Time to Start Thinking about Commissions for the Holidays

Today is already the middle October!  I’m so sad that I haven’t been able to have open studio gatherings to see you all.  We’re going to figure something out for the December party we normally have.  Since, I think we can only have about 5-7 people in the studio safely at once, we may schedule visits if you want to come in to sample a little homemade brew and shop for holiday gifts.  I will announce that possibility as we get a bit closer, and depending on the status of C-19 cases as winter weather sets in.  We haven’t even gotten through Halloween yet, so I assume most of you aren’t in the right mindset for that as of yet. 

What I do want to talk about right now is COMMISSIONED artwork.  I have had a nearly perfect record with successful commissions.  I just finished a piece for a local fire fighter who works just down the street from my studio.  He wanted a painting to commemorate a trip with his girlfriend to Orca Island in Resurrection Bay.  The painting was supposed to be a surprise, but he told his girlfriend about it when she was having a bad day, and she cried!  The only problem with commissioning a painting for a holiday gift is I run out of time to get them all painted, so getting in early is better.  In 2016 I completed 24 individual paintings that my patrons commissioned for holiday gifts.  I felt like an elf that year, and my beard started to twinkle with a bit of varnish by December 15, the last day possible for paintings to dry in time for the 25th.  I suggest you look through the pictures of your favorite trip this year, or last year (considering a lot of us have been hunkering down and not going anywhere since March).  It always brings a smile to see people so excited to give the gift of a special painting!  Cheers, and I look forward to seeing what you bring for me to paint! 

We Miss Our Open Studio Events!

If this were a normal year, we would be cleaning the studio today, and converting it into a pop-up gallery for the First Friday Art Walk that would be happening tomorrow.  Sadly, with the C-19 threat, we haven’t had anyone inside the studio except for a few individuals who stopped by to pick up paintings.  On a couple occasions, I have taught drawing lessons, and everyone wore masks and sat 6 ft apart.  Little to say, I don’t believe the pandemic will be over by First Friday in December, which is when we host the super fun holiday studio party.  I usually brew a couple batches of home-brew for the event, but this year I can forego brewing.  

During the summer this was just fine.  We were in McCarthy, and we don’t normally have open studio parties, because on Friday nights most Alaskans are out of town, recreating in our beautiful wilderness, or busy with sporting events.  Now that Winter is breathing down Fall’s neck, we’re starting to really miss the open studio events.  October First Friday is one of my favorite times to regroup with my Anchorage friends and collectors.  The studio is very useful — we are here every day working on paintings, mailing online orders, but it’s starting to get a bit lonely, especially when I look at my unused Art Show sign.  Dragging the big hulking beast of a sign out to the front of the building is a chore I always associate with the party itself.  The uncertainty of how much art I might sell, or who might stop by is always present when I am dragging it out.  Now on one of these Friday nights I don’t have any plans.  I guess I will read a book, or work late making paintings.  

I miss you all, and look forward to when this pandemic is over, so we can all get back together for a “cup of coffee” at the studio.  I love offering a cookie, and maybe some of those little carrots, as well as having a chance to show off my newest work to you in person.  I stand by my tagline, “Real Art is Better,” and even though I have been selling more art online than normal, I really like seeing peoples’ reactions to the original paintings.  Currently I have several paintings hanging at reHARU Sushi, and I encourage you to go there not only to see my art, but also to eat the delicious Japanese food!  Also, if you see a painting on my website that you really like, you can always arrange a studio visit.

So I raise my glass, and toast, “Here’s to staying healthy and hunkering down so we can get through this pandemic soon!”  Stay safe out there, people, and I look forward to seeing you when I can! 

Last Minute Gifts from Real Art Is Better

~ by Maria Benner

If you still haven’t finished (or started) your holiday shopping, join the club!  But don’t worry, it’s not too late to order unique gifts in time for Christmas!  If you place your order by December 19th, USPS will deliver before the 25th.  So, go ahead and finish your holiday shopping right now at our Etsy shop RealArtIsBetter.

We also have gift certificates that we can either mail to you, or e-mail digitally so you can print one out at home and put it in a card.  That’s an option for the ultimate procrastinators.

This Saturday we’ll have a craft fair booth at Anchorage Brewing Company from 2pm – 8pm.  You can pick up last-minute gifts there too.

Our 5 Favorite Experiences in Oregon

~ by Maria Benner

We recently returned from a two-week trip to Washington, Oregon and Arizona.  In Washington and Arizona we visited family, but the reasons for going to Oregon were purely to have fun and to visit good friends from our college years.  Downhill skiing, long walks on the beach, visiting breweries, and eating donuts are all things that make us happy, so that’s what we did in Oregon.  Here are our 5 favorite experiences in the Beaver State.

5. Tillamook Cheese Factory. The last time we were in Tillamook more than 15 years ago, we forgot to bring our wallets to the cheese factory tour, so we couldn’t buy any ice cream at the end of the tour. I did not make the same mistake this time, and got to enjoy a delicious waffle cone with rocky road ice cream fresh from the factory. The new visitors center is under construction, but is scheduled to open sometime in 2018.

