Hyper Peppers

Hyper Peppers   watercolor   8 x 8.5

to be continued...

Winter Mime   oil/canvas   48 x 30 x 1.5

John A......taking the scenic route

John A.    watercolor/gouache    20 x 12

Not all works are completed in due time.  This one, along with another, was tucked away in a corner during the winter holidays.  The first, of a Victorian home in Columbus, was quite a disaster.  After spending another session on it, the work was relegated to the burn pile.  John offered more possibilities.

John posed for our watercolor class a few sessions ago.  It was attacked quickly, yet lightly.  Upon review, I discovered that the front arm took too much attention away from the face, so I began moving pieces and parts, blocks of color around.  As you can see, I am no slave to reality, and quite enjoy shifting focus and values to further my goal.  Background areas were painted, then washed off in my laundry tub to soften and blend.  (Note:  washed off, letting only water hit the surface....not scrubbed off) Eventually, I brushed and squeezed on a blue gouache mix left over from another project.  My heart went pitter pat.  I realized that I had come as close as possible to the version that pleased me.  Granted, I never start out to take the long way around to anything(the scenic route), but meandering can be beautiful as well as teaching us a few things along the way.

I am pleased.

Pink Tulips

Pink Tulips   watercolor on Khadi   13 x 13

underwent quite a journey in its making.  My original idea was to keep all values lighter with the wish that the overall atmosphere would be one of light.  However, I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO DO A DRAWING....BIG MISTAKE.  The tulips were complete and played with strokes of blue violet and an off-white-warm.  The painting was matted and framed.  As I passed by the work over the weekend, I felt the repeated strong urge to make the work mine, to utilize the strong value interludes that make a work more powerful and more visible from a distance.  In addition, I felt that the work was just too greeting-card-like...with a lightness and airiness that made it seem too fluff.  So, the background was washed down and the idea of a raisin and mahogany-colored background seemed to lead the way.  I began a series of thin washes over the next couple of days, each layer leading the way to the color that was in my head...more warm, more brown, more pink, etc. Finally, the implication of a vase shape was pulled down with my sponge. 

The end result is a far cry from my original idea....a bit more formal than my usual, but more becoming, I think, to the lush pink tulips.  I had been wanting to try this layering of washes for years.  This painting provided the opportunity to give it a try.  This is a technique used by watercolor artist Catherine Anderson whose work I explored many years ago. Nothing ventured.  Nothing gained.

Bunny Girl

Bunny Girl   Watercolor   13 x 8

is a keeper.  Painted many years ago, it contains the essence of what I am still striving to achieve today.  It is, to me, a great example of "zen mind, beginner's mind", i.e. having a mind that is open to countless possibilities.  Experience in painting provides an ever expanding repertoire of techniques and ways to achieve works with more impact due to greater familiarity with effective design.  Rules.  Rules.  And more rules.  All of these rules can cause too much L-brain thinking and deliberation...and self-doubt. 

For me, "Bunny Girl" has a lovely effortless quality. 

I yearn to retrieve the child artist within.

At times.

Me, Myself and I

Me, Myself and I   watercolor   15 x 12.5

Every now and again it is, I believe, healthy to look inwards.  I believe that, over the years, I have painted about 5 self-portraits.  There is a bit of discomfort inherent in this undertaking, if one is honest.  Sweetness must be discarded, along with the multitude of masks we wear throughout the goings-on of life.  Am I the person I want and yearn to be?  We have the option to continually strive at our own notion of "goodness" and "correctness".  More than once I have heard feedback on my selfies that I didn't do myself justice...what does that mean?  Too many wrinkles?  Skin that is not smooth enough?

I am reminded of the words of Kirk Mangus who often thought about aesthetic judgment.  He said, "Beauty is a figment of the imagination.  It is also completely controlled by prejudices.".  Soetsu Yanagi, a potter and founder of mingei, the Japanese folk craft movement, expressed similar ideas born from the philosophy of Zen writes:

     A true artist is not one who chooses beauty in order to eliminate ugliness, he is not one who dwells in a world that distinguishes between the beautiful and the ugly, but rather he is one who has entered the realm where strife between the two cannot exist.

That is where I dwell...where I choose to dwell.  For me, beauty lies in the process of the work itself, how we choose to spend our hours, our days.

Haystacks...and furrows

Haystacks   oil on canvas   8 x 24 x .5

Push and pull.   (Thank you Hans Hoffman)  What is there::what is not.  Relationships.

The quest in this work was the relationship between the haystacks themselves...and the furrows...a play between the cool and the warm.

