Just finished the set for the school show.  I did more building than art or design this year.  That said The set looked really good and the show went great.

Well, I almost completely bailed out of the show I blogged about last time.  I ended up doing four paintings to add to the set but not any part of the set itself.  The time wasn't coming together for me and I did what I could.  I'm currently back in kids theater mode and working on a  simple set for Beauty and the Beast JR.  I think this will be my last set certainly for this particular group.  It is time to move on down the road.

Well, I haven't put to paint the canvas that I prepared in August tho- I have had many ideas, they have all turned out to be sculptural in nature.  I'm not sure how or if to proceed on those ideas.  I was approached by a community theater director to paint/design her set.  I get my best ideas while working on sets so my first thought is to go for it but my first meeting was a disappointment so I was wallowing in disappointment when another friend bolstered me and I went along for a second meeting which went much better.  I saw one of the rehearsals, or part of one and I really like the group so, I'm back on board for now!  I guess this is what I do.

Its really more of a journal than anything, um public and since I have yet to say anything remotely important I rarely get commented on; it all good.  I'm not saying that for pity more like for putting life into perspective.  I had a long time loan of a painting returned to me yesterday.  She had had it for a few years and I thought it had found a semi- permanent  home.  I was surprised by the return non the less.  I finally got a chance to speak with the returner and she told me that she would like to still have it but she can not find the right space for it right now.  Darn that remodel!

I don't think I mentioned that another painting went off "on loan"  and this one has been hung in a place of prominence.  It was cool when I went to visit its location.
 

I can't believe another summer down.  School is back in session and the rainy cool weather can't be far behind.  Just reread my last post and found it unintelligible.  I really shouldn't post a blog entry without sleep.  Why does sleepless artwork turn out so well and sleepless blogs so horrible?  Oh well, I have a fresh canvas ready for paint; a teen daughter "borrowing" my art supplies at every turn and I can only hope there is enough paint for me to cover said canvas.  On the burner, I have several projects a couple sets to help design possibly and a "big" idea which I've decided to give a go as a model.  How quickly any of these go is a guess, although the set designs are for plays that are already scheduled so those will have time limits.  Keeping my works to my own time limits or schedule are quite a bit different for me to accomplish.  

I've had this happen before and it usually happens around visual image ideas.  Sometimes when I'm working on something specific like a set design but not always sometimes I just have strange new ideas of art projects to work on mostly they are too large for me to accomplish on my own for financial reasons or location reasons or just that it would be better to be working with another person.  I've had a few of these ideas and I have to get them out at least on paper if not I just toss and turn all night.  I'm glad I'm not running out of ideas for creating art but at the same time would it be so bad for these ideas to present themselves  when I'm sitting next to some paper and a pencil.  Why is it always in the middle of the night after I've turned off the lights and am warm under my covers??  You know that I have to get back up and hunt down paper and some sort of writing utensil.  Then I scrawl something out and head right back to bed.   Now if I don't do something about the idea; something more than the scribble the image on a scrap of paper it seems to haunt me for weeks.  Again some ideas are too big to really accomplish at this time in my life and some are content to be done as a model some as more in depth drawings that await some future point in my life when I am blessed with the means and time to accomplish them.

10'x4' set.

This is how I transferred my images to the 10'x4' set pieces.

Its that time of summer.  I was again asked to design a set and build it.  I think it was finished the day of dress rehearsal.  I think the musical is very good I hope they have a great run.

I'm back at that time of year again when my friend asks me to create a set for a  local grade school play.  I started off this project a little depressed and am looking forward to it filling back up my life force.  That maybe a little too much to ask of the experience but I have high hopes still.  I have a great team this year and we have been working well together.  Its fewer people than last year and it feels more manageable.  No busy work for anyone and I need all of my ideas to work out the first time since I've not really given myself the time needed.  Probably because I didn't make a schedule so I'll be cramming for a couple weeks!  Yikes!  I'll let you know how it goes.  

Acrylic on Canvas 20x30

Summer has been a lot of fun and things are finally slowing down a little allowing me some time to paint.  I finished one painting inspired from the lake trip and am working on another related work.  I did the first one in reply to someone who wanted to see me work and to work on her own image in my space.  Turns out it wasn't the experience she wanted.  I'm fine with it. 

I finished up that painting and have now moved on to the painting that I wanted to do.  Its a little more challenging for me and I need to slow down my process.  Will it turn out?? Who knows. 

I have one more image that I'd like to try from my lake experience and I'm deciding what size piece it should be.  I love to work 20x30 or larger but the image is so simple making it large might destroy the feel I'm going after for this work.

I'll take a few photos of the one I have finished and get them posted.

