June 5, 2006

It was with deep sadness that I learned Saturday, June 3 of the passing of one of America's foremost painters. Hubert Shuptrine, 70, of Chattanooga, Tennessee died Friday, April 7, 2006.

I participated in a Trout Unlimited event Saturday near Highlands, NC and decided to stop by the Hubert Shuptrine gallery in Highlands on my way home. Hubert's wife Phyllis happened to be at the gallery and informed me of his passing. It was the first time I had ever met Phyllis Shuptrine. I thank her for taking the time to talk with me about Hubert, his life and work.

I told her what a great influence he had been on my painting from the time I was first introduced to his work with the publication of the popular book Jerico: The South Beheld some 32 years ago. I was later able to see a wonderful collection of Hubert's work at a show held here in Cullowhee for the opening of Western Carolina University's Mountain Heritage Center in 1979.

Shuptrine's works are held in numerous museums, private and corporate collections. An exhibition of later paintings opened May 27, 2006 and runs through August 13, 2006 at the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Ga. and will reopen at the Averitt Center for the Arts in Statesboro, Ga. in August, 2006.

If you are ever in Highlands, NC be sure to stop by the Hubert Shuptrine Gallery. Hubert Shuptrine's official web site is located here:

http://www.hubertshuptrine.com/

January 21, 2005

All that remains of the Hunter Barn, from a photo made early this month. This view is from the front of the barn alongside Caney Fork road.

January 3, 2005

A special THANK YOU to all who could attend my one-man-show at It's By Nature gallery in Sylva last month. Original and reproduction sales were great and Sandi Cooper, owner of the gallery, and I would like to thank all of my collectors both new and old for their support and appreciation of my work. Sandi still has some of my newer original work on display along with various reproductions so try and visit the gallery soon if you were unable to make it to the show. I feel very fortunate to have such excellent representation so close to my studio. Thanks Sandi!

November 19, 2004

Two weeks from today, on Friday, December 3rd, the opening reception will take place for a one-man gallery exhibition of my work at It's By Nature in Sylva, NC. This is the first gallery exhibition of my work in several years. It will consist of 20 or so original paintings for sale, comprising both recent and earlier works. In addition I will have reproductions of some of my paintings available for purchase at the gallery.

It's By Nature, my exclusive representative in western NC, is located at 678 Main Street, Sylva, NC. The show runs from December 3rd through January 1st.

The opening reception is on Friday, December 3rd from 7pm to 9pm. The public is cordially invited. Refreshments will be served and I'll look forward to seeing you there.

November, 2004

Harald Johnson's book, Mastering Digital Printing has just been updated with the release of the Second Edition.

April 14, 2004

Sleepy Hollow Studio has recently acquired an Epson Stylus Pro 7600 printer. This will make it possible for us to offer high quality reproductions of original paintings at the same size as the originals.

March 7, 2004

I would like to direct everyone's attention to the web site of my college graphics instructor Noyes Capehart Long.

URL: http://www.capehart.org

February, 2003

Harold Johnson, author of Mastering Digital Printing features interviews on his web site with various artist and printmakers who are "Doing Digital." I have the honor of being inculded on his site this month.

From Harald's site:

"These are the featured artists and printmakers (in reverse order of appearance) that I've had the pleasure of interviewing and getting to know a little. I've tried to cover the different types working in the digital printing and imaging field -- photographers, digital artists, traditional artists producing digital reproductions, digital fine-art printmakers, and other categories that will surely be popping up. As I say in my book, digital categories and classifications are a risky undertaking because they are constantly changing and inherently blurry around the edges. But, you've got to start somewhere!

