New Life for Odds and Ends

At the end of the day, most artists would admit some paintings work better than others.  What do you do with these odd pieces of ephemera?  They are often conscious thoughts carried out, but as a whole piece, they remain unsuccessful.  I have found there's nothing wasted when it comes to these odds and ends.  I keep them back, and frequently return to them, cutting them up, painting into them again, reassembling, and generally re-purposing them.  It's another example of creative problem-solving, and quite satisfying to do.  From a practical standpoint, it also eliminates a good bit of waste.  You could call me 'The Recycle Queen'.

When I am in between major works, I often indulge in this activity.  The end result is a collection of original, hand-painted and assembled greeting cards.  I am influenced by my environment, both physically and atmospherically, and music can be a big part of this.  This is definitely true of my latest group of such works.  Oftentimes the composers are not household names, but this in no way lessens the beauty of their work or its impact on my sensibilities.  I recently heard some works by American composer Robert Kyr for the first time -- I found his Violin Concerto Trilogy particularly inspiring (to hear some samples, click here), and I painted using colors and forms invoked by the music.  Naturally, there are many other works that have moved me, too numerous to mention here -- it's all about environment.  Acoustical instruments, in many genres -- classical, folk...even bluegrass -- speak to my soul.  This was true when I began this particular series, working with my odds and ends.

I began with a completed small painting in watercolor of free-form shapes with an overdrawing in black of an architectural landscape.  I was totally underwhelmed by this piece, but saved it back.  My first step was to cut the work into 3" X 5" rectangles.  This broke up the form and provided room for new interpretation.  I was listening to acoustical guitar and mandolin at the time.  Many of the shapes found in the piece mirrored those found in the instruments themselves.  I worked at emphasizing various elements of the instruments' construction -- bodies, strings, fingerboards, etc.

These are the resulting seven 'tiny works of art':

Concerto

Intermezzo I



In Concert


Strings


Rhythms


Mandolin


La Ronde

I also collect found objects and hand-made papers.  Among these are hand-formed watercolor paper and yupo, a synthetic. slick paper.  The pieces I mentioned earlier by Robert Kyr formed the audio background for a session of painting on selected scraps.  These are the results of interpreting and giving form to the musical elements I found in his work.

Guardian Spirit

Prelude

Sonata


Symphony


Motet

As examples of how changes in music can have an effect on the resulting visual imagery, here are four additional works done while listening to a piece that was a bit more free-form, full of energy, with little of what one might call a 'traditional' melody line.  The piece in this instance was Robert Erickson's Piano concerto.  I've found much of his work very soothing, with this piece being very different in my experience of his music.

Intermezzo II

Figure in Shadows

Timelessness


Medley

Last, but not least, are the works involving found objects.  They have a bit of all of the concepts of the works above, but with the added three-dimensional element.  When I approach this method of work, I will take the context of the composition so far and realize that it needs 'something'...and I'm often not sure what that 'something' might be.  As off-the-wall as it may sound, the found objects are not random -- I feel they are 'sent' to me in various ways with a specific purpose to be realized.  I work at finding that purpose.  The following pieces, all recently completed, are perfect examples of this process.

Complexities

Good Times


Ideas


Lines in the Sidewalk


Map of the World


Less is More

In a world that we're hopefully making a little 'greener' every day, recycling and reusing materials and objects is something I feel is important -- when it can also become a part of the creative process, it's even more pleasurable and satisfying.  I was taught 'waste not, want not', and this is one way I can put that into practice.  Collage can be a very artistically rewarding pursuit, and I would encourage you to look around you and find things that 'speak' to you in one way or another, and find ways to re-purpose it.

The world of flowers

Living in a city like Austin, Texas, where both public and private gardens abound, my artist's eye often finds inspiration in the organic color and form of the flora and fauna.  I've often found that people who would not generally collect or appreciate art can readily be drawn to paintings that depict this natural beauty.  Beyond, in the practical sense, selling well, these works are satisfying to me because of my long affinity for vibrant color.  Watercolor is a great medium to capture the flowers' essence.  I prefer to work quickly and loosely in order to accomplish this in a way that can reveal the inherent spirit without being photographically detailed.  Here are three examples of quick watercolor sketches, accomplished with a flat brush and a limited palette...

Red Study I

Red Study II


Sunshine

These three little paintings were each completed on a quarter-sheet of Arches CP140 paper, and each took less than 30 minutes to do.

The next painting was done by applying the same approach to a full sheet (22" X 30").  I love being able to exercise spontaneity in what could be termed a gestural / calligraphic style of painting.  This bouquet of nasturtiums adorned the patio table of my neighbor.  It was almost as if they spoke to me, urging me to get them down in all their glory that summer afternoon.

