Ostrich Skull Still Life

Ostrich Skull, oil on panel, 12" x 12"

Here is a fun painting that I finished this week.  I wanted to choose a background and fabric pattern that had similar tones that I could see with in the ostrich skull itself, which would force me to use a narrower range of color and value.  Choosing a pattern that supports the "character" of the main subject of a still life painting has been a favorite past time of mine since I first started painting dead birds (has it really been about a dozen years?).  In 2009 Larry Groff did a wonderful interview of me on Painting Perceptions which about halfway down has a nice description of the dead bird series.  Then again a few years ago, I used this pattern idea in my Beautiful Vessel series.  I am enjoying incorporating this personal tradition into my current paintings of natural forms.

Here are a few progress shots of this painting:

humble beginnings...

  Sometimes an in progress glarey photo actually helps you internetlopers see the built up texture of the paint.

finished detail version.

And again the final painting.
Ostrich Skull, oil on panel, 12" x 12"

At the end of this post I can't help but think of John Baldassari's painting (yes, this is a huge acrylic painting in the Broad Collection) titled Tips for Artists Who Want to Sell.  Notice the items in parenthesis of the second bullet... I am doomed.

 

Workshop - Natural Object Still Life Painting

Nest, oil on panel, 8" x 8"

Natural Object Still Life Painting Workshop

at Townsend Atelier

June 8, 9, 10th 2012

9-5pm

$350

with Special Demonstration & Gallery Talk at  

The Hunter Museum of American Art 

Thursday June 7th 5-8pm

I am so stoked to be headed to lovely Chattanooga, TN in June to teach a wonderful painting workshop.  I hope you will be able to join me.  I also have the great honor of being invited to give a demonstration at the Hunter Museum of American Art.  If you can't make the whole workshop, I hope you will at least be able to enjoy the evening demonstration and gallery talk.  Here is the official description and a few links.  Please contact the lovely, helpful folks at Townsend Atelier if you want to sign up or need help finding accommodations. 

This course will cover the essentials of oil painting from proper surface preparation to color mixing, with a primarily earth tone palette.  Using direct observation, students will learn about composition, color theory and paint application as well as gain skills and confidence in representing what they see.   Students will be encouraged to select their own items that will enable them to develop personal narratives or meanings within a still life painting.  This three day oil painting class will start with an optional walk to experience and connect with nature, as well as to collect the natural found objects that the student will bring back to the studio to paint.   Students who choose to skip the morning walk will be encouraged to bring their own natural form discoveries such as various botanical items, seed pods, skulls, feathers, bugs – whatever it is from nature that you are inspired by!  The teacher will also bring such items from her own collection to share.

Townsend Atelier

201 West Main Street Suite 107
Chattanooga, TN

423-266-2712
or toll free: 1-877-903-1488
www.townsendatelier.com

info@townsendatelier.com

The Hunter Museum of American Art

10 Bluff View

Chattanooga, TN 37403 

(423) 267-0968

www.huntermuseum.org

Progress of Failure

(detail) Horseshoe Crabs on Sill, oil on panel, 8" x 12"

I have several figurative paintings going on at the moment, all at different stages - but it has been too hard a shift for me to jump right back into these big painting projects after "coming down" from my Southern Weeds exhibition.  I needed something to clear my head and to be able to paint directly from observation.  Walking around my house searching for something interesting to set up for a small still life painting, I found a few dried horseshoe crabs that my nephews had sent me from Florida.  They know how much I enjoy nature and they had saved these little gifts from the sea for their crazy Auntie.  I had thought that this was going to be a quick painting that would sort of cleanse my palette, so I could get back to my more serious works.  Instead this little still life became a bit of a frustration and struggle.  I will share with you the progress of this little failure.  I should say that though I view this painting as less than successful, I am grateful for the lessons learned for having gone through the process.   

This was my set up.  My studio is normally in my garage, which is neither heated nor cooled, so with temperatures in the mid 90's I found our dining room a much more temperate environment to paint.  We have a nice view of some woods in our backyard that I thought would be an interesting juxtaposition for these sea creatures.  The first problem with this choice was that although the view is good, being a south-west facing window, the light changed very rapidly.  I basically only had 2 hours of painting time each day, before an immense glare (on our very dirty windows) totally obstructed the view and even changed the light on my little horseshoe crabs.

