Someone moved the finish line!

Actually, there is no finish line, no line of demarcation that signals the end of the race, the end of the painting.  Woe is me.  We artists always sense that the finish is near but that is as far as it goes.  We always think that one more correction, one more interesting passage might just take the work to outstanding.  With watercolor, especially, one of the major fears is to take that work a step too far, creating murkiness and destroying the complex patterns of transparency that one has taken so much time and effort to create.  And yes, we all know that adding just one more passage can set up an entire series of needed changes in order to bring the rest of the work "up" to the change. Yes, woe is me.  I actually know of a very fine regional artist, an older gentleman, who is notorious for adding a stroke of two decades after the first ones were laid in.  That enables him to enter exhibits where there is an age limit on the work.  But I think that there is more than trickery at hand here.  Sometimes, we just don't know when the work is done....I try my best to take completion very seriously, as, more often than not, I am displeased when I take my hand to a work at a later date, with a completely different palette and a completely changed frame of mind and emotional status.  "Strings" hung on my wall for over a year and a half.  Nagging thoughts of violet entered my brain at every glance.  After the year's drying time, I procrastinated on the varnishing time and time again.....I suppose I was building up bravery.  A couple of weeks ago, I let 'er rip.  In a sudden decision I pulled the work down and applied the violet before my left brain had time to disagree.  These photos record the change.  I am completely satisfied. 

I believe that I have crossed the finish line..........not in record time however.

Hey Kids....Let's have a show!

Boston Beat   oil/canvas   40 x 30 x 1.5

Spanky of "Our Gang" fame was never short on enthusiasm!  "Our Gang" of artists at Group Ten Gallery in Kent, Ohio shares these jazzed-up feelings.

What:  Grand Opening  Group Ten Gallery

When:  Friday, September 13, 5-9 pm

Where:  138 Burbick Way (in Acorn Alley)

Please visit website or call 330.678.7890 for further information.

Brown....

Julie   conte crayon and pastel on toned paper   17.5 x 10

has always been my least favorite color.  This time of year, even though summer still reigns, we are seeing bits of the yellow and orange that precede the brown.  I think that I have been over-browned.  Our old farmhouse had exposed beams of brown.  All woodwork in the living area was painted brown, including wainscoting. It took us over 20 years to work up the courage to paint over all of the brown.  The lightness that exudes from the Scandinavian palette we selected has definitely put us all in better moods.

However.....there is one exception that keeps brown in my vocabulary.  Portraits that result from the use of the great variety of earthtones are among my favorites.  The warmth of these tones softens a face and warms the soul.  (Those same works rendering in black charcoal lack that warmth but make up for it, in my opinion, by their great power) Ochre.  Umber.  Sienna.  Yes.

Watercolor Sketches...

Island on Lake Panache

Sunflowers...Lake Panache

Canoe on Lake Panache

represent freedom to me.  Plans are discarded along with lofty goals.  No thoughts about exhibition entries or saleability.  Limited supplies.  Paint what you see.  Whew!  These sketches, all done on the spot were painted on a 7 x 10 watercolor block.  There were others.  These are the three more successful ones.  It actually took a day or two to find my "watercolor feet" again....to come to terms with the illusion of control and to avoid over-rendering.

They don't have to be perfect.  After all....they are just sketches.

Readers...

Ann Reading

make excellent models for sketching studies.  They are engaged in their own very private activity which, I find, allows for a relaxing and honest pose.  They move.  They fidget from time to time.  But I have found that they alternate between two and three positions repeatedly.  So the artist can reply by moving between a like number of sketches.  (two or three for the price of one!)  In this case, Ann is reading from her Kindle while stretched out in the bottom of a boat on a sunny afternoon.

Two people enjoying a grand afternoon.  What could be better?

Sketching...

K. reading and N. playing

is a wonderful way to spend time while you are seated on a dock...on the water...in the sunshine...on an island...in Ontario.  My travel suitcase of art supplies (which is always the first thing packed) includes:  a sketchbook and a variety of pencils; a kneaded eraser; a blending stump; a travel watercolor set with pan colors; some small brushes; a watercolor block 7 x 10; some toweling; and a cup for water.  Nothing grand....after all it is vacation.  My aims are not lofty...just capturing a moment or two of joy when family and friends congregate.  I spent each afternoon in creative contemplation and about half of the sketches and small paintings seemed successful.  My husband enjoys the overlapping of images on a single page, so I will try to do more of that next time.  This page features my daughter-in-law K. who is engrossed in a fine read and my son N. whose spare time always includes making music.  There is a harmonica around his neck and a tambourine under his left foot. 

Our hosts seemed always concerned that we were enjoying ourselves....as would as well.  Not to worry.  Time flies when you're having fun.

