Done With the Red Head

Here it is...I finally finished I think. I actually love the craziness of this painting. Something I can relate to! It's actually acrylic and pastel. Now to get it off to the framers. That will be a little fortune!

Now that I'm looking at it, I think I need to add a bolder stroke in the corner at top...too much around her face... well, like I said in earlier posts...I'm NEVER DONE with a painting...

Finished Portrait

After all this time and I finally finished the portrait I started in class. I was at least smart enough to bring the camera and ask the model if I could take her picture which she so graciously said "yes". I struggle with all my paintings..and this is no exception. My initial drawing was off so had several corrections. I think this is off a bit...but...I've spent enough time and am ready to move on.

I have to be honest. Lately I think I have regressed...and working on this portrait was proving something to myself. The perspective on this portrait was looking up at her from quite a ways below. She was on a large platform while I was low to the ground on a drawing horse. I struggled with what I saw and trying to make it work. Squinting is the best thing for an artist...so I guess I'll have to live with squint lines around my eyes!$%*

Long Pose Session at the Palette and Chisel

Tuesday I got up at 5 a.m., met Gerrie at Starbucks and headed to Chicago for the Palette and Chisel. We thought we were being smart by getting there early and getting a good spot in the studio. Well, when we got there almost every spot was already taken! We weren't so tricky after all.

This was my first time painting the figure (or half) other than the portrait class I just took. I struggled. When I go to these things I realize what I need to work on.

Everyone there uses oils....and I of course I use acrylics. Using retarder with acrylics makes them work just like oils. I know...because I use to use oils. In fact I actually had the old problem of not being able to go over some areas because it wasn't drying and was still too slick. I need to use less retarder next time.

I was the worst one in the class. Everyone else looked like the old masters. They were all just beautiful!!!! I felt really embarrassed at first but then I thought..."If every ones paintings looked so beautiful and like the old masters, then at least mine was more original". That's the way to take a bad situation and make it positive! I will not be humiliated into giving up...I just won't!!!

The frustrating part of painting from a live model versus photographs is that every time the model took a break....I had to repaint the folds in her dress...repaint the arms or the profile. It was maddening to say the least.... They are live, breathing people...and yes...they move!

I cropped off the bottom of the posted picture because I didn't get a chance to paint them and it just looked too funky... Also her nose looks big as Gerrie put it...but...hey...it was big. I don't go for pretty...I go for what I see.

I plan to drive in tomorrow and do a 3 hour session.

A Study from My Portrait Class

I thought I posted this. This is a study I did from the Portrait Class I took in Chicago with Bill Schneider. The original was done by Sargent.

I will write more about his method...and why I got lost in the dots but I just got back from being on vacation for a week in Belize Scuba diving.

The paintings from the actual models I have to finish. As soon as I do after getting re aclimated from everything I will post them.

My Portrait class at the Palette and Chisel

I must say I had such a fantastic time at William Schniders portrait class at the Palette and Chisel. It was an intense 4 days but I learned so much! Now to put the principles in action. I had a terrible time trying to do the measuring system. Easy to do, but when I had to translate it...I got lost in the dots. I had to resist the temptation to just draw it. It was like doing math homework for me and math was never my subject!

The first 2 days we copied masters works and then the following two days we had to paint a live model. This was a total first as I usually paint from photographs that don't move and I am also a solitude painter meaning when I paint I don't want anyone around me and I want to be totally alone listening to music. I don't like painting around people I guess because I don't want to feel like I'm being judged. Let me do my thing at my own time with no rushing to get through.

I am my happiest when I am painting and I so much enjoyed this class. I am anxious to sign up for another class when I get back from Belize!

I'm going to post some pictures of class, Bill Schneider doing his demonstration on a live model and then the Palette and Chisel. I love that building with all it's history!!

I met some very nice wonderful people in class that I hope I run into again.

Oh! Also I bought the demo piece as a suvenier of the class.

