Entre'

 

The Entry, 30x40, oil available

There are times when I just want to break the rules to see if I can make it work. Let's see what you all think. Did I succeed or not?

The 'rule' in particular is to not split a painting in two, down the middle. Which is exactly what I did on this one. The vantage point is from the floor looking from the living room into the entry hall and staircase. I had been playing with my dog and when I looked up, thought that this could make an interesting painting. There was a myriad of reasons I liked this scene. The repetition of vertical lines in the stairwell, the radiator,  the legs of the table and the books in the bookcase. Then there was the oak of the stairs and banister and window, the floor, the bookcase and the oak chest. And finally, the plant, the pussy willows in the vase on the table on the landing and the daffodils. 

My justification for doing this scene this way is my hope that the viewer would either want to go from the living room to explore what is up stairs or to go around the corner to the front door. 

Multiple light sources can also be tricky. There is the window you can see on the stairs, the front door is all glass with a reed shade, behind the bookcase in the entry hall, and there is a window behind the couch off to the right of the edge of this painting. Oh, plus the two windows behind me on either side of the fireplace.

Lilacs

Day 3 -mostly done-thinking the 'vase' is too prominent

Wednesday of last week (May 10, 2023) everyone on our morning walk was talking 'hail!' So, I came home, covered my vegetable garden plants (we here in Denver know not to plant before Mother's Day-but who listens?), cut some lilacs, iris and hellebores, 'just in case' to bring inside. If nothing else I could enjoy the heavenly scent of the lilacs, or possibly even do some sketching of the flowers on the grey day that ensued. It did rain for 24 hours straight, but thankfully, no hail here. The area where I live has been called  "hail alley."

Sketch of Lilacs

Friday, so two days into the cut flowers shortened life, I decided to paint one of the vases full of lilacs. Being still overcast outside the arrangement was under artificial overhead light. I went and found an unclean previously painted panel, 24"x12" and proceeded. Sometimes, the first run on a used panel is the toughest, especially if the painting was varnished, as this one had been. I could not find a photograph of the painting so I am surprised it was varnished. Despite the effort put in by me, who knows how long ago, to remove the varnish and then sand it, it still lingers. The first flush of new paint means it is absorbed by the old varnish so I must remember to go darker and lighter in value to combat this phenomenon. It doesn't seem to matter - it all ends up monotone.

From Nicotiana to Lilacs- starting the block in- carving out shapes

Day 1-Black almost covered - allowing this layer to dry a bit

Saturday is not so gray and the sun actually shines forth from time to time. But in keeping with what I had started, I turned on the overhead lights. My thought was even if I don't finish the study, it has been fun painting from life and fighting the substrate at the same time. Today's effort felt less like a wrestling match and more fluid and easy. 

Day 2- Big shapes defined

Day 2 before quitting for the day- Lilacs holding up so far 

Day 3 Sunday is just to finish the vase. Which is really for drinking wine, I believe. I inherited it from my parents and is from the 60's when we first moved to Germany. I am not sure what it says on it but I believe it has to do with cultivation of wine.  It does have a handle but I have ever only used it for a vase.

White Phalaenopsis

block in

White Phil, 24x12, oil, available

Here is a painting I did recently. I am not convinced it is finished, but I was done. It has been awhile since I painted an orchid from life and with 4 orchids in bloom right now I went with the one that was most advanced in its bloom. It took me longer than I care to admit, working on it over days, trying for the same time of day, which isn't always that easy.

In the block in I was thinking I would add an abstracted version of the desk that is the background of this none set up. I literally just brought the orchid and set it on the computer table I have next to my easel. I then decided I didn't like the idea of the desk but I kept the dark band across the white orchids for contrast. as well as the color of the wall behind the desk. The only color I made up is the golden color in the middle. That would be very dark as well otherwise. I have a gold screen I often use as a simple backdrop for these impromptu still life set ups so that is, I am sure, why I picked that color.

An artist friend of mine was over the other day and I asked her opinion on whether this needed any more work and she said 'no.' I signed it and am posting it 'as is'. I am trying hard to not keep 'fine tuning' it as is my won't.

