Nude Leaning

Nude Leaning   watercolor/mixed   12.25 x 9.5

We hired a life model a couple of weeks ago for class painting.  My painting was fairly regular in its description...but the work lacked pizazz.  First I experimented with painting a loose, mid-value background.  Still pleasing.  Still boring.  I wanted texture to oppose the smoothness of the model's skin.  I wanted opacity to oppose the transparency of the figure.  After cutting a template to cover the figure, I used relief ink to print onto the background area.  The small dots were actually happy accidents....bits of dried ink that stuck to block and prevented total coverage.  What a hoot!

Experimentation doesn't always work out well.  But it always provides a thrill!

Young Man

Young Man   oil on canvas   36 x 24 x 1.5

For years and years, I painted and drew from live models.  As I look back, there are only a few that stirred my soul.  Mostly, I did not know them personally.  Sometimes their attitudes and demeanor did not invite me inward.  I need to be somewhat inspired by the person in front of me in some way....I need to feel a connection of sorts in order to invest my emotions in the work.  And this process is mostly non-verbal.  (I don't need to chat, go for coffee, or even verbally relate.....I just need to be inspired)  In many cases, for me, at least, the take-a-break personality interferes with my investment....breaks the mood.  OK.  So I'm picky.  For me, art is so very pure and my work reflects who I am, so, yes, there is an investment, a collaboration of the genuine.  This was one such model.  The young man.  The laborer.  Perhaps my affection has to do with the fact that I have three sons.  This is their look.  Their uniform.

"Young Man" is currently on exhibit at Group Ten Gallery.  Our opening is tonight in Kent, Ohio and features the work of Jeff Fauser (Reconfigurations) and Jance Lentz (Trees and Barns).  Come on in.

We are what we eat...

Cabbage, Carrots, Garlic and Red Onion   watercolor   9 x 13

and we paint what we are....yes....I believe that to be true.  Every stroke reflects the maker.  Every stroke reflects a decision made by the maker that, in actuality, could probably not be repeated by another.  So, for the most part, my paintings become somewhat predictable in that they reflect my own problem solving skills that repeat themselves over time.  And yet, this one surprised me!  It is tighter than usual.  Normally I paint the background in one or two layers with perceivable strokes.  This time I tried something different....a background comprised of multitudinal washes of transparent hues..rose madder, raw sienna and raw umber...in no particular order except what directional I perceived as a lack.  (it needs to be warmer.....etc......add sienna)  Normally, I am not that patient.  In this case, I feel that the flat reflective background plays against the textural painting of the vegetables and even plays up the power of that element.

I love to eat vegetables.  I love to paint vegetables.  I am satisfied with this work.

And yet....I am surprised!

The Early Morning

White April Morning Daffodils   oil/canvas   12 x 24

Yellow April Morning Daffodils   oil/canvas   12 x 24

Daffodil paintings are presented here as a kind of "blast from the past".  I had a comment recently from a fellow artist congratulating me on these new works.  Actually, these paintings were done in 2005 and no longer in my possession...at least in the material sense.  The feelings I have when I look out into the yard to see these glowing clusters surfaced again this week.  While I enjoy this work from nearly a decade ago, I understand that this work can no longer be repeated.  My work has evolved.  I have evolved.  I can appreciate them but celebrate the self-examination and changing process that has occurred in my artistic endeavor.  The work of a lifetime is very much like a diary.

I am different now.  But I still get a charge out of early morning daffodils.

Royal Egg

Royal Egg   watercolor   13.75 x 6

is a second attempt at painting an egg on a silk scarf, the first being many years ago.  I wanted the egg to rest center stage.  I wanted to oppose the hard shell with the gossamer feel of cloth.  I am pleased with this result, especially with the paint quality.  While the paper was still damp and the support laying flat, I drizzled and dipped into raw umber in the area around the egg.  The resultant granulation excites me.  The difficulty was the lay of the scarf, which, despite my best attempts, positioned itself differently in each of four sessions...twice during two different class sessions and twice during two separate sessions at home.

An homage to the humble egg...isn't that where everything begins?

