Envisioning my next paintings ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

You can see some expressions of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea on his website at www.3dssc.com.

I did some more yard work today. Our Comcast phones and internet were not working, so I waited for the service tech. He came in the afternoon and fixed everything. Then off for errands, envisioning my next paintings, and then this evening to the Arts Scene for some live music at the Wednesday night Coffee House event.

That's today's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso.

Studio time ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

You can see some expressions of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea on his website at www.3dssc.com.

I did some yard work before the rain came back. It rained quite a bit on Sunday and Monday, about 4 inches, and there was a lot of flooding. My mother-in-law is without electricity since Monday, and was told it would be 4 days until it is restored (because so few people in her area are without power it is low priority to them). Our land line phones by Comcast cable are out, although the cable TV and internet work. And it has been cold the last few days, highs in the mid-40's.

Now I'm off to my studio to paint.

That's today's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso.

Photographing my paintings ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Jay Rolfe finds he doesn't have proper lights to get a good photo of his paintings. He'll try again when the natural light is better. Maybe part of the problem is the printer, which isn't reproducing the colors accurately. And in my paintings color is very important, so having the printer accurately reproduce the colors is important.

I stretched some canvas earlier, and now I will go paint it.

That's today's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea on his website at www.3dssc.com.

"Stuff" before painting ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Jay Rolfe is about to start today's painting session, so this will be short. I've been busy doing paperwork and going to stores to get supplies this morning and early afternoon. I guess you call it "stuff." And they're all essential things so I can do the painting.


That's today's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at www.3dssc.com.

"Goodbye career, hello bliss" ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

In previous posts, Jay Rolfe forgot to mention the title of the article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, "Goodbye career, hello bliss." They really are creative headline writers, although it's also pretty accurate.

Today I've been painting and even went outside and cut some wood to use as a framework for another painting. It was cold, 43 degrees F. It wasn't ideal for working outside, but I finished before I got too cold.

It's been cold all weekend, so yesterday I built a fire in the fireplace and used the last of this winter's firewood. I also painted some yesterday evening after the family left.

That's today's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at www.3dssc.com.

More than a full page in one of the top 5 newspapers, the "Philadelphia Inquirer" ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Jay Rolfe needs to accept the fact that the article on him was more than a full page with 3 color photos in one of the top 5 newspapers in the country, the Philadelphia Inquirer! Wow, I'm excited! Thanks again Art Carey and Jonathan Wilson and your editors!

Today I'm painting. I'm repainting one of my new small ones that wasn't up to my standard. And I've started two new paintings, both round. We'll see how they work out, but I have a good feeling about them.

That's today's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at www.3dssc.com.

"Philadelphia Inquirer" article ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Wow! People have told me that the article in the Philadelphia Inquirer on Jay Rolfe appeared in all the editions, the New Jersey and Philadelphia editions as well as the Pennsylvania suburbs edition! Very cool! Again I'm grateful to and thank feature writer Art Carey and photographer Jonathan Wilson for doing such a great job.

It was March 27, 2006 when I first saw "The Secret." I envisioned great publicity for my art, and less than a year later I was being interviewed for the article that appeared several weeks later on Wednesday April 4, 2007. The power of envisioning and attracting what you want! In case you missed it, here's the link again. www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/chester/20070404_Goodbye_career__hello_bliss.html

Oops, I need to repaint part of one of my recent paintings because the paint doesn't look right at some angles in some lights. This is when its either good or bad being a perfectionist, depending on how you look at it.

That's the next step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at www.3dssc.com.

More painting ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Jay Rolfe painted some more yesterday after posting and believing he'd ended painting for the day. Here's a photo.

Today I painted for several hours before going to Common Ground Fellowship with my wife Randy Rolfe. When I came back, I painted some more. Here's another photo.

All these paintings are small versions of my huge 3DSSC paintings.

That's today's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

"Attraction" and pinking shears ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Newsflash - Jay Rolfe assembled and completed his latest painting titled "Attraction" this beautiful morning. It's made up of 5 separate stretched canvases. When properly assembled, they form a rather well-loved symbol. Here's a photo of the assembly process. And one of cleanup, yes, that's part of being an artist too. Especially with my studio in my home. And finally a photo of "Attraction."

As you probably noticed, I went wild with the camera this morning. I like my posts better when they have photos, so maybe you will too. I hope so.