Tomorrow I'll post what I did in class and what I didn't get to finish and I won't post the ones that didn't turn out at all!!!! LOL

Up-date on the Red Head

My very good friend who lives in Richmond asked me today what I've been doing. I tell her "working on the red head". She wants to see progress so here it is Sheri. You probably won't see much of a difference..but I've moved the eyes and the nose and I've re-done her face more times than I can count, AND, I'm still working on it!

Palette and Chisel Academy of Arts

Yesterday before returning home from Chicago I went to the Palette and Chisel for the first time to take part in their 3 hour long pose study session. Everyone was very nice and the gentleman running that session was a cute older man with a jolly little smile. The other artists set up their easils to paint the subject and I set up a drawing horse to draw since I was there to get a feel how the sessions woud go.

The Palette and Chesil in Chicago was founded in 1895 and is the oldest art organization in the United States.

The founding members were principally evening students at the Art Institute of Chicago. Charles J. Mulligan, an assistant to sculptor Lorado Taft, was able to persuade Taft to rent the organization part of his seventh floor studio on Van Buren Street in Chicago.

The Palette & Chisel served as the artistic home of James Topping Walter Ufer, and Eugene Savage.In 1921, with the help of founding member, Fred Larson, who mortgaged his home for this purpose, the club purchased the mansion at 1012 N. Dearborn Street where it still resides. In 1933, the organization changed its name to the "Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art", as it became an educational, not-for-profit institution.

Some early members of note included:

• Carl Brandner (1898-1961)
• Benjamin Blessum (1877- 1954)
• Walter Marshall Clute (1870-1915)
• John Carl Doemling (1894-1955)
• Frank Dudley (1868-1957)
• J. Jeffrey Grant (1883-1960)
• Oskar Gross (1871-1963)
• Victor Higgins (1884-1949)
• Frank Holme (?-1904)
• Wilson Irvine (1869-1936)
• Thomas A. O'Shaughnessy (1870-1956)
• Karl Ouren (1882-1943)
• Edgar Alwin Payne (1883–1947)
• Emory Seidel (1881- )

Needless to say I plan to go back and eventually join the organization which will allow me to use the facility at will. they also have sculpting classes which interest me greatly!

Quote of the Day

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. Brian Tracy

Went on Facebook and a good friend of mine posted this. Somehow I think it fits! Things happen for a reason!! Thanks Michelle.

Days Off

Since last post I started a new painting of an unusual, wild red head that I am still working on. I'd post the progress but I'm in Chicago at Zanzibars coffee house. And as I said "progress" because I keep finding things wrong with it, and every painting is a painting in progress even when it's all done. At least for me.

I took a break from Valpo to spend three days with my daughter who lives in Chicago. Now on the 3rd day I am having lunch waiting for the Palette and Chisel to open so I can try out their long pose studies. I'm hoping it will all be as wonderful as I hope and I'll want to come back again. The Palette and Chisel is an Art Academy in a wonderfully old stone building on Dearborn St. It was founded I believe in the 1800s and has a very long history of rich stories.

I resigned from 18 Artists which I felt was not taking me where I wanted to go. I am determined not to get lost in apathy and venture into Chicago for more workshops and connections.

My daughter and I watched a movie last night with Leonard DeCaprio called Revolutionary Road. It was a little scary because somehow I related to it. That's how I feel about where we live.

One of my favorite Art Supply stores closed so I ventured over to Dick Blick which surprised me. I had a bad attitude about Dick Blick...because I remember the show as a child. I was never totally impressed with him....however I will say this new store on Kingsbury was very large and carried almost everything you could think of. Art Stores are like candy shops for me. I go crazy! It's like... "I want new toys!"

The Beginning of Abstract Journey

Well, we have a show coming up titled "When Attitudes Becomes Forms" in July. So we have to interpret that for ourselves. So I thought I would do my Attitude toward Abstraction. As you can see I've had a bad start...I've taped paper here and there to see what I like. nope..I've played around with texture in a small are...nope...so I am slowly coming to the idea of putting molding paste over the whole canvas and going totally free flow...pouring color over it...

So here I start out...lets see where the journey takes me. On this one...the painting will take me...I'm looking for a direction...and I don't think this is it. Too many circles...etc. etc...

