KEEPIN' TIME

I recently jammed with this awesome drummer Dante pictured here in action at a colleagues performance and jam session. Being a folk and bluegrass man I rarely get an opportunity to play my guitar or blow my harp with drummers... let alone jazz drummers like Dante here... man it was fun! As usual it was those blues that brought us all together. I also had the opportunity to draw musicians performing... in action, one of my favorite things to draw! It was a very fulfilling evening that went very late.

Image: ©Copyright Trey Gallaher
8.5x11in. charcoal on paper

DON'T FORGET TO PLAY

Though it sounds cliche', never forget the power of "play". As I am sure any artist will tell you, making something creative involves playful activity somewhere in the process. Play makes art-making fun activity and not all work even for the most experienced of professionals! Oh yes, it can be serious business too, as many hours can be poured over a canvas with the most delicate of finishing touches, but almost always the process starts with the itching desire to throw some paint around, to experiment, get messy and play. PLAY! Sometimes when we play we spark new ideas we could never have dreamed up on our imaginations alone. Who knows what we might come up with in the world if we just have fun first! In this case a playful portrait.

Image: ©Copyright Trey Gallaher
14x17in. gouache on bristol

A VISIT FROM FLAT STANLEY

(The following was excerpted from my essay to my niece Cassidy for her Flat Stanley class project)
Upon Flat Stanley’s arrival to San Francisco and my studio in the Polk’s Gulch district of San Francisco, I was struggling through the dreaded yearly task of completing my tax preparation for the fast approaching deadline of not five days away. Stanley arrived just in time to help me through this difficult and timely process. He was able to point out which deductions I hadn’t yet considered for my return. I am not sure where Stanley learned so much about tax deductions but perhaps in his previous travels he picked up some valuable information that saved me time. YES!

[...later]
After arriving to the class and getting set-up I introduced Stanley to the drawing students letting them know that Stanley was there to help them with their perspective drawings that day. The class felt reassured and more confident knowing Stanley was there to help. Soon we were diving into the lecture and began to discuss the days drawings, the challenging Grid-Floor Drawing and the Two-Point Perspective Drawing. Stanley was excited and so were the students. One of the more skilled students befriended Stanley and was grateful for his help. Her name was Flat Lequisha. They had a fun time talking about the drawings together.

[...and later]
Stanley helped me set up for the Painting Club, where I was to complete a demo on acrylic painting. I introduced Stanley to the club members who were pleased to have Stanley join us for the demonstration. Stanley helped change my paint water numerous times and was a big help. He asked a lot of great questions and learned a lot about color theory and what brushes were best for painting with acrylic paints. Stanley watched carefully by my side as I painted a portrait of the famous pirate Black Beard. The students had a lot of fun with Stanley and were hoping he would come back someday to paint with them.

The club meeting ended about 7:30pm and by this time Stanley and I had had a long day in the city of San Francisco. We grabbed a quick bite to eat for dinner with another teacher at the Soluna Café on McAllister Street and were soon back on the 19 Bus headed home towards Polk’s Gultch. We quickly checked the mail box on our way back up to the studio and discovered the long overdue book on Cecilia Beaux the American guilded age painter, written by Alice Carter that had arrived by mail. Cecilia Beaux was a contemporary of John Singer Sargent and perhaps the greatest American woman painter of all-time.

[...and later still]
Before calling it a night, Stanley and I carefully studied the new book and the work of Cecilia Beaux and learned a great deal about her importance in the history of painting, not just in America but throughout the world. Her use of color and soft brush strokes captured a romantic view of the turn of the century (1900a.d.) that was like no other. Stanley and I had a wonderful day working together to help the future animators of the world become better at drawing and painting, and had it not been for Stanley’s help I may not have finished my tax return on time. So here is to Flat Stanley, though he may be flat on the outside, he is far from flat on the inside!

Photos: ©Copyright Trey Gallaher
To learn more about Flat Stanley click --> HERE

WYETH AND ME

When I returned to graduate school after completing my thesis research on such great illustrators as Robert Weaver, Jack Potter, Harvey Schmidt, David Stone Martin and Mia Carpenter; I immersed myself into my love of drawing again. For years I had been concentrating on painting and medium, but when I finally quit my job of four years working for a well known corporation and all of it's perks, I figured if I am gonna go down to the depths of student life again, I am gonna go down swinging with my heart in it at
least. Graduate school for me was not an easy time. Leaving behind the steady paycheck, losing the love of my life of an almost a seven year relationship with my college sweat-heart, and alienating myself from all that was comfortable, I moved from sunny San Francisco to snowy Syracuse and started all over again, and it felt that way. But I had the feeling that if I could survive this, I could survive anything and I would come out the other end sharper and more experienced than ever. The following year and a half changed me in someway and remains stamped on my heart like a badge of courage. I did this drawing of myself back then in my lonely frozen apartment flat off Wescott Street. I had lost a bunch of weight eating as meagerly as I did and was homesick worse than ever. I was reading the biography of N.C. Wyeth to stay inspired.