Aging Beauty Queen

Aging Beauty Queen  watercolor & gouache   20.25 x 12

On trips to see our family, I never include huge plans for art-making.  So many loved ones to visit.  So many new things to see.  On this recent trip, my one teeny weeny goal was to sketch our new granddaughter....and then maybe to turn it into a small watercolor.  The sketch is dear but unfinished.  Walking through the streets of the Mission district in San Francisco has its rewards, however.  The top half of this aging Victorian home became my first subject back in the studio.  Much detail was distilled and subdued in order to put focus on the fire escape and its shadow.  I used body color in the sky and a few strokes within the structure in order to contrast with the remaining transparency.  I believe that this process makes the transparent passages even more so...even more powerful. 

While urban life within can, at times, seem romantic and magical, I can honestly say that I am quite satisfied with life inside my quiet studio.  I have become a curious onlooker.

A Gift

S...   a sketchbook drawing

is far too often measured in material terms, especially these days....a thing along with a $5 card to go along with.  A more precious gift is that of time, which is more difficult than ever to come by.  Our recent gift, a lovely new granddaughter, was magnified by two weeks holding, caressing and welcoming her into the world.  Our son and lovely wife live far from us, so the gift was doubly appreciated.  Time spent sketching.  Time spent adoring.  Time to just be.

Although this sketch was never quite finished, I will cherish the moments spent in the doing, in the observation, with her tucked between my legs on the couch.

Boots and Socks.....again?

Boots and Socks   watercolor   10.5 x 19

"In Like a Lion" is how March began here in northeast Ohio....snowstorms continue to surprise and schools still calling off a day now and then. Spring is in the air.  The light quality is enlightening.  But we are still wearing boots.  I have always found studies of boots and shoes to be interesting...reflecting the taste and the daily habits of the wearer.  I thought that this painting was done, although I continued to ruminate about the long horizontal format and the lack of rhythm between the two boots.  So, on a very brave day, I pulled the work out of the mat and added the vertical cad red stripe on the left and a couple of touches of orange.  Ahhhhhh........much better.

Spring sometimes comes gradually.....as does resolution.

Chinoiserie Eggs

Chinoiserie Eggs   watercolor   12.5 x 9

was one of the RARE RARE watercolors that happened easily.  It is currently on view at our "Group Ten and Friends" exhibit at Group Ten Gallery in Kent, Ohio.  Currently being exhibited is the work of:

Debrah Butler
John Sharp
Brant Gebhart
Ben Bassham
Tom Webb
John Pavlicek
Judy Gaiser
Larry Walker
Judith Carducci
Jance Lentz
Geoff Mowery
A.D. Peters
John Smolko
Zach Smolko
.........................................and your truly.

Winter in the Adirondack

Winter in the Adirondack   watercolor   18.75 x 11

Our assignment:  a snow scene.  And that is good.  Because we, here in Northeast Ohio, have been looking at it for several months now.  (And being a winter-lover, I, for one, am not complaining at all).  While winter landscapes are often fairly easily rendered in watercolor, the genre doesn't excite me much.  Too many little shapes.  I decided to paint one of our patio chairs.  This painting took layers and layers to complete....the snow in the center of the chair with very few, the background and chair surround with more.  While I really like to get to the point as soon as possible, that notion goes out the door until the desired atmosphere is achieved.  I wanted a gauzy feel, yet solid....a sort of richness that occurs when pigment is layered.  Although I spent a good amount of time on the drawing, it took meandering in paint to work my way into a rhythm that suited me.

The walls at Rockne's restaurant in Kent are covered with movie press photos.  This one reminds me of the one for The Shining....Jack Nicholson seated in a snowy Adirondack chair looking like his usual crazy self.

Sinkside...a tribute to Marc Folly

Sinkside   watercolor   10.5 x 8

Our challenge in class was dishes and kitchen utensils in an arrangement of sorts...we dove head-first into ellipses broken up by the straight linear qualities of the utensils.  We, in our class, have been quite taken with the work of French watercolorist Marc Folly.  Ah.........the glories of the internet.  I am no exception.  His work has a fresh abstract quality that is easily admired.  He works at creating paths of light through the work....real light as well as patterned light that functions as a beautiful rhythm, leading the eye as well as the imagination.  Interestingly, an artist friend dropped off a few older copies of The French-publication The Art of Watercolour.  This lovely magazine is beefy and chock full of information minus the advertising.  As luck would have it, I happened on an article about Marc Folly and his process.....wow..........a complete surprise!  He spends lots of time on the pre-painting drawing; he begins with strong darks; and he is not afraid to scrub out!  As an oil painter as well, I saw the art-making possibilities for any medium.  "Sinkside" is my tribute to Marc Folly...and a way for me to channel his methodology.

