Omens and Prediction

Worked on the newspapers. When it's really really really dry, I'll take on the lettering.


Blocked in the bird. Resisted the strong temptation to delineate each feather's rows of brown bands. It would just turn the under painting into murk. Who knew you needed as much patience as skill or ability?


I wonder if I can make the April 30 (dry, signed and wired) deadline for the May 8th show?

Great day at the easel

Some days I paint. Some days I kick painting butt and take names. This was the latter.
After a sweet morning working in the yard (adding a new arbor and skating shrubs around to better places) I came inside and set to work, hoping to get the upright newspapers started.

I have just set down my brush and have the newspapers, the twirls of plastic bags, the dominoes, the crystal ball on its silver stand, the lock, the handles and the twine all laid in. They will all need more layers and much refining, especially the top of the plastic bags, but I rejoice. It was a great day at the easel.

Selected for the Decatur Arts Festival Fine Art Show

Trastevere, Espresso Finito was accepted for the Decatur Art Festival's Fine Art juried show.

It will hang in the Dalton Gallery, May 19-31.
I need to get busy writing my artist's statement for them. It will be a heartfelt one. This particular painting from my Table For One series commemorates a last meal at Trattoria da Lucia, across the Tiber in Trastevere, after I had knelt before a St. Francis in the church of Santa Maria and prayed for my daughter who was lost to be found.
And she was.

Progress and a new start

Worked on the papers, the twine, and the dominoes of Omen yesterday.


Today I started on Prediction: Endangered, the painting with the Peregrine falcon - just the background drape and the top of the chest, but I felt like I was covering a lot of ground fast. One of the good things about doing a series is that your hand and eye get more experienced. Your muscles learn.

the twins

Worked on everything except the drape and the feather on Didus Ineptus. The skull and illuminated image took most of the morning, and the bottom book made a great leap forward. The skull is fairly subtle, which I like.

Yesterday I worked on the crystal ball and the dominoes of Omens and Portents (not all the domino spots are in place - they turned out to be slippery little buggers. I'll be getting back to them). I also laid in specific color for the newspapers.
They are both coming into focus at about the same rate. I'm starting to think of them as the twins. The best thing is I've been able to go for a run in the morning, work a bit in the garden, spend the best part of the day painting, and read. It's my ideal life.

I took up my pencil yesterday and worked on the 24x30 Prediction: Endangered canvas. I am trying a darker value of gesso, and it's challenging to draw on because it's much harder to see the pencil lines.
On the other hand, it's the big version of Omens & Portents, with the now familiar elements of newspapers, magazines, dominoes and the crystal ball. My experience starting to paint the smaller version Monday confirmed the importance of a careful underdrawing, so I am not rushing it.
The new elements I am looking forward to attempting are the feathers of the Peregrine falcon and the clear plastic bags some of the papers are in. And this big still life is lit by strong early morning natural light, instead of by studio lighting, so all the colors are subtly different.

This morning I worked on the individual pages of stacked newspapers, while listening to TED talks on the nature of creativity by writers Amy Tan and Elizabeth Gilbert, and artist Vik Muniz. It was a good marriage of left and right brain activity.

Omens & Portents

Another good day in the studio. It's a steady drizzle here, so the light is soft and there is no temptation to go outside.

Didus is too wet to fool with - more likely to smear what I have than make progress - so I turned to the other canvas, Omens & Portents.
Before lunch I mixed paint, then laid in the back ground.


After lunch got the magazines, the top of the chest, the twine and some of the newspapers indicated. You can see the dominoes and crystal ball through the magic of painting negative space, but they are still raw canvas.

Didus Ineptus

I started on the Metamorphosis series this morning, a small (12x16) painting called Didus Ineptus. Here's what I did between breakfast and lunch.


Worked until five and got the books, dodo skull and a bit of the brocade drape roughed in.


Really looking forward to doing the illuminated manuscript page, which is a knight kneeling in prayer to the Virgin.

Finishing up, beginning again

Thanks all. I think I am ready to varnish the Palais Liechtenstein Library and the Jordaan Market. I actually was heading downstairs to varnish the Library yesterday, but couldn't resist tweaking the highlights.

I did the bike spokes and the leaves and all manner of dappling on the rug of the Jordaan.


If I don't see anything that needs doing, I'll be hauling these to the basement (Robert's shop) to varnish them at the end of the week.

I also gessoed two canvases a mid-value ochre/umber and worked out the maths for the grids that I'll use to draw images on the canvas. I thought I'd dip my toe into the new Metamorphosis series by starting with one of the small ones; a 1930 Royal typewriter and ribbon.

