Thursday, May 18, 2017
work in progress: bearded iris blooms
Using a grid of 1/2 inch squares, I transfer the photo's details onto the art paper, from the reference photo (taken by me). This is the tedious part; then comes the fun of working with color. Being precise at this stage makes a big difference in the quality of the final work.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
"Glorious Morn" image
Early morning, the morning glories at the top of the fence reach for the sun light. Color pencil on Bristol vellum art paper. The large blossom opens dramatically. In the back ground is the tangle of leaves and tendrils. After all, morning glories are vines.
Thursday, August 11, 2016
"Mission Impossible" for Artists
Good morning, fellow artist. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a lifetime body of work, which is a personal statement about you and your journey through life.
This message will self-destruct in 30 seconds, so listen carefully.
You may be one of the artists who receives fame, awards, and critical acclaim. Be aware that there will be times when your work stops receiving such rewards. You may be viewed as a yesterday artist. Your may return later to the spot light, and people will think you are back on track. All of this counts for nothing. Your mission is the same: keep creating your lifetime body of work, and keep challenging your limits along the way.
You may be one of the artists who rarely, if ever, receives public recognition. Your mission remains the same. Do not be surprised if, through the years, your work matures more and more, far beyond what you earlier imagined. No back patting. Challenge yourself even more. How can you make your work even more of a uniquely personal statement by you? Study your past work, ask yourself where you may have slightly missed the mark of what you truly wanted to say?
You may have to take a job-job, to pay the bills, do commission work which is not your heart's desire. Your mission remains the same: find a bit of time every day, to do some small task that is devoted to your lifetime body of work.
Art is not a young person's sport, so your opportunities remain wide open, regardless of age. For many people, they do their best work in their mature years. No excuses, no self-pity. Your mission remains the same.
One final instruction: have fun, but let your sense of fun grow. Move beyond the phase of "This is so much fun and relaxing," to the deeper pleasure of making that extra effort to be better and better each time. That's where the real fun kicks in.
It is your life, your statement of who you are, and for what you stand.
Good luck, fellow artist!
This message will self-destruct in 30 seconds, so listen carefully.
You may be one of the artists who receives fame, awards, and critical acclaim. Be aware that there will be times when your work stops receiving such rewards. You may be viewed as a yesterday artist. Your may return later to the spot light, and people will think you are back on track. All of this counts for nothing. Your mission is the same: keep creating your lifetime body of work, and keep challenging your limits along the way.
You may be one of the artists who rarely, if ever, receives public recognition. Your mission remains the same. Do not be surprised if, through the years, your work matures more and more, far beyond what you earlier imagined. No back patting. Challenge yourself even more. How can you make your work even more of a uniquely personal statement by you? Study your past work, ask yourself where you may have slightly missed the mark of what you truly wanted to say?
You may have to take a job-job, to pay the bills, do commission work which is not your heart's desire. Your mission remains the same: find a bit of time every day, to do some small task that is devoted to your lifetime body of work.
Art is not a young person's sport, so your opportunities remain wide open, regardless of age. For many people, they do their best work in their mature years. No excuses, no self-pity. Your mission remains the same.
One final instruction: have fun, but let your sense of fun grow. Move beyond the phase of "This is so much fun and relaxing," to the deeper pleasure of making that extra effort to be better and better each time. That's where the real fun kicks in.
It is your life, your statement of who you are, and for what you stand.
Good luck, fellow artist!
Thursday, June 9, 2016
"Promise of Spring"
Dogwood blossoms in the Spring. colored pencil painting, based on a photo taken by a friend in North Carolina. Reference photo used with his permission. The challenge of this piece was to capture each petal's folds, ruffles, light, and shadow patterns. The fun part was to play with so many colors and lighting effects.
Sunday, May 15, 2016
poor photo, but good result
This colored pencil art work is based on a disappointing day of photo shooting. I went to San Francisco's Golden Gate bridge, but the day was foggy and uninteresting - or so I thought. Back home, in reviewing the photos, I came across this view, which had real possibilities. It turned into a fun, challenging, and rewarding experience. Lots of mood created by the fog gave the whole scene an added effect.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
"Santa Rosa Court House"
This art piece is a landscape/architectural work, departing from the traditional landscape mode, but not so much that it is not grounded in realism. This is the old court house in Santa Rosa. Built of stone, it survived the 1904 San Francisco earth quake, which extended north to the Santa Rosa area. This work was done in colored pencil on grey tinted paper.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Artist's post-partem depression
Artists (at least this one) go through a cycle that is a bit like a pregnancy, then the delivery, then post-partem depression. The initial stage of the "pregnancy" is the joy: a new painting idea, bursting with creative excitement. Then comes the long haul of putting it all together.