Ebb and Flow

Ebb and Flow   oil on canvas   12 x 36 x .75

Painting the incoming surf of the ocean is quite a challenge.  The still life is, well, still.  Models are still for short periods of time...with perhaps a twitch or two, or a relaxation of a limb or two, for the most part.  And, despite the movement of the sun and the interference of clouds, landscapes are generally given to status.  However, the ocean never rests.  Capturing this movement, to me, requires a study of the large rhythm involved, and as much understanding as possible, of an up-and-over movement....similar perhaps to the rise and fall of the folds of a quilt, but far less material.  I was inspired by the rowing paintings of Thomas Eakins, as well as an ocean work by my hero Alex Kanevsky.  This work was painted in a day.  Sure....I was tempted to have another pass, but knew full well that subsequent strokes would only solidify shapes, turning them into cement.  I have held off now for over two weeks and the obsession is now past.  Contemplation is good.

The ocean never sleeps.

Cooperative. Cooperation. Cooperate

It takes a fair amount of cooperation to build a drip castle....the movements of two or more individuals timed in a rhythmic way in order to avoid collisions.  The more beautiful the rhythms, the more creative the endeavors.  Same with driving, same with cooking......AND with creating an artist cooperative with 9 other artists! I read somewhere that musicians are terrific cooperators, as they are used to being one part of several in the grand orchestration.  Visual artists not so much, as their work is primarily solitary.  But we are putting our best collective feet forward and have been slowly ironing out the kinks.   Our gallery:  Group Ten.  Location:  138 Burbick Way in Kent, Ohio.  Hours:  Thursday-Sat noon to 5.  (this is temporary).  Grand opening:  September 13....mark your calendars!  Details to follow.  My fellow cooperators:  Ben Bassham; Debrah Butler; Jeff Fauser; Judy Gaiser; Fran Lehnert; Thompson Lehnert; Jance Lentz; Geoff Mowery; and John Smolko.

A collaborative effort to be sure.

S and K

S and K   oil/canvas   30 x 40 x 1.5

Some images become iconic to me...those scenes that repeat themselves throughout one's life so much that they become embedded in our memory banks.  I am lucky to have so many beautiful ones.  The boys in the photo that inspired this work are now adults...both almost 30 and one to be married within the month.  The bodies have been replaced by other children but the same scene was repeated at this year's beach vacation...the castle builders now Jaidyn and Logan, children of our niece Katie.  In this case, the image becomes more than a singular painting...the work represents, to me, the impact of important familial traditions.  In my work to come, I hope to visit other such scenes/memories...they are the stuff of impact...that which makes my life worthwhile.

In the canvas, the figures were sketched in different positions than the reference photo provided.  I wanted the two figures to work as one in their singular endeavor.  The forms became pretzel-like, in a singular shape that includes the somewhat tangled arms and legs.  The figure on the right became slightly larger to create more interest.  The drip castle is indeed the tie that binds, but has become less consequential...a supporting prop.

A Tale of Two Horses

Two Horses   oil/canvas   18 x 24 x 1.5

This painting took months and months to complete....I just couldn't be satisfied.  The split rail fence behind the horses was in...then out....then in in parts....then out again.  Likewise with the detail and full rendering of the horizontal horse.  All that detail was just too much for me and took away the power of the image.  This represents a final (yeah, sure) effort at pleasing my aesthetics.  The horizontal horse has become a two-dimensional shape.  The white horse carries enough detail for my liking.  The dark violet horizontal band carries some semblance of a fence.  The swishing tails were just too easy to over-render.....so I gave them supporting roles only.   I am not sure this is what I intended....but this is where I ended up.  I am liking it more all the time.

Let me know what you think.....................

Surprise!

On Thursday night my husband surprised me....and I wasn't quite certain I was up for it.  With evenings still in the mid-eighties, we were usually found in front of fans either reading or slowing down from the day by watching totally mindless television.  I was in the process of the wind-down, when he suggested a visit to Ohio Music Shop in Kent for open mic night.  Each musician played three songs while we listened, enjoyed and sketched in theater-style seating in an air-conditioned environment.  What a rare treat!  My usual sketchbook was not in my bag, so I made do with this small notepad.  The parts of the faces not visible were behind the microphone...no matter.  All in all, a perfect evening...fine music, sketching and cold beverages.

Lemonade...

Lemonade   watercolor   13.5 x 18

Who wouldn't like some?  Especially here in northeast Ohio where the temperature is hovering at 90 degrees in the shade.  This watercolor was done in class from items that were put together by artists in the class.  I have since stopped the "everybody bring something" method of setting up a still life as the resultant composition usually contained too many elements for my liking.  But this one worked out well for a couple of reasons.  I tend to like an opposing color temperature as an underlying wash.  This is more difficult to do with watercolor.  And I also like mixing the organic and geometric shapes that create balance....a great yin-yang combo. 

The difficult part, as I recall was keeping the lemonade fresh with ice cubes.....we were all melting.