A better photo added later: 

Bosc Pears Turned Around

 

The Conversation, oil, 6x8, available

Side by side with initial blocking in

The same basic set up as with the blue background except I turned the pears to another angle where they would still stand up on their own and used some of my scrap paper to change the background color. It sets up a more intimate pose for these two pears to continue their conversation. I had found a clean 6x8 panel which I didn't realize I had as I rarely paint this size anymore. This was the next day and already the pears are ripening quickly. This one I think I can call "the Conversation." 

What is it with painting Pears?

A question that was asked of me by a student I have been working with. I have done MORE continuous line drawings with more pears, being as they are currently in season. And those drawings turn me to my easel to paint them. I suggested to him that he try drawing pears to see why so many artists like to paint pears to see where it leads him. I have my own theories about why I am drawn to pears.

I am not going to include the line drawings in this post, just a progression as I painted over an old plein air landscape. You can see I set the pears up right at eye level on my easel. Nothing fancy at all. In fact, using the 2x4 is rather tippy and I had to be careful the painting and 2x4 didn't end up on my palette! But then, why not add a little adventure to the whole thing? Since I used a red background before I decided to use a piece of blue mat board this time.

Set up with 6x8 old painting

blocking in the pears with a lime green

Blocking in with blue background and brick

Bosc Pears- further blocking in

Bosc Pears, next to set up

Bosc Pears, Still looking for a Title, 6x8, oil

I had thought to name this little study "the Conversation." Yet it almost looks like the Pear on the left is listening closely while the pear on the right is maybe a bit forward in what it has to say. The stems are intimating a heart shape now that I look at it differently. A title is not coming to me. Any help with a title would be greatly appreciated. I have used "Tete a Tete" before.

These fun studio studies keep me from getting too serious in my studio works since I don't get outside and paint as much as I used to. I do think it is important to paint from life whatever that  looks like. These don't take much of a time commitment as I do try to keep moving and not think too hard about it. Just observe.

Eggplants as inspiration

 These eggplants were the last I harvested from my garden before the temperatures dropped. I decided to memorialize them as I wasn't sure I would be able to eat them all. I set them on my dining room table being to lazy to go up to my studio as well as wanting a different venue.

#1

Here they are in front of my seat at the dining room table

#2

Then I went to the chair across the table and did the reverse view. I must be easy to please as I had so much fun doing these.

#3

Deciding I did not want to move the set up, I left it up and did this painting at the table. I did not have any clean 9x12 panels so I grabbed a panel with an old painting on it that was not worth saving. I like painting over old paintings anyway. This was painted in less than an hour. 

#4

Of course, I then had to do the other side too! The painting below is the one underneath #4. It had been varnished, which tends to absorb the paint on top of it which you can see in the top of the new painting. The whitish effect from the varnish. I liked the red 'swirls' coming through from below. These paintings are done just for the pure joy I get from doing them to see the effects. I could have spent more time totally obliterating the painting beneath. This was done in less than an hour too.

These acorn squash and peppers were also the last harvest from the garden but way back in the day. I want to say 20 years ago.

The Pears have it

Last week a bag of little red pears were on a manager's special of $.97 for 3 pounds! How could I pass that up? The first thing I did with them was to do some continuous line drawings. I started doing continuous line drawings because it is a good reminder to look at what you are drawing not at what you are doing so much on the paper. I had done some eggplants and clementines the week or so before and had so much fun doing them, so I am trying to do some every day or so. 

Here are the pear sketches. As with the eggplant, I ended up doing a painting. Each of these sketches takes about 5 minutes or so. No more than 10. So really no excuse not to do something every day.

#1

I don't always add the shading but it helped to keep my pencil on the paper to do so with this set up.

#2

I thought I had done more than one from this perspective, but I only have one. I know I thought about it. It gets the creative juices flowing to play around with the set up.

#3

I did lift my pencil to do the solo pear but otherwise each section was done without. I dumped these out on the table to see what it would look like.

#4

The drawings lead to this little 6x6 painting. Which was great fun to paint.

#6

Then I sliced them all up and dried them~ dried pears are the best and still so beautiful.

New Little Studies - winter fruit

It has been too long since I have paid much attention to writing a blog post. I am not one for making excuses so I won't start now. I do have a possible explanation, however I don't think anyone is really interested in that!

