Ashes to Art Book Published!

 Last September, I painted two painting for the "Ashes to Art" project. A fundraiser to raise funds for the Poudre Canyon Volunteer Fire Dept. Last summer this department fought in FOUR of the major wildland fires in Colorado. We artists received charcoal pieces of ash and our job was to incorporate the charcoal in the picture. All the blackened trees, rocks and ground in both of my pictures incorporated the ash mixed with clear medium. It was a wonderful challenge.

The pictures were all published in a coffee table book. It was amazing the see the creativity of the fifty some artists who contributed. Just before Christmas, I received my copy of the book. It sells for twenty-five dollars with all proceeds going to the fire department. More information is available at: Ashes to Art Project, P.O. Box 1802, Ft. Collins CO 80522-1802.

My prayer is that they don't have another summer like that.

Life's Interruptions…

The Greatest of All is Love!

I started listing some of my new paintings on display at the Carriage Factory Gallery in November when life's interruptions again interrupted. The last week of that month started with our range oven dying. Before I had a chance to call our service man, our house was broken into. We spent several days getting better acquainted with our sheriff patrol as they investigated. We had significant loss from jewelry to a computer, and a broken door.

We then had to concentrate on getting a new stove once the service man told us ours was totally dead. We went with gas instead of electric which meant some plumbing and stove conversion. Another span of time was gone. We finally got to cooking on the new stove on Christmas eve! Our whole clan of at least twenty came over on Christmas. We had a fantastic and blessed time with all.

I eventually started painting last week and finished yesterday. It is in the theme of the upcoming Valentine celebration.

I will start posting some of the other paintings later this week.


The Greatest of All is Love! Is acrylic paint on a foundation of double primed canvas on hand stretched, hand built stretcher bars. It is protected with two coats of UV resistant varnish. It is gallery wrapped and needs no frame. The edges are painted black and the picture is wired and ready to hang on your wall. Size: 10"w x 12"h x 3/4"

Gold Desert Sunset

Gold Desert Sunset

AWD 123

Acrylic on canvas with edges painted. The picture  is wired and ready to hang.

This painting would make a great gift for a friend or love one! Think Christmas!

5” x 5” x 1 1/4”

By R. Allan Lister

Available at the Carriage Factory Art Gallery, Newton, KS

Purple Sunset

Purple Sunset           

AWD 124

Acrylic on canvas

5"x5"x 3/4" Gallery wrapped canvas with edges painted. The picture is wired and ready to hang.




By R. Allan Lister

Currently available at the Carriage Factory Art Gallery, Newton, KS

I am NOT idle!

Just to let you know. I am not idle. I just don't blog very regular. I have been painting and putting items for sale on ebay and not thinking about Christmas. Yesterday, I redecorated my panel at the Carriage Factory Art Gallery here in Newton. I had several pictures that were what I call "thought provoking". I intended to change displays right after the election. It took until yesterday to accomplish that goal.

Today my wife and I took pictures of the panel to include in my blog. Most of the paintings I am showing are new and all are small. The largest is 10" x 12", painted with acrylic paint and the stretched canvas pictures are gallery wrapped. There are several painted on wood, masonite and canvas panel.

I would love for you to go see the paintings up close. I am going to try to post a picture or two every day or two. Please enjoy!

I thought I would share information about a grassroots movement that proclaims October 25 as  International Artist Day. I learned of this new day of recognition through artbizblog an artists blog I receive.

This date has been chosen because it is the birthday of Pablo Picasso. Born 25 October 1881 and died 8 April 1973.

Art covers a large spectrum of our lives whether we realize it or not. It can be a painting on canvas hanging on a wall. It might be urban art that features a famous face painted on the side of a building to the cereal box you read while eating your bowl of Munchie Crunchies. On this day, think about all the ways art has an impact on your life. Even the car you drive was conceived on a drawing board or now days, a computer. Maybe you can bake a cup cake (gluten free for me, thanks) for your favorite artist!