Our chapeaux are off to Marc Folly!  (And let us not forget the "u" in watercolour!)

P.S. Please visit the work of Helen Strom of Paris who responded to this post.

Tapper

Tapper   oil on canvas   48 x 24 x 1.5

Tapper is what I hope to be the beginning of a series of vertical figure paintings of people....just people....those who inspire and who "do the daily" in an interesting way.  One of my favorite artists of all times is Tyrone Geter who, in a former life, taught at The University of Akron.  Clippings of his work still hang on my inspiration bulletin board.  For me, the work goes beyond the visual.  His telling is big...very very big.  My own stories will probably not be like his.  The soulfulness of his work is built in, the African heritage with its strong values and intense patterning.  But I hope to achieve a strong feeling of the stories I have yet to tell...that is my wish.

Tapper was inspired by some photos in our family album.  I see a hesitancy in her stance.  

Wish me luck.  Wish me hard but good work.

The Enigma of the Candy Cane

Canes in a Jam Jar   watercolor   9 x 6

We claim to love candy canes.  Pre-holiday treat displays feature stacks and stacks of canes, all manner of flavors, sizes and shapes.  They make a beautiful statement on the buffet or on the tree.  It seems, however, that we really don't eat them.  The post-holiday reduced section at all retail stores features the same stacks and stacks.  Long after all the goodies at our house have been consumed, crumbs of cookies gobbled up to the finish, the lone jar of canes remains.  When our watercolor class started up at the art center, treats that no one eats at home start to show up in the kitchenette.....PLEASE, PLEASE, won't someone eat these canes?  So when we grabbed up objects to paint that first evening, I went for the canes...they are visually interesting, lovely really.  This work was completed in watercolor.  A whitish gouache wash was put in the background....it covered errant strokes that I found distracting and added to the feel of the season.  The lovely pattern on the jar lid was underplayed to shift attention to the canes themselves.

So....what's up with candy canes?

Self-Definition

Vintage Vinegar Jar   watercolor   11.5 x 8

as an artist is difficult to come by.  Long ago, I read somewhere that it takes 500 + paintings in order to find one's style, one's place in the painting spectrum.  In the beginning, we are just trying to "get it right".  It takes plenty of brush yielding to attain the freedom to own your work....to make it your own.  Contemporary galleries often desire work that is incredibly specialized....the painter repeating the same forms over and over with slight variances, in order for collectors to be able to recognize THE WORK.  I am a naysayer.  While I enjoy figurative work immensely, I also enjoy painting all kinds of things...even a landscape or two now and then.  In this case, I found this vintage vinegar jar at our local art center where shelves are filled with all manner of interesting objets, all ripe for the painting.  I enjoyed this little exercise.  I like to think that it is my manner of application, my stroke-making, my individual hand, that defines my work.  My life.  My decision.  My self-definition. 

I can paint whatever stirs something in me.  Yeah!

Winter Naps

Winter Nap   charcoal/pastel   28 x 18

come easily in the dark season....even if you don't wish it.  It must relate somehow to a kind of hibernation...layers of  warm clothing, the warmth of an engaging fire and an early sunset all collaborate to induce sleep.  Drawing a napping person has always been one of my favorite things to do.  The model is happy and relaxed.  Weight is suspended.  I enjoy the articulation of the intersections of person and pillow, of person and support.  "Winter Nap" was drawn from a model at Summit Artspace as a poorly-attended demonstration one winter afternoon.  I so enjoyed this undertaking!  The green was added later - to merge, to liven and to soften.  That year my son was married in San Francisco.  Their wedding photos were shot by a pair of Portland twins who journeyed south for the event.  All of the photos seemed to have a greenish cast which conveyed an earthiness as well as visual mystery.  I decided to try it myself and was pleasantly please with the results.

Amanda

is one of the many many models whom I have drawn or painted over the past many years.  While I do strive for a likeness of sorts, I most often use these sessions for experimentation.  As I recall, I was disappointed that I had rendered her face too long from hairline to chin.  However, this is one of my favorite portraits in its "feel" and its expressiveness. 

We have a new "print" rack at Group Ten Gallery.  Amanda is wrapped all in cellophane and is offered as an unframed work. 

Amanda?  I'm afraid that I don't even recall her last name....but I thank her nonetheless.