Yes...the garden

Radishes   watercolor/gouache   9 x 12

"Radishes" is a watercolor and gouache painting.  The paper was first coated with permanent white gouache, mixed to the consistency of cream, and allowed to dry.  This method allows for more flexibility in moving colors around and also provides a bit of opacity where intended without the mud that sometimes occurs when layering watercolor pigments.  I have always used it as a counterpoint in the work, i.e. juxtaposing it with transparent passages for that point::counterpoint effect.  In this case, the opaques are mostly in the background, but ease their way into the bunch on the leaves in the upper left.

The only time I have relished (no pun intended) radishes was in a brewery in Mill Valley  where they were served as an hors d'oeuvre, sliced ever-so-thinly and served with a pat of creamy butter at room temperature.  They are always delicious when painted.

Oh....the Garden

Beets   watercolor/gouache   10.5 x 21

We love beets at our house.  My husband's family is of Pennsylvania Dutch origin, so one of our favorites is Red Beet Eggs, or pickled beets and eggs.  We love them roasted, glazed, sliced, chilled in salads.  The leaves can also be prepared as a wilted lettuce dish.  The garden is coming in now...it is a glory to behold.  Graceful leaves and branches....colorful produce on the vine.  Painting produce is one of my favorite things this time of year.

Eat your veggies.....but paint them first.

Infusion

Infusion   watercolor/gouache   19 x 27

is the process I feel when I dip my feet into the ocean...an exchange between my body's chemistry and the salt water of the great mighty.  Having just returned from a wonderful vacation at the shore with nuclear and extended family, I was reminded of this painting done many years previously of my friend Jo.  Between us, we raised 6 wonderful and energetic sons.  We had more to do than time allowed.  The annual trips to the seashore provided such a great relief from the worries, the cares and the work load.  The ocean is a healing balm. 

Quick Draw Makes Me Sweat

Clock Tower   oil/canvas   12 x 9?

Artists are notorious for their personal senses of time.  I am no exception.  I believe that in order to be truly creative, one must be unaware of the clock.  That being said, you will understand why quick draw, a timed 2-hour painting done on the green in Hudson, makes me sweat.  My work usually relies on several layers, much contemplation and much alteration, involving create and destroy processes.  None of that is possible at this event.  So I am immersed into "alla prima" painting, from the first......The canvas was pre-toned with an acid green color, a warm yellow-green that fits well, I think with outdoor painting.  I found a location well ahead of the event and plotted.  I will say that this work was more successful that the ones done in years past.  I painted what I saw and tried to avoid re-painting any passages, which always ends up muddy and indistinct.  I did a slight bit of destroy, by softening unimportant edges with my fan brush and a bit of medium.  I softened all of these geometric shapes with a bit of organic leaf-play.  At the end, I wiped through to the the pre-toned canvas in some places to offer up some cohesion.  This work was auctioned at the end of the event.

What would I change given another session?  I would probably correct some of the incorrect shapes, and, perhaps, take some steps toward a more harmonious color palette.  But then there is something to be said for painting on the spot.  Maybe I will try it again..................at next year's event.

Plein Air Painting is not for Sissies

Allium   oil/canvas   14 x 11 x .5

I enjoy my creature comforts.  Painting outdoors requires lots of lugging, much time setting up and taking down, as well as repeated interruptions.  The interruptions are well-intended and kind (why, I couldn't draw a stick figure!  X 12 times/day), but interruptions nonetheless. Staying hydrated is a problem due to lack of restroom facilities, which would require a packing up all over again.   And all of that green....green....green...I am happiest when I can pair organic shapes with geometric, so I often try to include a bit of the man-made along with the wide varieties of plantings.  This is, after all, an event that is in cooperation with the home and garden tour.  Most of the attendees have vast knowledge of plants.  My focus in this work is the planting of allium which are large airy spherical violet blooms from a plant related to chives and onions.  This was my first painting of the event and, perhaps, the one I am most satisfied with.  It was worked with a limited palette and contains both kinds of shapes.

Allium can be seen at Hudson Fine Art and Framing.

Back to the studio....no bugs....few interruptions....and a glass of water whenever I choose.  O.K., then.  Call me a sissy....I can live with that.

