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.