Amanda   charcoal   16.5 x 11

Letting Go

The Letting Go   oil on canvas   40 x 30 x 1.5

of all kinds of things is scary...letting go of habits, of crutches, of perfectionism.  And yet, letting go allows for many more opportunities, more confidence, and an increasingly greater realm of creativity.  When I was a child, I took swimming lessons.  As a below-average swimmer, I always took care to choose the lane in the pool that was on the edge, just in case I needed to hang on to the wall as a security device.  After a few sessions, my instructor caught on to my trick and told me to take the center lane.  That was when I learned to swim.  By increasing our drawing skills, and by letting go of photographs we are able to achieve more freedom in our paintings.  And that is indeed the most difficult thing to do.  As children, we are able to doodle all over the page without terror.  As adults, we somehow become mired in reality and glued to details that are actually unimportant.  In the long run, I believe that we will only achieve freedom when we let go of our visual crutches.

My actress friend calls this "being off book".  Essentially, this means that it is only when you have memorized the script, and can put it down, that you are able to be creative with your own interpretation of your character.

My current read is The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.  On page 578, (for those of you with an investigative inclination), is a description of paintings that illustrate my point....and a lengthy discussion at that.  Too much perfectionism deadens.  The masters are indeed masters at the creating the illusion of the subject, while using the paint, the strokes and their hands, as well as the subject.

Let go..............if only one hand at a time.

"Letting Go" is currently on exhibit at Group Ten Gallery in Kent, Ohio.

Napping

Eleanor enjoying Thanksgiving Day...from my sketchbook

is one of the most pleasurable of winter pastimes.  We are, after all, animals who respond to temperature and activity changes.  Sketching nappers is just as pleasurable for me.  The unmoving model (for the most part).  The way the weight of the figure melds into the cushion, the blanket, the pillow.  Some of my best sketches have been nappers.  Quiet.  Quiet.  A treat for both the napper and the observer.

Precious Hours

were spent over the holidays with our grandson "E".  Of course, as is life with a 16-month-old, our activities were punctuated with naps.  Such was the case when we visited Turtle Run park where one can hand-feed the sparrows which is one of our Christmas pleasures.  As we arrived, E. had slipped into naptime while buckled into his car seat...and so I volunteered to stay in the car with him.  Being ever-so-careful and quiet, I slipped my small book and pencil carrier out of my bag and set to work.  Small sketches such as these provide me with continual pleasure, long after the event is over.

Snow and Frost and Chill...oh my.............

The Birch Brothers   watercolor   20.25 x 13

No, really....just half.  Half a piece of pie.  Half 'n Half.  Half a slice....not the whole.  And, my favorite....half a cookie.  (Never mind that I will retrieve the other half in a relatively short period of time)  There are indeed times when a whole won't do....even a whole stroke.  Such was the case with "The Birch Brothers".  I knew that the counter-spaces between branches at the top would be important in its rendering.  Not being a fan of masking fluid and, I believe, the thick, chunky and clumsy shapes that it leaves behind (ask my students), I knew that this large area would have to be worked in a push and pull fashion.  Lay it in.  Take it away.  I like happenstance.  Surprises.  After a pass or two, the area was far too described....the strokes laid in told too much of the story...not enough ambiguity.  And so I headed for the basement laundry tub.  I used extreme water pressure on the top of the work.  The pigment came off unevenly much to my delight, leaving pocks of white paper.  Further application.  Further destruction ensued.  Back and forth.  More water pressure.  Some scraping.  Until I had achieved the feel that I wanted.  Andrews turquoise became my best friend. Nothing ventured.  Nothing gained.

Guest(s)

Guest   oil on canvas   8 s 24 x .75

make our lives worthwhile.  Calm.  Sweet.  The same feeling that painting provides for me, actually.  Love that knows no boundaries.  For those who grace our table and for those not present this year for whom our love crosses many many miles.....California, Louisiana and North Carolina. 

May you live each day in the merriest of ways.  (from a card sent to us by the Laakso family)

Bus Stop

Bus Stop   watercolor   27 x 19

"Bus Stop" was painted in class from a model who happened to be the daughter of one of the participating artists...I provided the fur coat for the session.  The pose, the glance, the hands encased in a muff-like position came from my own experiences in waiting for the bus on a cold, possibly rainy, winter's day.  I have always enjoyed this painting, despite its many drips and raw passages for the simple reason that it conveys my message without being over-painted.  And that, to which all watercolorists will attest, is the supreme hazard and downfall of many a painting.  Restraint.  Simplicity. Sometimes we need to be reminded of our goals.  Reminded.  And re-reminded.

