Figuratively Speaking - Making Connections

8"x8" oil

I am working on a portrait and trying to take it slow and do it right.  It comes and it goes.  I think I am relying on detail to improve it and I know you have to get the major shapes right first and leave the details to the end.  A stone sculptor chisels away chunks of stone and saves the details for the finish.  A cook focuses on the main dishes and saves the garnishes for last.  The point is made.  Today was a dreary, rainy, bone chilling day and it was the warmest day of the winter.  Give me cold temperatures and lots of snow and I am a happy camper.  People who experience these kind of winter  days have a hard time believing colder temperatures and snow is preferable.  It is drier and beautiful and there are numerous ways to enjoy the snow.  Today was a test of my endurance.  I was so unmotivated I actually caught myself thinking I wished I had a job I could go to!  Geez...it is suppose to be frigid tomorrow night.  I can't wait!  Go Figure!

Artist's Studio

original oil 11"x11"

I started this one plein air and finally finished it in the studio, after making some changes.  I find I really enjoy just letting a painting tell me what to do.  If something isn't working, change it or eliminate it.  This really gives me a feeling of creative freedom.  When I look at this I can remember how it felt to be there;what the temperature was and how the air felt. 

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Sumac Triptyque

7"x12" original oil painting

I love Sumac! I love its bony structure that casts beautiful shadows, its horn-like berries sticking up on top, and its brilliant red in the autumn!  Today is a typical early November day in Vermont, meaning it is cold, rainy and very gray.  This explains why this photo looks so dark.  I shoot my images outside and the weather affects the result.  I should have tweaked it in editing before posting it.

Wash Day

8"x10" oil

I love how these sheets have this spectacular view!

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Shed In the Grove

The way the sky peaks through the tall trees is what drew me to this composition.  It just seemed so lovely and simple, but not simple to paint.  It was actually pretty complicated and took some effort to eliminate confusing shapes and colors.  I wanted a feeling of late summer coolness and I think I have accomplished it.  It is just a little shed in a grove of tall trees.  A nice place to feel alive!

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Hay Bales

original plein air oil 11"x14"

My goal in painting this painting was to capture the light and the diagonals of the hills.  My painting friend Heather Shay, who has a really good eye for evaluating the things that work and don't work in a painting, didn't like the look or placement of the hay bales on the hill, but this was one instance where I didn't follow her advice (feel free to write a comment letting me know your take on this).  My eye was really drawn to those hay bales, and they do tell a bit of a story so I left their odd placement as my focal point.  Sometimes the rules need to be broken (at least this is my excuse).  The deep coolness of the copse of trees had a magical quality that I tried to capture.  When I started the painting there was a herd of cows in their shade, but they quickly got up and left and then returned as soon as I was ready to pack up.  I guess they were a bit self conscience.  I will try to capture cows on another trip.  Did I say, I love plein air painting?

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Naia

10"x10"  oil

Is she beautiful or what?  She is not my biological grandchild, but she is the daughter of my "almost daughter" so that makes Naia my "almost granddaughter."  Lucky me!  I also feel lucky to get to paint her.  I did the drawing below first because I have been really enjoying the process of drawing lately and it helps to get to know the subject a little better.  I then did the painting.  Since the reference photo was black and white, I had to make up the colors.  Rather than studying a bunch of other photos of her, I decided to just let the painting tell me what colors to use.  It looked rather bland to me (except the startling yellow jumper) until I mixed a little batch of paint with Rembrandt transparent red oxide and some cad yellow and white and got the punch I needed.  I love that color!  I also added purple to her hair which I think worked well.  It is hard to tell in this photo, but the purple just kind of works with the brown.  Anyway, I have been working so hard to get ready for an upcoming show (mostly framing, etc.) that it is so fun to do a painting I am pleased with.  I really hope her mom loves it too!

A Mother's Joy

8"x8" oil

I needed a change from painting still life paintings so I decided to do a series of portraits of children.  They are adorable, don't you agree?  That makes them especially fun to paint.  I haven't been able to paint as much lately because life and other responsibilities keep getting the better of me.  I am busy working on the annual fundraiser for the Carving Studio, which is very time consuming, but rewarding as well. And, the best distraction in my life, my grandkids, are another excuse!

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Happy Anniversary

4"x10'" oil

This was a small commission I did for an anniversary present from the husband to his wife.  He is really happy with it so I am too. 

SOLD

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A Method and "On Leave"

"On Leave"  7"x9" oil  this is for my nephew who is a Marine and great dad!

