New and more new

So, I spent four days this week in Gloucester including three days of art making at the Rocky Neck Cultural Center as a participant at the Goetemann Artist Residency Distinguished Artist/Teacher program for 2016 conducted by Julie S. Graham.  Ms. Graham is a faculty member of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and a nationally known and respected artist and educator.   Her three day program was designed to lead the twelve participants toward an increased appreciation of contemporary abstract painting skills and techniques as well as an understanding of the painterly stretch from reality to abstraction.  As a painter primarily tied to observation of the real world for source material, a structure for movement toward further abstraction seemed an important point for consideration.
I have sensed a self-imposed constraint on my work seemingly resonating from the tension revealed as I move through  a piece.  Precision in execution to record the observation in a literal way or let the paint speak through me?  To some greater extent I believe I've given the paint and color a dominant voice although on balance the work is realist in structure.
I attended Julie's program to explore the possibilities and certainly feel the time was so well spent.  In addition to an examination of contemporary abstraction we used materials which, to a large degree, I have ignored in my work.  Who would know that acrylic paint might be fun?
Additionally, the opportunity to share with a group of accomplished art professionals, art educators and recognized, exhibited painters was an extraordinary dividend.  
Here a a few of my pieces from the workshop.

Actually, I did the last/bottom piece after I returned.  But I like it!