This week I was talking to a student about the struggles they are feeling living in a cold abrasive city (like San Francisco can be at times) and feeling shut-in, having left behind the safe ground they had known all their lives in search of a dream, in search of hope, and I couldn't help but harken back to my own experiences in Syracuse. It's a struggle I feel everyone must go through at some point in their lives; to be "beat", to be "all time low down, sadness..." as Kerouac put it. It's part of testing what you didn't know you were capable of, to hit rock-bottom and survive it. It is something we can carry within ourselves throughout the troubled times in our lives to remind us what Jerry once sang out, "we will survive...". I am here to tell you as living proof, that you can make it, do not give up the fight but to keep your dreams in front of you and relish the warmth they give you. Remember, the good stuff in life is not whether you become rich, successful, or popular but that you made it count along the way. It's in the little accomplishments, and when you look back you will surprise yourself with just how far you have come.

Image: ©Copyright 2000 Trey Gallaher
14x17in. charcoal and acrylic on paper

ON THE PATH

Just a little watercolor demo I did for an animation background class a while back. I worked from a couple of photos I took while hiking in Golden Gate Park. There are some truly magical places in those woods. It's hard to believe that you are surrounded by a city when your in the middle of them. I love to hike around in that park when ever I get a free weekend. I feel like a kid again. When I was in elementary school, we took a long field trip there to visit the Natural History Museum that has since been torn to the ground and is now being rebuilt. I remember being chased by girls in my class through the giant trees and ferns that grew along the endless network of mysterious pathways that disappeared deeper and deeper into the woods. That scary excitement would make my heart pound the way it does when you are a child, not knowing what evil might be lurking in the misty shadows of your imagination. It was a magical enchanted place to a nine year old that left me with many wonderful memories and dreams ever since. But then so did a certain sweet natured little blond haired blue-eyed girl with freckles.

Image: ©Copyright Trey Gallaher 2006
9x12 in. watercolor on coldpress

MAKING TIME

"You only live once" as the saying goes and yet it seems that we are so rarely able to reflect on our lives with such graceful measure, always complaining about what we don't have or haven't accomplished yet. In my life, I have been blessed with three strong grandmothers (no grandfathers) who each has lived well into their later years that I owe a mountain of gratitude. I would not be who I am today if it weren't for their faith in me and for the time they have always made for me. Ever believing in me, even when I didn't believe in myself, they would offer that gentle ear, picking me up with sweet nurturing hope and sending me back on my way. Each, in their own unique way, has taught me many lessons in life like humility, patience, and gracefulness, but most of all hope. To these three maidens, I dedicate my dreams.

Image: ©Copyright 2005 Trey Gallaher

OUR FIRST SHOW

DJ VON was in the house for the spectacular event, slingin' the up-tempo ultra smooth jazzy-fresh, low-down, dope-phat-beats to get the butts out-da-seats. The Painting Club's FIRST SHOW! Everyone piled into the gallery at 1172 Market Street, San Francisco at the Art Institute of California - San Francisco just after 5:30pm for this exciting new event. The food was well provided for (thanks Gigi) and the students and faculty were in attendance.There was dancing, twister and a lot of support and love given out to the club.

All seven of the exhibiting artists in the show worked hard over the last six months to get these paintings finished in addition to their full load of classes and work. I am proud of them all and their efforts paid off. For some it was only their second or third painting of this level of focus and yet they all came out beautifully.


















The hours rolled on and so did the shrimp cocktail. There were a lot of great questions being asked like, "What medium did you work in?" and "When is the club meeting next quarter?", "Did you paint that?" and even "How can I get in on the next show?". In-between chuggings of Barq's rootbeer and engulfing of cheese wedges I managed to meet a few proud parents and some impressed colleagues were surprised at the depth of talent pooling in our midst. There were process books off to the side table that allowed for everyone to see what went into the making of these works like; preliminary studies, color comps, photo-references and research.













































Three hours later the gallery was left empty, all the cookies were gone, and the floors needed a serious mopping, but it was a great success and I want to send a big PROPS out to the members of the Painting Club for pulling this off (we almost didn't) and more importantly for working hard and staying true to what you believe in, namely yourselves.

