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Good Things Come in Pairs

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

Still working on the series, “My Favorite Tequilas…” I just finished two commission pieces for some special friends, one of which is titled “The Perfect Pair” now displayed in my Acrylic Gallery. The companion piece (not shown) is of the KAH añejo, and is a black-and-white, hand-painted, ceramic bottle. Both symbolize the Mexican tradition of celebrating the dead, or “Dia de Los Muertos.” These paintings were especially significant to me, as I had the great privilege of performing these folks’ wedding. The black bottle painting includes the book of the ceremony and their vows. The title “The Perfect Pair” really refers to these friends, but has multiple meanings: the two paintings, the two tequiilas, and the two shots of blanco Tequila in “The Perfect Pair.”

I continue to be amazed and impressed with the uniqueness of tequila bottles, the stories they tell, and the beautiful hand painting that many of them possess. Each one is a new challenge in a different way, and keeps me striving to improve my work. Hope you enjoy them.

How Long Did It Take You?

Posted by Jerry Cave

Alarm ClockThis past weekend Deb and I drove to Superior, Arizona to see the annual Home Show, where they have several revamped old homes on a mini-tour. While in the “downtown” area, we dropped into a couple of art galleries, and I ran into Arizona artist Mary Rose Sanderson who had several originals and fine art giclée prints of her work on display. We had a nice conversation about painting in watercolor and acrylic, and the challenges of each. During our conversation, I said to her, “So, when people see one of my pieces for the first time, they always ask …,“ and she said, “How long did it take you!” Continue reading →

Sometimes a Cigar…

Posted by Jerry Cave
1942
Title: 1942
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 24″ x 36″
Buy Print: ($395)
Buy Original: contact artist

I’m still grinding out new pieces of art in the after-hours, and I’ve been focusing on “My Favorite Tequilas” for some time now. I’m trying to get to a dozen or more to have a good selection for those who have the same affinity that I do for the bottles and the stories many of them tell. (Not to mention the wonderful juice that lives inside!) My goal is to improve my technique with every painting, and the details and working with acrylics are an obsession for me. I still love painting glass, and reflections.

The Cohiba cigar in my latest piece “1942” was great fun to paint, and the smoke was a first time adventure. This is the first painting I’ve done in a LONG while that did not come from a staged still-life photo, but rather from a group of about five or six different photos: one of the bottle and the glass, one of the Dos Equis bottle, one of the cigar and ashtray, and several of cigar ashes and smoke that I used as reference. Of course I altered all of the objects to fit what I had in my head to paint, and it came out pretty much as I had pictured it in my mind.

My cousin Linda gave me the inspiration of a totally black background and foreground, which gives 1942 a dark but dramatic look, that this tequila deserves. And the 24″ x 36″ size makes everything “larger than life.” I hope you enjoy it as much as I did painting it.

Check out my Acrylic Gallery to see more samples of my work. I welcome commission work, so if there is anything you’d like me to paint for you, let me know. Most pieces take 4-6 weeks to complete.

My Favorite Tequilas

Posted by Jerry Cave
Los Abuelos
Title: Los Abuelos
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 16″ x 20″
Buy Print: ($225)
Buy Original: contact artist

My oldest son told me he thought I was good at painting shiny things. I started working on painting glass, liquid, and the amazing labels on tequila bottles, and voilà, the series “My Favorite Tequilas” was born!

Tequila bottles are art in themselves. Some of the labels relate the company’s history. The lettering and details can get intricate and can be a challenge to paint. That’s when I “get lost” in the work. Glass can be difficult to make “believable” and reflections of light and objects around it are fun to create. Acrylic is a great medium for that.

Check out my Acrylic Gallery to see more samples of my work. I welcome commission work, so if there is anything you’d like me to paint for you, let me know. Most pieces take 4-6 weeks to complete, so if you are thinking about something for the holidays, keep that in mind.