Sergio and Stan get ahead of themselves (get it???)

I may have mentioned her before that I created a ceramic rattle for Sergio Aragones and Stan Sakai each of them. I gave them their respective rattles at the 2010 Motor City Comic Con.

Latest Popeye In My Series

Here's the newest piece I'm working on, continuing my Popeye series. This one is oil pastel. It's not quite done yet

Still more newer work

I have to say how happy I am about how much work I've finished, and started and finished while in the studio. Here's a couple examples.


And there's more HERE

Sketchy weekend

These are the sketches I got from Sergio Aragones, Stan Sakai, Ken Wheaton(Popeye Picnic Special) and Art Baltazar(Tiny Titans, Patrick the Wolf Boy). I will have them all framed soon, and copies put up in the studio!(Art Baltazar drew his sketches with Crayola. Awesome)
Now, the unique thing about the sketch Sergio did for me is that he told me that he's not very good with caricature sketches (WHAT???) when I JOKED about him not having to draw me. The video I posted before here shows him working on the sketch!

Welcome to Nuttall Art

I put together this photo when I first started this blog. I've re-discovered it in the last month. It's a photoshop hack-job I did, putting my goony face on the body of Sammy Hagar (I thought his outfit was cool, and I wanted to see how I'd look in it). Just for fun. I did decide to use it as a mock up ad for the studio, though- http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3825732&id=587982366

Sergio Draws me!!!

This is what Sergio has to deal with when I come to the con to see him. But he's a very polite, generous man who did a sketch for me, and included my ugly mug in the drawing! He told me he's not very good at caricatures of people (WHAT???) like I can capture a person's likeness, but he drew me anyway (I made a JOKE about him not having to draw me, and he did it. I really didn't want him to, but I didn't argue).

Stan Sakai with his drawing

Sergio!!!!

One of THE biggest highlights of my trip to the 2010 Motor City Comic Con- My hero, my inspiration, Sergio Aragones, drew ME!!! And he said he doesn't do well with caricatures! But he did one anyway. He's a very generous human being!

Newest commissions

Here's a series of drawing I just finished for a commission job. 2 are charcoal and one is graphite.

What Dreams May Come (and go)

I had a dream last night of my dad telling me I can't make it anywhere here&should go to a bigger city to be an artist.I told him I'd be a little fish in a big OCEAN if I went to a big city to be an artist. Right now I'm a medium fish in little pond. Am I trying to convince myself to go to a big city, or convince myself why I don't move? I don't like big cities. I like this community and this is where I've built my family. It is limited in opportunities, but I'm hoping to be part of West Branch growing. I love the idea of local success stories, such as Daniel Way, who came from West Branch and is now a writer for Marvel Comics. There's also Dita Von Teese, who's from West Branch. The difference is that they built their careers after leaving West Branch. I want to be successful IN West Branch.

Opening's over, but the studio's still open!

The opening of the studio went well. Most of the visitors came and went by 5:30, so nobody but my family members who attended were there for the raffle winners to be announced (congrats Ahearnes and Schaibergers). They won these-





I saw some familiar faces and new faces yesterday. Now that the opening's over with, I'll share with you some of the newer pieces I "premiered" at the studio opening-









If you'd like to see photos from the opening, click here!

Open doors in many ways

My daughter asked me in the car on the way to school today "Daddy, can my class have a field trip to your studio?" I told her sure, but she'd have to ask her teacher. "She asked if we could". So, I talked to her teacher, who said that she thought it would be great for her class to visit, and that she'd see if the other
2nd Grade classes would want to visit. THIS is one of the reasons I wanted to open an art studio. I want to show what an artist does to kids and adults. I want the public to visit and look and ask questions. I wish there was an artist whose studio was available to visit when I was growing up. This also gives people a chance to see where I offer art lessons and gets the kids an idea of what they can accomplish with hard work and ambition. It was a great way to start the day, being asked this. I was gonna ask if her class wanted to visit, anyway!

Look what YOU can win!!!

I know, it's been awhile since I've posted here. I've been getting artwork done for commissions and for the studio opening. I will be raffling off a couple pieces of artwork Saturday, May 8th at Nuttall Art Studio during the opening. I'm selling tickets right now and they'll be onsale at the opening. They're $3/ticket or 4 for $10. These are the pieces that will be raffled-


These subjects were chosen after posting a poll on Facebook about who people would want to win. There was a tie between Sean Connery and Popeye, so there will be two winners! AND since I hate buying raffle tickets and not winning, I decided that if you buy a ticket, you get a free sketch, so you don't walk away empty-handed!

