flowers and leaves
Large Leaf Maple
Thursday, November 27th, 2008
Large Leaf Maple, 36 x 12 x 3 Muslin, glue for stiffness, acrylics on wrapped canvas
The leaves have many more coats of paint, and as seen here I imagine them glowing in the moonlight. Since Saturday’s Encaustics workshop I’ve decided to do the whole thing with Encaustics tecniques, see right sample; the leaves will be texturized and the flat canvas will be smooth. Encaustics apparently don’t adhere to acrylics, so my solution is to try a product I’ve not tried yet, clear guesso. I need my own supplies too, which Santa will be bringing.. It would be nice to continue finishing this immediately, but more time spent contemplating the next stages is probably best anyway..
The Fourth Of July - almost finished
Saturday, September 27th, 2008
The Fourth of July, central detail of 36 x 48 x 2 inches Acrylics on wrapped canvas
Sept 26: Yesterday as I added a few final brushstrokes a blue streak showed up unintentionally from some color left in the center of the brush. It was one of those rare details that happen accidentally to change the course of the entire painting. There are similar angular strokes that were starting to build up from color washes, but that tiny spark of blue brought all the others to attention, so today I added a few more in different colors. It was exactly what I was searching for. It is now indeed The Fourth Of July. Over the course of time I may see areas where more tiny streaks need to be added to balance out the composition, but it’s otherwise finished.
Sept 28: Alright, maybe it isn’t finished after all, but this is the stage where the painter needs to step back, set it aside and start another. Finishing a painting is like a drive through the mountains; you see the enormous mountain before you…seems that you’re so close but because they are so large, as you watch the mountain the illusion is that you are not getting closer. It seems to take forever to reach it, as if you’re on a tread mill.
Finishing is the stage where every single tiny mark makes a difference. You’ll want to rush and make the call, but those final marks can make or break your painting. I was so excited about the sparks of color last night — interesting how you can’t see the field for the flowers if you’re working up close to the canvas too long!
This morning after a bit of study I’m thinking maybe the buds, central foreground, are too defined. I also see too much division over-all, and there’s not as much flow as is possible. I played with some possibilities digitally, right thumbnail.Here is where I will use any feedback and criticism anyone has. Extra eyes are really helpful at this point, so fire away if you have any suggestions!
Jewels in the garden
Sunday, June 15th, 2008
By Natural Design
Saturday, June 7th, 2008
Caterpillar Art
Thursday, November 15th, 2007
It’s still warm and sunny in Texas, and caterpillars are making Art in the garden!
Seasonal treasures
Sunday, November 11th, 2007
While photographing the filigree on many of the decaying oak leaves in a park forest, leaning backwards with my head in the branches, a little green snake struck out at me, the delicate body about 8″ long and no wider than a baby finger. I wrote to the Biology Dept. at Texas University, and they identified it as a Rough Green Snake - Opheodrys aestivus - it’s nonvenomous.
Walking back home completely happy to have chosen that path, expecting no more treasure for the day, a leaf twirled in the breeze, hanging from a spider web strand.
