And speaking of brown.....and coffee...and ink...and Wallace Stevens

Oranges and Wallace Stevens

This morning I awoke at 5:30 am and there was no possibility of returning to the sleep. So I brewed a big pot of coffee and enjoyed more of "All Over Coffee" by Paul Madonna. What a poet! What an illustrator! All of the drawings of San Francisco surrounds and neighborhoods are done in sepia ink. They are enchanting. He is a perceptive and poetic artist.....how often the two seem to reside! He deftly explores and describes the human condition and, in doing so, helps me to accept my own humanity. Paul Madonna, his words, his thoughts and his beautiful brown drawings have inspired me!
The browns are all there for us to love...the umbers, the sepias, the siennas and the coffee.....they seem to bring us so close to the earth. I need to break out my bottle of sepia ink and my new sumi brush.

Between Drawing and Painting

Twosome   watercolor   14 x 10

I have found that many people who sign up for painting classes want to skip the drawing part. Too bad. Most of the errors that occur during painting are the result of drawing errors. I guess that drawing doesn't seem as fun.....what with no colors to choose from and no medium. I don't feel that way at all, as both drawing and painting involve visual problem solving....I am indeed in love with the process. It is THE TIME SPENT IN CREATING that spins my fan. There is always a half-step, a compromise, so to speak, between the two. Painting with one color allows the artist to experience the medium and solve value problems, without the extremely complex notion of color. After all, it really is value that tells the tale. I have found that the browns work extremely well as their built-in value property is quite dark, thereby having the capabilities of spanning the entire value scale. Not only that, it is pure unadulterated fun. Try it.....you'll like it.

Critique

The Red Shoes   watercolor/gouache   25 x 14

Last week, I was invited to critique work at our club meeting - The Akron Society of Artists. It is an exciting event and I can rarely sleep afterward. To be surrounded by so many people of like mind is just the best......people who are stimulated by the many ways of visually expressing the world around us. Thomas Edison said "I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world". This is how I feel about my painter friends. Of course, some painters leave the meeting elated after having received positive affirmation from their peers. And.....some are discouraged and disappointed. We have all experienced a little of both. For me, the goal is always to be able to self-critique as much as possible, so that the visual problem-solving is somewhat resolved before the painting is presented. I took the painting "The Red Shoes" to critique many years ago and will never forget what the critique-leader said (do we ever?).....that he liked the painting but wasn't sure about the red shoes. Well, for me, the whole point of the painting was indeed the red shoes, and the character of the person who dares to wear them! Definitely my son Nate! I this case, I ignored the comment and have continued to enjoy the painting.....and especially the red shoes.

Birthday

Independent   pastel/paper   20 x 13

Today is my son's birthday. My husband and I are excited to give him a call and have been trying to figure out the best time to do it as he lives three time zones away. I credit my children for giving me the depth of love that it takes to paint - to feel so deeply that it almost hurts, and to risk all for what you believe in. In "Independent" my son Nate posed for my Kent watercolor class. He actually fell asleep during the pose! (oh that I could relax so well!) The watercolor didn't work out so well and then transformed itself into a pastel. A morphing so to speak. Commitment. Thomas Edison said: "Nearly every man who develops an idea works at it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then gets discouraged. That's not the place to become discouraged." Thanks, Tom. I needed that.

When Things Go Awry.............

Dappled   oil/canvas   30 x 40 x 1.5

When I was 12 or so, all I thought about was horses. I drew them continually. I thought that I could draw them blindfolded. I even dressed like Lori Martin, the young star of the television show "National Velvet". I now live in a semi-rural community where horses are often seen grazing in the late afternoon sun. So, I thought that my painting of a grazing horse would be a shoe-in (no pun intended). WRONG. The painting was begun in November with all of the preparatory sketches drawn beforehand. This painting has since evolved at least a half of a dozen times. Each time I think I have a handle on making this horse my very own, the visuals go awry, the forms are either hugely boring or refusing to be broken up in a pleasing way. And so it goes. I will not give up, but have mixed in a few other paintings to dissolve my frustration. Today I will go at it again. I will show up for work. However, this horse is so shy that he may never make an appearance.