While a completed snow-covered scene can be beautiful, it can tend towards sweetness and become a bit Hallmark-y.  The rural Pennsylvania scenes that feature both dead grasses along with pockets and dustings of snow a la Andrew Wyeth convey great power and mystery to me.  As an Ohioan, I will attest to the fact that most of the winter scenes depict these two polar opposites.  One of my current reads is The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard, a French philosopher.  I am currently in my second go-through in order to absorb his thoughts that I have chosen to underline.  He speaks of the poet's mind which is

touched by the attraction of opposites, which lends dynamism to the great archetypes.

This canvas was toned with orange, which became the base for the furrow.  The process continued slowly, as I tippy-toed toward the amount of snow coverage that satisfied my visual.  In the earlier stages, the diagonal furrows were more dominant....which lead them into distraction.  I did not anticipate just how much energy this problem would require.  I am also reminded of a similar horizontal landscape by the late Jack Richard.....it remains in my mind to this day....it was spot on.

Most of the bales we see today are machine-made and coiled.  These stacks are the work of the Amish.

Weight...

Weight   oil on canvas   48 x 36 x 1.5

the feeling of weight...is a fairly common human experience, I would think.  For the most part, I declare myself to be an optimist, but my days are full-up and sometimes it takes only one more tiny request to set my day into a tail-spin.  While more of us than not have overcome huge obstacles to get to where we want to be, it is, for me, a matter of perpetual shifting, sifting and sorting to keep my priorities in order. 

My current read is Supernormal by Meg Jay.  As it turns out, the most accurate predictor of those with grit, with determination and resilience, is LOVE... loving relationship(s) is what truly turns the tide...gets us over the hump.  My own personal hero is LeBron James, also an Akron-ite. 

This painting was 90% complete in the winter of 2016-17.  It was then propped against the wall and approached again this winter.  After years of trying to get portrait-perfect faces, I have been experimenting, for several years now,  with subduing the faces, in order to defer to the figure, or figures, in their gestural entities, for the purpose of more accurate story-telling.

Winter is Long in Canada

Winter is Long in Canada   oil   20 x 16 x 1.5

is a work half-completed from a live session with a model.  For years and years I faithfully attended the Friday model sessions provided by my local art group Akron Society of Artists.  Gradually I became tired of the static seated poses that resulted in order to keep the model from becoming too weary...that, I understand.  Creating more lively poses from photos was more exciting to me.  But there is much to be learned from painting from life.  Recently, I had a free Friday morning and decided to return to the model.  This was to be a two-week session.  As I was not free the following week, I scurried to get correct shapes and values, as well as a sense of movement.  The painting was fine-tuned at home using photos I took during the session.

Our Canadian model was apt and professional.  I thoroughly enjoyed making this work "my own".  I am hoping to find more time for live work this coming year.

Ode to Peppermint...

Ode to Peppermint   oil   9 x 12 x .5

...is another small still life designed to help me get back into creative decision-making, color decisions, and to just "feel" the paint as the brush touches the surface.  What could be better?  The remnants of all manner of peppermint treats fit the bill!  I set up this small scenario and set to work.  As the whipping cream kept melting, I did succumb to photographing the copper mug before I ran out of cream! 

Actually, the most difficult passages were the pine branches....they are, at the same time, quite delicate, yet strong, and very very complicated.  Each stroke was just too strong, until I pulled out my rigger brush and thinned the paint substantially.

A final passage was required to strengthen the reds and whites, especially at the intersections of the two.  I am happy, as this small scene captures what I felt during this very special season.

Back in the Saddle Again

Tea and Oranges   oil   12 x 9 x .5

Oh, the altered reality of the holiday season!  The lights!  The sparkles!  The company of family members around the fire and the outdoor activities in the winter coldness!  The great food!  The special parties and events that occur only this once during the year!   I love each and every part of this season.

Enter the forgotten studio....the paint hardened on the palette....the tidied piles of creativity that lack the doing....this is scary stuff....approaching the blank canvas or paper for the first time in a while, which I liken to any activity that has gone dormant. 

I find that simple still lifes are the first step I need to take to find my strokes again....simple compositions that take little thought and household items at the ready.  The subjects for the still life are quite forgiving as regards draftsmanship.....who cares if the mug is a bit too wide?....the orange a bit smaller? 

This simple painting is my first exercise of the New Year 2018.  Happy New Year!

