Silver Lining

Folk Art Star   linoleum print 6 x 6

I think that artists are quite good at delayed judgment, realizing that the notion of pure good/pure bad is a false one, and that all creative endeavors lie somewhere in that indefinable "gray area". Sometimes we are unable to confirm an opinion for quite a while. Sometimes there is a silver lining where we find that we actually love that we had originally shunned. Two years ago, I offered a summertime class where we utilized reduction printing to create holiday cards. The papers, inks and ideas abounded in diversity. I was the only one to use an oil-based ink as well as the heavy paper Lenox. I wanted to cut out my prints and use them as ornament-type greetings. After all of the labor, I was distressed about the heaviness of my prints.......the ink seemed to have too much texture and the design that I had made seemed too complex. They were stored away for 2 years. I recently opened the box and found that my opinion had changed to supreme delight as I cut out the shapes! The heavy ink seemed to have melded into the paper and was actually perfect for my ornament idea. The feel is almost like a heavy cloth. What an amazing surprise! Let that be a lesson..................don't be too quick to judge!

Painting From Sketches

City Neighborhood sketch

Many of the artists in my classes yearn to be freer in their representational painting. Tightness feels yucky in painting as well as in life.....to me. (qualifier) In my opinion, painting from photographs offers the least amount of freedom. Painting from life is better. And painting from sketches is better yet. It is indeed a bit intimidating, but offers more creative possibilities than the latter two. I have been haunted for many years by a winter of my own inner-city Akron, Ohio. It is a scene from my childhood of the neighborhoods that populate the center of every city across our country. I have schlepped all over the city on dusky winter nights looking for the "perfect neighborhood", the one that matched all of my aesthetic requirements. There were none. I have settled for a drawing that is a composite of all that I have seen. At first, it seemed a bit intimidating working on such a large painting from such a small sketch, but has provided more excitement for me as a painter than any other work in recent history. I can't wait for session 2!

The Artistic Community

African Prince   mixed on paper   34.5 x 21

For me, the artistic community is very comforting.....like a second home. Here one encounters some wonderfully diverse people, yet those who share the bond of a life's work that is often difficult, inconstant and not-so financially sustainable. These are the people who share the appreciation for creating at any cost. And these are the people with whom I feel the most comfortable. The Summit ArtSpace gallery was buzzing last evening at the opening for "Kaleidoscope 2008", a juried exhibition made up of members from the 4 local art groups: Akron Society of Artists, Artists of Rubber City, Cuyahoga Valley Art Center and Women's Art League. This year's exhibition was juried by Craig Lucas, retired professor emeritus from Kent State University. The Gallery is open Thursday - Saturday from noon - 5 pm. Each Saturday during the exhibit, there will be free demonstrations by various artists. Such a deal!  My mixed media work "African Prince" received an honorable mention. I am proud to show alongside all of the artists in the exhibit.

Pot of Potatoes

Pot of Potatoes   watercolor   13 x 17

Sometimes life is just a pot of potatoes....common and not so extraordinary. Artists such as myself often paint ordinary objects in our daily lives, and through the work of their keen sensitivities, elevate the daily into the monumental. There are many such paintings in every exhibit. Luckily, we, as individuals, see things in our own personal and subjective ways. That is what makes for a varied and interesting existence. So..............when a judge comes to town and selects work for exhibit, he/she brings with her/him, her/his past experiences and notions of the extraordinary. It breaks my heart to see work that I consider to be wondrous excluded from the exhibit. (Competition is actually a left-brained notion to which we right-brained artists continually subject ourselves). I guess I think that in the final run, we artists have to determine for ourselves our own sense of extraordinary and hold fast to it, regardless of outside opinion. We take responsibility for our work. We are our own best critics. Hard to do. "Pot of Potatoes" was painted many years ago. I love love love it, despite the fact that it has never gotten much attention from anyone else.

Commitment

Checkerboard Band   watercolor/mixed   29 x 21

I continually hear from artists taking my classes that this painting or that will just go "into the box", never to be seen or considered again. It is indeed difficult to decide when to let go of a painting if it isn't going easily or well. But, I believe it is the transcending of these problems that just might take a work of art into something really special. Or..............not. Time spent on a work does not always equal success. In watercolor class, we attempted a set-up involving musical instruments on a full sheet. That is difficult. We spent two sessions on the set-up. That wasn't enough. We all moaned and groaned about our lack of progress. At home, I looked at the painting and felt disgusted. It unnerved me. However, one of my resolutions is to carry a work as far as I can, even though I am not getting those "happy, successful feelings" that result from the rare painting that seems to paint itself. I used block printing and watercolor pencils to take the painting into a new realm. "Checkerboard Band" is the result. I am certainly not 100% satisfied, but I did what I could. And I did honor the commitment.

