Tops of 2015

So the year quickly coming to an end was fruitful personally and creatively bringing opportunity into view as well as a rewarding sense of accomplishment.

I'm not much of a planner and setting goals doesn't come easily.  My preference is, it seems, to glide in a way, making corrections along the road as the evidence piles up or obstacles or routes sometimes appear seemingly at random.  Well, some would say that's no way to live and I get that. On an intellectual level I subscribe to objective plan-making but after all, in the binary tension of creativity/emotion/art vs. the plain and simple requirements for sustaining life and property, well there are battles lost and won.

On balance I think I engaged well with those competing claims for attention in 2015.   Having held on to life and shelter and all that they require as well as grow my art skill in ways which I find satisfying and encouraging, I think this year has been wonderful!

Growing existing and new relationships brings such dividends!  2015 provided surprising opportunities for knowing others and self and for that I am the most grateful.  Is it possible that growing older expands the possibilities for growth, compromise, negotiation and appreciation?  I'm kinda thinkin' so.

Along those lines I encountered a quote of Jack Kerouac's just the other day that seems to sum up my cumulative insights into relationships for 2015:

This might be my favorite work of 2015:

Ink on paper

Found new music in 2015 too!  Last post for the year so title fits really well!
Enjoy.

More art/more posts in 2016!

Details/work in progress

Maybe I'll  have a title for this soon!

Raw

Charcoal and conte on paper
24" x 18"

This is edgy and maybe a bit hard. It might be a good drawing of me on the inside but as I look at it I'd like to hope that isn't the case.  One thing I think I know, with as much certainty as might be possible, is that my concentration on the actual mark-making was pretty variable!  I think I sort of suspended some amount of intention as I moved ahead with it.  Maybe 45 minutes to an hour of looking, talking, pushing the charcoal and eraser.  Really like it!!!!!!!

and moving along...........

I look at this piece and wonder sometimes just how much paint I can add or rather how much paint I must add until it makes sense to me?

Beginning to see something here...

Compare with 12/17

I made some revisions to this piece today and will set it aside for a time.  I actually prefer the earlier result.  It must be obvious to anyone checking this site out that I've been piling paint on this canvas for months!!!!!  To what end we'll see, huh?

Detail/work in progress/oil portrait-figure

12/17/2015

There wasn't a particular consciousness to mimic the work of another as I worked this through today but I do see a connection to historical work.  I'm not troubled by it necessarily but wonder if this means I shouldn't look at the work of others if I want to make an original piece?  Comments?

Oil sketch detail

Detail/oil on canvas
11" x 9"

Loose, quick (couple hours), fun.

Here's to Russia!!

Work in progree
"Pink Proletariat"

220 page views from Russia last week!  Thank you citizen art lovers!  The Soviet poster-style direction this seems to be heading was entirely unplanned but I can't pull myself from it.  I hope it doesn't offend!!

Detail of work in progress

Oil on board
In progress