Mountain Retreat

Dave Martsolf

Mountain Retreat

This is another in an ongoing series of drawings in pen and ink, which was then transferred by laser printer to watercolor paper, and watercolored (on 90 lb cold press acid-free paper).

The original is 8” x10”.

The titles for these works always arrive after the drawing has been completed. In this work I went to an often visited land from my subconscious that has been laid in by past experience. That experience was my childhood where father and grandfather were both architects, designing homes, banks, churches, and schools, with drawings, pastels, watercolors, tracing paper and all the drafting tools all over the place.

I myself tried to continue on their footsteps, enrolling in M.I.T.’s Department of Architecture. But, it wasn’t to be. The reasons were many, but one was that most of my designs could not be built anyway.

So, this work comes from those dreams; a bit sad and melancholy for me, but they must be brought to fruittion in some way, and this is the only avenue I have left at my disposal.

Calendars for Friends

Surreal Paintings Calendar

Surreal Watercolors Calendar

Glacier National Park Calendar

Roses Calendar

Works Featured in Red Bubble Groups

Mountain Retreat belongs to the following groups:

Complex Simplicity of Art, ***♂♥♥QUORN♥♥♀, Abstract Realism, All the Colors of the Rainbow, Art For The World, Art Inspired by Dreams, Avant-Garde, Boredom Competitions on the 24/7, Contemporary Professional Painters and Sculptors, Core [C.O.R.E], DaDa Land, Decorative and Traditional Art, Descriptions, Dimensions, Doodle Do, Fantastic Primitive Art '2 pics/24 hours' No photos, nudes, 'Dark Art', or cartoons., Fine Arts, Hand painted or drawn Buildings and architecture, Images & Ideas, Imaginative Realism, In Another World .., in-between, Mecha Mecca, Mixed Media, Painters In Modern Times - TWO PER DAY, Paintings Modern and Beyond – PiMT, Psychedelic Art & Design *TAG YOUR IMAGE!*, Shameless Self-Promotion, Solo Exhibition, Spiritual Art, Unconventional Artistry - 3 per day, Vibrant and Vivid Color, Vibration in Art and Verse - VAVoom!, Water Media (Paintings by hand only), Who are YOU to Judge? and Works On Paper Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters
Mountain Retreat by Dave Martsolf
  • Debbie Meyers

    Debbie Meyers

    Well done!

  • Dave Martsolf replied

    Thanks Debbie! Appreciate your kind comment.

  • Keith Reesor

    Keith Reesor

    Fantastic Dave!! :)

  • Dave Martsolf replied

    Thanks Keith!

  • ToastedGhost

    ToastedGhost

    Whimsical as ever!
    great stuff

  • Dave Martsolf replied

    Thanks TG! I hope whimsical is OK. When I travel to these lands I can be gored by wild animals at any moment.

  • Dayonda

    Dayonda

    Beautiful illustration!
    Love the sculptural aspects of it - the 3D flavor. It’s a bit on the surreal side, would you say?
    At least, that’s the Group I’d recommend: Voyage of the Surrealists, -     “Surrealism”“http://www.redbubble.com/surrealism, — Lost in Space.
    I love the airy, openness of this piece, too.
    There isn’t, apparently, a world-wide open registration Group for Illustrators on the Bub. (If here is one, please tell me!)

  • Dave Martsolf replied

    You’re right, Dayonda. It is Illustration. I wonder if “Designers” is the right group. THanks.

  • webbie

    webbie

  • Dave Martsolf replied

    Thanks so much for this singular honor!

  • ToastedGhost

    ToastedGhost

    Best be careful then
    snapped by the whimsicals can hurt really badly!

  • Dave Martsolf replied

    I’ll have to you one of them someday. I keep them penned up in a dark folder stacked right under here e….... hey … .. G RRRRRR SL L sdl SDSDRAOR ROAR> > > > GRRRR !!! ! !! !YEOWWWWWWEEEE !!!!!!!!! – -—SLAM !!! Crunch !!!

    Whew! See what I mean? Hurt really bad! But the worst is when they get into your head and convince you that you will never amount to a hill of beans and you will die without achieving anything, and you’re stupid,and you’re worthless, and, and, and . .. see? Ya gotta be careful, and ya gotta be resilient, .. or you’re dead meat in this town. Cheers ! ! ! – Dave

  • ToastedGhost

    ToastedGhost

    Have you learned nothing?
    Only feed them on a whim!
    Cos those critters will criticize the hell out of you otherwise

  • Dave Martsolf replied

    Ahhh! OK. Got it! I knew I was doin’ somethin’ wrong, takin’ ‘em serious an all! Thanks, TG. “Onward and upward”, he said whimsically!

  • liljo

    liljo

    Love this!... and the running commentary between you Dave, and TG :) ... that’s where I’m gone wrong… got those critical critters stuck in my head…. gotta give ‘em the flick.

  • Dave Martsolf replied

    You got it, Lil Jo. The best remedy for the monsters is a pen or paintbrush (or computer mouse and a paint program) in hand and get down to workin’ it out. Extended hiking or other sports also do the trick if you have the interest. Day jobs you don’t like bring the devils back so somehow we all just gotta find balance while we keep praying for nirvana. Nuthin’ new in this, I’m guessin’. Good luck to you and sending you all those high hopes. – Dave

  • MaryHogan

    MaryHogan

    Nice style.

  • Dave Martsolf replied

    Hi Mary, Thank you for your kind words. Cheers! – Dave

  • Sharon Mau

    Sharon Mau

  • Dave Martsolf replied

    Wow! Thanks Sharon. I never thought I would be featured in “Dimensions”. Thanks so much.

  • David Silsbury

    David Silsbury

    Great work Dave, well done and congratulations on being featured.
    David

  • Dave Martsolf replied

    Thanks David. I was really amazed. Your work is great. I love the moods it creates.

Add your comment

You need to login or signup to add your comment to this work.