Serial Artist

Count Down to "Story Within"- 2 days to go!

How do you know when a series is exhausted? If the subject still has appeal for me I'm willing to continue exploring it. 

Our Dancing Days, 30x40, oil on panel, is a large piece created for this show "Story Within".

Here's a post I did about Our Dancing Days. I realize I've done three other paintings at this point that were initially inspired by the clearing in the woods near my house. The models are my son, my daughter and my daughter-in-law. I think each painting has a different feel, at sometimes being playful, sensual or mysterious.

"If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On", oil on canvas over panel, 32x39

"The Clearing", 24x18, oil on panel

"Ripe Was the Drowsy Hour", 18x24, oil on panel

How do you work in a series? Some artists work on one series at a time, designing them all as a cohesive group. I seem to have several series going at the same time and work on them for years.

I did The Clearing and If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On in 2009, and just finished Our Dancing Days and Ripe Was the Drowsy Hour this summer 2011, with many paintings in between. 

Why even work in a series? For me it is hard to say everything I want to say about a particular subject in one painting. It takes the pressure off knowing that it doesn't have to all be said within the borders one piece, especially if it's a complex subject. 

The Changing Series. Interestingly enough sometimes the series fizzles out and I know I'm done with it, but other times a series get a crazy spin off series, kind of like Torchwood from Dr. Who? or Pinky and the Brain from Animaniacs... Anyway you get the idea!

For example the Incognito Series of paintings that I've been working on since 2005, spawned The Incognito Project in 2010. It's a very specific Event and Show. 

I'm still working on that project, having completed 15 paintings with 14 more in the works. The collection will be shown here in Birmingham, AL, at a date TBA. The work is also being documented for a book.

But in the mean time come see me in Santa Fe at the Peterson-Cody Gallery for my opening on Nov, 4, 2011 with Forrest Solis, I'll be in town.

I am interested in the hows and whys you do serial work, so let me hear from you. Until tomorrow!

"Our Dancing Days"

"Our Dancing Days", 30x40, oil on panel

 A hall, a hall, give room! And foot it, girls!

More light, you knaves, and turn the tables up;

And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot.

Ah, sirrah, this unlook'd-for sport comes well.

Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet,

For you and I are past our dancing days.

How long is't now since last yourself and I

Were in a mask? 

Romeo and Juliet 

As with most of my paintings the title comes well after the painting is underway. I have a vision in mind as I'm designing the painting and working on it, then brainstorm during the process and after it's done to come up with an appropriate title.

In this case Shakespeare won out again. Dancing and masks are hallmarks of mystery, enchantment and dream-like experiences, romance is in the air.

The mythology of the Roma was on my mind as well as an idea of the Halcyon Days, happy and carefree times.

I could site many song lyrics and am surprised how often the word Gypsy came up in music I regularly listen to. The romantic appeal of that nomadic life style is strong, and while not many of us have the actual desire to chuck it all and join a band of merry mysterious travelers, it's mesmerizing to fantasize about for a short while.

I've done a couple other paintings on this theme, The Clearing, and If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On.

Our Dancing Days will be in my two person show with Forrest Solis opening November 4, 2011 at Peterson-Cody Gallery in Santa Fe, NM.

A journey by sea and land, five hundred miles, is not undertaken without money. ~Lewis Hallam

Of course it was more like 1300 miles and not really across the sea but you get the drift. Yikes! These boxes are expensive but the paintings traveled well and arrived unharmed and safely delivered to Peterson-Cody Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico by FedEx ground.

The boxes are "Strongboxes" and can be purchased from Airfloat Systems. They have a liner that is as puncture resistant as 3/4 inch plywood and foam padding all around that  you can custom cut to fit the work.

The paintings were wrapped in Dartek film that I first learned about from the Mobile Museum of Art when they shipped one of my paintings back to me wrapped in the stuff. It doesn't stick to the varnish in my experience. It can be purchased from University Products.

I taped the boxes shut with EXTREME amounts of Scotch "Extreme Tape", loaded them in the back of my Mazda and headed off to the local FedEx office, where I turned them over to a very nice man and held my breath for the next four days.

Shipping work across country is not for the faint of heart!

What the Heck am I Trying to Say?

I recently re-worked my artist statement, a challenge for all visual artists, but an important process as well. If we, as artists don't know what we're talking about who does?

I thought it would be an interesting exercise to relate specific pieces to different parts of my artist statement to see where I'm exploring what topic. I've done it here with work specifically that will be in the Figurative Group Show at Peterson-Cody Gallery in Santa Fe, NM, February 2011.

Using the human figure and still life objects I consider intangibles, challenging myself to capture small nuance in relationships, life, death,  and love. Much of my work is about transitions, whether it is a midlife juncture or coming of age as a universal truth. These paintings are decisions reflected and possibilities contemplated. 

(As in "Near at Hand", I'm dealing with symbolic walls that can appear in relationships or in "On With the Show" I was thinking about the continuum of time, the birds are flying into and out of the painting suggesting that the show must go on, WE must press on, as surely as time passes this too shall pass.)  

