Tag: photography

Sometimes my sanity is more important than my art.

I like to think I eat sleep and breathe art but in reality it is like the last thing I get to do on my list. Tuesday and Thursday are my two big days if these days fall through so does the whole week.

Last Thursday I invested all my time in just cleaning brushes and my palettes. My theory in the past was to just buy new paint brushes when I ran out of clean ones. But instead of throwing brushes away I kept them and now I have a gazillion brushes and when I paint I use a gazillion brushes. So I’m trying to stand back and analyze my predicament. Clean up time should be short and sweet.
My whole way of thinking has changed. Although I am painting more and better my time to paint is less. I really don’t need a lot of time to paint. A solid one, two, three hours can be sufficient.

As for this Tuesday well everyone was out of the house which is unusual. As much as I wanted to busy myself. I stopped and got breakfast and a coffee with three creams. I just came back and enjoyed a nice solitaire breakfast for a change and caught up with some stuff. Sometimes my sanity is more important than my art.

It is late and I have been painting. The room smells of turpentine and oil paint and it is a welcoming smell. I have too many canvases in process and unfinished hence the name ‘almostfinnish’ and some that are just taking up space so I need to take serious measures to be able to differentiate from ‘has potential’ to ‘hopeless’. How many times in the past has an artist painted over their paintings???? Is there too many times?

One thing I don’t have is a shortage of supplies so if a few canvases end up in the trash I’ll be okay.

It’s spring break here for us. Ten days all together. So my quest is to try to finish up some paintings sitting in limbo.

I was painting my Scruples?

                                                                                                    

I framed this piece today I’m trying to decide if the gold goes with this odd color combination…or not?

After a time of taking a lot of photographs for my series ‘Behind the Curtain’ and other photo’s of interest that went into a different direction. I began to paint some small acrylic paintings using some of the photo’s as a reference and inspiration. This is one. This was my cat named Scruples who was my faithful companion for over ten years. She was named after the book by Judith Krantz. She was a one person cat but when my daughter was born her maternal instincts kicked in too so she was always there and very concerned until she started crawling of course. So it is nice to have these photos and paintings although she is gone now cat heaven we say.

I keep leaning toward the abstraction. I want it complicated enough and simple enough so it catches the curiosity and brings the viewer closer. Abstraction is harder than I ever thought it to be. So I do a combination of both abstraction as we see things and how we might think we see things. Art and the creative process what’s your process?

The cat behind the curtain.

This is one picture of a series of photographs that I took during a time when I had stopped drawing for a while and took up the camera. 

This series of photographs is called ‘Behind the Curtain’. It’s a subjective approach about cats broken down to its most simplest form and enhanced by all elements that intervene to shroud the subject. Subtle transparencies emerge and shadows distort but the work is not about clarity but reality. The pictures bring the viewer closer to what exactly is present and in original form. The perception is geared toward the cat but the viewer keeps coming back to the curtain as the light intensifies, flattens and solidifies the curtain.The curtain stands alone with its subtle folds, elegant drapes and soft patterns. Even though we can’t get past the curtain the cat is still identifiable.

The digital world is it exciting or intimating?

I struggle as an artist almost a needless struggle.

I don’t know, do I set my goals too high? (no).

 I have a hard time finishing a painting (maybe)

 I’m not computer savvy enough to just jump into some things that I want to start (unfortunately yes).

Not confident enough to just start the camera and make my own artist video without direction (not going to happen).

I think I spend a lot of my time and my life pulling back on the reins. When I’m scared it makes sense but when I’m not it’s just frustrating.

My ex said something to me once that I will always remember   “I never say no anymore because that just fuels your fire and makes you more determined to do it.”

My question was why would he not want me to do it?

I took a break from painting last week and worked on my website.

I finally found that Chicago gallery that I was interested in and am trying to decide my presentation as I make a slide show. There is so much to take into consideration this is my elevator speech which I write over and over again in my head.

In the past I have walked in with my art work or made an appointment and then walked in with my art work but now the world of digital is hitting closer to home.

Is it exciting? yes and intimidating? definitely.

I love my digital camera!  Although I have not said goodbye to my rebel 35mm camera yet nothing compares to digital. I can delete the bad ones. I am almost guaranteed at least one good picture and if not with some inexpensive software I can crop, enhance and re-size in an instant. I can browse, upload and tag my images.

It’s been a big year for me. I understand the computer better, the Internet and photo-shop. Although I was given a needed push. Which is the secret to ones success.

I penciled myself in for the morning.