The following are good examples of how the digital revolution has created opportunities for all types of artists to create and distribute their work in ways that were not even dreamed of only a few short years ago." --Harald Johnson

URL: http://www.dpandi.com/craig/index.html

December 29, 2002

I have the honor of being included in a new book by author Harald Johnson entitled Mastering Digital Printing. I am represented in the first chapter under the section titled "Who's Doing Digital" with information about how I reproduce my paintings and also as one of 18 artists represented in the Gallery Showcase. Of course I recommend the book highly. ( I would even if I wasn't in it. It's a great book. ) Images of Broom Making and 10-10-10 are included in the book. Kay-Cee got her picture in as well. Here is the Press Release:

NEW BOOK ABOUT DIGITAL PRINTING FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND FINE ART ANNOUNCED

Charlottesville, VA and Cincinnati, OH, November 1, 2002 - Written for photographers, digital and traditional artists, and printmakers, Mastering Digital Printing: The Photographer's and Artist's Guide to High-Quality Digital Output is the first in-depth reference to the new world of digital printing for photography and fine art. This authoritative book, published by Muska & Lipman and available (December, 2002) at book stores, camera shops, and online sellers, provides: a thorough introduction to this exploding medium, instruction in the latest digital printing techniques, and an inspiring Gallery Showcase of the best of digitally imaged and printed art and photography.

Part overview and part how-to, Mastering Digital Printing not only walks you through a complete, step-by-step workflow for making a great inkjet print, but it also covers the pluses and minuses of using the print technologies of digital photoprint (e.g., LightJet, Lambda, Chromira) and photo process (e.g., Fuji Frontier, Pictrography), dye sublimation, and electrophotography (color lasers).

"This book is about nothing less than a revolution," explains author Harald Johnson. "A revolution that, although barely a dozen years old, has enabled photographers and artists the world over to create and produce their work in a way that has never been available to them before: with high-quality digital printing."

Mastering Digital Printing is an invaluable guide and resource for anyone who has a hand in printing photographic or fine-art images digitally. You will learn about: how to pick the right inkjet printer, how to choose inks and papers, color management, print permanence, RIPs, self-printing versus using a professional printmaker, the difference between original prints and reproductions, wide-format vs. desktop printers, and advanced printing and image-editing techniques. Other special features include: an extensive resource section listing digital suppliers and digital-friendly galleries, art shows and contests; plenty of sidebars, charts, diagrams, and photos illustrating the book's text; and the first, accurate history of digital fine-art printmaking as well as the true origin of the term "giclée."

There is no comprehensive reference to the digital printing revolution like this book.

About the Author

Harald Johnson has been immersed in the world of commercial and fine-art imaging and printing for more than 25 years. A lifelong photographer and an award-winning digital and commercial artist and designer, Harald is the head of his own marketing communications agency, and he has worked with many blue-chip artists as well as galleries and corporate clients throughout the United States.

Harald was introduced to digital imaging workflows in 1988 and has never looked back. He is the creator and moderator of Yahoo's digital-fineart, the world's largest online discussion group on the subject of digital fine art and digital printing. He is also the creator of DP&I.com (www.dpandi.com), the digital printing and imaging resource for photographers and digital/traditional artists.

About Muska & Lipman

Since 1997, Muska & Lipman Publishing, a division of Thomson Learning, has been creating books focused on cutting-edge topics such as music, graphics design, and digital video. Muska & Lipman works very closely with technology companies to ensure that all of Muska & Lipmans' books have the highest level of accuracy.

About the Book

TITLE: Mastering Digital Printing: The Photographer's and Artist's Guide to High-Quality Digital Output

AUTHOR: Harald Johnson

TECHNICAL EDITOR: C. David Tobie

PUBLISHER: Muska & Lipman/Course Technology, Cincinnati/Boston

PUBLISHING DETAILS: December 2002, 400 pages, color, paperback, $39.95 ISBN: 1929685653

SKILL LEVELS: advanced beginner to expert

The book is available here in Jackson County at our local Sylva bookstore City Lights (see the links page).

