Flicker and abstract landscape....Another Flew the Coop

SOLD

Last weekend was the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts and I had entered this painting in the show and happy to say he has flown the coop, (my art studio) and found a new home.

FIVE CHICKADEES title"Five Amigos"

SOLD

 

I felt I couldn't give up on my blog, so I have spent several hours trying different fixes.  Something worked, just not sure what!  I did some updates to Internet Explorer and Windows, perhaps that helped; really won't know until I try and post another photo. I'll try posting again this weekend, keeping my fingers crossed the issue is gone.

 

This piece isn't large, just 18" long by 6 1/2" wide.  Done in oils and the back ground colors were inspired by one of my favorite artists; Raimonds Straprans.

 

NO LONGER CAN POST A PHOTO

I have reached my limit with this BLOG, I can no longer post a picture to it without going through many frustrating attempts.  Clear the cookies, cashe, etc. compatible view and on and on I try.  Just so not worth my time, of which I could be painting!  Why have you made it so difficult GOOGLE??? So many error codes.  I'm not computer savvy enough to try and spend more time messing up what I like on my computer.   That's my rant for today....

MAKE A WISH....

 Make a Wish, Oil, 24"x24"

 

Once again a long time between posts. I have spent the winter taking classes with Jennifer Diehl, http://www.jenniferdiehl.com/.  The first class was a color workshop that was so educational. I have painted for years and studied color theory many many moons ago in collage, but this class really made me put into practice what I was learning.  She has been teaching at the Brush and Palette for the past several years and I decided to do two back to back 8 weeks courses. 

I feel so extremely fortunate that she has been teaching in my area where I live because she is so knowledgeable and an outstanding teacher.  She started studying with Henry Stinson from the age of ten to eighteen.  After that even as good as she was as an artist knew there were four more areas she felt she needed to better her art.  So from there she found the four artist she felt could help in those areas.  I so admire an artist who even though she is an internationally known artist still will take workshops from other artist whom she feels she can learn from.  The bottom line is we can always become better at what we do by seeking the answer to what will improve us.

As I have stated before in my posts I am attracted to flowers in various stages, from full bloom to the beauty of when the bloom is done.  I think Dandelions have so many interesting forms and colors after the yellow bloom is done and the seeds go sailing off to become  a pest in our lawns and landscapes.

New and Old Assemblages

  New One Title: Past Generation"

 

  Old One (private collection)

 

 

  New One Title:"3 Directions" (SOLD)

I have been in a sort of a painting funk and decided to step away for a bit.  I have had two very old empty wooden cashiers drawers hanging around in my studio for ages and decided it might be a good time to work on something different.  I have created assemblages in the past and have a odd collection of items that really needed a home.  I can't remember where I bought the vintage photos, perhaps at a garage sale or flea market.

The second assemblage is owned by my son Michael.  He was visiting us in Portland a few years ago and while he was here usually like to visit antique and junk stores. He is also a collector of things and will occasionally bring me an oddity such as a dolls head or the lady sitting crossed legged in the second piece.  The old frame I used was something I lugged back on a plane after visiting him in LA.  That one also has bits of broken green glass I will often pick up off the street when perhaps a car has a broken window. That one also has jewelry included.

The last piece is another wooden cash drawer filled with odds and ends that I have stored away for just such a  purpose... to re-purpose into something new. I had fun with the three small compartments at the bottom of the piece; that was all about layering various items to get what I wanted.

I should have posted that three of my assemblages are showing at the SideSteet Gallery for the months of April and May.  Rita Larson and Michael Pratt of "Pratt and Larson Tile" are the wonderful owners who support the arts and arstists with their funky and charming gallery and I am always proud to be a part of the shows they put on. 

RED CYCLAMEN

This has been a super frustrating post. The picture came in rotated and it has taken me close to a half an hour to get it right side up, nor can I figure out how to get rid of the ridges crossing the picture...UGH!  Couldn't begin to explain how I finally rotated it.  Think I will try and take a new picture and see what happens with that one if I get time.  Speaking of time, this sure has been a time waster!

I was leaving a store the other day and saw a table full of beautiful Cyclamen; looking at them made me feel like getting away from the birds and the cold wax process and go back to painting flowers for awhile and to play with shadows.

Oil on Canvas,  size 16x20, cost $350.