Cob

Cob   watercolor on Yupo   3.75 x 12

Cropping as a tool is precarious surgery in my opinion.  I much prefer the in-depth consideration of the composition of a planned painting.  Composition is crucial for providing a focal area and other passages which should support the focal area.  Ideally.  For some reason, I put cropping as a tool in the same category as other "tricks":  using masking fluid; spattering; sponging, etc..  None of these processes will breathe life into an ailing composition....supposedly "saving the day".  I believe that there is practically no such thing as a perfect painting (well maybe one now and then).  I also believe that all paintings have strong passages and others that aren't so much.  I guess much like being a human being.  My aim is to accept the painting as a whole with its all its imperfections.  From time to time, I sort through unsold work and destroy weaker works whose appeal, after some time in catalog, are less than satisfactory.  "Cob" is a small part of a much larger work done several summers ago on Yupo paper.  Yupo produces so much texture on the surface that texture becomes the thing, the key ingredient.  Although working on Yupo provides many chills and thrills, the look of it is too much for my own personal aesthetic.  I did, however, like the cob.  I wiped out all of the painted areas around the cob (which is only possible on Yupo) and framed it in a small and long horizontal.  I think that this might be my first acceptable cropped painting.

Never say never.

And speaking of Boston...

Uncommon   oil/canvas   20 x 60 x 1.5

Uncommon is a work that celebrates the row houses of Beacon Street that edge Boston Common.  There is something very appealing to me about this accordion-like expanse of brick and windows...each building individually unique, but functioning as part of an aesthetically pleasing whole.  Perhaps a metaphor for the vast expanse of heterogeneous individuals known as urban-dwellers.  There is also the feel of the little Christmas villages that are part and parcel of holiday setups.  Twinkling lights in the windows.  Hustle and Bustle.  Peace at the same time.  My goal was to paint this scene without the tedium of overly-described windows and doors.  It had to function as one form for me.  As in any painting with this much detail, there are parts that I adore and some parts that merely exist....I have come to be satisfied with that.  Perhaps that is similar to the momentary glance that one takes as she observes the scene.  I think it is done.  Will get back to you on that...

The Boston Marathon

To Run The Boston   watercolor   20 x 13.5

is the premiere marathon for runners around the world.  For those who have finished it, the race becomes a benchmark of integrity and endurance for the rest of their lives....such as Bob, one such artist and runner in one of my classes, who always speaks glowingly of his multiple experiences in the race.  We were privileged to experience the race in 2011 when our son competed.  Our class assignment:  the cityscape.  Artists in my classes vote on subject matter.  The cityscape does not appeal to me as a genre.  I am not sure why, but I guess it has to do with the amount of information on the page...too much for me.  My reference photo was taken in 2011 and features two runners from Nigeria.  While the initial lay-in contained many beautiful spontaneous strokes, I was not content.  Too many pieces/parts.  My process involves the laying in of subsequent washes and a push::pull that allows some elements to shine, while pushing others into roles as supporting actors.  This is my final answer.

I am pleased that I attempted a work that I wouldn't have otherwise considered.  I was spurred on by the integrity of these African runners.  Ahh.....it's about meeting of the challenge.....courage.

Repose

Repose   oil/canvas   8 x 24 x 1.5

is sometimes welcome.  Sometimes it is forced upon us.  The model in this work was languishing in the heat of summer.  But this week I felt great empathy for this pose....too much gardening...too much exercise...too much disregard for the limitations of my body.  BACK PAIN.  Forced repose.  Forced time away from the easel.  Luckily, my son is a physical therapist who has helped me out with suggested exercises and many many admonitions.  Can't wait to be vertical again.

I have always loved the loose expressiveness of this work.  Loose.  Yes.

Boston Couple

Boston Couple   watercolor/mixed on paper   13 x 18

Boston Couple was painted, in all seriousness, as a not-serious bit of play.  I needed a topic for class and pulled up some reference photos taken in Boston on the Common.  A brilliant May morning.  I was not inspired by the work and that is probably why I was able to experiment with the forms...nothing there was sacred to me.  No connection.  In fact, I was annoyed that this fellow was spending this glorious day on the phone.  (personal gripe)  My original plan was a not-so-solid description with the figures blending into the ground.  When that process became less than desirable, I changed the game plan.  The figure was then worked back and forth in a figure 8 pattern as a singular shape.  Details were muffled and then muffled again.  The background was subsequently painted in opaque gouache. I have to say that this work pleases me somewhat, despite the lack of personal connection.  Perhaps that is why I felt free enough to experiment.  The preciousness is gone.  That pleases me.

This....wait a minute...no that

Simple Stool   oil/canvas   48 x 24 x 1.5

The idea for this simple stool work was threefold:  to paint the well worn and well used stool that has graced my studio for years; to complete a series of three such chair works (two just seemed wrong); and to pair this unremarkable piece of furniture with some lovely vintage wallpaper scraps, the painting of which I had intended to distress to the point of revealing underlying coats of paint.  I was inspired by a book called Sweat Shop Paris given to me by my son.  Juxtaposing the highly finished with the simple and humble....yes.  As the work progressed, I soon realized that the pattern of the sunlight into the space was upstaging the wallpaper....and rightfully so.  It was this simple stream of light that coaxed this painting into being.  Ah, yes.  Nature's beauty creating more powerful beauty than the manufactured wallpaper.  I was both surprised and delighted.

