New Things Going On.

In The Studio, That Is.

It must be the time for new beginnings.  Not sure why, but I do know that for about a year I have been fascinated with the idea of painting images of the Indian women who lived in the area where I live.  Oh my, that means portraits. And that means something new. Portraits.  A bit frightening. But I love a challenge and if you read this blog you know I believe you are just producing if you are not pushing yourself as an artist, discovering new, making new......creating.  But the thought of portraits......

And then I remembered my first drawing class and the subject placed in front of us.  My instructor gave us a photograph of a man's face, drawing paper and a selection of pencils.  And great instructor he was, taking the fear away, teaching how to see the negative spaces, draw the negative spaces and in the process taking away the thought that it was a face, taking away preconceived notions of how this drawing should look.

Ok, so I am ready for this challenge.  I think I know what I want to accomplish and I will share it here as I make progress, so stay tuned, come on back, be a part of new things going on in my studio.

To contact me click HERE

To visit my web site click HERE

Exhibition in Auburn, CA

Meet The Artist Reception
Friday, September 13
4:00 - 6:00 PM
(this is a new date for the reception)

Cairn VI

500.

About one year ago I was contacted by Sierra Moon Goldsmiths in Auburn, CA. with an invitation to exhibit paintings.  An interesting invitation...paintings in a jewelry store?  After some investigation and a visit to their location I discovered these goldsmiths, who work in a variety of metals and stones, are not only artists themselves but like to support the arts by introducing a variety of art to the community through exhibition in their store.  It isn't just a store, it's a gallery.  I accepted the invitation.

A current trend is to create an exhibition space that showcases different items such as they are doing;  jewelry and fine art.  In some ways this allows the viewer to see what the art would look like in a home situation because the paintings hang in various rooms where there are furnishings, work tables, display cases.  

Cairn I

20x16

400.

It didn't take long for me to realize I would hang paintings that complement the jewels, paintings from my Sticks and Stones Series, especially those in the jewel tones.

Cairn V

30 x 24

500.

There are several spaces so I will also show a few paintings that are more neutral in tonalities but still from Sticks and Stones.

This is part of my Artist's Statement about Sticks and Stones: 

 Nature is my muse.  The subject matter and composition of my paintings come from my personal experiences in nature.  Each painting begins with a walk or hike in the woods.  I see tremendous poetry, beauty, strength, power and permanence in nature.  I also see a more fragile, less permanent side to nature.  With my paintings I wish to convey a sense of these traits through the use of two simple elements:  Sticks and Stones.  These inanimate objects are presented with tremendous movement and stark realism, but they are emphatically not photographic.  In fact, many of the canvases are created using a palette of jewel tones rather than the natural colors.  

Twisted Stick

48x30

1500.

And I decided I must include at least one Tahoe Rock painting since these boulders are stones.

Golden Boulders

48x60

6000.

The opening of the exhibition is this coming Friday, September 13, 4:00-6:00 PM.  I will be there and hope you can stop by.  Not only will you have an opportunity to see my paintings, but an opportunity to see artful jewelry.  

Sierra Moon Goldsmiths

Address: 107 Sacramento St, Auburn, CA 95603

Phone:(530) 823-1965

Tools of the Trade, Part III

EASELS

Double Masted Floor Easel

Oh boy....I have lots!  I love my easels.

There are so many different types of easels!  I use a heavy, sturdy, huge, double masted easel (like the one shown at the top of the page) because I paint vigorously and usually on larger canvases.  This also allows the painting to stand up in the same position it will be when hung on the wall.  I can sit or stand at the easel and move away from the painting to get a different perspective.  It has loads of ropes, pulleys and a great big crank to move the tray that holds the canvas up and down.  There is work to this painting process!

 table top easel

A table top easel would work for someone who paints on a smaller scale.  Just not my style.

  floor display easels

There are floor easels for display purposes.  I have some of these too and use them in the studio to hold completed work or I take them to exhibitions to show work that, for one reason or another, cannot be hung on the wall.

 collapsible easel  

An outdoor, plein air, painter uses a collapsible easel that is easy to tote.  Most plein aire work is smaller so it fits quite comfortably on this smaller easel.  Again, not my style.

  table top decorative easels

And then there are the itty bitty, decorative easels, used to hold small work.  So many choices with this one, but my preference is a simple, black, wooden number that disappears so you see only the painting, at least that is the hope.

 my favorite table top display easel

A little while ago I was standing at my easel painting, cranking the canvas up and down, enjoying the process.    I took a break to catch up on some desk work, but now it is time to get back into the studio, back to standing in front of my easel, that monster that I love.

To contact me click HERE

To visit my web site click HERE