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.

!noitcefrep

Hidden Symmetry   oil/canvas   48 x 24 x 1.4

I recently saw a t-shirt with "perfection!" printed backwards......it made me chuckle and also summed up how I feel about that notion. We have lived in Brimfield Township for over 20 years. One of our landmarks was always a beautiful old barn with two amazing steeples, all in a state of disrepair. The rumor persisted that the owners were going to restore it. I finally got around to photos for a painting. Two paintings resulted. "Hidden Symmetry" is a metaphor for me of each of us. We seem to strive to be upright in so many ways. Sometimes it is exhausting. But we sag, lean, and topple.....we are flawed.....we have character....we are lovely. Two weeks after completing the paintings, the steeples were removed to the trash heap. We are also impermanent. "Hidden Symmetry" will be exhibited in Youngstown at The Butler Institute of American Art 72nd Midyear Exhibition from July 13 - August 24.

The Yin and the Yang

Japan Tea   watercolor/gouache   9.5 x 14

To me, painting is a balancing act of all of the design principles that make up our visual language. The notion of feng shui interests me a great deal in that "negative space" is a cherished goal, one that considers "what is to be", as well as "what is". It seems to me that we Westerners like to control many things, even our paintings....that is the Yang, the masculine. My paintings make me happiest when I am able to relinquish a bit of that control and allow one stroke to lead to the next, etc. That is the Yin, the feminine, an openness. My goal is to use a bit of both for an overall feeling of harmony. My daughter-in-law is a children's clothing designer for The Tea Collection, a collection that is inspirational due to its multicultural flavor. She just returned from a trip to Japan, and we were treated with a slide show of photographs that she had taken. A calm fell over me while I watched the show. When is the last time I really took the time to savor a cup of tea and a few slices of orange? "Japan Tea" was inspired by a vintage tray made of paper mache, highly lacquered and, of course, made in Japan.

Painting Challenge

1:00 Cherries   oil/canvas   8 x 10 x 1.5

I believe that it is beneficial to set one goal each time I paint. For me, that keeps me reaching beyond my comfort zone. I usually focus on what I believe to be my weaknesses. Our local art club has meetings devoted to painting challenges..........a great idea thought up by our programs chair Jana Volkmer. Tonight's challenge is "alla prima" or a painting done in only one session. That is especially difficult for me, as I usually ponder paintings for days, weeks, and even months. I'm not sure that is always a good thing. I'm not certain that I trust what is initially laid onto to the paper or canvas. I am wondering which work I can bring..............there aren't many, as even quickly done watercolors are often given a couple of extra strokes back in the studio. The last time we had this challenge, I created a painting in one hour.........whew! It had to be done quickly as the composition included a shadow, which changes minute by minute. If it hadn't sold, I would probably still be considering it.

It's a hot one

Melon Sill   watercolor   6.75 x 12

Here in northeastern Ohio it has been over 90 degrees for several days. Our old house of almost 150 years has no air conditioning. My '94 Toyota Previa van has 225,000 miles on it, but the air conditioning has been kaput for several years. The heat puts an edge on things to be sure, but I'm not sure that it all bad. I really do think that it shows up in my delight at painting certain things. This watermelon painting was begun as a monoprint, by painting on a piece of plexiglass, then transferring it to watercolor paper. The painting is continued by brush, albeit backwards as you view the set-up. It was painted in the air-conditioning at Cuyahoga Valley Art Center alongside my fellow painter Susan Mencini. Although I am not satisfied with the composition, its fresh and watery nature is successful in my opinion. I think that might be due to the extreme heat.

