Tuesday, February 12, 2008

South to Southwest Art Exhibit in Richmond, Virginia

South to Southwest Art Exhibit in Richmond, Virginia





Richmond Native and Artist Rick Short will be returning to Richmond, Virginia for the month of February to do a one man Art Exhibit at the Cultural Center at Glen Allen's Slantwall gallery. The Exhibit entitled "South To SouthWest: Paintings and Photography from Virginia to California" showcase Rick's
Acrylic paintings and Photography created in the last 20 years.

Brief description of the work – Acrylic and watercolor paintings of rural life in Virginia, forces of nature and Southwest Art including photographs from Central Florida to Central California.

Rick began painting seascapes and marine art as a young teen but as an adult has focused more recently on southwestern art. “I feel my passion when I was younger was painting boats, seascapes and the ocean where now the desert and rural life in America has captured my interest more and you will notice that in this show and
see the transition from sea to dry land in this exhibit and other shows I will be doing out west. That is what the theme of this show is about. There are many images of the rural west that are starting to disappear as cities grow and those lost images are something I wanted to capture and document as those images were what this
country was built upon and still what makes us who we are today.”


The Cultural Center At Glen Allen, Virginia

Business Hours: 9am-8pm, Monday-Thursday

9am-5pm, Friday

12-5pm, Saturday & Sunday

804-261-ARTS (2787)

2880 Mountain Road, Glen Allen 23060

info@artsglenallen.com

http://www.artsglenallen.com/

Artist's website address: www.ScenicEarth.com













Richmond, Virginia, Glen Allen, Art Show, Acrylic painting, art, Henrico County, Artist Rick Short

Friday, January 25, 2008

The Land of Plenty


The Land of Plenty

Someone once said, "A picture is worth a thousand words". As a Photographer and Painter, I have found that is often the case. However, I have also found that over the years in taking the pictures I have taken and paintings the paintings I have painted, that there is always a story behind each picture. A story that needs to be told. So I have found myself turning into a bit of a storyteller.

The series of pictures you see entitled 'The Land of Plenty' have a story behind them as well. This series of photographs is a tribute to my step dad, Hersie and the labor of his hands that have turned a once boring flat piece of ground into the flowering garden that you see in this series of photographs and soon to be paintings.

When my mother approached me and told me she might be getting married soon, some 30 odd years after my father passed away, I was glad that she finally found someone that made her happy and she could build a home with.

The first time I really got to spend any time with my step dad, it was a Thanksgiving weekend at our old house. Growing up, I spent time chopping firewood, raking leaves and constantly cutting the grass and doing yard work. So when I came home to visit my parents after years of living in Florida, I did what I normally did growing up, which was to help with chores including raking leaves. Hersie, my step dad, saw me working in the front yard by myself and grabbed a rake to help without saying a word.

Our front yard was a huge sloping hill that was covered in leaves. We worked for half the day raking up leaves and Hersie helped me all day without even breaking a sweat. What amazed me about this was here was a man who was at the time, 77 years old, who never broke a sweat, never complained or said he was too tired. He worked diligently right alongside with me until our front yard had returned to its bright green color of fresh grass, instead of yard filled with leaves and twigs.

The following Christmas, my parents came to Florida to visit me to enjoy the warm weather and spend some time together. I took my parents shopping at the Millennia Mall in Orlando. In the center of the mall, there are reclining sofas and chairs for people to sit in while their loved ones shop. Hersie and I found a relaxing couch to sit on while waiting for my mom and as we sat down, my step dad turned to me and said, 'Maybe we'll get to see a good movie walk by'. I did a double take hearing my step dad say this and laughed out loud. I thought then, 'this man is hilarious'.

As I got to spend more time with Hersie, I got to know more about his character. He was silent and did not say much, kind of like me. But he always smiled, always was encouraging and everyone that met him likes him. He never says an unkind word, he is never in a bad mood, he reads his bible every night and his strength comes from his walk with God. I wish everyone could meet my step dad. Every daughter needs a father like this, every son needs a dad like this. If you could just spend time with him, you would know what I am talking about. There is just a spirit about him of peace, quiet strength and dignity that you just don’t always find in today's society.

My step dad is frail now and 87 years old. This past Thanksgiving and Christmas he suffered several strokes and is encountering memory loss. Old age is catching up with him. When I took these pictures of him last year after watching him work in his garden that blossomed into a farm, I knew then he was getting up in years and would not be here much longer. I wanted to capture these images for my mom to enjoy but also to share with others who may otherwise never get to meet my step dad.