Failure two was not working out the composition well before plugging away at the painting.  I was so excited and eager to just get into paint.  I had wanted to do a horizontal image, but didn't have a good sized panel to start on - so instead of taking the time to run to the store to get the proper size, I used what I all ready had -which happened to be a 12" x 12" square.

Here you can see in the forrest on the top half of the window the shadows are moving diagonally up - but then as the time went on the shadows changed so on the bottom half the shadows lay diagonally down... Which one to pick?

Here you can see me trying to make sense of why I needed all that grass in the bottom portion of the composition.  I was considering putting some land creature (bunny, robin, squirrel) frolicking in the grass, but I thought that would detract from what was supposed to be the real focus of the painting - the horseshoe crabs.

Horseshoe Crabs on Sill, oil on panel, 8" x 12" 

In the end, I took a drastic measure - I broke out the table saw and cut her up!  Its sort of scary how empowering the hum of a power tool is.  Really, I know this is a cheap way of trying to solve some of the problems I set up for myself.  In the end though, I do believe it is a better composition.  And from the struggles of working this one out, I have learned much about working with nature and its fleeting light, and taking the time to plan in the beginning.  Without having to fight yourself and the problems you create early on, you can more easily get to the joy of painting.

Jay

Blue Jay, oil on panel, 12" x 12"

Here is a recent painting of a Blue Jay that flew into an on coming car this past summer.  My daughter and I witnessed the poor bird's accident while on a walk together.  As you may know, I have been painting dead birds for at least a decade.  The first dead bird was a Mourning Dove left as a prize by our cat.  After that first painting, people started to bring me their cat kills and dead bird finds.  I see these birds as fleeting gifts of infinite beauty.  It is a challenge and honor to try to capture that beauty.  You can find a few examples of my previous bird paintings on the still life page of  my website.  Unfortunately, most of the birds were photographed using old school 35 mm slide film.  Remember that stuff?  Well, those slides don't scan so well and those paintings have found good homes long ago.  So I don't have very good images to share with you.  I guess I'll just have to keep painting new ones.  :) 

Blue Jay, oil on panel, 12" x 12" (detail)

Blue Jay, oil on panel, 12" x 12" (detail)      

A Few Shows in December

I am happy to share that my work will be included in a few shows this coming month.  First, at Sullivan Goss - An American Gallery, in Santa Barbara, California the following North Carolina landscape is included in their Winter Salon, 2010 continuing on through January 30th

 Old Laurel Creek, oil on panel, 10" x 8"

Also, included in another annual group show, which they cleverly call 100 Grand (100 works of art for $1,000 or under) Sullivan Goss will be showing my Southern Draw'l painting of model Kat.  This exhibition runs December 2, 2010 - February 27, 2011.  Here is a picture of the painting in its brand new, hand made, cherry frame that my husband and I collaborated on (he designed the molding, measured and cut; I glued, assembled, stained and varnished).  

 

Figure Study, Kat, oil on panel, 12" x 9"

Lastly, I will have four of my recent still life paintings included in the Green Hill Center for NC Art's Winter Show, which opens with a Collector's Choice Gala event the evening of December 4th and continues through January 15, 2011.  If you are interested in joining me for the Gala, tickets may be purchased by clicking here.  You can also view some of the 500 works included in this 'best of NC' show by clicking here.  My paintings included are as follows:

 

Nest, oil on panel, 8" x 8"

Heirloom, oil on panel, 10" x 10"

Kidney Beans, oil on panel, 8" x 8" 

 

Sugar Bowl, oil on panel, 8" x 8" 

 

Since this is Thanksgiving weekend, I feel its appropriate to say how grateful I am for what has proven to be an amazing year for me.  I have had my work shown all around this glorious country, included in various important collections, I have had several opportunities to travel, and to paint with some of America's best artists.  As always, I am humbled by all the love and support that my friends and family continually offer.  Thank you!       

