Ready for submission

I worked more on these two panels and I think they are ready for submission. The deadline is Wednesday! So I'll take another look tomorrow and perhaps tweak the maple panel. But other than that, it's time to be done.

All at once

I am working on quite a few pieces at the same time right now. Making small changes to them before moving on. Rather than post them all separately, here they are together. I developed the circular mark in the warbler drawing. The texture is begininng to read like birch bark. Today I began drawing from observation in the daisy drawing capturing a wilting bouquet of flowers we have in the house before they entirely fade. I also worked a long string of circular shapes through the composition to create a strong visual movement. According to the group at Joy St, the last panel needed some work to incorporate the disparate elements of the red blotch and the highly realized sparrow. They suggested adding a second bird, and I'm still not convinced. I am trying to work it out now with simple changes like extending the green maple leaves beyond the blotch and working on top of it with collaged leaves.

#32 mum

The first warbler

I did indeed drill holes into this painting. I felt very liberated after my discussion at the Joy St. Studios. I think I became too enamored of this project and didn't know where to take them after a while. I may still add a few more elements to improve the visual flow of this composition. But at this point, I have introduced the lavender shape behind the orzo to mimic the shape I formed with the pasta. And I have inserted screws into some of my drilled holes to incorporate other raised elements. In this picture there is some purple wire wound around the central drilled holes, but I may change that.

Warbler revisit(s)

I attended my first critique yesterday with a group of painters I met who work at the Joy St. Studios in Somerville, MA. I toted along my first two Warbler Experiments as well as three of the larger bird panels I completed recently. I got a lot of good feedback concerning my compositions and approach. And last evening I couldn't wait to get back in the studio. The subjects of discussion for the two Warbler pieces were a lack of cohesive composition and a need to develop the third dimensionality of the pieces since I had opted to open that door by adhering pulses to the panels. I went beserk with this pieces and threw lots of stand oil and gold leaf on it. I don't have a photo of the smaller Warbler painting, but I took a drill to that and then added some brass screws to the composition.

#31 twig and shadow

What a wretched photo, right? Sometimes I can't resist the impulse to photograph and post my work. And this morning it is pouring buckets of rain outside. Consequently, the light in my studio is terrible. I will rephotograph and repost this as soon as I can. But here it is in all its awkwardly exposed-ness for you to view.

Updates

Here are some updates of paintings I am working on in the studio. (It's not all ink and paper...) I don't know what is going on with the top panel. I think the background color I chose is causing this piece to edge into very a fluffy, candy-coated, pallette. I am not sure what I think about that other than "go with it".

The second image is from the panel with the warbler and the oak leaves. I know it's not much different than the previous post, but I have begun to refine the detail in the bird and introduce some of the markings on the plumage. I had to include a shot. I am just so in love with the image.

Warbler 12" x 12"

"Ooo, Warbler...Where'd you come up with that title?..." Right? I know, I know. It's time to purchase a thesaurus. But I suppose the sameness or banality of the titles has meaning. It doesn't matter to me on some level that I am making images of birds or leaves. They are vehicles for the process of image creation.

The above drawing was begun yesterday when I was over ridden with anxiety. It (the anxiety) really squelched my potential for risk taking and decision making. So I settled into a repititve mark making process to burn off some of my energy. I'm actually happy with the results...

#30 blossom 2

#29 apple

#28 grass 2

Distractions...

I have been working lately (at things other than painting wherein I actually earn money). But I am still managing to eke out a little studio time. I just can't seem to follow through with the photographing and blog posting. Got my painting in the mail to MO last week, and just completed another application for a show near home. This one is a drawing show in Cohasset MA. There is a lot still happening, albeit slowly. I am getting into the studio right now in fact - although with a feeling of anxiety at my approaching cooking class that I must teach tonight...for the first time. Wish me luck!

#27 three seedpods

Working a little each morning.

I have been busy with my job, but I am still able to get into the studio each morning for a quick drawing and then again for a short time in the afternoon. I am excited by this daisy drawing. I was restricting myself to the contour line drawing for a while, but didn't feel like that was allowing me to move forward with the piece. So I have introduced some wet washes and watercolor. I chose the doilies for this image because I feel they reference the weblike intertwining of leaves in the bush. I am not quite sure where this piece will take me.

