Mery Christmas from Dixie!

I want to take the time to wish everyone a blessed Holiday Season... may the light of the season shine on you and warm your heart. Talk to ya'll next year!
Bernie

Painting again!

The Holiday Break between semesters has forded me some brush wielding time... I must say it feels quite good to put paint to canvas again! Here are a few recent works...

Felt great to pick up a brush...

It felt great to pick up a brush this week instead of a calculator... Here's a small one I painted as a Christmas gift...

Had a great time plein air painting in Downtown Wilmington!

Bernie on the docks of the
Wilmington waterfront.

A few weekends ago I participated in the International Plein Air Painters (IPAP) 9th annual Worldwide Paint Out. Simply put... plein air artists from all over the world agree to paint on the same weekend to promote the tradition of plein air painting all over the globe. Most of the Eastern North Carolina artists decided to converge on historical Wilmington as our source of inspiration. I painted with several of my pards from the Onslow Outdoor Painters Society (OOPS) plus had the privilege of painting with dear friend, Brenda Behr. Check out Brenda's ponderings and paintings from the weekend HERE.

It was my first real plein air adventure this summer... my brand new French half easel was screaming for attention... I have been spending most of my time with T.S. Eliot, Langston Hughes, John Cheever, radicals, radicands, polynomials, Mendel, Eukaryotes, Genotypes, and Darwin this summer. Full time college and work leaves little time for painting... however, in the absence of painting... Eliot, Hughes, and Cheever have kept me sane... can't say to much for the others... back to the plein air weekend...

I worked on three paintings Saturday (which still need finishing touches) and had a great time sharing time with artist friends, talking to the public, and enjoying the beautiful weather and scenery of Wilmington. I spent the evening pub hopping with my son-in-law and friends which can all attest to the fact that I  paint better than I play pool!

Sunday morning I got up bright and early and decided to set up along the downtown waterfront. It was the 10th anniversary of 911 and I wanted to paint something patriotic so I zeroed in on the USS North Carolina Battleship just across the Cape Fear River. 2011 marks the 50th Anniversary of the ship's arrival in Wilmington. I turned 50 this summer and have included a photo of me. mom, and dad on the Battleship when I was just a baby.

Mom, baby-Bernie, and Dad at the
USS North Carolina Battleship in 1962.

My painting of the battleship seemed to click from the beginning and I was in a pretty good grove when I met the coolest man from Sweden... Anders Persson. We talked and he explained how he and his wife, Marie, had just visited the battleship yesterday and were interested in American history.

My plein air painting of the battleship.
9-11-11.

Marie and Anders Persson from Sweden.

Anders bought the painting on the spot saying he wished to take a piece of American history back to Sweden with them. I agreed to the sale under a couple conditions... he let me (#1) add the finishing touches and (#2) he and his wife visit with me awhile. I explained that I wanted them to spend a half hour talking to a regular Joe American so they wouldn't think Lindsay Lohan was the American norm! We had a great visit and I learned some interesting things about Sweden. This was very cool since my wife's great-grandfather was from Sweden. The patronage and visit from Anders and Marie were a double blessing for me and I count this among one of my favorite plein air stories!

Marie and Bernie.

Anders and Bernie.

Can't wait for some PLEIN air FUN with my OOPS pards on the 28th!



OOPS August Paint Out date... Aug. 28, 2011.

WHAT: OOPS! August 2011 Paint Out

WHEN: Sunday, August 28, 2011 from 1pm (or earlier) until...

WHERE: Trent River Boat Access, Pollocksville, NC (on Highway 17N just before the Trent River Bridge turn right into public access area on the river.... shelter and restrooms available.)

NOTE FROM PATSY (Paint Out Organizer):

Let’s plan for August 28th. Maybe ask everyone if they’d like to have a little picnic afterwards, since there really is nowhere there to eat. There is only one restaurant there and it is closed on Sundays to the best of my knowledge. We could each bring a little something to share or bring our own individual brown-bag meals. Just need to let me know the count, and I’ll try to have water like Dean did last time since the weather is so hot. I haven’t been to Pollocksville yet, but will do so this week most likely Tuesday. The wildlife area is a right turn just before the bridge there in Pollocksville. I believe there is plenty of parking, and there is a covered picnic area with 2-4 tables. Not far from it is T-shaped pier and there are a few large shade trees in the parking lot. It’s not a large area, but I believe large enough to accommodate us.

