June 29, 2009
I've been out in the studio a fair amount this week but haven't remembered to write on my blog! Friday my very kind colleague from the Visual Arts Center, David Tanner, came by to take a look at my work and to answer some questions that had been building up about working in oils. He was so kind and helpful and knowledgeable. The Center is very lucky to have him as an instructor. He is exceedingly skilled!
Since Friday I've been re-working some old pieces a bit to incorporate some ideas David had.
The colors in the photos didn't come out enough alike to be able to compare the pictures well, but basically I defined the shadows better by putting some green into them. I also refined some of the shapes so they're more accurate. I can tell the difference, but who knows if someone else would? I like it better!
I also did this new image called "Tummy Tuck Scar." I have a new model who had Tummy Tuck surgery about six weeks ago. Whe came over and posed for me and told me all about the surgery and how great she's felt about her body ever since. I admit to feeling some ambivalence about plastic surgery - she admits to it too - but it's lovely to hear her talk about how good she feels about her body. She had suffered from poor body image for a very long time, and now she's satisfied - happy - with how she looks. That's quite a gift!
I also re-worked "A Farmer and her Eggs." There used to be a shadow on the model's right breast (the one we see on the left) that was disconcerting because it was confusing. I was emboldened by the story of Renoir - he had painted a young girl just as he saw her. There was a shadow on her upper lip which made her look like she had a moustache. Realizing that no one would be able to look at the piece and enjoy it the way it was then, he painted over the moustache and left the area shadowless. The painting was better for it though not quite as accurate. I took the same approach and painted over the shadows. I think the piece reads more easily and convincingly because of it.
Tuesday I began teaching a pastel workshop at my studio. I love teaching people about doing art. It's lovely seeing their innate talents come out and seeing how much they can learn with just a little bit of coaching. I think teaching art is one of my very favorite things to do.
Today my daughter Laura and I began sewing a quilt for her. We had begun it before she left for college last Fall then I didn't work on it while she was gone. We're using cloth from clothing she wore the last few years but has outgrown or which has worn out. We cut out the squares, 8'x8' and put them into a rainbow array of rows. Tonight I taught Laura how to use a sewing maching - I was surprised that I remembered - I hadn't used one in about 16 years, but it was kind of like riding a bike - it came back. She is already getting good at it! We got 3 rows sewn before the machine started doing some kind of nutty thing that looks like a spider web. I hope it just needed a rest and will work tomorrow. I have no clue what's up with it, but it won't be possible to make the quilt if it keeps up like this! I think it happened before about 16 years ago. I took it to get it fixed then never opened it up once I got it home. My son Dylan has used it successfully since, but now it's going crazy! It's a lovely project to be doing together. Such intimacy evolves from doing a creative project together. I think that's what I like about teaching art too - the closeness that happens in the quiet moments when everyone is focused and creating.
This afternoon I began doing some very small color studies on 4"x4" canvases. I'm delighting in them! I'll post them when I have several more.
June 21, 2009
It's been a while since I've put anything on this site. I've been drawing haphazardly, drawing graphic cards, something I love to do and seem to do after exams are over when my brain is too tired to think about other things.
I'm not quite able to put them on the page very well, but I guess you can get the idea of what they look like! I really enjoy drawing them. They're absorbing but simple. I make them into cards to send to friends and/or to sell. This time I've scanned them so I can print them out whenever I need a card.
I've also been working on getting to my next large painting. 
It's of a woman who came in to model and danced the whole time! She's 58 and loves to do ballroom dancing. Like several of my models, she loves exercising and loves her body. It was delightful photographing her!
I've had a heck of a time on this piece. First of all, it's 8' tall - over 2 meters - so I'm intimidated by the size! Secondly, I haven't been able to find the colors I like. I've needed a long stretch of time when I could concentrate fully to get a good first layer on. I finally managed that a few days ago, but I just haven't liked the colors. Today I decided to change them to be more what they are on the top half rather than the bottom half. The bottom half looks too chalky to me. I want the piece to be full of light and energy! The image I've put in here isn't the whole image. At the bottom she has on high heel shoes!
I think I finally broke through my resistance today and should be able to get the piece done from here.
I also had the pleasure of photographing several women recently. 2 were young, 22 or 23. The other is 54. It's such an honor when someone allows me to photograph them. Talk about vulnerable! Naked in front of someone they don't know all that well, posing, showing their bodies. I try to be very respectful and affirming just like I'd want someone to be with me. I photographed one woman once, a very good friend of mine, and got so wrapped up in what I was doing that I forgot to attend to her very well. It unfortunately wasn't a good experience for her because of the vulnerability she felt which I wasn't as aware of as I should have been. I felt terrible when she shared with me how she felt and hope I have learned from that experience so others have a positive experience modeling for me. (If you are interested in modeling for me, please feel free to send me an email, and we'll see if we can arrange something!)
I'm looking forward to painting from the photographs I've taken recently. There are some images I like a lot. Stay tuned!
June 9, 2009
This has been a very good month for me artwise! I just got the great news that I sold a piece (Peony in the Sunlight) on ArtQuiver, a new website that was started by the man who took Rosetta Stone (the language learning software) from small to huge. He's planning to change the way art is sold on the web. The site just got up and running about a month ago so I'm excited to have one of their first sales. Check it out! It's a cool site!
June 4, 2009
More very exciting news! Another piece, "Grace", got accepted into another show! Radius250 is an annual show held at Artspace here in Richmond. It always has impressive jurors and gets entries from anywhere within a 250 mile radius of Richmond (thus the title - radius250!). It is very difficult to get into, so I'm thrilled to have been accepted. The show will be held June 26 - August 25, with the Opening and awards being June 26 from 6-10. All are welcome to attend. More info is on the Upcoming Shows page.
I finished with tutoring for exams today and plan to get into the studio as much as possible over the coming week. I'm itching to get to my new piece! It's large and looming and beckoning!
June 1, 2009
Great news! My piece, "Connected", was selected for inclusion in a Nationally Juried Show! What that means is that the Fredericksburg Center of the Creative Arts hired a juror of national status to jury a show for them. CDs containing images of artwork presumably came from all over the country to be juried into this show. 
I feel so honored that my piece was chosen to be among them! The show will be up from July 28 - July 31, with the Opening Reception being July 3 at 6 PM. I'll definitely be there! It's the first national show I've applied for, must less gotten into!
Recently I've spent a lot of non-painting time applying to shows, national, regional, and local. I decided it's time to get my work out there. I feel so strongly about this work that I want people to see it. I haven't tried to get a show in Richmond yet. Once exams are over, I plan to contact a couple of galleries in town to see if we can arrange for a show. Wish me luck!
I have several other pieces that will be in other shows the next few months as well. See the Upcoming Shows page for more information.
I've begun another large scale piece - 8'x3' - but haven't been able to get anything but the background, shoes and hair done since exam tutorials have been so intense. They're over Friday then I'm taking a week off to take an oil painting class and work in the studio as much as possible. I can't wait!