#100 - 40th & Pleasant S.

#100 - 40th & Pleasant S. -8x10 oil on panel

Here it is, #100!
This last one is the same location as the first. Here's #1 for reference: https://100alleys.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-first-one.html
Knowing that I was going to finish this project up this year, this last one was done from a photo earlier in the year when we were getting hit with one snowstorm after another. I wanted it to share the same winter evening setting as number one. In the years between, the owner of the blue garage tore down the old one and built this big new one.
   Many things have changed in the time it took to do all 100. As I've said to many who asked, this took MUCH longer than I thought it would. When I set out to do this, I thought it would maybe take a year or so. Here I am 7 years later. As I settled into these, I realized I wanted to do something more than mostly sketches. I started trying out different mediums, experimenting with mono-type prints, digital paintings, and started doing small acrylic and gouache paintings, but over time they got bigger as I switched over to oil paint. This whole project turned out to be a big education to me. I literally re-learned how to paint. I took a deep dive into landscape, plein air, and still life painting. I obsessively dug into oil painting techniques. I spent most of my time searching out books and videos, endlessly reading blogs of painters I admired, and practicing, practicing, practicing all the time. It was a bit like a self study graduate course. All that effort completely changed how I look at and approach all the work I do now. And after all of it, I feel like I've only scratched the surface.
   I'd really like to thank everyone that followed along and supported this! I had hoped to do something interesting and maybe sell a painting or three along the way. I didn't think it would have a whole life of it's own. About one third of these were small sketches that I've kept. There were a handful of prints (monotype, block cut, and digital) that are all gone now, but the rest were paintings. Of the nearly 70 of those, there are only a handful left currently hanging at The Coffee Shop NE through Dec. 15th 2019. I had some vague plan of doing a show with all the paintings, but I didn't expect it to take so long, or for them to be so popular along the way, so it was nice that The Coffee Shop NE was able to get me on their schedule to hang the last of these. It was the second place I ever hung the alleys (the first place is long gone).
   It's really nice that so many folks connected with these. I enjoyed talking to everyone about them. Often, I'd post one here and on FB, etc. and almost instantly get an offer to purchase it. I've even shipped a number of them out around the country to Minnesotans living elsewhere. A few nice people have more than one. I just met with a someone this weekend who bought #99 - he has five alley paintings!  (and a still life - thanks Tom!). Over the course of it, the project was featured in the local paper, I was asked to sit on an alley themed discussion panel a couple years ago, and I was invited to a local podcast. I still haven't done the podcast - too shy I guess. And as much as I've learned about Minneapolis' alleys, I don't feel like I have any deeper insight. In the end, I still feel like I did at the beginning,they still catch my attention, and I can't help but to slow and check them out. From the post for alley #1, " I've always liked the alleys in the Twin Cities.  They're far more interesting than the streets out in front of the houses." It's still as simple as that, I guess.

Thanks again everyone!!!
-John

#99 - Lowry & Central NE

#99 - Lowry & Central NE
11x14 - oil on panel

Well, it's been a while, but here's number 99! ....almost done.
This alley caught my eye when we were up in NE Mpls. one late fall evening. I'm not sure
which business this is the back of, but the light was great. It was that time of evening
just past sunset and not fully dark.
This one will be hanging and available at The Coffee Shop NE Nov. 14th through Dec. 15th.
Number 100 will also be there, but you have to visit to see it before the everyone else....I'll share that one here in a couple weeks. The Coffee Shop NE will be featuring the alleys in what may likely be the last full grouping of the remaining alley paintings. Get yourself over there and check them out!

#98 - NE 12th Ave. & Lincoln St. NE

#98 - NE 12th Ave. & Lincoln St. NE - 11x14 - oil on panel

Another one of those somewhat rare gravel alleys that I found and
also another that has been on the to-do list for a long time.

#96 - 38th & Chicago Ave. S.

#96 - 38th & Chicago Ave. S. 24"x36" oil on canvas
I cut loose with the thick and juicy paint this time.

