Small and Simple Things

 

I believe that through small and simple things great things can be brought to pass.

A little over six years ago, I was approached to create a mural. I started working on it with an artistic fervor, but as things often turn out, for various reasons beyond mine and the clients control, the city never approved the project. I had a love for it and wanted to see something completed. So I continued to work on it. 2 weeks ago, after over 6 years of putting in 15 minutes here and and 20 minutes there, finding time between class prep, teaching, family, and other responsibilities I finally finished it. The illustration will now be on display for 9 months in the first ever Vermont State University Faculty Art Exhibit. 

It was through many small individual drawings small moments of time over many years that this came to pass.

The opening exhibit is in the Quimby Gallery at the VTSU Lyndon campus on Thursday, September 3 at 6:00. In October it will travel to Castleton, then Johnson in January, and will complete its tour of the campuses in Randolph in the spring.

How to get through challenging art problems.

Often in illustration you come across a very complex visual problem. In this case I am working on developing the visual for the Wampahoofus, a Vermont cryptid that is a mix between a hog and a deer with one side of its legs taller than the other. This helps it easily walk around a mountain. The challenge I presented myself is how to depict it walking on level ground.

The solution, draw and test things out in sketches. This is only one page. I am getting closer to something I like, but I am not there yet.

This kind of exploration is invaluable to a strong visual concept and drawing.

Delayed Projects

A number of years ago, I was asked to create a mural for a local company. They wanted Vermont animals clad in bowties progressing through the seasons of the year! It was a dream come true and I dove into working on it. 

I had never done a mural before so I started by doing a bit of research on pricing and different ways of making a mural. I have a friend, Breadwig Ballinger, that has painted a number of murals, so I consulted with him about the project. I worked on a color rough draft to present to the town and the project got stalled. At the time the town was not approving any permanent outside art. 

It was difficult news to hear as this had become such a joy for me to work on. In response to the delay, I decided to keep working on the project as if it was going to happen. So I have slowly worked on the final illustration. It has become a passion project for me. I work on it in-between other jobs as it has evolved into a very complex composition.

I am not finished yet. I have finished winter (to the far right). I am almost finished with spring and I have started refining summer.

I do not know that I will ever see this on a wall, but I have enjoyed working on it. The process has been a wonderful challenge and I hope that it will someday be seen by many more people on a wall.

Wild Vermont Transit

 My 3rd puzzle in partnership with Vermont Puzzle is now available.

Wild Vermont Transit features a quintet of bow tie clad Vermont animals waiting patiently amongst the fall foliage for the bus to arrive. If you are interested in purchasing one for a friend or yourself you can visit my website at barclay-studio.com

Puzzled!

 

I recently partnered with Vermont Puzzle and started the Barclay Collection of puzzles featuring my illustration work! The Vermonotaur puzzle is now available to purchase! 

The puzzle features the Vermonotaur, a solitary creature that roams Vermont helping collect sap for sugarers and other good deeds. It is a 12x18 inch 345 piece puzzle that has been individually printed (no mass production. 

If you are interested in purchasing one you can visit my site at barclay-studio.com

Hopefully, more puzzles will be coming soon.

The Vermont Animation Festival

I just finished the illustration and poster design for the Vermont Animation Festival. It was an honor and a joy to be able to work on this project. I got to work with some of my favorite people and come up with something fun.

For more information you can visit the Vermont Animation Festival web site.

Sketching again!

Spent the weekend camping at Camp Joseph in South Royalton, VT. I had a great urge to study trees. I think I will be doing more of this over the summer. I am still being inspired by E. H. Shephard’s work.

#sketching #trees #vermont #campjoseph #inspiration #ehshepard

More Daily Drawings

more practice drawing the painted turtle.

Town Meeting Day

Every first Tuesday f the year we have Town Meeting day, where the residents of the Township of Lyndon Vermont can come to vote on budgets and other issues. I have come to love this day. I love seeing people involved in the government. I love hearing the discussions and the arguments. I love the sense of community. I love drawing the people present.

The shop across the street

While waiting for my children to finish their dentist appointment, I made sure to make time to do some drawing. This is the small bookstore across the street from our dentist's office. It had always struck me as a delightful little store. I particularly loved the snow cover and how it effected the overall quaintness. It gave it the quintessential Vermont look.

Summer Sketching: Whites Beach Vermont

This summer each member of our family selected a town for us to visit in our pretty, little state of Vermont. One of my daughters selected South Hero on Grand Isle, an island in the north part of Lake Champlain. While there we found Whites Beach. Right next to the beach there is a small forest where someone built hundreds of brightly painted bird houses. It is magical. I had to sketch it.

The Vermonotaur

The Vermonotaur (vərˈmän ə tôr)

This is a personal project I have been slowly finding the time to work on over the last few months. It has had a slow evolution from concept to bow tie guy to a full illustration.

The Vermonotaur is an ancient creature that roams the forests of Vermont. Part man part moose, this docile creature secretly helps the sugarer by checking taps and collecting sap. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Vermont!

Art exhibit opening this week!

This Friday, October 14th at 6p will be the opening of Nuts and Bolts at the Quimby Gallery. I will have the honor of exhibiting with the talented Kevin Harkey (Disney storyboard artist), Robby Gilbert (animation professor at Lyndon State College) and Andrea Poe (a truly gifted artist, animator and illustrator). This will be part of the Vermont Animation Festival going starting Thursday night and running through Saturday. More information can be found at vermontanimation.org

More Sketching: A page from this Summer

One day this summer we went as a family to Island Pond, VT to enjoy the water. Here is a sketch of my son in our inflatable raft. It was a wonderful day. We ended up at Crystal Lake because we could not rent the kayaks at Island pond, but we still had fun.

Vermont Sketches: More from Church Street

Here are more sketches of people from Church Street in Burlington.

Vermont Sketches: Church Street Burlington

Yesterday, I took my sketching class to Church Street in Burlington. This is an excellent place to sketch people. It was a beautiful day and I was so happy just sketching and watching people.

More Sketches of Vermont: Lyndonville

On Monday afternoon, we visited downtown Lyndonville and sketched. Here are a few of my drawings of the Green Mountain Book Store, The Catholic Church, and a view of Depot Street on Route 5.

Sketches from Vermont

Yesterday my sketching class spent the day in East Burke Vermont and Lyndonville. These are a few of the sketches I did while there. The top is the Congregational Church, the middle is the River Garden Cafe (a favorite place for me and Julia to eat that is now closed) and the Country Store in East Burke. 

I find that as I drive around now I am seeing things I want to draw. This is the start of that. I love sketching on location. It is o peaceful.

Bow Tie Guy of the Day: Beaver

Beaver: (ˈbēvər)

It has been a few weeks since my last post. The end of the semester got really busy. Here is another from my Vermont animal series, the beaver. 

With the semester over I will be focusing more on my artwork again. I will be posting the Bow tie guys daily, in addition to other projects I will be working on.