Sunday, October 18, 2009

Trying to Do Too Much

Have you felt like you just have so much to do that you end up doing nothing - AND feeling guilty about it? Well, that's how I've felt about my website, blog and newsletter. It dawned on me that there wasn't any reason to do a newsletter and a blog, so I removed the newsletter page from my website. That was a relief!!

Regarding the blog - that's something that I decided to do, so why beat myself up if I only add comments once-in-awhile? Afterall, my main focus is being in my studio and creating art. Writing on my blog is secondary.

Speaking of creating artwork. My opening last August at Pippin Meikle Fine Art went well. I sold seven paintings, which I consider to be wonderful. Here are some of the new pieces that were immediately snatched up:

In the Company of Angels, oil on linen, 42x32 inches

Dance with Me, oil on linen, 30x24 inches

Everyone's Gone to the Moon, oil on linen, 30x24 inches

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Creating Art...a series of choices

After moving from Houston, Texas to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1991, I felt adrift. In Houston, where I owned a business I was busy, busy, busy. Though I still owned that business (started in 1984 - sold in 2008), I was no longer involved in the day-to-day activity and didn't know what to do with myself. The following year "Pasatiempo" ran an article about Roberta Harris, an artist who had moved to Santa Fe from Houston and was teaching painting classes. That class was the beginning of my journey to becoming an artist.

There were many dips and dives along the road. I took classes from various artists in Santa Fe, painting images of people and a few landscapes; though I didn't have any strong motivation toward a particular style. I spent a lot of time in my head, rather than my heart, trying to determine a "voice" for my work. One of my most important mentors, Alex Shundi, helped me move the images toward abstraction.

That was many years ago. When I first started painting, I'd look at accomplished artists' work and think - "I wish I knew how to be so certain of what to do next" - as if those artists had all the answers. I've since learned that doing the art is much like life - a series of choices. I guess I wanted there to be one answer - that appealed to my left brain which is a bit of an organization junky. But my right brain embraced the idea that there are many choices when you're doing your artwork and one isn't necessarily more correct than the other.

My overall goal is to paint something that is vibrant, joyful and full of life. To arrive at that point, my paintings will evolve from the series of choices that I make. Those choices are based on how I feel that day, my perceptions and the knowledge that I have accumulated to that point in time, and on and on.

However, no matter which choice I make, what color I apply, how I choose to apply it, there is always the opportunity to choose differently and still complete the painting. For me, leaving the idea that the accomplished artist always makes the "correct" choice and embracing the idea that the choice I make at that particular moment in time is the "correct" one, moving on to the next choice and the next allows a freedom that spreads across the canvas into a completed painting. In that freedom, I'm able to spend time interacting with the painting, allowing it to become an individual world infused with my love and joy during its creation. When I'm able to paint in that "feeling" mode, I'm much happier and more productive.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

New Studio Space...committed

As mentioned in a previous blog, I was looking for larger studio space and found some great warehouse spaces at 2778 Agua Fria (discussed in a previous blog - "New Studio Space...the search is on). Well, I made the commitment for a year's lease and moved during the month of January. This space is wonderfully large - 1300 square feet and I'm thrilled to be able to have this space.

I realize that a painter doesn't need large space to create phenomenal artwork. I've painted in my garage (after backing the cars out), in a small room off the kitchen (once a birdcage for the previous owners' parrots) and outdoors on a deck in the small mountain town of Idyllwild, California. However, I also believe that we should pursue our dreams and mine was moving up to a larger, unencumbered by clutter, studio space.


As I mentioned in my previous blog, I had visions of deKooning's studio. If you've seen pictures of his space (you can find one on my previous blog), you'll see that his space was quite large and the ceilings very high.

I'm looking forward to creating some phenomenal paintings in my new studio space. Right now, I'm settling in and getting used to the space.
Please take a tour of the studio with me...


Tuesday, January 27, 2009

"Trying Stuff" Looking for True Expression

Following is an excerpt of an email from Rick Green, an artist who emails me from time to time. I think he has captured many of the feelings that all of us have.

Rick's email - ...more than that, you've accomplished what I am still trying to learn. I don't imitate or copy your work. That would be impossible anyway. But I do try to take my passion and fascination for the beauty of nature and portray it in my work. And I do it in the similar technique of using color. I'm just not as successful at it.

Too often I stand back and realize I did not accomplish my goal. Or I feel lost and there's the temptation to "try stuff". Then it just feels like shooting in the dark. The piece may turn out well. But the process does not feel right.

If you do not mind, I wanted to ask about how you prepare. What do you do, or where do you go, physically or mentally or spiritually to be at the place where you are able to move the pigments in such a way that they reflect what is inside? I would imagine you live in the place from which you work, emotionally and spiritually that is. Your muse is always close at hand, wherever you are.

But how to get that life onto the canvas? There's the trick. The trap when attempting this work is to "try things," hoping to get lucky, hoping that you'll look down at some point and say "I did it!" I'm sure it needn't be that way. Your work gives me the impression you have opened yourself to let that desire guide you until you stand back and say "That's it and this painting could not possibly have been done any other way."

Following is my response to Rick's questions/comments:

Rick, you are truly reflective and have considered my work, possibly more than I. There are many times that I feel as if I'm "trying stuff." Those times are usually with the mixed media paintings. A few years ago I was trying a lot of "stuff" because I love learning and working in many mediums. At one time, I was painting with acrylics and pouring the paint onto the canvas. Though marketable and well-received, I felt a disconnect with the process as if it were too random and my hand wasn't being seen. Of course, that's a bit silly as there are several outstanding artists, Morris Louis and Paul Jenkins, to name two who's work you recognize as theirs.





I have loved oils since learning to paint and returned to them 3 years ago. The process I use now is multiple layers, glazes of color. However, my ability to use color is innate. Because my paintings are currently intuitive, I think that there may be a bit of "trying stuff" involved with them, at the very least pushing them beyond that point when I could easily stop and know that the painting is complete. Some of them I'd wished I had stopped. Others - I'm thrilled that I kept going.

When I enter my studio, I have a pact that I will pay attention to the random thoughts flitting in and out and make an effort to keep them positive. Another thing is that I'm listening to music and that sometimes has an impact on an individual painting. Right now I'm feeling like I want to try stuff with acrylics again and use them under the oils. So, your email is a nice reflection of the present work and whether I should wander off or keep mining it for more?

The last is a question that remains unanswered and one that I suppose all of us ask many times during our artistic careers.