We had quite a winter here in the Twin Cities.
This alley seemed like a good representative.

#94 - East 31st Street Near Portland Avenue South

#94 - East 31st Street Near Portland Avenue South
20"x24" oil on canvas
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It was nice to get back to these. I didn't force myself to try anything unusual, or add any restrictions, so it was enjoyable to just art for the enjoyment. And yep, that's a dinosaur head on the back of that truck. I drove past this in the early fall and had to make a run around the block so I could snap some pictures. The garage and truck are equally interesting. I have a feeling some creative types live there.

#90 - 1st Near 4th St. N.

1st Near 4th St. N.
6"x6" oil on panel
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This small one is from a photo my friend Mike sent me a while back.
Up to this point I haven't used any photos that I didn't take, but this one
stuck with me. I kept it as a reminder to check this location because
I liked the look of it. It has an eerie, lonely quality. I had some time one
afternoon between things recently and just went ahead and painted this one
from the photo I had.

#89 - NE 15th Ave & Washington St NE

#89 - NE 15th Ave. & Washington St. NE
18x24 oil on canvas
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I haven't done one of these at this size in a while. I spent a little extra time
experimenting with it, trying a few things that I've picked up along
way doing smaller alla prima and plein air work.

#87 - N. 2nd St. & 22nd Ave. N.

#87 - N. 2nd St. & 22nd Ave. N.
8x10 oil on panel
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Happy New Year.
It's been a while! Apologies to anyone following along.
I haven't given up - just had a very, very busy couple months.
The holidays and a pile of work kept me away from alleys for
Nov. & Dec. I had plans to finish the 100 up last year. Really, I did.
All the best laid plans...etc.
It's nice to get back to these.

#86 - North 16th Avenue & Irving Avenue North

100 Alleys #86 - North 16th Avenue & Irving Avenue North
12x9 acrylic and pencil on Strathmore Mixed Media paper

I've been revisiting limited color schemes again. I really like
the mood it gives depending on the group of colors.
And it's a reminder not to get too stuck in any one way of doing things.

Strathmore Mixed Media paper.....
I don't usually mention specific supplies, because who really cares...
but man I like that stuff!
This one does what I need, when I need to do it on paper.
/geek

#85 - North 10th Ave. Between 3rd & 4th St. North

#85 - North 10th Ave. Between 3rd & 4th St. North
9x12  oil on board

This was an experiment.  The goal was to do the drawing at the location and paint it back here from memory as much as possible. With the exception of a couple adjustments later, I was able to do what I set out to. It gave me a lot to think about with regards to what's essential and what I can do with it.

#84 - Marquette Between 9th & 10th Streets

#84 - Marquette Between 9th & 10th Streets - 8x6 oil on panel
One Friday at the beginning of August I decided to walk from my house to downtown Minneapolis and paint an alley picture, so I packed up a small kit and set out late morning. The Uptown art fair was starting that day and I sidetracked there to visit a few friends. I made it downtown by early afternoon and searched out some alleys that I had in mind. After looking at a few, this one seemed the right choice for the day. If you live in the cities, you may be familiar with the larger view. The reverse view is a parking lot and if you were to back up, the building on the right is the old Schmitt Music with the music note mural. The alley itself is pretty small. There's only enough room for one service vehicle at a time. People taking breaks were standing in doorways and up against small support walls that jut out. I used the large pipes running along the right side to lean on. They're about elbow height for me and extend to just inside the end of the alley. I did a couple thumbnails to start, then set up my small panel and modified cigar box on the pipes. I was able to get the scene drawn in and the shadows established. After a couple vehicles came through for extended periods and I was jostled enough by people trying to get around me, I decided I had enough info to take it back and finish that evening. I did enjoy the day though and it was a great hike around the city. I'm tempted to go back and do a longer view of this one, catching some of the buildings and parking lot outside this alley.
So many good alleys....

#82 - 13th Ave. NE & NE 2nd St.

