Dogs Are Angels

Dogs Are Angels- Oil on wood panel with silver leaf. (14" x 14 ")

We are dog crazy. It is strange that we don't have our own mutt. We take frequent walks in our neighborhood and pretty much know every local dog by name.

We are lucky to dog sit Queen Dog every now and then, who will hopefully pose for me one day. She, like most of the dogs I ever had the chance to know, miraculously bring down my blood pressure and always make me smile. They are kindred spirits. 

Gia, a former pet of mine, was thought to be some kind of Shepherd mix. She had a lot of people fooled. When we got her a companion sister I realized that the companion was truly a dog and that Gia was a disturbed human in a dog outfit. I checked several times to find the zipper to find the little person inside. I realize now that Gia was an angel. At the pound where we found her, she was the only pup pushed up close to the front of her cage. All the other yapping hounds were either in the back of the cages or more amused with their toys or food. Gia had picked me as her human.

Play- Oil on wood panel with silver leaf (16"x 20")

Play (Underpainting)

The painting process for "Play" began with an underpainting that provided the underlying color and some texture for the final piece. Working geometrically, I quickly created a triangular composition as I imagined myself on the sea floor looking up to the surface.

The early stages of this painting helped me to imagine the silvery, fluid currents of schools of fish as they pass through the dolphins' world. 

I think I must have been influenced by my recent visits to Sea World. I'm mesmerized by the dolphins' sleek physique and the ease in which they glide and play in the water. I was pleasantly entertained as I played with the creation of this painting.

A Rare Fish

A Rare Fish

Phase 1 (underpainting)

 A Rare Fish- Oil on Wood Panel with Silver Leaf ( 18" x 24")

The process of painting "A Rare Fish" involves 4 distinct steps. In the first phase I apply a dry base, meaning that I do not mix additional oils or varnished that would impede the drying process. This first layer needs to dry completely before the next step.

In phase 2, additional shading is applied. In phase 3 (not shown), a contrasting paint color mixed with soft wax is added over the dried first layer. In phase 4, details are painted in and line work is scratched into the visible layer which reveals the contrasting color beneath. Lastly, silver leaf is applied to the painting and color adjustments are made to integrate the paint and silver leaf.

Phase 2 (shading)

Finished Painting

The Passing of Five Suns and Moons

The Passing of Five Suns and Moons- Oil on Wood Panel (16" x 20")

In this painting, I wanted to give a sense of the passing of time with the multiple suns and moons. The simple, curved lines of the polar bear and the rough texture gives a vibrancy to the painting. 

The basic outlines are meant to approximate the Lascaux cave paintings. The cave paintings were thought to have the magical potential to summon the herds to assure a plentiful hunt. In this case, the intended magic is to protect the polar bear population.

New Paintings in Progress

I'm training myself to continue to be as productive as possible with the new paintings. With the new process, I can't really pick up a blank primed panel and work "wet on wet". The new process involves thinking through the bottom layer of paint and letting it dry thoroughly until the second layer mixed with soft wax can be applied. Once the wax layer is applied, I can scratch, paint and work out the details of the piece. 

So now, paintings in their first state of drying are taking up the limited space in the kitchen and living room.  They are similar to the Sirens of Greek mythology in that the bright colors beckon attention, yet passing by the paintings in this state may bestow unwanted streaks of oil paint on clothing.

I have also been a perpetual work in progress, not solely in my world of creating artwork. Firstly, there is the marketing and social aspects of the art world that is necessary for the recognition that I want my art to have. Secondly, knowing that future art shows will allow me to eventually show the pieces prevents me from social isolation. Without the shows, where I am committed to participate, I run the risk of isolating myself to the kitchen where I paint in the comfort of my solitude. The actual painting process is a very isolating experience yet I am not at heart a hermit. 

Painting has also rescued me from almost certain mental breakdown, particularly this year. For me, nothing is worse than an idle mind with too much time to think and no creative project for the inner mind to work its cures. At some time during this blogging experience, I know I will not be as secretive about the circumstances that can plague me. Still, I also know the benefits of not dwelling on all the ugliness. Obsessing on the tragic is so toxic to the soul. 

Soon, blog world, I will be sharing more paintings. In two weeks there will be a 2 week recess as Dave and I have an adventure in Cambodia and Laos. I plan to capture as much visual material as possible to capture the memories and for use as possible source material for future paintings.

Blue Elephants-
Oil on wood panel with silver leaf (16" x 20")

A good friend of mine accompanied me to the zoo this afternoon after a meeting. We watched the keepers feed two bathing elephants romaine leaves and celery. The elephants' prehensile trunks so tenderly lifted the tender leaves from the surface of the water. I admire how such huge animals can be so gentle.  

Orchestration: Oil on wood panel (14" x 14") The macaw in this painting looks like he is orchestrating the heavens and earth below.

