Airline Radio

8"x12" oil on canvas panel ••• This piece is part of a loosely affiliated trio of paintings (see inset photo) that I purposely used a similar color palette on. I really do not know why I controlled my palette like that. All I know is that I was itching to paint the subjects, who had been idly sitting in the studio taking up space without helping pay for their keep. • Yes, I demand that all the... stuff (The Spousal Unit uses a different term for the items that make up the avalanche-waiting-to-happen in my studio) crammed into my studio pay for their existence in said space.

Posted November 4, 2015

Zenith K725 Mid Century Radio

4"x6" oil on masonite panel ••• This is the last of the mid century Zenith tube radio paintings I have for you. That does not mean that I will not paint more. It just means it will be the last for at least a good chunk of time (if ever), and that you have won a well-earned reprieve from my torturing you with them. • It looks like I have painted five Zeniths—that might be enough for this artist. (Evidence: See the little Zeniths above.)

Posted September 17, 2015

sold • private collection hays, ks

Zenith H615Y Mid Century Radio

4"x6" oil on masonite panel ••• There are a few of these mid century Zeniths hiding in plain view in the Mother Unit's garage. • Some of the old radios are pretty cool looking. But, as it is with most things, there are some that look so odd or downright ugly, that you wonder who on earth would have bought and displayed them in their home. Oh well, to each his own. • I thought this one looked pretty cool, so I tested it out as a possibility for membership in a series of three Zenith radio paintings. • By the way, the The Cityscape Show V over at the George Billis Gallery in Culver City is up for only a few more days (last day: August 22). I have three pieces in this show, so if you have not seen it, go and check it out while you can. (Particulars pasted in below.)

Posted August 19, 2015

sold • private collection ridgecrest, ca


The Cityscape Show V
July 18 - August 22, 2015
George Billis Gallery/LA
2716 S. La Cienega Boulevard / Los Angeles, CA 90034
310.838.3685 / la@georgebillis.com
Summer Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00am - 5:00pm

GE Clock Radio Red and Square(ish)

8"x12" oil on canvas panel ••• With this post, I put this series to rest. • I will not kid you or myself and commit to this being the last mid-century clock radio I will ever paint. Let's just say it is the last for a good, maybe long, while.

Posted June 18, 2015

sold • private collection irvine, ca

GE Clock Radio Pink

8"x12" oil on canvas panel ••• This painting is one in a series of six, three of which I have shown you before. In case you forgot, I have included the entire series below. • I told the story of how this series came about a few times this last weekend at the Beverly Hills Art Show. When I say a few times, I mean in the neighborhood of 3,000 times. Being the gas bag that I am, here is it once more. • Another "What the... I thought I posted this!" painting. Hopefully, you can forgive the mistake because I did post the smaller version of it and probably took it for granted that I showed you the larger one. When I type larger, I mean just a bit larger at 8"x12" in size. • I initially did three of these (white, green, and pink) hoping they would sell as a series. Then, somebody sabotaged me by purchasing the white Emerson, so I went ahead and painted the red GE to keep the trio (pink, green, and red) going and somebody bought all three together. I admit that it is gratifying that the trio will stay together to be enjoyed by somebody as a set. (See all four below.) 

Posted May 27, 2015

sold • private collection irvine, ca

GE Clock Radio Red and Square(ish)

4"x6" oil on door skin panel ••• Some of the details in these little paintings can be somewhat challenging. The grille in the middle of this old clock radio is a good example. It is a defining element, so I think it is necessary, but it is a royal pain in the neck. When confronted with this kind of widely varying dilemma, I usually fall back on one approach: Just dive in and do it. And, as further evidence of my insanity, make it even harder than it has to be. Here, I painted against form on the grille instead of just painting up and down in the same direction. • I think it was Jean Paul Sartre's right eye that said, "Easy? Who wants to live there?" Or was it maybe John Cleese using an outrageous French accent or, and this is more likely, was it one of the sage waiters down at The Pantry? I can't remember.

Posted March 26, 2015

sold • private collection calabasas, ca

Emerson Clock Radio

8"x12" oil on canvas panel ••• At about 9-inches wide, this is what would have been considered a small clock radio in its time. It is kind of small and weighs just about as much as a Sherman tank. No kidding (well, a little kidding). It seems that the manufacturer equated weight with perceived value. So, when confronted with a smallish radio they felt compelled to put a 200-pound lead weight in the bottom to lend heft and a sense of "You're still getting a lot for your money, mister." • Reminds me of when devious little Cub Scouts carve out the bottom of their pinewood derby cars and fill them with nuts and bolts to make them roll faster in the race. They somehow think that nobody is going to notice the little 7-inch car that once weighed 12-ounces now weighs more than the kid. Not that I ever did such a thing—I was a saint of a Cub Scout. (I used my Dad's tube of graphite powder to cheat.) • How the heck did I go from an old heavy clock radio to cheating at pinewood derbies? It must be all the paint fumes in here.

