Archive for April, 2008
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Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
Artini, 24 x 24 inches Acrylics on canvas. Rubbing white with a damp cloth over the textured surface, I can apply this technique to the next painting. This is serious play! The painting Artini and another recent one, Myrtle At The Zoo illustrate that: whether seasoned or just beginning, an Artist needs to stay open all the time to media-exploration and self-discovery. Even if it’s been tried many times before, there are a lot of little tricks that are easier to try out on less serious paintings, enabling more confidence when trying them out on work with higher cost of materials and time-investment. Experimenting and exploration result in knowledge and experience of the properties of various media; learning about yours and the media’s potential and limitations.
Woven canvas
Sunday, April 27th, 2008
I started covering the new stretcher-frames we built last week. Leftover canvas was cut and ironed into strips about 1″ wide, then woven across a 24 x 24 inch stretcher. I have a few ideas, and will start painting this one when Artini is finished.
Artini, Shaken Not Stirred
Friday, April 25th, 2008
Left: detail of Artini - I Like My Art Shaken Not Stirred - 24 x 24 inches Acrylics on stretched canvas. Work in progress. The cream-colored background here is not part of the painting - the square canvas is hung sideways as a diamond shape on the wall.
Little green feet
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008
I see more little green feet in our future…
Single eggs, .25 inches small, are laid every two weeks between March - October and abandoned, hatching after 5-7 weeks.
Every day is Earth Day
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
Caring. It’s that simple.
For facts about Green Anoles and other reptile care and conservation: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Anole.cfm
Bearded Iris, plein air painting
Sunday, April 20th, 2008
Bearded Iris - painted plein air - 44 x 18 inches Acrylics on stretched canvas.
Plein air, progression of Bearded Iris.
I could no longer avoid the subject of Iris - have always thought the subject to be too cliche - but they are blooming crazily in our garden this week, and I have taken far too many photos of them that don’t quite satisfy me. This variety actually blooms an unprecidented 3 times a year here! Some of the flower stalks grow well over three feet tall, with six or seven large five and a half inch blooms.
I started with a moody dark against light high-contrast painting in mind, but noticed after the 3rd stage (see above) how restricted I started feeling, and likewise, it showed as pretentious in the work. I realized there are a lot of limitations I impose subconsciously and consciously, (like do paint this, don’t paint that), preventing me from having a really great time painting.
In the garden
Saturday, April 19th, 2008
My hopes are that the Anoles will expand their family here, and that they eat fire ants!
Portulaca: low-maintenance, sun-thriving, cheerful colors.
Homemade garden sculpture of a heron, which I replenish the shape continually throughout the year with branches, vines, and grasses. This morning: a sparrow borrows some material for its’ nest.
White Pine Bows
Friday, April 18th, 2008
White Pine Bows, 20 x 34 x 1.5 inches Acrylics on stretched canvas. This was started and finished today; sensing I need to quit while I’m ahead.
Storm clouds
Friday, April 18th, 2008
Here are some beautiful but omenous clouds in front of a major storm that just hit Mineral Wells, west of Fort Worth, with baseball-sized hail.
Rocky Mountain Vista finished
Sunday, April 13th, 2008
Above: Rocky Mountain Vista detail images, each portion approx 14 x 24 inches
Left: Complete, 48 x 24 inches, Acrylics on stretched canvas. Paintings that are proportionately longer than wider don’t photograph well or show impressively on screen, so I split Rocky Mountain Vista into four seperate detail images.
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