Nasturtiums

There's a bit of a story behind this next painting.  It wasn't a homework assignment...but my best friend's dog ate it.  Really.  My friend was mortified that it happened, and almost afraid to tell me...but when she did, all I could do was laugh.  Dogs will be dogs.  Dolly also ate another painting entitled Grace.  My retort was 'Dolly's full of grace'.  What can one do in a situation like this but find the humor?  I was so relieved that my friend didn't have truly dire news to relate...and we still laugh about it to this day.  Dolly and I were always on good terms, and I maintain that she was drawn to my scent on the paintings, and that it was more an act of love than destruction.

Sunshine

Still using a limited palette and keeping it loose, dropping in color in a wet-on-wet technique, I worked at capturing the strength and resiliency of a bunch of Gerber Daisies.  I really took a 'Zen approach' of 'less is more', and with simple calligraphic brushstrokes, implied the details of the flowers and the negative space surrounding them.

Gerber Medley

A friend of mine gave me a bouquet made up of a ginger stalk, a palm frond, a banana leaf, a succulent stalk, and an interesting purple leaf as a part of a birthday gift, and said 'I thought you might find this interesting to paint.'  She was right.  By taking the single elements and turning them in various directions, I was able to create a pleasing arrangement that changed as I worked, drawing with a brush on watercolor paper, as a part of the evolution of the painting.  Midway through the process, I had to make a work-related trip, and I broke my right arm.  What started out as a playful creative journey became therapy in earnest, as my PT encouraged me to work on hand control. Holding a brush turned out to be a great way to accomplish this.  This painting is the result...

Abundant Ginger

About a month later, I was given a bouquet of Stargazer Lilies as a holiday gift.  These have long been a family favorite, for various occasions.  I personally consider them to be one of the most glorious flowers on this Earth, and was determined to do them justice.

Stargazer Lilies

Last, but definitely not least, is this painting of a very small flower stalk that I spied with the telephoto lens of my old Canon 35mm camera while visiting the St. Louis Climatron Dome.  The plant itself was huge, and was growing in an artificial tropical environment.  Its crowning glory was the three-inch flower stalk depicted here.

Study in Green

If one weren't paying attention, this beauty could easily be missed altogether.  This little wonder is a great example of the value of looking more closely at the world around us.  I'm gratified that it now hangs in a place of honor, warmly greeting visitors.

Many artists, when painting florals, resort to sweet pastels.  The renderings are detailed realism, and often come across as cold and  saccharine, in my opinion.  I have been determined to paint florals boldly and in such a way that they come off the page, allowing their spirit to be experienced by the viewer, a reminder for us all to slow down and to visually 'breathe in' the beauty that surrounds us.

Painting 'Plein Aire'

Vacations for me have included time to paint plein aire whether I am in San Antonio, northern New Mexico or on the Monterey Peninsula.  Painting plein aire literally means of or relating to painting in outdoor daylight.  

I frequently complete a quick watercolor sketch on location that appeals to me for whatever reason.  These small works take about 30 minutes to paint and are simple starting points.  Some examples of this method are depicted here.

Junipera Serra at Carmel Mission

Waller Creek Falls at UT


Las Parras de Abiquiu

If you examine these paintings, you will notice there is limited glazing.  The brushstrokes are rendered with a sable flat brush, maximizing control and the white of the paper.  They are simple, yet often complex in the forms they depict.

Generally speaking, there is nothing more exciting to me than chasing the fog on the California coast, painting fast to capture the light, or perched on a downed tree in the cold November wind of a blue norther.  I am a very stubborn person.   When it comes to having time for my art, I am going to paint on the day set aside for such, no matter what.  As a consequence, I have experience with frozen watercolor paint, and on a different trip, had the wind pick up my palette and bathe me and my wool poncho in burnt sienna paint!  It is funny to me now, but not at all at the time....such are the hazards of defying freezing temps.   On the other hand, I have had to deal with a major cricket swarm when I was committed to paint in the summer heat of 100 degrees+ outside Burnet, TX.  I must say, I would rather take on the cold wind, any time!

Cottonwoods on the Chalma

I consider this painting my 'battle stripes' for facing the hazards of working outdoors in less than 20 degree weather (this is when I took the burnt sienna bath...!).

Painting on location is a challenge for many reasons. Number one is the continuously changing light.  Thanks to artist Tony van Haslett, whose workshop I attended in 1996, I learned the value of creating a black and white shadow sketch on site before beginning the actual painting.  I have also learned to document the vista by making reference photographs from various angles, as well as close-up views.  This is for the possibility of finishing the work in the wind- and pest-free environment of my studio.

The Lighthouse at Los Pinos, Pacific Grove

The lighthouse was in deep shadow in early afternoon due to the windswept cypresses.  I made a quick shadow sketch before beginning this work to record the effect of the fading light.  I really liked the drama and the energy in the treebranches.  For me, it was all about the trees!