Notion Fine Art Grand Opening

Notion Fine Art is a brand new gallery opening in Laguna Beach, CA.  I am proud to be showing along with fellow Laguna College of Art & Design alumna Stefani Tewes for their Grand Opening Exhibition!  The Reception will be Thursday, March 4th to coincide with Laguna Beach's First Thursday Art Walk, and it will continue thru March 30, 2010.  I hope you will be able to make it out to support this new gallery.  Great things are sure to come!

Notion Fine Art
1590 South Coast Hwy. Suite #1
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
www.notionfineart.com

Los Angeles Art Show

 Heirloom, oil on panel, 10" x 10"

This painting will be exhibited at this year's Los Angeles Art Show which opens with a Gala Reception on Wednesday January 20th and continues thru January 24th.  Sullivan Goss - An American Gallery has once again put together an impressive collection of work which you can see in person at booth G182.  I am very happy to once again be a part of this fabulous show.

The Sketchbook Project

I've spent the last 4 months trying to keep quiet about this fun project that I decided to be a part of, because... well, I wasn't sure if I could pull it off. I must admit it did help quite a bit that they extended the deadline.

The Sketchbook Project, now in its fourth variation, is a opportunity for anyone to submit a sketch-filled moleskine, sketchbook to become part of the permanent Library of Art House Gallery. Steven Peterman and Shane Zucker have recently announced that they will also be opening up a new space in Red Hook in Brooklyn, NY in January 2010. The Sketchbook Project Volume 4 exhibition will begin touring January 29th, starting in Atlanta and moving to NYC, then Los Angeles, St. Louis, MO and Chicago, IL. Hundreds of people will be able to receive a library card to be able to get a hands on look at the sketchbooks.

Each participating artist was given one of 30 possible themes to base their creations on. The theme idea was created to help the artists get a clear focus as well aid the visitors in finding the books they are most interested in viewing. The theme I was randomly given was "The Aftermath of..." and I filled in the blank for the title/ theme to read The Aftermath of Line and Sight. You can click that link to view more pages from my submission.

I am so very happy to be a part of such a huge community driven project. I love that so many people will get to handle the book and see the drawings up close. I hope you will take a look at this link for the touring dates. If the books come to your neck of the woods, go take a-look-see. I think you get to keep your library card.

Nest

Nest
oil on panel
8" x 8"

I've worked on this itty painting now for 7 sessions of about 3-4 hours a piece and it is nearly complete. There are just a few little areas I'd like to work on a bit more before I can call this one 'done'. It's been such a joy to paint this beautiful nest and broken egg. I've loved having them set up in my studio, protecting them from visitors and a studio cat. It will be sad to put these on a shelf, out of their singular light...

I hope to make another progress video from the still shots I've taken of this painting's progression. At the very least, I will share with you the individual progress shots, but for now, I must get ready for our upcoming holiday. For those of you that celebrate it, Happy Thanksgiving. I have much to be thankful for this year, and your support is one such thing. I so appreciate all the kind comments and silent viewers that come to share in my studio experiences and art related ramblings.

Thank you!

see related post

100 GRAND Exhibition

As you can tell from the previous post/ title below, I've been having some technical issues lately. I think (crossing fingers and toes), it is all worked out now. Thank you for your patience.

I am pleased to announce that two of my recent paintings will be exhibited at Sullivan Goss Gallery in Santa Barbara, CA in a group show titled 100 GRAND. If you are in beautiful Santa Barbara, please visit this exciting show, where all works are $1,000 or under. This is a great opportunity to build your collection of great art at great prices. I am happy to say, I will be at the opening reception Thursday, November 5th from 5-8pm. I'd love to see you. The exhibition continues thru January 31. More information can be found at the gallery's website: http://www.sullivangoss.com/

Below you will see my two paintings all framed up and ready! Again, I hope to see you at the Opening Reception on Thursday Nov. 5th 5-8


Old Laurel Creek
oil on panel
10" x 8"


Sugar Bowl
oil on panel
8" x 8"

Nature Nurtures

Nest (in progress)
oil on panel
8" x 8"

