Nearing a Goal

"Tea and Spritz"

oil on gessoed masonite, 6" x 8"

SOLD

"Waiting for Tea"
oil on linen on panel, 6" x 8"

SOLD

I feel good today. I have reached something most would think crazy and impossible. Since May 1, I made a committment to paint daily, save Sundays and to have at least 100 paintings completed by Sept 1. Today, I painted numbers 80 and 81 ! With 19 left and a return from outta the country on August 7, I should have enough time to reach the 100 without strain.

Moreover, looking back just two months, I can see a lot of growth . . .which is the very reason I took this idea on.

To all of you who visit regularly, Ed, Elio, Robin, Nava, Chris B, Ev, and of course, Silvi . . . . . .TTFN! Or ta ta for now! We are on our way. I am putting together the last of the household details and we are gone. Check in once in a while. I'll be lookin in here via internet cafe a few times per week . . . . I just guess I can't be without yall fer very long! It must be all the support you guys are throwing my way!

OH!! I almost forgot! Bye, Mom! :p)) (Can't ferget her!!!)

A Few Thoughts

"Olive Oil and Onion"

oil on linen on panel, 10" x 8"

Yesterday, I think I moved back into the zone. It seems if I am off for a week, it takes that long to regain my edge. Today was confirmation of being back into it. Yesterday's piece drew lotsa comments verbally and here. It seems many folks like the brushwork that shows up on smooth masonite. I am not sure, yet, what's right for me. My difficulty is that I like it all. If my watercolor background is any indication of where I may go for 'style' . . .you can bet I'll be all over the place. I am just fascinated with all the things paint can do and like to mess with it.

After this weekend at the plein air show, I am more convinced that, in spite of my low sales, I just do not wish to be a 'manufacturer' of the same stuff all the time. In other words, I paint for me, not the market. I may regret that, but for now that's how it has to be.

Another thought . . .I awoke in the middle of my sleep last night and realized I had not put olive oil into a glass container. With its greenish color, I couldn't resist pairing it with a red onion. Salad anyone? :-)

Another thought. Tomorrow is my last oil painting for three weeks. I am worried about that. I sure don't want to loose the ground I have gained. But then the trade off is a good one: three weeks in France! I will try to make at least three postings while I am there . . .but we shall see. We have some great folks house sitting for us, so I won't have to worry about the house while we're gone.

My last thought today . . . .I still cannot believe I am doing this! I mean taking folks to Europe to paint! I remember thinking to myself back in the nineties that maybe I could be good enough, someday, to do this. This is my fourth trip there with an art purpose. Man!! Dreams do come true! If you are someone who dreams about such stuff, stand by it and don't let anything keep you from it. (This stuff makes me weepy. No kidding!) I have so very much to be thankful for!!!

Curios

"Curios"

oil on gessoed masonite, 6" x 8"

SOLD

No. That isn't 'curious' . . .it's curios, as in souveneir. These pieces of civilized flotsam are little reminders of some significant event . . .a year long trip to Japan . . .a special gift received from a wonderful class. . . .they reside together in this still life for one reason: contrast and similarity.

Again, oil on gessoed masonite, I darned near gave up on this one. It took me longer than normal . . . .and not because it is a particularly difficult subject. It just wouldn't co-operate . . . . . . .at least until the end.

My head is banging away on a wall here at home as I replay watching an artist demo a painting in our mutually shared booth at the plein air show this last weekend. He could knock out fabulous work in 90 minutes, frame it, hang it and sell it before the day's end. Our two days together and our chats were most educational. Now I want to try many of the things we talked about . . . . .all that banging around in my head as I painted this piece. Conflict.

Conflict? Whadddiyamean? I mean I am VERY easily influenced by watching other artists paint. And it is darned difficult not to let myself emulate. . . .especially while I paint.