It always turns out to be much more involved and challenging, more hours, more self-demanding attention. As it nears completion, the artist is quite glad it will soon be "delivered," not a moment too soon. And yet, those final stages require the utmost effort, not to become sloppy or too quick.
Eventually, the finished "baby" is here. There is a sense of tremendous accomplishment and satisfaction, with this new creation, with which we have already fallen in love, during the entire process.
So much energy, a quiet satisfaction, and mental exhaustion. a period of fatigue, while the batteries re-charge. In the meantime, the feeling can be like depression. The artist will recover; for the moment, however, it can be difficult, after delivering this beautiful "baby."
It always turns out to be much more involved and challenging, more hours, more self-demanding attention. As it nears completion, the artist is quite glad it will soon be "delivered," not a moment too soon. And yet, those final stages require the utmost effort, not to become sloppy or too quick.
Eventually, the finished "baby" is here. There is a sense of tremendous accomplishment and satisfaction, with this new creation, with which we have already fallen in love, during the entire process.
So much energy, a quiet satisfaction, and mental exhaustion. a period of fatigue, while the batteries re-charge. In the meantime, the feeling can be like depression. The artist will recover; for the moment, however, it can be difficult, after delivering this beautiful "baby."
"Pyramid Lamp"
Still life at night, of a pyramid-shaped stained glass lamp, on a table with a bowl of fruit. 22"W x 15"H, on Canson tinted paper. Colored pencil. Based on my reference photo, shown earlier in the blog. The theme is the play of light, in an ambiance of a quiet evening.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
forced inactivity
Shoulder injury. sore (!) tendons in the right shoulder. It is not possible to draw or paint. Ugghhh! Here is the next project (reference photo). Itching to work on it.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
"Kettle Is On"
A tarnished, old tea kettle sits on the stove, for the thousandth time, coming to steam, for a quiet cup of tea. Colored pencil on art paper. based on my photo reference. 8"H x 11"W.
Monday, March 9, 2015
"Sources of Inspiration"
Artists are often asked, "Where do you find your ideas? How do you decide what to paint/draw?"
Years ago, I chose subjects which seemed to be grand and impressive. The paintings were beautiful, and they sold well. Gradually, things began to change.
The real change was living life, and finding it necessary to look more critically at what I was creating. Does this subject move me, or do I simply think it is what appeals to certain individuals?
The answer came over time: if I listen carefully to what speaks to me instinctively, everything changes.
The themes of my painting became simpler, more intimate.
There was also a second change: a growing awareness of the necessity to raise the level of the work itself.
At this stage, I challenge myself to create at a much higher level of execution. The process is fun; it is also intense and demanding. It has also given me an increased appreciation of the amount of hard work, by the masters we all admire. They are not only supremely talented; they also do the blood, sweat, and tears that go into art, which is both personal and long lasting.
Years ago, I chose subjects which seemed to be grand and impressive. The paintings were beautiful, and they sold well. Gradually, things began to change.
The real change was living life, and finding it necessary to look more critically at what I was creating. Does this subject move me, or do I simply think it is what appeals to certain individuals?
The answer came over time: if I listen carefully to what speaks to me instinctively, everything changes.
The themes of my painting became simpler, more intimate.
There was also a second change: a growing awareness of the necessity to raise the level of the work itself.
At this stage, I challenge myself to create at a much higher level of execution. The process is fun; it is also intense and demanding. It has also given me an increased appreciation of the amount of hard work, by the masters we all admire. They are not only supremely talented; they also do the blood, sweat, and tears that go into art, which is both personal and long lasting.
"Autumn Bounty"
"Autumn Bounty" captures the ripened persimmons, still on the tree. The leaves turn colors, echoing all the oranges, browns, and reds in the fruit. Colored pencil on archival art paper.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
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