Lover's Leaf #paint52
I have the most beautiful Chinese Maple in front of my house. Early spring weather has brought it into full bloom already. It’s magnificent and as usual I attempted to see if I could express its beauty. Sometimes that’s the problem with painting nature. It’s almost impossible to make it as beautiful. In fact, my teacher once said; if you can’t improve it then don’t change it. Ha, that sounds like the judges talking to the contestants on American Idol. They always think they can make it better than the original creator. Yet, when I create landscape paintings, I just wish I could give you a piece of what I see, a morsel of God, the passion, the brilliance, the colors.
This is my 16th painting for my #paint52 challenge. The painting measures 24" X 36" Atelier Interactive acrylic on a museum wrapped canvas (Framing isn't needed). Available for purchase $2160. Thanks so much for visiting.
Twitter Followers #paint52
I was enticed to paint this painting reflecting the common people, people in our everyday life, such a variety, all unique and distinct. But there was also something "sheepish" about how they were marching all in a row, making sure they kept their appropriate space from the person in front or behind. Some seemed conscious, while others were definitely not present. They almost seemed to be marching, and marching, where? Where are they going? Are we caught following others, sometimes forgetting our own journey or perhaps following others dreams not our own? Or just caught in our daily life routines, one day the same as the next, just out of habit. Can we wake up and enjoy our surroundings?
This is painting thirteen of my #paint52 Challenge and another painting for my San Francisco series. "Twitter Followers" measures 24" X 48", oil on linen.
Thanks again for all your support following my challenge and especially when you leave a comment. I so appreciate it.
Underneath #paint52
I know you must be wondering, why the name "Underneath" and how does it relate to this painting? Well, color is my language. It speaks in layers, vibrancy, tones, subtleties and more. Color reflects my mood, passion, feelings and desires. It is limitless in regards to what color expresses for me. So as the many layers of color and the color selection and well as the movement in the painting, it tells me subliminaly what is going on "underneath" the surface. I also wonder if the colors I chose correlate to the chakras in my body. It tells me what energies I should notice, as well as a way I need to balance and release. Wassily Kandinsky elaborated on color in his book "Concerning the Spiritual in Art" He talked about how certain colors can represent certain instruments, as well as a reflection of our soul.
When I painted this painting yesterday, I felt such a need to lay down color, I know that it was necessary for my well-being and expression to pull what was underneath the layers of my body, mind and soul, and transform it. Color becomes the alchemy from my spirit to the physical world.
This is my twelfth painting of my #paint52 challenge to paint 52 paintings this year. The painting measures 6-3/4" X 10", Atelier Acrylic on velum and is also for sale for $150.00, contact me if you are interested. SOLD Your support has been wonderful and I am so grateful, thank you!
California Here I Come #paint52
When I was nine, I had to move to France after my father died. Not only did I lose my father, but I had to leave my home, my friends and my country. My mother was French and wanted to go back home to her family, but I was brought up in the U.S., and wanted to stay in my beloved country. My mother had a change of heart and returned back to the U.S. five months later. I remember singing to myself on the flight home, "California Here I Come". For some reason this painting reminded me of this, the man in the orange shirt looking like he came from another state for sure and the various ethnic people, combines to make what San Francisco and our country is all about, a melting pot of the world. By the way the location of this painting is California Street.
The painting has an ultramarine blue underpainting. I knew right off the bat this was going to create some difficulties, yet I didn't know how hard it was going to be until I got started. I am determined to push myself in this challenge and try things I never have done before. Most artists would say that the man's orange shirt is too bright and would dominate the painting, but that was the reason why I painted this painting. How bright could I make his shirt and still have the viewers eye move around the canvas. I also wanted it to vibrate in color. which I do believe it does. At first I thought I would start laying in the painting without a drawing, but it was too big and too much going on. Since the color was so dark, I had to use chalk; see image below.
I am finding that I am allowing my "Making Faces" characters come to life in my paintings. I am throughly enjoying this and loving the little stories that each one bring. I have been so fortunate to have had great training on the body, for 4 years from George De Groat my teacher in my early years as an artist. He was a genius. This is my tenth painting of my #paint52 challenge, painted in oil, measures 24" X 48" and another addition to my San Francisco series.
Thank you so much again, for supporting me in this challenge it means the world to me.
California Dreaming #Twitterartexhibit
This panting will be part of the Twitter Art Exhibit, initiated by artist David Sandum on Twitter. All entries must be no bigger than a postcard and will be displayed in the Moss Public Library in Norway. The proceeds will be donated to The Women's Crisis Center in Moss, for abused women and their children. The center also provides a 24 hour phone-service, counseling, food and shelter etc. The exhibit will provide much needed support for this charity and will subsidize lost funding that occurred this year. For more information please check out David's website http://davidsandumart.posterous.com/call-for-artists-2nd-twitter-art-exhibit-in-m