Gal from Maine

Gal from Maine   watercolor/cold wax/wood cradle    11 x 14 x .75

                           

When our son's family comes to visit, they bring along their two delightful Maine Coon cats.  These felines are gentle giants...fluffy, snuggly and easy to get along with.  One of their endearing quirks is that they love to drink from bathroom sink faucets and cozy up in the bathroom sinks....lucky for us that we have two side-by-side sinks to accommodate them!

The greatest challenge in rendering animals is to get the feel of the fur without getting too detailed, as detail takes away from the coat as a whole.  These cats have a tortoise appearance, with many layers of color rolled into one.  I began with some warm washes and tried to sublimate the fur to the form of the animal.  Cooler and neutral layers were placed on top.  Initially, I started to put in the actual spigot and handles, but that was much too much detail for my liking.  They disappeared into the dark background.

I like the feel of this work.  I also like the placement of the whites, which were toned down a bit at the end.

Most of all, I love these cats!

This Little Piggy

This Little Piggy   oil/canvas   12 x 16 x .5

Small children and baby animals are sure-fire subjects for a painting.  Who does't love 'em?  One of the hazards, in my view, is the overly-saccharine quality that can spoil the serious thoughtfulness of a work.  Another, in the case of a pig, is its overall round and fairly uninteresting shape.  I recall here, my first few paintings that included pumpkins and the difficulties I had in the rendering of such large, round shapes.  For me, for my own sense of "correctness", that shape must be broken up in some way.  The outside-in::inside-out principle  must be put to use here.....for me....so that I can feel satisfied upon completion.....the pig likeness and the overall design of the picture plane are both important to me.

A Glimpse

Doe, A Dear

This work began as reference photo shot deep within the woods.  The animal was barely visible, his own self-protective camouflage coloring working as it should.  The background was, of course, filled with texture....leaves, leaves, branches and leaves.  What I have done here is, in my own opinion, to create a better painting than what was provided by my reference.  I know what I like....and any attempt to alter it has been discarded, repainted, and, perhaps, discarded again.  I have absolutely no interest in painting hyper-realism.  (I am probably unable to do it anyways). 

In looking at the work, and trying to understand a few of the major decisions that made this work personal, I found:

- The value of the deep woods in the background was maintained, while eliminating the texture. 

- Some shapes were simplified and made two-dimensional, to further simplify

- the largest major shape (deer torso) has been broken into, primarily because I wanted more interest     in the face and head

- and, as always, values were slightly pushed to a blackish-violet in some areas to further rhythmic        viewing and focal point description

These decisions were made intuitively....it is only when finished, that I try to understand why things happened as they did.

Although my final work reveals more than just a glimpse, I am happier.

Bully Bunny OR A Preconceived Notion Run Amuck

Bully Bunny   watercolor/relief ink   20 x 10

Rabbits are sweet herbivores, right?  Well...this bunny threw me for a loop.  Most often, I have somewhat of a preconceived notion of the way a work will look upon completion.  Oh, yes, it varies SOMEWHAT.  But, in this case, I was completely surprised as the work twisted and turned and evolved in a completely surprising way.  No predictability here.  The rabbit painting in my brain was a bit more watercolory...more botanical...more realistic.  But at each turn, my personal aesthetic was at odds with the realism of the subject.  The realistic bunny morphed into an Easter Bunny!   While I am not a big fan of the start-over, as the do-overs always seem to follow the same path as the original.  In this case, there were two, yes two, do-overs.  My own sense of correctness was stronger than the realistic representation.

All I can say is SURPRISE!  Yes, bunnies are sweet.  But in this case, this bunny was a bully!

In The Grips

In The Grips   oil on canvas   20 x 10

we are....the coldest and snowiest winter on record here in Northeast Ohio.  One can feel a connectedness to all creatures in the face of such extreme weather.  I gain strength myself from this realization.

This small canvas was calling to be painted over.  First I sanded, then I toned.  My challenge was to use a space, a composition, that was a bit unusual.  Different problems to solve.  Other advantages as well.  Despite its smallish size, I am please with the power that this bovine has, and deserves, as a result of  its dominating volume in this composition.

As we, as a species, continue to evolve, and in due time recognize equality and respect for those of color, women and gays, there will be a time that we respect the animal kingdom as well.  The recently released footage from Mercy for Animals taken at the Wiese Brothers Dairy farm in Wisconsin saddened me beyond belief.

We::They thinking is toxic.

Baaaa.....d to the bone...

Reverence   oil on canvas   30 x 40 x .75

This month I have been painting a sheep.  Yes, a sheep.  Massive.  A gentle giant.  Painting animals makes me feel serene and complete.  It helps me to understand just where we fit into the grand scheme....that we are a small part of the world in which we live.  My goals were to render the wool in a general way and to merge the sheep shape into the surrounding ground.  The gestalt.  The overall sheep feel.  I felt reverence as I painted.  Respect.  Admiration.

The highest purpose is to have no purpose at all.  This puts one in accord with nature in her manner of operation......John Cage

One who lives in accordance with nature does not go against the way of things.  He moves in marmony with the present moment always knowing the truth of just what to do......Lao Tzu (Tao de Ching)

It's Raining Cats and Dogs...

Happy   oil/canvas   10 x 20 x .5

We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals....Immanuel Kant

Opening:  Friday, April 9, 5:30-8:30 pm, wine and cheese reception

                 Hudson Fine Art & Framing, 9 Aurora Street, Hudson, Ohio

                 Percentage of proceeds to benefit PAWSibilities, the Humane Society of Greater Akron

                 photos by Neil Evans, watercolors by Sinclair Stratton, sculptures by Gail Chavenelle 

                     (some of my work as well)

When a man has pity on all living creatures then only is he noble....Buddha Siddhartha Gautama