I wish more men were like my step dad, if they were, the world would be a different place. If you could spend time with him, you would know what I am talking about. There is a radiance that comes from his countenance and a silent strength that he carries. You can sense it. In his youth, he was a Marine in the armed forces and worked as a funeral director as his career. His life may not sound spectacular or exciting but sitting back and watching how he has transformed my mother's life and my family, the people he influences and spending time with him, there is something about him that stands out.

Years ago, My parents sold the house I grew up in and moved across town to a little one story rancher with about 3 to 4 acres of land. The house was old and unimpressive and I did not think my mom would be happy relocating from the 3-story home my father built for her into this little humble house. It was smaller and less room for sure.

However, as I came to visit over the years, a strange thing occurred. This little house grew and expanded exponentially. First they remodeled the kitchen with a showroom quality kitchen, then they added on a 'Florida room' with glass doors, an extra bathroom for my mom and then, the house doubled in size when they took the upstairs attic and turned it into a loft complete with wooden floors, skylights, bathroom, a sectional sofa, walk in closets. I wanted to move back home. Well, just for the holidays.
I was amazed at what my parents were accomplishing in their golden years. The 3 acres of land that was once flat grassland and weeds over time turned into a farm and an outdoor nursery with every kind of flowering plant, hanging baskets, bird feeders, and a garden that over time grew into a farm. The place is like a mini sanctuary bustling with food producing plants, vegetables and flowers that allow them to live off the land.

This is what I refer to when I entitled this series of pictures, 'The Land of Plenty'. To see the handy-work of my parents in their golden years and what they are doing is pretty phenomenal and they are having a blast. There is quite a message here and a moral to this story.

Quite a few lessons come to mind including 'Good things come to those who wait'. 'Hard work and perseverance pay off', and 'hope for us all'. You know what I mean.

In closing, I have to say what a difference this man has made in my family's life. To see how God turned tragedy into something so amazing. I still remember when my father passed away. I was just two years old. I never knew him except from the stories that my mother told me about him.

So, I am passing on that legacy and telling you about my step dad through stories and pictures. This is his legacy. This country was built by people like him. People who worked hard to raise food, turn an ugly, shabby little house into a castle and turn a lonely old woman and her adult boys into a family once again or give them some remembrance of what a family could be and used to be.

My mom and dad have never attended an art gallery or art show or been impressed by those kinds of things. This series of pictures that I have put together are going on tour at an Art Gallery just down the street from them. I have been honored to be accepted to do a one man Art show that this piece will be in. It is my hope to share this picture and story so that his legacy will live on, years after he is gone and hopefully inspire other men, women, sons and daughters alike at art galleries across the country so that his legacy may live on a little bit longer to bless and inspire others who hear about the man called Hersie, my step dad.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

My Upcoming Art Shows and Tour Schedule - Winter 2008


January 27th, 2008, Orlando, Florida - Lake Eola Art Farm Group Show, Downtown Lake Eola. Sponsored by the City Arts Factory of Orlando, FL

February 5th. - 29th., 2008, Richmond, Virginia - The Glen Allen Cultural Center, Slantwall Gallery - One Man Show "South to Southwest – Paintings and Photography from Virginia to California by Artist Rick Short"

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

The Photo of the Week - Bobcat Portrait



"Seeing Eye to Eye"


I photographed this Bobcat while visiting an Animal Wildlife Rehab center in Central Florida while just standing inches away from this Adult Bobcat. She was not afraid of people but gave a good growl that said this was her territory and she was not going to budge.

This portrait is available for sale and can be bid on at www.ebay.com. For other print sizes, prices or inquiries, just contact me directly here at www.ScenicEarth.com.


Lynx, Bobcat, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography, Wild cats, Animal photography

Saturday, December 15, 2007

The Painting of the week - Risen As He said


"Risen As He Said"



About this Painting - This Print is from an original painting that was created using both acrylic and watercolor paints in 1999. This familiar scene of the three empty crosses on Mount Calvary is symbolic of not only Jesus's death but his ressurection from the dead three days later.