#26 maple

#25 berries

#24 rosehips

#23 rosehip

October Exhibition

I just received word that I had a painting accepted for an October exhibition. Bluebird of Happiness will be on exhibit at The Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles, MO. Yay!

Daisies 22" square

This is a drawing I began on Tuesday. I saw some brightly colored bushes of flowers on a walk home from the grocery store and I was hooked. The branches are spindly with web like leaves and the flowers are bright bright bright. I am working this drawing as a contour drawing right now and love the stark design feel it lends to the piece. One of my intents working with this subject was to work with the colors of the blooms, but I don't think I have the right watercolor pigments on hand. It will necessitate a trip to the art store. (Perhaps today as I seem very resistant to working in the studio.)

Paper wings 7.5 x 22"

I think it's finished. I wish the bird were a little more realistic and I may work on it further, but I suspect its appearance is related to my skill level with ink and watercolor. I think I just need more practice. One of the aspects of this piece that appeals to me is it's stitched and therefore uneven edges, but I think it may be better to crop this out of the photo for presentation purposes. The result is much neater.

#22 two oak leaves

#21 untitled

Warbler 24" x 24"

You didn't think I'd stop at 3 posts today, did you? Here is the last in the series of 24" square panels that I started in July. You may remember it in its former incarnation as a charcoal drawing with an outlet shaped object. It has a new lease on life, and I think it fits with the other four panels to form a cohesive project. Yay!

#20 leaf

Wow! 20 ink drawings done. This exercise is still going well. I see a huge shift in my pen and ink work wherein I incorporate the experiments I make within this project. Yea!

Paper wings short" x long"

This is a rather small and long piece comprised of scraps of paper I stitched together. The resulting support isn't even square (it's a rectangle, right?). No, I meant to say the edges aren't straight and perhaps the corners aren't 90 degrees. But I like it even more because of that. It feels more like an object than a flat drawing to me. The photo is a little unruly, with the drawing board clip on the right side and the uncropped top and bottom edges. So for you purists out there, I'll post a better one later.

#3 blue warbler

I wasn't even sure I had posted an image of this panel yet. I am poking along. I adhered a strip of cheesecloth along the right hand side of the panel and really like the discreet kind of texture it creates. I am a little tired of the "food" thing, but decided to work with beans and pasta in this piece again. I had considered building a type of layered look with bits of newspaper instead, but I think I will play around with that idea before using it on a panel.

Maple

Do you like the collaged leaves on the panel?

#2 finished

I am simply waiting for the white paint to dry on this panel. I am finished working with it. The only decision still lingering in my mind is whether to seal the piece with a coating of resin. (I suppose if I keep coming back to the idea, I ought to try it at least once).

#19 gingko

#3 blue warbler

#18 leaf shadows

#17 oak leaves

#16 three beans

Botanical V (left panel)

Here is the left side of the Botanical V diptych. These are proceeding very slowly this time round. I am carefully deliberating my choices before working on the paper.

#15 grass

Botanical V (right panel)

Here finally is a photo of the latest large ink drawing I am making. It's only one panel of the piece. The other is equally large and would be displayed to the left of this one. The picture isn't fabulous. I am working on these pieces on the wall, which presents its own set of problems; but I think I realized I am not getting enough light on the drawing when I photographed it. This is the first ink drawing that experienced the influence of the smaller Drawing Project series. There it is - the damnable doilie. Perhaps I should broaden my horizons.

All these posts lately, and to think, I feel as if I am getting nothing done in the studio...

Finished?

This could be wrapped up. At the moment the text isn't yet adhered to the panel. I need to purchase spray mount for that purpose. I don't know what I think about these. The initial honeymoon period is over - when I am too infatuated by a new project, but that's a good development. I have bought three more small panels and if I continue with this project I think I can do so more objectively.

My fear is that they may creeping too closely toward craft and away from fine art. But if that's what I am interested in making there is no sense in stopping simply because it doesn't jive with my perception of my work.

#14 acorns

#13 untitled