Excitement comes from Rum Raisin

Before the Dance   20 x 16 x 1.5

Even though I consider art-making to be extremely hard work, it is exciting all the while. The excitement of it all is what keeps me looking forward to my next project. At the present time, there are at least 5 paintings in my head waiting to unfold. For me, excitement is at its apex when I am trying something new, some combination of materials or some technique that has not yet been tried. "Before the Dance" was painted, for the most part, from a model during our Akron Art Walk. Later, at home, I was thinking about the preparation of a dancer and the mental "play" that occurs in the dancer's mind before performing. I started to scrape through the layers of paint, simulating, for me, the spins, twirls, and dance steps of a seasoned dancer. Wow.....my adrenaline was flowing! Next time, I will paint an underpainting of a complementary hue, so that the scrape-throughs will reveal the bottom layer more clearly. Maybe I will like the more dramatic effect. Maybe sublime is better. Who knows? Will that be vanilla or rum raisin? Excitement involves a trip into the unknown.

To masque or not to masque

Dancing Shoes   watercolor   9.5 x 13

Watercolor is a wonderful medium. Most watercolorists feel a sense of satisfaction when they "savor the whites", i.e. preserve white areas of the paper that sparkle. Wow....that is so much easier said than done! I gave up using masking fluid (a.k.a. liquid frisket) years ago as the process was messy, awkward and left behind the most awkward shapes. It was done with a paint brush coated with soap which ended up ruined. This year I rediscovered masque....in the form of the Masquepen, which has a needle-like dispenser, making the process more agreeable. The dots on "Dancing Shoes" were formed with this magical substance that is fed onto the paper like glue, left to dry, then subsequently peeled off. Even though I am not a great fan of masking fluid, I have changed my attitude about it....we artists need all the help we can get!

Validation

Soul Man   china marker on paper   12.5 x 9.5

All artists want validation outside of themselves. I guess that is natural. We want to know that there are others who appreciate our efforts. Myself, I love errant strokes, errant lines that show the searching, the desires of the artist. Erasers should be banned...........artists spend too much time self-doubting and looking for the "perfect stroke" or the "perfect line". I am guilty of this myself from time to time. I would like all strokes and all lines to be perfect....i.e. perfect for the expression of the individual artist. China markers are perfect for this task, as they have a soft dark waxy nature that cannot be erased. They literally glide across the paper. Like it or not, all strokes are on the paper. All lines are there as well. Even the imperfect ones. Oh happy day! The art of the individual. "Soul Man" was done with a china marker................

Ebb and Flow - Riffe Gallery Columbus

Young Man d'apres Matrix   watercolor   20 x 12

Like it or not, the ebb and flow is a part of life. There are periods of great productivity and those of repose. You see, I always wish to be at the easel - all the time, every day. However, autumn is a time that requires more domestic work, in the yard, preparing the home for winter, etc. We also had a wonderful trip to see our sons in San Francisco. Needless to say, I am itching to paint! However, the flow is always there even if I am not physically standing at the easel. I just found out that my painting "Young Man d'apres Matrix" received the Frank J. Bockhoff Memorial Award at "Watercolor Ohio 2008". This annual exhibit sponsored by The Ohio Watercolor Society just opened at the Riffe Gallery (The Ohio Arts Council Gallery) located in downtown Columbus, Ohio. There is a multitude of wonderful paintings and visual stimulation! Please visit Riffe Gallery for directions and hours. It is a wonderful way to spend the day.

Fresh & Spooky

Shocking   mixed on paper   34.5 x 22

I usually paint what I want to.........that's part of the freedom catch in being an artist....and....that is what separates fine art from commercial ventures where everything is dictated to you with the mass market in mind. Trust me on this. But earlier this year a call came out from Summit Artspace, our community gallery, for the "Fresh and Spooky" show juried by extremely creative and whacky teacher and artist Mark Soppeland. I love Halloween. I love spooky movies. And, I love candy corn. So I went about creating a piece specifically for this show in the hopes that my work would get in. The "Fresh & Spooky" show is on exhibit from October 3 - November 8 at Summit Artspace in Akron. I can hardly wait to attend the opening this Friday, as artists of all kinds were dragging in artwork of all kinds at the take-in. "Shocking" is my effort.

A Painting a Day keeps Trepidation Away

Cored Apple   watercolor   10 x 7

No one would expect a champion diver to score a perfect 10 without warming up. No one would expect 3-point shots from a basketball player who didn't practice daily. So it is with painting. Each fresh white sheet of watercolor paper and each spanking clean canvas is a source of anxiety until an artist can get into his personal flow. It seems that beginning strokes are often awkward and either under-or-over-stated. That is what happens to me. We recently began a new watercolor class. Each artist was given an apple to cut in her own personal way......then the paintings began. For some who don't paint often, the task is daunting. It is even difficult for those who do. There is an entire world in an apple........millions of possibilities and millions of creative decisions to be made. I loved everyone's efforts. "Cored Apple" is mine.