Crows in the rain Title" We Should Have Stayed Home"

Another cold wax piece.  I was definitely affected by our recent stormy weather.  We have had some very gloomy rainy days with along with some very strong winds.   I always see the poor birds out there in the elements which I guess gave me the inspiration to capture them and how they might feel about being in the rain.

Size 24"x24" on panel.

RAVEN, Phone Pictures ( Alert Bay, British Columbia)

I did this painting as a gift for two very special people in my life who took me on a sailing  journey of a life time through the wilderness of British Columbia this past August.  One of the trips we took was to a small village called Alert Bay. Through out the whole trip I was on the look out for Ravens to photograph.  Alert Bay has a marvelous museum that show cases the art of  Canada's First Nation People that I felt for me was one of the high lights of the trip. Alert bay was the only place I saw a Raven and was able to photograph the big fellow; so the painting represents my feelings for the area. The Raven, the buttons worn by the First Nation Peoples ceremonial clothes and the water in the bay.  I also incorporated the word "Gilakas'La, which means welcome or thank you in their native language.

 

AUDUBON WILD ARTS FESTIVAL

  "Now I Know my ABCs"

 

For the past five years I have done a small 6"x6" painting for the Portland Audubon Society's annual fund raiser.  They ask about 200 artist to paint on a 6"x6" canvas and then they are sold at $40 a piece, although I think they went up to $45. this year. This is my entry for this year. The event is Saturday and Sunday November 22nd and 23rd. More information can be had at www.wildartsfestival.org.  The show is wonderful with many outstanding artists, authors and craftsmen. The handlers always bring in fabulous birds that are being rehabbed and give a talk about why they have the bird in their care.

Cold WAX and Oil Painting of a Flicker

 "FLICKER"

 

This beautiful fellow comes to our bird feeders along with his mate from time to time. He is one of the larger woodpeckers that come to our feeders. The abstracted landscape part was done in oil and cold wax and the Flicker painted in oils.  The piece is 24"x24"

COLD WAX PAINTINGS

 Golden days of fall

 "Colors of Fall"

 

Once again I have been lax in posting.  The two pieces above were done over the spring but I never felt like posting them.  I guess my problem is I really am not too sure where I am heading with the cold wax and oil paintings. I have been incorporating either botanical or birds with the abstract element representing an abstracted landscape, question I ask myself is should I continue along those lines or give up and move on.  The first one is titled "Golden days of Fall" 12"x12" and the second one is "Colors of Fall" 12"x12".  Fall here in the Portland area has been glorious with all the beautiful colors of golds and reds.



Birds and Abstracts

  Marigold 24"x24"

  Seeing Beyond 24"x24"(SOLD)

 

I have been trying my hand at doing cold wax with my oils, working in a series.  In older posts I talked about doing the flowers along with an abstract landscape.  Several of the newer pieces I will be showing at the Tualatin Art Splash are from a series using birds along with an abstract element, ( see previous post) These are larger pieces 24"x24".  Looking forward to the show and hope to see you there.

New Birds for the Tualatin Art Splash

  (SOLD)

The birds and I will be at the Tualatin Art Splash Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 18th,19th 20th.  It's a wonderful event for the whole family, besides a great variety of artists there are events  planned for every hour including a concert Friday and Saturday nights by outstanding musician.
Check out the list of times for the various events.  All the art is under a huge tent by the lake.
http://www.tualatinoregon.gov/recreation/artsplash
 

For Susan....Chickadee Sold

Had to post this recently sold painting to my dear collage roommate from Moore College of Art located in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.  Susan (Schildknecht) Mobley and I were "Advertising Art" students together and she and two other girls; (we were girls back then,)   Royanne (VanRiper) Oehlerking, and  Kibby (Doerrer) Pindell were suite mates.  Thanks to the Internet Susan was able to locate me after... dare I say after almost 50 years!  Saw the birds I had painted and bought the Chickadee painting.   I may complain about the Internet from time to time, but when a dear old friend finds me it's the best .It's been wonderful to catch up with everyone at various times to see where life has taken all of us.   We are miles apart;  me on the West Coast, Royanne in the middle of the country, Chicago and Susan on the East coast, Virginia. It really would be wonderful if we could all get together before we are to old to walk, see and hear. 

Been working on some much larger bird paintings along with the abstract cold wax which I hope to post soon; I always have good intentions to get the work online but my life seems to go in other directions, perhaps because writing is just not my thing. I really admire artists or any blogger for that matter who post consistently.

Zinnia and Agapanthus SOLD!