I am also packing to leave this week on a long 3 week trip, so I couldn't get outside into the beautiful weather to paint. . . . .discussion going on in my noggin about that. . . . .Then there is the lessons I have to give while there . . . what to do? . . . .And the voice of my wife shouting into the studio with one request after another.

I guess I have to live with the confusion of all the thoughts and get busy to pack for the upcoming journey. If only!

More Red

"Red Cup"

oil on linen on panel, 6" x 8"

This morning was red again . . .but not so early today. After all it's Sunday! Normally, I don't make paintings on Sunday, but after the poor showing a week ago, I figger I better make up the losses. Inside of the painting per day promise was another goal: 100 paintings before Sept 1 of this year. So, what ever I can produce will help that goal.

I was anxious to give this cup a go today as it was part of the 'loot' I gathered at the import store. My wife suggested I use this little japanese tea cup she had brought home from Japan when she was an exchange student there a few decades ago. The two make a nice contrast.

This piece, in a frame, is a perfect mate to the two I painted in the last few days. In fact, the set is framed and on view in our living room in an out of the way corner. Niiiice!

Swept Up In It

"Red Teacup"

oil on gessoed masonite, 8" x 6"

Funny how one suddenly awakens to being conscious of one's own curious mental state. I have been swept up into the world of small still lifes without ever having purposely allowed it to happen. My gosh! Aren't there myriads of things to paint other than vessels of various kinds? After a haircut yesterday, I found myself wandering in an import shop and buying up a bunch of second rate glassware and a few items of pottery . . .teacups mostly. After I bought them, I couldn't wait to get home to paint them!

Whaaaaat? Uh-oh! I have caught a still life bug! This probably happened because I was house bound for a couple months caring for my injured wife. I only painted stills because it was convenient. I couldn't leave the house. But now . . . .I get all squiggly inside because I love to look thru and attempt to paint distortions in glass! Eeegads! What happened to all that masculine, outdoor, plein air stuff, Mike?

I suppose being too busy with other aspects of life prevents me going off to spend half a day or more painting. This morning, I rose at 4AM to complete this piece. No, I didn't set an alarm. My painting 'jones' woke me. (yes, I have it bad!) I have to be at an all day art 'show' at the museum to talk with folks and maybe sell a few paintings . . . .and for a little while tomorrow, too. So, I had to get this painting done before the day's activities began.

So now you know the story behind this painting. There will be more of this glassware, I assure you! And just look at how rich and delicious that red teacup is! What is it about red? It hums!

Delayed Shift

"Red, Yellow and Blue"

oil on gessoed masonite, 6" x 8"

SOLD

I find it interesting how there is a sudden shift in seeing in the midst of a painting. I might be painting away and, after 30 to 40 minutes, suddenly see a temperature change in a color or the sudden appearance of a subtle reflected color that I hadn't seen before in a subject. After the last few days of not so hot paintings, I felt a bigger shift today. 'Things' fell into place this morning, though improvement is still waiting for me.

My 'blog buddy,' Elio, has helped me raise the bar in my work. I could hear him over my shoulder today (never met him, though) . . . ."tsk, tsk . . .look closer! There is a temperature shift on that side of the red block! That value isn't thaaat dark! Look again! Watch your strokes." If you have never seen his work, what he does with a few globs of paint is very unique and special. Look him up . . .he is in the list of links on this blog.

I have come accross a bunch of colored tissue paper in my studio . . .it is perfect for use with a still life set up . . .crumple it . . .flatten it . . .change colors, etc. Today was gray. I was amazed at the warmth of the light blasting into my shadow box against that gray . . .and how the color definition is so delicious in the context of gray (I knew that, but it still excites me!)

Oh! I almost forgot. Sable brushes versus Hog bristle made for some interesting textural contrasts in this piece.

Thanks, EC ! You helped alot today.

Another Experiment

Well, . . .here is another experiment . . .light, color and shadow bouncing off a white pitcher on a white plate sitting in a colored tissue paper nest.

But Hey! The PHOTO came out great! Doncha think?! ;-)

The shadows on the pitcher and plate seem a bit neutral here . . .I may have to re-evaluate the painting.

This piece is painted on venetian red gessoed masonite. I noticed that (because of an hour long interruption) the paint began setting up almost immediately . . .or the oil soaked into the gesso. By the time had come to put in the highlights and make adjustments to color or value or both, the paint had become just like gum! Sticky and literally had to tug the brush through the paint.

Back to linen. It is soooooo nice and workable!

At Last, No Glare !

An inexpensive highly effective solution!

After procrastinating and doing other stuff, the last few painting photos have been so poor that I decided to attempt building a light box as shown in this link. Thanks to Carol Marine for feeding it to us in her blog!





This light box has turned out so well that I am punishing myself for being so slow in constructing it. I built this one large enough to accept paintings up to 16 x 20 (I just happened to have had a box large enough). A little tracing vellum (tissue paper will work), a little masking tape, some illustration board (mat board) scraps, a utility knife and one hour is all it took. And I get perfect photos! No color correction needed. The lamps I use at my watercolor table emulate sunlight . . . . . . .so that is what I use for the light box. I merely set the box on the table, mount the painting on the back wall, face the lights into the vellum windows, put the camera on the tripod and shoot. Done! With amzing results, too! A fantastic solution and for rillly rillly cheeep!





From this point forward, the oil paintings will be photo'd in the box!

A Week More, Please

"A Big Lemon"

oil on linen on panel, 6" x 8"

After yesterday's slaughter of a canvas, I was looking for better results today. An improvement, but I need another week to get back to the zone. It is amazing to me how fast it slips away.


I think I have found the solution to my glare difficulties. Today I only used 'horizontal' light. That is, I hooded the painting so no light from above came in and used an aperature priority on the camera on a tripod. That told me to light only from the side. I am going to jury rig a light box from a cardboard box and see if I can set up something so I can photo quickly and accurately. Will see how it goes. Cardboard boxes are certainly not expensive.


This lemon came out of the fridge this morning. It was huge! The small mason jar gives some idea of the scale.


I hafta keep at it. Paint paint paint paint and paint some more! Eventually, it will become second nature and things will fall into place. Getting there is the fun of it!

A Very Good Reason

Yes, there is a very good reason to paint daily: To stay in the zone !

Like any other skill, it only works when you work it. I took this one on this morning after being away from it for a while . . .actually a week! And It looks like I painted this with a kitchen basting brush!

I had to stop so I could go to work. But, like the others, they all count toward improvement. So, I just count this one as 'an effort.'

TTFN

Putting Something Up For Now

"Bird of Paradise"

watercolor, 15" x 22"

Okay! So I didn't paint this recently. This is a piece I painted in watercolor a while back with my tongue in cheek. In California, there is a tropical flower called the Bird Of Paradise. The colors in this piece are the colors in that flower . . . .so the subject and the layout and the way it was painted was all a pun about that silly flower that so many painters want to paint.

I am teaching today and tomorrow, but felt I should post something today. I'll do better when the class is over. Tuesday will be my first opportunity. Meanwhile, enjoy this piece . . .I chuckled to myself when I painted it.

A Small Amount of Guilt

"Red Geranium"

oil on linen on panel, 10" x 8"

No, I am not talking about gold applied to something. I am speaking of the feeling one get's in the pit of the stomach when a promise is not kept. Yup. That's what's going on here. Regular old, pedestrian variety guilt. I didn't post yesterday as I was prepping for my upcoming workshop gig. And I kept worrying about not posting. (I can't believe how this public exposure has kept me accountable!)

Being away on the 4th and 5th of this month seems like I was away for weeks!

So, today's painting is another little still life . . . .more or less inspired by Elio Camacho and his comments about temperature. With intense light on the big geranium blossom, the shadows and highlights stuck out and played a big role. But value isn't the game in this one. If it was, I would have toned down the color and reached for darks and lights. Instead, using no white on the blossom, I attempted to shift around the color wheel to obtain the illusion of brilliant color. Using yellow with Cad Red Light killed the brilliance, so I had to be extra careful. Alizirin Crimson, while cooler, also posed a problem of too great a shift in value, so I had to spare it somewhat. Working with Quinacridone Rose was the perfect temperature shift I needed against Cad Red Light, since the values of the two colors are very close. By not having big value contrasts in colors, we can see the temperature shifts much more easily. There is a bit of 'vibration' of the two colors. It presents a lot of interesting challenges.

I added a bit of zinc white to my red late in the game. It doesn't make the red become chalky in appearance, but it does dull the brilliance somewhat. Thanks Elio. You are pushing me toward unknown territory. I need to explore this to a much greater degree.

Anyway, since I feel so guilty . . .it looks like I may have to paint another today and post it later to make up for the lost day.

As I lead the workshop over the weekend and Monday, I am afraid I will be falling farther behind. We'll see. Anyone interested in seeing what I will be covering there? The title is "Composition for Impact" and is aimed to a watercolor painting audience, although other painters in other mediums attend, too.

July 4Th . . . .

"Hung Out to Dry"

Oil on masonite, 8" x 6"

It's here again. This is the 26th annual Family Reunion we hold on the 4th. I have made all but three, I think. There is no other event, even Christmas, that pulls the family together like this does. This week is the week when engagements are announced, weddings happen, announcements for the future are made and those who have gone before us are honored. And the awards (roasts!) bar b que, the catching up with each other . . . .all of it . . . it is a blast!

And we honor those who stood and fought when it counted. And those who constucted this fine country we live in . . . .and I ain't talkin hammer and nails . . . .! And we all give very grateful thanks for every bit of it: God, family, home, country . . . .everything!

So, there won't be any posting tomorrow . . . .it's a big deal tomorrow. Nothing is as important . . . . . so, please excuse me.

On the 6th, 7th and 8th, I am going to be giving a watercolor workshop called "Composition for Impact." It will be an intense 3 days when the participants will be painting 5 to 6 paintings in three days . . . .all toward making one idea better and better and better.

Meanwhile, I am sharing this little guy with you so you can see the growth since May 1st . . . . . . . . . ..when I began the painting a day committment. . . . .and began oil painting. You won't have to look hard to see it. (The growth I mean!! ;-) ) I sure can!

Happy 4th, Everyone! Take a moment to reflect on how much this holiday really does mean.

Breaking Old Habits

"Elkhorn View"

oil on stretched canvas, 16" x 20"

There are ingrained, old, tested habits that keep raising their head and clucking at me.

After twenty years of developing my hand at creating fresh, crisp watercolors, I am finding that much of the color mixing methods (not principles) and putting it on the surface of the painting are terribly different from those demanded by oil paint.

I find that when a painting dries, I am disappointed in the thickness of the paint on the surface . . .Where did it all go?. . . .there isn't enough to create the sort of textures I am after. Mind you, I am not making frisbees (thanks for that expression, Robin!) of them, but I am looking for thick, juicy paint. When painting alla prima, there must be a way to insure that I am getting it as thick as I want it. In wondering about this, I began to observe how I am picking the paint off the palette. What I see is that I am not slobbering the paint all over the brush.

So, determined to do so . . .and to handle the brush differently in the painting execution (another subject) . . . I set out for Elhorn Slough on Sunday to met two guys for some sunshine, scenery and painting. I had a 16 x 20 inch canvas with me that had been toned with a nice layer of acrylic paint . . .to (hopefully) seal the canvas and gesso and slow the paint absorption. Well, some of my goals worked. I am gradually tuning in to this process . . . .but I sure did enjoy the afternoon. The wildlife there is really incredible!

Elkhorn Slough is a salt water wetland. The yellow gray 'stuff ' at the edges of the water is a moss and salt combination. It looks odd, but it certainly adds to the scenery.