Holiday Greetings

This image is the small watercolor greeting that was sent out to an artist in my class.  Each holiday season we put our names in a hat and draw one....making a handmade card for that person becomes, not only a painting challenge (in that we have to paint on a much smaller scale), but an opportunity to come up with a concept that  allays the joys of the season.  My inspiration comes from photos shot earlier this fall of the towering and majestic homes that grace Victorian Village in Columbus, Ohio.  "Majesty" was my motive.  While I doubt that many of the artists in the class live in homes of such immense grandeur, I feel that we tap into this same feeling of majesty that illuminates the simpler things that occur in our daily lives...a dove on a snow-covered limb, a smiling glance from a loved one across a holiday table, sharing a few laughs from a simple board game, and the sheer beauty of a simple string of colored lights.

I hope that your holiday season was majestic in some way.  I also hope that we can discover the majestic in like simple subjects throughout the coming year.

This small 5 x 7 card (Strathmore cards designed for watercolor) was taped around the edges while I painted.  I then removed the tape and painted the peak decorations to break the boundary for more interest. 

Ruvati sinks, Mungo Park, Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts

  

While traveling, I have pretty much given up hauling any paint set along, even the smaller travel sets.  Instead, I try to use the small bits of otherwise-unscheduled time to sketch.  These sketches can be aborted at any time.  Some of the unfinished ones are among my favorites!  Over the years, these sketches have become like small journals, little bites of time, where notes remind me of activities and conversations.  Just before Thanksgiving of this year, we were fortunate to rent a "little house" (a charming A-frame) on the Outer Banks, for a few days of quiet and oneness with nature. 

The top sketch is my loving partner engaged in reading, one of his favorite pastimes.  His book is Travels in the Interior of Africa by Mungo Park, a treasure on loan from one of his friends.

The second sketch is our son while we are watching the movie "While We're Young", starring Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts, a light-hearted movie with some bits of wisdom tucked in.....aren't they all?It was a fun way to spend an evening.

The third sketch is of my husband again, keeping warm with his sweatshirt hood surrounding, laying back in the limited amount of lighting available while we discussed the unusually modern and lovely appliances that made this small rental such a pleasure.  We (maybe just I ) have been considering a kitchen update sometime in the future, so we gather ideas when we can.  Although the sketch is a bit unflattering, the spotty play of light made this sketch exciting to do....It conveys a great mood, I think.

When I look back at these some time in the future, I am sure I will be smiling as I recall these sweet and rare hours spent with my dear ones.

Partial to Peaches

Partial to Peaches   watercolor on Khadi   5.75 x 18

Making something from nothing.  An unusual slice of leftover Khadi paper.  A leftover skinny black frame.  What can I do with these?  This is the way I cook.  This is the way I live.  Making from leftovers.  This all became an elongated work of a basket of peaches...totally wabi sabi.  In fact, the paper wasn't quite long enough, so I stitched on another piece using a zig zag stitch on the sewing machine.  A watery background tone was added.  Even the stitches took on a nice tone.  These unusual pieces make my heart sing.

Bittersweet with Pumpkins

Bittersweet with Pumpkins   watercolor on Khadi   13.75 x 10

is another work done in our watercolor class with autumnal subjects being piled into the center of the tables.  We used our view-finders to crop out a section that we wanted to paint.  While there is much to be said for this method of direct observation, I find, personally, that there is just too much "given" for my mind to creatively react with the subject.  Over the years, I have found my pleasure to reside in the interaction between subject and ground, which, of necessity, needs to be more empty for this exchange to occur. 

O.K.  I like the colors.

Varietal 2

Varietal2   oil/canvas   8 x 24

This is the third of "quick" paintings designed to boost my self-confidence after spending most of the summer on "Equilibrium".  This still life was set up in my studio, and was painted using direct observation.  It took two days.  This small series enabled me to tackle my more complex compositions with a bit more enthusiasm.  Seeing things simply has its advantages.  I wish I could do it more often.

White Pumpkins and Roadside Purple

White Pumpkins and Roadside Purple   oil   9 x 12

This is the second "quickie" painting done to regain a sense of balance within the bounds of painting exactly what is in front of me through direct observation.  The light source was a studio lamp. The canvas was pre-toned in a warmish neutral.  White pumpkins have always been thrilling to me.  Added to that is a bunch of roadside wildflowers that carry a vibrant purple that can be seen from afar.  They always pop up this time of year much to my delight.

Pumpkin and Nasturtium...Searching for Balance

Pumpkin and Nasturtium   oil   12 x 9

Like most folks, I suspect, I am always searching for balance in my life.  After spending most of the summer trying to resolve the painting challenges that "Equilibrium" presented, I was ready to just paint from life, to paint only the effects of light and shadow on a subject.  I armed myself with some of the bounties of the season, and painted three smaller works, each taking one day. 

This canvas was pre-toned with a warmish mix.  Day 1 left me feeling satisfied...painting only what I see, and foregoing all that I imagine.  It was healing.

