Latest work on Mom & Dad's portrait

I worked on this twice this week, the second time almost an hour. The experience is contradictory: on one hand, I feel like it's very close to finished. On the other hand,  the closer it gets to finished, the more that, when I look at it, it seems like it needs a LOT more work. And maybe it does... or maybe it only needs some more contrast in a few places, or something. Feels like it's getting harder to tell how much more work it needs, but I'll find out by doing more work. It could be really finished, or at least really all-but-finished, in another week; or it could be another month or two.

 Here's Mom. I think I'm feeling really happy with her; she might be finished. Just maybe.

Here's Dad, and another view of Dad, with his shirt... There are things I'm liking, and things I'm not quite happy with... but I did do a little more work on his elbow:

I think I can see some things to do that I think will make a difference. That's all I need, at the moment: the next few things to try.

Tech tip: do you want to see any of these larger? Click on the image to make it almost-full-browser-window size. (This is not the same as "full screen...")

More work on Mom & Dad's portrait - moving forward; getting close...

 In the past three weeks, I've been working steadily on my parents' portrait.

I had paused it for about six months, then, with great trepidation, worked up to resuming work on it in May. One step was to announce, to a group I'm part of, my intention just to uncover it and look at it. (About a month before that, I'd announced to the group my gentle suggestion to myself that I might be ready to resume work on it. It took another month before I actually started again - but it was still May, just barely.)

Here's what I wrote after that first day back: "I did uncover The Portrait and look at it, this last week, and made a list of all the areas I want to/need to do more work in. I find lists really helpful! Especially at a late stage, where I'm kinda going, um, what does this still need, to be finished? Without a list I tend to answer that with "everything;" with a list, I'm able to start saying, okay, that part's actually finished, and so is that, and actually there's not really very much left to do..."

Here's the list:

(You can see it's written on the back of a car insurance thingy... that last word on that one line of the list? It's "drama" - edge Mom's shoulder and sleeve: contrast/drama." I love the thought...)

I did a bit on this in May, and then some various things intervened in June, including a little half-day Arts & Crafts thing at church, and then the weather, and some other things I forget, and it was another month before I did more. In late June I recommitted to steady work on it for the following week. But was feeling it difficult - scary - to get back to work.

Day One of the three days, the next week, I felt terrified beforehand, and deeply discouraged afterward. Well - afterward I was in full-on tantrum mode, if you want to know the truth...

Day Two: I celebrated that I did it! Just 15 minutes, on my dad's shirt, which felt way easier than working on faces. Given that it was rather hot here and I was sweating away, I was in a reasonable mood. The hot, dry air was challenging for painting. It was too easy to get a lot of hard edges, and not easy at all to soften them. But I felt okay about it. Neutral. Neither great nor horrible.

Day Three: Here's where it really started to shift. I worked 35 minutes, and was feeling decidedly more confident.

This isn't the first time I've experienced this three-day progression of feelings as I begin or get back into a working rhythm on a piece: the terror and despair; followed by kind-of-okay, I-think-I-can-do-this; followed by this-is-starting-to-feel-pretty-good! I find it important to note and remember those progressions. Then, when they hit (especially that Day One), I can go, oh, yeah, I remember this! It gets better...

The next week I only worked one day, and it was a skimpy 15 minutes, but it was helpful. Let's see if I can find the photo from that day:

Got it. I did more work on Dad's beard, which was fun, and some shadow on his face, which helped me see that working on the shadow side, for both of them, is a significant thing this needs.

Then I gave in to the weather, which was too hot, and by the following week I was getting ready to head down to L.A.

Those were some key moments in coming back to working on this portrait.

Last week I re-resumed work on it, following my L.A. trip. I worked twice last week and three times this week. (My working stretches, in case I haven't mentioned it, are not very long these days - sometimes just 15 minutes, sometimes 30 or 45 minutes.) Now it's feeling like I'm really coming to understand more about it, and also I'm enjoying "hanging out" with my parents this way.

Here's the latest:

Oh - have to back up a bit: there was a bit I added to Mom's hair, which then, of course, looked like it didn't fit/had been added. I've been working on making that fit it, which is finally working. Thank you, Chinese White! (Which I finally understand how to use...) Here's how it looked before:

Even though I darkened the window frame behind that, it still looks like an added-on blobby thing here, kind of. But now it's really better.

And another little bit I worked on, last week: Dad's hand around Mom's waist...

There it is, for the moment. I don't know how much longer it will take, but it feels like it's getting close.

Tech tip: do you want to see any of these larger? Click on the image to make it almost-full-browser-window size. (This is not the same as "full screen...")

A newly gathered collection of recent mixed media abstracts

 As I was going through my work in preparation for a little one-day arts & crafts fair at my church (Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains (UUCM) if you're curious), I realized how much I liked some of the pieces I'd been  working on pre-pandemic. Sometimes it takes time and distance to see what you love about your own work; at least, for me it does.

I got a bunch of them matted; before I did that, I had good photos taken, so I'd have good photos for any of these that sold.

