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

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

"Color! What a deep and mysterious language." (Paul Gauguin)

elements

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Translation

Thursday, February 11th, 2010


 

Translation: It's snowing in Dallas today!

Translation: It’s snowing in Dallas today!

It snowed all day, huge Texas-sized flakes. Here, the snow melts on the warmth of the brick-work in the garden.

Learning to give critique

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009


Sounds of Silence 36 x 24 x 2 inches Acrylics over resist mediumCreating Art and talking about are truly two different ways of seeing; the theory of right and left-brain thinking is matter of fact. As an Artist it takes some effort to “switch brains” and reflect on the processes and progress of work in order to accompany my Art with writing on this blog, so I’m really impressed with the mature quality of the critiques given by students at Olive Stevens Elementary School of paintings on their school Art blog every month.

In collaboration with Oxide Gallery, the Denton school has started a blog where students – or anyone else actually – can give a critique of a different work of Art each month. This month the comments regard the recently finished Sounds of Silence, which is also at the gallery.

Paint Arson

Thursday, March 26th, 2009


 

Paint Arson, Sequoia and Redwood National Forest, California, 11H x 11W x 3D acrylics on canvas, wrapped sides painted

Paint Arson, 11H x 11W x 3D inches acrylics on canvas, wrapped sides painted.

Frame unnecessary. Hang on a wall or display on a flat surface. Signed on the side so as not to impose on the composition.


 

Progress and process phases 1 and 2 images.

  Paint Arson, 11 x 11 x 3 inches acrylics on canvas, phase 1 work in progress Paint Arson, 11 x 11 x 3 inches acrylics on canvas, phase 2 work in progress


 

Paint Arson, 11H x11W x 3D inches acrylics on canvas - wrapped sides painted


 

Painting, whatever the subject may be, is a journey through all kinds of unanticipated thoughts and associations; some are short and sweet, ending within 1 – 6 hours and not much more than a visual, but some are packed full of adventure that isn’t even realized until surfacing from a few hours of work.
A new jar of Cadmium Red medium hue was just the thing to reboot, then re-route some old habits I was falling back into, like over-working paintings. Trying a new color invigorates the work process like nothing else can, adding certain life to the results as well. Incorporated as a base, straight out of the tube or mixed with your usual palette, a new color can change everything.

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Winter Reflections

Thursday, February 26th, 2009


 

Winter Reflections, Coppell, TX, 11H x 11W x 3D inches acrylics on canvas, wrapped sides painted

Winter Reflections, winter in Coppell, TX, 11H x 11W x 3D inches acrylics on canvas, wrapped sides painted. Frame unnecessary. Hang on a wall or display on a flat surface. Signed on the side so as not to impose on the composition.
 

Winter Reflections, 11 x 11 x 3inches, acrylics on canvas, wrapped sides painted Winter Reflections, top detail, wrapped sides painted

Jewels in the garden

Sunday, June 15th, 2008


 

Nature's Jewels - Photography, Water droplets on Iris leaf

September rain

Friday, November 16th, 2007


 
Rain, September 2007, Lewisville, TX

Water strider

Sunday, October 21st, 2007

Polypore Fungi, 59H x 41W x 2D, acrylics on canvas, work in progress. Acrylics painting started in June, hung and studied in the loose-phase state; cautious about overworking it. Plans this week: most everything will stay out of focus, with details only on the fungi (starting that next), using a little modeling paste to sculpt the fungi.

 Waterstrider

Watching the water-striders in the pond in our back yard pond.  Interesting that it is so weightless, yet with enough mass to be able to walk on water.

Sun Shower 01

Friday, December 1st, 2006


 

Sun Shower>
Sun Shower 01, 85H x 45W x 2D inches acrylics on canvas, used watercolors resist medium, narrow dark wood frame. (now sold)
This painting went through an interesting work process, made connections with some of my existing painting methods, and shed light on new ones.

Sun Shower detail - masking medium was dotted on with a toothpick wherever raindrops would be. Sun Shower, about five hours of work. Sun Shower after about five hours of work. Sun Shower after about7 days.

1) Sun Shower detail – masking medium, usually used with watercolors to keep areas white, was dotted with a toothpick all over where raindrops would be.  2) about 1.5 hours after starting.  3) after about 5 hours of work. 4) after about seven days.

The tall Ponderosa Pine is in our oldest son’s front yard in Ottawa, Ontario. A small covered balcony overlooks the yard and the tree dominates, providing lots of shade there. Last summer while sitting on the balcony, as it poured rain the sun kept shining. The street beyond sparkled, and branches were heavy with raindrops. It was an hour of incredible beauty that inspired this painting.

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