I’m pleased to announce that I will be participating once again in the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s fabulous Paint-In on Moss Street event. The event takes place this Saturday, July 16th along Moss Street between 11 am and 4:30 pm. Over 150 local artists have been invited to participate this year.

This event draws crowds of 30,000 to 40,000 each year and is a phenomenal way to expose yourself to the thriving art culture here in Victoria, BC. My booth will be stationed on Moss just south of the Information Booth on May Street (closer to Dallas Road than to Fort Street). I can’t wait to set up my booth and see you all there! (There will even be new images to unveil!)

Feel free to download the pdf map of artist placements here. Keep your fingers crossed for a sunny Saturday, and save the date for the year’s best outdoor art event!

– Marty

Sorry it has been so long in between posts. I have been caught up with many things and keeping myself rather busy!

In point form, here are some of the art-related things that are going on lately in my world. Please stay tuned for some (more frequent) updates!

1. My exhibition at the Fernwood Inn will be coming down on July 4th, after a successful 3-month stint on the walls.

2. I have recently started exhibiting some of the paintings from my original series of Tree paintings at the Dominguez Art Gallery in Sooke.

3. I will be participating in this year’s Art Gallery Paint-In on Moss Street, which takes place on Saturday, July 16th. (More details, including my site number and location, will be posted next week.)

4. It has been very busy for me down on the causeway in Victoria so far. Stop by on Canada Day (July 1st), weather permitting, for what is sure to be a bustling day at the Harbour!

5. I just finished designing the brochure for this year’s Bowker Creek Brush Up Art Show and Sale, which takes place on Sunday, August 7th. I will be participating once again and will be stationed at my regular booth– #2 just off of Hampshire Road in Oak Bay.

Once again, apologies for the extended hiatus! Be back again soon with some more information about some of the upcoming art events.

Wishing you well,

–Marty

I am pleased to announce that my artwork will be hanging in the Fernwood Inn for the months of April and May! The Fernwood Inn is located right in the heart of funky Fernwood, at 1302 Gladstone Avenue (corner of Gladstone Ave and Fernwood Rd). The Inn provides tremendous support for local artists– both visual artists and musicians– and I am very excited to have my paintings grace the walls of their Art Room for the next two months.

My exhibition will feature original paintings, limited edition giclées, and framed posters and prints that span the entire length of my artistic career. European classics such as my Ulice Dawna- Triptych will be joined by new and local pieces like the custom-framed original, Rogers’ Chocolates- 125th Anniversary. Purchases of artwork can be made on site and will be handled directly by the Fernwood Inn. I encourage you to head to the Inn, check out the display, and enjoy some terrific food while you’re at it! (The Fernwood Inn was recently awarded a Bronze Medal in the “Best Pub” category of Eat Magazine’s 2011 Reader Choice Awards.)

Thank you for your continued support and interest in my artwork!

Wishing you well,
Marty

The Church of St. John the Divine is a stunning brick building situated on Quadra Street in Victoria, in between two equally impressive churches: the First Metropolitan United Church and the Victoria Conservatory of Music (which was formerly the Metropolitan United Church). The congregation of St. John the Divine celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2010, and the building where they worship will also mark its 100^th anniversary in 2012.

This particular painting incorporates some of my favourite natural elements, such as the evening sky and stars. I love painting places of worship at night, because it allows me to highlight the warmth, light, and jubilance that emanates from them when the congregation is inside celebrating. The juxtaposition of a dark sky outside with the opulent light inside acts as a metaphor for spirituality itself while creating a visually pleasing painting as well. Although I do not personally practice any specific religion, I do revere all types of holy buildings and respect the power that is generated when like-minded individuals are brought together in spirit.

The Church of St. John the Divine holds a special place in relation to my artwork, as it was one of my first sketches in my new style of architectural etherealism:

Prior to this particular drawing, all of my renderings of buildings had been done meticulously and true-to-form in traditional drafting style. This pen and ink sketch, with its wobbly lines and organic movement, represented a radical departure from my technical training, and it also flung open the gate of creativity for me. I could not have known it at the time, but this experimental drawing in late 2002 would stimulate a watershed of inspiration inside of me and would steer my artistic career for the next eight years (and counting)!

Although I was based in Calgary, Alberta at the time, my earliest sketches in this fluid style—including my drawing of the Church of St. John the Divine—were completed in Victoria. I spent several weeks at a time in Victoria, sitting in front of the city’s many beautiful churches with my sketchbook in hand. One day, after conceiving a basic composition for a rendering of the Church of St. John the Divine, I sat in the Wildfire Bakery on Quadra Street and started fleshing out my drawing in pen and ink. Within an hour of sitting down, a regular patron of the bakery had offered to purchase my drawing from me. Wanting to complete the piece first as a study for a future painting, I coloured my drawing in that evening and sold it to him the next day. It was my first sale in this new style: an auspicious occurrence, indeed!

