mark Easton's Store

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:05:02 GMT

Buy reproductions of Mark's work as prints, posters, note cards, mugs and more.

Nov 28, Under the cover of snow they stole the Moon

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:57:37 GMT

Under the cover of snow they stole the Moon. New acrylic painting of Magpies in winter by Mark Easton

Nov 7, Alternate Payment Methods or as I like to call it - Barter

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:36:41 GMT

Alternate Payment Methods or as I like to call it - Barter. Check out ways to put my art on your walls!!

Nov 6, PRESS!

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:51:32 GMT

Recent press on artist Mark Easton

Nov 6, More "Art At Home"

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:42:47 GMT

Continuing Gallery of "Art At Home", owners of Mark's art speak of what his art means to them in their own words...

Sep 17, Recent Works, Paintings From Mark Easton Art

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:16:33 GMT

View the recent works of artist Mark Easton, also works in progress

Aug 27, The Art At Home Gallery

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:39:48 GMT

View photos of Mark's paintings from buyers. I invite the folks to send in a photo of their painting in it's new home. I also welcome any comments they would like to say about the art.

Aug 3, Links

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:35:26 GMT

Assorted links for art resources and links to sites run by friends of Mark Easton