Patsy

WHY: SOME LIKE IT HOT!!!! Simply put... we LOVE gathering with like minded artists and painting outdoors!

Newbies welcome... all mediums and skill levels... simply show up with your gear and be prepared to have fun! No worries... there are NO art-snobs in our group!

What the heck is OOPS and how do I join the FUN?

Pollocksville, NC on HWY 17N

Turn Right here... just before you cross the bridge over the Trent River at the old train depot.

Plenty of docks and decks to paint from with views of the river.

Plenty of shade!

Shelter with picnic tables.

Just in case!

 

"Afternoon Burst" by Bernie Rosage Jr.

Afternoon Burst
22x32x1.5" oil on panel
Bernie Rosage Jr
2011

It's been a tough summer for painting...

My jealous paint box has been screaming for attention! Seems I've been spending to much time with T.S. Eliot, Langston Hughes, John Cheever, radicals, radicands, polynomials, Mendel, Eukaryotes, Genotypes, and Darwin this summer. Can't wait for this semester to end! However, in the absence of painting... Eliot, Hughes, and Cheever have kept me sane... can't say to much for the others... :)

Bernie

Two weeks left to see the "Life, Light, and Pigment" Exhibit by Bernie Rosage Jr.



"Morning Has Broken"
by Bernie Rosage Jr
24"x48"x1.5" oil on panel
2011

Close up

“Life, Light, and Pigment”
June 5 - July 29, 2011

Baysden Gallery ~ Council for the Arts
826 New Bridge Street
Jacksonville, North Carolina 28540
910-455-9840

“Life, Light, and Pigment” is a collection of oil and acrylic paintings from the past two years by artist, Bernie Rosage Jr. Most of the 40 paintings in the exhibit were painted from life, either in the studio or on location en plein aire. “Painting from direct observation really hones the artist’s skills and develops the art of seeing”, states Rosage. The exhibit also shows how Rosages’ work has evolved over a two year span. “I have moved beyond just capturing what my subject looks like to something deeper”… “I am striving for the divine and sublime as I paint now”, added Rosage. Bringing everyday objects to life in fresh and artistic ways by capturing light, mood, and atmosphere are goals he is consciously and consistently achieving.

"Life, Light, and Pigment" video...

"Old World"... “Life, Light, and Pigment” Exhibit thru July 29th.

"Old World" by Bernie Rosage Jr.
32x17.25x1.5" Oil on Panel
2011

“Life, Light, and Pigment”
June 5 - July 29, 2011

Baysden Gallery ~ Council for the Arts
826 New Bridge Street
Jacksonville, North Carolina 28540
910-455-9840

“Life, Light, and Pigment” is a collection of oil and acrylic paintings from the past two years by artist, Bernie Rosage Jr. Most of the 40 paintings in the exhibit were painted from life, either in the studio or on location en plein aire. “Painting from direct observation really hones the artist’s skills and develops the art of seeing”, states Rosage. The exhibit also shows how Rosages’ work has evolved over a two year span. “I have moved beyond just capturing what my subject looks like to something deeper”… “I am striving for the divine and sublime as I paint now”, added Rosage. Bringing everyday objects to life in fresh and artistic ways by capturing light, mood, and atmosphere are goals he is consciously and consistently achieving.