Video Update for the Spring/Summer

Thought I'd let all of you view my chiseled handsomeness and listen to my angelic voice update you all on what I'm up to

He sure is a quick draw!

THIS is one of the reasons I admire the great Sergio Aragones-

Ladies and Gentlemen, Hoboes and Tramps, cross-eyed mosquitoes and bow-legged ants...

Where to begin??? I have alot happening in the next few months- Blast The Blues, the Nuttall Art Studio Opening May 8th from 4-6 (with a raffle of artwork), Motor City Comic Con to see Sergio and Stan Sakai again, teaching at the Midland Center for the Arts, but something came up this morning that got my blood pumpin': SAMMY HAGAR and the WABOS at Common Ground Festival in July!!! It's a great event, and a great line-up every year, and the Red Rocker being in the mix is a Can't Miss!!! My hands are shakin' and my mind is racin'! "Should I do some drawings/paintings for the band?" "What should I do?" "Should I try to meet them again, and if so, HOW?"
As I'd mentioned in previous posts, the last time Sammy was at Common Ground, Melissa and I raced from teaching in Midland to East Lansing at the last second (we got out of teaching at 4 and the show started at 6 or 7). We only had enough money for gas for the next day to get to work, so we wouldn't be able to get tix into the show, but it's an outdoor event and we could listen to the show, at least. Melissa convinced me we should go, so we went. We got there a little bit before the Wabos hit the stage. A guy was trying to sell his ticket but we told him we had no money and I told him my story about Sammy. He moved on to sell his ticket, but turned around and just GAVE it to us! "You deserve this more than anyone." Perfect example of a true Redhead. Only problem was, 1 ticket, 2 people. So, we just decided to watch from the side because we didn't want to separate. In a few minutes, somebody went around and was GIVING tickets out for free!! HALLELUJAH!! So, I gave our ticket to someone sitting outside of the fenced and took our 2 tickets and went inside!
So, anyway, the whole experience, including his story about the re-vamped "Dreams" song, inspired me greatly, to tears even. I've held his words close to heart, and the decisions I've made in the last 2 years have been greatly influenced by Sammy Hagar (so I have HIM to blame for any fallout!).

Getting my hands dirty

I'm working on a new project. Can't divulge much, but I will say, it's in clay...

Come out for art and booze

I'm going to be demonstrating during the Downtown West Branch Art & Wine Walk this Saturday, April 17th from 5-9. I'll be at Morse Clark Furniture this time. These events are usually filled with talking to familiar faces and watching half the people coming in dash to the wine and head to the next stop. I know that art isn't the biggest draw in this area, unfortunately, but what can you do? I learn to grin and bear it. I never get my hopes up anymore in terms of selling work. That's not to say I won't be TRYING to sell anything! It's good for publicity and getting the work out where folks can see it. And that's another reason why having a studio where the public can come in is important.

(I've Got) Dreams, Dreeeaaams to try to remember

Now that I have the studio, and most of my stuff is moved in, I don't know where to begin!! I have SO many projects I want to do, and some I HAVE to get done, but I've decided to finish the ones I've started before I begin my "wish list", but after the "have to" projects. However, I only have one table, one chair and 2 easels. I need shelves, another table (I can't figure out how to put together my old drawing table!), more seating, and thumbtacks and a mini fridge.


Ok, I can hold off on the mini-fridge.

I'm having an opening for the studio to invite friends and the public to see what I'm doing, where I'm doing it and what's in store. The opening is Saturday, May 8th from 4-6. It is alcohol-free. There will be snacks and drinks. The space is small for large groups, but there's a lobby area for meandering and what-not. The address is 105 N. 3rd St. West Branch, MI 48661.
I now have a place to offer lessons, so I'm strongly pushing that right now as well. This is a working studio, not a business. I don't have cash on site. It's a studio for me to do my work, offer lessons and for the public and interested parties to see what I do. If someone likes what they see and want to purchase, that's another story. As long as I'm there, Nuttall Art Studio is open to the public.

Nuttall Art Studio (first look)