The Queen of Missions, San Antonio

This is one painting that was a struggle in chasing the light and shadow, on an overcast January day.  I didn't make a shadow sketch in this case...and I wrestled with it for hours as a result.  To top it off, I was asked to leave by the park ranger, as they were closing for the day.  Nothing like being unceremoniously thrown out...and being frustrated, to boot...!

Big Red Rock at Abiquiu


Ghost Ranch Butte

Galisteo Inn

These three paintings, I feel, are some of the best work I've produced in the field.  I love the red earth with the changing robin's egg blue sky, and the play of the shadows.  When painting plein aire, decisions have to be made quickly due to the fading light, which is determinedly marching towards sundown.  I really consider working in this manner to be the ultimate mental exercise in creative problem-solving.  It's challenging...but when it works, it's so satisfying...!

Two collages – a study in contrasts

The dictionary defines collage in this way:  A technique of composing a work of art by pasting on a single surface various materials not normally associated with one another, as newspaper clippings, parts of photographs, theatre tickets, fragments of an envelope, etc.

November through May was always my favorite time growing up in Groves, Jefferson County, Texas.  The humidity was lower at this time of year, and the living seemed easy.  This past fall, I spent some time reminiscing on the simpler time of my childhood that seems to have slipped irrevocably into the past.  A a part of this mental exercise, I realized that my feelings were a mixture of emotions.  I had a wonderful childhood that was mostly unfettered and carefree.  Life in that fine old house and hours spent under the pecan trees are sweet memories that I cherish.  I made a list of things I liked – elements that have a significant bearing on who I am today.  To name a few: the egrets fishing in the bayou, a 6-pack of new Crayolas, hummingbird moths, my daddy's four-o'clocks, my blue Schwinn bicycle, and more.

I had begun a 16 X 20 painting on stretched canvas from an old photograph, as part of my Li'l Donna series that I'd never finished.  I saw this as an opportunity to give this work life.  I found photographs and ephemera to depict various elements that I wanted to include, and set out too assemble them in a satisfactory arrangement.  Thus, Jefferson County Girl became a reality...

Jefferson County Girl

There's a strong element of realism in this work that only happens when one uses photographs and objects that have vivid contextual connotations associated with the memories that are the inspiration.  The piece becomes literal – although the interpretation is in the eye of the beholder, it is transformed into something more specific.

In contrast to this, I often work on a smaller scale using color, form and texture in an abstract manner to create an imaginary environment that is spatial and left to the viewer to interpret and / or visually explore.  This spring I was thinking about the cycle of the seasons, and created this piece to celebrate the idea and spirit of solstice.  This collage is 5 X 7, created on an ampersand board using printed papers, handmade papers, and acrylic paint.  Let the image speak to you and let your imagination interpret the depicted space...

Solstice

El corazón…

At the heart of the matter is the fact that I like hearts!  This thought is centered on the realization that I really love the shape, the connotation it evokes and the mysticism that surrounds its use in poetry, music, fiction, the visual arts and more.  I loved all it implies so much that I used it as a part of my studio's name!

When I began this series some years back it was with a montage of watermedia, oil pastel and handmade papers called How do You Know a Real Sweet Heart.  In this work I explored various colored hearts, working through the psychology associated with certain hues and their subliminal communication. 

How do You Know a Real Sweet Heart?

Lately I’ve created several small acrylic works on paper that express different moods while playing with the idea of a heart shape symbolizing love or one's innermost feelings.

Hearts in Sync

Compatability

In my Heart of Hearts...


My Secret Love


Love and Hate

The last piece is a large work called The Heart of the Matter.  Many situations in life have a dark side that seems impossible to illuminate.  The harder we try to find the answer, the more elusive it seems.  Yet, when the issue is finally worked through and we arrive at its core, we often find light, relief and warm feelings with solving the issue.  This painting was executed by use of a brayer, rolling thin sheets of paint, layered to show the situation's complexity and at its core is the heart shape, relating illuminated resolution.  Many people of my generation were never asked what they thought about anything emotional, and as a result they often find it difficult to attune themselves to their true feelings.

The Heart of the Matter

These paintings are a visual representation of the journey we all need to make in order to find a path that will bring us to a personal truth and a sense of peace and well-being.

Irish Country Road

Let's talk about roads...

There are many that we've come across in our lifetimes...the Yellow Brick Road from The Wizard of Oz;  Abbey Road in London, site of the recording studio most widely known for its association with the Beatles;  the road to nowhere, which I'm sure we all feel we're walking from time to time;  the (hopefully) always comforting road home...and many more.  The road I long to travel is one that will lead me to and around the western part of Ireland.  The Irish have long spoken of 'going to the west' as a metaphor for finding their peace and harmony, either as part of this life or as its inevitable end.  This painting is my idea of that road home.

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Irish Country Road

Other paintings in my Irish series may be found elsewhere on this blog by clicking here.