Update.....

So, we were supposed to move this weekend but were unable to make closing. What has transpired with the unemployment benefits package this past week also effected anyone needing flood insurance. In short, congress allowed the bill to lapse a few weeks ago, went on vacation and thousands were unable to receive unemployment benefits or obtain flood insurance which is required by FEMA. We happened to find out a bit too late that our new home is in a "potential flood zone." Let me say that the "potential flood" would have to be of biblical proportions to reach our property. So, after a frustrating week, congress has filed an extension and we were able to get our required flood insurance for the mythological possible flood and will now be closing and moving at the end of next week. I have been away from painting for three weeks now and I am ready to get back to it...

Pam Rogers, who I met at Artomatic last year, has a show in Atlanta at Kibbee Gallery in May. Her work is spectacular, so if you are in the Atlanta area go see the show.

Packing....

I have begun packing for our move to Fredericksburg in two weeks. I am battling a nasty cold and have so much going on. And wow! While packing my studio, I discovered a lot of old dried out paint tubes laying around. The manner in which I store my paint would horrify. I used to do a lot of colored pencil work and my drawer of colored pencils (many of them stubs) really needs to go to my neighbor's daughter, a budding artist. I wonder what else she would like to have? There are at least 20 huge bottles of acrylic paint I haven't used. Old ill cared for bushes....gone. A forced Spring cleaning of sorts...with Kleenex in hand.....

Fredericksburg has a lot of galleries and co-ops. I know a few of the artists there and have received so many warm welcomes and invitations to lunch upon my arrival. I emailed one co-op and had two generous replies from artists there. So, it appears the community there is quite inclusive. I have to say I have been a little unsure about the state of contemporary art there and whether I might find an audience. Time will tell.

So, I will be moving, traveling for a family wedding and visiting with my sister over the next two weeks.

In the meantime, have a look the work of Heidi Taillefer. Amazing.

Oh, and here is our new place.

Painting Update...

I promise all the madness of buying our house will end....I say this mostly for my own sanity. ;)
Until then, I have updated the small oil paintings page on the website for those who might like to have a look. I am amazed (and grateful for) how fast these go! Let me know if you want one.

I am still working (slowly) in my glazing experiment. I have learned a lot, mostly about what not to do.

Here is the progress of our little friend, Mr Peacock....



Underpainting. I should have made the lights lighter. In general, the underpainting must be painted lighter on the value scale than it really appears because as glazes are added, the painting gets darker.



Too much medium.



I think I am getting it......although, still getting darker and losing highlights.



Where we are now. But...I like it. I will keep messing around with it until it gets to the magical "done."

On the Easel

Painting without reference material directly from imagination is my most favorite way to paint. My thought here is to integrate the bird figure with the chambered nautilus. You can see the shell starting at the beak.
I feel rather stuck on the stag, so I found a canvas I painted black awhile back and just started with an interesting eye.........and will work outward from there.

Painting Update

Here are the first glazes on the peacock. I am already finding myself impatient and wanting to paint directly. Hmmm.....may not be my thing, but I will stick it out and we will see, right?

I spent Sunday purging things for our move in April and found an old 40" x 30" painting of me with Vincent Van Gogh. I painted over it and started a new one today. The central focus will be a white red shouldered hawk that fills up most of the canvas. Let's see how it looks in such a large scale and how it evolves.

"Ki" is done....I just need an assistant to help me get an image...

The Stag.....

Back to the stag today. I am still floating ideas.
Repainted some areas and did the tedious work of painting in the cracks in the antlers. Some scumbling in the sky.
I am trying not to over think here, as I am prone to do with paintings that have been long on the easel.

Today's painting

American Crow
7" x 5"
oil on panel
$250, framed