4. A donut shop on every corner in Portland.  We had been meaning to try a VooDoo donut for years, but didn’t want to stand in a long line. This time there was no line around 2pm. I ordered the Portland Cream (raised yeast shell filled with Bavarian cream topped with chocolate and two eyeballs, representing the vision of the great city of Portland), and Scott had a traditional cake donut.  Delicious!  Then we found out about the new donut place in town called Blue Star Donuts, so of course we had to test them as well. I ordered the Raspberry Rosemary Buttermilk cake donut, and got a bonus Blueberry Bourbon Basil donut for free, because the donuts were not very fresh that late in the afternoon.  I thought they were a bit dense, but Scott liked them more than his VooDoo donut.

Blue Star Donuts

3. Craft Breweries. Oregon is a destination for world-class craft breweries that are creating avant-garde recipes, and reinventing the craft brew scene. We visited the new Pelican Brewing facility in Tillamook and Block 15 Brewing in Corvallis.  Block 15 really impressed us with its spot-on hazy IPAs and decadent imperial stouts. In Bend we went to Crux Fermentation Project, Boneyard Beer and Deschutes Brewing. We showed up to Crux during Sundown Hour when all beers are $1 off, and everyone watches the sunset while warming up around the fire pit, or playing lawn games. In Portland we sampled brews at Culmination Brewing, Cascade Brewing Barrel House, Great Notion Brewing, Fat Head’s Brewery, Back Pedal Brewing, and Hair of the Dog Brewing.  Scott painted live at Cascade (click here to read about that).  Every brewery had something unique to offer, and we couldn’t get enough of the fruity, hazy, hoppy IPAs and the barrel-aged sours.

Tasters at Great Notion Brewing in Portland.

2. Skiing at Mt. Bachelor. We rented ski equipment, and hit the slopes of Mt. Bachelor for the fist time. The resort is only a half-hour drive from Bend. Unfortunately we didn’t have good luck on snow.  There wasn’t much of it, and the groomed runs were icy.  The Summit was closed, so we missed out on skiing a large percentage of the terrain.  The views were incredible though, and we had a great day outside in the sunshine.  We’ll have to come back when conditions are better.

View of Three Sisters from the top of Mt. Bachelor

1. Oregon Coast. We couldn’t go to Oregon without visiting the Oregon Coast, so we booked a hotel room with an ocean view in Rockaway Beach for one night.  We got really lucky on the weather, and enjoyed a five-mile walk on the beach during sunset.  The next day we experienced typical winter weather, but we left it behind as we drove over the mountain pass to Portland.

Sunset on the Oregon Coast.

People ask us why we would ever want to leave beautiful Alaska.  Well, we try to only go to remarkable places, and Oregon is definitely one of them.

 

No Woman No Cryo IPA by Girdwood Brewing Company

Finally, the little ski town of Girdwood has a brewery!  My prayers have been answered by Girdwood Brewing Company!  Beer and skiing go together like bread and butter, and now, at the end of a day on the slopes, we can stop for pints of fresh brew.  Last week I visited the tasting room for the first time.  I sampled 3 of the 4 options, and all were solid.  The coffee stout with K-Bay Coffee from Homer, Hippie Speedball, was noteworthy, as was the East-Coast-style IPA, No Woman No Cryo.  I chose to paint the IPA because it showed off the printing on the glassware better.  This place has some serious Girdwood-Alyeska ski culture as well as the yeasty variety.  The walls have some cool skis on them, the menu board is made up of old skis and there’s a ski fence forming outside, as well.  They even have an old red ski-lift chair hanging from the ceiling.  For a brand new brewery, this place is going strong already.  The only thing missing is food, but occasionally a food truck stops by.  Cheers to local breweries!  Be sure to visit this place next time you’re in Girdwood.

This painting will be on display, and available for sale at my art show at Midnight Sun Brewing Co. during the month of June.  The art show kicks off on First Firkin Friday, June 2, 5-8PM.  I’ll be tapping a firkin of Panty Peeler cask-conditioned with pineapple at 5PM.  Hope to see you there!

This original oil painting, and limited-edition prints are for sale at my Etsy shop RealArtIsBetter.

Painted live at Girdwood Brewing Company. Oil on panel. 8″x10″. By Scott Clendaniel.

 

Valentine’s Day Gifts

Valentine’s Day is coming up next month, and if you are looking for a thoughtful gift, especially for a person who has everything, then consider ordering a custom oil painting.  Now is the time to contact me, because oil paint takes up to two weeks to dry.  I can paint a person’s favorite beer, a dear pet, a cherished car, or a special place.  Of course, there are plenty of existing paintings and prints available at my Etsy shop, and you can search for a specific item using the search box within my shop.  I am offering FREE SHIPPING on any item until February 14th (no coupon code required).

Take advantage of free shipping until February 14th!