Which by the way the term "When Attitudes Becomes Forms" was first made and coined by Harold Szeemann who died at the age of 71. He was a curator of his generation. He defined the curators role. He sought, he said, to create shows that were "poems in space".

"Live in Your Head; When Attitudes Become Form, the first major survey of Conceptual art to take place in Europe was due to Szeemann. He introduced Andy Warhol in his first show in Europe. With this show the artists were allowed to contribute any work that they felt would be releveant that was subtitled "Works, concepts, processes, situations, information" marked an important methodological shift for exhibition practice. Some artists such as Lawrence Weiner took out three square feet of wall space, and Michale Heizer demolished the sidewalk with a metal ball, etc.. As the title suggested, this was not an exhibition of artworks but of "attitudes," the implication being that the artists themselves, as creative subjects and eccentric personalities were as much on display as their works.

Information from The Free Library an article written by Daniel Birnbaum

Artist Quote

"Where do you begin to find originality? By knowing yourself. I know that's not the answer people want to hear because that's not easy to do. But that is the answer." - Gorden McKenzie This so fits me!!! I just had to share it!

My attempt at Abstract-Representational

It's been fun just playing around with a paintings the last several cold winter months. I have found that I could just totally close off the world around me. I feel like I don't need food, friends or to even leave the house for any reason. Just staying in my studio listening to music and painting is all I need. Maybe it's my escape from the grey cold windy atmosphere that seems to be the norm. I wonder if I will emerge like a caterpillar in the spring when the sun shows itself once again.

I started this painting of Koi and just didn't like it. Then I just decided I needed to go beyond myself and just play with the piece and make an attempt at surreal. I must say I had fun with it.

I run downstairs and place it on the mantel...stand back in the kitchen...and study it... Normally most people do this in the studio...however my studio is the size of most peoples closet. This ritual goes on possibly 20 times a day. I guess that is one way to get your exercise!

So, as I post this....I will probably see something else that needs to be done. But......hey...that's normal for me. I once remembered a story of (I think it was Monet???) that Monet would sneak into the galleries that hung his paintings and would do minor changes.

Wow! Now I can see my marks are not straight...so as I said....back to the easel...at least another 20 more times...

A Day in the Studio

It was good to have a day today to just paint. I decided I would experiment a little with the hard molding paste. I layered it on canvas board and then painted over that. I really liked the texture. The painting is from a photo I took while visiting the Biltmore in North Carolina in the fall.

Art Barn Drawing Session

I'm posting the drawing from Wednesday night. I was an unhappy camper as it seems I get her back most of the time...so on the last pose I had to move and with all the face forwarding spots taken. I felt like I was a million miles away and couldn't see well (age!). So, it is what it is. Next time I'll get there earlier and grab a premo spot!

I'm still trying to come up with more designs for my commission piece. If there is one thing I've learned with commissions is COMMUNICATION-COMMUNICATION. We are all walking around this planet less than half the time actually connecting and communicating. It gets so frustrating...

Tuesday Gerrie ,Anke and I went gallery hopping in the River East section of Chicago. Most of the galleries were great and spent some time with us which is usually not the case. It was interesting.

I will say a lot of the galleries were carrying the same work they'd had almost a year ago.

I also don't understand why more galleries won't carry more traditional pieces. I say you can not find a classical figure painting (almost) anywhere. Most of it is contemporary or abstract. Don't get me wrong -I LOVE contemporary and abstract. It would all be more interesting if there were more of a mix.

My most favorite galleries in that area would be the Ann Nathan Gallery and Portals and also KH Galleries. They all offer something different though..It's all just opinion.

Paint When Your Emotions are Invested

I'm going through a blue period....

I'm finding if you don't strike while the iron is hot and the emotions high then you become uninspired. I had a series in mind...but between life- the business of art-and having to research to figure out how to execute them...I've just totally lost it. Maybe it's the winter. After doing some preliminary sketches...I'm wondering if it's even going to work.

So...I guess I'll work on some unfinished pieces....gotta go start painting...maybe that'll inspire me.

