Thursday, March 28, 2013

back

I have been soooooooo stuck for about 3 months. Finally I am rising out of the muck and find myself frenzied with ideas. Ideas about skies. For a long time I was almost afraid to paint big again. I felt I didn't have a strong enough concept. I needed to feel. Months of monotypes and small (6x6") paintings have opened a door. Just in time I was beginning to feel however small a "genius" visits me had found a new home. She is back. Here's a link to Elizabeth's ted talk about "genius".

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

simultaneous contrast- Josef Albers

I found this great vimeo about Josef Alber's work and simultaneous contrast.It starts out a little slow, stick with it because the content is good.

Monday, March 25, 2013

passion for skies

oil, 12x12

Skies, hmmm. What are they, but layers of air that appears to have real heft.  But, it's just air with moisture. The clouds have personalities. Each one is different and full of surprises. They are 3 dimensional shapes.  It's important that there are no harsh lines or cut-outs in your clouds. Knowing where your light source originates is important to make the clouds/sky convincing. After that it's really warm next to cool, layered to make grays. Better still here is a great article about skies on Richard's Pastel Pointers Blog. He says it better than I can, so enjoy!

the underpainting
On another note, here is the underpainting for the painting above. I liked the beginning horizon line vibration, I unfortunately lost it in the painting....maybe next time.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

cloud study

Here's one of my recent crazy cloud studies. It's 21 x21 black pastel on white BFK. When limited to black and white it's much easier to see the "bones" of an upcoming (possible)painting.
A quote from Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot-
“The first two things to study are first form and then values. Those two things are in my opinion the foundations of art. Color and execution add charm to the work. It seemed very serious to me to prepare a study or a painting by starting to indicate the most vigorous color values (assuming the canvas is white) and to continue by following in order until you reach the lightest value. I would give 20 gradual numbers to go from the lightest to the most vigorous color value. Then your painting or study would be established with order. This order must in no way bother the sketcher or the colorist. Always the mass, the whole, what struck us. Never lose the first impression that moved us. The sketch is then the first thing to look for. And then, color values - the relation between forms and values. Those are the foundations. After the color, finally, the execution. Do you want to do a study or a painting? First you must apply yourself to look for the form in conscience. After having made all the efforts of application, move on to values. Look for them with the mass. Conscience. A good way to achieve this: if your canvas is white, start with the most vigorous tone. Follow the order until you get to the lightest tone. "

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

grays and luminosity

oil,11x14
Pure color has more power next to gorgeous grays. Just Look at Turner's work and you will see. He didn't use dark foils to make luminosity. Sanford Gifford didn't use darks either. Instead there is one pure point and the rest is grayed.
at the NGA, Siout, Egypt, Sanford Gifford
at the Met, A Gorge in the Mountains, Sanford Gifford
Here are two I have visited recently.  Aren't they exquisite?

Friday, March 15, 2013

Chinocoteague calls

Urges that make me want summer and beach lead me to create this marshland landscape. It's funny it began as a cloud scape from Wednesday's cold and beautiful sky. Somehow I decided what it needed was marsh. I think a trip to Chincoteague is in order.
PS This is a small pastel -6"x6" but I think I will dive into a bigger oil based on it.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

needwood and de Kooning

Thank you to everyone who took the time to comment and email about my last post.

Someone asked me if I was still working in oil. The answer is yes, I just have not been posting them... struggle being more apparent in those. This is a recent oil that is going in the direction I want.
Instead of saying more, I give you comments from Willem deKooning, a real master. He says it so well.

Style is fraud. I always felt the Greeks were hiding behind their columns.- 

 I'm not someone who has ever said anything definitive about his work. In my life I have very little fixed form. I can change overnight.

I was never interested in how to make a good painting, but to see how far one could go.

PS Happy Birthday Daddio!

Monday, March 11, 2013

voice

Finding your voice is always a challenge. Recently a friend visited my studio and remarked, "those paintings look so different, they aren't soft like the others." So does that mean my paintings need to always look soft, because that's my style? Or can that vision morph? Someone else commented, "your new ones are so dark." Well meaning words, but it almost makes me want to go and hole up in a cave and paint without input. I bet you know what I mean. As we artists constantly think, learn, morph and explore our new understanding of our work we have to try to be impervious to being swayed.
As we move forward in life our art reflects that journey. It can't stay still.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

don't be fixated on making good paintings


I guess I can't really be accused of that. I find that I can't really ever feel comfortable entering competitions or applying for plein air events. I make myself apply for the plein airs, only because I really enjoy doing them and they push me in another way. But the competitions will have to wait till I know something again.
 Recently I read a quote written by Diana Horowitz. "Don't get fixated on making  a good painting. You can't be afraid of making bad paintings if you are going to learn."



This is the sunrise in the Safeway parking lot ... a few days ago. Shapes and color.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Antonia stikes again

monotype on BFK 9x9
 Why persist with monotypes when I have no intention of selling them or moving in that direction? I guess that main reason would be that the monotypes stretch me. I really have so little control that I am learning to simply go with the flow. A blob happens where I didn't want one, use it in a new way. The wipe didn't work invites a new approach. I find openings where I might have had frustrations. So this brings me back to the quote I published in September. Antonia, age 5, in response to the question, what is art? said:

"Art, oh that's when you make something beautiful out of paint or even recycled materials. Sometimes it looks like what's in your head and that's good. Sometimes it doesn't and then you change what's in your head. If it still doesn't look beautiful, you just take a deep breath."

All I can do is respond to the plate and breathe. Complete openness is the key.

Friday, March 1, 2013

monotype, one and two colors

Two different monotypes, same idea. The top one I tried a two plate print. The first print was a dull blue green (with translucent add-in)  with a sepia/black second plate. The print below was a one color print.
Each wipe, roll, swipe and scratch does something different, therefore each attempt is unique- even if worked on a ghost plate. Cool, eh?
I may leave these alone and not add pastel. They have the softness combined with massing that I am searching for. More Monotypes on Monday....