Tag Archives: emotions and painting

Painting Buddha with a Knife – Day 26

Painting Buddha

I’ve been wanting to paint this guy for awhile.  He’s one of the pieces I inherited from my Aunt Robin — who I was named after!  She was a very special lady!  Traveled all over the world, sang with the Robert Shaw Chorale, worked for Newsweek.  Way ahead of her time, she lived in Queens in NY by herself.  Once when I went to visit her we decided to meet at a musical in town.  She took the subway and I took a cab.  When we got there a crowd was gathered around a cabbie and an older gentleman in some sort of dispute.  Everyone was standing around watching the cabbie push on the old guy.  My aunt walked right into the middle of it and pushed them apart.  

This Buddha statue was from one of her trips.  I have a studio in my home today because of her.  I moved her to Charlotte when she was struggling because of her age.  After living in some assisted living situations, we decided it would be great to have her at home with us.  I spent a lot of time with her anyway.  We designed my studio right next to her suite, so I could be available to her whenever she needed me.  Put in large hallways to accommodate her wheelchair.  Anyway, she passed before it was done.  But I think of her often when I’m in my studio and that part of our home.  Thank you Aunt Robin for letting me be a part of your life for your last years!  It was an honor and a privilege!!!

Day 26, Buddha, dedicated to Jessie Roberta Allardice, Aunt Robin.

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Painting Apples – Day 15

Painting Apples

Day 15 I am painting apples.  Now my husband can finally eat some of these.  I made him wait until I got a painting done.  I know I should write more to you, but I’m tapped out today.  

All the best to you and yours!

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Painting Camellias – Day 14

Painting Camellias

These are such glorious flowers — and blooming this time of year makes them even more special.  It was a pleasure painting them, although paint will never do them justice!

I am so grateful for this challenge right now.  For reasons I won’t discuss on my blog, life is very stressful right now.  This commitment to daily painting is keeping me sane.  It’s something I love, that I can pour my heart and attention into; and for a little while, forget the other stuff that’s going on in my life.  So thank you “Strada Easel Challenge” and Leslie Saeta with the “30 Day Challenge”.  It’s been a blessing for me. 

Day 14 done,  gratefully.  All the best to you and yours!

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Dave and the Dogs – Portrait of a man and his dogs

Dave and the Dog

I had such a wonderful time with this painting!  I have a very dear friend, Marjie, who lives in Denver, Colorado.  We’ve known each other for over 40 years.  She is an artist as well — pastels, sculpture and glass work.  We had great plans in November for her to come join me for an “Artist in Residence” week at Table Rock State park.  She booked her ticket and we made plans. Then I got the news that the wildfires in North and South Carolina were encroaching on the park and my “residence” was cancelled!  I was so bummed!  Marjie decided not to come and take care of some other business in Colorado.

I felt so badly about not getting to spend that time together –  and her losing that money for her ticket!  It was a perfect opportunity to show her my love and appreciation.  Initially I asked her to send me pictures of her pups, thinking I would do a pet portrait of those two cuties.  But once I saw the photos I had to incorporate her husband Dave.  

I used my favorite palette for portraits these days – the Zorn palette.  White, black, yellow ochre and Cad Red Medium.  I pulled it together from three different photos. It was one of those paintings that seemed to flow.  Sometimes all the pieces come together — and sometimes, I wipe them out, turn them to the wall and fret about them.  Perhaps because it was a labor of love, it came together easily. 

Here’s to wonderful friendships that endure no matter what!  Love you Marjie!!!

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Painting Energy

Percussion

“Percussion” Painting Energy

Thank you Jim Brock for your patience with me— taking pictures and posing while I tried to do you justice!  I’ve had so much fun with this piece.  I was not worried about doing a “likeness” – although I think it does look like him.  It is part of my “Musician Series” that I am slowly putting together.  Mapped out with a brush and finished completely with knife —  using only four colors!

The Zorn palette has been my go-to palette lately for portraits.  I’m constantly amazed at the range I can get with only four colors – especially since two of them are black and white!!! It’s quite freeing to limit my choices.  For those of you who are interested I’m using yellow ochre, Cadmium red medium, Mars black and Titanium white.  And for those of you who are really interested, I’ll be teaching a class on painting the portrait from life using the Zorn palette.  It starts on September 12 as a six week class.  It will be a small class — maximum 6 people. Right now I have 3 spots left. Please let me know if you’d like more information.