Painting by Seasons

Red Gold   oil/canvas   6 x 6 x 1.5

I live and love in the Midwest.....our lives are marked by seasons......just about an even fourth of the year for each. I dress, cook and paint seasonally, and my feelings change as the temperatures and landscapes change. I always look forward to the next, but not without bittersweet feelings for the waning. Our garden has provided so much enjoyment this summer, color-wise, taste-wise and entertainment-wise. (watching the chipmunks eating cherry tomatoes right on the vine). The season for tomatoes is nearly complete....they are no longer coming in faster than we can use them and they have now taken on more preciousness. They are now like red gold.

Having Fun

Chocolate Cupcake   watercolor   7 x 5

Making art is lots of work. Painting is making some kind of order out of lots of chaos...a visual problem-solving that doesn't seem to get any easier. Then there is the hauling-factor....hauling supplies to painting class....hauling paints and canvasses to paint with others....hauling paintings to shows and to shippers. Work, for sure. My colleague and friend Susan, who also teaches art, shared a book with me about Wayne Thiebaud. He had fun! He made lots of paintings about lots of foods which he infused with fun. Paintings about shoes....more fun. The book, which was written for children, had many more pictures and less verbal history and justification. Right up my alley. To make it short and sweet, I was inspired by Wayne Thiebaud and his fun philosophy. "Chocolate Cupcake" is the result.

Over-ornamentation

Expectant   mixed on paper   34.5 x 21

I once read a while back that over-ornamentation results in the killing of the art form. I believe that is true. The further one moves away from the simplicity of "the thing", the further one moves away from its spirit, its soul. At the beginning of the summer, I started adding simple patterning via reduction prints to some large charcoal drawings. It excited me beyond belief. Each one became more and more complex. That wasn't my goal. It just happened. By the end of the summer, I had completed 6 drawings using that method. I used it up. I was spent. " Expectant" is one of the last ones. Back to painting now.....and to simplification of form and ground.

Neutrals or not

Concepcion Likes Vivid Colors   mixed on paper   35.5 x 22

As a younger painter, I learned about the value of neutrals in painting.....they allow the brighter, more pure colors to work their magic when placed side-to-side. I have always loved neutrals myself....they are quieter and less demanding. Nothing pleases me more than a color which must be described as blueish-orangeish-purpleish. But we all know that art is subjective and nothing is less solid than the rules. Concepcion is an artist that has painted in my classes for years. Whenever I lectured on and on about the values of neutrals, she would reluctantly give it a try. Then, she would confirm that she much preferred vivid colors. It simply is not in her genetic makeup to love neutrals. She wears colorful clothing and carries wildly beautiful bags. I, on the other hand, am a walking neutral, blending in with my surroundings. It makes me happier. This summer I had the opportunity to draw Concepcion in a native Mexican dress.

zen mind...beginners mind

Turnabout Carducci   watercolor/gouache   20.5 x 26

It is difficult to enter into a beginners mind when painting is what you do daily. What a paradox it all is! You spend hours and hours solving complex visual problems. It should then follow that painting would become easier and problems would be resolved more quickly.....more "quality works" would result...right? WRONG. In looking back over my many paintings, there are a few that have a certain something, a "je ne sais quois", that make them appealing, holding up to the years of work and accumulation of knowledge and rules. "Turnabout Carducci" is such a painting. It was painted in 1999. It is a painting of my friend and colleague, Judith B. Carducci, who is usually the one doing the painting rather than the posing. "Turnabout Carducci" is in the permanent collection of The Ohio Watercolor Society. The permanent collection of the OWS will be on exhibit November 7 from 6-8pm in collaboration with "Watercolor Ohio 2008". The collection will be shown at Fort Hayes Arts & Academic High School, Shot Tower, 546 Jack Gibbs Boulevard in Columbus.

Stand up for Painting

Mitzi   oil/canvas   14 x 11 x 1.5

I paint alongside some wonderful painters! We share the passion of choosing to spend our time with brushes, paints, papers and canvasses, all of which give us joy beyond measure. I listen to some mighty loud music as I paint and I am certain that there is some foot-tapping involved as I have been asked to stop bouncing on the floor.....I finished a few minutes early last Saturday night at the Akron Art Walk, and happened to observe my friend (and amazing painter) Mitzi Lai in action. Her stance is like that of a fencer, one foot in front of the other. Her brush is poised at-the-ready. Her concentration seems to gather up and when she hits critical mass, she takes a stab at the canvas. It was wonderfully revealing, and marvelously intense! I love that girl's style! I believe that sitting while painting creates a more passive work. Standing, on the the other hand, or foot as it may be, gives one a full range of motion.......Carry on, Mitzi! You inspire me.

