Paintings x 7

Here's one of the first flower paintings. I went back over the leaves this afternoon, but white takes slightly longer than forever to dry, so refining the petals will have to wait. I hope I can keep the soft, gauzy feel when I deepen the value changes. I want all the creamy edges to melt.


And here's some backgrounds I've blended for a painting of hydrangeas, falling through the frame like it's raining hydrangeas, and another magnolia. I'm not sure the opalescent colors will read on this photo, but you get the idea.

There is something very relaxing about doing small paintings with a single focus, after working for months on large, complex paintings.


Here's Blood & Knavery Hot - I added the burnt match and the wisp of smoke from the candle, all the detail of the B&K plate, and brightened up the book pages yesterday.

B&K Cold is lagging a little behind, but not far.

And today I mixed a dozen blues for Periodical Blues, and started on the background drapery

At last count, I'm working on seven paintings. By the 18th I'll be working on 13, counting the six small works for the Hand to Hand project. I've gessoed the wooden cut outs and am ready to start.

My goal is to finish all of these by the end of August. Meanwhile, I am not starting anything else, no matter how tempting the idea is. I feel like Ben-Hur during the chariot race.

On the positive business side, HHFA sold the Delft Swing, and last Friday we shipped Rembrandt at the Kunsthistoriche to Hawaii.

Delft, updated

Finished the Delft, Updated group. I'm the one holding the doll. Daughter Emily. a creative geyser, is drawing with sidewalk chalk, son Parker is on the swing, and daughter Robin is blowing bubbles. It's been interesting to explore something outside my usual interests - like line paintings in classic Delft blue.
Also I started putting together a new a postcard with some of my latest works, this blog address and my gallery contact information.

I've turned in the six small (5x5") works for the audition to be in the Dalton gallery's All Small Redux show. I'll know by Dec 16 whether they were accepted.

I'm now working on the four small (8x8") paintings that are a twist on 17th century Delft tiles that feature children at play. The thing that hooked me is that the pastimes then and now are the same - swings, skating, dancing, archery, dolls. The other intriguing element is the figures are very small and centered on a pale neutral field.

Instead of tiny Dutch children, I wanted to use contemporary American figures. First I pulled Dick and Jane (of the eponymous beginning reader books) images off of the Internet, then I looked through old childrens' books. I kept making drawings, but something, some personal spark was missing.

I had an aha moment a couple of days ago. I have thousands of photographs of children. I am using my own children (and one of me, at age five).

I spent many hours sifting through our photo albums and shoe boxes of photos. I found maybe ten to twelve good references to work with. I took the finalists to Kinkos and made copies reduced or enlarged so that the figures were approx two inches high (that's the ratio in the original Delft tiles of figure to tile size). Today I edited down the choices to four - it may change again, but right now it's Robin on the swings, Emily rollerskating, Parker with a bow and arrow and me cradling a doll.

Having a wonderful time with the subtle neutrals and the cracked, chipped, and worn surfaces of the tiles. I have a couple of layers of nicely mottled paint and two canvases have the crusty grouted edges painted. I was able to do considerable detail wet-on-wet. I'm working on distilling the figures into simplified shapes in two shades of Delft blue. I'll start taking photos tomorrow so I can post them when at least one is far enough along.

I hope to have them finished Monday-ish.