Am I sorry that I missed this design pattern earlier on?  Not really.  For me, the process is everything.  And I do retain the right to change my mind.

Happy Mother's Day

LB and E   oil/canvas   24 x 18 x 1.5

LB is my daughter-in-law.  E is our new grandson.  As I see my own history being repeated, I am awed by the intensity of mother love.  I have learned so much from this beautiful young woman...she is confident, yet soft spoken.  Hard working yet always seems to have time.  States considerate opinions without bulldozing.  E is a lucky boy.  I am a lucky woman.

This painting was done from photos taken when E was just days old.  It practically painted itself.  My commitment to the work could only be outdone by my love.

Paint what you love.

Are you in or are you out?

Who Holds the Key?   watercolor/mixed on paper   9.5 x 14

Making something out of nothing is all about design.  Given:  a random bunch of keys and locks.  They were arranged in a circular fashion before me.  I used a sketch to help determine lights and darks, and to illuminate the focal area which is the large lock on the bottom left.  My challenge was to paint brass and steel convincingly, as well as to adhere to the value and rhythm plan of the sketch.  I also wanted to provide a hard, scratchy feel that opening locks seems to give.  Some specks of gold leaf were added to the lock on the right that was in danger of disappearing.  Although I might approach this problem differently given a second go-round, I am satisfied with the feel of the work.

Locks and keys provide a barrier.  In or Out.  Something precious.  Something to hoard?  Keeping out others.  Pretty profound for a small bunch of tooled metal scraps. 

Tanner Redux

Tanner   watercolor   12.5 x 9

Our painting class so enjoyed Tanner in the fall that we invited him to be our model again this spring for two weeks...the first familiarizing and drawing; the second painting.  I am always so amazed at the "multiple looks" that every person conveys.  In this case, it hit me like a brick.  As a high school senior, Tanner's look has changed and he has visibly matured in the past several months.  His haircut different...more sophisticated.  And he posed wearing a bright yellow raincoat...fodder for any visual artist.  My painting was begun from life and completed with the aid of a photograph taken during the session.  Two sessions are always tricky...the skew of the head was somewhat different in the photo.  After the session, Tanner provided his own personal responses to each work...and showed himself to be incredibly observant and sensitive.  Congratulations on your graduation, Tanner!!! 

Tanner is off to Columbus College of Art and Design in the fall.

Tools of the Trade

Tools of the Trade   Watercolor   8.25 x 11.5

Each painting session, I must come up with subject matter for the very first class where participating artists arrive with painting materials only.  I used fruit for many years.  I knew I had to come up with something else when artists began calling this the "apple lesson". This session, we used objects from our supplies.  As I am a student of design principles, these brushes became three distinct yet overlapping lines.  And what better to counter the geometric line that an organic circle?  The "background" paint was laid in spirally.  Not only does this help to soften these strong lines, but it also prevents the ends of the brushes from commanding as much attention as the brush ends.  No fancy set-ups.  No meticulously calculated lighting.  I love the challenge of creating a subject from what you have.

I also love creating a dinner with on-hand ingredients.  Making do.  I think it's a great way to live.

Pensees

Pensees   watercolor   10 x 6

Painting flowers is not for the timid.  I have often felt that they are the most difficult subject on the face of the earth.  Complexity and detail abound.  It has literally taken me years to understand (from time to time) how to take in all of this complexity and reduce it to a more understandable version of what is before me.  Pansies are tender and bendable.  They love cool and moisture.  Thus is the challenge for a painter like me who loves the bold and sculptural.  In earlier watercolor days, I like to ignore its boundaries and press it into an all-encompassing duty....making a watercolor painting that would stand up to the strength of a pastel, an oil.  But that was ignoring its finest quality which is also its limitation...the quiet, the sublime, the delicately layered.  This painting is small and achieves just what I had hoped...the nature of these tender flowers.

Pensees is a French word for thoughts...and for pansies.

Empty Nest

Empty Nest   Watercolor   10 x 10

is a term that usually refers to that stage of life when the children have gone their own ways and parents are left with a nest that that is quieter, less active and just different than it was in previous decades.  Yet, I would offer the notion that each nest, empty or full, is full of all kinds of possibility, all kinds of beauty.  Feathers, leaves and small bits of string remain.....even bits of dirt.  I guess it is up to each of us how we choose to feather our own nests...empty or full.