Suffice it to say, I am here, it is a new year, and I hope to be back at my easel more than I have been this past year plus. Everything seems to be taking longer as I have worked on a number of paintings all year and can't seem to make much progress as in getting them done. I was able to get some small studies done over the holidays and it really was a struggle at the start to compose from life. It started with fruit my sister had thoughtfully brought with her from her yard in southern California. Who knew that is all it took to get me motivated? I am going to try and remember the order I painted these, but don't hold me to it.

Lime Persimmons, 6x9, oil on canvas, available

My sister had brought with her limes, lemons, and persimmons. I picked this lime as it still had a leaf attached. I believe I painted this first as the limes were going to someone else. As I painted the leaves visibly dried before my eyes. I tried to do them in a limited time frame although I did not set a timer as I would normally do when going for a quick sketch. There is an under painting showing through as I paint over old paintings. I don't paint this small normally anymore, but the size is perfect for doing these exercises.

Persimmon Pair, 6x6, oil on panel, available

Still trying to get that leaf in before it broke off, I did another little painting of a couple of persimmons. Two is what worked for the square format. I still used the same blue mat board and red rice paper to offset the orange. 

Stacked, 9x6, oil on panel, available

I wanted to see if I could stack the persimmons as there enough to pick from to find what might work. Who would have thought a smaller one would be on the bottom with the largest in the middle, but that is what worked. No toothpicks or other assistance needed. Just wanting to have fun as I got to know persimmons as a subject. 

These were all painted over old paintings. I don't usually do well with allowing the layers to come through but this time I did as I worked quickly trying not to think about anything much. 

Next my sister had brought home some pears to put in the pear walnut salad we do for Christmas Eve dinner so I had a new subject to paint, and I have always enjoyed painting pears.

Pearishable, 6x9, oil on linen

The Bartlett's refused to stand on their own, so reclining it was to be. I propped the one on top of the other for visual interest and to get a circular composition going. I changed to a purple paper and the wood from the table for this one. This was my sister's favorite of those I did while she was here, so it went home with her. It was a gray day out and so the light is more subdued in this one.

Pear Trio, 6x8, oil, available

One more before the pears became salad for our consumption. The Bartlett's still refused to stand up. A stubborn pair. Different lighting on this one which brightens up the study and adds reflected light onto the paper. This is the only one of this group that was done a clean canvas. Very different feel.

There are two more but I forgot that I hadn't taken their photo yet. So, another post to come to follow up to this sojourn at my easel to have a bit of fun.

Save the Date - Holiday Show - Dec 4, 2021

 

Weekend Warriors

Weekend Warriors II, 9x12, oil 

In an effort to keep clutter down to a minimum, I was thinking it was time to ditch these favorite pair of Birkenstocks. Because they have been such faithful and easy shoes, I thought I should do another portrait of them first. It was also a diversionary tactic to avoid working on any of my other paintings in progress too. In 2002 I painted them thinking it was time to toss them then. Forgotten by me until I just went for this photo of the first version, I called them Weekend Warriors back then too! The first version sold soon after I painted them and bought to hang in his office to remind him that the weekend was coming...

My father, 6 months before he died, bought these Birkenstocks for me while we were in Phoenix for my sisters  Master's Degree graduation. That was 37 years ago. My son was a babe in arms. When I painted the first portrait I was fairly new to oil painting and still very graphic and flat in my approach to painting. I still like the original and I am happy that they still look like the same pair of shoes if not a little more worse for wear now. They are only used for gardening or quick dog walks. They are still a very solid pair of shoes having been made with a heavy leather yet malleable enough to fit the form of my feet, horrific bunions and all. The sole was replaced in recent memory and still has many miles on them. But one of the shoes hurts the top of my foot now, which is a new development. Enough to be quite painful if I am not wearing socks. Who wants to wears socks in the summer to work in the garden? Not me, at any rate.
I had sent the new image to my family saying I was planning on tossing the shoes but how did they like the painting? Well, the uproar from them was deafening even though 2 were in Greece at the time and my sister in California. I am not, under any circumstances, to throw these shoes away. What is a little pain with such stalwart supporters of my feet? Even if I choose not to wear them they are a memento that they all were unanimous on keeping in the family.
So there you have it. I haven't tossed them yet, and I will keep them, for now. I enjoyed painting them again. The portrait will go into the next pop up show that is upcoming the First Friday of August. More on that soon.