Hi-Lo Techie

Airwaves   mixed on paper   34 x 20.5

I believe that I am a high-low techie. As do most artists, I work in solitary surrounds and depend on my computer for communication, applications to exhibits, organizing my works and trying to sell paintings. I have learned to use my computer on a "need to know" basis and feel comfortable with most transactions. Just when I reach a point of feeling smug and safe, the computer fritzes out and I feel that a family member has been taken seriously ill and is in the intensive care unit....yesterday was such a day. The computer doctor was here and my husband would come out to the waiting room from time to time to keep me informed of the progress. It was truly tense. Has the disease spread or will we be recovering? If so, will we be in recuperation for a while? Sad but true. This techie stuff is starting to compete with my creative time. If I followed all suggestions that artists really "need to do", I would have no time left to paint. I have learned to lasso the computer time and then let it go.....its demands are neverending. Personally, I would rather have a paintbrush as an appendage than a computer. By the way, the computer is fine. We are the ones who had to take the aspirins.

Add/Subtract

Der Lehrer   charcoal/pastel   36 x 22

Every artist has his or her own process. Mine involves a putting on and a taking off of pigment. Sometimes, I "destroy" (i.e. smear, join, neutralize, lessen the importance of) huge passages. I don't believe that any of the strokes is too precious to be replaced. Actually, that is quite a complex notion that literally keeps me spinning. Sometimes the take-aways are more pleasing than the add-ons. My eraser as well as blending stumps are so very helpful in charcoal drawings, as they become my weapons of destruction. (all done in a very peaceful way). "Der Lehrer" is an example of this process. John works at The College of Wooster. It is a very good thing that I did not become an accountant......

Erasers

Erasers are great fun.....and, of course, saviors. In my bag I always carry my pocket-sized sketchbook and a small variety of tools. And ALWAYS my friend the kneaded eraser. My method of working involves subtraction as well as addition and I often appreciate the marks made by the skimming-across-of-the-eraser, as much as the ones originally laid down by the pencil. As often as not, I preach to beginning artists to forego the eraser while appreciating all of the marks laid in, even the erroneous flyaway ones. After all, those marks can be every bit as beautiful as those "more correct" ones. So, on a recent encounter with my sketchbook, why did I feel a sense of panic when I realized that my trusty "kneaded" was lost from my bag? Wow..........I will have to practice what I preach! That day I used a roller pen....not my favorite, yet a new experience. It seems that these drawings more easily tip the scales to those nasty value judgements "bad" or "good", while erasured drawings can more gradually ease themselves into acceptibility. I was happy with this result, the one of 3 that day, but will admit to putting another kneaded eraser into my bag as soon as I returned home. Oh, that comfort zone is so difficult to leave!

High Drama

Early One Lemon Morning   watercolor/gouache   12.5 x 19.5

Paintings are like great music.....they can evoke different moods by the way in which an artist "plays" the value scales. The arrival of Spring and more sunlight allow for drama to unfold in the visual. Strong light (from one light source) creates strong shadow areas. Those visuals that utilize both ends of the value scale spectrum are indeed dramatic in mood. I liken them to a musician who plays loud feverish passages in combination with softer sound passages for the same effect. It definitely captures our attention. "Early one Lemon Morning" was painted many years ago from photos that I took this time of year, as the amount and quality of light entering our dining room window changed dramatically from what we had been seeing during the winter. At that time of my life, I more appreciated the dramatic than the sublime in my work. Dark, dark shadows. Sparkling lights. Not so much middle ground. More easily read from a distance. This painting is in the collection of The Parkersburg Art Center (WV).