  SOLD

ZINNIA TANGO

 

  SOLD

AGAPANTHUS

It's always a very nice surprise that when a show ends and you go to pick up your paintings to find out that two have been sold.

More Crows and Birds

 Stellar Jay

 Gold Finch

  SOLD

  SOLD

 

Some more 8"x8" birdies done in oil or acrylic. The two crows paintings were in a recent show at the Side Street Gallery in Portland owned by Rita Larson and Michael Pratt, the owners of the beautiful tiles made by Pratt and Larson.

http://sidestreetgalleryportland.com/

CHICKADEES!

I have been itching to try my painting hand and brain out of the doldrums by painting some birds on a much larger panel; this is started on a 24"x24" cradled panel. I thought I should attempt to paint the birds before working on the bottom portion of the panel in the layers of wax and oils. Still trying to envision what the bottom landscape should look like.

Cold WAX, Landscape in Transition... No 8

This number eight of the twelve I hope to create, working with the concept of the landscape in transition.

Cold Wax, Landscape in Transition

I was hoping to be farther along in my landscape series.  My goal was to have 12 done by now, this is number 7; could be the winter doldrums that have me stuck in a painting rut.

The left side is painted with oil paint mixed with Cold Wax Medium applied in layers.  The right side is done with oils. Size 12"x12" on cradled boards.

Oregon Flower Gardens Landscape Transition #8, (Peony) Oil and Cold Wax

Sometimes no mater how hard I try I just can't seem to get the colors adjusted correctly in my photos of my art work.  I put my photos into Microsoft Digital Imaging, which has some color adjustment  ability but I still never get it quite right.  The red in the flower in this picture is way too intense. Seems like I am always complaining about something in my posts, so onto why I love flowers.

Several years ago a friend took me to the  Schreiner Iris Garden in Oregon. Nearby was a small Peony garden where I took several pictures of Peonies in there past glory.  To me the dying flowers were just as amazing as when they were in bloom.  It's almost as if they have turned themselves inside out to show the other side of the bloom.

In the spring the central valley of Oregon, the Willamette Valley is ablaze with what looks like stripes of colors side by side.  Glorious reds, yellows, oranges, purples, in the fall the blueberry bushes loose their leaves and the branches become another amazing color of red.  Artists paint these amazing fields of flowers and the paintings look so unreal, as if those solid vibrant colors couldn't really exist, but they do.  I am so grateful to live in such a beautiful state.

Landscape in Transition #7 Oil and Cold Wax Painting ( Rose Hips)

I have wrestling with what to name this new series of paintings.  I recently posed the question to several artist friends as to whither they thought I should just number them or give each a separate title. They all thought that numbering wasn't the best way to title a painting. 

All believed that in some cases a persons response to the piece was because of the title.  It resonated with them because the title gave the work something they could relate too in their lives, a memory or feeling of a place they had been to.  The more I thought about it I wondered also if I should include in the title the flower that I painted in each piece, since the flower is not in it's most beautiful state of being and may not be completely recognizable.

So, I would really welcome comments as to your thoughts on the subject.  How do you feel about the titling of art work?  Is it just the painting that appeals to you or does the title also give the art meaning to you?

Landscape in Transition #6

In my last post I wrote about where my flower inspirations came from.  The lovely Chinese Lantern
specimen came from my friend Wendy.  It's beautiful delicate flower.  On my first attempt at painting it I complained to my friend that I just couldn't capture  what I was seeing in the flower, something was wrong, what wasn't I getting right, she said and I quote; " you need more orange in the lanterns, " so that was my next attempt to get it right. Well, after much noodling with color I still haven't gotten it "right."

I think one of the problems is they appear too opaque; the lanterns have a wonderful translucency to them that I haven't been able to capture.  I still want to keep the landscape image on the right side of the painting   I didn't want to paint over the image and because I normally sand the images off by hand which is very labor intensive;  off I went to Home Depot and bought myself a small electric sander. Today will be the day the image goes away and I may rethink what flower goes with the landscape image. I need to get this painting out of my head and out of my hands.  What do you do when you get stuck with problematic a painting?