 I’m intrigued by the idea of a work of art looking like an old master’s painting but with a contemporary edge, as an artist I want to be a filter for the time I live in. 

(In "The Ascent", the figures are very classically rendered however the ladder is a modern aluminum one, or "Call of Duty", which has the feel of a Renaissance portrait but the imagery from Superman comics, my red haired model in "Dreams of Flying" brings to mind a Botticelli Venus but with the addition of the airplane there is no mistaking her for one) 

I’m frequently inspired by fairy tales, superheroes, or works of literature, and reexamine them in a contemporary way. Mythical characters may become a device to explore our responses to modern day situations, for example Superman becomes a symbol for the mighty dreams each of us hold close to our chests. 

(As in "The Call of Duty" and "If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On" which has it's title from the first line of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night play)

Recurring themes, of flying and birds, have been turning up in my work, kind of a surprise personal imagery and that I was not conscious of adding. My paintings are so long in the works that I'm delighted when I discover a surprise such as this.

American Art Collector Magazine previews the February Peterson-Cody Gallery Group Figurative Show

I'm delighted to be showing in Santa Fe! 

Be on the look out for American Art Collector February 2011 issue! They should be in bookstores near the end of January.  I'll post works by the other artists to be included as soon as I know what's up. My other paintings to be included in the show, besides the paintings listed in the article, are "Near at Hand" 47x32 and "On with the Show" 30x22. 

"If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On" Finalist in International Artist Magazine

I'm honored to have my painting in International Artist Magazine's Dec/Jan 2011 issue Challenge No. 60, People and Figures Competition. In bookstores now.

This painting will be at Peterson-Cody Gallery (Santa Fe, NM) in February as part of their Figurative Group Show.

“If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On”
oil on canvas over panel, 32x39
Excerpt from the magazine:

MY INSPIRATION:
The idea for “If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On” came to me while on a walk beside a stream near my house. I have watched this clearing as it changes color and light with the seasons and time of day. No matter the situation it always looks inviting. I began to imagine a band of happy travelers stopping there to rest and enjoy a moment living in the moment. I wanted to do a painting that hearkened to a simpler time, a time of wine and roses, a halcyon days break from the daily storms of modern life. The title is the first line of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”. 


MY DESIGN STRATEGY:
I did a few thumbnail sketches and collected props and costumes including an antique accordion that belonged to my husband’s grandfather. I imagined the clearing as the environment and background for the painting. My son, his fiancee and my daughter were home for spring break so I had my models, the weather was perfect and the red buds were in bloom. I took many digital photographs of the models dancing, playing instruments and in various poses and groupings. I just happened to catch on film my daughter-in-law teasing my son by stealing his hat, and knew that the mischievous look on her face would be in the final painting. I spent a week editing the photos and creating different compositions. I added my daughter in the foreground from another shot, as well as the empty stool which we’d taken out to the clearing. 


MY WORKING PROCESS:
I printed photo enlargements to use as reference and brought my daughter in for clarification of certain areas like the hands. I work on canvas stretched over a hollow core door and gessoed 3 times. I drew a light pencil sketch followed by permanent sepia pen. I then washed burnt umber over the landscape area of the painting and a cool purple blue over the sky area as an under painting. I began by painting the background first and then the figures, taking care with value, color, soft edges and correct anatomy. I paint over the entire piece two or three times making corrections and adjustments each time. Finally I glaze certain areas of the painting to emphasize brush strokes and push certain areas back. The painting took about 6 weeks working daily. After the painting dried for 3-4 months I varnished it using Winsor Newton Conserv-Art gloss varnish.

"If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On" video

This is a short video/slide show of my painting with details and some images of the work in progress. This painting is at the Gadsden Museum of Art, until the end of Dec 2010, and then will be heading to Peterson-Cody Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico for their February Group Figurative Show. ENJOY!

Artist's Choice Group Show, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA

I have four paintings going to Principle Gallery. The work will be part of the Artist's Choice Group Exhibition which opens Friday, Oct 23, 2009. 

Principle is located in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, minutes from Washington, DC. Principle Gallery has a wonderful reputation as exhibiting the best of American and European Contemporary Realism, focusing both on emerging and established artists, and I'm thrilled to be showing there! 

The Gallery is in Gilpin House, a 200 year old National Historic Landmark at 208 King Street.

They have chosen "The Ascent", 55x32, from my Building a Life Series. This painting was featured in International Artist Magazine, Aug/Sept Issue.

 

And "If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On", 32x39, oil on canvas over panel,

 

And "Like Breath on Glass", 16x20, oil on panel,

And "Midsummer Dream", 15x15, Seasons of the Bard Series, oil on canvas over panel

Principle represents about 40 acclaimed artists such as Dana Levin, Steve Huston, Thomas Beuchner, Ray Donley, Geoffrey Johnson, Jorge Alberto, Anthony Velasquez, and Leah Waichulis.

More about the gallery can be found at their website, www.principlegallery.com