100% Cotton... "Life, Light, and Pigment" Exhibit thru July 29th

100% Cotton by Bernie Rosage Jr
22x32" oil on panel
2011

“Life, Light, and Pigment”
June 5 - July 29, 2011

Baysden Gallery ~ Council for the Arts
826 New Bridge Street
Jacksonville, North Carolina 28540
910-455-9840

“Life, Light, and Pigment” is a collection of oil and acrylic paintings from the past two years by artist, Bernie Rosage Jr. Most of the 40 paintings in the exhibit were painted from life, either in the studio or on location en plein aire. “Painting from direct observation really hones the artist’s skills and develops the art of seeing”, states Rosage. The exhibit also shows how Rosages’ work has evolved over a two year span. “I have moved beyond just capturing what my subject looks like to something deeper”… “I am striving for the divine and sublime as I paint now”, added Rosage. Bringing everyday objects to life in fresh and artistic ways by capturing light, mood, and atmosphere are goals he is consciously and consistently achieving.

What a NOVEL idea!

Last August I received this email from Paul Ferris, an author from the UK...

Ha' penny Bridge, Dublin, Ireland..
16x20" oil on stretched canvas 
Bernie Rosage Jr., 2009.

Dear Bernie,

I am in the process of having my first novel published. I came across your painting of Half'penny Bridge on the internet and would like to consider using the image as the front cover of the book. Please could you let me know if this is acceptable to you? The novel is entitled 'An Irish Heartbeat' and contains a lengthy passage between the two main characters (Cormac and Bernadette) which takes place on the bridge. Thank you for your consideration of this request and good luck with your excellent work.

Kind Regards,
Paul Ferris

Today I was pleasantly surprised by a package that arrived for me... when I opened it I found a signed copy of Paul Ferris' new novel An Irish Heartbeat... with my painting as the cover! I can't wait to read it!

An Irish Heartbeat
by Paul Ferris

Inside flyleaf...

An Irish Heartbeat
by Paul Ferris
ISBN 978-1-907652-26-4

From gallery walls, to wine bottles, to book covers... I'm thankful and humbled.
Thanks Paul for the gift and pleasant surprise!
Bernie

Bernie Rosage finds purpose, peace in painting... Recent Interview reveals Bernie's purpose for painting...

Bernie Rosage Jr., artist
Photo by John Althouse

Bernie Rosage finds purpose, peace in painting...
May 29, 2011

Article by ANIESA HOLMES, Jacksonville Daily News

With each stroke of a brush, Bernie Rosage, Jr. learns that his painting is evolving, both in technique and in purpose.


That purpose is to help make a difference in the lives of others.


With more than 600 pieces of art in his working portfolio, Rosage will present 40 for public viewing during “Life, Light and Pigment,” his second solo art exhibit hosted by The Council for the Arts through June and July.


The exhibit officially opens with a reception on June 5 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. with the opportunity to meet Rosage and purchase paintings until July 29. Proceeds from each sale will benefit the support other local artists through the Council for the Arts and benefit local families affected by the April 16 tornado through Operation B-4.

The Onslow County native often finds country roads, marshlands, barns and water — from Onslow County to Ireland — the subject of his work, attracted to their hues and shapes.

“Bernie is doing new paintings new subject matter and going different,” said Connie Wenner, executive director for the Council for the Arts. “As an artist you want your art to be out there. It’s not an inexpensive deal being an artist to give up 50 percent of his painting price ... I think it’s a wonderful thing he's doing for a worthy cause.”

“Life, Light and Pigment” is a collection of oil and acrylic paintings from the past two years. Most of the paintings in the exhibit were painted from life, either in the studio or on location en plein air. Rosage believes in bringing everyday objects to life in fresh and artistic ways by capturing light, mood and atmosphere.


“Most came from painting direct observations from life — still object or landscapes — and I love the way light plays on things and I like pigments naturally because they are paintings,” Rosage said. “Painting is my passion … as my paintings evolve in style I try to go beyond just what something looks like from observing it to something deeper, maybe sublime or divine.”

Rosage has dedicated several years to promoting art in the community through participating in local art shows and interacting with other artists to create a network of resources for those who are interested in finding their own passion for art. His first amateur exhibit featured scribbles of crayon on the walls of his bedroom as a young boy. It was a skill that was passed down from his father, but Rosage didn’t fully embrace painting until he became a teenager. He describes his training in art as being “self motivated to be taught.”

“My actual first public display was in 1979 in the Council for Arts for the high school student show … It was a painting of a sunset,” Rosage said. “I mostly do landscapes because there's something that draws me to them, there's peace, there's beauty.”

