Narnia - window dressing with painting #150

On behalf of the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center, I put together a downtown holiday window display with artist Ruth Hamilton. It is based on the story of the "Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." There are marble sculptures in the windows done by really amazing artists, and Ruth's paper mache' witch who turns the land of Naria into perpetual winter and those she doesn't like into stone. A fan moves the lions head back and forth and blows the feather crown of the witch and her streamy hair....I am adding a crepe paper streamer body to her today which will blow around too. I did the painting of Aslan, the lion hero. This was an extremely fun collaboration.

MYA 6"x7" oil #149

This is the MYA which is often seen off shore in Hyannis Port. It is a beautiful schooner built in 1940 and owned by the Kennedy family. This gorgeous August day was one of family fun, with lots of young people coming aboard. It is easy to understand how you could get addicted to this sport if the money was no problem. There is such exhilaration and sense of freedom in it. I was particularly interested in the young man who was sitting out on the bumpkin.
SOLD

Lone Artist 6"x7" oil #148

This painting really reflects my state of mind currently. I guess they all do to some extent. I feel like the lone artist out there struggling with the craft on my own. The internet connects us to a wider world, but we still sit alone so much of the time and try to be good. We just keep trying and miracle of miracles, sometimes it all comes together almost perfectly. I live for those days and try to enjoy what I get today.
SOLD

Too Cold oil 6"x7" #147

I need to find myself again...I am not finding a lot of satisfaction in my work but I know this will pass just like bad moods and dirty dishes.

Attempt 2 oil 10"x12" #146

Ok this is a day for honesty. This is my second attempt at capturing this handsome young man. So you ask, "How could this be the same person as I did in pastel yesterday." The first answer and only one that counts has to do with confidence. I lost my confidence over the holidays and I only started to regain it yesterday. I took my time and just followed the shapes. It requires hard looking and I don't think I knew how to do that a couple of days ago. I had forgotten. The hand just does what the eye tells it to do. I think I tried to just draw in pastel without the hard looking. There are no real short cuts are there? I painted this on un-gessoed mat board so it is only a sketch. Now I know I can do it, so lets see if I can repeat it on board or canvas in a larger format. I also am feeling like oil is more familiar to me right now, not pastel.
SOLD

Sketch 1 for Commission pastel 5"x7" #145

Yesterday Qiang Huang (qiang-huang.blogspot.com) said, "....if you can paint shapes, you can paint anything." I agree completely, but boy you better get those shapes right, especially if you are doing a portrait. This is the first sketch in preparation for an important portrait. I have one photo, have not met him, and will not have the opportunity to meet him. It is a real challenge, and I don't usually like doing portraits of smiling faces, but I can't really make up his features....I am not that clever. I am hoping that by doing many sketches of him I will get to know his face and hopefully pick up on his personality through the process, before I do the finished portrait. Also, today "Overdressed" went swimming.

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 Days worth #140, #141, #142, #143

I have been traveling for 10 days and have not been able to post since last Saturday. I took pastels with me thinking I would do many small pastel paintings while I traveled. This didn't work out as planned. It was inconvenient, messy and improbable under the conditions and I went into painting withdrawal and only did a few really poor quality drawings which I am posting today. Now I am facing that daunting new beginning again with the fear that I won't be able to do it. I know this is all nonsense, but somehow it is very real nonsense. I am sure once I get back in the groove it will all be ok. So, I am posting 3 pastels: "Tangerine and Pear," "Fingernail Polish'" and "The Green Ornament." As well I am posting an abstract oil, "Coltrane," that I did as a warm-up.

A Shield for Me 8"x10" oil #139

This is another mandala that I did with left over paint. It is a fun exercise for me to do this and just go loose graphic. The colors are not based on any theory or artistic method, they are just some of those blobs left on my palette.

20 minute pose 8x10 oil #138

To paint at this angle I sat directly in front of the model on the floor. I wanted to get the most intense foreshortening that I could with the pose. I am overall happy with the results, although I did not spend much time on the arms, hands or face, and I think it would be better if I had worked on those areas a bit more. Her right arm looks a bit like Popeye's! It is all about learning, finding out what I do well, working on what I don't do well and finding meaning in the process.

10 minute poses 1&2 8x10" oil #136 and #137

Happy Thanksgiving. I have very limited access to computer for a few days and missed posting yesterday so I am posting 2 today, both 10 minute poses. I want to keep doing these fast oil sketches with the goal of improving my ability to capture more of the important aspects with accuracy.

3 Minute Pose 8"x10" oil #135

It is what the title says. Short and sweet.

Creative Block Revisited 8"x10" oil #134

This doesn't count as a new painting, but I reworked numerous ones and did a lot of framing, so I am showing this one. I didn't like the background or the block, so that is what I re-did. The Chinese characters say, "Creative Block". I have to admit that I have a love affair with Chinese calligraphy, although I am not proficient at it.

