Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Experimentation in the Studio

Making Small Adjustments

It can be fun, exciting and a bit rejuvenating to make small changes in your work.  

12 x 12 experimental painting

Sometimes the desire to do things a bit differently comes out of left field, but most usually it is inspired by a specific thought  or experience.  This month I traveled to New York City to see plays, musicals, and art.  It was an invigorating trip to the city that never sleeps.  It was also inspiring.


One of the galleries visited was the Neue Galerie, a museum for German and Austrian art.  The painting I most wanted to see was Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, which is also known as  The Woman In Gold.  Seeing this work of art in person was mesmerizing, inspirational, and a bit over whelming.  Having the opportunity to scrutinize the detail in the painting underscores the thought that in-person viewing is far better than looking at reproductions of any kind.  



When I returned to my studio I had a burning desire to introduce detail into my rock paintings that would give them an even more contemporary feel than they already have. The small rectangle and square shapes that float on the sky, rocks and water in this small painting are directly influenced by the Klimt painting.  


These tone on tone and metallic shapes are currently an experiment but I am seriously contemplating using this idea in my next large composition.

12 x 12 experimental painting

For now however, I have turned my attention to a commission I accepted.  You may have seen the beginning of the commissioned painting on Facebook and I will show the process here in my next blog post.  It's a Tahoe Rock painting of a specific boulder group located off the Crystal Bay Point.  

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Friday, June 10, 2016

Summer Time Studio Work

A New Beginning

Under painting the background.

It's been more than a month since I stood in front of my easel.  That is a very long time for me.  Travel and the move to my Northern California studio kept me busy and away from my work. Today I am back at it.  What looks like the beginning of one of my Tahoe Rock inspired paintings is actually an experiment.  Keeping the work small (12x12) will allow me me try what is nagging at my creative spirit, asking to come out, without devoting too many hours.  

Painting in the boulders.

I will post photos of how this progresses and let you know what I think.  And maybe, just maybe, this experiment will move from a small canvas to larger.  

To contact me click HERE
To visit my web site click HERE