Since 2004, Rosage has split time between full time painting and working in his family’s business, Audio Plus in Jacksonville. In 2007, Rosage helped to create the Onslow Outdoor Painting Society, or OOPS. The group allows artists to gather once a month and set up easels outside to paint their own renditions of local sceneries.

“We’re in our fourth year now and that has brought some great friendships into my life and my art has grown since then from being around artists and talking to them about where my art has gone,” he said.

He and fellow artists Stephen Greer, Mitchell Morton and Dean Remington have formed a unique bond through painting in OOPS and every other Monday night to paint still paintings of objects. Rosage has found a deeper connections and stronger motivations for painting after the tornado that devastated communities in Jacksonville on April 16. After learning of the Operation B-4, a group of Onslow County Residents who teamed up to raise money for families affected by the tornado, he wondered how he could become a part of their efforts.

“That tornado was one mile from hitting my house, so one mile difference means that I would be depending on someone helping me,” Rosage said. “What I like is that they're keeping the money here to help the people in our hometown and I hope they raise a lot of money.”


Rosage said that it was a recent church sermon that inspired him to turn his art show into a charity event to help his neighbors rebuild after the storm.

“When I'm out painting landscapes I'm savoring God's creation firsthand,” Rosage said. “They have been doing a series at my church called ‘Dare to be Great’ and the idea of giving profits away to a worthy cause didn't enter my mind because this is how I make my living. But I felt inspired to do something for the tornado victims and the B-4 project appealed to me.”

Rosage has also set his sights on a new way to give back to his community through education. He just finished his first year teaching certification at Coastal Carolina Community College and currently taking online courses to earn his bachelor’s degree in education at East Carolina University.


“I just started college at age 49 to become an art teacher because teaching and art are both my passions. I like to encourage young artists to stick to it because art is so valuable to our society and to individuals,” Rosage said.

After decades of growing, exploring and discovering new paths in his artistic career, Rosage said that mastering the skill of painting cannot be achieved by a certain age, but continues throughout the life of an artist.

“My goal by the time I was 50 was to become a master painter. I'll be 50 in August,” Rosage said. “Now that has switched to being a painter for the Master. I don't know if I'll ever master painting, but I can make differences through my work if I'm doing it for the right reasons.”

Read the whole Daily News article HERE...


WANT TO GO? The “Life, Light and Pigment,” art exhibit featuring Bernie Rosage, Jr. will be hosted by The Council for the Arts in June and July. The exhibit will officially open with a reception on June 5 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. For more information, call 910-455-9840.

Click HERE to go to First Baptist Church's website... from there click the JAXCAST link at top and look for the "Dare to be Great" podcast sermons by Pastor Jason Brinker. You can download them as a mp3 podcast or video for FREE!

This is COOL... "Brain scans reveal the power of art"




"A Mother's Love"
7x5" oil on panel
Bernie Rosage jr.

Key points from a recent article about how brain scans reveal the power of art!

• Works of art can give as much joy as being head over heels in love, according to a new scientific study.
• The artworks they considered most beautiful increased blood flow in a certain part of the brain by as much as 10 per cent – the equivalent to gazing at a loved one. 
• "What we found is when you look at art – whether it is a landscape, a still life, an abstract or a portrait – there is strong activity in that part of the brain related to pleasure.  

Click the link to read the whole article...  Brain scans reveal the power of art

The Octagon House

Check out my Art Appreciation Project: The Octagon House

Olivia and I plein air painted at the Octagon House in Cedar Point last October.



Bernie plein air painting at the Octagon House
October 2010.



Bernie's painting from that day... "View from the Octagon House".



Olivia painting the view from the Octagon House.
October 2010.

Olivia, Tami, and Raye Raye taking a stroll on the grounds at the Octagon House.
April 2011.

A Journey through the Passion Week of Christ in Art...