The rest, as they say, is history. I have been working in this style and selling my artwork now since 2002, but incredibly enough, I have yet to create a painting of this original sketch, and I only recently (late 2010) painted my second rendition of the Church of St. John the Divine (pictured at the top of this message). I found myself almost overwhelmed with inspiration since starting to paint in the architectural etherealism style, and many historical buildings and charismatic landmarks found their way onto my canvases before the Church of St. John the Divine finally got its turn.

Collectors’ Information

The Church of St. John the Divine original painting measures 23” x 30 ¼” unframed and is offered for sale at $2,375 plus applicable taxes. The image will also be available in the following reproduction formats:

1.      Standard-sized greeting cards (blank inside): $4 each or three for $10 plus applicable taxes
2.      8”x10” Photographic Print on Archival-Quality Photo Paper: $20 each plus applicable taxes
3.      12”x16” Poster on Acid-Free, Heavy Cardstock Paper: $20 each plus applicable taxes

No plans have been made at this point to offer this painting in limited edition canvas giclée reproductions. Block-mounted 8”x10” prints are available upon request for $30 plus taxes.

'Johnson Street Bridge', copyright 2010 Martin Machacek. Winner of the juried Honourable Mention prize and the People's Choice Award at the LOOK Victoria 2011 Regional Arts Exhibition and Sale. Also named 'Best in Show' by Robert Amos of the Times Colonist.

Over 12,000 people attended the show throughout its month-long duration, and each attendee was invited to cast a vote for their favourite piece in the exhibition. With 450+ pieces submitted for the show by over 200 artists throughout the region, I feel extremely honoured to have been selected as the recipient of the People’s Choice Award. Thank you to everyone who took the time to stop by and view the exhibition, and special thanks extended to those who cast a vote for my painting! Your support of my artwork and my livelihood is much appreciated.

– Marty

I’m incredibly pleased to announce that my Johnson Street Bridge painting was awarded an ‘Opus Honourable Mention’ prize at the opening for the LOOK Victoria 2011 Regional Arts Exhibition and Sale last night!

Receiving my award from the internationally-acclaimed artist, Pat Martin Bates.

I feel very humbled to have been selected for this award, especially because over 450 pieces of art from 230+ artists were submitted for this show, and the jury was comprised of very esteemed members of Victoria’s art community. Thank you!

I’ve had a number of questions regarding my Johnson Street Bridge painting recently, and I’d like to take this opportunity to address them here briefly, in the hopes of clearing up any lingering confusion!

First of all, the original painting (the one that is framed and on display at the LOOK Victoria Art Show) is not for sale. I have decided to keep this painting as part of my personal collection.

That said, I have made a number of different types of reproductions of this piece, which are available to purchase and can suit a wide range of tastes and budgets. Here are links to the various formats in my online store: (Please note that the quoted prices do not include applicable taxes– 12% HST for residents of British Columbia and 5% GST for all other residents of Canada.)

Image copyright Martin Machacek 2010

8″x10″ Photographic Print– $20

Printed onto archival-quality photographic paper, will fit any standard-sized 8″x10″ frame.

8″x10″ Block Mounted Print– $30

This is the 8″x10″ photographic print mounted onto 3/4″ MDF and UV-coated for protection. The back of the wood is pre-drilled for hanging, and there is also a hole near the bottom if you wish to stand the piece up rather than hang it on the wall.

Poster format and artwork copyright Martin Machacek 2009-2011

12″x16″ Poster– $20

Printed on acid-free heavy cardstock paper, bordered in black with “Johnson Street Bridge” typeset included near the bottom. Will fit into any standard-sized 12″x16″ frame.

16″x24″ Limited Edition Canvas Giclée (75 total)– $285

Meticulously colour-matched to the original painting. Hand-signed and hand-numbered by myself; comes stretched and wired to hang. (Unframed)

24″x36″ Limited Edition Canvas Giclée (50 total)– $475

Meticulously colour-matched to the original painting. Hand-signed and hand-numbered by myself; comes stretched and wired to hang. (Unframed) This is the size of the original painting.

32″x48″ Limited Edition Canvas Giclée (25 total)– $700

Meticulously colour-matched to the original painting. Hand-signed and hand-numbered by myself; comes stretched and wired to hang. (Unframed)

Thank you again to the jury of the LOOK Victoria 2011 Art Show for selecting my painting for an award, and thanks to all of you for your continued interest and support! I appreciate it!

–Marty

I’m excited to let you know that my paintings are featured in today’s Times Colonist newspaper to help promote the LOOK Victoria 2011 Art Show! Check out the full article and photos in the online edition here, or grab a hard copy of today’s paper and check out page C6.