In an effort to get to the contemplative state I went with friends to a lake in Tennessee.  I was over whelmed with the landscape and life on the lake was new to me.  I quickly realized that I wasn't going to get to that contemplative state here.  I was going to have to go for being inspired.   A much easier task.

I just like the word.  Well, not just like it, but when I was reading something this word just jumped off the page at me.  This is the place I'm in when I paint.  You can't stop thinking or completely remove yourself when you paint how could we put into a painting who we really are  without being connected to the work.  It is often this non-planned part of a work that people are most
compelled by causing them often to be moved to purchase.

Contemplative Painting.  It sounds like a title with little real meaning.   It speaks to the artists mental state while working rather than the work left when the interaction between artist and materials is complete.   

The show seemed shorter this year my work is now on loan to one of the offices in the school. It  is probably a good thing because I'm not ready to have it looking at me and I'm wanting to start a new canvas, new ideas.  Something smaller but still of significant size.  I've been having trouble getting my head on right, um, getting to a place where I can focus on the work.  Life is getting in the way of my painting life.  It is a shame since I think that the focus of painting would be like meditation and I could use a little meditation and focus in my life.   

I didn't think I'd get this one finished for the art show.  I ended up painting till the last moment and transported it wet. (a sketchy thing to do I know)  I don't think I'll do that again anytime soon. 

I painted a lot of it in a pretty bad lighting situation so I was disturbed a little by the color when I took it out into sun light and I had to look at it for a long time before I decided it was finished.  The color probably won't disturb other people the way it does me since I thought it was something other than what it is, that aside I wanted to make sure the building took on a character of its own. 

I began to analyze my state of mind, perplexed by my use of buildings in my work.  There must be a reason for it right?  Perhaps, I need more structure in my life.  I think I'll leave it at that for now.  I have decided to try to push myself into another direction.  Not that I no longer need structure and I may not be able to push myself in another direction we will see.  Enjoy the Yellow House.

I'm sure I'm not alone but sometimes as I look at the amount of work posted I can't help but imagion that everyone else has more time to paint or create than I do.  Probably not true but I still think it and it causes easel envy in the worst way.  I want to have time to finish my work and get it posted too.  The way I see it I have two choices; make painting more of a priority or make smaller paintings.  

The idea of painting two canvases at once sounded good but it didn't really work.  I barely have time to paint one canvas let a lone two at once.  What was I thinking.  I'm still glad to have several canvas' ready to go.  So, the guy came to spray the place for bugs and complimented my work.  He is really the only public to view my work.  I was surprized to find out that he recognized the building in the painting.  He was able to describe exactly where it is. 

I got together with my sisters and tried to start an art card group with them and my older neice.  I think I'll put out the word for them to bring them to Thanksgiving since I believe we are going to be together that day.  The cards I gave them the last time were of water color paper and the new ones I have for them are vellum.  I really want to see what they came up with this time and see if we can keep it going.  We each got three cards last time and I think I have enough for each of us to get four next time unless other family members want to get in on it, in which case I'll give mine up and give each of them three again.

I've been working slowly but surely on my larg canvas with the underpainting but more slowly on the next one which I primed and then decided to get the gesso back out for another.  I'm been thinking both of images and on how to work the canvas.  After several conversations with my sister who I've been encouraging to paint and discussing her fears of not having the skill or sensitivity of the medium to create what she wants, I caught a cable program about Chuck Close.  His work isn't like what my sister would do or like but I caught part where he talked about the skill of the artists marks ie. skill with brush or line.  A similar system to his might be just what my sister needs to get over her lack of experience.

 

Experimentation is half the fun for me.  Not everything works out.  I have a painting hanging on my  wall that reminds me of that each day that I'm working on something.  It is horrible.  It had too many textures and shadows and poor drawing from the get go; I can find no redeming value except to encourage me to just do something better than that!  Why is it on my wall?  Good question after I did it I thought that I'd be able to fix it.  Sometimes I need a little time and space and I can get back into something that is bothering me.  Not this time, not this time yet.  I think its been hanging there for a couple of years.  Its a long time for me to get back to a painting.

 

Experimentation is why I primed the third canvas.  I'm goin to try one of the systems that I'v been recommending to my sister, hopefully along with her.  We will see.

 

Oh, I posted a few things mostly older stuff.

 

 

Finally decided on how to cover that canvas.  I have the under painting finished.  I've been reather focused on several ideas and I'm thinking of getting canvases preped and putting under painting on a few of them so when I get the time I can work steadily.

Anyone out there work several canvases at a time?  The first is good sized paintings 30x40 so, I'm thinking of starting a smaller one as well and work on them together.  I'll have to see how this works since I only have one easel.