Teacher/Student

A Jubilant Mr. Watt   watercolor   28 x 20

"My right hand is being held by someone who knows more than I, and I am the student. My left hand is being held by someone who knows less than I, and I am the teacher". I don't know who authored this quote, but I can't agree more.....for me, the notion of education is circular. Experience doesn't mean much if we can't approach new works with the eyes of a beginner. Repetition of past success leads only to life-in-a rut. My friend Pat Sargent retired from an outstanding career in arts education with the Akron Public Schools. She is a firm believer in educating yourself, in the search for self-knowledge. Formal education is indeed a mixed bag, as one is subjecting herself to the value systems of the teacher. Following one's own path allows the artist to accept some notions, and to reject others. The quest is the thing. And I believe that creative people are more motivated by learning than by money. I am inspired by teachers such as Pat Sargent and by Mr. Watt, the teacher of rocketeers.

Look to the skies

Mr. Watt's Rocket Day - The Spectators   watercolor   26 x 18 

It is an amazingly sunny and warm early Spring day here in northeast Ohio. Actually, we have more cloudy days here than just about anywhere else in the country. So, when it is beautiful, people really get excited! This is the time of year that Mr. Watt would introduce rocketry to his fifth grade students. And, on a day just like today, the rockets would be launched. Seeing my painting of the crowd pleases me.....I like the way the group of students plus teacher works and breathes as a single organism. It excites me. Perhaps it is because my children were the direct benefactors of Mr. Watt's enthusiasm. Perhaps it is because the scene evokes such wonderful memories for me. And perhaps it awakens the child in me, the one who would like to send a rocket soaring.

Everyone's a Sprinter

Rabbit Study   pencil/conte crayon   10 x 13

My sons' high school track coach used to say, "Yeh, everyone's a sprinter". What he meant by that is that given the choice, most track athletes consider themselves to be sprinters, which involves training, yes, but is often the by-product of quick-genes. A very short race....then it's over. A minority of runners want to subject themselves to the torturous training and energy output of distance running. It's hard, time-consuming and is commanded by self-discipline. I feel the same about drawing. It seems that most student artists want to paint, and just forego the discipline that drawing provides. Most of the problems I see in watercolor paintings are actually the underlying drawing errors. Many years ago, I knew I was going to be called upon to paint rabbits. Besides, I love rabbits. I took a trip to the pet store at the mall to shoot photos as reference material as I had none, and the wild rabbits in my yard just wouldn't hold still. (I got the permission of the manager first). "Rabbit Study" was an arduous pencil study that took a week but it was invaluable for subsequent paintings. I will admit that I am guilty as the next person of not fully preparing for a painting by studies. Let that be a lesson to me.

Relationships

Kallie and Elmo   watercolor/gouache   16.5 x 10

It doesn't take a genius to understand that the more relationships one has, the more complex life is. Likewise with painting. The more subjects in the painting, the more complex it is, and the harder it is to achieve the gestalt, the higher order. It is indeed tempting to render all of the subjects at hand in all of their glorious detail. But I am a reductionist. I am trying to distill what is given to me into its absolute essence, that which I can savor and remember. In "Kallie and Elmo", the given is the relationship of a young girl and her puppy. I have come to the conclusion that the relationship of the two must be a higher priority than either Kallie or the puppy individually. (i.e. the taste of the souffle being greater than the sum of all of the ingredients) It definitely takes some restraint. I have some very bad still life paintings from the summer where each artist participant was asked to contribute one thing to the still life painting. The result: cacophony. You know what they say about experience? You know it's a mistake when you recognize it as such....... the second time around. I remember this painting in particular at is was one of the rare ones that seemed to paint itself.....that hardly ever happens. I am certain that Kallie is a beautiful young woman now.

Format

Long Tall Amy   watercolor   19.5 x 10

The planning of a painting is a particularly exciting event! Among the decisions we have to make, format is one of the most important. There are also psychological reasons why one way may be better than another. Horizontal formats mimic the sleep position and are restful, peaceful and non-stressing. Vertical formats are more energetic and lively. A diagonal subject on either conduces a bit of anxiety as we mentally determine which way that subject will fall and reposition itself. Very exciting. I guess that I prefer a vertical format, probably because I enjoy painting the human figure. Even my landscapes are likely to be vertical. Today I am painting a beautiful sleeping cat in a horizontal format. Because I like to overstate my preferences, I usually prefer verticals and horizontals that go beyond the standard rectangle sizes....i.e. twice as high as wide, or twice as wide as tall. "Long Tall Amy" is a painting of a tall thin young girl. Even though she is seated, I hope to provide evidence for her beautiful aesthetically pleasing height by using an extreme vertical format.

