The Watch
acrylic
9 x 14
















Birding continues...

It's Wednesday, and that means it was my day to be a volunteer/demonstrating artist at Heritage. It's an opportunity to support the gallery, socialize with other area artists, meet the public - and still get a lot of painting done.

I am sometimes conflicted about aspects of trying to survive as an artist living alone. Most of the time I treasure my solitude, but there are times I wish for someone else to worry about the bills, or the laundry, or the vehicle maintenance. It's easy to forget the trade-offs. I was reminded today of the value of my independence. Three of the five artists there said that their dream was to have time alone: take an art vacation or go to a retreat. There was a note of desperation from one artist - just to be left alone. I kept quiet. Why rub it in?






















Here are a few more of the ongoing Bird/Wind series. I'm posting a detail of another "bird" piece - it's unfinished, but it's also different - much more moody and as much a landscape as a study of birds. I like the "fuzzy chick" look of the white birds, though they are in fact, White Herons. The painting is allegorical, though I leave the particular story up to the viewer. I'll continue to post my progress, and a view of the entire painting.

















Fledgling
acrylic, 9 x 12


Moult
acrylic, 9 x 12

more from January...

I find myself painting birds one right after another... Like many artists, I am especially drawn to black birds: crows, ravens, and of course - blackbirds, and red-winged blackbirds. But I like the shapes of starlings, grackles and other sleek avian specimens as well - and expect to see them all flitting and sitting on future canvases and panels.

Birds on a wire strike me as omens; sentinels, guardians... each waiting to be called to action. Birds on the ground are more playful, active, busy with the business of bird-ness. Birds in flight are either at the mercy of the winds or masters of the atmosphere. I do not see birds as threatening, though my large abstracted Black Bird/Wind series (two shown at right) often give viewers pause.

January paintings...

I apologize or the blur of this photo - and the color's not quite right either... So I'll re-shoot it this week. Sometimes my digital camera just won't focus properly when the zoom is in use - or when attempting close ups. I hope to invest in a better one someday.

This little painting was done for a theme show entitled "Daisies Don't Tell" at a local gallery. It was a hoot coming up with something that wasn't too literal... while still experimenting with color.

I have committed to showing at this same gallery along with an artist friend beginning in March. We'll each need about ten new paintings for the space allotted, and I want to display mostly larger paintings (at least 24" x 24"). I've made up several deep cradle panels this size and shape as I find I am most often drawn to square paintings of other artists. I can't say why - just that I find it a pleasing shape - especially for unframed works which I also prefer. Perhaps one day, if finances allow me to purchase elaborate frames or have an expert make them, I'll change my mind. :-)

The blue roan photo... explained...

I photographed that comely steed a few months back, but didn't download the photos until recently. I was quite taken with the blue-black sheen of the horses coat against the red, red, red of the freshly painted tin - and I immediately wanted to capture the image for a future painting.

At the time the photos were taken, I couldn't get very close to the fence or the horse because he was penned adjacent to a bridge reconstruction. Heavy equipment had rendered the road and berm impassable so I took the shots from my vehicle window using the maximum range of a telephoto lens. When I finally looked at the photos on my computer, I was distressed to see the very tight halter that I had failed to notice in my excitement over colors and compositional factors.

A halter should never fit tightly. In this case you can easily tell this horse would have great difficulty chewing his feed as the halter would make it nearly impossible for him to open his jaws! A halter should not be left on a horse in pasture in any case as it can snag on a tree, fence or another horse.

The location is thirty or thirty-five miles from my home - or I'd have driven right there to remove that thing. Instead I called the animal control for that town who referred me to the "livestock agent" for that county who referred me to "the equine guy" who referred me to an Atlanta office! Four phone calls later, I was assured someone would "look into it".

I think I'll take a drive tomorrow...

On The Trail of O'Keefe

Everyone has talent at 25. The difficulty is to have it at 50. - Edgar Degas

This is a small colorfield landscape representing a creative journey; influences of favorite artists.

It's only 12 inches square but I like it enough that I plan to do it larger. Can anyone guess by looking who some of my artist muses are

Painting in a cartouche: Mr. Moose

These photos show a small landscape (approx. 12" x 18" painted on an oak trunk. Painting on oak is not something I recommend as the grain will swell with the moisture of the paint, even if sanded between painting sessions. This trunk was stained and sealed prior to painting, and still the grain shows... Not a huge problem, but I'd never choose oak for a detailed piece or for portraits!

Moose are fun to paint.!

Recent work...