Foundation day

 

After some less than successful days in the studio. I ended the week with a simple study of pears. This activity was meant to ground me in life drawing and color theory.  

The Bocce Players

 This was my painting of the summer. The Bocce Players 24 x 72 oil on canvas

On Summer Time

 A new painting of Alex on Coffins

Ian at 12

 Updating the finished draft:

Not Everyone is a Champion

 My first time in the studio in a long while. I needed a medical excuse to free up my time to get to paint. THAT can’t happen again. 

Many artists paint Mylar balloons. This was my first go at it. I love reflective surfaces so this had plenty to hold my interest. It’s not bad but there’s plenty to improve on. I think it’s a graduation gift for my amazing gymnast goddaughter Kate. There’s still a lot I could do- and I’m definitely going to tweak the background. 

Dinner With Friends

 A very special night on good harbor beach- summer 2021 16 x 16 

Studio Efforts

In progress 

Conomo Dreaming

 Tonight was my first time painting in over 2 months. My last paint session before tonight was a magical night on Cranes beach mid September. The evening that night was more spectacular than the painting I produced. 

This afternoon, I finally had a second pass at this sail boat resting in the mud. So much time has passed since I worked on this, I was afraid it had lost momentum and energy. Slow and steady, it feels revived. I will have one more session with it before it’s done. 

New Work

 

My work this summer has been all about being on location. These are a series from Coffin’s beach where there are dramatic tides and shifting tide pools. I’m into getting the colors and forms just right. 

Searching for Space.

 Creating some fun new small boat paintings. This one is from Rockport, where they have the most colorful skiffs. It will need another session. I love how crowded it is- you have to search for space. 

First Times

 

If you went to art school, you may have been taught to never use black. Today I went to the store and bought a huge tube of ivory black. I used it everywhere. In fact, if you need me,I’ll be in the studio adding BLACK to ALL of my paintings! It was a stupid rule that caught on. I got permission from an Instagram artist that I follow that it’s actually okay to use black. 

Untitled- for now

 

A new vertical composition I’m working on. This is my 3rd painting of this scene. I keep condensing the image.  I have to stop here for tonight. I will fine tune it and add grain to the wood in the dock next time. Nothing heals like the water and sun. Get some! 

Grinding it Out

 I finally got in the studio today after a couple of week hiatus. A trip out to NY, and the opening of Gallery 53 has somewhat derailed me. 

Today I repurposed boards and panels. That took time. It’s all in an effort to keep the overhead low. It’s safe to say I won’t be needing to purchase boards for a while. 

After this studio chore was completed, I worked to finish a small boat from Masconomo Point. It is almost resolved.

Begin Again Final session

 

A lot of work on the background tonight. Minor adjustments to the figure. 

Begin Again

 Today was the final session with this painting. It is my 4th painting in the journey into power series and the second warrior painting. I might continue work on the background. 

Begin Again Session II

 

In this pose you ground down to rise up. I have another session with this one- 

Begin Again

 Another tip from the yoga studio to the art studio. Begin Again. It took 5 or more tries to get this figure in the right place on this canvas. Seeing the hands was non negotiable, and feeling the weight in the right hip-

This is the first pass- laid in all the darks. I kept with a cool pallet as the under layer. We will see where this one goes.

Plein Air Sessions

 I took my time finding this scene and setting up. 90% of my Dock paintings are done in studio from reference photos. Sometimes when I set up in plein air I forget how to draw. I forget how to paint. Every thing erases from my mind and I can’t escape  my anxiety. Or perhaps my ego. What if people are watching? What if it’s not the right scene? I can’t believe I left my kids home alone? I hear kids playing. My kids should be here. I here couples talking. I repeat. I don’t know how to do this. I’m scared. In the studio there is nothing but certainty. I know I have to push through the downward spiral. I talk myself into staying. I pause, breathe, walk away for a moment. You can do it. Stay in it. Just stay. Okay- that’s not so bad- I think I hit a right note, one right note. Search for another. Boom. Okay- I can do this. I think. 

Searching

 Here’s a developed drawing of Alex wearing a fedora. The drawing took several hours. Her gesture appears to be searching while I myself am in a searching season. Something about applying layers and layers of graphite helps you to connect or perhaps escape. 

Working through Uncertainty

 Emotions of uncertainty surrounds this effort. When you get this far and you realize there are problems with the drawing. Not sure about this piece. Not sure at all. Maybe the right side can be saved.