Inspiration

Saturday Night's All Right   oil/canvas   16 x 20 x 1.5

Every now and then, I view the work of an artist that literally gives me goosebumps......Alex Kanevsky. His style gives me inspiration and direction...........we agree on on so many things, especially the prioritizing of the movement of the figure. However, he goes for the universal in figure painting, with little detail and color on the faces of his models. I have always, purposefully, chosen to describe the specific, with an intended leap on the part of the viewer to find the universal. I think that I will explore Kanevsky's philosophy and see where it takes me. "Saturday Night's All Right" was painted from a model during our monthly artwalk in Akron, Ohio. It took round about 5 hours to finish. It has just been accepted into "Sensory Feast", an exhibition at 2nd April Galerie in Canton. Opening is September 19............it is a wonderful and magical gallery..........come on along.

sdrawkcab gnikniht

Organic Carrots, watercolor   10 x 17

Thinking backwards is always fun for me....it is sort of a game, and keeps my mind in a playful, nonsensical mode. Traditional watercolors are worked, usually, from light to dark. The opposite is true for working with oils. I enjoy watercolors that incorporate the full-body-ness of oils...sort of a richness with lots of darks. As a result, I have lots of failed watercolors, as it is much more difficult to change your direction once the darks are laid in. Sometimes I try to do the same subject in both mediums to see how they translate. Mostly, I find that a particular subject is better rendered in one medium or another, due to the feelings involved or the appropriateness of the mood. "Organic Carrots" is a spin-off from the "Carrots" oil painting. Why not take full benefit of the purchase of the organic carrots before they wither? Economy is also in my nature. It makes me happy.

Animation

Carrots   oil/canvas   8 x 24 x .5

I was a Disney kid.....my life full of talking trees, humanized animals and magic. (even though I never really enjoyed cartoons) As a result, I love for my still life and architectural paintings to have a life, to breathe. I really do see them as living things. Although I have never really analyzed it, I guess that this can be accomplished by using more organic lines and fewer straight ones. "Carrots" was painted right after "Beets". Painting pairs can result in works with a similar feel. I was striving for animation, but found out that color was the thing that piqued my interest here. Happens all the time. Strive for one goal and hit the finish with yet another. Fluidity is a good thing.

Paint your Vegetables

Beets   oil/canvas   8 x 24 x .5

One of the challenges that I present to myself is to paint quickly and, hopefully, passionately, using as few brush strokes as possible. That is what makes me happy. It seems that more often than not, the first way I articulate a passage is my favorite.....subsequent paint-overs may achieve more detail and more accuracy, but often fall flat in terms of energy and excitement. Vegetables offer so much as subject matter............texture, amazing color and a life-quality that somehow seems lacking in man-made objects. Of course, I am not always successful in my challenges. Some paintings seem to paint themselves, while others snail their way into being. That is the process. "Beets" was such a challenge. It was basically painted in one session, with just a few strokes added to turn up the color volume after it was dry.

Braids

African Prince   mixed on paper   43 x 29

My mind adores free-play....where one idea leads to the next leads to the next.....Such was the case when I started experimenting with the linkage of charcoal drawing to crude printmaking. Our model for one 5-hour session was a young man college-bound in the fall. He arrived impeccably dressed....new shirt, new jeans and sparkling white shoes..............my heart fell. None of those things even remotely causes my heart to pitter-pat. Now his hair, all done in corn rows, was another matter. Texturally, braids of all kinds are beautiful and common to all aspects of life...in the garden, in weaving and in hair. Braiding is not only beautiful, it is strong, a way of combining single strands into a stronger group, yet retaining flexibility. Wow....I had my hook! The charcoal drawing was done during the session. At home, I carved a braided block and finished the work with printing. Nirvana! A braiding of several art forms that I enjoy!

Airwaves

Airwaves   mixed on paper   34 x 20.5

It has become completely commonplace to see people of all ages talking on their cell phones while eating, driving, shopping and walking. I guess it stands out to me because I don't have one. Although I certainly understand the convenience of being able to reach someone, anyone, at a given moment, that fact does not outweigh my dislike for interruptions and talking on the phone in general. We had a young man who modeled for us at a studio demonstration. He sat with phone in hand....a gesture "of the times". I began to recall all of the articles I had recently read discussing the disappearance of honey bees. Several theories were being debated, one being the jamming of airwaves and the confusion of the bees resulting in an inability to return to their hives. That is alarming. The notion of such a drastic consequence to a modern convenience piqued my interest and feelings. I used charcoal to draw the young man and finished up at home using a linoleum print method to connect the two notions. I am happy with the results and the fact that I have recently seen a few honey bees in our yard.