Well it was Monday when I started this blog. Spring is in the air and the snow and ice is dripping off roofs. We don’t have as much snow as they do out east but we have our share and proud of it but cabin fever is kicking in and so is spring cleaning.

I entered that contest called 3rd Ward submitted three images and artist statement. Looking at the previous artists and works NY is not looking for Midwest art so I’m thinking that my work is off the wall enough for one to consider. Saving my conservative pieces for around here.

I found another coffee shop looking for an artist and works and has a wall space open with my name on it. I need to get there sometime before 10:00 or after 3:00 and it sounded like a simple task at first. I am planning to go tomorrow Thursday between preschool and afternoon conferences. There’s no storybook theatre scheduled and my husband doesn’t have an appointment until later so I penciled myself in for the morning.  And this pretty much is how my story goes.

I’ve been working on finishing some of my still life’s. The picture I intentionally distorted for fun while photographing is 28″ x 38″ oil painting. I like incorporating wine bottles in my still life’s a cliche yeah but it never bores me to see. Although the still life is long gone now I am trying to finish it from a photograph. I think Cezanne when I look at it because he was always a favorite of mine. I am enjoying the monumental size and color combination I chose. When I finish I may have a chance to show it at a local winery here called Wine Cellars. I am always looking to see where my next painting can go and my studio is no longer a choice. 

At the last minute here I entered in The artist’s Magazine there 27Th annual art competition. I had this one in the back of my mind and just came across it by luck. I don’t normally do these competition but I thought I would try some out this year and just see what happens. I have a really good feeling. Wish me luck!

I love the smell of turpentine as it lingers in my studio.

I rummaged through some old paintings today. I get inspiration when I see these works how there so fresh, new, and spontaneous. I see the freedom that came with painting what ever was presented right there in front of us. We did the best that we could or knew at the time. The art instructor would walk around looking like Wyatt Earp helping us to paint, to see and understand when areas were working or not. The thick smell of  turpentine and oil paint saturated the room instilling a memory forever.                                                                                       

Preparations for an artist video or an I spy game.

My goal today was to organize my studio and add elements that I love to see but only enjoy in magazines. Why because I’m working on a artist video of my art, the process I go through and what I am really about as an artist. The first time around was not successful and the background was lacking in interest or I should say my art work but never giving up and thanks to a promising film maker it’s being scheduled for shooting once again.

So first I had to get everything off the floor because I know that takes away your energy and it has been weighing heavy on my mind. I organize the books in the bookcases. I have  many books some half read, most are art books, and some are just brilliant. They are encased in a three tiered mission style bookcase and was custom made by my husband. I remember asking for a bookcase and after a month of hardly seeing him he came up with this monstrosity as it sits and divides my studio from another room designed and usable from both sides. Not one for things and trinkets but I like those things that are useful, practical and have an artistic curiosity about them.  I have this wine bottle holder on the very top to the left and across from it to the right is a pear holder with a similar style and thought in mind. In between sits a tan world globe. Below all this is a Whistler portrait and another artist named Gentileschi. There are many shelves to display things everything is carefully selected. From a miniature tripod, to a tee ball award, to unique coasters, a staple gun, to business cards and  little sculptures that were hand made by our little artists, enchanted boxes, marbled paper weights and lastly camera  lenses, parts and old antique picture frames and pictures.

I have many notebooks and notes to go through. I cross off  lists as I go along. I have accomplished many things as far as lists go. As I sort I realize I don’t  have a lot of things. I have a basket full of misc. items and a pile of misc papers to read and some Cd’s and last I have a computer bag with important papers and letters that is stashed on the side.

The biggest clutter here in my studio are my paintings so I have to removed many and bring them downstairs to my other studio in the basement along with misc. frames which I like to collect. I bring up two big paintings by request one I hang up right away in my studio the other I have sitting sideways with “new painting” written all over it. It’s 40″ x 56″ and I know exactly what I want to do with it but am still working out the bible story in my head.  I transfer  two large paintings from my studio to the TV room which is still in seeing distance from here and am surprised at how it adds to the dynamics of the room. I put some prints I have behind glass and are now displaying them. My favorite is a George Bellows from ‘The Eight’ . Granny’s painting is still on the easel and still in process. A lesser known is on the other easel. A mission style chair holds my mirror when I work. and there is a red cart for all my art supplies. The cart hold my palettes and many vases of brushes. I have a paint box full of oil paints yet I am waiting and in need of more umber.

I still need to vacuum, clean my palettes and my dreaded paint brushes. As I look around I am not sure if I’m preparing the room for a video or an I Spy game.