Jesus Christ has been a central figure in art for centuries. Artist... past and present... known and unknown... have captured the Passion of Christ in their artwork. This video celebrates that and is set to the music "King of Glory" by Third Day. A special thanks and credit to the following artists: El Greco, Caravaggio, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Titian, Reuben's, Leonardo DaVinci, Rembrandt, Ben Long, Lynn Phillips, Larry Seiler, Morgan Weistling, Bernie Rosage Jr., and several unknown artists.



The Passion of Christ in Art

The message of the Passion Week is timeless and priceless... it shows us "there is no greater love" than the love showed that week over two thousand years ago... "it is finished... the debt has been paid"...
May you and yours have a blessed Easter Holiday...
Bernie

Bernie interviewed by the Durham Independent Weekly concerning Arts Day 2011...

Letters from Mrs Hobbs Art Society
students at Carolina Forest Elementary
Click on image to enlarge

Connie Wenner, Stephen Greer, and I were interviewed by Byron Woods of the Independent Weekly concerning Arts Day 2011, the cutbacks, and visit with our (rather rude) Onslow County Representative George Cleveland. The two images are letters to Mr. Cleveland from Onslow County 5th grade art students in Mrs Hobbs art class at Carolina Forest Elementary.

Click HERE to read the article...

Letter from Mrs Hobbs Art Society
students at Carolina Forest Elementary,
Jacksonville, NC

Click on image to enlarge

ARTS DAY 2011... Do you want the good news first?



Council for the Arts representatives:
Brenda Johnson, Stephen Greer,
Connie Wenner, Bernie Rosage Jr.,
and Doug Parker.



I attended Arts Day 2011 last Tuesday in Raleigh, NC. I attended with fellow members of the board of the Council for the Arts as representatives from Onslow County. The event is organized and lead by ARTS North Carolina, a statewide advocacy organization for the arts. ARTS NC calls for equity and access for the arts for all North Carolinians, unifies and connects North Carolina's arts communities, and fosters arts leadership. The day is filled with key note speakers, arts advocacy materials and training, plus speaking with government officials to exemplify the importance of the arts on our economy, education, and well being. The event is a yearly Legislative event that organizes and facilitates Grassroots Advocacy... the main source of arts funding for Onslow (and most NC counties) County.



Karen Wells
Executive Director of ARTS NC



Most people have the misconception that government funding of arts means their hard-earned tax dollars are going straight to some hippie busker playing an acoustic guitar on the street corner, or an artist whose goal is to shock the world with crayon masterpieces, or the photographer whose wants to stretch the boundaries of censorship but the truth of the matter is that art is a investment.  Like most investments, there are some risks and some returns are greater than others but investing in the arts is a sound venture with overall paybacks too consistent to ignore.  When our tax dollars are used to fund the arts they provide direct economic benefits to states and communities, they create jobs, attract investments, generate tax revenues, and stimulate local economies through tourism and consumer purchases. A robust arts industry prepares our children for the 21st century, and fills our lives with discovery and learning. Government funding is a crucial element in maintaining the arts industry even in tough economic times.  After all, the arts are not part of the recession; they are part of the recovery. Pablo Picasso was on to something when he said, "Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life".

Jazz singer and NC resident,
Nnenna Freelon

On a positive note: I got to spend the day with some great friends plus meet a ton of people passionate about the arts! I got to hear inspiring stories by several speakers including the golden voice of jazz singer and NC resident, Nnenna Freelon. We had the pleasure of meeting Onslow County Representative Phil Shepard. He was kind enough to meet with several members of our group without an appointment. He even invited us to lunch but we had to decline as our lunch was already provided by ARTS NC.


On a negative note: Our meeting with Onslow County Representative George Cleveland was cut short from the fifteen minutes scheduled to a whopping three minutes. Our appointment with him was disappointing to say the least as his mind seemed elsewhere. The main disappointment was the 23% cut in funding of the grass roots art grants that will directly effect us here in Onslow County.





NC Legislature Building
Raleigh, NC

 

Plein air painting at the Beirut Memorial...

I had a great time painting last Sunday with plein air friends in the OOPS group at he Beirut Memorial.


Bernie at the Beirut Memorial, April 10, 2011.



Olivia taking her new BFF, Raye Raye, out for a stroll.