Paying attention

Veiled   mixed on paper   19.5 x 14

I pay attention to things that thrill me. I love strong line. I love simple. I love spontaneity. I love imperfection. I love the searching. I love fabric designs and patterns, although I still love simple. I love finely detailed work, but only in certain passages. I love primitive art, although I know that is not who I am. And I love the paint quality that results only from printing, that which can never be achieved by direct painting. Up until now, I have tried to achieve the qualities that thrill me by painting only. Watercolors remained watercolors, oils/oils, and drawings/drawings. I seemed to enjoy the mixing of mediums, but felt that results were so often murky, and seemed to have lost intent. That is just my opinion, of course. Recently, I have been combining charcoal drawing and simple linoleum printmaking to create patterns, colors and textures. I love the results! I haven't experienced a thrill like this in quite a while.

Reflections

Reflection is an important task for me, in life, as well as in my art. It helps me grow. I have seen countless images where the reflection of one object is mirrored onto another....coffee pots, Christmas balls and glass store fronts. It demonstrates the complexity of a scene, where each object is affected by another. For me, that translates into a metaphor for life itself. It also demonstrates the draftsmanship skills of the artist. In one of my classes, our assignment was to place objects on a mirror. The objects melded seamlessly into their own reflections. Quite a great exercise! In fact, my picture became one big blob, as seen realistically. I had to manufacture boundaries between the object and the reflection horizontally, so that it could be read visually. Once again, I learned to challenge reality.

Group Gesture

Young Warriors   watercolor   12.5 x 17.5

I don't often paint people in a group. I guess that this is because I want to visit personal issues of my own as seen through the beautiful people that I paint. However, I became excited about this notion again when viewing the work of Alice White, the juror for "Real People" in Woodstock, Illinois. Her work is very big, very powerful. In the group setting, the individualization of the models is sublimated while the group gesture takes on a life of its own. That is not only ambitious, but difficult to do. While paying attention to the spark that White's work ignited in my interest, I am making a mental note to try it again. "Young Warriors" was done many years ago and is in the collection of the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio.

Blank Canvas revisited

...help son with flat tire, tend to malnourished and injured stray kitten found in yard, volunteer to gallery sit at county gallery.........

Entering Shows

Fourteen   pastel/paper   23.5 x 17

Mary in Polka Dots   oil/canvas   30 x 24 x .5

It is difficult to decide which shows to enter. There are so many considerations such as: entry fee, shipping costs, distance to travel and having the appropriated formatted images, as these days, every show seems to have difficult requirements. Usually, the prize money is a consideration. Of course, there is no guarantee of winning a prize, but at least there should be the possibility of recuperating the costs of the entry. But sometimes there is an exception. Two of my works, "Fourteen" and "Mary in Polka Dots" were just shipped to Woodstock, Illinois for "Real People 2008" sponsored by The Old Court House Figurative League. This show just felt right to me. Quite simply, my goal is painting real people. Then, when I took a look at the work of juror Alice White, I was convinced. I was awed by her large canvasses that focus on huge groups of people with lots of interaction. My own work shows solitary figures. I just had a good feeling. The exhibit is August 7 - September 28 at The Old Courthouse Arts Center on Woodstock Square in Woodstock, Illinois.

Blank Canvas

A blank canvas is a horrible thing to face. The start-up is the worst....and every day that goes by without putting strokes of paint onto the canvas and into my world seems somehow void of meaning for me. My usual routine includes 4-6 hours of studio time per day. My routine has been disrupted....it happens every summer so I should expect it by now, but it still leaves me empty and frustrated. There are the 3 days preparing for the workshop, the four workshop days, the follow-up days of returning materials to their studio homes and sorting through notes, the visits with friends that have to be squeezed in before summer melts away, the studio door that needs painted, the day that was wasted on computer foul-ups, the vegetables that need to be harvested. The list goes on and on. Each day I become more grumpy and agitated. Tomorrow is the day that I hope to be back in my creative niche. Tomorrow is the day the canvas will see action. Just a few paint strokes and my world will be mine again.

Full Circle

Peggy...a gesture

For me, all of the experimentation in line, doodling, layering, smudging and smearing done in our expressive drawing workshop have the express purpose of leading me back to seeing realism in a new way. My goal is to be a "freer me".....where I can express exuberant lines and shapes without the dark cloud of correctness continually hovering above. On our last day we did a series of gesture drawings, some only 2 minutes, some 20 minutes. I saw so much beauty in the lines that all of the artists made! It is then, somewhere on the path to achieving perfection that we go astray. All this is my own opinion, of course. "Peggy gesture" is a drawing from last year's workshop. I like it very much.....perhaps because its freshness is still in tact.

Child's Play

Stand of Trees...an ink drawing

I am a firm believer in playing with art materials in order to gain a freedom of stroke and a disengagement from the perfection that will kill a work. "Stand of Trees" was done in our expressive drawing workshop. I used a tongue depressor that has been cut straight on the top and given a slight bevel in order to hold the ink. Most of the work was done with that crude tool, using it by pulling in various directions and by using a corner for the finer line work. The lighter blue color is ink that I borrowed from another artist. The bright blue sparkling touches were added by using crayon. Our goal was using direction of stroke to support the concept.

