New Website Design: Beta Version Launched!

The beta version of the new design is up and running! Although the site is still under construction, there's still plenty to see. Have a look around and tell me what you think. I expect the full launch to take place on October 1st, 2009. This is my first attempt at building a website from the ground up. The HTML files are hand-coded and the layout is controlled by CSS. There are still some kinks to be worked out, so please bear with me as I toy around with the finishing touches.

Follow this link:www.somaevets.com

The Dreaded Artist Statement

There's no more avoiding it, I have to write a new artist statement. It's something that I hate more than anything else.

Progress Made on Website Design

After many nights of eye strained toiling, I am here to report that I have made a significant amount of progress on the new design of my website, www.somaevets.com. A few months ago I decided that I wanted to streamline the site by rebuilding it from the ground, or I should say the code, on up. My goal was to build the basic structure with hand-coded HTML files and employ CSS to control the layout. Before I started, I knew a little bit of HTML, and I had a vague understanding of CSS. I felt that I had a grasp on the basic principles, but the only way I would really learn it was by jumping in and doing it. I checked out a dozen different books from the library, and I went over scores of tutorials online.

There was an overwhelming amount of information out there, and I quickly discovered that it fell into two categories:

1. Lessons aimed at absolute beginners, which consisted of a sleuth of "Hello World" and "this is my first website" tutorials.
2. Advanced techniques intended for experts and programming jargon that went way over my head.

I was stuck in the middle, and my biggest challenge was figuring out where to find relevant information. Like I said, there was tons of stuff out there, but it was enough of a task sifting through it to find what I needed. In the end, I found that the best way to learn was by looking at the code of websites that stumbled into as I surfed. Whenever I found something interesting, I viewed the source code in order to determine what made it tick, and then I would play around in TextEdit and attempt to construct something based on what I learned. I added web-developer tools to Firefox in order to help break down the code even further, and somewhere down the line it all started to click.

It took a while for the project to get up off the ground, but the momentum really built this past week. I anticipate launching the final product next week, with a possible beta launch by the end of this week. That's enough for now... back to the grind.

Studio Snapshot: 09-11-09

"Third Eye Reprise" Oil on Canvas, 42"x 54", 2009.

Studio Snapshot: 09-10-09

"The Great Satan" Acrylic on Canvas, 16 x 20 inches,2009

This piece is part of a series that will be on display at Cafe Wha Who. Lately I've thought about what to do with the smaller scale pieces in and around my studio. Those works often consist of small studies for the larger scale works. However, over the past month, I have focused on developing those smaller works into pieces that stand on their own.

I am doing this for a number of reasons. There has been a lot of interest in my work, but my inventory of artwork consists primarily of large scale paintings. I love painting on a large scale, but it can be a logistical nightmare. Some of the problems with large scale works are:

1. They require a greater investment of time and materials.
2. They take up a lot of storage space.
3. They are difficult (and expensive) to transport and ship.
4. They carry expensive price tags and are more difficult to sell.

By working on a smaller scale, I hope to:

1. Produce a larger body work in a shorter amount of time.
2. Increase my exhibition opportunities by having work that is easier to transport and ship.
3. Provide potential collectors with more buying options.
4. generate sales by offering more affordable works.

This is an experiment that I hope evolves into something more. Feel free to contact me with any inquiries, comments or suggestions. My goal is to get my work out there and for it to be appreciated.

Studio Snapshot: 09-08-09

"Third Eye", acrylic on canvas, 18"X24", 2009

This is just one of several small works that is going into an exhibition at the end of the week. I'm posting it now to see what it looks like on the web. I've had some problems with how my images look while I'm working on them, and how they translate on the web. They always appear a bit more dull when I post them online.