Clear Wine Bottle Still Life

Keeping in the theme of staying out of my comfort zone I started this still life the other day when my power was off. I was of two minds. Start abstractly but bring it around to a more finished completed painting or try and stop before I get too involved in it.

I grabbed a wiped off painted panel that still had the previous image on it, as you can see the tree in the off centered bottle. The roof line and buildings are still coming through. It was about at this stage that I decided to try to keep some of those elements. My hesitation was that I did not retain any of the under painted image on the left side. But somehow it doesn't bother me. Every time I walked by my easel I was just liking it more and more. I can't tell you how hard it was for me to just stop.

Here is where I ended up.  It was a fun exercise.

untitled at this point, 14x18, oil on linen panel

Southwest Hydrangeas

20x16, oil on canvas, available

This painting is from a time before time. It is dated 2002 so I know it has never been published or put online. Isn't that before the internet?? It has been hanging on a wall on the back porch all these years. I brought it upstairs to fill a spot where a painting sold during my last home show. Since I now see it while seated on the throne, I have had time to appreciate it more and I realized that I still like this painting so I thought I would post it and see if anyone has any bright ideas for a title other than "Blue Hydrangeas." It is local tone although this was painted before I knew that term.

I remember planting these blue hydrangeas in my garden hoping for a bush to grow but it never did. I eventually planted an Anna Belle Hydrangea which is hardy enough to survive Denver's low temperatures. I know that since then, there are now hybrids bred in blues and pinks for our climate, but they are still not as hardy as my Anna Belle.  Here is a painting I did of that bush, plein air, in 2005. I still like this painting too! This was and still is the largest painting I have ever painted plein air. I remember how fast it went together, although I did go out two days in a row to get it all in. It is light and shadow but with a very subtle shift from light to dark. I believe I was outside around noon or 1 pm with just enough shade from my house for my setup.

Lavender Hydrangeas, 24x30, oil on linen, available

My next post will be from an exotic island, if there is internet, that is.

Red as theme

One of the local galleries here does themed shows every two months. The next show will be Red. I do not normally paint to the show but submit what I already have on hand. But I needed something to get me going so I decided to paint with red in mind. Here is the first little painting I did.

One Red Rose, 10x8, oil

 It was painted over an existing painting dated 2004. I can't even remember what it was now and I just painted this last weekend. No title on the back. I do enjoy painting over old paintings and letting the original layer come through. One of my neighbors had brought over a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine for me on Thanksgiving. I am their Local Grandmother replacement and I babysit when they need help and I am available as they have no family in town and have two little ones. I am happy to help. Fortunately for me, there were red roses included in the bouquet so I had a ready target. I do not normally paint roses, but what the heck? I used my trusty Japanese gold screen as a backdrop, and a new brass vase I recently added to my collection, and voila! Something fun to get me painting.
So, in addition to that little gem, I had set up these three stemmed clems, thinking of doing one still life with all the elements. But instead, I divided them into 2 separate paintings. In this 2nd painting, I did not include the base of the brass vase with the clementines reflected in the base of the vase, which I had intended to do. I decided it wasn't needed and would only confuse. I used some red rice paper as the surface to set the whole still life on.

Red Clems, 6x9, oil over old painting

This one, too, was painted over an existing painting from 10 years ago. A plein air painting I did on a rafting trip on the Yampa River. It was the only surface I could find that was the right size I wanted to use and the painting was expendable. I really don't paint this small anymore so I don't keep clean panels handy. Yet, after so long not being at my easel, small is what I needed to get myself going. Simple shapes and small.

Orchids evolve

Studio Orchids II, oil on panel, 20x16

Here is an oldie but goodie. This piece originated in 2002 when I was very interested in orchids in particular, and plants in general. I liked doing what I considered 'plant portraits.' Not so much in the botanical illustration mode, although I did take a class in that at the Denver Botanic Gardens at the time. For me, being what some consider a detail-oriented person, botanical illustration did not appeal to me.

I had orchids lining every windowsill in my home. This scene was in my studio. I was even a member of the Denver Orchid Society so I would have access to more varieties of orchids. I still like having an orchid or two around the house, but I no longer have them in every window that was feasible. Working on this painting has made me realize that I miss the color and the jauntiness of orchids in my life.