Vermont Falls 5x7" oil #133

Vermont has a zillion waterfalls and I love waterfalls so I painted these. I can see now that there is a glare on this...but I can't redo it now.
SOLD

Morgan 8"x8" oil #132

This horse has the longest tail I have ever seen. I took a photo of it at the Morgan Horse Farm annual horse show, as this one was heading to the ring. What a beautiful animal, tall and strong. I went with two of my adult children and it was a memorable day. I have been doing so many really small paintings that this one seemed roomy which is why it is pretty relaxed. I have recently gotten some advice to soften some of my edges which I will work on next week. I will be doing the holiday events for a week and a half, so I am going to post paintings that I have done in the last few days and will be working on pastel sketches for a while because they are easier to travel with.

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.

The Valley oil 5"x7" #130

I took the advice of Australian painter Mike Barr (artofbarr.blogspot.com) and added reds to my greens and used only a flat 3/4" brush and only added highlights for one minute at the end. He suggested that I repaint a previous landscape doing this, but I chose to try it on a new one. I will eventually go back to the other, but I want to put some space between us (me and my landscape) for a while. I used the edges of the brush a lot to get the detail. I am wondering if I am still putting in too much detail, but I am getting closer to what I want. His advice is good and I am hoping he will give me more. I like the moodiness of this.

Free Range 6x6" oil #129

Freezing rain was falling the other day and I stopped on my way home from working out to take some photos of it.When I saw this sign dripping in icicles, I thought of little feeted eggs with bald little wings running all over the yard, but instead I painted the chicken!
SOLD

Party's Over 8"x10" oil #128

This is another quick oil sketch. I like the suggestion of the face without much fuss. It is unclear to me if the addition of the dress was helpful or not.

Creative Block 8"x10" oil #127

This is a 20 minutes portrait and I didn't have the best angle so I called it "Creative Block." I read a list of "creative block-busters" which included the suggestion to do something counter intuitive. I think this is actually a helpful idea, but my favorite is just to do it and know that every piece is not going to be a masterpiece, but in the big picture, continuing to try will teach me lots of unexpected things.

Dreamer 8x10" oil #126

The reason I love to do these very quick figurative oil studies is that the model only poses for 5-20 minutes and for me to capture any kind of realistic image, I have to work really fast and not think. When I think too much I start to fuss at my painting and I inevitably create problems with the painting. There is definitely a reason for doing longer poses, even poses that are repeated over several days, but I don't have that kind of opportunity right now, so I am trying to get as much as I can from this exercise. The better I get at capturing a position, the body weight, the proportions, and the values, the better I will be in getting spontaneous poses on the street. There is a terrible glare on this. I tried to rephotograph it, but it didn't come out any better. I will try again later in better light.

On Second Thought 8x8" oil #125

"This is no difference for any creative individual whether it's a painter finding his way to the easel or a medical researcher returning to the laboratory. The routine is as much a part of the creative process as the lightening bolt of inspiration (perhaps more). And it is available to everyone. If creativity is a habit, then the best creativity is a result of good work habits. They are the nuts and bolts of dreaming." Twyla Tharp from 'The Creative Habit'

Nature's Confetti 5x7" oil #124

I am back to brilliant colors today so there isn't anything subtle about this one. This is the view of the yard in front of my studio. It is vibrant and over the top, but on a clear day like today, this is what it looks like, in the fall. I will have to do a winter scene in a few weeks. It is a complimentary color painting, with mostly mid-tones, secondary darks, and a smidge of light.

Not a Whisper 5x7" oil #123

I painted this one with a limited palette of greens, blue and white to try and get a more muted, subtle and quiet effect. I also painted it on canvas with a light neutral underpainting (there is a term for this but it eludes me). I have been looking at some other artists work which inspired me on this one. In particular, Mike Barr, and Australian artist who does the most beautiful seascapes in very peaceful and limited palettes. Last night this looked really dull (in a good way) to me, but today it looks more vibrant...still dull next to my other recent landscapes, but more punchy than I thought. I love to try new things and this is what this blog is all about for me.

Jump or Hop 5"x7" oil #122

This woman has 3 active kids, owns and runs 5 restaurants with her husband, teaches water aerobics, runs marathons, has endless energy and looks like she is 20 years old. She also has a very cool (as in hip) and amiably approachable personality. She just can't figure out whether to tell her students to jump or hop (as far out of the water as they can get). I chose this pose because her hair was flying up. Her full front 2 piece bathing suit is just a bit up revealing her 6 pack belly. I like the wall lamp streaming light and the streaky windows. She really is a task master and it is amazing that we all keep coming to her classes, but it is because we love her! I have a lot of numbers in this message! This is the last piece of my PICO series.