The Appeal of Dried Flowers

     I thought I would do a post about the flowers that inspire me for my Landscape in Transition series;  but first I have to rant about Google and their Google +.  I have spent a good part of my day trying to get these images first to download upright.  To download and publish  most of my photos I use Microsoft Digital Imaging. I tried any number of ways to get the photos to download upright, resizing, saving, turning off the computer and doing a restart...nothing WORKED!  So I went into Picasa where I knew there was a button to publish to a Blog.  Nope, said "service unavailable," so I went to the Internet to pose the question on Google.  Turns out it all depends on this new Google Plus and what account it uses.  Finally success, but what a HUGE WASTE OF MY TIME!!! Enough said, can you tell I am angry, why can't they leave something that always worked alone.

So, to get to the flower part of this post.  I often time pick flowers and let them dry to work from, or I will work from a photos I have taken  out in the field. The ones posted here are from friends who know and understand the appeal to me of flowers in this stage.  The colors do change but there is almost always still a hint of their beautiful color.  What fascinates me the most is the new form they have taken.  I can see the movement  that occurred as the petals and leaves dried in this new stage.   The flowers have taken on a more sculptural form that I find challenging to paint and hopefully the viewer of my work will be able to see and understand. So, I have to thank my friends, Wendy, Kathy and Roxanne for the beautiful specimens they gave me to work from. Hopefully you will keep watching my blog to see these flowers appear in a new painting. 

If I have time and luck tomorrow I will post a few more new Cold Wax pieces with flowers.

Cold Wax and Oil Painting....Landscape in Transistion Series

 

The painting on the top is a redo of the bottom painting.  I felt the abstraction on the right side didn't convey the landscape in transition enough and that's what the series is all about.  I also knew the photo of the bottom piece was too intense in color.  The top is  more accurate in the color of the flower. I removed the side strip of color near the flower and added another flower near the top.  Not only are the landscapes in transition, but so are my paintings! 

 

Gallery Show tonight at "In Bocca al Lupo" Milwaukie Oregon

My last post is about this evenings First Friday at "In Bocca al Lupo" Gallery in Milwaukie.
Roxanne Clingman has worked hard to promote my art and all the other artists she has in her gallery.
If your in the area please stop by and talk to the artists and Roxanne and to see the wonderful job she has done to create an intimate gallery of local artists.

http://inboccaallupofineart.com/

My piece at the gallery, acrylic, size 12"x36"

 

 

 

Audubon Wildlife Arts Festival (Portland Oregon)

It's that time of year again, the Audubon Wildlife Arts Festival another outstanding show of art.  The request for the small 6x6 inch paintings where for urban birds.  I thought I would do a painting of a pigeons because it doesn't get more urban then a pigeon!

 

http://wildartsfestival.org/6x6-wild-art-project

This is a link to the show, along with a video of many of the 6"x6" paintings for sale.

Along with the small works are many outstanding nature and wildlife artists and authors who have books and art for sale.

 

The show is held at Montgomery Park, NW Vaughn, Portland this years date is Saturday November 23rd from 10:00 to 6:00 and Sunday 24th from 11:00 to 5:00, the 6x6 painting sales starts on Saturday at 10:30.

COLD WAX REDO (Landscape Transition #1)

The painting on top is the very first piece I did of the "Landscape in Transition", after working on several more I knew I wasn't happy with the first flower.  I decided to sand off the flower painting, regessoed the side and painted a different flower, along with darkening the photo to show a better representation of the colors in the piece.  The bottom painting shows the painting after it's transition with a new flower image.

Sitka Art Invitational show 2013

Several weeks ago I went to see the Sitka Art Invitational Show at the World Forestry center in Portland OR.  I wish I had the time right after I saw the show to comment how outstanding the show and art was.  There where so many wonderful artists in the show, painters, sculptors, print makers, woodworkers, fiber artist.  It truly is one of the premiere shows of Pacific Northwest contemporary art.


http://www.sitkacenter.com/4-1-2.html

About Sitka

Founded in 1970, the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology fosters creativity, intellectual inquiry and education. By helping others discover more about their core creative selves and their connections to nature, the Sitka Center works to fulfill its mission of expanding the relationships between art, nature and humanity.
The Sitka Center offers workshops, residencies and community events, while maintaining a facility appropriate to its needs in harmony with its inspirational coastal environment near Cascade Head and the Salmon River estuary.
Literally a center at the edge – where land meets sky, saltwater meets freshwater – the Sitka Center is a place where a diverse group of people and ideas converge, co-mingle and depart transformed.

In transition # 4 ( Oil and Cold Wax )

Another oil and cold wax piece.  Again, I was working with the cold wax with the oils and the abstract side reminded me of a field or perhaps a lawn at the end of summer.  We all hate and try to eradicate the Dandylion growing on our lawns, but I stopped to really look at them and saw some amazing colors in their spent blooms. I know we all dislike the puffs that the flower gives off to come back another year but nature is beautiful no matter what stage it is in.