Making something out of Nothing

Lapin au Jardin   watercolor/mixed   10 x 16

As the mother of three sons, I became quite adept, come dinner hour, at making something out of nothing. And my three friends, with a total of 10 sons became likewise skilled. Boy oh boy oh boy.
In making art, I have become a fan of the same pursuit. You just need to start with a "spark". In my paintings, I often start with a free errant stroke that will jump-start my imagination and keep me out of the "itty bitties". But, I believe you have to start with a given. In watercolor class last week, we tried this little trick: A heavy wash of watercolor is placed somewhat strategically on the paper. Wadded up sheets of plastic wrap are placed on the surface. Heavy books are placed on the top and the paper is left to dry for a day. (don't peek!) When the plastic wrap is removed, graceful textured mottling is left on the paper.....those marks can become anything you want them to be! In "Lapin au Jardin", the border area was worked out of this technique. Gardens are chaotic. So is life with lots of boys.

Happiness

Elderly Woman in Union Square...a sketch

Happiness is somewhat elusive. We still try to chase it actively by aggressive pursuits such as buying, controlling and overcrowding our schedules. For me, happiness comes in little unexpected twinkles, often when I least expect it. A few years back, I was sitting in Union Square on a bench enjoying the day with my sketchbook at the ready. A caregiver subsequently sat next to me with her elderly charge in a wheelchair. As the caregiver did not speak English, we communicated by body language, and soon I was looking into the eyes of this beautiful old woman who nodded off now and then, with her head dropping to her chest. She and I took a break. As she shifted back into an alert stage, we worked again. I don't know if she knew what I was doing. But looking into the dignified eyes of this woman definitely qualified as a "happy moment" for me. Several moments in fact. This drawing session was the most memorable thing that I did that day, and still makes me happy after many years.

My favorite color always ends in -ish

Pinkish-Greenish

Fellow artist Barbara Gillette and I were relieved the other day to find out that neither of us prefers to use commercial names for colors. She has her pastels divided into two piles: one warm and the other cool. It is remarkable how often observers of painting demonstrations are concerned about which exact color the artist is using. Observers can then be seen busily recording this information in their notebooks. What a sticky wick. Naming and categorizing is a function of the L-brain, that part of the brain that cautions us against using our intuitive brain. I believe that the more time we spend in the L-brain, the more we debilitate the creative decisions that we alone can make. As for me, my favorite colors have names like bluish-brownish-pinkish. And I am rarely on time.

Color Temperature

Sylvia   watercolor/watercolor pencil on paper   18 x 9

Color temperature is more important to me than the colors themselves. While in college, I read of a primitive tribe somewhere (?) where there were only two words describing colors. My guess is that one word described warm tones, and the other cool. Using local color to describe subjects often results in cacophony, the resultant image resembling a stained glass window where color fragments attention and loses power. Of course, only my personal opinion. Two colors: tending towards blue and tending towards yellow. Cool. Simple. Of course, in my own recipe, one must be dominant in order to avoid conflict. My own recipe is to strive toward harmonic relationships. That soothes my soul. I hope that Sylvia is doing well. "Sylvia" is being offered through Masters' Portfolio in Chicago.

Getting it Right

Onionskin   watercolor/gouache   20.5 x 13

Each time I look over past paintings, I am reminded of the lessons that they provided me. "Onionskin" was painted many years ago. This young woman appeared to be tough as nails. After all, she had not had an easy life. After the 3 sessions, I was very disappointed with the work. I thought it should be softer. So.........I painted it again. And, guess what? The second painting looked very much like the first one. I have found over the years that the repeated painting of a subject with the intent to improve it, usually falls short. Different mistakes are made. Different areas are weak. Morayo taught me about commitment to the painting and accepting its strengths along with its weaknesses. And.....ten years down the road, those small differences usually don't matter. I hope that Morayo is doing well.

