What More Can I Do?

Posted by Jerry Cave
Afsaneh and Fogo
Title: Exquisita
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 22″ x 28″
Buy Print: ($345)
Buy Original: N/A

The more I paint, the more I realize how much I don’t know.

Every painting is a learning experience, and–like every other painter out there, I’m sure–I want to get better every time.

Recently, I realized that I am a “conceptual” painter. That means that I know what I want the painting to look like when I’m done. I just thought every painter was the same in that regard; not so.

I continue to get emails from artists who say “do this” and “do that,” but I only know one way to paint. I watch other painters to see how they work, and am often blown away at how they structure a painting, how they use color, all those things, and it’s exciting to me to learn new things.

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Clase Azul Ultra Method

Posted by Jerry Cave
Clase Azul Ultra
Title: Ultra
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 24″ x 48″
Buy Print: ($495 – smaller sizes by special order)
Buy Original: contact artist

Clase Azul Ultra is a rare bottle of tequila.

Only 100 bottles of Clase Azul Ultra are made each year, and only 50 make their way to the United States.

A shot of Clase Azul Ultra costs $250 in the bars that offer it.

The ceramic bottle is hand painted and decorated with gold, platinum, and silver.

I can’t describe how delicious Clase Azul Ultra is! I’ve tasted nothing that even comes close. I’m so sad it’s gone, but the bottle will serve as a reminder of this precious gift from my daughter and her significant other forever.

I chose to keep this painting as simple as possible to keep the focus where it should be. What a presentation!

A Proud Moment

Posted by Jerry Cave
John and Debbie, 22” x 28” original acrylic on canvas.

Everyone who knows me knows that I have a fondness for really good tequila. Several years ago a close friend gifted me a bottle of Señor Rio añejo tequila, and it was signed by the owner, John Gach – an Arizona man! Señor Rio is locally owned, but made in Jalisco, Mexico. It was a very special gift. Fast forward, I met John’s wife, Debbie for lunch to find out that, sadly, John had passed away about a year ago. Debbie had seen my work at Los Dos Molinos in Mesa, and asked if she could commission me to paint a portrait of her and John. It was an honor to do so.

Portraits can be difficult, especially if you know the person (or people). I had never met John, but Debbie provided me with a number of pictures of him, and her, and them together. John was a dynamic man – an avid body builder with a variety of tattoos on both of his huge arms, which made the painting interesting and challenging. Getting both John and Debbie just right was a struggle, and I also incorporated a bottle of Señor Rio – per Debbie’s request. In the end I was pleased with the result, and Debbie was as well. She recently had the painting framed and sent me a photo of it. She knew exactly what end result she wanted, and the framed portrait looks amazing. The right frame can totally change a painting’s look.

Debbie was featured on Fox 10 news in Phoenix. Señor Rio is a great success story, and a very happy reminder to me of the process of painting John and Debbie’s portrait.

One Thing Leads To Another

Posted by Jerry Cave
Sweet Brandi
Title: Sweet Brandi
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 12″ x 16″
Buy Print: N/A
Buy Original: N/A

The last few months have been rather exciting and a bit crazy at Lazy K Studio. I’ve had quite a lot of commission work, and I’m really enjoying it.

Prior to Christmas, a good friend asked me to paint a portrait of their family dog, Brandi, who sadly had recently passed. I did the work, which was a real joy as it was to be a surprise for the husband. The painting came out nicely, and when I posted it to Facebook, the response was amazing.

Since then, three other people have asked me to paint portraits of their dogs, and another asked for a portrait of a cat. So, it’s been rather busy, and thoroughly enjoyable. I have the opportunity to paint completely different subjects–call them portraits–and now I’m wondering: Where do I go from here?

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It’s Always the Fine Print That Gets You

Posted by Jerry Cave
Dickel 142
Title: Dickel #142
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 12″ x 16″
Buy Print: ($150)
Buy Original: N/A

George Dickel nine-year whiskey is an excellent liquor, and the hand-written label makes it even more special.

This was a commission piece for some friends to give their son for his birthday. The 12-inch by 16-inch size of the commissioned work required that the lettering of the label be extremely tiny, making it particularly difficult to paint. It was a challenge to get just right, but worth the effort.

Hither and Thither

Posted by Jerry Cave

I’m fortunate, and feel honored, to have my work in so many places, both here in the United States and internationally. Below are some recent shots of my art that I’m thrilled to see in peoples’ homes and offices.

Jim and Gail Shaner

Shaner ReservaJim and Gail are great friends, and we each have several pieces of each others’ work in our homes. Jim is a very talented metal sculptor, and Gail creates beautiful custom jewelry. This is a shot of Jim with Reserva, a milestone birthday present from Gail, in their home in Gilbert, Arizona. Thank you Jim and Gail for your endless encouragement and friendship! Continue reading →