Sometimes I surprise Myself

Working this painting for the last few weeks has given me a real opportunity to do some self-analysis, in a good way I hope. My instinct to do things fast, from what I see in my mind on the canvas to done, in less than a month, or a week, or even a day, did not kick in in time for this one to escape my paintbrushes.
It started out as a sister to "Hot Coffee in the Desert" and became itself, became aware, then demanded immortality.
 I could not come up to the studio and leave her untouched. The balance was just a bit off and I tried and tried again to pull the eye back. I thought I had it but every time I would go away for an

hour she would right herself and I would have to paint.
It became a ritual.
 I would turn her to the wall and work on two or three other paintings, then turn her about and behold! Off balance!
 Today, yes, today I went upstairs early this morning and turned on my lights and there she stood, balanced.

Getting Ready for a New Show

Paul Schatz Home Furnishings opening in June for First Friday ArtWalk! The name of the show, of course, is "Yes, it goes with your sofa" 
Here is the studio so you can see how busy I have been.

Some of the images:

16 over 13

Dervish

Okada Red

Just Another Day

Return

Moving Hand

Beginning a New Painting

I am beginning a painting in a way I have never explored.

As over the years, I have fallen in love with good linen and great panels made by American Easel in Salem, Oregon. Oft times I regret having to cover the beautiful grains of the wood so, something new.

I unwrapped the panel and looked at it trying to find an idea, somewhere the patterns wanted to take me. I began to see the shape of a bowl much like the one in "Hot Coffee in the Desert" that I painted last year.

I got out my little bit of Lascaux Primer Lascaux Primer for linen (you size your canvas before you gesso and use less than half the gesso) and brushed it on the surface of the wood. It dries clear but keeps the oil from sinking into the grain, at least some. When you use gesso on the wood you do not have to use primer, only on linen and cotton.

here, I used the primer as a base and it works wonderfully.

 These are the first thoughts and I will post the next after I make some marks.

OK, I made some marks.

Tonight, after I let the paints settle in and relax a bit I came up to the studio and sat staring.

I knew I needed white but was unsure of which white. I chose Zinc White by M.Graham for the thinned paint. I used a splash of Gamblin's Alkyd Medium and some of the poppyseed oil from the same company to bring it to the consistency of heavy cream. I loaded a #8 Bright and started painting in the white. 

Mistake. I switched to a flat about twice the size with softer bristles. It also was an issue as it would drop paint if I wasn't right there in it.

I ended up with a brush given to me by the rep for Princeton Brushes and another gift from the Isabey Brush Company, both about 22 years ago.

I was an art materials buyer for the U of O Bookstore for a few years and became the "expert" so people sent me stuff to try.

I am struggling a bit with the feel of the image. I want to evoke a sense of imbalance but with a motion of color the will pull it back to balance.

I will work on it more in the morning and post a note.

Taking shape but no title yet.

Now I will start adding details and blocking in colours.

Almost done, just a few more details.

DONE!

New Show at Paul Schatz Furniture store in Eugene

If you can discern a theme to my work you are more intuitive  than me

 A few of the paintings that will be on display at Paul Schatz store in Eugene in June.

Driving Down the Coast and Back

Tomorrow after my mani-pedi and style, I venture off to the deep RedWoods. My artwork shows t a very cool, and very old house made from One Log, hence the name "ONE LOG HOUSE"
When I delivered a painting to Chad and Bonnie Perry before Christmas I stopped there on the way back to Oregon.
I can remember as a child when Dad drove down to his Bohemian Grove thing that when we came back up the coast we stopped there. Hard to forget the place.
 Now the younger generation has taken the helm and added a dispensary, a nice coffee shop, and a gallery!

This is the painting I made for Chad and Bonnie. I went to high school with Bonnie.

This is now a print available in 11x14 or larger upon request.

This is an original and will be at OneLog House Friday.

New Landscapes and I HATE TRUMP!!!

"Untitled Landscape #6"

"Untitled Landscape #7"

 This was the process for developing this painting from the red ground to finished.
I started with a 12x24 American Easel panel then got some red acrylic paint, #Testors Fire Engine Red, and added a finger full of Golde Fine Pumice Gel. If you paint oil over acrylics and want your mom to be able to pass it on to the great-grandkids who will discover it in the attic and sell it at Sothobeys for $11,000, then you must give the oil something to attach to. Fine pumice gel, food grade calcium carbonate, or whiting can be mixed into the acrylic to mimic a gesso.

 Red is my favorite ground. It shows you your mid tones and extremes beautifully, and if you leave just a hint around your greens you will be pleased.

This one, well, this one was difficult. I had a piece of wood lying on the floor of my studio that I had been ignoring (below my waist) but I began to see an image in it. I started painting a division between the world we inhabit and the one we will inhabit if the takers, like Trump and his sociopathic hoard, are allowed to prosper on the backs of the working poor.

"World Eater"

Cat on the Beach Podcast

Listen to them discuss this piece from England.

https://modernartisrubbish.com/madame-du-frack-crab-sticks-art-gems-mair28/