I kept the composition simple. There are few details to clutter the scene. The feeling of the piece brings to my mind the ideas of author, Margaret Wheatley who wrote, A Simpler Way and Leadership and the New Science. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy as we plan our lives and nothing seems to work out the way we want them to. Wheatley's books examine ways to organize our thinking and planning in ways that mimic quantum physics.

Although Wheatley's books are a good read, many people I know have discovered that there is a way of finding one's groove, being open to the twists and turns in life and somehow living a life that flows with the currents of everyday life. This painting represents having an eye to the world to live life in the groove.

Balance

Balance, from the recent past, was another painting from the Answers from the Universe series. I was experimenting with double-imagery here with the classic vase and faces/ negative positive profiles.

This painting invited me into my new series in the controlled use of paint texture and the use of a central figure as an icon. This painting's focus on the central symbol, sparked the Emprismed Icon series. 

This painting speaks of balance- looking inward, but also being aware of one's environment. It is the painting that reveals the most about where I am at this point in time. I am aware, more than ever, about the balance of who I am and the life path that helps to define and shape me.

My peers will be able to relate to this more personal piece.

“This is a classic ambush site. Zebras need to be on their guard. Being in a herd causes problems. All the noise and movement creates confusion. Senses are swamped with information. Smell is of little use. The scent of lions is everywhere... Lions must rely on the advantage of surprise...  A lone zebra is an obvious target... The lioness is coming right up alongside... The panicking crowd makes the going slow and the lioness is quick to spot the opportunity.”

David Attenborough

We have stuck together to protect each other as zebra herds tend to do. Our senses have been fine-tuned to the predators who tend to seek the weakest in the herd as their next target.

We have lovingly cast the dear zebra as our mascot of loyalty, friendship and comfort. I will never look at zebra in the same way again after this year. They are noble creatures and have earned each and everyone one of their stripes!

Twilight Dream: 10" x 10" Oil on Wood Panel with gold/silver leaf. Magic and whimsy are also a big part of my paintings. I think my fascination with these characteristics is to preserve the child in me. Remember, "the cow jumped over the moon"?

I love the idea of a huge bovine doing this sort of a thing. Who wouldn't want to see that? Would it cause the sky to rain milk? Oh! thus the milky way!!!

These icons of bear, salmon and reindeer suggest to me feeling of wonder and love of life. I like the mystery of the central shape as well. The ancient cave painters were artists that believed in visualization. They depended on hunting and gathering from nature to survive. They believed that, "if we paint it, they will come." This belief in envisioning a healthy and plentiful natural environment is what this painting says to me.

The new 2011-2012 series is underway: Emprismed Icons

The two previous posts were intended to quickly bring you up to date to this current series entitled, Emprismed Icons. You can see that the use of gold and silver leaf continues. I'm also using a bit of metallic paint.

I'm now experimenting with the addition of wax to the oil painting medium. This process allows me to scratch away at the painted surface. (I also like the analogy of finding things beneath the surface.) I've admired this process in other local artists' work. The process allows me to employ fine detail lines in the paintings.

It is also possible to see again, my fondness for cubism and use of color. Am I still a colorist? I hope so. Although, you might also detect that I have expanded my use of darks and lights within the same painting. The extremes of values will add more drama to these pieces.

Mmmm, there is something about the cobalt blues that I really love, especially in controlled amounts. The series title is very compatible with my style and will also allow me to develop more technique. While the cubist in me is very happy with the "prism" portion of the title, the "icon" portion will help me with the subject matter. In this series, I will explore what meaning and subconscious feelings accompany particular subject matter.

These paintings (all oils on wood panels) were small part of series called, In Grandeur. I wanted to capture the feeling of our presence in expansive environments. To attempt this feeling, I had to re-define for myself that "in grandeur" is really a relative term. For the insect world, for instance, in grandeur has a whole other meaning. The grand nature of one's environment is subject to scale, value and the moment at hand. For the bee, the hive can be a grand locale. How is this different from a bee's life out in the expanse of nature as they collect their pollen? 

I also started to include the use of gold/silver leaf in this series. The metallic feature added more depth to the painting due to its reflective properties. 

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This painting preceded the Answers from the Universe series. This 30" x 30" oil painting was from a series of about a dozen painting that were visuals to songs that I wrote and produced.

Although I have an appreciation for many art styles and movements, the use of bright colors are probably the more prominent feature of all my work. In art school, my painting teacher called me a colorist. When I asked her what this meant, she said to me, "You tend not to over-mix and muddy your colors. Don't lose that?"

I've continued to be a colorist and have tried to incorporate styles from the past. In the case of this painting, cubism is the dominant style. I think that you might see the continuing influence of cubism in many of my painting, even if it it is used very subtly at times. It is my way of thinking of the many facets  of a particular idea. I believe in weighing and adjusting my thinking of the world as I hear others' points of view.