Do you know what pinking shears are? Who would have thought I'd be using them. They're scissors that cut in a zig-zag line which prevents the fabric, in this case canvas, from unraveling. They're great for cutting odd shapes of canvas for stretching. Very useful. I've been cutting and stretching more canvas this morning for other paintings you'll see soon.

That's most of this morning's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Jay Rolfe: Stretching canvas ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Today was another beautiful day. We have a couple of crocuses blooming by our mailbox! On our walk this morning we noticed that some neighbors even had daffodils blooming.

I went out and bought supplies for more paintings, and then cut and stretched canvas. Tonight I plan to take off and relax with my wife Randy Rolfe (http://www.randyrolfe.com/).

This is today's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Jay Rolfe: My journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Yesterday Art Professor Virginia da Costa of West Chester University visited my studio and left a nice comment on yesterday's post on this blog. You can read it by clicking on the "comment" label at the bottom right.

I also talked some more with the reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer yesterday. Apparently it won't be long before the article appears.

Today I worked on a couple of new paintings while some of the ones I was working on get dry enough to take the next step. It is a beautiful warm day today - my thermometer says 81 degrees at 6:00 p.m. - so I did errands in the car with the top down and worked outside awhile.

This is today's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Jay Rolfe: Multiple projects ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Don't you just love the future Jay Rolfe's projecting for himself? I do!

In my earlier post today, I mentioned my "drying rack" which allows me to move work in progress aside so I can work on other things while the work in progress dries enough for the next step. This is a partial and temporary solution to my limited work space. Well, I bought another shelf today. Here's a photo of parts of four projects on the drying rack.

I got word today that the article I was interviewed for may appear tomorrow in the Philadelphia Inquirer. I'm excited.

This is the next step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Jay Rolfe: More painting ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Don't you just love the future Jay Rolfe's projecting for himself? I do!

On Thursday I took a step to solve part of my limited working space problem. I bought and assembled a set of shelves which I use as a drying rack to move wet paintings out of the way of other projects. It's working out well.

I painted a lot on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Friday night my wife Randy Rolfe (http://www.randyrolfe.com/) and I had dinner in Philadelphia at The Oceanaire Restaurant with a business associate of Randy's from out of town. We had fun. Then, for the first time in decades, I suffered from food poisoning. I had a rough middle of the night and Saturday morning. Then we visited out month old grandchild and our son and daughter-in-law. Then off to ballroom dancing, which we've done for more than a decade, with friends.

Sunday, yesterday, I painted before and after going to the open studio event of my fellow artist and friend Antonio Puri (http://www.antoniopuri.com/). We had fun seeing some new work and a lot of artist friends.

This is the next step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Jay Rolfe: What colors? ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Don't you just love the future Jay Rolfe's projecting for himself? I do!

Today I'm struggling with the colors to use on one of my new paintings. I can't decide yet. I do know what to do - I have to turn it over to the universal power and attract and listen for the answer. I often get ideas while driving my car, which I usually find relaxing. Since I'm driving to Philadelphia with my wife Randy Rolfe (http://www.randyrolfe.com/) for a dinner event tonight, I'll have plenty of time in the car. How much time I'll have to think I don't know, as Randy and I usually have lively discussions on our car trips.

I'm also lining up other artists on short notice - deadline approaching - to speak to the reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer about my painting.

This is today's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Jay Rolfe: Painting ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Don't you just love the future Jay Rolfe's projecting for himself? I do!

I spent yesterday gathering materials, stretching some canvases, gessoing or priming a raw canvas, and painting. Today has been more gessoing and painting. Here's a photo of me working today.

Later today I'll paint some more. Now it's time for a break.

This is the next step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Jay Rolfe: Photo Shoot, New Paintings ... my journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso

Don't you just love the future Jay Rolfe's projecting for himself? I do!

I've started two new paintings, large ones. The titles are "The Secret" and "Law of Attraction." I'll keep you posted on my progress.

I just finished a two hour photo shoot with a very accomplished photographer from the Philadelphia Inquirer for photos to accompany the feature article I was interviewed for last week. He likes my paintings and wants to get everything right as a photographer (he was a painting major in art school). He asked for paint swatches so the lab could be sure to get the colors right, so I got out a piece of canvas and lots of jars of paint and gave him samples! How's that for a photographer's dedication to his art! I was impressed.

This is today's step on the journey of Jay Rolfe From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You can see some expressions of my unique artistic idea on my website at http://www.3dssc.com/.