Letting it out...

One of the things that I have learned is the value of Pilates breathing and painting through times of massive aggravation.  This week has proven to be a challenge to me and to my resolve.  These two paintings are a result of an almost Zen-like transference of the frustrations I was feeling into something expressive and, hopefully, beautiful.

New Roses

As a result of the recent gift of significant rainfall in Austin, the Double-Take Roses are blooming everywhere.  This painting began as a complete abstraction, a pure expression of the pent-up emotions I was feeling.  However, when I took a break from it in order to make an edit photograph, I saw the rose forms materializing and literally blooming on the paper.  This was a single-afternoon endeavor and a very Zen experience.

Fire and Smoke

Late last evening, I found that I couldn't bear to walk away from my art table, so I faced the white paper one more time and began dropping in random color, shapes, lines, isopropyl alcohol and coarse sea salt.  I let it dry overnight, and this morning at six I decided that I would randomly add black acrylic paint with my brayer.  I let it dry all day, and decided tonight that those quick decisions I made this morning were good.  This painting conveys the energy at the heart of my feeling levels yesterday.  It is finished.

Birdland USA

I first became fascinated with the idea of depicting birds in their environment when I was sitting on the beach at Monterey Peninsula, painting on location.  The rocks at Lovers' Point were my subject matter, when a gull landed and posed for me for an inordinate amount of time.  I was amazed, and did my best to capture him on the white paper.  A simple watercolor sketch took on a greater depth of meaning with his presence.

Lovers' Point

So began my quest to capture the ethereal beauty of birds in their natural habitat.  The series has grown to include three additional paintings so far...

Ode to joy!

I was honored that this painting was juried into a show at Concordia University reflecting the many faces of birds.

Yes...?

This was inspired while on a trip to California.  I drew it off in lime green paint on paper and didn't finish it until three years later, at home in Texas.  I loved his expression and chose the title with that in mind.  His magnificent presence now graces our living room.

Solomon the Referee

This last painting was finished February 23rd, 2012.  I had longed to paint the unique coloring of the Gulf Coast Roseate Spoonbill, and was pleased with this first effort.  I have found myself fascinated with pink feathers, and am planning my next exploration:  the flamingo.  Hopefully the use of pink will not provoke the ire of the Komen Foundation, directed either at me or the birds.  Come to think of it, the birds were using it first.

Stay tuned...

Looking back at my WOMEN STUDIES : CULTURAL OBSERVATIONS AND SOCIAL COMMENT

When I began this blog, I talked about the creative journey involving the development of a specific painting in this series, Soco Sisters.  I thought it might be interesting to see a selection of other paintings in that series, in order to put the newer one in context.  Let me tell you about them...

Ladies of the Club I

Ladies of the Club II

The inspiration for this painting was the Home Demonstration Club of Groves, Texas.  My mother (pictured to the left, in the red dress) was a member from 1941 until the early 1970s.  This club was very important to these women, practically vital.  They wouldn't miss it for anything.  It was an opportunity for them to share important aspects of their lives as homemakers...recipes, household tips, sewing projects, and even bits of the latest gossip.  There are two versions of this painting because I sold the first one and liked the theme so much that I painted another.

The Playgroup

When my daughter moved to Texas, she was one of many young mothers living in a new community, knowing no one, with a young baby.  A group of women who found themselves in a similar situation came together for playtime for their children.  While it started from a practical need, it grew into an important social network, enriching these young women's lives.

Beauty

This painting is about the rituals women perform to capture their concept of ideal beauty.  This is contrasted with the beauty found in nature and that of a red sports car.  The irony is that the red sports car (chili-pepper red, to be exact) is now parked right outside...and I enjoy it every day!

Love, Austin Style

Despite first impressions, this is actually a mother and daughter.  Eating a late-night dinner at EZ's, I couldn't help but notice how happy they were in each other's company.  It's as simple as that.

An Artist at Heart

A self-portrait, this painting finds me in my HR office taking a mental vacation, designing my next abstract painting.

The Fruit Bowl

This is a scene from my wedding reception, when my new mother-in-law showed up in a pink raw silk dress, wearing a humongous white straw bowl hat.  I always thought it should hold fruit, so that's how I painted it.

The Wedding Party


Here are the players on that hot June day in 1966.  I have tried to capture the mood of the moment in this painting.

I am currently working on two paintings for this series:  Sadie and Herb - true fans! and Angelfood Duels, and I have one painting in the idea / development stage, The Song Weavers, featuring three local women songwriters who represent three different generations.

Playing with Golden's Crackle Paste...

Randomly perusing fine arts on line, I ran across a small painting by Carol Nelson that used hand-made papers and Golden's Crackle Paste. I was intrigued. So, I went to Jerry's Art-a-Rama and bought some. I happened to have a 12 X 12 Ampersand mounted artist panel...and I decided to play. I started with a collage of hand-made papers. I formed the heart with the Crackle Paste on top of rough brown serrated packing paper (looks a bit like a honeycomb; Cheap Joe's uses it to wrap brushes). Then I washed it. It took three days to begin to dry for the cracks to begin to appear (this was during a few days of monsoon-like rain, lengthening the drying process). I was so excited when it began to crack.

Artists using this product, with demonstrations on-line, recommended varnishing the Crackle Paste to preserve the cracks in the finished form. I did this. As it continued to dry, the cracks got bigger and deeper...very exciting. I decided to add paint, still not completely satisfied with it. I decided to chill out and step back for a bit and really look at the form. This led to a decision to add the Crackle Paste to the background, which, because of its opacity, diluted some of the backgroung color...a good move. Then I went back and tinted the cracked background. Now I have to make decision as to whether I will draw back into it or leave it alone.

So...here it is. What are your thoughts...?

A few pencil marks, a bit of Sharpie line drawing, and oil pastel, and then I neutralized it all with a grey-blue glaze...it's done! No more experimenting...

Well...I couldn't stand it.  I just had to do one more thing, so I added an old gold glaze to tone down the sweetness of the blue-grey.  I've actually framed it...it's done...!

Holidays and other distractions.....

It's been awhile since I last posted.  So,I will share to give you an idea of what I have been up to these past 3 months:......I have completed three holiday watercolor commissions, took a trip to Chicago where I spent time at the Art Institute and the Contemporary Museum of Art, experimented with Golden's Crackle Paste to make some creative and artisticly satisfying valentines, drawn off two new watercolor paintings (which I have begun to paint, as additions to my Women's Series), and have seriously undertaken the overall design and the painting of the accompanying artwork for the lyrics booklet for Larry Looney's CD of Irish & Scottish songs, Wave up to the shore, which he recorded back in 1991.  I have taken a bit of time as well to tutor and encourage my granddaughter, Madeline, in her acrylic painting endeavors.  Her work is amazing!

Painting and creating all along...I have just not been blogging!  I bought a new camera, a Canon Rebel, to photograph my artwork and have spent allot of time figuring how to use it.  O, do I have a long way to go!

I thought I would share the watercolor, 'North Atlantic Abstract'...