Mark your calendars for March 12th Friday 2010. A lot of friends and patrons have been asking when is the best time to stop by to take a peak at what I am currently working on so I decided that it would be easiest to hold an open studio every Friday night.

This will be a very informal relaxing time to drink a glass of wine and talk art. I have also heard from a bunch of you that you would be interested in talking some painting classes here,  so I will have a sign up sheet and we can discuss what days work best for everyone.

Who: Artsit Sam Roloff
What: Open Studio & Wine Tasting
When: 2 to 8pm Every Friday, This Friday is the first of many to come.
Where: 10345 NW Flotoma Drive Portland Oregon 97229

This is a great Portland event for artists and patrons, for artist we open our studios to the public to see what we do, for the public they buy a map that has the locations of all the studios and for two weekends they can visit any or all of the studios they want.

Artist apply here, http://www.portlandopenstudios.com/apply.html

medium: Oil on Canvas
size: 18 x 24
date: 2010

This is the painting that was worked on while at the Urban Grind Coffee House. I really love what everyone done on this. It was a perfect "trial" for the next one. I will keep you posted on the progress.

medium: Oil on Canvas
size: 6 x 4 feet
date: 2010

"Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend are found guilty in Italy of murdering British student Meredith Kercher in 2007."

Later this year you will be invited to a be an artist for the night. My latest painting, “Amanda Knox” will be worked on by anyone who shows up. Is she guilty or innocent? Speak your mind on the canvas! The underpainting is nearly done and now only you can help finish it in true “Back-Story Underpainting” fashion.

This Friday you can come and view the painting before she goes back into the studio for more work. Once she is done then the Ransom note will be sent out. Once this is sent there will be a countdown to the defacing of the painting if the ransom is not met. The defacing consist of letting anyone write whatever they like ontop of the painting before I add the final layers hiding the peice forever. There will be a book with photos so that the process is well documented.

Come to Urban Grind Coffeehouse (off Sandy Blvd and 22nd) 2214 NE Oregon St. Portland OR 97232, Friday Feb 5th, 5 -7 pm and see the piece before the capture and ransom begin.

medium: Oil on Linen
size: 48 x 72 inches
date: 2009-2010

This painting was started the day after my birthday, so go figure on the title of the piece.

medium: Oil on Canvas
size: 30 x 40 inches
date: 2010

I was approached by The Olanders to paint a painting that would have their “Back-Story” within the layers of the piece. The original commission was for one large 6 x 4 foot painting, so I decided to do two paintings so that they could then choose which one they liked better. The one shown is the second of the two.

The stretcher bars were crafted by hand from a master wood builder, Erik Sorensen. The material that was stretched over the wood was bed sheet linen because of its fine quality and approximant size to an actual bed, keeping consistent with the “Love Story” theme. From here on the canvas would be seen as a bed as well as a blank canvas.

This one was less literal than the first one. This one started with cans of enamel paint from “Miller Paint” the paint was then dripped on with a brush in the same fashion as Jackson Pollack. Later I added the words “Nike” because the husband of the client works for Nike and I knew this is a large part of their life.

The swan represents the natural beauty of women while the goat symbolizes man and his rough exterior. The two together, share a timeless love story much like The Beauty and the Beast. The date 1967 which is the birth year of the clients and the artist is also the summer of love, so the date fits perfectly within the theme.

medium: Oil on Linen
size: 6 x 4 feet
date: 2009-2010