and speaking of hanging on with a toe-hold

Precipice Tree...a watercolor sketch

That precipice tree that I featured yesterday really got me to thinking.....about the edginess I feel with traditional realism, yet all-the-while clinging to traditional icons of realism, notably the human figure. I guess I use the subject to spin off into my own world. Although there is much abstraction in painting that I admire, it lacks the emotional connection that I need. In thinking about my goals, I realized that there are other artists who "destroy" the reality in its completeness and make it their very own. In doing so, they combine the realism with an abstract quality. I love it! I have previously mentioned Alex Kanevsky, educated in both Lithuania and at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. Another painter whose work I admire very much is Bruce Samuelson, teacher at the Academy and noted painter. Wow.....also love Jenny Saville. They have each inspired me to keep looking beyond.....................

Rhythm of the Pine

Pine   watercolor   9.5 x 7

I have relented. We are painting landscapes in watercolor class. Most painters love them. I never have. When I first began painting in watercolor, the medium was fully represented by rustic barns, ramshackle buildings and marine settings. These subjects became kitsch-y to me. But....back by popular demand....landscapes! As a result, I have been studying trees. Lucky for me, my husband is a tree-hugger and we have vast quantities of tree photographs stored up. On "tree night" we painted a variety of trees. Each variety has its own posture, its own rhythm. Branch formation on a pine tree dances in a figure-8 formation. My six-year-old brain remembered only the color of the branches and the overall shape of the tree, an approximate triangle. I was happy to draw the conclusion......

Can't see the forest for the trees

Landscape preparation drawing

Where did all of these truisms come from? Probably from someone who is highly perceptive. When I return from my evening watercolor classes, I am usually flooded with feelings. If I feel that most of the artists have been successful that evening, I am rewarded with joy. Sometimes the feelings cause me to question how I have approached a subject....or, more importantly....how can I improve upon that approach the next time? Landscape paintings are popular....they make us feel good in a rapidly shrinking world. In fact, noted landscape painter Ann Kah recently remarked how her canyon painting had been manipulated as she was unable to stand back far enough to get a real sense of distance. Wow! That is so true.....if we move back far enough to gain distance, we are always bumping into something else..........profound. (kind of like shopping at Marc's) And so it follows that we sometimes lose sight of the forest for the trees. In all paintings, BIG FORMS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN SMALL ONES. So, the gesture of the grouping of trees is more important than the trees themselves. It is indeed possible to unite an already-painted grouping of trees that have been described too individually. Somewhere along the learning curve, however, an artist is able to see the grouping of trees as a viable form, then will work to separate the forms in a later pass. Both ways work, but the later, to me, indicates a more sophisticated way of seeing. Perhaps that just takes time. In this sketch, I have indicated the dark areas negatively, which are the spaces between the trees.

Sixty Pairs of Eyes

Terry and Dan...a sketch

Last evening was our club's monthly critique. It is probably our most popular monthly meeting as everyone brings works that are currently in progress or, sometimes, finished. What a stimulating event it is! Our leader last evening was Terry Richard who goes about the task in an efficient way and seems to zero in on areas that are not working in short order. He was assisted by Dan Lindner who plays "gopher" by putting all of the paintings up for viewing. It is such a treat to be entertained with colors, shapes and movement. Some of us also use the time to our advantage by sketching while we are sitting. My brain is always overstimulated by this event, but in a most pleasant way. Judy Gaiser's blue heron and Ann Ferguson Kah's Arizona tree were standouts. My painting-in-progress received some helpful notes. Sixty pairs of eyes are better than one.

Tired

Tired Official...a sketch

The quality of the sun is changing - it is late February. I am reminded now of the beginning of track season, which was a staple in our household. Many of my sketches are of the athletes and fans who populate these events. Today I remind myself of "Tired Official". I wonder why I blog....I started when "The Art Calendar" highly recommended it as a way to increase an artist's presence on the web. And I did it grudgingly. Some folks think that blogging is an egotistical thing to do, although I never thought of along those lines, as I really enjoy the "Robert Genn twice weekly" blog that I follow. Sometimes it speaks to me, and sometimes it doesn't. Those I don't have to read. The real benefit, I have found, is the self-validation of problem-solving that occurs each day on my canvas and in my life. When I take the time to summarize my findings, I help myself to learn and grow. I will be a forever-student. I am not certain how beneficial this blog is to any others. In fact, sometimes it just makes me tired.