DJ VON's website -->DJVON.COM
photos: ©Copyright 2007 Trey Gallaher

GUARDIAN ANGEL

Before anymore time flies by I have to lay this down once and for all. I love this man's work! In more times than I can count I have found myself up late painting and listening to movies (yeah it's what I do when I paint) only to be brought to a grinding hault by this man's performance. Let me say right here and now that I love Paul Giamatti! He is my favorite actor at the moment and is the best I have seen in a long time. He is a master of his craft. While far from your glamorous physic or stature, Mr. Giamatti delivers a very real portrayal of almost every character he takes on. His character portrayal of "Miles" in Sideways is legendary and has become that comfy blanket in the middle of the night that reminds me no matter how pathetic I may feel at times in my life there is someone that can relate... As "Harvey Pekar" in American Splendor, his slouching neurotic performance was about as close as you could get to the man himself. And no one will ever forget PIG-VOMIT in Howards Stern's Private Parts! His recent performance in The Illusionist was a bit different but equally solid and it's nice to see him branching out. Last but definitely not least you got to catch him as "Cleveland Heap" in M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water. This is a different story but you must watch it more than once to really get the underlying message. Here Mr. Giamatti gives us the depth and range of character that he can deliver and to date, is the most real crying scene on screen yet. Deep down something inside me resonates with that middle-aged, pudgy, slouching, slightly neurotic, heart-broken, crazy-eyed, struggling artist, stewing-in-his-own-pathetic-juices, gentle, honest to a fault guy-on-the-street just trying get by. It's in the eyes! I can watch a Giamatti movie any time and always come away feeling better. Thank you Mr. Giamatti! I can't wait to see what you will do next...

Image: ©Copyright 2007 Trey Gallaher
To see the full painting --> Giamatti Angelica

VENTURING OUT

Last Saturday I took the painting club (from school) out for another great day of plein-air painting practice, only this time to Redwood Park in the East Bay hills behind Oakland. Having been there one time before myself, I was anxious to get back to the forest with some pastels and paint the beautiful fern-lined trails through the giant redwoods.









We met at the school first and car-pooled over with six of us. One of the great things about the Bay Area is you can be in such a different climate and environment in less than a half-hour drive.















My fellow instructor at the Art Institute of California-San Francisco Barry Ebner, met up with us shortly and we began our trek into the park. We gradually staked out our claims along the trail and started working. Everyone was working in different mediums and on different surfaces, but soon the marks filled the page.






© Copyright 2007 Erin Rice >






< ©Copyright 2007 Jose Rene Ramirez






©Copyright 2007 Trey Gallaher >







< ©Copyright 2007 Jesse Quijalvo








©Copyright 2007 Brandon Jones>





We finished the afternoon up as the sun slowly crawled across the sky and headed west behind the ridge. We surveyed our work and discussed our victories and losses. What I continue to experience every time I set out to do plein-air painting is the incredible rush of excitement and peace that comes over me simultaneously as I begin to draw out the landscape in front me. I can hear the birds chirping, the water rushing, the gentle breeze against my skin, and all of the delicate and subtle sounds of nature that one misses when simply hiking through. When you stop to open your other senses, not just your eyes, you experience a more complete sense of your surroundings, and for a while I feel at harmony and balanced with the earth as my charcoal glides across the paper sculpting out the world before me. I feel at ease.

Images: ©Copyright 2007 by there noted creators
Photos: ©Copyright 2007 Trey Gallaher

BIG NIGHT OUT

The night started early as I made my way up Polk Street towards the STUDIO Gallery. Living in the neighborhood it is a matter of blocks. I had been looking forward to this group show and to meeting some of the great artists that I am showing with. I haven't been with this gallery too long but I am really enjoying working with Jennifer and Rab the owners. The show ran from 4-8pm and was quite full. Several good friends of mine and a few students showed up too. It was great to see some familiar faces mixed in with some new friends.


After several hours of cheeses, crackers and the usual fair, my friends and I cut over to the nearby sushi joint SUSHI ROCK, and it ROCKED!!! We dusted off numerous roles and beer and good times were had by all. Now the night was just gettin started as my friends and I after finishing our feast made haste to Union Square about six blocks away just over Nob Hill in time to catch the tail end of the Chinese New Year Parade. It is one of the things I look forward to the most every year living in San Francisco.























We arrived in Union Square about twenty minutes later just in time to get a great standing view of the parade. It was a festive scene and my friends and I eased our way to the front. Check out the pics. Not the best here but then it was dark with lots of movement (the worst scenerio ever) but you can still kind get the feel. 2007 YEAR OF THE BOAR!!!! Although these little piggies didn't look so tuff, more like Wilbur!


It was a nice night out on the town and the weather held up for the first time in quite a long time. It always seems to rain on the Chinese New Year Parade but not this year, in fact it was clear and warm and the spirits were high.





















An hour later we were all a bit hard of hearing and having been smoked out of our brains from all the firecrackers, we headed for the a local cafe around the corner for coffee and to catch up a bit more.


































Before too long the hours ticked away and I found myself itching to get back to my studio to paint. It's late but I have always found a comfort in those late night hours that really allows me to work. I have two jobs to work on this weekend and I have a lot to be thankful for, so I am giving a big "THANK YOU" to the Big-Guy up-stairs for blessing me. It's gonna be a good year!
Images: ©Copyright Trey Gallaher