Here are the drawings from Wednesdays session. I've been trying to use pastel...but need to keep practicing..

Just saying "Hi"

This is so true! Several years back while in Belgium...I walked up to this like pond...and I swear this little guy came up and said "hi"!!! No really he didn't actually say "hi", but he came up and kept looking at me. I reached out to pet him but when I got close enough to actually pet him he went under...a second later he was right back. It was the cutest incounter I have ever had with a fish!!!

Just a little amazing story for this little amazing picture of my friend...

All true! Do fish really do that???

EXPERIMENTING WITH MIXED MEDIA

Since I really don't know what I'm doing regardless of videos...I have to do the hands on approach and make the mistakes so next time I'll have a little more thought in the process. This is really just a play..don't worry piece...a learning piece. I'm showing it cropped..because I think I like it better that way. There's too much going on without cropping it.

I have.-watercolor-acrylic-oil sticks-pencil and metallics. Yeah...I know...I just had to try it all! Silly me.

Quote of the Day

Christopher Schink about the danger of getting stuck in the skill development stage:

"Mistaking virtuosity for substance, they become better and better at saying less and less."

From Mastering Color and Design in Watercolor

Mary Qian

I received an e-mail from the Ann Nathan Gallery in Chicago. I signed up for their e-mails as I do go into their gallery from time to time. They were advertising for an art opening for one of their artists and while I was looking around at their "represented artists" list I came across and artist that stopped me in my tracks. Mary Qian. She does figure, landscape,still life and graphite. It looks as though she leans heavy on the figure which is what I love about her work.

She was written up in Southwest Art Magazine in 2000 and 2004. I've included her website for you. http://maryqian.blogspot.com/

I just found her and had to share her work with you...I know you will love her work as much as I do!

Starting out the New Year

Here's to a good New Year for all of us!

Christmas was wonderful. We went to Columbia, Maryland for New Years and I came back with a terrible cold. I use to brag that I never got sick....welll, I can't brag any more!

So now that the holidays are over and I am feeling human again my mind is spinning with what I need to be working on. I need to do some last minuet work on a clients painting...and then discuss a possible new job for her. And, then there are always those on going projects.

I did a shoot to start my "Dividing a Life" piece which will be a part of a series of 3 paintings relating to loss. The other one I already have done in my mind as well...now I just need to start these pieces. They are in my mind saying..".paint and make me real!" These are not pieces that will sell because they are deeply personal. It will just be an interesting exhibit.

It's not always just picking up the brush and painting. There is always a lot of thinking on the best way to execute a piece. You have the idea...but you need to give it something different..something interesting to look at. Which is why I have to figure out on the dividing a life piece....if I take actual photos of my parents life and collage them on the canvas...fading it out in areas with medium or just paint the painting and then take a see through material-photo print on it and then seal it over the painting allowing both to show...And then there's the canvas. It has to be very sturdy and a 36x36. So...now I know I have to take a trip to Pearl in Chicago to gather my supplies

I strive for a productive year!

Up-Date on Messing Around

Merry Christmas - Happy Holiday

Merry Christmas
Happy Holiday
Happy Hanukkah
Happy everyday!

See you all next year! Here are some scenes of my pre-Christmas...

Down Time

O.K.. I know....here I go ...messing around again...but I will say...not HAVING to do anything (now that I'm caught up for the holidays) has given me a chance to take one of my old life drawing sketches and play around with it. I've never taken a collage class, but have always wanted to learn, so I started playing with my water color sticks...then added some acrylic, then I started playing with some torn paper..I needed to hold the paper up to see if I liked it or not...then....POOF!!! It hit me...Eureka...(I think) . The tape I was using a good friend had given me years ago...and it reads "Smart women hold it together"...so I thought..why not just leave the tape on there since it's a figure of a woman...and I'm thinking I'll do some light something with pencil in the background that relates to that theme...just to add a little interest.

I may wind up throwing it out...but...it's fun to be like a kid to "play" and not worry if it turns out or not!! And, maybe in the process I'll learn something!