Ashes to Art

 These two paintings were shipped to Ft Collins CO for the "Ashes 2 Art" Fundraising project on Sept 20, 2012. This is a project to raise funds for the Poudre Canyon Volunteer Fire Dept. to replace and refurbish equipment used this past summer during the wild fires this department helped fight. What I understand is that they helped fight four major fires. That had to be a long summer for those fire fighters!

They asked 3 artists from each state to contribute. I was one who was asked. They sent charcoal (burnt wood ashes) from the fire. The artists were asked to incorporate the ashes in their works. I painted the scenes, then sanded the ashes off the wood. I took the fine ash and layered it over certain trees and the ground.

This is the same spot. First, during the fire with the fire fighters silhouetted by the glow. It is titled "Cleansing". The overgrowth, dead trees and limbs are cleaned up by the fire to make way for the new. The second painting is, of course, titled "New Life". The fire is now out and the tree and grass is the first to show signs of the new life that will be coming back.

The size of the each painting is 10"x12"x1" Acrylic paint on canvas stretched over hand made stretchers. Protected with four coats of UV resistant varnish. My plan is that the two paintings will be auctioned together as a set.

Message thru the Glass at Newton Medical Center

Through my partnership with the Carriage House Gallery, I was invited to display a painting at the Newton Medical Center. I decided to put the painting "Message thru the Glass" on display. I painted it in 2010. 

If you have a reason to go to the hospital, for yourself, family, or to  visit someone, it will be on display in the main hallway. Check it out!



The Message thru the Glass

Her eyes aren’t what they used to be.
The vision seems to fade.
Her hair has turned white,
Memories of her youth, now she’d love to trade.

The joints just don’t work.
As getting out of the chair she must try.
Memories of her long gone husband.
Sometimes makes her cry.

The whirlwind of the grandkids,
On a visit, at first, is exciting and grand,
But soon these, new fangled electronics and games,
Loses her, in a world she now doesn’t understand.

But the one thing she does know,
Is the certainity of God’s unchanging word.
She studies God’s beginnings…and His glory,
Bringing her peace, understanding, and a heart reassured.

©2011 R. Allan Lister

Last year, I wrote this poem to go with the painting.

Fred's Lighthouse

I just delivered this commission painting today. Fred owns a company called Lighthouse Music Services near Wichita. He does custom service and repair of musical instruments and sells new and used instruments.

This painting is 12"x20"x3/4". It is acrylic on double primed canvas stretched over hand built stretcher bars. It has been protected by three coats of UV resistant varnish. 

SOLD

the Forty Minute Sermon

the Forty Minute Sermon

the Forty Minute Sermon

This quirky painting has been in the works for a very long time. First, it was just an idea, a visual picture in the gallery of my mind for several years. Eventually I sketched it out and prepared a canvas to use, only it went for another picture. I built another stretcher, but then, I needed the canvas to experiment with techniques for yet another picture I was painting. I finally re-primed the canvas and started this “simple, easy, quickie painting". ONLY it “weren’t” a “simple, easy, quickie painting!!!” After working on it enough to get a good start, I realized it was going to take a while. It did! From conception to completion, it has been a five year journey that has included about twenty-five to thirty hours of drawing and actual brushtime.

I think many of us who regularly attend church can identify with “the Forty Minute Sermon”. Sometimes, even though the sermon is instructive and interesting, eyelids get heavy. One morning I looked around and saw eight people asleep and the sermon was really good! Anyway, you find yourself fighting sleep only to lose. The eyelids close, sealed much like the tomb. Your “angelic” spouse always knows what is happening and sends the “loving nudge”, followed by the “pay attention nudge”, and the “wake up nudge”. When the nudges don’t work, your angel uses the “resurrection jab”!!! The seal is broken and the eyeballs pop open! A “hallelujah moment” just occurred.

This painting is meant to bring a smile or giggle. If it does, my work has not been in vain. Thanks for viewing.