I was actually commissioned to do this painting by some co-workers at the National Council On Compensation Insurance back in 1999. Some co-workers who were Christians came to me and wanted to have a background image of the three crosses on Calvary for a booth about Christmas and Easter and why we celebrate it. This picture was seen as soon as visitors and workers came into the front lobby of the building for about a month and was seen by hundreds and maybe even thousands of people for several months during the Easter season. It was a rare thing and a blessing to be able to showcase what the birth and ressurection of Jesus Christ is about and be able to display it at work.

I painted this painting in just a few days and prayed over it and the Lord helped me come up with the idea and presentation of this painting.

I wanted to illustrate a bible verse along with this painting and the most fitting one that came to mind was Matthew 28:6, "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said...". Not only did Jesus come to die for our sins both past, future and present but He overcame hell, death and the grave. He did just what He said He would do, He arose from the grave 3 days after He died and descended into Hell to defeat satan and even show those that have died before Him that He is Lord. He defeated the works of the enemy of our soul and by Him we can come to have an eternal relationship with Jesus in Heaven.

This painting is a reminder that the cross was not the end of Jesus but a symbol of His love for all of mankind.

The original painting is still available for purchase and come double matted, framed under plexiglas for $375.00. Prints in various sizes can also be purchased from 5" x 7" prints up to 20" x 30" and can be purchased online here at
http://www.scenicearth.com/Risen.asp


To see more of my work, visit
http://www.scenicearth.com/default.asp

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

The Photo of the Week - Three Amigos

As an Artist and Photographer, I have really grown to love Southwest Art in the last year or so. Maybe that is due to my recent trips to California and Colorado or just from looking at copies of Southwest Art Magazine. In either case, I am going to be adding a ton of images and paintings in 2008 of Southwest art images to my Art Gallery, including this photograph that I took this past year. This picture has been sold on ebay and is on display at a bookstore in Okeechobee, Florida and has received some great comments and attention so I thought I would share it with my friends here at myspace. Enjoy and dont let them scare you, they are really quite timid unless you are a rodeo clown.



If you would like to purchase a copy of this photograph, just click here to go to my website to order it online at Scenic Earth Studios Fine Art Gallery.



About this Photograph - I took this photograph one week after a Rodeo event in Kissimmee, Florida where these three Bulls were drooling and kicking and running around restless a week earlier while getting ready for the rodeo. I remembered standing at the gate and one of the cowboys telling me and my friends 'you guys might want to get back a bit' because they looked ready to charge anyone so it was funny to come back a week later and see how docile, quiet and still they were. I just talked to them and got as close as they would let me. They didnt budge and stood still as could be to pose for this and a few other pictures and video I took of them. This picture is now a bit of Florida history as this particular Rodeo in Kissimmee is no more and the land was sold recently. I call this picture "Three Amigos" as it was too funny to see these three bulls huddled together. They seemed inseparable. They stood still long enough for me to take plent of pictures and seemed in awe to have a visitor as most of the time they were by themselves or getting ready for a night at the rodeo.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Flying Bird Feet Invade Richmond, Virginia

Flying Bird Feet Invade Richmond, Virginia



Not since Alfred Hitchcock's thriller 'The Birds' has anyone seen so many flying bird feet as will be seen at Richmond, Virginia's 1212 Art Gallery.

Artist Rick short's photograph entitled 'Pelican Dinner Party' was recently juried in to the 1212 Gallery's National Juried Photography Exhibition show juried out of 758 images from 155 artists. Juror, Brian Paul Clamp selected 53 works from 43 artists. One hundred and fifty-five entrants from all over the United States entered 758 images competing for 53 spots. This year's juror, Brian Clamp, of ClampArt, NYC, selected the work of 43 photographers and artists in Richmond's only competitive, national photography exhibition. For more information, click here

The photography exhibit will be open to the public September 28 through November 4, 2007 in the ent Gallery.

"12 12 Gallery National Juried Photography Exhibition 2007"
Juror: Brian Paul Clamp, New York, NY

The exhibition opens Friday, September 28, 2007 and closes Sunday,November 4, 2007. Awards will be presented at a reception on Sunday,September 28, 2007 from 2-5PM, to which you are invited. Directions to the gallery are available at the 12 12 Gallery website www.1212galleryrichmond.com.


For purchase inquiries, contact


Martin McFadden, Director and Curator

12 12 Gallery

12 East 12th Street

Richmond, Virginia 23224

Phone: 804.233.9957

www.1212galleryrichmond.com

Prints of this photograph can be purchased online at http://www.scenicearth.com/pelicanparty.asp