I pick my daughter and granddaughter up in Chicago Wednesday...and I'm going through withdrawals not being by a young little person that still believes in magic. I'm an adult....and I still like the magic!!!

Lucian Freud Quotes

I want paint to work as flesh, I know my idea of portraiture came from dissatisfaction with portraits that resembled people. I would wish my portraits to be of the people, not like them. Not having to look at the sitter, being them. As far as I am concerned, the paint is the person. I want it to work for me just as the flesh does.

+ The longer you look at an object, the more abstract it becomes, and, ironically, the more real.

German born British figurative painter Lucian Freud
born Lucian Michael Freud - Berlin, Germany - 8th of December, 1922 / Lives London, UK
Popular Lucian Freud works include figurative paintings and etchings of the nude and portraits. His paintings are worked and reworked over time, using the skills and methods of old masters to create contemporary works that comfortably exist in the present.

Playing with pastels

Last Wednesday was the last Life drawing session before the holidays. I did a sketch of our model and because I was so busy with the holidays didn't really get a chance to really get into anything. I put the sketch up in the studio and just kept playing with it. Not having the model in front of me to figure out all the shadows or to make corrections...I just messed around... The leg looks off...but it is what it is. The face I'm not sure is in scale...but...it's art...which means I could put two heads on her if I wanted...and it would be "art"...so...here is my messing around creative endeavors until after the holidays.

Pastel

Another week, another session on Life Drawing....
I attempted to use a medium I haven't used in years and a medium I never learned a lot about. In drawing everyone uses different mediums....paint, ink, graphite, watercolor..and me...well, I was just needing to get back in the saddle and needed desperately to practice so I used graphite ...but....last week I did try pastel. I attempted to block in as my friend Gerrie does and it came out absolutely horrible!!!! SHE...has perfected her style...Finally on the longer pose I drew her, then used pastel. I combination of method and it was a little better.

It's hard to do anything as this month consumes me trying to get all the necessary things done for the holidays. I can feel I am a whirlwind-just blowing around errands.

This drawing is surly not perfect...her torso-yes, is a little long towards her hips...but...that's why I keep going!

She looks like she was falling asleep...she was!

Wednesdays Life Drawing session

Gerrie my friend who is also an artist is a blessing for me. To be able to have someone who understands and shares the same interest is a great treasure. Wednesday evenings from 6-9:30 we go together to the Art Barn to do our Life Drawing sessions with a few other serious artists. This is such a cute place. It's out in the middle of nowhere. An old farm converted to an artists haven which carries several art shows every year. The stools, easels, tables and floors are coated with layers and layers of paint while paintings hang along the walls. Big windows to look out over the sunflower and corn fields. Trees with small painted hanging bird houses throughout. It is totally adorable! I'll have to take a picture and post it so you'll know what I'm talking about.

I watched my friend Gerrie on our 30 minuets sketch since I was curious how she started her pastel sketches. Normally I just do graphite and my approach is very rigid. It was interesting as she just scribbled color down in a block and then her hand was in a rhythm, moving around until her marks created spaces that she kept refining. The finished product was loose and beautiful! So next week...I'll give it a try.
p.s. You can obviously tell this is my drawing since it isn't loose....I messed around with it later. I look forward to trying Gerrie's technique next week.

Chicago show

An opportunity to show in Chicago came up quickly and I seized it. Someone in Chicago had an empty building they were willing to give us to show our work as long as we paid the utilities for the month. Not bad!

It was amazing the way we all descended on this empty quiet building on a 6 way intersection on Lincoln Avenue and transformed it into a decent looking Art Gallery in a matter of about 2-3 hours. My daughter who lives in Chicago god bless her helped out along with my grandaughter of 4 and several other artists. Assembling the folding screens and numerous other little duties was a learning experience for me.

Christmas Painting for contest

I started this a couple days ago for a contest in Michigan City. I always wanted to do my own Christmas cards and always never did...so I thought this would motivate me. Last year I posted some pictures of the ornaments on my tree I just loved and Bill another artist from another blog encouraged me to paint one....so Bill....I did finally! Any way...it's hard to believe that Christmas is almost here....I still feel like I never got summer...and now the year is slowly closing on me.

