Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Categories
You can send an email to [email protected] if you have questions about how to use this forum.
I Thought Maybe I should Introduce Myself
As the title of this thread says, I think maybe I should. I have been talking a lot and probably seem to have come out of nowhere
My name is John Cox and as my screen name says I live in Arizona. I never even imagined being an artist early in my life even though I loved to draw and art of all kinds, paintings, sculpture fascinated me for the time I was a little kid with crayons and a coloring book. But and artist? Not a boy from South Texas, interested in hotrods motorcycles, racing and girls, that is for sure!
I grew up in the late 1940's and especially the 1950's. Back then we went to school and learned readin,' ritten,' and 'rithmatic. The three "r's as many called it. After school a few kid went to college, but a lot of us went in the service. So, in 1959, I went in the US Navy. The Navy does not lie in it's recruitment posters. I did see the world. I went around the world two and a half times in 5 years. I loved it and was going to make it a career, but I was wounded on Shore Patrol duty. I was fixed up and discharged in 1964.
I had no idea what I was going to do since every thought had been focused to a Navy career. Well, while trying to figure things out I returned to what I knew before. Hotrods, motorcycles, and racing. I got into drag racing and within a year doing it at a professional level. I also began painting them doing custom work as a "day job" during the week. I also married, had a family and kept racing and painting race cars and motorcycles. I also did pin striping, lettering, gold leaf work. everything that went into completing a first class paint job on many famous race cars.
In 1974 racing had changed dramatically and so had the costs. Corporate sponsors were coming in and there is a saying in racing that nothing goes faster than cubic money. I had a family to support and began thinking what I really wanted to do when I grew up. When not painting cars or driving as a substitute driver, I drew pictures to relax and think. A friend who was a very fine potter took several of my drawings and had them matted and took them to an art show he was in while I was out of town. Not only did he sell them, he met a gallery owners wife who gave him a card and told him to tell me to get in touch as soon as I returned. well this is getting way longer than I intended but suffice to say, that is how I became an "artist." Yesterday, I could not spell it, but today I are one.
This began a scramble to learn what the hell am I doing! I talked to other artist at mall shows, I bought books, I drew and painted everything, everyday and for 10 to 12 hour a day. I went to museums, art galleries, shows, you name it. I did everything I could think of to learn. There was no real fine arts school where I lived or anywhere close, so it was books, help from other artists and lots of trial and error. more error than anything else. I had never heard of an art workshop, let alone look into taking one or two. There was no internet that had wonderful sites like this one. It was work. I was fortunate in that for whatever reason, I could see something and draw it. I had no clue what I was doing, really.
That was 38 years ago. Since I have had the good fortune to meet and become friends with some of the finest artist working today. I came from car painting and racing into the world of art and showing in top galleries and teaching workshop and was a regular teacher at the Scottsdale School of Art until old injuries and health made that a little to much. Now I live in the foothills north of Phoenix/Scottsdale and work in my studio. My son helps with crating and shipping, stretching linen for me. I'm only 71, but if I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself as the saying goes. Two heart attacks, asbestos in lungs, not to mention that my lungs must be candy apple of some color over mother of pearl, bad joints from arthritis and old injuries has made it so going out and painting in the desert or mountains has become out of the question for me. Consequently, I am shifting my subject matter more towards people and still lifes with an occasional landscape.
I tell you all this because we can all work and learn by dedicating ourselves and working to achieve the best quality possible, be it art or whatever. Paint everyday and take classes, review Marks videos repeatedly and go for i. You will succeed.
This is my other last painting of 2012. I hope you like it.
My name is John Cox and as my screen name says I live in Arizona. I never even imagined being an artist early in my life even though I loved to draw and art of all kinds, paintings, sculpture fascinated me for the time I was a little kid with crayons and a coloring book. But and artist? Not a boy from South Texas, interested in hotrods motorcycles, racing and girls, that is for sure!