Christmas Chaos

Three Ornaments   watercolor   6 x 9

is part and parcel of my life at this time of year...in almost everyone's life, probably.  Boxes of ornaments emerge from the attic and wrapping paper rolls surround shopping bags and strings of lights that always seem to be tangled.  Eventually, the chaos gives way to some sort of holiday order, designed to brighten our lives, and those of our guests, during this dark season.  "Three Ornaments" was painted as an after-Christmas exercise before these vintage glass balls were put away.  I like this painting as I feel that it was successful in portraying the translucent feel of the ornaments.  I resisted the desire to over-describe and over-paint.  This was painted on a sheet of Indian Village handmade paper that I had on hand.  It was made in India.  I haven't seen it around in a while and not sure if it is still manufactured.  It is heavy and has a distinct laid texture.  It is virtually impossible to push the paint around which is per usual on Strathmore or Arches.  The paint has settled into the grooves of the paper quite unevenly which, I think, adds to its charm.

Seeing the light reflected off of these hard surfaces gives me such pleasure....so much pleasure, in fact, that I am willing to deal with the chaos.

Drawing Animals

Fawn...a sketchbook drawing

was the subject for our drawing class.  Animals are adorable.  They capture our interest.  But drawing them is just as difficult as drawing the human figure.....I believe that one has to truly understand the skeletal and muscular structure in order for the drawing to convince.  Using photos is inevitable unless, of course, the animal is asleep or innate for a long period of time.  We have to learn how to fill in the gaps....the legs that are not shown in entirety in the photo.  We also need to understand how to use the photo only as a reference and to alter the composition to the benefit the work, thereby avoiding the collision of body parts that makes a drawing visually confusing.  In this case, I used a photo that was cut off at the bottom.  My solution was to complete the work with strong, yet vague, line work.  In this case, I believe it works as the story is at the top, in the forward bend of the neck.  Details must be deferred until the end, as tempting as it is to focus on the spots.  In fact, class time was coming to an end even before I had a chance to consider the spots, so I brushed across the fawn's back with my kneaded eraser in the direction of the lay of the fur.  That would have to do.  Drawing allows for many discoveries and leads to even more questions.  Subject matter is always, for me, much deeper than the time spent in the primary consideration.  Everything takes longer than we expect.  Everything provides a possibility for more study.  Anything worthwhile deserves careful consideration as well as devotion.

I would like to carry this one further.....into a painting.

All That Glistens

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

was an experiment that, I think, turned out well.  I started out my fraying the edges of a piece of burlap that was roughly the same size as the canvas.  It was then glued down and rolled repeatedly.  Many many layers of gesso were painted on in order to allow the surface to receive paint, as well as to slightly (yes, slightly) smooth the very rough surface.  After painting the tree to my satisfaction, I realized that the image, although interesting, lacked a certain punch that I like.  The gold leaf circle was then applied.  That was very exciting and surprising, as the surface prevented a smooth application allowing for many small absences of the gold.  That pleased me so very much.  A happy accident!  Succinct and messy at the same time. All That Glistens is included in the holiday exhibition at Group Ten Gallery in Kent.

Unruly Things

Strings   oil on canvas   30 x 40 x 1.5

tickle my fancy.  It is also the name of my son's San Francisco-based band.  Unruly adds spice and character to our oh-so-smooth-and-perfect-wrinklefree existence.  The disobedient strand of hair.  The out-of-sync beat that catches our ears.  The desire to step out of the normal.  Check out Unruly Things at: Unruly Things

I was blessed with three wonderful sons who all possess the artist's soul.  Strings has been accepted into Kaleidoscope 2013, an exhibition near and dear to my heart, here in Akron, Ohio.

Strings that connect.  Strings that weave.
Heartstrings.  The jazz of life.

Model relationships

Deb   charcoal and pastel on toned paper   16 x 11

There is an unspoken communication between the artist and her model....a relationship, if you will.  A give-and-take.  And the artist is on the receiving end...we work with what we are given.  Some models seem to be emotionally closed off.  Some  seem "above" the give-and-take that leads to openness. Needless to say, portraits resulting from the above mentioned situations rarely provide great work from me.  I relish an honesty and an openness that allows for both the model and artist to reveal themselves without ego getting in the way.