Do the Frieda Kahlo

Doodle

Another exercise that we did during the workshop was inspired by a page in Frieda Kahlo's published diary. The exercise starts with random ink spots or blobs on the paper. I consider the blobs a "given", or something to initially spice up a work and to stifle the status quo. We then connected the dots and did uninformed or free consciousness doodling in the spaces. This is a wonderful way to practice and learn all of the elements of great design without worrying so much about reality. It was such fun! One participant asked me what the point of this exercise was. I had to think a minute. Does one really need a purpose in order to play? I hope not.

Expressive Drawing - can also be doodling

Birthday Doodle for RIck

Last week, I lead an expressive drawing workshop at the Cuyahoga Valley Art Center in Ohio. My goal for this workshop was to meander away from reality-based drawing, in order to increase the knowledge and freedom offered in drawing more expressively. We started with doodling and using line to express our ideas and patterns.....nothing too profound. I believe that artists who doodle on a regular basis become so familiar with line-making and with holding a drawing tool loosely, that it all becomes second nature to them. They have a greater freedom. "Mosaic Doodle" was an exercise in which we created a mosaic pattern on the page, then filled in each little tile with smaller doodles of varying sizes and densities. We were shooting for balance on the page. Lots of fun!

Painting is Life

Every Mother's Daughter   oil/canvas   36 x 48

For me, painting is life. Every noteworthy moment either reminds me of a painting already done or spurs me on to one that is yet to be. "Every Mother's Daughter" is a painting of a young friend done several years ago when she was in college. She posed while sitting on the fireplace mantle in her rental apartment. My easel was as far back as it could possibly be.in the small space. I loved painting her and, to me, she somehow represented all young women who are coming of age and recognizing their potential, seeing all of the possibilities. I had the opportunity to visit with her last evening where friends gathered at a local winery. It was a treasured time. She and her siblings have grown into the most beautiful young adults. Kate now lives and works in Los Angeles.

transparency::opacity

Tomato, Pepper and Sage   watercolor/gouache   10 x 10

Transparency and opacity, and their relationship, plagued me for years. Watercolor paintings without some opacity seem to bother me, as well as did oil paintings without the slightest notion of transparency. Upsetting the boundaries and limitations set forth by individual mediums is important to me. Yesterday, my husband and I visited the opening of The Butler Institute of American Art Midyear Exhibition opening. The works that stimulate me the most are those that seem to transcend the limitations of the medium, or seem to merge various mediums. In approaching, I am trying to decipher the medium, but am puzzled. I love that! I recently unearthed an older painting "Tomato, Pepper and Sage". I am more pleased by it now than I was at the time. I can recall the need to make the sage opaque, both the color and the texture. I felt that it simply couldn't be done any other way. So I added body color in the form of gouache. Ahhhh.....cooking without a recipe.

The power of Black

Angie   conte crayon   20.5 x 14

I love working in charcoal! The medium is messy, smudgy and bold. Charcoal drawings capture my attention with their directness and simplicity. Perhaps the power of an image is diffused by the addition of color: the more colors, the more diffusion. This week I have been working in charcoal. It is what I needed...to get away from complexity and back to basics. "Angie" is a drawing done many many years ago in my living room during a summer heat wave.....the fans were blowing and we were all uncomfortable. To me, there is a freshness here, an unrefined honesty that is hard to perpetuate deliberately. Angie is the delightful young woman who manages my website.

Boring

Boring   mixed on paper   22.5 x 15

Yesterday was what I consider to be a typical day in my studio. I first finished up a couple of mini paintings that just needed a few strokes and a signature. Then I set to work on a still life painting of two tennis racquets that said absolutely nothing. The colors were not working. After a couple of hours in a vain effort to induce excitement, I covered it with paint and decided to use the canvas for something else. I guess I was trying to create a painting I thought might sell....always a loser. Then I switched over to project where I am mixing media........instant excitement. By the end of the day, I was completely stoked over the possibilities! "Boring" is a mixed media drawing done from my expressive drawing workshop last year. The assignment was to find a basement/garage/roadside object that had lost its function, or was somehow unexplainable. Our creative assignment was to alter the object to make it somehow exciting.....we used inks, rubbings and all manner of drawing materials. I am starting to think about the expressive drawing workshop that begins next Wednesday at Cuyahoga Valley Art Center.

Flow

Woodland Strawberries...a watercolor sketch

Arriving at "flow" in any activity is an optimum experience. Things seem effortless and pleasing. After finishing the strawberry jam card, I looked around for another subject..........woodland strawberries were climbing my rock garden so I thought I would have a look-see. After grabbing a bunch, I laid them on a piece of white paper on the picnic table. At first glance, the set-up seemed quite complex and the relationships tangled..........that is the kind of problem-solving that interests me. This subject was painted in a leather-bound watercolor book given to me by my son. All in all, I had a quality experience and a wonderful afternoon. Pressure's off in weekend painting.