General art-related update

A devoted acolyte of the gallery wrap, I saw my painting 'The Interval' framed today at Huff Harrington Fine Arts and I'm a convert.

General art-related update
Worked on the Jordaan painting, mostly adding texture to the rug and bolt of velvet. It felt like weaving with paint. Boosted a few highlight areas and deepened some darks. I'm down to the fringe on the rug, the spokes on the bicycle wheel, and the two loose strings on the viola. It seems to be coming to an end very quickly all of a sudden.


I've painted the Rembrant sketch on the Kunsthistoriche sofa, worked a lot on the window view and red sketchbook. More to do on the wooden foot of the sofa and the top half of the marble column.

Robert wired the Palais Lichtenstein library painting for me today and I think I'll be varnishing it this weekend.
I bought a small (10x10) canvas to do a sliced tomato. There is something about painting with multiple vibrant reds and adding the glisten I just have not tired of.
I also took a walk yesterday, that ended up being 3.5 miles round trip, to the photo developing store, to print the initial candidates for my Metamorphosis series. I am spoiled for choice there. It's exciting and a little daunting for me to have so much work in hand.

Jordaan Viola

For several days I've been collecting bits and pieces for a complicated still life series, and taking digital photographs, switching out elements and tweaking the light. I have more items coming. Meanwhile, I still managed to do a little painting, and tomorrow will be entirely dedicated to the canvas.
I worked on the copper lamp base on the far left, and added the rim of the bike's front wheel and a layer of dark beneath and behind the bike. Lightened up the fuchsia velvet cloth. Just started turning the edge of the rug into fringe. I still need to add some dents and ridges to the scuttle, push the darks and lights, and define the leaves on the ground in the background. Last of all, I'll paint the spokes of the bike wheel and the two busted strings on the viola.
I am going to set aside the photography and tomorrow I am going to paint on the Kunst. It's time to bring it back onto the front burner and work on it until it's done.

more Jordaan

I worked on the very worn embroidered top of the warming pan. First a couple of layers of carefully mottled paint, then dragged my palette knife edge across it for the grid pattern, then painted over that so the faint scratches nearly disappeared.
Next took on the brass sides, which mostly reflect the violin and rug, so it's like painting an abstract, while keeping an eye on the elliptical shape. Then I sharpened up the scratch and dent viola/violin, working all over its surface, plus the bottom edge and the sides that dimly reflect the rug too. I began to suggest the rug's fringe that lies alongside the orchid pink velvet.
Finally took on the tarnished copper item that I think is a kind of scuttle. Might be a odd pitcher. One side of the lid is attached the other partly open. I think both sides hinge in the center. Wonderful complex colors there. I covered more ground than usual and saw the difference, which is a great feeling.

Violin or viola?

Had a great painting day working on the Jordaan Market.
I mostly worked on the violin. There is some debate as to whether it is a viola or a violin. I just love all the 'road hard and put up wet' scrapes and dings and scratches.There are two strings on this (not yet painted in) and only one of them is fully attached at both ends.
Today the paint behaved itself, the brushes were lively yet docile and edges were all cooperative. A rare day, to be savored.

Progess on the Kunsthistorische

I'm between shows - the next one is this Thursday - and happy to be back in the studio. I laid in the red sketchbook this morning. Last week was all about the bottom half of the marble, the woodgrain and deepening the dark behind it all. Later this week, once things dry a bit, I'll be working on the view outside the window. It needs to be both more substantial and less distinct. Then I'll take a metaphorical deep breath and tackle the sketch of Rembrandt.
I'm also entering a juried show, and applying for a residency at an artist's retreat, which mean asking for three letters of recommendation. Humbling experience, but humility is good for my soul, therefore good for my art.
I'm trying to figure out how to get a hold of certain props for a still life I want to put together. That's an adventure all by itself. Life is good.

I got some paint on the violin and the rest of the rug yesterday, and did the foot warmer today. The foot warmer is round and brass with an embroidered padded lid. The lid is hinged and hot coals go inside. I've seen these in some old Dutch paintings; a woman sitting on her chair making lace, with her feet on just such a warmer.

The unexpected challenge - this is a linen canvas and with the gesso layer, it's like painting on glass - very, very smooth. Paint just skids. As soon as I have one layer down, the paint will stick to the paint, but for now it's the painting equivalent of ice skating for a novice. Every few brushstrokes I fall on my butt, so I have to proceed cautiously and use patience.