Equilibrium

Equilibrium   oil   30 x 42

is the title of this painting of a kayaker.  It also describes what I lost during the very long process of painting it.  Each pass offered some good passages, but was, overall, not acceptable to my sense of correctness.  Again.  Again and again....throughout the long hot summer.  I kept going back to my initial sketch to repaint as that usually does the trick.  My sketches are done so spontaneously...the goal is usually an even distribution of values.  I kept trying to solve the dilemma with color, even though I have never really been a colorist.  Eventually I realized that I had to depart from the initial sketch although, while powerful, destroyed the mood of this enthusiastic boater on a hot summer day.  I am, at long last, pleased. 

I am now realizing that I needed to declare a value dominance of the work, one that supports the mood that I am trying to achieve,  in addition to the playful distribution and linkage of values. 

This lesson was learned the hard way.

En Plein Air

En Plein Air   oil on canvas   24 x 12 x 1.5

usually implies painting out-of-doors, on the spot, not in the studio, a situation that is more immediate,  more demanding, and one that requires a keen eye that can adapt to the constantly fluctuating movement of the sun.  In this case, it was the musicians who performed on the stage of a magnificent outdoor amphitheater in the botanical gardens in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  The group of musicians were a warm-up group for a fantastical puppet show entitled "Of Wings and Feet" performed by Paperhand Puppet Intervention company.  We have never seen anything quite like it!  (The closest thing I can recall seeing are the performances of the Cirque du Soleil) Creating a painting from this completely magical evening was a no brainer.  But, to me, a painting of the huge puppets and mystical movements would have diminished their power....there were no frozen moments.  But this young musician so in tune with her instrument gave me pause.  Photos were shot at quite a distance.

Some paintings literally paint themselves.  This was one of them.  I still find myself wishing that all communities could be treated to this kind of gentle magic.

Neighborhood

Neighborhood   oil   20 x 60 x 1.5

is a concept that implies shared space, a sense of community...a connectedness to the world around us.  While it is true that I do not live in a strictly defined neighborhood, preferring to live in a rural area, my sense of neighborhood is still in tact, albeit in a more loosely defined way.  My sense of connection is not so defined by geography, but by interest.  My sense of neighborhood includes all those with whom I interact in my chosen field...artists in my classes, artists within my regional art groups, and those involved in the galleries where I do business.  These are the folks who inspire me, enrich my life, and challenge me to do the best I can.  These are folks whose resolve I so admire.  The network is strong and lively.  Ideas are shared.  There is trust.  A sense of dedication.  A sense of doing something greater than yourself.  As a young student in the late 60's, art seemed a totally frivolous way of spending time,  Now, as an older and wiser person, I realize that art, and living artfully, is a way of life, a way of solving problems, of finding joy in the present.  Art is life affirming. This is my neighborhood.

This painting was inspired by reference photos shot in early spring in the Glen Echo neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio.  My goal was to sublimate individual details in each of the homes while creating rhythm that weaves itself between them.

Cherries and Scribbles

Cherries and Scribbles   oil   8 x 24 x .5

Visual people seem to pay attention to what they like...or not.  For me, I feel that there is a perceptual "lift" in my spirits when shapes, colors and rhythms arise to the surface, a bit like a runner's high.  I definitely zone out when there is too much clutter, too many things.  So, rather than a complex still life, I prefer honing in on one particular.  Usually, I would be tempted to paint this small crock of cherries on a square canvas.  In this instance, I used a format that would stretch my imagination...a split screen with a bit of texture.  Simple, yet complex.  The darker layer of red violet was painted over a light ground and scratched into, almost immediately.  The color palette of light blue and burgundy (or oxblood or cordovan) recalls the oxford shirts, penny loafers and madras fabric of my early teenage years, the time of "coming of age", when colors, songs and experiences seem stronger than anything else experience up to that point in time.  It is a palette I have always loved.

So, I guess it would seem that this work satisfies me on so many levels....aesthetically, of course.

Lemons and Merlot

Lemons and Merlot  oil   20 x 10

Banquet   oil   20 x 60 x 1.5

is a slice created from reference photos taken for a larger work created in 2010.  The challenge for this work was a call from a Cleveland cooking school to create works that would be auctioned as a benefit for their school.  We artists were led to believe that our works would bring a fair market profit.  Of course, my imagination ran wild with possibilities.  On a blistering summer day, I created the set-up on my patio, with items purchased and from my cupboards. (Whoa....fish on a hot platter on a hot table on a hot patio)  I photographed the work from left to right in sections.  This work took a couple of months to complete.  And, as artists' luck would have it, the auction was attended only by employees and students of the school.  There were few benefactors and even fewer sales.  "Banquet" was sold at a far lower price that even I had imagined possible.  Love's labor lost.  Unfortunately, I still harbor a bit of resentment.  These memories are quite painful, actually. And, once again, that horrible grown-up lesson that there will always be those who take advantage of artists.  I learned a lot.  Again.

