April 9, 2022 Weekly Musings
Posted on April 08 2022
Announcements:
Blue Dress Accepted Into Exhibition
I am pleased to announce that my work, "Blue Dress," has been accepted into the Emerald National Art Exhibition in Rhode Island.
The juror, Jim Daly, was limited to choosing only 65 paintings out of 279 images submitted; therefore, not everyone could be accepted into the show. It is and honor to have one of my works selected for this exhibition.
Give Peace A Chance Accepted Into Exhibition
"Give Peace A Chance," has been accepted into the 73rd Annual Juried Texas Watercolor Societies National Exhibition. The exhibition will be at the Hill Country Arts Foundation, Ingram, TX.
Opens May 2, 2022
Opening Reception May 14, 2022
Exhibit Closes June 30, 2022
Blogs:
Fragmentation
Featured image: Wild Lupine
When we see a fragment of a yellow curve with black marks, our mind fills in all the fragmented parts and tells us this is a banana. This fill in process that our mind does though is getting more and more tangled and fragmented. It is getting harder and harder for our minds to fill in the missing parts because there is so much out there that we have taken in. But for some amazing, marvelous reason our minds still fill in the missing parts and they still are able to retain images for a lifetime. It is a part of who we are and how we live.
Even though we are pulled like puppets on string in many directions. We are deconstructed and over simplified. This deconstruction in the end, over simplifies ideas and concepts, over simplifies the self and it is easy to fill our beings with gimmicks, fashion and kitsch.
I have decided that the only path that I want to travel in the art arena is to be surrounded by originality, authenticity, craftsmanship, idea and creativity. I have decided to not unfragment my self to the point that I am too simplified, I have decided the clutter of my mind is ok, because it is who I am and how I think. I have decided to listen to myself, to honor myself, and to interact with others who are like minded, and want their realities fragmented.
Commotion At The Bird Feeder
Featured image: Squirrel
As I was quietly sitting and watching the sun rise slowly in the southeast waiting for it to peek just above the garage top, I noticed the crystalline snow hills in the back yard, fields of diamonds. I noticed the black bird on a bent over branch, silhouetted against the grey sky.
The silence was broken by scolding squirrels, trumpeting blue birds, chickadees and flocking finches quickly going back and forth to the pole feeders afraid to land and settle in.
The red fox, the one with the motley fur, had arrived at the ground feeder. She settled in and quietly started eating all the breadcrumbs that I put out. It was a delight to watch her and all the commotion in the trees as she slowly chomped away at breakfast.
What a beautiful way to start the day!
Florida Birds
Featured image: Tiger Bird
While I was on vacation fishing, I painted these little sketches of birds. Some were fun and some were an attempt to be more realistic. My changing progressed as I painted about one of them a day. I was to go from the more realistic birds to the fun ones in an attempt to challenge myself into new thinking, styles, mark making and techniques. All the time thinking of keeping my colors transparent and allowing my drawing of lines to show. I did nine of these birds. I have a video of all of them nice together so you can see the progress. I will then post each one.
Methods
Featured image: Expect the Unexpected
When you take a class or a workshop you are learning methodology. You are learning how to create in a particular way. The class or workshop usually teaches you “how to” methods with some new media or with some new scene or figure. Once you learn that methodology what do you do with it? Put it aside and go on to another? Or do you explore it, expand it, discover new ways that it can be used for yourself?
Finding the self in your work is hard work. But once you have taken all the method classes you need – venture out and do something on your own find your authenticity in your work. Authenticity does not lie in methodology. It is in you as a person and individual. Work with your senses, your instincts and find your own creativity.
Abstract Realism
Featured image: Tides
Abstract realism is a term that describes for me the works of art I have created that come from, reality, realism and then have strayed from reality. I have strayed from reality through the lines I create and the forms and colors I choose. The forms, color and shapes have a resemblance of the real, and yet they don’t.
The meanderings come from my gestural style of painting which is often what I call an improvisation of mark making, and shouts to me to be expressive.
Where do these expressive marks come from? Creativity. Where does my creativity come from? It comes from my history, from years of painting, from memories, from my very being, and being me. They come from all the memories I have and that have inspired me. They come from me.
I cannot paint any other way.
Many of my landscape paintings, my floral paintings and my paintings of creators are all abstract realism. Abstract realism is a subjective approach to painting. It leans towards perception rather than seeming. Abstract realism embraces subjectivity, and the very uniqueness of an artist.
Abstract realism embraces the desire to bring out memories, and our instincts to make a mark a certain way. It embraces the individual, their spiritual souls, and their unique way of being.
New Works:
