Still Life #83

"Still Life #83"

watercolor 22 x 30 inches

Life offers few surprises, if one lets it become boring. The same is true in art. One can let the same subject become boring . . .or not. I have been working on this series of still life paintings off and on for two to three years. And it wasn’t because I loved still life paintings. It was for a challenge and to learn something about what my creative muscles could do when confronted with the same subject to be painted in a long series. I have been surprised by what I have learned about design, what is art and what lies inside of me. Certainly not boring.

This is the 83rd pass at it. I never dreamed it would come this far . . . .nor that I would be painting it in front of 220 artists. But here it is. I painted it last Monday evening at the Kanuga Watercolor Workshops in Hendersonville, North Carolina. I completed most all of the painting, with a few errors, in about 40 minutes and introduced the audience to this series process and what benefits and surprises it has brought into my studio. One and a half days later . . .and quite a bit of thought . . .I finished the piece.

This project was what I have been working on so much these last weeks . . .and the reason for being so quiet here. This project was exactly the reason for my last post . . .the Rainbow Connection . . . .

To be introduced to such an august group of painters from all over the east coast . . . .and some of the finest painters in the world today . . . . .was a very high honor. If you were there, you know it was both humbling and exciting. This ‘confab’ of artists and the workshops were the finest I have ever seen and it was run with an expert hand . . .first class all the way . . . .if ever you thought you would like to learn from the best, rub elbows with the most committed and expert painters or just go to such an event for the adventure, this annual workshop is a must. Check it out at this link.

About The Dream

Call me a hopeless romantic. Or, call me a naive child. Perhaps I am.

Maybe you might be, too. I had several people remind me today that the rainbow connection exists.

What is that, you ask? Years ago, it was a song . . .sung by a favorite character of my daughter’s and mine. It was brought to my doorstep again today, my birthday. I wasn’t particularly excited about it being my birthday, but the reminder was about a dream I had years ago . . . .and still do. Not the sort of dream in sleep, but a vision of a hopeful future.

It has arrived. The future, that is. And the reality of that dream is at hand.

The voice I heard in that song was none other than Kermit the frog. Yup! He sang it in his corny, twangy voice . . .but there was nothing corny about the lyrics. . . . .

Why are there so many songs about rainbows?
And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
And rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

Who said that every wish would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it,
And look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

All of us under its spell,
We know that it's probably magic...

... Have you been half asleep? And have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name....
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors?
The voice might be one and the same
I've heard it too many times to ignore it
It's something that I'm s'posed to be...

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

Some would make fun of this private feeling I have about these words. Let them! Today, I was reminded that I heard that sweet sound . . .those voices from within calling my name. It has been through that ‘inner voice’ that my dream . . .my vision . . .is here.
You, dear reader, and those with whom I have come to know through my art over the years are all part of the dream. It has materialized in greater and greater form every year since good ole Kermit sang the lyrics . . . .the dream, I mean. In a few days, I will board a plane bound for the East Coast to be with some of the worlds best watercolor painters . . which is more of the dream coming to life. . . . . . . Like Kermit said in his song . . . . .”I’ve heard it too many times to ignore it. It’s something I’m s’posed to be . . .”
You may smirk or snidely chide or even dismiss it. I never did. I still listen to the voice.


(Click Here if you'd like to hear Sarah McLachlan sing it as it should be sung.)

Another Shake Down

"Vessels"

watercolor 15 x 22 inches

This painting is the result of taking a few simple ideas and pushing them to shake down any problems and to see what comes out.

Beginning with an under-painting of orange, quinacridone gold and blue, I set about drawing image over image over image over image . . . .much like I had done in the previous two posts . . . . .on top of the painting of the abstract color arrangement. I chose to have the colors dominantly warm with cool accents.

Also, from each position of drawing the image, I changed the height of my point of view, from looking up at the still life set up, to looking straight at it, to looking down upon it. Then, just for giggles, I put a piece of reflective silver mylar partially under and behind the set up which added some repeated shapes in the form of wobbly reflections. Once the line drawing was finished, I left the still life model in another room where I could not see it. My interests were to create shapes by the interweaving and overlapping line drawings and to utilize the warm / cool underpainting as light variations in the painting. By randomly glazing over parts of the painting and implying light from the far left, I wanted to see what sort of design would emerge. Eventually, this design began to take on its own personality. The pitcher appeared in places and merged with the Madonna figure in others. The Madonna figure formed much of the repetition and rhythms in the piece.

I was very cautious (over three days) with this piece not to push the value contrasts too harshly. I believe the darkest dark is but a medium value. By keeping the values more closely aligned, without using white at all, the characteristic differences in the colors used became the prominent interest in the piece. That is, the colors shift from near perfet neutral to slightly increasing intensities, which gives some areas of the painting a feeling of luminosity. That luminous characteristic seems to add a spiritual mood to this painting along with some ambiguity and mystery.