Finished Commission - and Thoughts

I was reminded yesterday by an online friend that my blog is suffering from neglect!  Yes, it's true.  As I have worked to get a presence on FB, Etsy, Artstack and Saatchi, I have run out of internet posting patience.  It can be exhausting all this sitting and typing on a flickering screen - and with my particular visual problems - painful.I often end up in bed with a powerful headache, too drained to blog. 

And yet Blogspot is where I feel most comfortable; where those who stop by are more like to look closely, read and interact in more than just a superficial manner (as on FB).  I've met some wonderful people here over the years and I want to maintain those relationships and continue to meet new folks.

So even though I am a visual artist by trade, writing helps me to work out what I really think.  It forces me to organize my thoughts and understand the "whys" of things and thoughts and opinions, not just the "whats." And finally, here on Blogspot (and WordPress) there is such a wealth of talented people who write, paint, photograph, or perform and whose creativity inspires and delights.  I love that we are each others audience.

Commission:  Lady Godiva -Triumphant . 60 x 36 acrylic on canvas

This commission occupied me on and off for the past several months; researching, drawing, making changes and finally completing this large ode to classicism and symbolism.  No head bowed and posture cowed Godiva here.  She sits relaxed and confident upon her powerful steed, her scepter symbolizing her great heart and love of life.  In her left hand she clutches a rose, her representation of rebirth.

Installed in client's home.

The background depicts landmarks from the client's home region: a rushing river, a particular mountain, distant vineyards and vegetation - all meaningful to her.  I loved painting the prancing free rein horse and doing a figure study was quite a change of pace for me!  I really hated covering up the wonderful job I did painting the left breast - ah well - propriety won out... 

No post is complete without a cat picture... so here is my latest foster failure, Stratton, aka Bratty Stratty.  She is actually very sweet except she's at that stage where feets under the sheets are wa-ay too tempting.  She's half Siamese, has one slightly crossed eye and chronic sinusitis - which is why she's ended up staying with me,  

Multiple motif dresser for a client

I used to do a lot of painted furniture - and I still do quite a bit - but I don't often get called to do something this elaborate and colorful.  This style was very popular during the 1990's, but it is relatively expensive due to the length of time involved in constant taping and/or touch up as one color is laid next to or over another.

The client found a pair of these small dresser/side tables made in 1970 and all solid wood, painted white by someone.  The piece was only $159.00!  I had great fun doing this and the client loves it.

I still have to put the top coat on and this little piece is so heavy I'm keeping on the dolly til done. 

Below are a couple of multiple motif style pieces by some well known designers

A Tracy Porter set.

A piece by Mackenzie-Childs

It's like painting a large abstract...

Making art.  Painting furniture artistically.  The same principles apply.  Make the color pleasing to the eye.  Add textures and more color/s.  Work the whole surface until you and your client are satisfied.   Seal to protect.  Head home for a dip in the pool... (See below.)  And I sold a painting last week! 

The finished desk.

The finished file drawers.  Yellow, gold and black over red.

Before - great functional piece - awful "pecan" finish.  Doors, hardware drawer fronts removed for sanding.

What?  You were expecting an in-ground kidney deal?  This is my rainwater filled cool down pool.  You'd be amazed how refreshing it is to just pour water over your head when the outside temp (and my body temp!) is over 95 degrees.   Sometimes the water heats up so much I have to add cold well water to get my cool down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gracie in the dryer.  The metal was cool and the house was hot...  Doesn't she look pitiful?

This is Chaps

This memorial portrait was painted for a wonderful animal loving couple who've commissioned several other pieces from me and other artists.

Chaps, 12 x 12 acrylic on canvas (commission)

Though Chaps is no longer with us, he had, for a brief time, the best home a rescued weimeraner could hope for. We'll miss you, Chaps...

I finished Chaps portrait a few days ago, and had to take some time off from painting to work on getting the shop/studio going. My artist friend Carol and I slaved all weekend (and Friday, too) schlepping furniture, wood and lumber, tons of boxes, trash, collections and assorted crap/junque just to make room to work.

We've a long way to go (as is obvious from this "before" photograph) but the plan is to be open sometime in September. By utilizing a building right here on the property, we can save enough to afford some advertising.
The first load of trash and recyclables went off this morning! That big tangle of vines on the electric pole is yellow jasmine - I hate to do it, but I'll have to cut it back. I'll keep posting our progress.

Jeepers creepers, where'd she get those peepers? Yes - once again h-e-e-e-r-e 's Molly! I just love this photo of her sweet tabby face. Molly has the biggest eyes of any cat I've ever seen. And if you think is something, you should see her impression of Yoda (coming soon in a future blogpost...)

Finished commission

Here's the final version. After much considering - and input from others - (thanks again, all!!) - I decided to first finish the areas that I felt needed more work, i.e., deepening and adding more blue purplish tones to the shadows around the dogs and in the foreground. I also softened that left post, added some warm tones to it and misted the greenery in the background so that it receded a bit more. Then I re-evaluated once again.

Portrait of Sassy and Katie, 36 x 48, acrylic on canvas. Private commission.

Among my friends, I'm known as a painter of "empty" spaces and lonesome landscapes. It's true that I like a certain austerity of composition for the most part. Formal compositions according to the book just, well, bore me. I like a certain tension - and I like to lead the eye by various means that won't be too obvious. By deepening the shadows and carrying those deeper colors down and off the left foreground, I feel there is interest without having resorted to a status quo solution. At least that's how I see it!

The client loved it - and let's face it - that's really important.

I've been enlarging some photos as I post them - but the proportions don't always come out perfectly, resulting in slight blurring. I'm going to leave this one alone, so to see more detail, just click to enlarge.

The original posting (before changes) is shown below:

Wide open spaces and a commission's progress

What Remains, 24 x 24, acrylic on deep cradle panel

Finally found some time to get back to a larger painting. I'd photographed this pine a while back with the intention of painting it just as was in reality, i.e., with its full quota of needles. I loved how its asymmetric branches reached to either side and up and away. As I began to fill in the needles, I realized it made more of the statement I had in mind as is, with just a crown remaining.

It's symbolic of the struggle against all odds: timbering, old age, pine beetles, and extreme weather. This will be part of my "Branching Out" show in January. It's a little out of focus, as I photographed it in the house with only incandescent light, so I'll replace this shot with a better one tomorrow.

Portrait of Sassy and Katie, 36 x 48, acrylic on canvas.

This commission for a portrait of two dogs is a large canvas - 36 x 48 - to go into a big timber frame home. I've still a ways to go on the shadows and highlights and both dogs' feet, but it often helps me to be more objective when I post things online. I'd love to hear any feedback or responses anyone has. For one thing, I'm wondering if the post on the upper left needs more softening? Wha'd'ya think?