Paint Devil & apple

Here are two more images that I painted while teaching at the senior center. I wanted to show a simple subject can have enough interest to stand alone. I walked into the center with no idea of what I would paint. I borrowed the apple from a student, set it on the nearest table top and started painting. The overhead florescent lights coming from every direction gave me (for lack of a better word) interesting shadows on the dull aluminum tabletop. I tried to show how casually I slapped down color, building up layers to create the effect that expressed the apple. I was not taking the painting to seriously while working on it, walking away often to see how everyone was doing.

The following week; again I walk in not knowing what I would paint. After spending time with each student to help them with there paintings. I started to look for something to paint. I found there was a lending library across the room. I selected these three books and started painting. Setting up the composition I kept in mind the advice I was giving my students. I wanted to be sure my painting did not have awkward indiscretions I just advised then to be aware of. The titles of the books were not an issue when I selected my subjects, colors, scale of image and patterns were my criteria. I did not notice what the bottom book said till after I was painting it. The words; PAINT DEVIL was all that showed, I found the juxtaposition of these word segments amusing enough to be sure they were readable. Seems right that muse and amusing are so similar. I like to keep things light hearted when I'm teaching.

both images are 8" x 10" oil on panel

teaching

I started teaching a painting class two weeks ago. It is through Modesto's Parks and Recreation program, taught at the senior center. That should have been a clue. Turns out senior is the key word. Though the class is open to anyone over 18, I may be the youngest person there. The eight ladies in the class would show up and paint even when there was no teacher during the previous term. They all had their projects in various stages of completion, and quickly were absorbed in there work. After the first hour I felt like there was little for me to do. I did have my paints there so after letting everyone know that I was available for help, I started painting. I did the lilacs above. My painting style is different than everyone there. I paint quickly, layering colors and filling the whole canvas. The first class there was casual attention paid to what I was doing, everyone had there own projects to consume them. I think they were surprised how the painting I was working on evolved, every time they looked up, my painting looked markedly different.

The second class, I arrived a little late. I think they were afraid that I was scarred off and would not show up. After assisting everyone with there paintings I was asked if I would be painting. Someone brought in geraniums to paint, she wanted to try my techniques. I did a painting demo, everyone stopped what they were doing to watch. I did not want to block there view so I tried to paint from the side of the easel, it is not easy.

lilacs   8" x 8" oil on board •

geraniums   6" x 6" oil on board

puzzled

I paint things. Sometimes it is hard to choose what to paint–sometimes it is not. I often will paint something because it will be difficult to capture. When challenged by a subject I'm not sure how I will capture I am often surprised with the out come. When I paint it is a lot like solving a puzzle, as I put the spots of color in place it is easy to equate it to finding a jigsaw pieces fitting together. I like working from life, having the subject in front of me. It's the equivalent to the picture on the box top in 3-D.

San Diego

This morning, I was thinking about this painting of Balboa Park, and a few hours it came up in a conversation. So today might be a good day to post it. Both of these images are from a trip to San Diego a few years back. It was good to paint in the park. I love the architecture in the park. It was nice to be able to capture a piece of it. The bottom painting is from a friends roof deck. Painted at night, it was interesting to see how the nocturnal landscape differed from the daytime view.  

Balboa Park   8" x 8" oil on canvas

deck's view 8" x 8" oil on canvas •

hall's balls

In this painting a hallway flanked by a stainless steel sphere in an Asian inspired pottery piece. I played with the division of space, the contrast of light & color, the whimsy of spacial juxtaposition. With light at the end of the hall made the color of the plastic hanging lamps silhouetted against it glow. The circle on right is a mirror on the wall with a beaded purse hanging below. A few birthdays back, i received quite a few bejeweled evening bags, it was a joke that took me weeks to comprehend. The cars; Hallmark ornaments are there to bring the aqua forward in the composition.

12" x 24" oil on canvas

A great show

It was a really great show. I was lucky enough to have some premium display space. The above paintings hung in the front room and would be among the first thing to see as you entered the show. The painting of an almond orchard in bloom (Outstanding Orchard, 48" x 48") above a pair of 2 foot square paintings of ground cover from the South of France. The paintings to the left of them are my work. Below is more of that room from the view point of the archway next to the paintings mentioned above, just before the show began. 

turning a corner

Tonight's art opening was great. A lot of people that came to the event. Art was sold!

While hanging the show I had paintings all over the place.  Leaning against the wall and furniture, inadvertently I placed the two sides of an image on perpendicular surfaces. I've never displayed these paintings this way before. I had an odd entry alcove to hang in, turning a corner with these paintings gave me an interesting entrance to one of the rooms I was showing in.

Tahoe

These paintings of Lake Tahoe come from a an exciting weekend I had spent there a year and a half ago. Boy time flies. The above image the first of the day showing a couple of sunbathers, swimmers and boats in the water. Painting on location with sand under my feet I had a great time.

As the day went on I continued painting. I was able to observe picnickers as they celebrated this holiday weekend. While painting it is often to difficult to capture the intricate patterns of moving figures. I had to decide who would show up as a smear of paint on my canvas and who would not. It was a very social group, people came by wondering where they were in my painting and I was wondering why if they wanted inclusion they did not stay still for a minute or two. Someone in the group had a large bird trained to shit on command. 

Later that same day...  I started this painting as soon as the sun dropped behind the mountains. It was not easy to look in this direction with the sun low in the sky and the glare on the water. The colors were striking! I wanted to capture them. This the third painting of the day, with little time due to the changing light, went quickly. By this point I felt well acquainted with my subject and I had an intimate understanding of the colors I was mixing. A lot of shades of blue. 

I was very fortunate to have some good friends with me on this weekend getaway. While I was occupied with my paints they had kept busy with other things, like; tending bar and fixing food. I was not the starving artist that weekend.

This painting of people waiting for the fireworks at Lake Tahoe on Labor Day weekend was done in the studio after my return from the lake. It is painted on two canvases, because the overall size would not fit in my car as one canvas and I like to split an image. My house, being older, has few walls large enough to hold large art and those seem to always be filled. But there are a few areas where a split image can hang. This won Best of Show at CCAA's Spring show two years ago. I guess I was in Tahoe two and a half years ago. Time does fly...

11" x 14" oil on canvas 

12" x 16" oil on canvas •

8" x 10" oil on board •

(2) 40" x 30" oil on canvas (40" x 60" overall)

chalk line vines

I had a chance to work on the wall I started a month ago. I had painted the scroll design and liked it enough that I was not sure I wanted to add anything more to the wall. I drew the vines with pastels. It is mainly to show the positioning of the vines. I will paint over the chalk after my show this weekend. That will be the fun part. The pastel color I used is not the color I am thinking of using when painting, it was the color that showed up on the wall. The translucent iridescent scrolls made it difficult to see the first 3 colors I tried.