Artwork copyright Martin Machacek 2010-2011. Photo credit: Darren Stone of the TC

My paintings pictured with the Executive Director of the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria, Paul Scrivener

I’m especially pleased to have a picture of my new painting in the paper, Victoria Conference Centre Pavilion, because (as I mentioned in my previous post), I didn’t even get a chance to photograph it myself before I submitted it to the LOOK show! Hope to see some of you at the Opening Night event tomorrow.

–Marty

I am back from a week on Galiano Island, and I feel both rested and reinvigorated! My wife and I rented a beautiful log cabin on the north end of the island for our stay, and I set up a pretty inspiring makeshift studio on the upper floor while we were there. The upstairs of the cabin was designed as an open-concept loft, and although many of our days were foggy or rainy, I took full advantage of the vaulted windows and managed to finish off a new (and rather large) painting in time for the LOOK Victoria submissions this past Sunday– the day we returned home.

Three large, triangular windows were just behind me while I worked on my Victoria Conference Centre Pavilion painting. Image copyright Martin Machacek 2011.

My new painting is of the Victoria Conference Centre Pavilion and measures 28″ x 39″ unframed– even larger than my epic Johnson Street Bridge painting!

Prior to tackling the glass dome of the pavilion itself. Image copyright Martin Machacek 2011.

I am pretty thrilled with how it turned out in the end, though there were definitely stretches of time when I wasn’t sure if I would be able to complete it in time for the LOOK Victoria submission deadline. The size of the painting was one issue in itself, but the amount of detail involved with this piece definitely made it a challenge to finish in a relatively short period of time.

Putting the finishing touches on the bottom of my painting, well into Saturday night before the submissions were due! I don't even have a photo of the finished painting yet, as I needed to drop it off right when we returned to Victoria. Image copyright Martin Machacek 2011.

I particularly enjoy the stark contrast between the modern green-glassed dome of the Conference Centre in the foreground with the historical and weathered sandstone of the Empress Hotel, which is looming overhead in the background. I submitted this new painting, along with my classic Johnson Street Bridge original, to this year’s LOOK Victoria exhibition. I encourage all of you to come out for the opening event or to check out the exhibition during its month-long tenure at the Bay Centre mall. I’ve provided the details below and hope to see some of you there!

LOOK Victoria 2011 Show

Opening Night Gala (open to the public): Friday, February 4th from 6-9 pm

Lower Level of the Bay Centre Mall– just down the escalator and beside the Esprit Store

Award winners to be announced at 7 pm on Opening Night

The show continues from February 4th to March 4th, 2011 during regular mall hours

Image copyright Martin Machacek 2010

The past few months have been both busy and inspiring for me, as usual. After taking about a month off in November to recover from a bustling season selling artwork on the Causeway, I finally finished some new pieces, including a commission of a client’s home as well as an intricate rendition of the flagship Rogers’ Chocolates heritage store on Government Street! I am nearing completion on several other new paintings as well now, including a night time scene of the Church of St. John the Divine to help commemorate its 100th anniversary.

For the next week or so, I will be attempting to start and finish a rather large painting in time for the annual LOOK Victoria show submission deadline. (I have other back-up pieces to submit in the event that I don’t meet this admittedly ambitious goal.) I was unaware of the LOOK Victoria show in past years, and I am very excited to have some of my paintings be a part of the exhibition this year!

I will post more information about the LOOK Victoria show in the next few weeks

Next week, I head to Galiano Island for the first time ever to celebrate a milestone birthday of my own, and then I’ll be hard at work again in the studio come February! All the best to you all in 2011!

I am very excited to announce that the new specialty brew from Lighthouse Brewing Company– Navigator Doppelbock– is now available in select private liquor stores in Victoria, Vancouver, and across Vancouver Island. As I mentioned in my last post, Lighthouse offered me the opportunity to design the label for this beer, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process and the chance to do something a little different with my artwork.

Posing with my artwork and one of the freshly-filled beer bottles at Lighthouse Brewery yesterday. As the "Small Brewery- Big Flavour" series continues to grow, the brewery will amass quite the collection of original artwork from local artists!

(If you look closely in the label background, you might recognize an actual nautical chart from the Oak Bay area.)

Yesterday, I was able to go to the brewery and see the bottles being filled and prepped for shipment to the liquor stores. (Yes– they are in the stores already and they were only filled yesterday morning!) It was pretty surreal to see all of the bottles (5000 in total) moving along the conveyor belts– all of them with my design on them! The team at Lighthouse was very excited yesterday as well. They are truly passionate about crafting specialty beers and also about supporting local artists in the process.

This machine slowly fills 50 bottles at a time. Once they are filled close to the top, they are machine-capped and sent to a different part of the conveyor belt to be cased.

Navigator Doppelbock on the conveyor belt

I had my first taste of the Doppelbock this evening after a long day of work, and I was happily surprised to discover that it tastes very similar to a Czech beer- delicious! Feedback on the beer so far has been extremely positive, so don’t wait too long to pick some up for yourself. Enjoy!

Thanks again to Lighthouse Brewery for this amazing opportunity!