Quote of the Day

“Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

-Pablo Picasso

A shot from the show at Miller Beach at the Lakefront Gallery last month.

Vegetarian and Three Graces

Quote of the Day

"When we discovered Cubism, we did not have the aim of discovering Cubism. We only wanted to express what was in us."
~ Pablo Picasso

Ode to Klimt

Yes, Klimt is one of my favorite artists. So when I decided I wanted to just PLAY around with a little with collage I picked some of my old calendars I'd saved with his work, and intuitively worked on this piece. Sometimes It's fun to just "mess" around.

So here is my "just messing around" piece.

I wonder how someone would interpret this since It's done intuitively???? Maybe I don't want to know!?

Art Quotes

Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is
taking the risk to be alive.. the risk to be alive and express
what we really are.
::: Don Miguel Ruiz :::

You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle
of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.
::: Paulo Coelho :::

Savannah, Georgia

Can you see the difference???

This is the part of fine tuning...where the painting is either working or it's NOT. Can you even notice what I've changed???? I pushed back the buildings and the tops of the trees and the guy's back on her right. Darkened her shadows...tried to soften the mouth on the girl sleeping in the foreground. I put translucent sparkles on her highlights and on the top of the umbrella which you wouldn't notice unless the sun hit her. I darkened under the trees.

anymore suggestions???

Jazz Lady

The hardest part of finishing a painting is the fine tuning at the end. It's the nit picking part...the part where you decide something really needs to go, or something else is really needed. Well, that is where I am with this painting. You look at the same painting all day, every day and it get's hard to fine tune because you are looking at it so much. Maybe this is the part where you let it go for awhile and then come back to it with a fresh look.

I was trying to make this painting about the "Jazz Lady". We were at the Chicago Jazz Fest and I just loved to see this older women in all her splendor, bravado or what every word you'd put to her...just plopping herself down with her suitcase and enjoying this moment for herself...before getting on the train and heading for the airport. I love her attitude and I hope when I'm her age I do the same!

Any way....I'm thinking the trunks and limbs of the trees are creating static noise for me. Too unnecessary...so...what do you think??? Darken-more blurry- under the trees..(by the people).

I know this is a busy picture....I took out a lot...but the whole thing is her and Chicago...the parks, the crowds, the fests...and....her. So that is why I put in what I did. This is the busiest picture I've done. Not sure I'd want to do something like this again...but I still need to finish it.

So, comments please!

Correction on Churning SEa

I was tired when I wrote that last post. CORRECTION......SHE ONLY USED ONE COLOR....BLACK. All the highlights you see were reflections from the strokes...It was totally all ONE color...so you can see how important the brushstrokes in this painting were.

I was given trial color by GOLDEN called Torret Grey which I thought I might try in the painting I am presently working on ...and I'm guess Karen must have used such a color that had a metallic in the black in order for those brush strokes to creat or catch that much light.!?

Churning Sea by Karen Gunderson

While in Santa Fe we ventured over to the Railyard District . The Railroad District was to have lots of Galleries, but several had closed probably due to the economy.

We were in the William Siegal Gallery of Ancient Contemporary art. While walking around I passed a large 72" x 72" painting, and then slowly backed up. I stared at the painting which was d one only in black and white. While staring I found myself backing up and holding my gaze. I was totally enchanted and perplexed by this painting. A painting that I could have easily missed but once my eye caught the image I was spell bound. Believe me....I don't usually get spell bound by many paintings. I literally stood there for 20 minuets.

The painting is by a New York artist called Karen Gunderson. She works ONLY in black and white. Sounds boring...but it is amazing what she has done. Her other works were wonderful, but this one painting is beyond phenominal!!

I'll post the picture titled "Churning Sea" which is exactly what it looks like. How she planned each stroke that catches the light in such a way that the waves are actually moving while you move.

BRAVO to Karen! You've opened up a new world for me. Who would have thought of only using black and white and the direction of the strokes determines how the light catches it and creates the painting!