I thought I would talk about a method I have been experimenting with in painting.
These are the reasons I like it:
1.  It is a method, therefore, I know what to do first and can get started right off.
2.  By drawing out the image, I get to practice my drawing skills, and it helps me to get the drawing part accurate.

3. By adding in a very thin and very quick layer of local colors, I can paint over the drawing, and diminish it, so I am not so picky and finicky about painting the drawing.
4.  I  get to evaluate it after each step which makes me take a brain-refreshing break (and I hoola-hoop for a couple of minutes).
5.  I can see if the design and basic values work.
6.  By doing the local colors, I quickly cover the whole area making it all much less intimidating.
7.  Since I don't add any subtle highlights, smaller values, warm and cool colors and variations at this stage, I can think through those things before I actually do them.

8.  I like it because it slows me down, yet I can still paint fast.
9.  There is instant gratification, which I always crave.
10.  I still get to apply all those wonderful teaching tips I've learned from other artists.

What I don't like about it:
It takes longer....and I end up fussing anyway!

True Story

7"x7" oil

Really it is a "True Story."  I was cleaning out my studio and had the doors open (I have garage doors on my studio so that I can work "outside" when the weather is warm enough).  A hummingbird flew in, got confused and couldn't figure out how to exit.  I anxiously watched as it first flitted to the flower paintings hanging then banged into the lights.  I didn't want to startle it more so I went inside and made some "nectar," put it in a feeder and hung it in the studio, to no avail.  I was worried about the poor little thing who needs to constantly eat, and talking to it gently didn't seem to help.  Finally it landed on my table.  I picked it up gingerly and it didn't move, except that it looked at me.  I carried it out and put it next to a red flower and it didn't move.  I even tried to coax it to take nectar, but it just laid there.  Then it perked up and flew away.   In the meantime, I was able to study it pretty well.  I wanted to do this like I do my "Gallery Viewers" series so I did a fancy frame, but I am wondering if I should just do the plain black frame that I use on my paintings.  BTW, I signed both the flower painting and the hummingbird looking at the flower painting. One thing about hummingbirds is that they are more about movement than color and shape.  Artist Brande Arno is amazing at capturing this movement.  I have included an image of one of her paintings, below.

"Laureen and Lois"  by Brande Arno 6"x6" oil

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Windy Hill

7"x9" oil

I was inspired to do this because I cleaned out my studio and went through my photo references (hard copies) and found a photo of the house I lived in when I graduated from high school.  Daily Paintworks was having a challenge to paint your house, so I decided to put the photo to good use.  By that time in my life I had already lived in 8 houses in 6 cities in 4 states, as we were kind of an upscale gypsy family.  After high school it got worse and I became more of a real gypsy, but I have great memories from this place, and once I married a stable guy, I more or less settled down.  I love the shadows and feeling of moving air and hope I have captured that quality.

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Overdue 5x7" oil

I took the photo to do this painting in a very dark room so I used a flash, thus the reason for the "glow" around her and the sharp face shadow. It is a little odd, but I like it. Amity teaches very rigorous exercise classes. She was overdue in this photo and delivered a 7lb. 8oz. baby girl a couple of days later. She also has two other kids. I was standing, she was peddling. #93

Happy Feet 4"x4" oil

sweet little feet and graphic abstract lines of the stroller....nice combo I think #90

Quick Study - Nude 8x10 oil

Had the opportunity to attend a life drawing session, which I don't often get to do. I did several very quick studies in oil. #80

Oranges Oranges Everywhere

These were from value studies at Carol Marine's workshop. It was not really a "fun" exercise, but it was good for forcing us to really look at the values in a simple subject and try out different background to see how they affect the colors in the oranges. #76 and #77

GO! (IDIC Benefit Race) 8"x8" oil

This was a commission for the IDIC 15d benefit 5K/15K race. I have wanted to do a crowd scene for a while, but have been intimidated about it, so this gave me an opportunity to do it. I am pretty pleased with how it turned out. #75
SOLD

Boomer 8x8 oil

This is Boomer, a really fuzzy guy who is pretty aggressive, but a nice guy if you let him know you won't put up with it. It is a sketch for a commission. He is the slobberingest dog I have ever seen. The owners said, "don't paint the snot on his face!" I love all the squiggly edges. #74

Tess oil 8x8

This is a sketch I did for a commission. #73

Pepper, Scapes and Onion 6x6 oil

Looks like spaghetti is on the menu. This was painted outside in diffused cloudy light on a chilly day. Having strong light really makes still life paintings zing. But, you can't always control the conditions you paint in. Maybe I should have done a landscape instead. I did this at the Chaffee Art Center too. #72