Not sure I should show the original version, but here it is, painted from life. Oh, the things that I have learned over the years! What is 'wrong' with this version, as if I need to point them out, they are so obvious. No, instead I will focus on why I thought it worth saving: It shows the character of the plants coming through which was my goal at the time.

The window faces north. So the light coming through the blinds would not be warm. First thing that had to change. Second, the perspective has every thing falling off the canvas to the lower right. Can't have that. Funky Orchids was the title of the painting as I tried to take a lighter, less serious approach to my work, but there are still some things that need to be considered, even going for a less formal format. The Moses in the Cradle leaf coming into the painting from the lower right had corner was supposed to help with the tilt of the blinds and board and it does, but not enough. Luckily the drawing of the plants themselves was good, and only required a little tweaking, the blinds and putting the plant stand in where it belonged took a bit more brain power. Unifying the shadow shape was helpful too as I tried to be more true to the light source. I can't believe now that I put all the shadows into black but back then I thought it would help the flowers be more colorful.

I was reading in "American Art Review" earlier this week an article on an upcoming Richard Diebenkorn show opening next month on his early years. I was heartened to read this about him and his process:
"Many have described this process as one of trial and error-even Diebenkorn himself-but it was not so much that he was creating and correcting 'errors' as he was attempting to find a better way, the extended journey being relevant to his final result.".. then finishing with "He kept working until he believed the painting was not wrong anymore, feeling his way until, in his mind, the painting had somehow become "miraculously right."

This idea has been floating around in my head for awhile now, and I liked that the journey was the important thing for Diebenkorn. And the idea of not correcting errors but finding the rightness.

I do hope I can get to Sacramento's Crocker Museum to see the show this fall.

Kicked off Vans

Vans, 16x12, oil on panel

I have been doing some major spring cleaning the past month or so and one of the projects led me to stored paintings of questionable value. Here is one I pulled out from that pile. I am seeing it with fresh eyes and thinking, 'now what is so very wrong with this little piece?' It is not so bad after all. I must not have thought it awful, as those get wiped off or painted over.

So, here is a study I did of a pair of Vans sneakers I inherited from my then teen-aged daughter. I had wanted to document them before I threw them out after miles of walking the dog in them. Oh good and faithful servants that they were.

What is it about shoes that I get so attached to? I sure enjoy painting my shoes. I have a very hard foot to find comfortable shoes for so when I find a pair that doesn't give me blisters or great pain. I am then so overjoyed, no matter how homely they may be.

Green on Green

You might ask, why do I keep painting over old works? Do I not have clean canvas's to start anew? Sometimes, yes I am out of a certain size of canvas or board so I scrounge for a piece that can be sacrificed for the greater good. Other times I choose to use an old painting because it is not worth saving in my opinion and I want to have the colors to come through on the new painting. A quick way to layer color, in other words.

Developing stage 1

Wishing to once more play around with bottles of varying colors of green, I started this piece over an old study I had done awhile back for a larger painting. (See bicycle with balloons below) I wanted to keep some of the color coming through.

Developing stage 2-getting some darks in

I began with a piece of greenish blue rice paper that I set down on the table. I then found 5 greenish bottles out of my collection that worked well together. To block out the background I put up the Japanese doll screen and used the back as the backdrop. It is a light greenish neutral color. Loosely sketching in the bottles I then used blocks of color to quickly block out the distracting balloons and bicycle leaving bits of color and line to show through. Really liking it at this stage and wondering how far do I want to take it?

Stage 3-more form

Proceeding rather cautiously at this stage as I cannot decide what to leave or what to cover. In person, I like the stripes going across the gold label on the right. But in the photos posted here, I am not liking them much. Overall, I do like the way the painting is right now and do not want to get too far along and ruin the energy it has. Any comments on that? Should I leave the line between the bottles on either side and the one in the middle (my sketching guideline)? Does it add to the composition or detract from it?

Green Bottles, 14x11, oil on panel

Writing out my thoughts in questions really helped me decide what I wanted to do. As you can see in the finished painting, I took out the sketching guide although there is a hint of it left. The dark lines across the bottle on the right also came out but not in the background. I should have been able to paint this in one sitting, but I took my time on it so that the likelihood of me getting carried away might be tempered.  Working on it in small bite-sized pieces.