a change is as good as a rest

That's what I drew yesterday morning, before I went out for a run. I felt a strong pull to paint something simple, fresh and uncomplicated.
First I did peaches on a 10x10' canvas, with the basic shapes established and the color roughed in. They are on a silver tray. I didn't get to the ivory handle of the knife yet, but it was a good morning's work.

And here is today's rough in - tomatoes on a cutting board. This is boyscout pocket knife.


I like the tight framing of this better than the peach. The truth is the peach was much smaller than the tomato. We'll see how they turn out in the end. With these, the best part happens on the last day, when I highlight them, creating the juicy glisten.

This is the second pass on this tomato with my grandmother's silver pattern knife. There's will a lot of detail to come on the handle, and (my favorite part) the handle's reflection in the tray.

Read Red

Lettering on the upright books is done.
kicked up some values, worked on the caterpillar and chrysalis, the background drape and the letter 'P'.

Tomorrow working on the reflections in the wood beneath the scarf on the left.

Progress on Read Red

Working on the butterflies and lettering on the books today. I decided to add a butterfly chrysalis and a caterpillar to the mix. I like how it rounds out the theme and the detail and intricacy of these little guys. The caterpillar was munching on my parsley - after she modeled, I set her free.
It's going to be a push, but I hope I can make it. The pattern on the drape will be the deciding factor - not so much how involved it is, but the color - red, which is slow to dry.

Read Red

Today I worked on the butterflies, the hourglass and the bookend's doormouse. The only areas with no paint on them are the right hand handle of the chest, and the pocket watch, which is in front of the upright books. I'm thinking about leaving out the watch and placing the caterpillar there. I am wondering if I can skid in under the wire and have this done by the 20, which is 4 days before the show.

Read Red

I got all the books roughed in, along with the upright and base of the marble bookend on the right. I'm eager to get paint on every bit of the canvas so I can start refining and adding pattern.

Read Red

I started Read Red yesterday with the dark red background. This afternoon I roughed in the drape, which is a saffron yellow Indian scarf. I love the warm saturated color. The scarf has a red pattern I'll be adding towards the end.

All the books are various shades and intensities of red, thus the title. I pulled them from my shelves and they make a kind of commentary on my life. They are books that shaped me.



Today I roughed in the front and top of the chest, and made a vat of gumbo.

Blood & Knavery, Cold

Worked hard on Blood & Knavery Cold. I love the limited palette, the cool, measured feel. It has an almost abstract quality to me.
Did itsy bitsy detail; the notes on the music, the reflection of the title in the silver tray, another layer on the pebbled texture of the books. Here and there, some lighter lights and darker darks. It's very close to done.
Here's the over all progress. The canvas is 16x20, so it's quite compact.



A couple of close ups-





I gave myself the thrill of chalking the grid on Read Red and making the first couple of graphite marks. I'll work on the drawing tomorrow, while this dries. I might gesso another couple of canvases, get them prepped to go. Having two shows to prepare for is very energizing.

Periodical Blues done!

Done. Off to the drying room. Retouch varnish in a week or two.


Of course, I am bound to see things - an angle here a detail there, something that will require intervention. Happens every time. It's like putting copy away in your drawer and pulling it out a week later and finding all the typos and infelicitous phrases.

Periodical Blues with lettering in place

It was lettering day. Or 'day when I hold my breath so I don't jiggle the brush.' High anxiety on the front end, but it's worth it to me.
I'm really excited about the HHFA show Sept. 24, when all three of the bigger Metamorphosis paintings make their debut together.


Here's the overall look of the lettering so far. It's not complete - More to do on the front of the New Yorker and a few more lines on the PRINT card. Also, the fortune in the 8 ball. One more pass on the crystal ball, possibly a deep blue glaze on the drape and it's done.

Periodical Blues, progress

On schedule - added more detail and texture to the globe, worked on the spines of the magazines and strengthened the values of the hourglass.

Periodical Blues, progress

I put in the abstract reflections in the crystal ball, and outlined the cover cartoon. Sometimes people ask me how long it takes me to finish a painting and the unsatisfactory answer is, of course, it depends, but what I did today took three hours of steady work.


Plus a couple of close-ups.

Periodical Blues

Here's today's effort - the edge of the magazines, the handle on the right and another layer on the wooden chest. Still to go, the crystal ball and the embroidered gold stars on the background. Then it's lettering, and refining of the globe etc., in time for the September HHFA show.

Periodical Blues

Redid the drape (it was driving me crazy!) and first round on the hourglass.

Hand to Hand project, July 13-18, done.

Here are the final images for the Hand to Hand project. I ended up sewing a little piece of barbed wire on each hand, using picture wire. In the back the wire is twisted together so each piece can be hung.


July 13: Iraq government faces claims of prisoner abuse


July 14: Car bomb explodes outside Iraqi church, kills four.


July 15: Suicide bomber shot dead while driving a car bomb in Fallujah.


July 16: Shiite pilgrims wounded in bomb attack in Baghdad.


July 17: Body of girl found in Kut.


July 18: Helicopter crashes outside Baghdad.

Subscription cards

Spent the morning working on Periodical Blues - filled in the three subscription cards, and most of the New Yorker cover.