May 13, 2002

Viewers of this site might be interested in the following:

"Fantastic Four"
Works by
Warren Dennis, Bill Dunlap, Larry Edwards, and Noyes Capehart Long

Reception: Friday, July 12, 2002 · 6 - 7:30 pm
Catherine Smith Gallery · Farthing Auditorium, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
Sponsored by DeWoolfson Down

Works on Public Display:
July 1 - September 27, 2002
Catherine Smith Gallery · Farthing Auditorium

URL: http://www.carolinaarts.com/702asu.html

( Article in Carolina Arts magazine. )

An Appalachian Summer Festival proudly reunites these former colleagues from Appalachian's Department of Art, in a show not to be missed. Over the years, each of these accomplished artists has garnered praise for his work, both locally and nationally. Shown together, works by these four artists constitute a powerful and memorable experience for all of those who have followed their distinguished careers, as well as for those just now being introduced to their works.

Larry Edwards was chairman of the art department when I was in school at Appalachian. Bill Dunlap was my primary painting instructor. I took drawing classes under Noyes Long and Warren Dennis. I am very fortunate to have received instruction from these talented individuals. Their influence on me was great and continues to this day.

I'll never forget Larry Edwards walking into the painting studio one day and seeing some photo-copies of drawings that Bill had thrown in a trash can. Larry said; "Everything he touches turns to art - even his trash"!

I think the title for this exhibit says it all.

December 5, 2001

Broom Making, watercolor

Giclée Edition size: 400 @ $50 each

Click the icon below to place your credit card order through PayPal's secure system:

Original painting: Sold

Frances Nicholson demonstrating the craft of making a broom from broom corn straw. Frances also made dolls.

We were told to simply bring along a broom handle from an old broom. Frances took it from there and showed us the process. It was surprising to me how quickly she worked at it. Her hands were swift and sure wrapping the twine and broom straw on the handle. We now are able to hang the broom she made for us that day along beside the reproduction.

Ram Pump, watercolor

Giclée edition size: 400 @ $50.00 each

Click the icon below to place your credit card order through PayPal's secure system:

Original painting: Sold

Ben Nicholson washing wild garlic from his herb garden at the ram pump.

Thanks to everyone for the response to the availability of the above new releases. We really didn't expect that these works, as reproductions, would generate much interest from outside our local community. Well they have and we thank you!

We will make every effort to ship orders for reproductions as quickly as possible during the holiday season.

November 24, 2001

The owners of the paintings Broom Making and Ram Pump have recently loaned the works back to the artist to reproduce as Limited Edition Giclées. As may be imagined there has been a great deal of local interest in the availability of the two images as reproductions. Many of our friends knew and cherished Ben and Frances Nicholson.

They and their farm provided many painting subjects as can be seen from the images reproduced on this site. Frances didn't want to pose for her painting but did so at the request of her neighbor who commissioned the work.

I'll never forget visiting one late August day and complaining to Ben about how particularly aggravating the yellow jackets seemed to be that season. Ben then proceeded to tell me of when he was a young man plowing behind a mule and would come upon a yellow jacket nest in the field (they nest underground). He would stomp on it with his big hob-nailed boot and go on with his plowing.

I went on up to the barn for a while and when I returned Ben was still sitting in the lawn chair under a tree but was a little teary eyed. I asked if anything was wrong and he told me a danged yellow jacket had stung him on the lip while I was gone. There's a lesson in that somewhere.....

November 9, 2001

We have had several viewers express confusion regarding which images on the site are available as reproductions. The only images presently offered as giclées are the ones listed on the REPRODUCTIONS pages and the featured image on this page. Most of the paintings exhibited on this site have been sold and are not available to the artist for purposes of reproduction. A few earlier works may become available for reproduction in the near future thanks to the cooperation of their present owners. Keep checking the site for news about this possibility.