Purpose

Purpose   oil/canvas   24 x 18 x 4

My watering can has seen better days.  It has multiple dings and a leak that has been repaired with duct tape.  It was originally purchased at Rootstown Hardware, owned by my cousin, which has since gone out of business.  I love this can.   As I am not a plastic-person, I continue to use, appreciate and love this well worn can and will continue to do so until a worthy replacement can be found.  I shot some photos of the can last summer in a late-afternoon light while it was perched on the arm of a patio chair.  The painting began mise en scene (in a context) containing the chair, the plants, and  the brickwork along with the can.  When will I ever learn that this approach is just not who I am?  After a couple of passes, all supporting actors were sent home while I used the design approach to carry out my vision.  There is a patterned border on the left which was created by pushing a linoleum block into the fresh oil paint.  Lots of layering, mushing, pushing and pulling.  This work took many many months to resolve.  For me, minimizing the number of shapes in the work allows more power to each.  After all, my purpose was to elevate the stature of this much-loved and worn household object.

Tooting your own horn?

Tooter   oil/canvas   20 x 10 x 1.5

is a questionable pastime, in my opinion.  Although we visual artists work, for the most part, by ourselves in a solitary endeavor, we really are engaged in a common goal, i.e. promoting the visual arts and one-or-a-kind works that elevate the buyer and sustain the artists as well.  It would be healthier for us, again in my opinion, to think of ourselves as members of a team.  One is not better than the other.  One is different than the other.  There is room for everyone.  Teams of musicians.  Teams of architects.  Teams of athletes.   I believe that hierarchical thinking is a thing of the past, gone the way of old boys' clubs and debutante balls.  Perhaps it is lateral thinking, our connectedness to others and the world around us, that will help us evolve into a world where each person commands respect.  No more us versus them.  Most of the tooting that goes on in my world is between artists themselves and is designed, I guess, for some to feel superior to others.  It just is not necessary.  We all experience successes.  We all experience failures.  I was reminded of this notion last week in a re-read of The War of Art by Steven Pressfield......excellent, excellent, excellent.  He speaks primarily to creative resistance to which we all succumb.  A slight bump in the creative road causes us to doubt ourselves and our abilities.  For Pressfield, "tooting" is in the amateur category...elevating those whose need to fit in surpasses the feelings of others.  One artist I know says that he has given out no less than 9 copies of this book to friends....well worth the read.

This particular beaten brass horn was stashed on the shelves at the art center.  My original idea included a blue background with tonal variations.  I guess I thought of the brass and shiny, light and gleaming.  Not so......rather....dark and tarnished.  So the background ended up light.  Scraffiti was added to energize the work.

Tooter.

Keep Those Hands Busy!

 

I am a fidgeter...real and imagined slight discomforts arise when I try to sit still for longer than, let's say, 10 minutes.  So, drawing while listening provides that needed nervous release during the long evenings of critique.  And, I must say, that doodling also allows for a more intense listening.  My mind doesn't have the opportunity to meander, as both brain parts are functioning.  These small portraits of artist friends were sketched this past week.  Oh so many good paintings were displayed!  So many ideas and so much beauty!  My favorites this time around were three powerful works that shared the element of simple shapes:  the wondrous dark 6 am clouds of Judith Carducci done in a narrow horizontal format (one of my favorites); an early morning patchwork Irish landscape by Ann Emmitt (small but packing a large punch); and the almost-abstract work of three warehouse garage doors by Dan Lindner, the color being pushed to the max.  Perhaps my adoration of these works arises from the fact that these were so very different than my own paintings.  Perhaps I just like them.  But what they all shared was a powerful simplicity.  And our critique leader Jack Lieberman peppered the evening with so much knowledge....knowledge that has accumulated from a lifetime of work and study.  We are a lucky bunch....support and constructive comments.  A perfect evening, methinks.

Finery

Finery   watercolor/gouache   26 x 18

Without a doubt, Easter is a day of finery.  People, as well as furry things, don their splendor as they emerge from winter hibernation.  Even the gold finches are on display as their feathers turn from yellow to yellower.  Brightness.  Light.  My quest in my work is that of the common human experience.  For this work, I used a family photograph from the 1950's.  My color inspiration was emerald green, which I might call viridian in the paint world.  A detailed sketch prefaced the work.  As the painting progressed, that bright green just seemed too out-of-place and subsequently morphed into softer, more muted hues in order to show off the pure, albeit sparse, used in the eggs and basket area.  The use of gouache softens and adds a milky quality to the pigment.  Pure white paper remains at the bottom and works its way up to the top, within the Easter bonnets.

I took this work to critique this past week.  We were to self-critique.  While on most paintings, I have areas of concern, on this one, I did not.  It progressed totally according to the plan.  One artist questioned the pure white at the bottom.  Another questioned the dark strokes between the feet in the sock area.  While I always consider the concerns of other artists, these two remarks were unfounded, I think.  The feet need a horizontal for the feet to be grounded, as well as to provide an entry for the movement of the whites.  The dark strokes in the sock area are not precise, to be sure.  But more precision here would, in my opinion, be out of sync with the broadly painted, and somewhat imprecisely rendered, shapes in the rest of the work.  Good comments.  But I will not heed them this time.

Happy Easter.  Enjoy your finery.

