Overdressed 6"x6" pastel #144

So things did not turn out as planned. The wind blew out our power 30 hours ago and left us in the dark (literally). It just came back on tonight at 6pm. The house is a little chilly and the studio even more so! I left home this afternoon and grabbed my pastels as I went out. I found a warm spot and did this pastel of a present. I called it "Overdressed" because the bow is so much bigger than the package. It is a little package sent to me by Karen Appleton who is doing a project called "Present and Accounted For." The assignment is to photograph it in various places. Today I took it to a jewelry store and talked them into letting me display it in their window. I shot it from in front of the store. I have plans to take it several other places but I am not telling yet where they are. On another note, the model did not show up so I won't get to do my life painting exercises this week.

4 U oil 5"x7" #131

There is a method to my madness. In order to keep some consistency to my work, I do a series on a subject. However, I work on numerous subjects at a time because it helps me stay interested and I may be a tiny bit ADHD. Currently I am working on figuring out how to do better landscapes, getting faster at capturing a live model accurately, doing a series of gift package paintings, occasionally doing a still life, doing my painting story pieces, and interesting animals. Today I am posting a gift package. This one represents the most elemental of gifts from a child or innocent to someone they love. It is called 4 U based on the childish images on the can. I liked the idea of a child giving their all to do simple drawings on a can and adding an awkward bow. It is a can full of love, but it might also have something else in it.

Mine 4x4" oil #118

Originally I painted this with a cheerful sky blue background, but when I thought about what it represented...that moment when delight and surprise turns into selfishness and possession, I decided to darken the background without getting morbid, so I chose purple. I remember having the biggest present of my four other siblings one year and there were wicked selfish thoughts in my mind. This is when the generosity of parents reaps materialistic monster children. I thought about calling it "My Precious" with a nod towards Tolkein, but that seemed a bit insidious.

The Blessing 5"x7" oil #116

My fellow painter/friend Shirley Fachilla (who paints with the most luscious colors sometimesapainting.blogspot.com) has encouraged me through the comments she leaves. She mentioned the importance of talking about the process. I am just getting comfortable about that. This painting is a bit of a change for me in that I wanted to keep it really loose as the last few I have done were pretty tight. I didn't want to define anything too closely, but keep the shapes somewhat abstract. I also opened a tube of Grumbacher titanium white and it gave me fits. It is so sticky I can't handle it. I don't know what the problem is, but it is a 5oz. tube of wasted paint. I also dropped this one face down in my lap as soon as I finished it. These are some of the more mundane problems in the process. There is a connection between the hands and the gift in this one. It is representative of the blessing both spiritual and tactile that we receive from others.

Temptation 5"x7" oil @115

The finger is unconsciously curling around the ribbon on this one, ready to pull it off and reveal what is inside. This painting represents that overwhelming feeling of temptation that leads to unknown consequences. It is a good thing but it can also represent those temptations that are not good for us. I am a compulsively optimistic person and don't often paint about the dark side, but it exists, and often reveals itself in pretty packages. On the other hand, children are so excited about the unknown gift.

Bad Hair Day 4x4" oil #113

This one was a real challenge. I think it might have been easier to do on a larger format, but getting all the highlights on the ribbons was difficult. It reminded me of how I feel when my hair just looks goofy.

From Me To You 4x4" oil

I am painting a lot on really small panels, mostly 4"x4". I think this decision is one to consider, just like what to paint. I like the way the little panels look and painting something complicated on them is a real challenge, so I think it is helping me get better control of the brush. I have to give Karen Appleton a lot of honor because painting bows is really tricky. #110

Surprise! 4"x4" oil SOLD

Karen Appleton, karenappleton.blogspot.com, is a contemporary artist of extraordinary skill who specializes in painting gifts and symbolic gift packages. She advised me (don't you love the internet?) to paint what I have a passion for not to focus on what is salable. On the tails of her advice, Robert Genn's bi-weekly newsletter (www.painterskeys.com) had this to say: "Are we, like the local baker, simply making a line of tarts for popular consumption, or are we engaged in something more lofty and significant? Many would say the difference is passion, and while there are undoubtedly passionate bakers, our painterly productivity needs to be based on a noble drive and not on calculated reasoning and bare commerce." So I have been thinking log and hard about this. I am asking myself what I really like to paint. What is my passion? Truth be told I love painting all kinds of things in part because I love the challenge of painting very diverse subject matter. So I am going to do some small gift packages because I want to explore that. In doing a couple I realized that I love to paint things that require me to see them really abstractly. For me to get the ribbons right I see them as tiny slivers of light and shadow. When painting people from odd angles I love the process of foreshortening and I remember the thrill I got from it many years ago when I did my first life drawings. The more foreshortened the better I like it. Karin Jurick (karinjurick.blogspot.com/ )frequently paints people walking beneath a bridge or under a balcony. I like landscapes that are of an odd but oddly familiar angle like looking straight up. My friend and former fellow painter Carrie Diehl (www.carriediehl.com/) does interesting series like this. I think that is why I like to paint people's feet. They tell a story and we just don't give much attention to them. I love painting still lifes if they are from above or below like Carol Marine does (carolmarine.blogspot.com/) or if the items are oddly arranged. So I feel like I am starting a new chapter in my art. It is the journey of sdiscovery of my passion. I thank the other artists and their insights which have helped me think about this. #109