I was pleased to spend time during my gallery "watch" sketching Deb.  She has an upbeat attitude that spills over.  Quite simply, I am inspired by her being.  This work was rendered on toned paper with charcoal pencil.  The pink pastel was worked horizontally through after the session was over.  I think the work benefits from this high voltage pink, which is her favorite color.  Thank you, Deb, for the sharing of yourself.

Posse

Posse   oil on canvas   20 x 20 x 1.5

The thrill for me is figurative painting.  Despite the fact that less personal (?) subject matter such as landscape and still life are more frequent sellers, I will stick to my guns...no pun intended.  My quest, most recently, is to explore archetypal moments, those scenes and memories that transcend generational gaps.  This, of course, is subjective..  As the mother of three sons, I just couldn't resist revisiting and reviving this vintage photograph of my husband, his brother and an unknown friend.  Little boys are superheroes.  They are policemen...and firefighters...and ghost-busters.  Wielding pretend swords, badges, karate chops and ghost-busting juice gives them power and helps them to feel not-so-small. This is my take on an age-old scenario from the life of little boys....posse.

Spooky is as spooky does.............

Skeleton   sketchbook drawing

Skeletons are intricate and complex.  Yet I am attracted to the drawing of them since I do so many paintings of the human figure.  It is helpful to understand what lies beneath the surface.  Although I am not a memorizer of bones or muscles, and never have been, I can only hope that the structure of the human form finds its way into my brain by osmosis.  Lucky for me, Judy Adkins, the art teacher whose wonderful classroom I borrow for my class, has one constantly hanging around.  Our assignment was "pot luck", as we used our view finders (standard rectangle) to scope out subjects for drawing.  We are working on composition and creating 4-5 major shapes in the work that fit together in an exciting combination.  Believe me, there is enough subject matter in this room for a lifetime of drawings!  We all worked quickly and quietly....the time passed so fast I couldn't believe it!  Although I could easily have spent 2-3 more hours refining all the shapes and honing details, I am pleased that this drawing  still retains the original energy that excited me from the first.  I will, in this case, let sleeping dogs lie.

Or would that be sleeping skeletons?

Life is just a chair of bowlies....

Cherry Branch   oil on canvas   4 x 12 x 1.5

is quote from Mary Engelbreit and was seen on many of her greeting cards and like paper products some years past.  This quote always tickled my silly bone and reminded me not to take anything too seriously and to relish the unforeseen turn of events that peppers our lives.  Most of my work involves the creation of an idea, followed by sketches and the complex painting process of create and destroy, making the project last quite a while, sometimes a long long while, until resolution is reached....the point at which my personal sense of visual aesthetic is pleased.  But I try to sandwich light quick projects in-between...they take the edge off and fill my need for spontaneity.  While trimming a weeping cherry tree a few weeks ago, I was taken by the lush fruits that even this small tree was able to bring forth.  The work was painted from a clipped branch placed in view of my easel and worked on in, I believe, only two sessions, while I tried to capture its elegance before too much withering occurred.  I like it very much and feel that for a small work, it contains enough complexity to tease my intellect.  So be it.

Life really is just a chair of bowlies.

Free Time

Sheri   conte crayon and pastel on paper   18 x 14

One of the responsibilities in a cooperative gallery is, of course, gallery sitting.  My shift is usually a 5-hour period on Saturday afternoons.  While I have never in my life suffered from want of things to do....it seems that each day I have more to do than is humanly possible....and I realize, more than ever, that this is my choice.  Mostly I read, I sketch, I organize during this time slot.  A few weeks ago, I asked artists in my classes if they would mind sitting for a few hours at the gallery so that I could practice my portrait skills.  While I am mostly a figurative artist, where facial features defer to an overall gesture, it never hurts to hone these skills.  Likewise with painting flowers.  Sherri was a willing participant.  This portrait was rendered in conte crayon on a heavy watercolor paper.  After the session at the gallery, I used a photograph to work on the piece at home.  I liked the original very much at the end of the life session.  During the studio session at home, the work was fine-tuned.  A pastel block was added for color.  Always for me, the life work seems more honest, more energetic.  Fine tuning later enhances the likeness but, in doing so, renders the work more staid, more static, with the addition of more pigment.  Which do I prefer?  I really don't know......maybe a work somewhere in the middle would please me more.  Sherri was pleased.  What more can I ask for?