Luckily, I still have all of those reference photos that make my set-up that summer all too real.  There are many possibilities.  I guess that is what I thrive on...possibilities.

Jane

Jane   oil   30 x 24

This past month I had the privilege of painting Jane, a woman whose beauty (inner and outer) and strength will put her in my personal trove of women to admire and to model myself after.  She is witty...a coiner-of-words as she herself describes it, personable and enthusiastic.  She has flown planes and piloted boats. She is a photographer who understands composition and visual lingo. She is well-traveled.  As I painted her, I pictured her as a modern-day Amelia Earhart.  Her life has been spent in several parts of the country but is recently transplanted and blooming in northeast Ohio.

Painting a portrait only works out well for me when I am able to feel an emotional connection to the model.  For that to happen, the sitter must be open to the silent visual conversation and intimacy that must take place.  For me, all of the pieces fell into place.

And her name?  Jane is simple, direct and feminine.  Thank you, Jane, for a wonderful experience!

White Peaches

White Peaches   oil   12 x 9 x 1.5

Still life paintings are versatile.  An artist can include as many or as few objects as possible to match his/her aesthetics, to  provide for a design that is pleasing and strong, and, also, to allow for a glimpse into what that artist deems important enough to paint.  While still life paintings are not my focus, I still enjoy the playfulness with color and design that a still life provides.  No exact likeness is required.  Objects can be altered and/or eliminated.  If anything, they are an arena of experimentation and play.

In this case, I chose to give homage to white peaches that my husband brought back from a trip to North Carolina, knowing that their subtle taste is exquisite to me.  I chose to pair them with a bunch of white daisies that we had plucked from the garden.

In most of my previous floral and fruit paintings, I have used a grayed down compliment for the background.  Over the years, I have come to enjoy the earthiness that comes from using browns in floral works.  For me, it is an antidote to the overindulgence of the sweetness inherent in the subject matter, as well as a way to use darker values, which I tend to like.  In this case a mix of violet and brown did the trick.  I am satisfied.

Sunflower Pair Redux

Sunflower Pair

Sunflower Pair Redux

Not often, but every now and then, I go back into an older work, because of the small voice in my head that whispers, "What were you thinking?"  My goal here is not to create an award-winning work, but to try to problem-solve in a completely different way.  Doing this is a bit like dancing while wearing a ball and chain, as there is little continuity, the rhythm being completely disrupted.  The work on the left is color-driven.  While the colors are electric and amiable to me, it lacks the distinction and simplicity that I now look for.  The work on the right was reworked, only from memory while trying to channel a better design.  Doing so simplified the work.  It is more easily "read".  Am I happy?  Well....I enjoy both about the same, to tell the truth.  But I am more satisfied having worked through this issue.

To redux or not to redux.

V. Mired in Blue

Mired in Blue   watercolor   19 x 7.5

was painted from life and from a sketch done in two subsequent sessions.  The model was a lithe and artsy young woman who managed the goings-on at the desk of our local art center.  The countenance of the relaxed and unposed face is always so appealing to me, its being devoid of a public personna...the model usually drifting quietly into self.

While painting just the figure is an admirable aim, which I so much enjoy in the work of others, is near to impossible to me, as a search for design and color to take the work into more "me-ness".  As I tell the artists in my classes, the search for your personal aesthetic is a long and arduous road, only achieved after the reality of the subject has fully been discovered, achieved, and discovered and achieved again and again.  And, so, while I fully admire the simplicity and beauty of just the reality of the model, I must, at this point, be satisfied with my own way of working.  And....to celebrate it.

Lost and Found,

Lost and Found   conte and pastel on Rives BFK   18 x 21.5

picking and sorting, organizing....the stuff of which my life is comprised...constant evaluation:  weeds vs. flowers; healthy relationships vs. the toxic; and that which we deem necessary vs. that which just takes up space.  It is, I think, a perpetual process that helps us find ourselves.

This drawing was referenced from a photo shot last September at a family wedding, where our granddaughter, just two, was given the responsibility of being a flower girl.  During the long wait, she dropped the basket a couple of times, and patiently replaced the petals into the basket.  She took this job quite seriously.

The biggest challenge during this work was to push and pull those hard and soft edges for the purpose of movement throughout the composition.  This is a process that I particularly enjoy, along with a manipulation and shifting of values in an attempt to create work with strong design, while remaining soft.