October 10, 2001

Several viewers have notified us that they been unable to place reproduction orders through PayPal. We recently went from a dial-up service to digital broad band cable and as a result our primary email address changed. When making the change with PayPal we forgot to change the html code to reference the address change on the site. As a result, viewers were getting an error stating that PayPal was experiencing a Temporary Problem. Well the problem was on our end. The code has now been updated and everything should be working properly. Many thanks to PayPal for helping straighten things out! Please accept our apology for creating the problem in the first place. ( Believe me, painting is a lot more enjoyable than trying to keep everything running smoothly on the web site! )

September 30, 2001

One of our primary email addresses has changed. The address; sleepyhollowstudio@earthlink.net; is no longer functioning due to the fact that we have recently changed our dialup service to cable. Web hosting is still being provided by Earthlink but the primary email address is now: sleepyhollo1@earthlink.net. Additional alias email addresses may be provided in the future. Please stay tuned.

August 20, 2001

Last week I was able to make a trip to Greenville, SC to see the Andrew Wyeth exhibit, Andrew Wyeth: Close Friends at the Greenville County Museum of Art. This exhibit featured 72 original works, some never before exhibited. It started at the Mississippi Museum of Art and then went to Greenville, SC through the 26th of this month, next on to the Telfair Museum of Art in Savannah, GA from September 15 - December 31, 2001.

The exhibit gets its name from the subjects of the paintings included. They depict Wyeth's African-American friends and neighbors in the farming community of Chads Ford, PA. The works run the breadth of Wyeth's career from the 30's to a large tempera completed in 2000. No reproductions of Wyeth's works I have seen ever do them justice. This is particularly true of his temperas.

In addition to the Close Friends exhibit the museum also had its permanent Wyeth collection on display. Of particular interest to me was the addition of an early tempera titled Hay Ledge. It is a painting of Alvaro Olson's dory (Alvaro was the brother of Christina Olson - subject of the famous tempera Christina's World) in the loft of the barn at Olson's in Cushing Maine. Done in 1957 it has to be considered one of Wyeth's major works. I had seen the painting over 20 years ago in the same museum but it has since changed provenance several times.

A common misconception about Wyeth is that he paints everything in exemplary detail. This is of course not true and the tempera Hay Ledge is a prime example. Certain areas of this painting, upon close inspection, appear as miniature Jackson Pollock (1912-56) abstractions with pigment having been flung at the panel in a most haphazard way. Wyeth himself has often been quoted as saying that "mistakes" in his works are often the strongest parts and he relishes that spontaneous part of the process which produces passages which show emotion and drama. This is not to say that there isn't a lot of detailed painting going on. It's simply calculated to be limited to those areas of a painting which necessitate it for his intentions.

One thing about the Close Friends exhibit which distressed me however was the condition of the framing of some of the works. Some of the watercolors from individual collections were matted in old non-archival mats whose cores had turned brown. Close inspection failed to reveal even the use of barrier paper between the mat and painting. I mentioned this to a security guard who was as concerned about it as I was. He then directed me to the watercolor The Corner, a drybrush from 1953 of Archie's Church and Sister Archie's frame house (one of my favorites) which is presently owned by the Delaware Museum of Art in Wilmington. The frame was coming apart at the corners (in some cases as much as 1/8 inch) and was in terrible general condition. Perhaps there was damage from transport, I don't know. But hopefully something will be done to correct this. I suppose museums are reluctant to advise collectors regarding such situations for fear that the work will be withdrawn and not shown again. I would hope however that the Delaware Museum will act quickly to repair their piece as soon as possible.

The works in the permanent collection of the Greenville County Museum of Art are all framed in an excellent fashion. They are to be commended for the presentation of all of their artwork and also for having an excellent facility.

July 30, 2001

Response to this new web site has been a very pleasant surprise. Total visitors and pages viewed have continued to show big increases over the previous site. According to our tracking software we have had visitors from all over the world.

Also, thanks to everyone for the great response to the availability of the reproductions. I hope you are all enjoying your selections and will continue to do so for many years. The Pay Pal system is working out very well and I would recommend it to anyone contemplating a similar use.

I would also like to take an opportunity to offer our thanks to all of you who have taken the time to contact us with your suggestions for improvements and changes to the site.

Kay-Cee would like to thank everyone for all the compliments she has received regarding her photo with the artist on the About The Artist page.