Mask Plant oil 5x7” #121 plandaí masc (Irish)

I enjoy doing all kinds of painting and have been looking for a way to use the left over paint on my palette and this is really fun to do. I call them my mandalas. They are fun graphic forms that allow me to attach my own personal meaning and they make nice little gifts for family and friends when appropriate. Strictly speaking this is not a mandala. It is however, an image used to represent different meaningful symbols from various cultures and traditions. Even though there is a geometric element to this, there are also organic forms.
"We find what we look for, nothing more and nothing less."
– Proverbial Wisdom

Sneezy Landscape 6x6 oil #120

Mountains in the distance and layers of fluffy clouds are the backdrop for this loose rendition of a field gone goldenrod, which is my allergy trigger. A few strands of wheat indicate the foreground. It is a sneezy but lovely scene which is all that much more brown today. I have dedicated 6 birch panels to landscapes and am finding that the many layers of gesso are sucking up the paint so I don't have that slick surface to slide the paint around. It is different and different always challenges me ultimately in a good way.

Landmark oil 6.25"x5.75" #119

I carry my camera every where I go and am constantly taking photos. The day I took this photo was one of those incredibly perfect fall Vermont days and I pulled over to snap a photo of an east looking landmark view of Camel's Hump. I have felt the need to paint a landscape this week so I pulled this one up and was surprised to see the lamppost and fire hydrant were in the shot, which I thought was funny as it was in the country. Then I thought how property taxes are reduced in proximity to a fire hydrant...for this piece of land...I don't think that would make a lot of difference.

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.

Open Heart Pose 8x10" oil #117

Makes the blood rush to my head! This was a tricky perspective with her lying on the floor, her hand almost at my feet, and her legs propped up. It is an exercise in getting all the rolling forms, but I wonder if it would read better if I had forshortened her lower legs even more. This was the angle I was seeing it at, but I am learning that sometimes you have to make changes for it to read in a logical way. It is all part of the journey (that is probably my mantra for life). I painted this in 15 minutes on red mat board. I like these quick exercises I do on Thursday evenings. Today I will get back to painting packages and I want to play with some etchings.

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.

Candida 8"x10" oil sketch #114

I follow a number of blogs that painters produce. One of them is Dana Cooper (danacooperfineart.blogspot.com) who has been taking a workshop with Carolyn Anderson (carolynanderson.com). Carolyn's work is very fresh and understated. Her brushstrokes are exciting and thinly applied and she captures the essence of the subject in her work. I worked to smooth everything out in this painting of Candida. She looks separate from the board. I am always asking myself how far to go with the quick oil sketches. Someone in our live drawing session said she thought my work looked unfinished. My husband likes this one because he also likes a finished look. I don't really feel that way. How much do you need to say? There is such beauty in seeing an image barely immerge from a canvas, like someone coming out of a fog. There is a real connection with the process...the brush strokes and the paint. I am going to think about this when I go to the Chaffee on Thursday.

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.

Antonia 8x10" oil

#112 On Thursday nights I go to the Chaffee Art Center and they host a live model. We draw and I always try to do a few quick oil studies. I use only burnt umber, white, a bit of cad. red, and some black because those are the only paints they have! I paint on mat board, whatever colors are available, and use a really cheap and overused bristle brush. It is not the ideal situation, but I am so grateful to be able to paint from a model, that I just see it as a time to learn and play. I live in Vermont and they often say that skiers in VT are really good because they often have to learn on slopes with lots of ice. That is how I look at this.

Happy Halloween Toes 4x4" oil

Happy Halloween weekend. I am getting to go visit my grandson this weekend so I suspect a few pastels will be done while I am there. I have found that pastels fit into uncertain time schedules, are easy to transport, easily available and just a fun way to paint when I am away from home. I don't quite get why it is called painting though, it is really drawing. I really did have my toes painted for Halloween, something I would not have done except for the generosity of my good friend who treated me to a pedicure. I liked putting all this detail into a small space. The cover is actually an oil cloth I made to cover my coffee table. It is heavy weight canvas with a 10 layers of gesso underneath and 4 layers of polyurethane on top. #111
sold

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

Tess 18x18" oil

Finally, after much struggle,I finished this portrait of Tess. In the process I learned a lot about the subtleties of dog head structure and how to paint from several varying photographic references to gain a better understanding of the shape and values needed. Tess is very hyperactive so getting a good photo of her was next to impossible. I hope I have captured a bit of her energy too.
SOLD

Evidence of the Divine 8x10" oil

"Imagination is evidence of the Divine."
– William Blake
My friend took me to get a pedicure...something neither of us ever does. I got my toes painted for Halloween. She got lovely pinkish toes. I think there is a painting in this. Anyway, there were mandalas hanging at the spa so I painted this Celtic inspired earthy mandala for Theresa as a thank you for the fun morning we had. I am still struggling to paint Tess (dog portrait) so it was nice to do something easy and fun. #107

Boomer 18"x18" oil

This was a commission...one of two dog portraits...the other is a wipe off and I have to start over...ergh...part of the story.... #106
SOLD

Leaf 6x6" pastel

another pastel sketch.... #104

Round On Round 6x6" pastel

Round and red on round and red..... #103