Water media

20" x  36"

Watercolor and gouache on foam board.

Nina's Nook Exhibit

18" x 24"/Charcoal and pastel

12" x 16"/Oil on board

The lower image is a view of a larger work on display at a local gallery exhibit of erotic art.  Not sure but I feel it is at the margins of what I understand to be erotic representation but none the less I was pleased it was chosen to be included in the collection of work produced by local painters, photographers and sculptors.
The venue is Nina's Nook, a unique space located at 125A Avenue A, Turners Falls, Mass. 01376.  Turners is just a quick jog off of Rt. 2 between Gill and Greenfield.  More about the exhibit, gallery hours, etc. can be found at www.ninasnook.com.
Above is one of several pieces on paper I did some time ago.

Recent Effort

Gouache on clayboard
c. 18" x 24"

Mixed media/sketch

18" x 24"
Charcoal and water color
on paper

I've been cruising around gallery websites and reading about marketing strategy for would-be professional picture makers.  Don't know if I should feel discouraged or not; there's a certain "finish" lacking in a large portion of what I do and nothing seems to go in a straight line.....I guess that's what I see on the gallery sites: a polish or finish to the work displayed and lots of the same technique.  Anyway, I like doing what I'm doing and I learn from the work and I think I grow in the process of it all.

Ink/gouache

Something I did earlier in the summer.

More Klimt Inspired

Don't think I've shown this before.  Photographed in August 2009 so I think that's when I did it.  Watercolor and gouache on cardboard.

Blue Figure

Watercolor, charcoal and gouache on cardboard
2010

Stretched out

Charcoal on heavy Bee Paper
18" x 24"

Drawing with charcoal + gouache

ArtSpace Exhibit Comes to an End

Our drawing group exhibit of work based on the figure comes to an end on November 18th.  One of the participants took this photo of the gallery and shared it with me the other day.  The framed piece to the left of center is my work.  Watercolor, charcoal, gouache and graphite.  It was great fun to participate; the opening reception an opportunity enjoy each other's work and learn from those attending how they saw and felt about the pieces on display.

The colors I like

Water color, charcoal, gouache; 14" x24"; detail.

Charcoal and oil

While speaking with an artist acquaintance last week the subject of working in a series became part of our conversation.  For whatever reason I have chosen to work on individual pieces with a rather random, perhaps whimsical approach.  The fellow I was speaking with offered a suggestion that I think I might try to implement.  He offered that if I were to choose a subject and purchase a sufficient quantity of paper or canvas I'd have an easier time and an opportunity for efficiency in the work.  He offered that many gallery directors prefer to exhibit a series of related works.  That certainly sounded reasonable.  So, I think I am going to work on that.  Maybe I'll start with 25-30 or so sheets of exceptional paper, lots of really good charcoal and a few soft pastel sticks.  

Fairly fast ink figures

 

 

If I remember correctly, these were three to five minute sketches; done in 5" x 5" sketchbook.

Free time Thursday!

Life drawing "collection".

New things done in the last two weeks or so

"Ok, so I like to paint."

"Well, what kind of painting do you like to do?"

"Actually, whatever kind of painting I do when I am doing it!"

I think each picture is sort of an experiment in and of itself. Although my marks may have some common features from picture to picture I really see each piece as an adventure, an effort in fact, to pull out something new....maybe fewer gestures to reveal my impression of whatever the subject is? And at the same time I am learning the expressive language of the brush and combinations, juxtapositions of colors.

Sometimes I am looking at someone or something; on other occasions I reach into my imagination or assess the work as I am doing it looking for direction from the colors and lines. How wonderful!!

I don't think there is a "best" art-making situation or experience; the results vary regardless of the set-up, locatation, presence of another; what seems to matter is just the continuous "making", the effort to do it (effort is a synonym for pushing paint with brush). All anyone has to do is paint, if that is what they want to do. Me, I like to paint.

Recent figures

Each of these sketches was done quickly using watercolor and/or gouache and at least in one instance graphite. Something like three to five minute poses and the work was done on mat board.

When I look at them they strike me as efforts to order lines, curves and volumes. In that process there seems to be a dividend paid (at least it seems to me that one is paid!). Each piece seems to have a "weight", a certain personality, something projected or withheld by the subject which, again, it seems to me transcends the conscious effort to organize lines, volume, etc. Art making is exciting that way!

Ink figure

Finished picture, plus

At the top of this posting is a piece I finished last week; the images which follow are works in various stages of completion. The finished floral represents a departure of sorts from my usual selection of subject as well as a shift in style. Although essentially representative, I feel it has an expressive quality I would like to grow in similar work, including figurative and landscape pieces.

Some work from Sunday

Graphite, watercolor and gouache. Both pieces are about 5" x 8" and done on mat board. Quick studies with color added after the initial "outlines" were made. Personal preference for the yellow background; something about the attitude (real or imagined) depicted.

Quick brush; pushing to be expressive...maybe this is where I will "settle" my work?

I've been making a conscious effort to be loose with my brushes and, to the extent I remain committed to that objective while I work on something, to also simplify lines, curves and "definition" by making quick gestures. Trouble is, sometimes I find myself putting layer after layer of stuff on (no examples of that here). Maybe if I don't post the "layered" work I'll stop doing it!! Unlikely. Anyway, here are some life drawing images in watercolor and gouache.