" Soul Doors" ....

" Soul Doors"

acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, 30" X 40"

"Soul Doors" - detail

" Moon Seeds" ...

" Moon Seeds"

acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, 30" X 36"

$800.

" Moon Seeds" - detail

"Learning to Step Back" ......

It is hard.  Painting gives me such joy!  But, stepping back is a lesson I must learn.  Do you remember this piece?

It did not make me happy.  It was just wrong. The more I looked at it, the more it made me uncomfortable.  As I knew I would eventually, I painted over it with white paint and started again.  Here is the result of learning to step back.  I really like this!  A lot in fact!  I enjoy looking at it, and yes, remembering the lesson that is now buried beneath new paint strokes.  I hope I don't forget ....

" Music of the Spheres"

37" X 37" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

Confessions of an artist .....

I recently began a large painting (37"X 37" ) and decided to document the process.  I wanted to be able to return to various stages of the painting, to see where the images were and how they were manipulated in the course of the painting.  As I reviewed the photographs, I was dismayed.  There were several points at which I really loved what I had created, and should have stepped back , but continued on to put down more paint, and to move it around.  Right now, the painting is "finished", meaning there is nothing more I want to do with it.  I like it, but not as much as I liked some images that are now hidden.  I may paint over it with white and start again. Here is the chain of photographs showing the progression.  I think you will see what I mean .....
I started by setting up an outdoor paint studio, so I wouldn't need to worry about the walls and the carpet.

 This is the table with the paint colors I chose, along with all the funky tools I use to manipulate the paint.

 The beginning .....already I am loving the colors.

 Added orange with my trusty whisk broom.....

 A close up of my first favorite section ....

 A close up of another section....

 Now the painting seems to have no direction, no point.....

 A defining move .....

 And, now finished.............possibly.

This is the process I go through with all my work.  I never have a final image in mind when I start.  Maybe this is the problem !  So, I may keep this, I may paint it over.  It has to hang around on the easal for awhile while I look at it.  The good news is, I do have photographs of that which I loved, even though it is hidden now.  I hope you enjoyed the journey!

Christmas in August. Really!

 

This morning we visited our very favorite resale store!  For my local readers, you know the place : "Walker's Buttons and Bows".  Oh my.  Where to start.  As a result of an estate cleaning out, they had hundreds and hundreds of books for sale, mostly art books.  Additionally, they had some very large, previously used, canvas stretchers.   We spent 2 hours perusing the books and I was in heaven.  The artist 's name is Susan Joyce Weimer.  I wanted to give you some biographical information on her, but a search of the web turned up nothing and I don't want to give you heresay information that might not be correct.   Below is a card from a solo show she had at the Hoyt Institute of Art, in New Castle PA in June 1997.  I found it in one of the books I bought.

 

 

 

 

 

Here are boxes of books.  Every book was $1.00, no matter the size, condition, age , etc.  How could I walk away from that? Right?

 

Here you can see the stretchers I bought.  The average size is about 4'X 5'.  As I was stacking them up, I wondered what happened to the paintings that had been cut out of their frames.  I wish I could have seen them.  There is a small stretched canvas in the back that must have been a painting in progress ?  I think I might try to meld a painting of mine with hers, maybe to preserve something of her spirit in my work.

 

 

 This is a SMALL sample of the books that came home with me.  I don't know where to start!  Actually, I did know where to start: by cleaning them.

 

 

This one is a book titled  " The Sketchbooks of Picasso". 

 Oh my!  I was so excited to see these next two books.  Roy found them for me.  Below is a McCall's Pattern Book dated Spring 1946 and it sold for 35 cents.  The fashions are wonderful!

 And, THIS is Simplicity Patterns and is dated May 1934 and is priced originally at $1.50.  It is a much thicker book.

I just don't know what to do with these.  Some of the pages would be so interesting matted and framed!  I guess for now, I will just look at them.  But seriously, what is it with those tall skinny ladies?

THIS is how to wear a tie. Really.

I found a very ordinary man's tie at the thrift store.  I brought it home, did some painting on it (of course) and then found a handy person to actually tie it correctly.  I had no clue how to do that!  With the knot in position, loose enough to remove the tie over my head, I stitched the knot in place.  Then I added (using E6000 glue)  a beautiful enamaled disk (again from the thrift store) and suspended a wrapped chunk of turquoise from it. This is a lot of fun to wear!  I want you to make a tie for yourself, ok?  Write and let me know how it went.

 

 

 

More Creatures From the Sketchbook .....

Found today at the resale store.....

She is about 10 inches tall, is very heavy and feels like a rough plaster.  I don't know her name yet, but she needed to come home with me. 

 

Magical Creatures .......

Play time in my sketch book!  Having some fun with magical creatures and thinking about writing or illustrating children's books.  Stay tuned for more magical creatures!