Weekend Painter

Strawberry Jam...a watercolor sketch

Because I am a full-time painter, my weeks are spent, of course, painting, drawing and solving visual problems. I usually use my weekends to do other things as my mind needs a rest. But sometimes on a beautiful summer day, I crave the relaxing zen-like experience that painting provides. I get out my small travel watercolor set and smaller brushes and park my stuff on the patio. On these days, I paint simple objects, usually from the garden, with no set goal in mind. I paint without the feeling of being productive. Ahhhhhhhhh.....so very relaxing! The hours seem to fly. This weekend I painted a jar of strawberry jam as a thank you note for my friend Leta who generously gave it to us. Being a weekend painter is a good thing.

Simplified Forms

hand carved rubber stamps

One of my artistic quests is the simplification of form..........that helps me to avoid detail, take a new spin on reality, and to enjoy form and line for their own sakes. I also enjoy the quality that printmaking provides....a kind of secondary soft application of pigment onto paper, which the direct application of painting cannot provide. Hence - carving rubber stamps. The commercial kind which can be purchased at any craft store are amusing enough, but just don't offer the rudimentary beauty which can be achieved by hand-cutting. It is not an easy endeavor, but is a creative outlet that doesn't require lots of time. All that is required is: a creative mind, an eraser, some lino cutting tools, some tracing paper, and some colorful markers. Tonight is my first class of "Everyday Art - Hand Carving Rubber Stamps" at Cuyahoga Valley Art Center.

Beauty

White Shirt and Tie   watercolor   8.5 x 6.5

I am surrounded by beautiful faces! ....faces that emit energy, kindness, courage and honesty. Nothing makes me sadder than a person who doesn't recognize his/her own beauty. We are conditioned to find fault, I guess. I know for a fact that my own notion of beauty is quite broad, I guess in my attempt to counter the beauty-definition of the media. Robert Plummer is such a person of beauty. He posed for our group many years ago in his white shirt and tie, the mark of respect from his own generation. Years later, when he and his wife bought the painting, I had the opportunity to visit his magnificent gardens.......a quality hidden beneath the white shirt. Now, when I look at the portrait of Robert, I smile.............I see dignity, a love of nature and a drive.............all are gifts to me, and, I hope, to him.

Painting what you love

Carved in  Stone   watercolor   13 x 18.5

For years, I have been watching students bring their beloved items into painting class for a still-life set-up: raggedy stuffed bears, well-worn baseball caps, small boxes and brightly-colored what-evers. I must admit that sometimes I actually wonder why anyone would want to paint the thing. We are often defined by our possessions and collections, the things that help us to define the "self". It is different for everyone. I see students putting flowers in cherished vases, when I prefer painting flowers laying table-flat, without being contained. All a matter of personal preference. Painting what we love offers to us the quality of commitment in the creating, the inability to give up.

In the Flow - Literally

Crux   watercolor   21.5 x 28

Nothing is harder to paint than moving water. I confess that I am not much of an outdoor painter.....I guess that I am not fond of mixing the elements with the concentration that I require as a painter. But the real reason is that painting is private to me, and painting in the open seems to leave me as exposed as if I were wearing no clothing..........oh, the thought. Because my family and friends are all paddlers, the canoe and kayak kind, I am forced to paint using photographs. I have tried to make up for the stationery image by using lots of movement when I paint. I splash, splatter and gyrate in an effort to bring the water to life. "Crux" is such a painting. In it, my husband is playing in the surf at the beach......something he and friend Pat taught our combined 6 boys when they were younger. I think that I carried the painting a tad too far.............but he loves it. "Crux" is one of 20 or so works that I am showing at a local winery Viking Vineyards during July and August. The owners Jeff and Dana Nelson are terrific........hope you can stop by.

Will the real Mrs. Bryner please stand up?

 

Mrs. Bryner in Her Garden 1 and 2   watercolor/gouache   20.5 x 13.5

Many years ago I photographed a local woman Mrs. Bryner in her garden. She is a retired school librarian with massive vegetable gardens who charmed the socks off of me. Four paintings resulted. That is a dangerous thing. When there is more than one, comparisons are made, and an inclination to like one the best. Two paintings sold within a few years. I then assumed that the remaining two paintings were somehow unworthy and they sat in their attic boxes for years. I recently unearthed them and found that I like them both! (despite having two many hard edges for my current-day liking) I felt Mrs. Bryner's charm shining through. Liking one more than the others is dangerous. There will be other moments, other years, other preferences, other likes. And twenty years hence I discovered that they all are Mrs. Bryner. They all have something wonderful to say about my subject.

