Arizona

 

  Starting this next month we head to Tuscon where we will be painting a new piece live at the Gem&Jam festival. Last year we painted a piece on the spot inspired by our desert surroundings and sunsets along with memories from our years of living in Winslow Arizona. Feels great to be able to return to the red earth we once called home and paint something in honor of our fondest memories and push ourselves to the outer limits to bring back a truly unique view from the eye of our minds combined. 

The Welch Brothers  "Arizona" 2013

Brian Scott Hampton x The Welch Brothers

   Last year we finally linked up with Brian Scott Hampton and got the chance to work with him. His style can be very soft and liquid like at times while implementing complex graffiti forms, abstract techniques and surreal landscapes. Brian started this canvas and sent it to California where we threw in our futuristic graffiti styles with his to create an explosion of other worldly soup bursting with honey and golden light among a midnight blue alien terrain. Words can't truly describe it so here is a picture of the finished cross country collaboration with one of our favorite artists. 

Brian Scott Hampton x Welch Brothers 2013

Tahoe

   At the end of October we drove up to South Lake Tahoe to take a look at the gallery space for our upcoming show at Cosmic Creations. We measured the wall space and started coming up with a game plan for a series to fill the space with fresh work. Just being in Tahoe started changing the way we thought about ideas. The snow covered ground, the rich warm browns of the trees and crisp cool blue waters began filling our heads with inspiration. A blue jay flew down from the sky and landed next to us and we both felt our surroundings begin to open up our minds to countless possibilities.

    We drove towards Reno that day taking pictures along the way and discussing what themes would be incorporated into the series. Once we got back to San Francisco we feverishly began working on huge ambitious paintings as well as a bunch of smaller pieces under the pressure of our deadline. Forests with wolves, winter pieces with subtle geometric intricacies and surrealistic panoramic lake scenes. We've been working night and day to create a substantial body of work in such a short amount of time. 

    As the temperatures dropped and we became filled with anticipation, Winter's icy breathe began to blow the sails of inspiration...

The Welch Brothers "Moonshine" 2013

When stars align

    Opportunities arise,and if you're not careful they will pass you by. The universe conspires to present the connections that help you get where you've asked to go. People wander into your life seemingly at random and then when they mention something you've been dreaming about,you wonder,was i meant to be here at this moment to receive this message?
   Not long ago an tattoo artist approached my brother and I while we were painting live at a music festival. He told us he had been doing tattoo's for 28 years and loved our bio-mechanical styles. He mentioned how unique it was and he's seen a lot of bio-mechanical work through out his life. He then offered us an art show in South Lake Tahoe. Every opportunity,no matter how big or small, is a step on your path. The more you put these thoughts out the there the more likely these chances will be brought to you in one form or another.
   So in conclusion have faith in the universe. Choose which paths will take you down the right road. Dream big! Bigger than you can possibly imagine and you'll notice people reaching out to help make that dream come true. Trust in your path, and take it one step at a time. It's the only way to get there.

"Seraphine" 2013 The Welch Brothers

The bond of brothers

    I remember the day, It was early summer and nearing the end of June, my brother had decided to take a trip back to his hometown to visit the family. Our sister Sarah was about to give birth to her first child and she had decided to name her Athena. It was a hot summer night and I was dragging my feet around the house in a depressed daze. My brother asked me if i wanted to paint with him and i felt reluctant at first. I had been depressed all summer and felt defeated by life.
    But something sparked in me,and i told him i had a big canvas i was saving, I brought it into my room and began tearing the cellophane wrapper off and the smell of fresh canvas filled the air. My brother suggested we start off by painting the entire canvas black so we got to work splashing black all over the canvas. We began discussing ideas for what pallet to use and a plan of action. I began painting blue icy blocks breaking away off into a wormhole of some sorts and he threw a bright pink electric lightning bolt arching it's way across the canvas. We spent the next 3 nights painting together until the sun would come up and we would periodically stand outside talking together. I was amazed at what were doing and the company of my brother was very comforting at the time. It felt like the good ol' days when we used to draw together in Arizona.
   On one of the last nights our sister was rushed to the hospital and went into labor. During that time my brother thought of a title for the painting that seemed to fit perfectly. The Birth of Athena! And then my brother suggested that when she's old enough,we'll make her a big canvas print of the painting to hang in her room so that she can enjoy seeing her uncles art work as she grows up.
   My brother took the painting up to San Francisco with him and i traveled up in December to spend some time with him and work on finishing the painting we started. It seems that somewhere in this time the name the Welch Brothers was born as well and we've been painting together ever since.

"Birth of Athena" 2012 The Welch Brothers