Ribbon (sold)

Ribbon, oil on canvas, 5" X 5", 2007

(on hold)

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I've had an idea for awhile to paint some knots. I even have a book of knots to prepare. That idea was in the back of my head when I spent some time over at Karen Appleton's blog recently. She has spent considerable time with elaborate bows (basically just fancy knots), and has a wonderful body of work. So you can see where the work above germinated.

The ribbon itself proved to be a challenge-- it is a very pale iridescent yellow, of a material that is sheer enough to be translucent.

I think the next one will be rope.

Scissors (sold)

Scissors, oil on canvas, 5" X 7" (approximate), 2007

sold

Ambrosia (at charity auction)

Ambrosia, oil on canvas, 5" X 7" (approximate), 2007

at charity auction

I mentioned in a post a few days ago that Abbey Ryan's work has inspired me to try out a few new things.

One of the things that draws me to Abbey's work is her use of pattern and repetition. You will often find great looking textiles in her pieces that jazz up what from another artist would be a 'safe' composition. The textiles introduce great surface/pattern to the image, and reinforce or introduce a sense of depth through foreshortening. The pattern also establishes rhythm and movement into the piece. I like Abbey's approach in particular because she has chosen fairly complex patterns to portray.

Here are links to a couple of examples of Abbey's use of textiles, and their contribution to the scene:
Red Delicious
Bartlett Pear (green)
Red Pear on Tea Towel

Other artists do this too of course, including lots of current painters:
Carol Marine Golden Apples
Karen Appleton Royal Party
Malcolm Liepke In Her Bedroom

To name a very small few. :)

My favorite use of patterned textiles is from some of the Greats:
Mary Cassat
Edouard Vuillard

I single out some of the artists above because you can easily see that the pattern is a significant portion of the form of the painting. Without the pattern, it would be a dramatically different piece. Pattern in these pieces is not incidental. It is critical.


A side note:
I was titling this piece "Ambrosia on a Tea Towel" (the apple is an Ambrosia), until I found Abbey's piece "Red Pear on Tea Towel" and while I think getting inspiration from artists around you is great, I draw the line at stealing their titles.

JA-RU SUPER ACE (sold)

JA-RU SUPER ACE, oil on canvas, 7" X 5" (approximate), 2007

SOLD

Satsuma #2 (private collection)

Satsuma #2, oil on canvas, 4" X 4", 2007
(private collection)

All About the Benjamins (sold)

All About the Benjamins, oil on masonite, 7" X 5", 2007

sold

Awhile back I read an article about 'daily painters', and in it there was a mention of Duane Keiser, and how he had this idea for selling some small works that he had done; "...he threw a party in his studio and invited all his friends to "100 Paintings for $100." I liked the idea enough that I thought it'd be a good thing for me to shoot for as I make the transition from a great full time job to the life of a full time painter. Of course life, as it often does, intrudes. I don't yet have 100 paintings done (I'm at +38 as of this writing), and I don't have a party scheduled.

I do however, have an image for the invitations!

Change from my Pocket No 2

Change from my Pocket No 2, oil on canvas, 7" X 5" (approximate), 2007

$100 USD

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I saw the coins in the sun this morning, and worked rapidly to try and get it on the canvas. So add time pressure to the other bits (metal, perspective, ellipses, and things of well known proportions)

Yikes!

Change from my Pocket

Change from my Pocket, oil on canvas, 7" X 5" (approximate), 2007

$100 USD

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Hrrmm.. let's see... what are among the least easy things to paint...? Metal, perspective, ellipses, and things of well known proportions. Whew!

Here's a detail:

Head Study #5

Head Study #5, oil on canvas, 5" X 7" (approximate), 2007

$100 USD

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I thought it might be interesting for you all to see what would lurk behind the mat this would be under when it gets framed...

Dish Seasoned with Paprika (private collection)

Dish Seasoned with Paprika, oil on canvas, 7" X 5" (approximate), 2007
(private collection)

Paprika (sold)

Paprika, oil on canvas, 7" X 5" (approximate), 2007

sold

You would think that after being in New Mexico for so long, the first one of these I'd do would be a Big Jim or R.Naky. Especially after having had worked here for six years in and out of high school... :)

Satsuma (sold)

Satsuma, oil on masonite, 5" X 5", 2007

sold

Head Study #4

Head Study #4, oil on canvas, 5" X 7" (approximate), 2007

$100 USD

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Just a little something different to shake things up. 

