Triangles, compass curves, and basketry

Today I worked on the basket - every single shadow and highlight of each woven strand. Spent quite a bit of time on the wrap around the handle. I crisped up the compass some and worked on making the elliptical curves correct. Finally I added the triangle, hung by a burgundy ribbon above and behind the clock. I've only laid in the shape and color - it will have reflections the way a water glass does, brassy along the bottom edge and pink and blue along the metal.

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This made a tremendous difference to my pleasure in this painting. It's begun to breathe for me.
The original idea was a basket of produce at the end of a row in an autumn field. Once I ditched that for the burlap drape and still life approach, I've had to feel my way along.
I am probably going to add another purple kholrabi behind the compass. It's in the original photo.
There's a whole lot of work to do on the leaves, but that's for another day.
Note to self - there is something about objects falling, things in motion that I love. Look for those opportunities in future compositions.

Compass

Added the compass today. Like the idea of good, orderly direction, true north, finding my bearings. Thinking about the triangle. Perhaps hanging, partially behind the glass dome.

Tick tock

I worked on the clock today, pushing the darks, rounding out the sides of the face, adding little pops of light.

Here's what it looks like so far. I am thinking of adding a compass somewhere and possibly a triangle (think musical instrument with a high, bell-like sound). I'll finish the basket and think about it some more.

Vegetable Mineral

Added more grasses. Highlighted some that were there. Added more warm tones.


I've been working on various leaves in this basket. Just ambling around. The basket itself is my next target. I'll be adding darks and lights to each woven strip. I'm thinking about adding something else, but I don't know what. A compass, maybe. I wish I had an interesting one that would be recognizable at this scale.


I have a knife and tomato (drawn but not painted) that I've pulled out. There is something about that red that calls to me. I get thisty for it.

Adding long grasses to the Harrow

It's been a while since I updated my painting world. A new puppy has turned out to require lots of attention and supervision. However, there is light at the end of the kennel, uh tunnel.
Here's the latest on the Harrow. Added more grass. This could go on a bit longer, but it's nearly done.

The Hambidge Harrow and Harvest + Time

Started the grass on the right side of the Harrow.

From the other day - more on the kohlrabi leaves and root, next to the clock, and the clock face.

The Hambidge Harrow

I worked on the harrow yesterday. I set it aside while I worked on the still life paintings for the show. It still needs the long, slim blades of unmown grass. It's as close to a landscape as I've gotten. This photo is a bit dark, but you get the idea.

Faith detail

Here's a detail of the painting. My son is holding onto a rope (one he calls 'burly'), and also in a harness clipped to the rope. It's just roughed in, but you can see the rope loops underneath his arm and the bit of harness he's sitting on. I haven't painted the rope he's suspended from yet.


Here's the overall canvas. I worked on the texture and shapes of the rock formation. Pushing the values.

Faith; the Overhang Swing and Cathedral Spires

Today I worked on Faith. I added the figure of my son, and detail to the Cathedral Spires behind him. There is a wonderful sense of resonance working on this while he is climbing El Capitan again, sleeping on his portaledge.

Harvest + Time

Puppy sitting and painting away on Harvest + Time.

Today I added a layer of texture to the wooden trunk. Also went over the whole burlap drapery. Added a dab of color to the far right kohlrabi.

Tomorrow I pick up Corn & Consequences and Profit & Loss from the Mason Murer show so I can deliver it on Monday to the Decatur Fine Art Exhibit at the Dalton Gallery. Driving my paintings around reminds me of the carpool era of my life.

It's also time to decide what late summer/fall, juried shows to enter - the deadlines (June) to enter are at hand. I want to enter Spin in something. Ditto Periodical Blues.

puppy and painting

I've been AWOL from my blog because we have a new puppy, Madeline. She's 2.1 pounds of fabulousness.
Her first week required lots of time and attention, but she's settled in a bit now, and I've been painting in between feeding, playing, petting and taking her outside for the all important housebreaking.




Mostly working on the Harvest + Time painting -leaves, clock face, Brussel sprouts.














We set up a playpen for Maddy in my studio, because every day is take your dog to work day around here.

in progress

I keep skipping around which painting I'm working on, thus this one-size-fits-all topic.
Today I reworked the high key snow color, to make it less visually sweet. It looks more blue in this photo than it is. Also placed the grapes and darkened the strawberries and their leaves. There's a lot more to do, especially in the shaping of the banks, but it's coming along.

I haven't decided whether the driving concept - seasonality, or the lack thereof, of fruit in the winter - is where I want it to be.

Faith; the Overhang Swing and Cathedral Spires

Today I mixed greens for the valley conifers and blocked in some of the shapes.
This photo has a streak of afternoon sunlight across it.

Yesterday I painted leaves in the harvest time basket, mostly the ones across the top and a bit of the cabbage.

Faith, continued

Worked on the right hand side - the overhang. I love the strata of rock and the way the colors layer. It's warm neutrals against the blue of the middle cathedral spire. Tomorrow I'll be mixing greens for the valley, mostly conifers.

Faith; the Overhang Swing and Cathedral Spires

This afternoon I worked on the Cathedral Spires part of the El Capitan formation in Yosemite. It's a new 36x36" painting on the theme of faith. I painted and painted and got really tired but the clock said it was only 1:50 so I kept going. I didn't figure out the studio clock had stopped until 5:30. So tired, but got a lot of ground covered. Painting big takes muscles. Who knew?