So, the question is should I try and find a title for each piece or should it just be "In transition #?"
What would you do?

Oil and Cold wax, size 12"x12" on 1/12" Cradle Board

Landscape in transition #3

Another oil and wax piece about transition.  On another trip to Suavie Island near Portland Oregon the morning was chilly and foggy.  The abstract side of the painting represents the morning mist coming off the river.  This flower was most likely another zinnia from a farmers field of flowers. I was so intrigued by the formation and color the petals had taken.  There is still a hint of the vibrant color the flower had once had in it's petals.

Oil and Cold Wax painting size 12"x12" on 1/12" cradled board.

Landscape in Transition

This is another attempt with the oil and cold wax showing the landscape in transition.  I haven't titled them yet, perhaps they will just be numbered #1 through where ever it takes me.  The flower was a zinnia and the field was from a farm on Sauvie Island near Portland.  It was a beautiful day early in October on the island and the roads were clogged with families going to corn mazes and buying pumpkins and apple cider.

Oil and CW on cradle board, 12 inches by 12 inches.

In Transition ( Oil and Cold Wax )

The weather here in the Portland area has been just spectacular.  So because it has been rain free and mild I have had the opportunity to do some Plein Air painting with friends.  Painting outdoors has really never been something I have aspired to learn very well.  I find it hard to focus on just one small area of the landscape.  Right now the landscape is in transition.  The land is going dormant but with amazing colors before it settles down to it's winter mode.  I always take lots of photographs to review so that  I will be inspired through the rainy winter months.

  Looking at my photos I am always intrigued by flowers as they lose their blooms.  While I find flowers beautiful in their full bloom there is also something very beautiful in there final state of dormancy.

The fields are also going into dormancy and as I was working on some new cold wax pieces I realized how I had been affected by the autumn landscape and decided to do a series of work on the subject.  The process of working with the wax and oils creates beautiful abstract surfaces.This was my first start about the landscape in transition.  The abstract side is the field in transition and the flower side is also in transition going into it's last bit of life.

The pieces were done on 1 1/2 inch cradled boards, 12" x12"

 

UP COMING SHOWS....

"CITY BIRDS" collage 12"x12"

 

Well as usual I have been off the blogging world.  Very busy summer hosting house guests for the summer and having fun showing the them the beauty of Oregon.

I am lucky to be included in two local galleries this month.  The first is my friend Roxanne Clingman's gallery called "In Bocca al Lupo" tonight Sept 6th is the First Friday celebration in Milwaukie Oregon.  If your in the area please stop by. The above collage will be in the show along with some new small collages.

http://inboccaallupofineart.com/about/
https://www.facebook.com/inboccaallupofineart?ref=stream

In mid September I will be showing with three friends at the Grapevine Gallery at the SingerHill cafe in Oregon City. The show is called,  "Chasing Northwest Visions". The other artists are Wendy Dehart, Mary McCarty and Kathy Johnson , the artists reception will be on Set 20th from 4:00 to 7:00.  At the reception there is going to be a contest.  All four of us did two paintings of trees and the public has to guess which artist did which paintings by viewing our other works; should be fun to see how many people get it right.  I will be showing some of my new oil and cold wax paintings in this show.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grapevine-Graphics-Picture-Framing-LLC/118967241524014

 

"VISITING THE CITY" oil and cold wax 16"x16"

 

http://grapevinegallery.wordpress.com/

 

Snuffy The Seal - Funniest commercial of 2013

I don't normally post videos on my blog that aren't art related, but I just had to post this.  This Ad for the Discovery Channels "Shark Week" was created by mOcean our son's company in LA.  You have to love it or be horrified by it, I love it and think it's so clever.  Way to go mOcean! http://www.mocean.tv/
 

Trio of Crows "IN COMING" (SOLD)

Last post for awhile.  I started out using the Cold Wax  and oil on this work but somewhere I scraped that idea and it became just a work done in oil paint. ...Size 16"x16"  Framed in black frame; price $300;shipping $15.00
 

Collages

When I am in an artistic slump I like to play around  working on small collages.  It sort of gets the painting juices flowing.  Working on them seem to help with a better understanding of composition.  I think my next direction might be to take some of them and work them up into a painting. They are all small about 6"x6".