Road back in Time

The Road to Mandrakia, 24x36, oil on linen SOLD

I have been working on 5 larger paintings simultaneously these past several months, and possible as long as a year! Finally, one of them I am considering done. It has been a long haul. I am going to justify the length of time it has taken me because it isn't that I am a slow painter. The weather here has alternated between gray and rainy and very hot and sunny. Since I prefer to paint without artificial light in my studio, the gray days make it hard to do anything but start a new painting. The hot days drain me, as my studio is on the second floor and I do not have A/C. I do have a ceiling fan, and for the most part that does the job. Yet when it is close to 100 outside, that isn't enough. The difference is temperature when it goes from 60 and rainy to almost a 100 with no segue or steps in raise or lowering in temperature does something to the body, or at least it does to mine. Now that I have justified myself to myself, saying I am not lazy (well maybe just a bit) I will get on with this painting and why I wanted to paint it.

Five years ago I was invited to join my sister-in-law on the island of Milos in the Aegean Sea. This is the road to one of the many little spits of land that jut out around the island. Some have houses, some do not. This particular cove is famous for its Syrmata, or boat garages, which I tried not to highlight, as this painting/ story is not about them. For me it was about the road to the sea. Mandrakia is a little village down on the spit of land, even having its own little church. There is also a Taverna...naturally! The water there is so amazing. Changing colors while you watch. Each little cove or inlet has a unique feel to the water and the beach. I had never experienced anything like it before. In the intervening five years it has experienced much growth as it has been 'discovered' - I have been told there are now more houses in this view than when I was there and took this photograph.

I really got into the rhythms and pattern of the surrounding landscape while doing this painting. The land goes up and down and winds around. I hope you can follow the road that winds to the right and then again to the right by the little memorial then finally to the left and Mandrakia. It is a place special to my heart. I was there in April, and hope to go back this October if all goes accordingly. 

Post Pop-up Art Invitational

Admirers looking at my wall, 4-26-19

My wall after I was done hanging it, 4-26-19

I wanted to show those of you who were unable to come to the one night art invitational what it looked like. We had to be there to hang between 9-11 the morning of, and the art had to be taken down either after the show or the next morning starting at 8 a.m. I had a plan for hanging my wall and though I didn't follow it, because I had a pretty good idea, it went pretty fast. I wish I had thought to take photos of how the different artists did theirs, as just like when there are a group of artists painting the same subject and each one is so different, how to hang a wall of art follows pretty much the same pattern.

My friend, Jeannie Paty, hanging her wall

It was my first experience with this kind of a venue. It may well be the wave of the future as yet another well established art gallery closes this month in Denver. I thought it was very successful overall. There was a continual stream of people in attendance with the busiest time starting around 7:30. I believe I had the first sale of the evening, the little hollyhock study on my wall above. For an artist, our loyal supporters are always very close to our hearts, and without them where would we be? When a total stranger likes your work enough to buy it, that is a different kind of validation. It is an entry into a new relationship. The man who bought the little piece below the hollyhocks, "Along the Arno," wrote on the subject line of his check "Keep up the great work!" This is particularly poignant for me as I have been struggling with whether I should stop painting altogether. My shoulder has been reconstructed twice and it has been causing me enough trouble that giving up painting was definitely on my radar as a possibility. I received so much validation to keep on keeping on during this show. I will share one more experience: I was standing in the vicinity of my wall during a quiet time where I was not engaged with anyone else. A man and his wife approached and stopped next to me looking at my wall. He said to his wife "Now these paintings tell a story." He proceeded to go through each painting telling the story he saw. I cannot tell you how gratifying that was to hear. I want my work to draw people in to tell a story or open up a dialogue.

I know I was happy with how many people stopped at my wall and really looked and enjoyed. A great big thank you to Cherry Creek Art Gallery for organizing this event.

Tom Cat revisted

Tom Cat, 2019, 20x20, oil on canvas

Here is an update of a painting from last summer. I was never really satisfied with it yet I could not figure out why. Everyone who saw it remarked how they liked it. Finally, I figured out what was bugging me.  So that you can see the difference, I will post the painting from last summer.

Feral Cat, 2018

I liked the colors in the walls but somehow I felt it still wasn't quite right. Almost felt dirty rather than in shade. The other big thing for me was the cat's face. I don't know why it was so hard for me to get that right.

Going back to it I saw a number of things right off the bat that had escaped me previously. First thing I noticed was the cat's back. The cat was a bit to thin on top which was one of the reasons the face didn't look right to me. That was easy. Then the ears. The ear on the left was too small and the space between the ears was too broad. That was easy to fix too. Next I realized I was a bit off on the nose so got that done.  This is on an island. I felt that even though it is 'said' cool light, warm shadows; warm light, cool shadows, there would be a lot of reflected light and and I wanted the warmth to come through of the ambient air. So I changed the overall color of the whitish walls in shadow. As so happens whenever you redo a painting you have to sometimes lose something you are attached to to make it work better overall. So I kept some of the rosiness of the front wall coming through but not as much as there was. I also decided to add the clouds. I think they help make it more interesting. And a few more holes in the plant to give it more dimension.

Your comments are always welcome. If you have a more creative name than Tom Cat, let me know!

