Heavy Frost.. recording seasonal changes

Heavy Frost   watercolor   3.5 x 17

marks a passage for those of us who live in a geographical area marked by seasonal changes.  Rhythms change and, along with them, changes in what we wear, what we eat and how we spend our time.  This very small watercolor records that change from my view of our back yard where I drink my morning java.  Endings.  Beginnings.  Preparations for the December holidays....plans to spend precious time with family members who visit from afar; lots of baking; lots of plans; and the bringing in of greens to satisfy our needs for it when the environment is lain dormant for a while.  Small painting.  Big idea.

Live..a musician in mixed media

Live   Mixed/Paper   19.5 x 24

is the second result from an experiment using different materials and a very poorly-lit photograph of one of my favorite musicians taken during a live concert.  I was looking for a vague overall-feel with a great merging and graying of shapes.  (The first one didn't work out at all).  I used vine charcoal, water and a bit of watercolor on a large sheet of heavy watercolor paper.  I worked watercolor-style, from light to dark and tried to stay light-handed.  The shapes were difficult to understand in the darkness of the reference, so I had the job of interpretation.  I ended up with a very hazy gray picture with great mood but no punch.  Something needed to be done............the magenta gouache was added flatly at the end.

"Live" is a difficult and exciting way to perform...and to paint as well.

Two-Point Perspective...a drawing of a rocking chair

Rocking Chair...a sketch

I believe that a fair understanding of two-point perspective is necessary in order for drawings and paintings to be convincing.  Sure, we can copy photographs to the "T", but, sooner or later, errors will result, usually after that fixable point is reached, and the work will be forever marred.  (been there...done that) I did lead a complete class on two-point perspective a few years back at the art center, but the participants did their work with drudgery.  However, we all ended up with a better understanding of the rules.  To be honest, it was dry, dry, dry.  Our current drawing class tackled a chair.  The chair on the podium when we arrived was a 1950's style chair with simple planes and cushions.  But the class decided they would like to try this rocker which, to them, was far more charming.  Gads!  And much more difficult!  By visualizing each side of the chair as a flat plane, and by continual measuring and eyeballing plumb lines, a fair understanding is possible.  Even the slats that made up the back were affected by this convergence....similar to railroad tracks and fences that wind away from the viewer.  To top it off, the chair was on a high stand, which made the bottom of the chair visible.  Add to that the softening of edges for the three-dimensional result to be plausible.  Trust me, it was quite a work-out!

I guarantee that chairs will never look the same again!

A Freath of Bresh Air...drawing a portrait from life...Tanner Dionne

Tanner...a sketch

is how I would describe our young model Tanner.  (I had a friend in high school who would interchange consonants on word phrases....it was playful and fun....a sort of word game....after all....who doesn't love flutter-bies?) Tanner posed for our drawing class.  An interesting-looking free spirited art student, a senior in high school.  After the sessions we proceeded to comment on our work for the evening.  Tanner's comments were so fresh and elegant that I handed over the critique to him.  He was astute, complementary, and had that beginner's zen eye.  A marvelous experience.  Thank you, Tanner.

Simple...yet complex...

Simple Chair with Detail   oil/canvas   60 x 20 x 1.5

is how I would describe this chair that I love so much.  It was purchased many years ago (actually another as well) at an antiques store in Ravenna.  Who knows why something catches one's eye and becomes the object of affection?  It has so many of the qualities that I enjoy:  layered and chippy paint, a simple design and complex floral patterns decoupaged on top.  Attempts to "antique" it are apparent, yet actually fall short these days, as age and wear have actually "antiqued" it.  It is rarely used to sit on.  More like to stand on to water plants and to reach top-shelf items.  Maybe to install a new curtain rod.  At any rate, it fits into my love of the polar opposites:  simple...yet complex.  It really is more valuable than this tribute.  It delights my eye.