The more I look at these, the more I love them. I do see them as kind of a feeder stream for my Dream Surreal watercolors, but I'm also seeing them as lovely and important - if only to me - in their own right. I am reminded sometimes of Miro; sometimes of Kandinsky... and sometimes of nothing I can think of.

So I'm putting these up here as a series. Two of them appeared in my recent UUCM art show, and my photos of those two, the two collages, are not great, but they'll give you an idea. Of the rest, I think the photos are pretty good now.

1) Birth of the Sun Among Oaks: multi-color pencil, colored pencils, collage and watercolor

2) Carnation Chrysalis: multi-color pencil & watercolor? or maybe just watercolor

 3) Downward Oscillating Ripple: multi-color pencil, colored pencils, collage & watercolor

4) Drifting Down Through Basking Layers: multi-color pencil & watercolor

5) Elm's Reaching Arms: multi-color pencil & watercolor

 6) Jeweled Pool Reflection: multi-color pencil & watercolor

 7) Quartering Time: multi-color pencil & watercolor

 8) Rooted Cloisonne Plunge: multi-color pencil & watercolor

 9) Storm Front Passing: multi-color pencil & watercolor

 10) Tones & Vistas, Evening: multi-color pencil & watercolor

 11) Tornado Looming: multi-color pencil & watercolor

 

Tech tip: do you want to see any of these larger? Click on the image to make it almost-full-browser-window size. (This is not the same as "full screen...")

More work on my parents' portrait

 It's been a while! I'm not sure if I've ever posted about the portrait-in-(very long)progress of my mom and dad. It started back in, um, I think 1996? 1998? Anyway, it's been going on for over 25 years now.

I haven't given up on it. I think it is close to completion. I think I could maybe get it done by the end of this year. One of the most terrifying things I've ever worked on - which is a big part of why it's taking so long... I'll post more of the back story in future posts, I think, but meanwhile, starting from now:

Here's a view of more-or-less the whole thing, as it looked about two years ago. It's distorted, as you can probably tell if you look closely, but it gives you a good idea.

A closeup of the dried grass arrangement, which I think of as part of Mom's portrait - she was growing and drying flowers and grasses, and arranging them, and she didn't really want to be seen herself...

Those dried grasses were a beast to paint. But I think I finally got them.

Mom's blouse - she sewed that, too:

Dad and his shirt (minus pocket protector with a HUGE weight of pens, pencils, notebooks and calculator, which I did NOT allow him to wear when I photographed them):

The latest of Mom:

The latest of Dad:

There you have it, for now.

Tech tip: do you want to see any of these larger? Click on the image to make it almost-full-browser-window size. (This is not the same as "full screen...")

The Art Show: New DreamSurreal Watercolors and Other Work

 Okay, I'm going to take a shot at putting this show on view here. I don't know how well it will work; I would love to hear from you all, how well it works for you, and any suggestions you might have for improvement.

One other caveat: I don't have good photos of some of these pieces (sigh, boo!). I may try to get good photos, once the show is down. But for now, it is what it is. (You'll see which ones I'm talking about, I'm sure!)

First, a video (with a thump in the middle, where I bumped into the table or a chair while I was videoing):

[VIDEO]

I hope that works - I've never tried adding a video before, don't know how to post to YouTube - okay, NOW I know how to post to YouTube - or any of that. (Update - it says "video is unavailable," so I'll have to figure out more about that... deleting for now... Updated update: have now figured out how to post to YouTube, but not how to format a video so I can post it here...)

Next, in situ photos of the show - which is in the little library room of my church, Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains, in the northern California foothills - reflections and all.

And, spreads of the groupings - here's where my photos are not very good, in many cases, and for some of them I only have photos of the framed pieces, so you still get the reflection...

  Tech tip: to see any of these larger, click on the image to make it almost-full-browser-window size. (This is not the same as "full screen...")

Finally, the names of all the pieces (top to bottom, then left to right):

  1) Curtained Embryonic with Full Moon, 1996
                    watercolor on paper
  2) Satrine Tide in Eclipse, 1996
                    watercolor on paper
  3) The Horse's Ass Painting: a Self-Portrait, 1999
                    watercolor on paper
  4) I Think We Must Be Underwater, 2024
                    watercolor on paper
  5) Threaded Through, 2024
                    watercolor on paper
  6) Haiku Colors: Above the Earth, 2009
                    watercolor on paper
  7) Bow & Change, 1996
                    collage with rubberstamp
  8) Charged, 1996
                    collage
  9) A Kindness of Tendrils, 2024
                    watercolor on paper
10) Chickenfoot Serpentine, 1999
                    watercolor on paper
11) Haiku Colors: Sounding, 2009
                    watercolor on paper
12) Gimbal Cascade, 2019
                    collage with watercolor and colored pencil
13) Peasoup Jam Session, 2019
                    collage with watercolor and colored pencil
14) Downward Oscillating Ripples, 2019
                    collage with watercolor and colored pencil
15) Doppler Triffid, 2019
                    multicolor colored pencil and watercolor
16) Denning: Gone to Ground, 2019
                    multicolor colored pencil and watercolor
17) Infinity Horse, Interlaced, 2024
                    watercolor on paper
18) Haiku Colors: Haiku Sky, 2009
                    watercolor on paper
19) Haiku Colors: Incipient Reach, 2009
                    watercolor on paper

And - the Wall Intro.