Hands Down

Hands Detail - Paint Dancer

Why do we painters freeze up when it comes to hands? It could be because they are so complex, what with all of those joints and digits. Someone in the Saturday workshop asked me about hands and expressed how overwhelming they are! Part of the problem, I think, lies in the interference of our naming brain - the left brain. It is the part of our brain that organizes, categorizes and names. When our L-brain takes hold of the notion of "hand", it helps us to recall the 6-year-old notions of hands, all far to difficult to reproduce....it also recalls all of the times we have attempted and failed. In my opinion, we would benefit from the shift to the art-friendly R-brain, where the visual language exists only as visual....the hand becomes terrain, shades, lines and masses. Hands, for me, take a back seat to the overall rhythm of the picture, which is my goal. If it helps to support the movement, I count it in. The gesture of the hand is more important than any of the pieces/parts. Then, as I distill and simplify, only important parts of the hands are described, as supporting actors, so to speak. All artists are different, dependent on their personal aesthetic choices. Just yesterday, I perused some paintings by Daniel Greene....the hands are exquisite, in all of their veiny detail. He has determined what works for him, and I for me. The Art Spirit by Robert Henri is my art-bible.

Grocery List - Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

It is inevitable. Each time I pull into my driveway from the grocery store, my subconscious brain seems to recall an item that I have forgotten. Funny how that works. The Saturday figure drawing workshop at Summit Artspace took me by surprise. I had pictured a small intimate gathering. The crowd was considerably larger and, in my anxiety ridden reaction, I forgot to mention several things....the most important being the artists who have influenced my work. The first artist I studied in detail was Andrew Wyeth....not a surprise. His moody works reflected my inner workings. My favorite impressionist is Edouard Manet. I have several favorite contemporary painters: Burton Silverman.....power beyond words. Alex Powers, primarily watercolor, from whom I discovered the marvelous principle of shared shapes. Alex Someone-or-other, a Russian painter who lived and showed in San Francisco and was the recipient of one of the Vodka promotionals. He seems to have dropped off the radar. I was inspired by his layering and distressing of the paint surface. The emotional content of Alice Neel. The push and pull of Hans Hoffman....I love his abstractions as much as his realism. Zhoaming Wu's work spins my fan. You can see some of his drawings at: http://www.lilipubsorders.com/prodinfo.asp?number=9787806748220
His charcoal portraits are soft and say so very much. His process reflects my own. And my newest favorite is Alex Kanevsky....love his paint quality and his subject matter. His work can be seen at:
http://www.somepaintings.net/ And, of course, it goes without saying that I am always influenced by the wonderful artists who live and work around me. Whoa...........I just noticed something. I seem to enjoy the work of artists named Alex.

Drawing

Marcie...a sketch

Drawing is just about the most fun that is possible for me! Love it, love it, love it. It is also provides the necessary drafting skill that underlies paintings. Tomorrow, Saturday, I will be leading a mini-workshop at Summit Artspace in Akron in collaboration with the "Women's Work" exhibit. It is from 1-3 pm and we will be drawing from a live model. Our goal will be drawing like a painter, rather than a drawer.....we will avoid defining lines as long as possible and will concentrate, instead, on mass. ( I am picturing a vague ultrasound image here) And.........BTW, our model Marcie is the star of an Agatha Christie play at Coachhouse Theatre that just opened............"Appointment with Death". She is so very good at being so very nasty. There are so many wonderful things to do in the Akron area.....hope to see you there.