New Year

First, I want to start off by sharing with you two recent responses to my work. The first came from the judge for the November to ART MUSE online juried contest. One piece I submitted was Marbled Water. Here is what I received as a finalist: I like the unusual viewpoint and the variety of shapes that come together in an  abstract design. The suggestions of seeing through the water and the reflections from the hard edged buildings are very well described. Nancy Tankersley

Marbled Water, 30x30, oil on linen

The second came in an email this morning from a friend and collector who now lives in Vermont. Her brother-in-law teaches color at the Parsons School of Design in NYC. Here is what she wrote: Dan is a professional artist who teaches color at Parsons School of Design. I always enjoy his comments on our artwork. He loves your work, the light you get, the precision. This trip he particularly enjoyed looking at your painting of the cattle and horses and dog crossing the road in Wyoming. I can't remember exactly what he said but he loved the way you used colors and asked me to tell you how much he likes it!

Cattle Crossing, 12x24, oil on panel

It is always gratifying to discover how much your work impacts others. For someone who teaches color to comment so positively on my use of color is high praise indeed! I attribute it to John Singer Sargent. He is my inspiration.
With the holidays and family from out of town visiting etc I haven't had much time at my easel this past month or two. I have done another little 6x6 to show off today. I took the photo reference at the end of the hollyhock season. I think I needed a little color and hope for Spring.

Hollyhock, 6x6, oil on panel

Marbled Water

Marbled Water, 30x30, oil on linen, available

Last spring I was in Greece for a few weeks, staying mostly on a small, non-touristy island. Yes, there are a few still in existence. This was our first day on the island and we were checking out various coves and beaches to see what we liked for possible return visits. The beach here was tiny and there were locals living (illegal, I believe) in a few of the syrmata's (boat garages) so it wasn't a place we returned to after this initial visit. But sitting on the natural stone 'walkway' away from the beach and the locals was amazingly tranquil and rejuvenating for the soul. One of us even went swimming. I preferred to sit with my feet in the water being nibbled by small fish, until the jellyfish arrived. I was mesmerized by the patterns made in the water. I had never experienced anything like it before. As the light shifted so did the patterns and reflections. I took a series of photos as the patterns evolved until this marbled effect showed up. It was the last photo I shot in the series and my favorite. Suffice it to say, whenever near water I studied it and was continually enchanted by the way it was a living entity ever changing before my eyes. I hope to do more water scenes I encountered to show how distinct the different areas of the island were and how the light impacted the designs in the water. I have been to  many beaches around the world and have never seen anything like what I saw in the Aegean.
Enjoy!
If you have a better idea for a title, I am always open to suggestions. I lack creativity in naming paintings...

Have a Seat - View of the Aegean Sea

Have a Seat, 12x16, oil on panel   available

A few months ago I posted a painting of the Path less Taken. I mentioned in that post that my son suggested I do a companion piece so that we could all see what was at the end of the path and I included the block in of the new painting. I personally like the idea of the path leads where each individual decides what they want to see at the end of the path, but like so many mothers, I aim to please. So here is the scene where that path led. It is on the island of Milos in the Aegean Sea. The ice plant flowers were supersized adding a wonderful splash of bold color here and there.

The Path Less Taken

I am back! It has been awhile. It isn't that I haven't been painting. It is that I have been unable to believe that anything is finished...is that being stuck? Or is it just that I have been too distracted with other projects that this area of my life has suffered? If I am honest, it is both. It has been a summer of electricians, contractors, energy auditors and getting roommates. In all honesty, that is enough to keep anyone very busy.
Here is a painting I did last week; another one from my series from my trip to Milos, an island in the Aegean where I went this past Spring. This little seaside path to the sea is in Pollonia.

My son said he really liked it but he wants to see where the path leads. So I may just do a companion piece, but my thought is it leads to the sea and we all have our ideas about what that looks like. That being said, I must admit that the Aegean Sea is like no other I have encountered!

For me it is more about the journey than the destination. It is a sunny day with the threat of a cleansing rain, the island is abloom with spring flowers, and the sea beckons.

After adding the photo above, the image seemed too light. Some of that is from the lighting conditions when I took the photo. But it made me think it wasn't dramatic enough. I put the painting back on my easel this morning and redid the sky as I wanted the piece to have real feeling to it. The only other thing I did to it was to redo the dark hedges along the the horizon line. I wanted them to read more of a unit. Other than those changes the rest is the same. The photo below is darker, taken inside at my easel but is truer to the original than the washed out image above.

Looking for a Title, 12x16, oil on linen panel. Available. Contact me for information

After wrapping this up I blocked in the companion piece. It is the same size, same surface but I am going for a more abstracted landscape approach. Let's see if I can pull it off. I am happy with it so far. Here it is:

Roughed in companion piece

Syrmata or Greek Island Boat Garages

Boat Garages, oil on linen panel, 12x12

Here is the first painting completed from my recent trip to the Greek island of Milos. I painted it small to see if I might want to paint it larger at some point. This is in the little village of Mandrakia, which if you Google 'Greek boat garages' most of the images that come up are from this particular bay. Mandrakia is a collection of mostly vacation homes but it does boast its own little chapel and a part time/quasi legal Taverna during the summer.  I picked this particular boat garage to highlight because the 'owner' is one of the local fishermen whom my friend knows. Stellios is one of the few year round residents of Mandrakia. He takes it upon himself to paint all the steps down to the water every year. His is the black boat, painted black after the loss of his wife. His 'garage' is open as he was working on someone else's boat on this particular day.

We were fortunate to have coffee with one of the other boat garage owners from whose garage I took this photo. Yannis has more of a man cave thing going on although his boat is berthed inside as well. He fixed us fresh coffee in his tiny kitchen and brought it out to his little patio. I took this still life that was set up where we enjoyed our first afternoon on Milos.

These boat garages are grandfathered in, as technically you cannot own water front property on the island. So people like me are free to wander around since it is considered public property. No new garages are legal to build.

This is the long view from where I was staying and it looks right down onto this little cove. At the end of the gully there is a small beach, which when we were there we had to ourselves.