Initially, I had planned only a light sketch.  The project morphed into a more complete painting-like drawing, in which the Rives BFK (a printmaking paper) was pushed as far as it could go in terms of workability.

I take my job quite seriously as well.

Happy Father's Day

Rick - a sketchbook drawing

...to my husband...patient, kind, supportive...and, above all, a wonderful, wonderful father.

Cherry Pie

Cherry Pie   Watercolor on Khadi paper   12 x 12

seems to be a favorite and pies, in general, seem to be the quintessential American dessert.  I come from a long line of pie makers.  My mom always offered up at least three varieties at each holiday gathering.  Her sister used to stay up all night before family get-togethers rolling and filling and baking.  She even had a large multiple-shelved carrier with a top handle that allowed her to cart at least eight pies to events.  Any uneaten pies were sent home with guests. As a result, I am afraid that I became over-pied....just too much of a good thing, I suppose.

Recently, while having a bit of brunch in Clintonville, we stopped into a wonderful place....Dough Mama.  On the wall was a wonderful pie drawing that inspired my own version.  This painting is more meticulous than usual for me, as I took painstaking care in the overs and unders of the latticework crust.  I attempted to keep sparkling whites, mostly in the cherry filling.  The background was the devil.  Each color seemed wrong...too colorful to compete with the vibrant pie.  I finally layered the background with a pick-type brush (cut out like a comb) using white gouache for a more subtle application.  In this regard, I was inspired by a children's book in which all of the illustrations were painting on wood, with the grain as part of the overall texture.  I am pleased.

Care for a slice?

Spring in Clintonville

Spring in  Clintonville   watercolor   18.5 x 16

was inspired by few days we spent with my son's family in Columbus.  Clintonville is one of those older inner city neighborhoods that one can see in any mid-size city where young families are moving in and adding a new energy to the old and tired.  I love these neighborhoods.  For me, they exude a charm that is hard to find in newer suburban towns. Frequent walks down the street helped me to understand the light patterns.  Plants and shrubs were blossoming.  The scene seemed to be flooded with light.

My aim here was to merge the home with the surrounding environment.  My sense of aesthetics seems to reject subjects that are too enclosed, too encased, too separate.  And, while I can see some passages that I would improve, this is, after all, watercolor, and "just one more correction" can easily slide into overworked.  I am gradually learning to ease into finish leaving a bit undone.  Overall, I am pleased.  The mood of the work is exactly what I wanted.

The Wee Hours

Sophia   Sketchbook Drawing

are, for me, sacrosanct.  I greet the day, coffee by my side, as I take in my book-of-the-moment.  This is a luxury of my age to be sure.  Sometimes opportunities present themselves in a way that are impossible to resist.  While staying at our son's house, I chose a quiet corner to carry on my morning moments while both he and his wife prepared themselves for work.  Their cat Sophia, who is the quintessential lap cat, snuggled close by just beneath the reading lamp.  I had plenty of time to complete the sketch as she slumbered.  Sleeping beings are so relaxed that their weight literally melds into the support surface, in this case a soft hassock.  My day was begun in deep consideration, admiration and love.  Good Morning Sophia!

Pink Hyacinths

Pink Hyacinths      Watercolor   11 x 14

...lacy bell-shaped blossoms atop thick and leek-like stems...quite the study of opposites.  Slow and steady to paint.  I think that I have finally learned how to suggest those small blossoms by generalization, for the most part, and a bit of detail on the small bell-shapes closest to the viewer. 

I have come to realize that reality and design in painting are often at odds with each other, and yet both have a world to offer.  And, again, as always, the recipe, the balance, between the two must be determined by each individual artist.  I am happiest when design rules...the place where reality becomes a supporting actor.  A growth spurt...another level of perception. 

I am pleased.

Corner Cupboard

Corner Cupboard   Watercolor   19 x 28

is the resulting work from a "market place challenge" offered up to artists in my class.  While it is always good to paint what you know, it is also good to stretch your boundaries, to be able to see beautiful patterns, shapes and values wherever you go.  As I have already done so very many produce stands,  I went on a photo reference adventure for this challenge  to the local antique mall.  While the dark stern nature of so many antique objects depresses me, I often take a trip there to look around, just because the sights are so very different and stimulating compared to the same-same-sameness and plastic overabundance found in big box stores.  The beauty of many of these older objects has stood the test of time...still functional, still simple, still lovely...with the additional qualities of patina and  imprints of past use.  And, for some reason unbeknownst to even me, I have always been attracted to enamelware, with its chippiness, and small bits of rust. A visual feast!

This work was actually fun to paint, as the cherished whites became the story, and my quick, imperfect strokes reinforced my notion of the subject.