Accommodation

An Accommodating Curve   watercolor/gouache   27 x 14

I am happy with my role as an artist. I am also happy to be woman. One of the qualities associated with yin is the notion of flexibility. That opposes rigidity, to be sure. Because a woman's life is composed of so much rigidity with so many details to tend to and so much nurturing to provide, I think that women who release themselves in creative endeavors are able to relinquish control and discover a complete freedom. Those artists who I admire (many of them men) have been able to marry the yin with the yang....the freedom with the control....and the traditional with the modern. These are the artists who continually question and search. (as opposed to rigid artists who seem to know all of the answers). Right now, I visualize sea grasses bending in the wind....flexible and strong.

More joy....another perfect triangle

Night Music   oil/canvas   40 x 30 x 1.5

I have always envied concert musicians. They make beautiful music together and seem to enjoy being a part of a greater music machine. Being a small part of something greater.....ah, yes. And the bonus part is that no one is singling you out. You can remain invisible. I have performance anxiety and ended up not wanting to play the piano anymore for that reason. I have always wanted to play saxophone or guitar. Visual artists, on the other hand, enjoy working alone. They like to work and problem-solve by themselves.....and without the scrutiny of others. The judging can be done later.....without the physical presence of the artist.

Head:Hands:Heart

Oboe   oil/canvas   48 x 24

The triangle is a perfect compositional shape to me. That includes most musicians, who have a wonderfully intimate relationship with their instruments. Head...hands....tool. What could be better? As I profess to be a musician groupie anyways, painting them gives me great joy, perhaps the same kind of joy they feel when they are making music. "Oboe" was painted a few years back. At that time, my subject played the oboe at the high school level. She is currently taking a masters degree in the instrument. Her seriousness was early apparent. To me, she and her instrument share a common beauty.

Taking Stock

Chameleon   oil/canvas   20 x 16

The "Winter Blues" exhibit at Second April Galerie in Canton features a marvelous sculptural piece called "Taking Stock". Hit me like a brick. It seems that many artists do self-portraits every now and then.....I do. It helps up to take stock, to see ourselves and our place in the world, to think about our shortcomings and our neuroses and how to deal with them. Every vacation photo was the same....tanned smiling faces.....all except mine. Mine was a sunburned red smiling face. I was perpetually teased and singled out. Yuck. Several years ago, during a snowstorm, I pulled my easel up to the large windows, used a mirror and painted myself with the swirling whiteness behind me. My skin looks dark in comparison. I struggle and it shows. Honesty. I don't tan....I deal with it.

White Shirt and Tie

White Shirt and Tie   watercolor   8.5 x 6.5

As I look over the images of my many paintings, I am drawn to some in particular. Painting from a live model can provide the ultimate of human experiences....a true communion with another individual. Robert reminded me of an era gone by, the era of my parents. Great dignity. Work Ethic. A White Shirt and Tie. Years later, Robert's wife Violet called and had saved up enough money to buy the painting. When I delivered it, I was treated to their life experience.....gardens and plantings inside and out, each with a story. In fact, Robert had written a book about his gardening and the trusty spade that he had used throughout the years. When I look at the image today, I realize that I gained so much from the painting (verb) of Robert. Dignity.

Failure to plan ahea

d. OK. Guilty as charged. While I preach, preach, preach to painting students to draw and plan ahead of time, I sometimes forge ahead with little to go on other than my desire. Whoa. My typical shortcoming is drawing too large. My subject matter seems to grow with each stroke. I can't tell you how many feet and heads I have cut off. Sometimes the result is charming. Mostly not. I have learned to compensate by drawing a box inside of the canvas edges which I pretend to make into my real boundaries. When I forego this important step, the result is disaster. My husband, the counselor, says that test results on children reveal this to be a lack of impulse control. Again, guilty as charged. All of the details in my life revolve around more time to paint. When I am finally planted in front of the easel, my excitement is boundless........and I throw caution to the wind. Yesterday's session ended up in a complete wipeover. Three days of painting lost.....along with sheets and sheets of paper toweling and beaucoup de paint. While I tried the bandaging the painting with color upon color, I realized that no magic color could cover up the bloated drawing underneath. What a horrible feeling. I wiped out.

