I entered the rations painting into the ArtSlant Prize Competition.  It looks like it has made it's way through the first round of jurying, but so far it hasn't really won anything.  Since this is strictly an online competition, I'm a little doubtful that my painting will go any farther... but who knows?

From here, each Showcase Winner will go before our Gallery Panel for review and judging over the next week.  Gallerists will vote the top 10 Juried Select Winners for the 6th 2015 ArtSlant Prize Showcase. These winning artists will be eligible for the final ArtSlant Prize Competition at the end of our Showcase VII Series.

*Update 10/29/15 - Just as I thought, my painting did not advance to the next level of jurying.  Oh well, that's how it goes.  You win some, you lose many.

To add to my trompe l'oeil record collection, I'll be painting another classic 78 record.  78 rpm records predate long play (LP), whole album vinyl which play at 33 rpm.  A 78 has only one song per side, making them 'singles' and are made of a harder shellac material - these are the records you'll see famously being smashed and shattered in old Looney Tunes cartoons. 

This next record painting will be Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode", pressed on the great Chicago blues label, Chess Records.  As you can see below I have a decent start on it, but no real detail yet.

The one problem I face with this record and label is the lack of graphics on it's record sleeve.  Usually record labels have their brand name and logo printed on the sleeve such as RCA Victor dog and phonograph.  I really like seeing vintage advertising and I feel it's a great addition to this type of painting.   I assume Chess never bothered to print a sleeve with their logo for their 78s because I cannot find one anywhere.  They have nice 45 rpm record sleeves with graphics, but nothing for the 78s - they are all blank.     

Luckily, I have an idea.  "Johnny B. Goode" was so influential that NASA included it in the Golden Record featuring the sounds of earth on the Voyager space missions in 1977.   Currently, out beyond our solar system there is "Johnny B. Goode" among other music and sounds traveling and waiting for other intelligent life to discover.  On this Golden Record there is a cover with diagrams demonstrating on how to play the record and how it works, as well as the location of Earth.  Since a plain, graphic-less record sleeve lacks interest, I'm going to invent my own sleeve using the diagrams from the Golden Record.  The second image below is what my sleeve for the painting will look like.  I think this is the extra bit of appeal I'm looking for with this piece.