Art Show is up, and starting work on new Dream Surreal watercolors

 Got the show hung today, with help from Phil Horning - thanks! And cheering on from a few passers-by in church (UUCM - Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains, in Grass Valley, California). Phew!

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying more breathing space as the pressure to get ready eases off, and have been starting painting on two of my three new pieces. Yesterday I started on night sky with a full moon, behind/among branches - which means the night sky is all in pieces.

I had taped the edges of the sheet, and thought that I could paint my washes right to the edge, and have the tape block it. But I started seeing hints of spreading bleeds of color showing through the tape... and realized that when I get the paper that wet, it acts like sponge, and pulls the paint along, and the tape is no barrier. In fact, now that I think of it, the tape may exert some capillary action on the paint, acting like the opposite of a barrier...

I pulled up part of the tape once the paint had dried enough,  to check whether what I was afraid had happened, had really happened. Yep. The paint bled under the tape. Oh, well. The effect is kind of interesting, though I'd really prefer having crisp edges to having some interesting effects, but I think I can live with it. I am wondering if a better brand of drafting tape would keep this from happening...

I like the moon, though, with a ring around it.

Tech tip: do you want to see this larger? Click on the image to make it almost-full-browser-window size. (This is not the same as "full screen...")

Exhibit: New DreamSurreal Watercolors and Other Work

Now showing, at Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains - in the library - at 246 S. Church St., Grass Valley, California:

                     New DreamSurreal Watercolors and Other Work

 

March 20 - May 15, 2024

by appointment (contact me), or

Reception: Sunday, April 14th: 12:00 - 3:00 pm

RSVP

If you can't get there in person, here's (my attempt at) a virtual viewing.

 

And - to learn more about my art, see more of it, and order prints and other stuff (mugs? jigsaw puzzles, anyone?), this post will tell you more.

Where to find my art + some helpful instructions

I show an extensive range of my work on FineArtAmerica:

My FineArtAmerica gallery

Included are collections of animal portraits, more Dream Surreal watercolors, collages, other abstract pieces,  and other work. (Click the Collections tab under my name, then click the collection you'd like to see more of.)

If there's a piece that you love, you can order prints or greeting cards of it on the FineArtAmerica website, quite easily. If you'd like a mug or a jigsaw puzzle, a phone case or a notebook with this art on it, and all sorts of other stuff - shower curtain, anyone? - that's a little more involved: see instructions below.

And if there's a piece you love, and would love to have a mug (for example) with it on it, but it isn't available on a mug, let me know and I'll add it to available images. You can put your request in a comment, at the end of this post, or contact me:

 Email me

To order mugs, jigsaw puzzles, phone cases, totes, etc:

1) Go to my FineArtAmerica link.

2) Click the Shop tab under my name.

3) There will be a sidebar on the left; under the Search box, there's a dropdown menu that says Department; if you click that you'll see a list: All Departments, and Wall Art, are the top two, followed by Home Decor, Apparel, Phone Cases, Stationery, Lifestyle, Beach, and Totes & Pouches.

4) Click the Department you want, and more options will show up. For example, Lifestyle gives you choices including Totes, Coffee Mugs and Jigsaw Puzzles.

5) Click the option you want, e.g. Coffee Mugs. You will then see, in the central area of the page, a selection of mugs for my various collections. There are more available than are shown on this first page; to see all the available designs, ->

6) click the Collection you want (e.g. Dream Surreal Watercolors). Then you should be able to see all available designs, which will link you to an ordering page. 

IF YOU DON'T SEE THE PIECE YOU WANT (after clicking on the collection), LET ME KNOW AND I'LL ADD IT.

Then -- holy cow! You can customize your piece all sorts of ways. Change the background color; zoom in, or out...

Finished photos of these last four Dream Surreal watercolors

Phew! Taking deep breaths!

After a bit of a saga in trying to get good photos of my new pieces, I finally got good ones. Here they are:

                                 Infinity Horse, Interlaced

 

                                I Think We Must Be Underwater

 

                                A Kindness of Tendrils

 

                                Threaded Through

 Now I'm getting ready to frame them (another saga, but I have my mats and frames now), and will hang my show next week, with these and some earlier Dream Surreal pieces, and some other work. To be decided.

 

Tech tip: do you want to see any of these larger? Click on the image to make it almost-full-browser-window size. (This is not the same as "full screen...")

Drawings ready for three more new paintings

Working titles: DS #5, DS #6, and DS #7.

DS #5:

 

Upper image is the tracing, ready to transfer; lower image is the drawing from which the left side of the painting-to-be is taken.

DS #6:

Trees with a moon, a self-portrait with my hair wrapped in a towel from close to 50 years ago, and a toy draft horse colt reiterated.

DS #7:

With a sketch-painting that's forming part of the left side:

Moving ahead! Kind of exciting!

Tech tip: do you want to see any of these larger? Click on the image to make it almost-full-browser-window size. (This is not the same as "full screen...")