Acrylic paint on triple primed canvas. Protected with three coats of UV resistant varnish. The edges are painted black. The painting is wired and ready to hang. 30” x 6 7/8” x 1 1/2”

The Forty Minute Sermon is not available for purchase at this time. Remember that when it becomes available, it will make a wonderful, fun painting for your pastor, church office or foyer.

Exciting News!!!

The Arts Council selected this picture as a part of their 2012 juried show at City Arts in Wichita, 334 N Mead, Wichita KS 67202. The show starts July 27, 2012 and runs for a month. This painting is not for sale at the present time.

See My Art at the Carriage Factory!

I now have a space to show my work at the Carriage Factory Art Gallery,   128 E. 6th St Newton, Kansas 67114, Phone: (316)284-2749, The hours are Tuesday through Friday ~ Noon-5:00 p.m. and Saturday ~ 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

My display is in the third floor gallery. The building, an actual old carriage factory, was refurbished years before I came to Newton. Please come for a visit. The main first floor gallery has new shows monthly the the artist's 

gallery changes often. There is a beautiful little park just east of the building.

I will be posting more about my little venture later. Stay tuned!

Jet Trails

Price: $55.00         Free Shipping

PURCHASE

Give More Than You Get

What am I doing???

I have not posted for nearly two months! Does time fly or what? It has been a while since I have painted. I spent over two weeks sick. I got a severe lung infection that lasted over two weeks. I had the same thing over Christmas and totally missed all Christmas celebrations. This time, however, was different. While suffering with the infection, I also got sick with stomach flu or food poisoning. The symptoms are much the same. Since I had eaten some meat that, looking back, was questionable, and being exposed to people that had been having flu at a family event, who knows?

Now that I have made the transition from Rinky Dink, Humor Technician, (clown) to painter, I decided it was time to organize my massive clown prop, gag and magic inventory and start disposing of these items. I have found an art website in which I have set up PDFs of my equipment. You just go to my web page: http://www.rallanlister.com/. There you will find a menu box "Allan and the Art of Clown." Nested within that category you will find "Downloads." Right now there are two groups of miscellaneous items. There are many more to come. Some of these are complete shows and messages. Some are short skits or schticks. Many have props hand built specifically for the program performed. In one way or another, these are all works of art.

If anyone is interested or has questions, contact my through my contact page at: http://www.rallanlister.com/contact. If you have a question about a specific item, be sure to include the item number included in the information box below the picture.

My plan now is to paint a couple of paintings this week maybe more. I have more ideas than time, but I guess that's good!

Fire in the Garage - AWD 105

 This was a stubborn fire as it crept into the house. Our crew attacked from the garage door when we finally got it open. The cause was the sixteen year old son. He spilled gasoline on the garage floor while filling the lawnmower. He decided to throw a match on the gas to see what would happen. — He found out!

Acrylic paint over double primed stretched canvas. The gallery wrapped 8" x 10" x 3/4" painting is continued around the edges. It is protected by a minimum of two coats of UV resistant varnish.

This art would make a wonderful gift for a firefighter family member or friend. It would also make a great remembrance for a brave hero, either volunteer or professional, who is retiring from the fire service. Perfect for home, den, "man (or woman) cave" or the fire station. If you have a child, grandchild or young person interested in fire fire fighting or emergency service, add this to their room decor. Don't forget the fire buff or collector of fire memorabilia they would love original artwork for their collection!

Gallery wrapped with picture continued around edges for a fun effect.         Wired, ready to hang.

FREE SHIPPING!

  ⁃ Medium: Double primed gesso under professional quality acrylic paint

⁃ Foundation: Artist canvas, gallery wrapped over aged and seasoned, repurposed wood stretcher bars

⁃ Protection: Minimum of two coats UV protective varnish

⁃ Finish: Gallery wrapped picture (need no frame) is wired and ready to hang in your favorite spot

⁃ Payment: I accept PayPal only

⁃ Your Computer: Colors may differ from computer monitor to                monitor. 

⁃ Copyright: The Copyright remains with the artist. You are purchasing the original only. You may not copy the work without written permission from the artist.

My new website: http://www.rallanlister.com/

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