I grew up in the late 1940's and especially the 1950's. Back then we went to school and learned readin,' ritten,' and 'rithmatic. The three "r's as many called it. After school a few kid went to college, but a lot of us went in the service. So, in 1959, I went in the US Navy. The Navy does not lie in it's recruitment posters. I did see the world. I went around the world two and a half times in 5 years. I loved it and was going to make it a career, but I was wounded on Shore Patrol duty. I was fixed up and discharged in 1964.
I had no idea what I was going to do since every thought had been focused to a Navy career. Well, while trying to figure things out I returned to what I knew before. Hotrods, motorcycles, and racing. I got into drag racing and within a year doing it at a professional level. I also began painting them doing custom work as a "day job" during the week. I also married, had a family and kept racing and painting race cars and motorcycles. I also did pin striping, lettering, gold leaf work. everything that went into completing a first class paint job on many famous race cars.
In 1974 racing had changed dramatically and so had the costs. Corporate sponsors were coming in and there is a saying in racing that nothing goes faster than cubic money. I had a family to support and began thinking what I really wanted to do when I grew up. When not painting cars or driving as a substitute driver, I drew pictures to relax and think. A friend who was a very fine potter took several of my drawings and had them matted and took them to an art show he was in while I was out of town. Not only did he sell them, he met a gallery owners wife who gave him a card and told him to tell me to get in touch as soon as I returned. well this is getting way longer than I intended but suffice to say, that is how I became an "artist." Yesterday, I could not spell it, but today I are one.
This began a scramble to learn what the hell am I doing! I talked to other artist at mall shows, I bought books, I drew and painted everything, everyday and for 10 to 12 hour a day. I went to museums, art galleries, shows, you name it. I did everything I could think of to learn. There was no real fine arts school where I lived or anywhere close, so it was books, help from other artists and lots of trial and error. more error than anything else. I had never heard of an art workshop, let alone look into taking one or two. There was no internet that had wonderful sites like this one. It was work. I was fortunate in that for whatever reason, I could see something and draw it. I had no clue what I was doing, really.
That was 38 years ago. Since I have had the good fortune to meet and become friends with some of the finest artist working today. I came from car painting and racing into the world of art and showing in top galleries and teaching workshop and was a regular teacher at the Scottsdale School of Art until old injuries and health made that a little to much. Now I live in the foothills north of Phoenix/Scottsdale and work in my studio. My son helps with crating and shipping, stretching linen for me. I'm only 71, but if I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself as the saying goes. Two heart attacks, asbestos in lungs, not to mention that my lungs must be candy apple of some color over mother of pearl, bad joints from arthritis and old injuries has made it so going out and painting in the desert or mountains has become out of the question for me. Consequently, I am shifting my subject matter more towards people and still lifes with an occasional landscape.
I tell you all this because we can all work and learn by dedicating ourselves and working to achieve the best quality possible, be it art or whatever. Paint everyday and take classes, review Marks videos repeatedly and go for i. You will succeed.
This is my other last painting of 2012. I hope you like it.
Comments
He is a very fine artist.... simply love your painting.... and a warm welcome to the forum.
warmly, shirley
... you had a life full and busy, I'm younger than you, but even I can not complain, my life is complicated, and in this world where job is always less I have two! I must untangle from the daily grind but I dedicate all my free time to my true passion...painting!
Welcome! :-h
Ciao Maria
Martin
This is the desert in North Scottsdale, Arizona, about 10 miles from my home. The mountains in the background are the McDowell Mountains that make up the eastern edge of Scottsdale. It will be framed in a custom made frame, probably from America West in Flagstaff, Arizona The time in this painting would be around 7- 7:30pm during the summer. I made a plein air painting of this scene about 10 years ago. I used the plein aire piece (8x12) and some photos I took in the same general area. The Sahuaros shown here are actually right off the side of Scottsdale Road at the entrance to an upscale housing development, I am sad to say.
Its a beautiful painting. Is that your standard palette or does it vary from painting to painting?
Martin
When painting people I may use Yellow Ochre, Cad Red Light and Ivory Black. Then for another person I may stay with Cad. Lemon, Alizarin and Ultramarine blue. It may seem like I am shifting around a lot, but not really. If you notice I have a yellow, a red, a brown, and a blue. Plus white, of course. Oh and for white, I use Utrecht Mixed white. It is Titanium and Zinc mixture. I use M. Graham's Walnut Oil to slow drying and oiling out if a passage gets to dry before I get back to it.