Scrabble King

Scrabble King   watercolor   13 x 10

Most of the watercolor portraits I have undertaken have been painted from life....from a model.  In our watercolor class, participating artists voted to attempt a portrait from a photo.  Of course, there are always pros and cons.  Painting from life offers up more in the way of interpretation and, for me, a much simpler way of seeing.  Painting from photos can get just too itty-bitty for me, as the work always progresses into finer and finer detail...towards the likeness offered by the photo itself.  The challenge in painting from a photo, for me, is to keep the work expressive and fresh, when re-painting passages is always an option.  Painting from life usually doesn't offer enough time for the portrait to be overworked.  I chose to paint mon mari, and snapped a photo just after he had triumphed in our winter-nightly game of Scrabble.

The beard is the white paper which has been cherished and retained.  The hat and shirt have been kept simple.  I am pleased.

Nosegay

Nosegay   watercolor   8 x 8

Our class assignment was an arrangement of Spring flowers, harbinger of the warm and sunny weather on the horizon.  (Little did I know that winter would be hanging around for a few more weeks)  I picked up a dear little nosegay bouquet from Heinen's.  My first attempt was too bold, too aggressive...not appropriate for this tender subject matter.  The background blue was far too strong and overpowered the bouquet. As was the solidly painted orange wrapping paper.   Another attempt in my studio yielded a more satisfactory result.  Each bloom was painted separately, always a challenge for me.  The "destroy" passages were kept to a minimum and consisted mostly of some broad watery strokes designed to pull the paint outside of the bouquet and simply imply the orange paper that held it altogether.  I am more satisfied with the second attempt.  I think that a preparatory drawing would have saved the extra effort.  Note to myself:  when the subject is small and tender, the process must follow suit.  The soft notes are as important as the loud ones.

Simple Wicker Chair with Detail

Simple Wicker Chair with Detail   oil/canvas   40 x 30 x 1.5

Why would I paint a chair?  A simple chair?  The two chair paintings that I have done in the past several months are, quite simply, objects of beauty to me.  They represent comfort, quality, a purity of spirit, and all the warmth that is "home".  While painting, I thought of all of the artisans whose work led up to my work:  the designer of the chair, the artisan who wove it, the designer of the fabric whose colors and patterning catch my eye.  These are the artists whose work contributed to this work...a collaboration of sorts.  And, I will confess that I had to pay close attention to the rhythm of the weaving in order to represent its qualities.

Wicker is complex.  Wicker is enduring.  Wicker is comfortable and light weight. 

A tribute, of sorts....to a simple chair.

One Green Gumdrop...

One Green Gumdrop   watercolor   12.5 x 9

Our class assignment was "a jar of ______".  The challenge was to render these sugary treats as they appeared behind class...as well as to describe the nature of the Ball jar.  Large background strokes of transparent watercolor were subsequently layered over with gouache...hopefully, just enough to let the color peek through and offer a bit of pastel opacity.  The polar opposites of opacity::transparency have been with me for years....I like to think that it offers the best of both worlds.  It has been said that transparency offers more of an entry, a participation, for the viewer....that which is to be.  And, conversely, opacity offering more of what is seen by the artist...that which is, that which is definite.  This is my response to the challenge.

And, as far as the green gumdrop.....why is it that our favorites are more often in short supply?

Longing...

Longing   watercolor   13.5 x 18

There are things and there are situations that fill me with a sense of longing.  Good longing.  A sense of the pure in this world.  One of those things is anything that is hand-carved....a one-of-a-kind object that represents someone else's longing and dedication.  Out subject for class was an architectural element.  I pulled this relief panel off the wall to take along.  I believe that it probably came from an old dresser.  When I stopped at the market on the way, I decided that these roses were the perfect companions for the work.  Hard:soft.  Geometric:organic.  Wood:plant matter.  The first step was to lightly indicate the carvings on the panel...the crevices, the shadows, the gullies.  The roses were painted at home over the week as they opened to a desirable place.  The final passes tied the entire work together....a bit of push and pull, to and fro.  The leaves and the darks were added at the end.  This is the opposite approach of my usual, which forbids me to enter the world of detail before the "big picture" is somewhat in place.  It was a refreshing departure, however.  And....an example of the particularities of each project...doing what will benefit the work itself....and staying out of familiar routines. 

Guest

Guest   oil/canvas   8 x 24 x .75

We had quite a few guests over the Christmas holiday....our sons from California, our son from Virginia, their lovely wives, our new grandson.....and....snow!  Those who live in San Francisco relish the opportunity to see snow...feel snow...and enjoy the feeling that this season provides.  This is, after all, the yard in which they grew up....running, hooping-it-up, raking, and gathering.  The mood was all-important here...the feeling that this scene emits.  Values in the mid-range help to tell the gauze-like story of the gray day.  Guests....

LOVE...

