When life gives you lemons, draw them, 11 x 14 inches dry pastels, graphite on paper

"When life gives you lemons, draw them". (Nikki)

"...the painting has a life of its own. My mission is to bring forth this life". (Jackson Pollock)

"Trust your intuition, it's just like goin' fishin'; you cast your line 'til you get a bite." (Paul Simon)

summer

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Framing on “Northern Delights” update

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

Northern Delights work continues, acrylics painting 24 x 36 inches with 36 x 48 inches canvas frame
Northern Delights, 24 x 36 inches on 36 x 48 inches canvas frame

Northern Delights, acrylics on canvas, 24 x 36 inches on top of a 36 x 48 inches canvas, work on framing in progress. Left: Day 01, above: Day 02

Frame, Day 02:   The abstract framed around impressionist styles don’t really belong together, but I kind of like it anyway; so unexpected..unpredictable..rebellious!

Frame, Day 01: I could never find the right frame for this painting — ones I tried ended the picture too abruptly at the edges, yet I knew it needed something, so yesterday I mounted it onto another canvas. I’ve found the solution, not only for this piece, but for my own sense of peace. Work as reprieve from work…imagine that!

Here is the finished painting as it was previously. I used masking medium to block out areas that are intended to stay white, and am continuing the same technique on the back frame.

Mary Ann Pel’s Bench

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

Mary Anns Bench, dedication to Mary Ann Pels, 11 x 14 inches graphite on paper

Mary Ann’s Bench 11 x 14 inches graphite on paper

Illustration of a bench dedicated to a client’s sister by the staff at the University Arboretum, Madison, Wisconsin 

Morning Light – commission for a second version

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

Morning Light 02, detail of Phase 12 work in progress, almost finished

Above: Sept. 12th detail

Morning Light 02, Phase 09 upper detail, work in progress

Morning Light 02, above: upper detail of 60 x 40 x 3 inches acrylics on canvas in progress, comissioned work (NFS)  

Morning Light 02, 60 x 40 x 3 inches acrylics on canvas in progress - phase 01Morning Light 02, Phase 03 work in progressMorning Light 02, Phase 07 work in progressMorning Light 02, Phase 09 work in progress

Phase 01, 03 and 07 show various changes and adjustments made as I attempt to paint Morning Light 02 as close as possible to the original version. As this is a unique individual painting in its own right, copying is not the goal. As work progresses, the most important thing is to find the same light and etherial qualities as in the first version.

Summer travels

Friday, August 13th, 2010

  Archean rocks, Lake Superior just east of Wawa, OntarioArchean rocks, Lake Superior just east of Wawa, OntarioLichen, Lake Superior just east of Wawa, OntarioLichen and distant shoreline, Lake Superior, Ontario, CanadaLichen, Lake Superior just east of Wawa, Ontario

When I’m back in Dallas blogging regularly again, these photos will be posted on the photography website. An unplanned extra trip from Alberta to Ottawa; in Ontario a second time, means I won’t be back until the first week of Sept. Here are a few photos I took on the shores of Lake Superior just east of Wawa, ON.

On exhibit

Friday, July 9th, 2010

  Dandelions, 16 x 20 acrylics on canvas, dark brown wood frame with red trim design. Total size 22 x 28 inchesDandelions, detailBonsai Garden, Chinese Garden, Singapore  9 x 12 inches graphite on paperMilkweed Melody, 27H x 33W inches framed Oil Pastels on 140 lb cold pressed premium watercolor paperSeasonal, 36 x 24 x 2 inches acrylics on canvas, gallery wrapped sides painted, narrow frame

On exhibit at Oxide Gallery, Denton, TX

Dandelions, 16 x 20 acrylics on canvas, dark brown wood frame with red trim design. Total size 22 x 28 inches, Bonsai Garden, Chinese Gardens, Singapore  9 x 12 inches graphite on paper  Milkweed Melody, 27H x 33W inches framed Oil Pastels on 140 lb cold pressed premium watercolor paper, Seasonal, 36 x 24 x 2 inches acrylics on canvas, gallery wrapped sides painted, narrow frame

Stars and Fireflies

Sunday, June 27th, 2010

   Stars and Fireflies, photoshop

Home from Singapore for a few days, and having to go north to pack up the Dancing With Trees exhibition, I drove up to Ontario first so I could see my sons in Canada before Christmas. At night in the fields and trees from Tennessee to Michegan there are stars and fireflies in the trees – so magical! Until I can express it in paint (and I must!), here is a quick photoshop impression.

Turmeric blossoms

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

  Turmeric, 9 x 12 inches graphite on paper

Turmeric, 9 x 12 inches graphite on paper

Turmeric is a member of the ginger family. The rhizomes are a rich golden yellow, and the plant is used as a food coloring and flavoring agent, in dyes and traditional eastern cosmetics, and is an important ingredient in curry powder. Native to India, it is grown widely in the tropical areas of Asia. The blossoms are about 14 inches across, seen at the Botanic Gardens, Singapore.

Norway Maple: finished, combined posts

Friday, April 9th, 2010

  Norway Maple, 36 x 48 x 2 inches acrylics, modeling gel on canvas

Norway Maple in Madison, Wisconsin, 36 x 48 x 2 inches acrylics and modeling gel on canvas, gallery wrapped sides painted, narrow frame, finished April 9th

Norway Maple: working more on background, tones, horizontal shapesMarch 9th: Subtle changes since last post…have been working more on tones in the background, which weren’t planned initially; I had hoped to use only pure colors without the usual layering, but it’s otherwise too hard to look at. Also am connecting a few shapes horizontally, and it’s almost “there”, but 2D Pinecone was started in the meantime to avoid overworking this.

(more…)

Viper’s Bugloss

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Viper's Bugloss, 18 x 25 inches Dry Pastels on paper

Viper’s Bugloss, 18 x 25 inches Dry Pastels on paper. With pink buds and blue-violet flowers along tall stems, it’s tempting to bring these wildflowers in as cut flowers, but the plants’ properties make the skin itchy and sore, so are best enjoyed left where they are, growing in masses beside the highways in eastern Ontario during the summer. I was curious about the name… according to the Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism edited by Michael Stuart (c. 1979, 1987 ISBN 0-9999-48911), they were formerly one of the most respected plants used for the treatment of viper’s venom.

Norway Maple, work in progress

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

Norway Maple, work in progress: 36 x 48 x 2 inches acrylics, will sculpt with modeling paste medium on canvasNo title yet, work in progress: 36 x 48 x 2 inches acrylics, will sculpt edges of leaves with modeling paste medium on canvas. Gallery wrapped sides painted. The watercolor classes really helped with awareness of color choices, keeping those colors pure and marks fresh, and also a desire to leave more abstract elements alone; less realism and more expressionism. All of those things will be magnified in this painting.

After today, blogging and Artwork will be infrequent until mid-January. Driving up to western Canada, there will be plenty of snow-covered trees and winter photo opportunities along the way to Alberta, B.C. and back. Working up until the last possible moment, I started this painting of purple Maple leaves that were seen in Madison, WI during late August. Modeling/Molding paste will be applied, then painted with acrylics when dry, this will be a 3 dimensional (ish!) painting, similar to Polypore Fungi (also see this earlier posting of that painting).

Happy Holidays everyone!

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