Housekeeping and a bonus picture

I reversed myself on my link policy.

Generally I hate really long link lists, as I think they can be overwhelming, and after looking at a few you sorta lose steam and miss out on what follows.

So I had been doing this thing where I would post just five links a week, hoping people would really concentrate on those five and visit them.

I feel though, like I'm leaving out exposure to some really great art.

So policy revision:

I have a full blog roll (links to sundry blogs) at the bottom of the right hand navigation pane. I will continue to feature five links that are updated every week. These links won't appear on the blog roll, and won't be restricted to just blogs.

And now, your bonus picture:



I'm not sure about this painting-- it's not totally successful in my eyes, so I'm not offering it for sale. It does serve as a glimpse though: not all pieces work out.

On inspiration and influence #2

One unintended consequence of having this blog has been getting familiar with the breadth of really great artistic talent out there in the world that is also posting. You'll see a few of them on the link roll from time to time (I rotate links to keep the focus on a few-- I think really long blogrolls are a little overwhelming), but that's only a few of the literally hundreds of great artists out there.

I've been lucky enough to have a few stop by and visit here (who left a note no less!):

Justin Clayton--- One of the top ten daily painters out there. Along with Duane Keiser, Justin's work was a primary driving inspiration to adopt the form of daily painting I'm working on now (I am primarily a figurative painter-- still life/object painting is a growth area for me).

Margaret Dyer (who I already wrote about here)

and just yesterday,

Stephen Magsig
I've long been a fan of Edward Hopper's work, and I'll confess to being a bit chuffed when I've heard my own work compared to his from time to time, but the real deal is Stephen. His small paintings of Detroit compare with the best of Hopper's architectural pieces.
Compare if you will:
Hopper
Magsig
Hopper
Magsig

Nice, eh?

This kind of stuff makes me want to dash right back in the studio. It makes my eyes pop, and my senses alive.
Magsig's work gave me a rush of inspiration to paint Portland this last week, and after that, my big bet on the next 'daily painting' star Abbey Ryan, got me thinking about adding patterned textiles into my still life work.

That's the Ticket (sold)

That's the Ticket, oil on canvas, 4" X 4", 2007

sold

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Souvenir from a night out.

Honeycrisp with Ganado (sold)

Honeycrisp with Ganado, oil on masonite, 5" X 5", 2007

sold

I grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the confluence of some amazing cultures: indigenous, and a couple waves of Western European expansion (starting with the Conquistadors). I have a few pieces around to remind me of home. The Navajo rug in the background (the Ganado of the title) is one such piece.
The apple is a Honeycrisp. Yum.

Micro Pail (sold)

Micro Pail, oil on masonite, 5" X 5", 2007

sold

This held some brown rice that was quite tasty...

Four Flags

Four Flags, oil on canvas, 10" X 8", 2007

$225 USD

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Last of the 'Portland' pictures for a bit.

Storm Clouds Over Theatre Paris (sold)

Storm Clouds Over Theatre Paris, oil on canvas, 8" X 10", 2007

sold

Another of Portland's amazing architecture. Portland's kind of funny that way-- it's a vibrant growing city, with lots of new construction everywhere, and yet there's still tons of gems like this rundown sign.

Powell's Bookstore

Powell's Bookstore, oil on canvas, 10" X 8", 2007

Available at Dezart Gallery

I made a stop at Powell's bookstore on my recent trip to Portland. One of (if not the) largest independent bookstore in the USA, they have a great selection of new and used art books. I picked up a copy of the Artist's Handbook of Materials and Technique by Ralph Mayer, and found a book by an artist that I've never heard of before: Antonio López . Beautiful stuff. I passed up a book on (warning! link not safe for work) Jenny Saville's work-- nowhere near enough pictures of her paintings.

Chinatown Building Front (private collection)

Chinatown Building Front, oil on canvas, 10" X 8", 2007

private collection

I made a recent trip to the Oregon coast to visit my dad and his partner Nancy. I stayed in Portland on the way down so I could walk around and look at downtown Portland architecture. This is the first of what will likely be several pictures to come from that trip.