I am in the midst of working on several paintings for an upcoming solo show at Sullivan Goss - An American Gallery, in Santa Barbara, CA next fall and I've taken a slightly new direction. As you may know I have recently relocated back to the East Coast after spending the last 13 years in Southern California. Although the pseudo-south (meaning my new state of NC) is quite different than my native state of MA there are still some striking similarities that I have enjoyed returning to. I had no idea how much I missed the smell of rain, and the lush greens of deep, dark woods. I grew up spending all of my time out doors exploring the nature of the East Coast and I feel rejuvenated to be surrounded once again by it's familiar splendor. So instead of following a theme of 'underwear' (which is what I had intended for my next body of work), I have chosen to follow my heart in it's celebration of nature and my new surroundings as well as incorporating the human figure into that theme (somehow). I'm still working on a title for the show, but cheesy ideas like "Aux Naturel" come to mind to include nude figure paintings with my new images of nature. Having thought long and hard about this, my new theme isn't actually that far off of any of my previous works. All my works are tied together by the appreciation for beauty and wanting to celebrate the often overlooked beauty before us.

Here is a new still life currently on my easel. The nest and broken robin's egg were found separately in my backyard. My most recent paintings have had a thin raw umber sketch for the underpainting, but I have decided to do a finished grisaille on this one to be able to resolve the complex areas with in and surrounding the nest. I will try to share many progress shots of this one as I go along. Hope you enjoy.

Sugar Bowl final

Sugar Bowl
oil on panel
8" x 8"

Sugar Bowl Progression

Well, here's my first video progression, Sugar Bowl. I don't know why it resizes the image automatically, and I have to admit, I used two different cameras, so the quality varies. I am definetly not a tech head though, so I am feeling pretty good about just getting this up.

Sugar Bowl oil on panel 8" x 8"

More Sugar

Well, this little still life is STILL in progress. I've been working more on cleaning up the whites both on the bowl and on parts of the lighter stripes of the fabric. It's definetly coming along. I've really enjoyed having the luxury of being able to take my time on this one. Maybe one more pass and this one will be wrapped up. Do any of you start slowing down as you get to the end of a painting, not wanting the fun to end? Or not knowing what you'll paint next?

Sugar Bowl
oil on panel
8" x 8"

In Progress

Well, this is a small painting I've been working on now for several weeks and it is slowly coming along. This is no where near complete, but I thought perhaps it might be worth sharing, regardless. I am trying to build up the texture of the spilt sugar and will add some glazing to give it more volume once I get the desired texture. Much more of the fabric to tackle and of course every time I set down to paint, I always see more in the little bowl. I get sucked into the reflections and subtle color and value shifts on that object. Wish the whites didn't look so 'dirty'. White seems to be the most challenging color to paint. I love a challenge!

Sugar Bowl

oil on panel

8" x 8"

Because Golden Pearls sounds 'dirty'

The gold necklace in this painting was my Great-Aunt Hazel's. My mom was trying to decide if she should sell it or not. I told her I would at least do a painting of them no matter what her decision was. But sorry mom, you aren't ever getting these pearls back.

Heirloom, 2008
oil on panel
10" x 10"

Another Preschool Drawing

Burnt Rose, 2008
charcoal on vellum
8" x 8"

Preschool Drawings

I call these my preschool drawings, because they were nice little drawings I could finish in the short amount of time that I had to my self while my kids were in preschool (it was a co-op preschool, so I never felt like I actually had much time of my own).

Miss Dior, 2008
charcoal on vellum
8" x 8"

Kidney Beans, 2007
oil on panel
8" x 8"

Humbled by life

The practice of painting directly from life is a humbling thing. These still lives gave me a sense of the struggle of making order out of chaos. Painting these images was a sort of penance and escape at the same time. I’d go into my studio and try to find ‘that’ grain of rice or sand where I had left off the night before. It was both numbing and exhilarating. Once I got this painting going I realised it was a composition of dashes. The weave pattern on the bowl made little dash shapes, the rice too, even the stiches in the hem of the cloth. Love when that stuff happens unexpectedly.


Jasmine Rice, 2008
oil on panel
10" x10"