Dancing Shoes

Dancing Shoes   watercolor   9.5 x 14

I believe in the adage "Dance like no one's watching". Likewise, "Paint like no one's watching". What a wonderful way to spice up the day! "The Winter Blues" exhibit opens this Friday at Second April Galerie in Canton, Ohio. I liken this place to the Moulin Rouge....well, at least for me. It is full of colors, activities, live music, great food and good vibes. The opening, which is free and open to the public is from 5 - 9 pm. Over 40 artists will be exhibiting! Don't be surprised if you find yourself dancing.

hundreds, thousands, millions of choices

Blink....pen and ink

Making art of any kind requires lots and lots of aesthetic choices. The more we work in the same manner, in the same medium(s), the easier the choices become. We know instinctively which decisions will result in the effects we desire, probably because we have made incorrect choices in the past. Recently, I was asked to design a tattoo. Line art, using pens and ink, isn't something I spend much time doing. I worked and reworked the design, searching for the best possible line work. Is it too realistic? Is it too stylized? Do the straight lines have a communion with the organic ones? Are the darks balanced? Whoa..............a whole new series of problems, albeit good ones, to solve. "Blink" is the result.

Fox Fur

Bus Stop   watercolor   20 x 13

Drawing different textures is a wonderful way for we artists to learn about the nature of things. This time of year we have lots of wooly hats, scarves and gloves, as well as fur collars to whet our visual appetites. An artist once told me that in a college drawing class, they were asked to put piles of flour, sugar and salt on individual sheets of paper and to draw them...........wow, what a challenge! Such minute differences in weight, bulk and texture! This exercise is definitely on my "to do" list!

Don't Give Up the Ship Painting

Rachel   oil/canvas   20 x 10 x .5

It is very difficult when to quit a painting. I really do believe in carrying a painting as far as it will take you. I consider that to be a commitment to the work. The result has swung both ways for me. "Rachel" started with promise but was a rocky road to travel. I started with a failed painting that had been covered over with lots of paint and texture. The speed bump that jarred me initially was the placement on the canvas....I worked and reworked the idea. Such a simple beautiful figure that I had done so many times before, and more successfully! I finally reached the point where the drawing was secure and I could be creative with the paint, which is what I live for. Small painting.....hours and hours of work. My New Year's resolution this year is to turn out fewer paintings, but to let none be released that I am not completely satisfied with, at least momentarily. I believe that my work on Rachel was rewarded.

Snowed In

Snowflake

Another Snowflake

Nothing is more exciting to me than being snowed in. I am one of those closet winter-lovers who is energized by the white stuff. Winter provides an inversion, an introspection, an aloneness that my being craves. Things are bare bones......landscapes, needs, entertainment, thoughts, ........
Fewer activities, fewer diversions, fewer noises, fewer phone calls...................wonderful. For me, this season allows for a merging of my thoughts and my artistic desires. Sketching becomes a true pleasure as individuals blend with hoodies, hats and coats. I love articulating their need for warmth.
Let it snow.............................

SNOW DAY!!!!!!!

Snow Day...a sketch

At our house, nothing was ever more welcome than a snow day! Status Interruptus. Negative Space waiting to be filled. Unplanned fun. I have such fond memories of those days. After the news that our school would be closed, the boys often went back to sleep. It was then that I moved in for some uninterrupted sketching. The faces melding with the bed covers, the blankets and the snow. Today in Northeast Ohio, we are in the midst of a blizzard....a snow day to be certain, although the boys are all living on their own. I still feel the twinges of unexpected pleasures as the day unfolds in a way that not anticipated.

Love

I have heard it said that an artist creates out of passion, of love or of anger. I think that I have painted from both ends of the spectrum, but mostly a deep, deep LOVE for which there are no words. This Christmas, I gave each of my 3 sons a portrait of himself. I wanted to give a gift from my heart at this point in their younger adult lives and at this point in my life and career. I call the format "Jailhouse Portraits" as each work shows the face from three viewpoints. This whole notion was stimulated by trips to the post office long ago, where bulletin boards were emblazoned with images of criminals. Anyone that studies a human face will understand that the face changes from minute to minute and individuals reflect many many looks all in the course of an hour......fun.....left, right and center.....I LOVE YOU.

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.