FAQs
Tell me friends, have you ever read an Artist’s Statement and come away with a higher opinion
of the artist or their work? There’s a reason why a visual artist’s tool is the brush and not
the pen.
Rule #1 of Rain King Studios: Artists should never write about their work, their “process,” or
God forbid, what it’s all supposed to mean.
Galleries and Exhibitions have their place I suppose, but that place is probably the
19th century. It’s not a game I particularly enjoy either.
Click “add to cart” on an available work and go from there. This is basic stuff buddy.
I have done commissions for private and corporate clients, but I prefer to spend time
and energy on my own projects.
You can send me a proposal here though, and if the timing (price) is right, we’ll dance.
Gosh, it would be nice to live in the times of patrons and benefactors –
to be the court painter for some decadent Habsburg Duke. But alas, we
live in the times of the Entrepreneur, and The Hustle.
Paint ain’t cheap. Gifts from this wish list are much appreciated.
Or if you prefer to shower your boy with straight cash,
my Venmo is @Robert-Patrick-Henry.
Yes! I’m always looking for new models of all shapes and sizes and I pay the going rate.
Haha. No. Where I come from one does not go to Art School.
It sounds like a blast though, and no more ridiculous than the schools I did attend.
I am a lawyer by trade and was educated in the rhetorical arts.
I learned how to move paint and charcoal through Gladwellian hours of practice.
And of course, spiritually communing with the Great Masters.
That is hard to schedule as a practicing lawyer. But I will find time for one-on-one or group
lessons and/or demonstrations.
When Eddie Van Halen was young he used to shred with his back to the audience to hide
his technique (and probably because he was shy). I’m too old to be shy.
And I don’t believe in secrets or tricks. I’m happy to divulge and discuss any
technical aspects of painting. You only get what you give, they say.
Artists who keep secrets are extremely lame.
I try to experiment as much as possible and sometimes make my own paints and mediums.
Lately I’ve been trying to avoid toxic pigments like lead and cadmium because I’m
a sloppy bitch, and modern pigments are just as good.
Generally I start with a non-lead white, a warm and cool for each primary color,
burnt sienna, raw umber, and chromatic black. Gamsol and Galkyd Lite.
Examples of my most used colors are here (for gifting convenience).
When my dude John Singer Sargent ran into obstacles, he would always look back to Diego
Velázquez. When I run into obstacles, I always look back to Sargent. He is quite simply,
The Man, and we really are not worthy.
Other old masters I also dig, in no particular order:
Mary Cassatt, Anders Zorn, Cecilia Beaux, Diego Rivera, Frans Hals, Ilya Repin, Nocali Fechin, Joaquin Sorolla, Santiago Rusinol, Frank Duveneck, Henry Scott Tuke, George Bellows, JMW Turner, James McNeill Whistler
Here are some contemporary friends and artists you should check out and support:
Felicia Androetta, Cannaday Chapman, Aaron Westerberg, Christian Rex van Minnen, Michael Jasiewicz, Hollis Dunlap