Bride...searching for the unconventional

Bride (J)   oil on canvas   48 x 24 x 1.5

J. is an unconventional bride.  We recently celebrated her marriage to a dear dear friend.  She has great spirit and a no-nonsense attitude about her.  I snapped a photo of her at her bridal shower.  This work is the result.  I guess it is a tribute to the unconventional in all of us.

Fright Week (month)

Shocking   mixed media on paper   34.5 x 22

"Shocking" is a mixed media work on paper that I enjoy so much during October, fright month for me.  For the past several years I have set up my own film festival at home during which I enjoy thrillers (especially the psychological ones), mysteries and a few flicks of the horror genre.  I am certainly old enough to recall films wound on large disks and stored in metal canisters...the kind we watched in school that would inevitably break, spin around incontrollably and cause interruptions in the story, chaos in the classroom and anxiety on the part of the instructor.  Those little sprocket holes on the edges of the film were the inspiration for this border design which was carved on a linoleum plate and printed onto the paper.  I shot photos of some family members and friends and had ever-so-much-fun arranging and drawing them on the paper.  One of my favorites is Cheryl, on the very bottom.  She was at that time our town postmistress. I am in the upper right with hands completely covering my eyes.  Too frightening to look.  Shocking.  Such fun.

Large::Small; Horizontal::Vertical ON WORKING METHODS

Petite Zinnias  oil on canvas   12 x 4 x 1.5

For quite a while now, I have intended to write about my working methods...not that they are good for anyone else but me, but I have a desire to share them in the hopes that others just might them useful.  Making art is ongoing.  Working on one project at a time forces that project into preciousness and can lead to focusing on the finish rather than the process.  (It's like putting all of your eggs in one basket) There are usually 3 or more paintings in my rotation.  There may be days between passes on a particular work.  I find that this method allows me a consideration of each that is not possible in a more finish-driven environment.  Some paintings lag behind others, and usually rightfully so....they have further to go in their resolution.  Some works are taken out of the rotation temporarily until I feel a renewed interest. Oils need to be rubbed with medium before starting in days later.  Watercolors sprayed lightly in order to avoid the tightness that results from working on dry paper.  It is indeed difficult to enter into the rhythm of a work at a later date, but I believe that the benefits of consideration are well worth this difficulty.

Likewise, I like to vary the format of a work....horizontal one work and vertical another.  Standard rectangles seem boring to me for the most part.  And then there is scale.  Working on a large project with large brushes and big sweeping strokes might then be followed with a smaller, tighter work.  Oil paintings are countered with watercolors and drawings.  All of this variation keeps me interested.  It keeps me feeling enthusiastic about the problems to solve.  To some, I might be dancing all over the boards.  But to me, the novelty of this way of working keeps me fresh, alive, interested.

What's up for today?  Tackling a square work...........life is good.

The Crayola Girls

The Crayola Girls   oil on canvas   40 x 30 x 1.25

has been included in the second annual Akron Art Prize exhibition and competition.  I am thrilled to have my work included in this group of over 100 artists of amazing ability and variety.  The works are exhibited at several locations in Akron:

- Summit Artspace (140 E. Market Street) - this is where you will find The Crayola Girls

- Zeber Martell (43 Furnace Street)

- Akron Glass Works (106 N. Main Street)

- We Gallery (20 N. Hight Street)

There is a mixer at Summit Artspace this Friday, September 27 from 5:30-7:30 pm  where the housed exhibit can be seen.  Other galleries and exhibitions will be opening, including one at The Box featuring work by friend and colleague

 Ted Lawson.  There will be wine, light refreshments and good company.  Hope to see you there.

Of course, this is a vote-for-me kind of exhibition that seems to be today's rage.  I have a difficult time with all of this me-me-me stuff.  After all, each and every artist wishes to be the winner.  Honestly, I have the same wish.  But I am truly content to be among this very fine group.

"The Crayola Girls" was inspired by a vintage photograph of my Grandma Daisy, her mother and her sister.  The photographs at that time (early 20th century) were grim, grim, grim.  Dark clothing....no smiles...all about serious.  My goal in this work was to add a bit of impish joy to the feel...to break the surface a bit.  I am pleased with the result.

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.