I worked from photographs in “Percussion”.  I had to pull the hands from two different photos to get a composition that I was happy with.  Because of the knifing,  there’s quite a bit of texture on this piece – which doesn’t register very well in the reproduction.  There are broken edges throughout the painting, but I wanted the emphasis on the broken edges around his hands to bring your eyes there.  Hoping that it will also give you a sense of the amazing energy that comes when Jim Brock plays percussion.  He’s quite amazing!  And sometimes it’s not just drums — it’s an assortment of percussion pieces—some are designed for that purpose and some are incorporated through Jim’s incredible creativity.  I’m hoping to reach a level of mastery that Mr. Brock brings to his music in my painting one of these days.

Painting the energy of the music, rhythm and the people is my goal with “Percussion” and my musician series. Hoping they will push some visual energy into the rooms they occupy while the music keeps playing….

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The Little Voices in My Head

oil portrait young black woman“Lucci” 12×16, Oil on Linen

I am thrilled that this painting was such a successful entry in a recent show.  I entered it in the Matthews Art Guild’s Fall Show, which is part of the Matthews Alive Festival.  Happily it garnered an honorable mention from the judge, “Colton’s Choice” from the town manager of Matthews and “People’s Choice” from the viewers who saw the show.  Of course I love the accolades — but it also brings up some other things that I’ve been ruminating on lately. Hence the title of this blog post “The Little Voices in My Head”.

This whole business of art is just that — a business.  Yes I love it and would do it no matter what, but hopefully it will provide financial support as well.  And in the pursuit of making that happen we have to, like any other business person, try to get the word out about our product.  That product just happens to be the result of sweat, tears, elation, frustration and a piece of our souls.  We are told repeatedly by all the “experts” in marketing to: put it on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, your website, email, newsletters, etc. etc.  Basically put it out in as many ways as you can.  But it’s weird and strange to do that with a “piece of your soul”.

Everyone is so kind and gracious — and of course I love the compliments.  In a way too much!  It sometimes feels like my self-esteem is tied into it.  You get that “high” from hearing those words.  Which lasts for a short while then you’re looking for your next “fix”.  It’s a weird thing.  Puts a lot of your evaluation of yourself in the hands of your followers — which can be really self defeating.  And then there’s the concern that people will think you’re “bragging”.  I’m embarrassed by all the attention, and yet it’s a piece of the puzzle in moving my career to a bigger level.

Just read an article in Charlotte Magazine called “The Last Tweet” by Matt Crossman.  He deliberately took a break from all the social media for a month.  He is a journalist so he also uses social media to promote his work. To quote him: “…social media has turned every story into a contest entry.   I ‘win’ if my story generates Tweets or retweets or likes or shares or comments on Facebook. I ‘lose’ when social media ignores my story.”

“People with Twitter and Facebook accounts have become the authoritative arbiters of what’s good, and I spend way too much time hoping they will express their pleasure because, I think, that praise will make me happy.  Which it does.  Only it never lasts.  Because it’s never enough.”

Matt’s story rang so true to me.  Been there done that!  Keeping in touch with my own sense of who I am and my self -worth independent of anyone else’s evaluation is a constant struggle! Of course I think this is true no matter what — whether you’re an artist, journalist …whatever!!!  To simply look for your own guidance and what fulfills you is not always an easy path.  Don’t get me wrong — I love my people.  And I love hearing their kind words!  But, it is a catch 22 on an emotional level.

This has a been an amazing year for me.  I deliberately set out to enter as many shows and contests as I could.  And I’ve had great success — which is very affirming as an artist.  And a great resume builder.  Also a bit daunting — what’s next?  Can I continue this level of reward?  And getting the acclaim is one thing — what about the financial payoff.

On and on go the little voices in my head…

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Beyond Realism

Flowers Aren't Enough Oil 16x20

Flowers Aren’t Enough Oil 16×20

I love to paint people and portraits, but recently I’m trying to push it a bit beyond realism.  I love paintings that have undefined boundaries like the work of Terry Muira, Mia Bergeron and Carolyn Anderson.  There are many others who’s work I admire —but I love the “atmosphere” that’s created.  A likeness for a portrait is essential, but some of the most wonderful people paintings have little to do with that.

So I’m experimenting.  I was pleased with this painting before — when it was a bit crisper, but felt compelled to try to take it somewhere else.  So I started “mushing” and scratching at it.  The image underneath the most recent layers held true so only the last layer could be moved around.  But I like it.  I think it adds to her pensive, sullen mood —hence the name “Flowers Aren’t Enough”.  Our model had good reason to be sad, having recently lost her brother.  She’s one of my favorite models for that very reason.  She doesn’t hide what’s going on with her and as a result we get so much more as painters.