Power

June Bounty   watercolor   14.5 x 18

It seems to me that most relationships, conversations and interactions are driven by power.......that is why I prefer to limit my interactions with a trusted few........those who understand a mutual give and take, a reciprocity that respects all parties. Same with paintings. To me, the picture plane represents the power potential.....all things within it must share the power. So, again, in my own opinion, the more things in the picture, the more the "picture power" must be shared. Last summer I conducted a watercolor class called "Summer Bounty" in which our goal was to paint the bounty of the season. The notion of bounty implies plenty and, in an effort to respect all artists, each artist brought one thing for the set-up each week. Too many opinions. Too much stuff. As I look back, our paintings had far too much stuff in them.....the power of the negative space was overlooked....a good harmonic balance was disturbed. I have learned from this experience. "June Bounty", I believe, was one of the more successful works, as its color palette was limited, making up for too many objects.

Discipline before Freedom

Scott...a sketch

Painting can get to be very confusing, especially when reality is so very detailed and so very all-inclusive. One can get bogged down over colors, mediums and supports. When that happens to me, I go back to basics by getting out my sketchbooks and drawing just for the sake of it. Moving a pencil aimlessly around a sheet of clean paper can be very soothing. It just doesn't seem quite as "high stakes" as a painting. I think that some of my more sublime and successful works are in my books. I wouldn't ever consider tearing them out..............my books are sacred to me. They chronicle my life, my successes, my frustrations and my growth. They make me feel calm.

Conditional

Conditional   oil/canvas   30 x 24 x .5

It is imperative for me to relate to a model before I can put my heart into a painting. This man posed on a bench with popcorn for the pigeons. There was so much about this person that I could relate to.....the story very personal and also quite sad...........but there it is. For me, painting involves growing as a person, as well as growing as a painter. His struggle is mine. Inclusion as opposed to exclusion. I decided not to put him into a scene..........no trees, bushes, plants, clouds, etc. I felt that the solitary figure would carry more power this way. To deny sorrow is to deny soulfulness. There he is in the rain.........no birds in sight.... I am there as well.

Spirit

Hudson Town Hall   oil/canvas board   8 x 8

I love looking to the sky and enjoy painting the intersection between the man-made and the infinite. In A Life at Work by Thomas Moore, which is my current read, he discusses the importance of looking up and relates it to spirit. (of course, he also discusses its counterpart, soul, which is a state of being grounded) I had the opportunity to paint another steeple this past week at the Hudson plein-air paint-out, sponsored by Hudson Fine Art & Framing. I was grateful for this opportunity!

Open-ness=vulnerability

Center Country Day School   oil/canvas board   10 x 8

For the past 3 days, I have participated in the Plein Air paint-out in Hudson, Ohio sponsored by Kathy Johnson at Hudson Fine Art & Framing. It was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. I am a studio painter by choice and by nature, but participate in this event because it stretches me. Instead of large canvasses that take weeks to paint and to consider, I worked on small 6 x 8 canvasses and boards. I was subjected to loud noise, rain, and bird poop. Having people watch you paint is scary! In evaluating my own experience this year, I found that I was more inhibited in my stroke-making.....I am not certain if this was due to the small size, the fact that people were watching, or the fact that I felt more hemmed in by the reality of the scene. I also found that I would rather paint buildings, windows and doors than the flowers.............whoa..........I guess I am still trying to get back indoors. Painting outside is a commitment..................it was difficult, but I hope to do it again.

Inspiration

Blueberry Tip   oil/canvas   6 x 6 x 1.5

I am inspired by so very many things.....sometimes it's enough to make me quiver with excitement! This past weekend we watched a movie entitled "Something Within Me", a documentary about the introduction of the arts in a poor Catholic school St. Augustine's in South Bronx. The music, especially enlivened their lives and raised all of their test scores. I don't think that this would come as a surprise to most artists. The wonderful band instructor in the film told them that the rhythm is much more important than any of the individual notes, and encouraged the young musicians to improvise with confidence, even though they missed notes here and there. WOW! That underscored just exactly how I feel about painting! The group gesture is always more important that the individual elements in any work, more important than exactitude in any of the pieces parts.....it was profound to me. "Blueberry Tip" is a painting in which I was challenged to paint the gesture of the bunch of berries. Hmmmmm.....more difficult than it seems.....always is.

Dialogue

Trusting Chef Roger   oil/canvas   48 x 24 x 1.5

Painting from a model is like a dialogue ...it requires information from the two participants. When I am unable to cull something interesting or lovable from a model, the painting is a disappointment from the start. My art group painted a local chef of some renown. I was lucky enough to ride the elevator up with him prior to our first session. This large man was gentle and kind. He also had some similar features to my own family. When I asked him about his heritage, I found that it was almost identical to mine. I guess I felt like he was from "my tribe". When our three sessions were over, he treated all of the artist participants to a fabulous lunch at his restaurant. Since that time, I have heard repeated compliments from other people about Chef Roger. "Trusting Chef Roger" will be exhibited in Youngstown at The Butler Institute of American Art 72nd Midyear Exhibition from July 13 - August 24.