Coffee Creations art created using only espresso

Today was a happy and rare day- I actually completed three paintings.

This one is called “Ophelia’s Coffee Break”.  The original is by Waterhouse, the same artist who I’ve paid homage to with my “Lady of Chocolat”.

And this one, “Rx Espresso”, was commissioned by the new shop of that name, near a hospital in Juneau, Alaska.  Perhaps I’m starting a medical series- a few years ago, I was commissioned to paint the famous nurse Florence Nightingale.

And the third painting has to remain a secret for now.  I’ll let you in on it when I’m allowed to.

All of these and the ones in the previous post will be available as prints by Christmas time.  If you are interested in the originals, please contact me.

I’ve been hard at work in my new studio; here are some of the results. They aren’t quite ready for prints yet, but should be in time for Christmas. Contact me if you would like to purchase something.

This is “DaVinci’s Barista”, about 32×36″. His original includes text about the measurements of the human body, but since this was for the COCC gallery’s “Show of Words”, I changed the text to be coffee related. He holds the tools of the Barista’s trade, and is standing on bags of coffee.

DaVinci's Barista

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I was honored to have several new pieces included in the show “The Nature of Words” at the Central Oregon Community College gallery. I created “DaVinci’s Barista”, “Vermeer’s Barista”, and “Beans 1″ and “Beans 2″. The show went along with the college’s literary event and the art needed to include words in some way, so I reworked da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man” text to be about coffee, and thought the origin words on the bags of beans would count as well.

This Portland museum has a temporary exhibit called “Coffee, The World in Your Cup”, which shows the history and processes involved in the coffee industry.   Three coffee paintings are included, and I got to have a booth in their Coffee Fair last weekend.  Attendees got to sample about 15 different coffee companies’ products and more coffee art.  If you’re in Portland, Oregon, stop in and learn a lot about coffee!  I was struck by how many people are involved with each bean that ends up in my cup.  Tons of hard and painstaking work; someone’s hand in Ethiopia or Guatemala or Brazil has touched and selected the very bean I grind up this morning for my cup, or dip my brush into for the next painting.  Thanks to each one for enabling me to enjoy coffee in so many ways!

Over the weekend, I experienced the kind of internet snowballing situation I’ve heard of but never expected. Someone’s twitter led to more and larger sites linking to coffee-art.com, and before I even knew it was happening, international press agencies were emailing me. Yesterday The Telegraph in London included Coffee Creations on the front page, and today I heard from a Greek paper… I’m just amazed and excited. A US TV show contacted me but I can’t say more til they let me know. I will update the site as things develop, but meanwhile, thanks to all of you who passed on my information! You made a big difference for me!

Here are some links if you’d like to see any of the interviews.

gizmodo.com

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One of these days, we will have a section where you can see all the press and media stuff we’ve been in, but for now, here’s an article written by Kim Winklhofer for examiner.com, in the Los Angeles area.

If anyone else would like do do an article, we would love it!  Just let me know.

My booth, and in the 2nd floor of the building behind, my new studio!

Bend, Oregon’s largest outdoor event took place recently.  Thousands of people were strolling around enjoying all the art, music, and food.  We had an exciting early conclusion though- the event staff came running telling us all “75mph wind and hail is headed our way! Pack up now!”.

I’m often asked how durable coffee art is- my first piece did survive being sat on in my car by several frantic friends as we fled a tornado in Oklahoma… but I wasn’t anxious to repeat that test.   Continue reading…

Scenes from Cafe Femenino

I had the privilege of creating a work for auction for the Cafe Femenino Foundation, being inspired by the Millrock Latte Art contest going on at the same time.   Coffee Fest graciously gave me space on the skybridge of the convention center where I was able to watch the contest, paint, and display other coffee paintings. Continue reading…

This weekend I revisted a childhood friend- sidewalk chalk.  My town of Bend, Oregon had a hot air balloon festival and space for artists to create chalk art as everyone strolled by.  I wanted to try using actual coffee grounds as the chalk, but wasn’t allowed to. Oh well, getting to use color was fun.

It took about 2 days to complete Van Gogh’s Starry Night.  In the evening, crowds of people walked across everyone’s art!  I was surprised at how durable chalk art is, as well as being very enjoyable to create.  You should try it! Here are some tips I learned:

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cd cover in progress

What do Johnny Cash, the White Stripes, Bob Dylan, Bill Haley and the Comets, Brak from Space Ghost, Jars of Clay, and  Bob Marley all have in common?  Songs about coffee, as fellow coffee-lover and Danish musician Per Vers discovered. Continue reading…