•••••••

The Beverly Hills Art Show

(http://beverlyhills.org/exploring/beverlyhillsartshow)
I will be showing my wares in space #139, that's in the first park between Rodeo and Beverly Boulevards. • Saturday & Sunday, October 18th & 19th (that's this coming weekend) / 10am to 5pm both days. • If you, like everybody else, are coming just to see The Spousal Unit, She will be holding court starting Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. Yes, I will be alone Saturday morning—unsupervised and probably getting into all sorts of trouble with the park rangers. They only tolerate me (i.e., don't tazer me) because they like Her. • If you are going to be on this side of the world, come and see me—the weather looks like it is going to be fine.

Posted October 13, 2014

sold • private collection beverly hills, ca

General Electric Clock Radio Pink

4"x6" oil on raymar panel • This wonderful mid-century clock radio has just enough angles to really tick me off. Not only does it lean backwards—the clock face at one angle and the radio face at another—it also has gently canted sides. Of course the sides are at a different slant than those of the inset clock. This pink baby has just enough wonderfully graceful mid-century, Jetsons-like angles to drive an artist absolutely mad. I love it. I liked the insanity so much that I am thinking of painting it again—a bit larger. • Oh, I almost forgot to walk Astro on the treadmill. That thing terrifies me—the treadmill, not Astro. Where's Elroy when you need him. Jane! Jane!
 
Posted August 6, 2014

sold • private collection marin, ca

Red Caps

6"x4" oil on raymar panel • I would say that there are—roughly speaking—about a million bottles in my studio. At least that is what if feels like. I keep them low in case an earthquake smites the studio. If an earthquake did hit and I was in the studio, with all the stuff in here, I would be dead anyway, so I do not really know why I keep the bottles down low. I can just see the  headline on page 22 of the local rag (that has only 16 pages): "Artist Killed by Vengeful Philco Radio!" I threw in the exclamation point just to make myself feel important. • These three, with their red caps, caught my eye one day, so here they are in oil paint.
  
Posted June 28, 2014

sold • private collection bradbury, ca

Little Red Radio (Emerson)

4"x6" oil on masonite panel • I thought we should take a break from the lollipop paintings. Just too much sugary goodness for me. • In an effort to avoid cavities, please find the above  little painting of a little red radio.
  
Posted June 16, 2014

sold • private collection malton, north yorkshire, uk
 

Westinghouse Clock Radio

8"x12" oil on canvas • I haven't shown you a clock radio in a while, let alone a green one, so here you are.  • There are three things I could talk about considering this painting. The first being how challenging it was to paint, in particularly my management of the values and colors. The second option would be to discuss how difficult it was to photograph (you know—my usual whine about wanting to kill my camera because it is secretly plotting against me). Or the last and obviously most important thing about this painting: Does this clock radio look like an owl? Being the sophisticate that I am, I vote for option number three: Does this look like an owl?
  
Posted May 27, 2014

sold • private collection irvine, ca

My General Electric Six Transistor Radio

6"x4" oil on raymar panel • Whilst I love my little radio, in reality, it is not so… intense. It is more of a subtly refined sophisticate. Me? Reality terrifies me and I am so far away from being sophisticated that it's pitiful. Good thing the radio is inanimate, because if it could, it would have surely walked out on me by now. •  Painting a subject like this really brings out the "let's throw the palette at the thing and see what sticks" mentality in me. It is just such a great format to push back and forth with my warms and my cools and test the intensities of my pigments (or rather my willingness to accept those intensities). Remember—reality terrifies me anyway.
 
Posted January 14, 2014

sold • private collection, northridge, ca

Supertone Transistor Radio

6"x4" oil on raymar panel • The first thought that pops into my little mind whenever I see a transistor radio is of those guys (yes, mostly guys) who used to listen to sports on these with those little white mono earphones. They would be walking along, all normal like (and yes, sometimes their pants were hemmed a bit too short), until their team would score and they would punch the air and shout like they were insane. Actually, I guess people still do it, just with much nicer earphones and much more expensive pants.
 
Posted October 8, 2013

sold • private collection marin, ca

Decca Clock Radio on Stripes

4"x6" oil on raymar panel • Here's a recipe for inducing madness in a still life artist: Take an object, pretty much any object, and then place it in front of a pattern. Stripes are simple, but they'll do in a pinch. Artists like me—the ones who cannot leave well enough alone—are particularly prone to such structurally induced lunacy. Oh yes, I could make a vain attempt at maintaining my sanity and just paint those innocent looking stripes flat; ignoring the light as it travels across them, changes temperature, and basically bounces around like a gypsy on acid. But what's the fun in that? I'll chase the light and risk the insanity.  •  This wonderful clock radio (I really emphasize the "wonderful" whilst speaking to The Spousal Unit) represents a solid falling off the wagon for me as far as eBay auctions are concerned. Yes, I admit it, I jumped back into the fray of strategic and brutal bidding and now must seek therapy to wean myself from my addiction (once again). Oh, and as you will see later this week, the institution has started allowing me back into the local thrift store. Thrift stores and ebay: The true Axis of Evil (for still life artists).
 