The other way I’m trying to push myself is with a palette knife.  I do quite a bit of my plein air with the knife and more recently pushed into portraits.  It’s a mixed bag. Very frustrating when you do want a likeness. Not sure how that will all pan out. It’s all an attempt to push my paintings beyond realism and hopefully in a direction that is impactful.

All the best!  Happy Painting!

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American Women Artists 2015 National Juried Show

Kalvin, Portrait of a Young Man

Kalvin, Portrait of a Young Man

Recently I got an email announcing that my painting “Kalvin, Portrait of a Young Man” had been juried into the American Women Artists 2015 National Juried Show.  Needless to say I was excited, humbled, overwhelmed and even a bit weepy.  Being an artist is such an emotional roller coaster.  Constantly painting and working… trying to improve. Trying to create something that feels right, conveys some emotion, is visually compelling in some way.  It’s a huge challenge, one that I don’t think you ever “reach”, but so compelling for me that I can’t stop.  And then on top of that, if you want to make a living at it, you have to put it out there for the world to see and hope and pray that some like it — hopefully love it.

So I’m thrilled that this painting will be part of the AWA25 show at the Bonner David Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ, November 12-30, 2015. There were close to 1000 entries from 400 artists and 60 paintings were chosen to be in this show.  There will be a week of festivities since this is also the American Women Artists Organization’s 25th year.  American Women Artists is a non-profit organization dedicated to the inspiration, celebration, and encouragement of women in the visual fine arts. I so appreciate their mission and am grateful to get to be a part of their celebration!

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Always Something to Learn!

web_Dawn's-workshopAlways something to learn!  That’s what I tell my husband when he wonders why I keep going to workshops.  If I walk away with one thing that inspires me, points me in a new direction, solves a problem I’ve been wrestling with, it’s so worth the time and money.  You see I’m old.  I didn’t keep at this painting thing after college.  I studied painting in school but I had that idea that I could never make a living at it so I tried everything else.  Everything else always seemed to be somehow related to art though.  Stained glass —there may still be some restaurants in Kankakee, Illinois with some of my windows.  Handpainted and silkscreened clothing — children’s line and an adult beachwear line.  Graphic design — did titles for Marty Stouffer’s wildlife series.  Faux finishing and murals—painted lots of houses here in the Charlotte area.  I’ve finally come back to strictly art for art’s sake.  I love to paint!  I am passionate about it — plein air, people, dogs….

This portrait was done in Dawn Whitelaw’s portrait workshop.  I’ve always admired Dawn’s work.  It has a loose freshness that I really enjoy.  And I was pleasantly surprised at what an incredible teacher she is.  She obviously takes it very seriously and puts lots of time and energy into preparing her workshops.  One of the things she stressed was to really look at your subject and decide what to focus on.  What’s compelling about that face?  She also asked that we really address our whole canvas as we go.  How to handle the background, etc.  It’s so easy to just focus on the portrait and fill in the background later — but they all relate.  We studied lots of successful portraits to see what worked and didn’t.

I’m pleased with the results of this painting of Don.  He was an incredible model.  Typically the model sits for 20 minutes, takes a break, sits again, etc.  Don was happy to keep sitting despite our efforts for him to take a break.  He has such a strong face with so much character — I think that makes it easier.  This is one of the few paintings that I have not touched since that session— frequently I will rework them once I get them back to the studio.

This painting thing is a never-ending source of joy and frustration!  I’m happy to say I’m completely addicted.  Always challenging and always something to learn!   Happy painting!

 

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Marketing vs Painting —- Trying to strike a Balance

The constant dilemma of an artist — trying to balance marketing and actual painting.  It’s hard to strike a balance.  All I really want to do is paint, but I realize that I have to market — otherwise I’ll be on the streets with a ton of plein air paintings in my lap.  The two paintings here are of the same location.  The one below is painted in early Spring — before the leaves were back on the trees.  You can see I took some editorial license and eliminated some trees.  Just learning that that’s part of my job.  I don’t “have” to paint everything that I see.  I can rearrange things or take them out entirely.  New concept since I’ve spent so many years just trying to recreate what’s in front of me in a pleasing fashion.

One of the wonderful things about painting.  Always something to learn — you never stop!

Boone Nc, Blowing Rock, Plein air painting on Shulls Mill RoadBoone, Blowing Rock, NC mountains, Plein Air

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