Bully Bunny OR A Preconceived Notion Run Amuck

Bully Bunny   watercolor/relief ink   20 x 10

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

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

Painting Flowers is the test...

Daisy Tumble   watercolor   7.5 x 9.5

...the ultimate test, for me, in the understanding of bending, twirling and complex forms.  Over the years, I have come to discover what I DO NOT like in floral works:  vases of all kinds (they steal the power); symmetry; perfection; and wall to wall paint.  Therefore, I have come to prefer vignettes, spontaneity, pathways of light (mostly) and pathways of dark, kept to a minimum.  While I am a lover of neutrals, I have to work hard to keep them at bay, so that the mood of the work remains sensual and light...a tall order.  I like complete petals as well as some that remain nondescript.  I like a bit of a hard line somewhere in the work that opposes the organic nature of the blooms.  I am happy with this one.  While I did come in for a second pass and some definition, I do think that I stopped in time.  I never enjoy it when the watercolor police come knocking at my door for having taken a work too far into reality and, as a result, too far removed from imagination.

She Chose Carefully

She Chose Carefully   oil on burlap on canvas   48 x 24

We have been lucky to patronize many corner markets in San Francisco over the years...loads of produce in bins right on the street.  This gentle older woman had no idea that I was trying to take in all of the lusciousness with my camera.  What struck me immediately was the time she took to select her fruit....which is diametrically opposed to my own always-in-a-hurry process.  And, of course, I end up with produce that is often bruised and sometimes rotten.  She was savoring that very moment....as was I.

The canvas:  had been gessoed and covered in burlap and gessoed and gessoed some more.  It had been leaning in the studio for at least a couple of years.  My other experiments on burlap were nature-oriented, a more apt application, I think.  But that day, that particular day, I needed some excitement of the art kind.  I grabbed up that canvas and began work.  Layers and layers of raw umber.   The color was added later.  And, while I like the final result (the burlap relating to the bags of grain and beans at the market), the process was made much more difficult by all of the texture.

Too much gesso.  Too much paint.  Too much work.  Was it worth the effort?  YES!!!!!

Excess Baggage

Excess Baggage   Watercolor   25.5 x 16

is the result of our classroom challenge of "beauty in the marketplace", which is an offshoot of an earlier challenge of "beauty in the basement".  For me, design is everywhere.  Paintings do not need to be inspired by grand cathedrals or exotic foreign destinations to be interesting.  And, indeed, setting up an interesting still life incorporating design can be aggravating as well as time consuming.  Our goal here was to snap photos in any marketplace...and subsequently to  crop, eliminate, and simplify in order to create a wonderful composition.  Artists chose locations with remarkable variety....the deli counter, the produce market and, for me, the local antiques mall. 

My own work is the product of a fusion of two stacks of suitcases.  The glove was added upon the suggestion of one of the classroom artists and was painted from my very own globe. 

I enjoy painting stacks of things....perhaps an attempt to maintain an illusion of balance, as well as to implicate the precarious nature of things....of life itself. 

Most of the luggage was painted first with raw umber to indicate dark and light patterns.  Glazes of color were added later.  The use of this color, to me, not only implies leather, but also creates the feel of "all things vintage"  A license plate with my husband's initials had to be included.

And as for the title "Excess Baggage"....don't we all have some?  I am using this work to inspire me to travel more lightly, to maneuver my way with less stuff.

Enough Said.

Winter Wood

Winter Wood   Watercolor   27.5 x 15

is a scene I witness almost weekly this time of year, as hiking is a wonderful way to break the monotony of indoor time.  We are lucky to be close to a reservoir which provides the ultimate in a brisk and crunchy bit of exercise and freedom.  I love this scene and can feel myself immersed in pleasure when I have time to participate.  Winter is my favorite season, as I appreciate immensely the solitude and calm that it exudes....dim lighting, bare bones and clinging snow that oppose the warmth of the hearth and kitchen.

This painting was a daunting task.  Several times within the process I thought all was lost.  I continued to push, pull and scrape.  Part of the endeavor was the maintenance of the cherished white particles which are the white of the paper.  Khadi paper provided the texture and gritty quality that I desired.  I am satisfied. 

I am so happy to have completed this work in January as the unexpected warmth this year has presented a completely different view outside my studio windows....tomorrow's high is expected to be 70 degrees.  It feels wrong.

Young Buck

Young Buck   Oil   20 x 16 x 1.5

...is an innocent and hopeful young man.  Without going into detail that would do nothing but stir the alienation pot, let's just say that I am hopeful about the direction of his fate in this unusually charged political climate.  While we are often focused on the equality and fair treatment of women, (I'm all in here), I am also concerned and troubled by the cultural expectations for young men...tender young men.  Strength and sensitivity can coexist.