Posted September 17, 2013

sold • private collection taiwan

Zenith Consoltone Radio

4"x6" oil on raymar panel. • The full name of this radio is actually, "Zenith's Beautiful Consoltone (Yes, We Just Made That Word Up) 6D015, Six Tube (That's Totally Tubularly Awesome, Dude, and Can Really Bring in the Tunes) Mid-Century AM Radio That Will Rock Your World!"  Hey, that's what the manual said. All kidding aside, it is a beautiful piece of industrial design. I was first attracted to the wood version that I believe was designed by Ray and Charles Eames. Still haven't landed one of those, but I got my grimy little paws on this bakelite beauty. Even though I was raised in the electronics business, I do not think I really came to appreciate old radios and the like until I became a painter. The daily painting regimen really enhances your powers of observation—it is the constant hunt for subject matter* (an obsessive personality helps, but let's not talk about that)—and many of these older items are, quite frankly, gorgeous. They also can be very challenging to paint. This radio, in all of its mid-century glory, had me cussing and spitting a bit whilst I was painting it—and that's a good thing.

*If you want to know more about my reason for painting what I paint, go and read my atrocious "Artist Statement" on my website. Here is the link: www.raymondlogan.com/about.html
 
Posted August 6, 2013

sold • private collection lopez island, wa

Sony Six Transistor Pocket Radio

4"x6" oil on raymar panel. • Besides the plain moniker of transistor radio, these little radios were also known as pocket radios because they were small enough to fit in a breast pocket. They all came with a small earphone jack, so that you could plug in your little white earphone and quietly listen—in glorious mono—to a ball game or music whilst sitting in a boring class. That little cord hanging from your head meant either you were cool like a secret agent or there was a good game being broadcast or you were just plain ol' bored. And, if you were talking with nobody around, you were just considered insane. Now, if you have a cord hanging out of your ear and you're talking, people know you're just on the phone. (Though I still think it looks a little insane.)  •  Man, I feel old just typing that.

The Cityscape Show III at the George Billis Gallery/LA
(www.georgebillis.com/exhibitions1.html)
I will be exhibiting in this group show running from July 20th to August 31st. It looks like it will be a great show.  
The opening reception will be July 20th, from 5 to 8 PM, come on by and check it out.

George Billis Gallery/LA
2716 S. La Cienega Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90034
310.838.3685
la@georgebillis.com
 
Posted July 8, 2013

sold • private collection los angeles, ca

Global 9 Transistor Radio Red

10"x8" oil on canvas. • The internet and/or those beings who apparently control our access to it, hate me. Amazingly enough, I am at peace with that. My internet has been down for a while and I have finally been able to claw my way back. The ether can be a somewhat annoying place, so my forced hiatus did have its benefits. For example, not checking my FaceBook stuff for ten days was sheer bliss and having more time to yell at The Spawn did bring back a positive balance to the Force (Yes, I fight the Dark Side on a daily basis—you should thank me). I have nothing against FaceBook (at present), but the expectation to be constantly connected is somewhat unhealthy, in my humble opinion.  •  On another positive note: I will be in a group exhibition, The Cityscape Show III at the George Billis Gallery, LA (www.georgebillis.com/los-angeles.html). The show runs from July 20th to August 31st. It is a great gallery and I am happy for the opportunity.
Posted June 19, 2013

Temple Superhet Radio Red

4"x6" oil on raymar panel. • I was ready to unleash a wave of whining on you about photographing red and how painful it is to color correct, blah, blah, blah, when into the studio comes The Ever-Glorious and Radiant Spousal Unit with fresh baked peanut butter cookies. Who cares about color correction and the existence of an evil camera in your studio when you've got warm cookies at 9:30 am? This is what it means to be an adult. Not mortgages, annoying offspring, snarled traffic, cats pooping in your yard, etc. No. Being an adult means having hot cookies at any time of day (and bragging about it to your kids when you deny the same to them). So... Things are good... Here's a painting for you... Have a great day!
 
Posted April 19, 2013

sold • private collection beverly hills, ca

Telechron Musalarm Clock Radio

4"x6" oil on raymar panel. • As you can probably tell, I like old radios. Tube or transistor, wood or bakelite or plastic—I don't care as long as they look cool. This clock radio, fashioned in a kinda Mayan architectural style, caught my eye a while back. The brilliant idea was to include it in one of my still life landscapes, but for some reason the poor thing just sat there in my studio never being included in any of those paintings (probably because of its canted sides). Well, it just sat there staring at me—freaking me out a bit—so I thought I would give the funky thing its due and paint it. Here it is getting ready to be pushed off a cliff for constantly staring at me.

Posted March 1, 2013

sold • private collection washington, dc

Transistor Radio

6"x4" oil on raymar panel. • You have cause to celebrate—I have nothing to say. You are allowed to show your pleasure.

Posted February 12, 2013

sold • private collection indian rocks beach, fl