Love   oil/canvas board   8 x 8

Happy Valentine's Day!  Oh-so-many years ago, I painted roses, roses, and more roses while doing greeting card work for Papyrus....at that time Shurman Fine Papers.  Roses are complex.  And they are difficult.  I don't particularly favor them, but they are certainly appropriate for the season.  Actually, I thought that I had had my fill.  In painting them, I try to understand their construction and have found that painting individual leaves (at first) is the way to proceed.  This little ditty was painted as an exercise, a discipline.  Understanding their construction helps us to understand other kinds of folds and other kinds of complexity.

All That Glistens....stepping out of the regional

All That Glistens   oil/burlap/canvas/gold leaf   24 x 18 x 1.5

The bad news is that none of our children lives close by...so we don/t get to share time together on a weekly basis.  The good news is that we get to view art in galleries in major cities that are so very different than the regional art that we participate in  and view on a regular basis.  In this case...San Francisco.  Our last visit was comprised of a half a dozen galleries located in the downtown area.  The work yielded no surprises...it was all abstract, very very large and very very impersonal.  Designed to be impersonal.  The only commanding figurative works were in a series of photographic works taken of circus performers from Eastern Europe, I think.  While representational painters are often accused of working in a technique-driven box, abstractionists seem to work in another sort of box- line murmurations, squiggles and patches of bland hues ad nauseum.  My humble opinion, of course.  What I came away with, however, was the wonderful notion of possibility - simply anything goes!  I was inspired by patches of blue and white resembling a flow blue plate; fearlessness in the use of color; and, yes, works on burlap!  Carrying within them the knowledge of hard-won possibilities, these California works represented a great freedom to me.  I came away with new eyes.

"All That Glistens" is my post-holiday foray into a different world...one outside of my unusual regional recipe.

Big Snow...painting scenes from the neighborhood

Big Snow   Watercolor   20.5 x 13.5

Home is full of soul.  Home is visceral...you feel "home" in your gut.  In order to establish a commitment to any artwork, I must feel an emotional connection.  After all, an artist spends countless hours, as well as blood, sweat and tears, bringing the work to a grand finale.  I am not one who can just plop myself in front of a scene and work away.  It has been known to happen, but it is rare.  This barn scene, done after a huge snow storm, is a scene less than a mile from my home, and one that I pass every time I go anywhere at all.  It is not pristine.  I did remove the road from in front of the scene, but the dirty snow is there.   It is real. It is viewed from the shopping plaza across the street.   I kept the "sparkling whites" toward the rooftop of the barn....it seems an ascension to me.  Just as I felt it in my gut.

Tethys - a figurative drawing turned mixed media

Tethys   mixed media drawing on paper   29.5 x 16

"Tethys" started out its life as a vine charcoal drawing on watercolor paper done as a demonstration for a local art group.  My friend Trudy, who is also a synchronized swimmer(!), agreed to pose in her regalia:  a hot pink bathing suit, fingerless gloves, sparkly beach ball and an amazing crown-of-a-cap.  At the end of the evening, I had a nice drawing, but it certainly didn't do justice to the vibrancy of what the model had offered.  As I worked, I became excited about the possibilities of yet-to-be and decided to offer a bit about the progression to the artists who were kind enough to sit through the drawing.

Once back the easel, my first step was to use Opera Pink watercolor to paint in the costume.  Templates were cut from tracing paper and the background tiles were then printed onto the paper with foot pressure from a block I had on hand.  The designed tiles at the pool's edge were printed with a precut block from my collection.  I just love the bits and pieces of charcoal work that are left behind where the block didn't quite make a perfect connection with the paper.  To me, these are the happiest of unplanned accidents....almost up there with Christmas morning. I was pleased but then felt the need to use a large wash brush to "smoosh" some edges and make some of the tile-work more subtle.  The paper was quite wet at this point so I allowed it to dry overnight.

My excitement about applying the gold leaf just couldn't wait!  I don't get too nit-picky here with the small shapes, as I sometimes appreciate the imperfect ones a bit more.  Here is where I encountered a big surprise!  The printed tiles were still tacky and latched onto the leaf behind the cap in a rectangular shape....I had originally planned only on some small pieces within the cap area.  There was no fighting it.........it would not come off.  And so the shape behind the cap came to be....an accident but not unappreciated.

In order to subordinate the facial features, some watercolor washes were added....blue.  Blue was added to the leg area which remained as a two-dimensional flat uni-shape.  I simply loved it that way.  Chinese white was brushed onto the skin areas.  Some of the charcoal work had to be refreshed at this point.  I resisted the urge to correct mome of the shapes that had become quite imperfect, as I was afraid of destroying the overall feel, which I so enjoyed.  My husband says it is a bit Klimt-ish.  I agree.

This work definitely took me on a side-trip and provided more unexpected joy than what I ever imagined.  Thank you, Trudy!