Beware the unexpected

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

Artists work very hard. I draw and paint with many other artists each week and am witness to the efforts that are required. The results are often surprising. Sometimes, the works that we labor over remain stale. Yet, some works seem to paint themselves with ease. We are always surprised and wish that we could find that formula again....................I don't believe that there is any such formula. By working within the time framework of a given situation, we are at odds with the clock, but, in doing so, put limits on what can be done. I believe that a great work can result after 5 minutes, or after 5 hours. Using a camera for photo references breaks that boundary and allows a work to be picked at ad infinitum. Often a disadvantage and a downfall. I know this from experience. "Saturday Night's All Right" is one of my favorite works, created during a Saturday night art walk in my community. I had only 5 hours with this model and the pieces seemed to fall into place easily. I so wish for that formula!

Flux

Cauliflower, Tomatoes and Celery   watercolor/gouache   10 x 10

I believe that we are constantly in a state of flux, our opinions and preferences ebbing and flowing according to our moods, our peers and our cultural mores. Who hasn't looked back at a photo of himself/herself from the previous decade and wondered, "What ever was I thinking?" And so it goes. It often happens that I am dissatisfied with a painting or drawing only to find that someone else likes it a great deal. And on the flip side, a work that I find successful will draw many "I think you should_____" comments at a critique. I pulled a work out of my portfolio from several years ago and found that I liked it much more than I had originally. Is it because I am in a different place mentally? I don't know. Sometimes, the more you learn, the less you know.

Soft and Tender

Eggs in Wire Basket   watercolor   10 x 10

I don't usually like to paint a subject more than once in a short period of time. However, with the case of the wild and dramatic egg basket, I felt compelled to try again in a manner than seemed more appropriate for the subject. My goal was a light application of paint, using tender strokes and modest blending. I think that I was successful. In polling my students, I found that some preferred the bolder one, while some liked the tender one. In fact, I like both as well. Ah..........the polar opposites.........the yin and the yang. Lesson learned: we can like more than one thing and we can be more than one thing.

Learning to play all of the notes

Nest Basket   watercolor/watercolor pencil   9.5 x 10

For me, painting is much like music. My favorite musicians play in a variety of styles to create different moods and lots of interest.....in other words, they seem to avoid formula music. I want my work to be like that. I want to play soft notes, as well as loud powerful ones. My usual hand is a heavy one..........I guess a bit bold.........so I am always attempting to lighten my hand when called for. My first attempt at a basket full of eggs is strong, using dramatic value shifts and line work at the end. I wasn't satisfied in that I got rather lost in all of the grasses and weeds. I wasn't certain that my treatment was appropriate for the subject. A bit distressing.

High Art? Low Art?

Everyday Art...A Tribute to Maggie Voiers   watercolor   13.5 x 10

Sometimes I am saddened by the number of people who think that art is for the moneyed elite. I guess it is because those are the folks who can afford to buy our work. To me, "high art" is represented by sculptures, paintings and hand-pulled prints. I was amused when our new art museum in Akron offered a knitting seminar, calling it "everyday art" (perhaps to broaden the visitor base?). Our grandmothers created everyday art. We created everyday art and, somehow, our culture considers it to be less important, less grand and less worthwhile. Sad. Our assignment in watercolor class was to create a painting of a relief, a piece of lace, a doily, etc., thereby learning the lesson of negative painting, which is to create by painting the spaces, rather than the object itself. I chose crochet as my subject and dedicated it to a local artist Maggie Voiers who has made thousands of innovative and amazing crochet hats and given them away. For me, everyday art is made up of so much human spirit. I wish that there was no distinction.

Regrets for the Road Not Taken

Honey Bee  AP   linoleum print

I am always a bit sad when a work is finished....I guess it is because the excitement for the project is over and I see how things may have been finished in a better way. (I call this the "pancake theory", as the first few are always not quite as good) After day 1 of the bee prints, I was so excited to add the veil-like orange color that I quickly tried one as a practice before I made the next day's cuts. The next day, I cut more away from the honeycomb border, thinking that breaking up the forms would make the print more complex, more colorful. In looking back, this one practice print is one of my favorites and my error, in the print process, was making things too complex. Printing is about simplicity of form. My painting is not. I will try to remember...."keep it simple, stupid". I am already looking forward to my next prints...........perhaps a spider.