#82 - 13th Ave. NE & NE 2nd St.
7"x5" oil on panel

With less than twenty alleys left, I plan to try and push myself more toward simplification, design, and abstraction. More and more, I'm drawn toward mystery - things left unsaid. This alley was a great opportunity for that, with the back lighting and the big shapes. I left out all the little details and just let the paint do the work.

#81 - East 57th Street & Elliot Avenue South

#81 - East 57th Street & Elliot Avenue South
8"x6" oil on panel
(sold)
This alley was commissioned by the family member of a friend as a gift to his sister.
I was asked in late March or early April, but I wanted to wait a few weeks until the trees started greening up. I was really hoping for some sun, but those weeks were cold, grey, and rainy. There were *finally* a few sunny days in early May and after all that rain the trees were green enough that I was able to get what I had in mind.

#80 - Portland & S. 9th St.

#80 - Portland & S. 9th St.
12"x16" oil on panel (sold)

This March and April seemed endlessly cold and grey.  I've been looking forward to getting outside again. This one was from last fall while looking for interesting alleys. I started it then, but set it aside and finally finished it last month. Sometimes I run into complications that take time to resolve. Sometimes they never do. I'm glad this one did.
Apologies for the glare. I didn't notice until I went through the photos. This painting is currently hanging at Butter Bakery Cafe for the months of May & June. If I get a chance, I'll take a new photo of it later.

#79 - Minnehaha & East 34th Street

#79 - Minnehaha & East 34th St.
6x8-oil on panel
(sold)
This was from the snow fall we had here in Minneapolis a few weeks back.
It's looking like that will have been the last snow of the 2016/17 winter.

#77 - East Lake St. & 30th Ave. S.

#77 - East Lake St. & 30th Ave. S.
8"x10" oil on panel
(sold)
A warm late afternoon/early evening in Southeast Minneapolis.
We are in the middle of a winter deep freeze as I post this.
Needless to say, I'm looking forward to warmer days.

#76 - E. 42nd St. & 38th Ave. S.

#76 - E. 42nd St. & 38th Ave. S. 8"x10" oil on panel

We did have a nice extended fall season here ....when it was dry.

#75 - South Thomas Ave. & West Franklin Ave.

South Thomas Ave. & West Franklin Ave. - 8x10 oil on panel.

I've made it three quarters of the way! I even had time to get a few ahead last month.

This one is in the Kenwood neighborhood (if I'm wrong, please let me know).
I was out with my friend Mister FatCat again last month, looking for an interesting alley in the area.
We set out that morning with a specific site in mind, but when we returned to it that morning it was really
a driveway to parking for some apartments. So, we went looking for another and found a couple interesting
spots. One was good enough that we started to set up....and then I called it off. Sometimes you get a feeling that it's not going to work out. Thankfully I got that feeling before we started and not two hours into it.
I was being picky, but wanted to take one last try at finding something interesting before it got too late (we had already spent a couple hours out looking) and had to resign ourselves to plan b. Around the corner and two blocks down we found this one.
It was nice to stumble into this - the sign said dead end alley, it's unpaved, and the light/shadows were good. We set up and went at it! Mostly painted on site, but I made a few adjustments to the next day at home.  

#74 - Girard Ave S. & 22nd St. W.

#74 - 22nd St. W. & Girard Ave S. 5x7oil (sold)

This one is in the Lowery Hill neighborhood. It was a great afternoon to be out painting. I was with my friend Jeff (Mister FatCat) a couple weeks ago and we found an old brick paved alley. I don't recall seeing many, if any, others like this. I know they're out there, but they're pretty rare. I think most were dug up or paved over a long time ago.

#73 - 42nd & Garfield Ave. S.

#73 - 42nd & Garfield Ave. S.
Ink on paper - digital color.

I spent a good portion of the summer occupied with illustration work much like this....drawn and inked on paper (heavy 100% cotton, this one) and then scanned and colored in Photoshop. It was a natural to just fit this in with what I was doing. This one was a request from a friend for a neighborhood event this month and since I've been behind again on posting (and making) new alley pictures - I jumped at an excuse too make a new one! This might even look good as a print....maybe silk screen....hmmmmm....