A Boy.  A Man. A Deer.  A Dear.

On the Move...

Sketchbook Study    Maine Coon

Drawing from life involves patience, much patience, and a bit of luck.  Our son and daughter-in-law have two beautiful Maine Coon cats, as well as a beautiful balcony that overlooks a wooded area and stream in their apartment in balmy North Carolina.  One lovely morning, I sat, watching and sketching, while Gus spent his time catching bugs and admiring the woodland activity.  In this sort of endeavor, I try to have three or so sketches going at one time.  Over the years, I have found that beings of all kinds tend to return to comfortable postures time and time again.  If one is lucky, extremely lucky, some sort of artful drawing results....and sometimes I prefer these small works to more calculated paintings and drawings.  There is a freshness from errant lines and the searching of the pencil. 

A morning well spent.

Deb Drawing Me...but not feeling well

Deb Drawing Me   conte crayon and pastel on unknown bumpy paper   10 x 10

There is nothing more exhilarating than drawing and painting from life.  We hone observation skills, editing and quickness.  The relationship between the model and the artist is heightened.  Feelings are there right in front of you to take in and reciprocate.  I find that working from photo references becomes a slavish process...we can easily be mesmerized by the less important details, thinking erroneously that each and every detail should and must be included. Working and overworking these passages leads to a deadening of the overall work.

Strokes made from life are less accurate, but often more expressive...and the search for truth more impulsive.

This small drawing was completed in about an hour.  Deb, who is usually the perkiest artist in class was not feeling well.  While her feeling of malaise was nothing I would ever wish for, I am somewhat satisfied in the truth of this drawing. 

Personally, I can never understand why the viewing public seems to prefer the photo-studio smiles of the sitter.  What are we really after? 

And....Deb was feeling much better the following week.

Holiday Greeting 2016 (PRESENTS::PRESENCE)

In each of my two painting classes we draw names...at least those artists who have the extra time and inclination at this busiest time of the year.  The idea is to send a handmade watercolor greeting to the person whose name you select.  I made two identical cards, worked simultaneously, side by side, on my support board to send to the two names I had drawn.  Gift boxes are a tough subject, as they readily demonstrate your knowledge and skill with two point perspective.  Each artist brought a pre-wrapped box.  We assembled them into a grand pile and used our view-finders to crop and create pleasing compositions.  Over the years I have received some incredibly beautiful cards and this year was no exception. 

While gift boxes are certainly a viable subject, they imply a bit of the shallow commercialism that seizes us this beautiful time of year.  And yet, they are so beautiful, so colorful, so magical, so playful.  While working on them, I considered the notion of presents::presence.  While each of us probably gave a few presents, and even received a few, the notion of PRESENCE is the quality that I aim for.  I have noticed that most of the people I know and love are supremely capable of PRESENCE in the doing of what moves them.  I guess we call it passion.  And to be present in the moment, whether visiting with friends and family, or while pursuing our passions, is the gift I wish for all.....and for myself.

To Play is to Learn

Dave   watercolor sketch

Polish Pottery

Polish Pottery   watercolor   9 x 19

is powerful, eye-catching and comforting in a folksy kind of way.  Each piece is individual, allowing the user to know which cup is his.  It is also full, full, full of detail.  What was I thinking?  A complete battle was waged within me as I worked.  For me, the overall shapes and rhythms are far more important than the detail.  But, isn't Polish pottery all about the detail?  To and Fro.  Push and Pull.  Again and Again.  This is my final answer.

I need some coffee.

Hydrangea Blooms

Hydrangea Blooms   Watercolor   13 x 10

is a painting that equaled the preconceived image in my mind.  That rarely happens, as I usually don't have such a clear image of my goal....I am a wanderer, I'm afraid.  Each autumn, I clip a few of these papery spent blooms for my front door wreath....they are so very beautiful.....they make my heart sing.  I planned to oppose these light papery things with a hard glass jar....polar opposite textures.  Two sessions were spent in painting the image monochromatically with raw umber.  My new tube of this hue is by Daniel Smith.  I have found it to be more brown than the  more yellowy hue by Winsor and Newton that had been on my palette for years.  Whites were held for most of the progress....more than you see here.  The last session was spent in glazing and dropping color onto the forms....lightly, very very lightly.  On the blooms, the color was absorbed off after a few minutes with a paper towel.  The pattern of the darkest darks was laid in last of all, including the small pockets of dark within the blooms.  The painting was then fine-tuned to my liking.  I am pleased.