I have some small paintings that are a huge departure in palette that I call my insurance policies. They are a couple of varieties of cactus blossoms They are usually 9x12 and 8x12 in size and done on a linen panel. The palette is Thalo Green, Transparent Oxide Red, Alizarin Crimson, Permanent Rose and Winsor Newton Magenta and a little Cad. Yellow light. They are pretty intense. I call them insurance policies because no matter what show I send one two I know I have a sale that will cover shipping costs and the cost of making the paintings for the show. They have sold from New York to Minnesota in the winter and of course here in Arizona. I number them now, I ran out of titles.
I threw in a Rocky Mountain scene also. The cactus flowers is 8x12. The mountain scene
is 24x30.
Thank you so much for sharing your real name and a bit of info about yourself... I very much appreciate it.
I'm so glad that you've joined DMP, considering your extensive experience and accomplishments in the art world. You have contributed so much since you've joined and I've enjoyed reading your comments. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience and your paintings. Looking forward to following your journey onwards.
I checked out your website http://www.johncoxfineart.com. You've got a fantastic art collection there!!!
:-bd
I'm not really practice all self-taught but I noticed that the flower is another subject where I tend to overblend and for me they are difficult like tones skin. I really admire those who can do at this level!
Really nice your cactus I love so much the colors are alive and the effect is natural!
Ciao Maria
Jim was a big man, about 6'6" and tough as nails. Lived through World War II driving a landing craft delivering Marines to the beach heads at some of the worst battles in the Pacific. He suffered no fools and he had this big deep voice that I think, was impossible for him to whisper, so anything he said, everybody heard it. LOL! He could be intimidating to say the least, but the best friend anyone could have. He is the only artist ever to send only one painting to The Prix de West Show at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, and win the Prix de West medal (Best of Show), Gold Medal for Oils, The Fredric Remington Award,The Peoples Choice Award, and best display award from the Hall. That was all that was possible for him to win and he ran the table. Here is the painting.
Gary, you are so right! It is true in art and everything else, the saying I first heard in racing and that was, "The harder we worked, the luckier we got!"...John Mulligan 1966.
And don't get me started on the attitude of so many people wanting instant gratification for free.
The cactus flower above is stunning. Very inspiring.
Amrit
Savannah, Thank you and you are welcome. I used to do the Phippen Show in Prescott in the late 1970's and up to 1982. It was a great show and sold well, but after a awhile it fell off and became an expense more than a earning event. The promoters, I think made two mistakes. even though I could be wrong, but the common belief among the artist showing when I did is pretty much consistent, and it is believed the Promoters were making money, but became complacent and when it began to drop off instead of a invitational show the basically opened it to any artist, crafts person and even "Sofa Sized Paintings" for $9.95 made in Taiwan salesmen. Most of us left. Later another group took over and cleaned it up, but kept potters, craft arts along with western art. It was called and advertised as a western art show, but it was really a mixed show a few levels above a traveling mall show. Most of us stayed away. Then the Phippen Museum took over and completely revamped it and from what I understand since they took over a number of years ago it has come back. Another problem was for awhile the county officials allowed all kinds of show promoters use the courthouse square as a venue for their shows. It seemed there was a show going on every month. That was also stopped and it helped the few shows they have now. Physically, I can't do these shows with the set up and packing and unpacking over a couple of days. My breathing and joints scream "No Way, Jose!" Consequently I don't do these type of shows and don't have the equipment to do it either. But they is one other thing and that is I have a gallery representing me here in Arizona (Biltmore Galleries) and in a sense I would be competing with myself and cutting the galleries commission out. Feels a bit unethical somehow to me.
Thank you everyone for the kind comments about my work. I am glad you enjoy it.:)
Now that painting you uploaded by Reynolds? Honest your work is just as superior. I had to look at it yours and his again. I can see why you win awards!
Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!