New Painting

Man, this is painting. I had to utilize my ninja painting techniques today with those ears. There is nothing in the entire world like rendering a thing like these in oil. Getting that translucent quality is worth every mix and remix of color. Carefully placing the little veins........
If you haven't seen it and would like to, the sketch for this one is posted here. It will be interesting to see if I deviate from the drawing....




Happy weekend, all and many thanks for all your comments and thoughts whether out loud or not.

On the Easel: The Landlord

A working title..... Yes, that is a hole in his forehead.

On the Easel...In progress

"Unikoi".....you get the picture...still some way to go on this one.

Fascinated for a lifetime with the myth of unicorns, their unfortunate watering down from a many-faceted animal to a cartoon horse with a spiral horn saddens me. In the world I have created there are unikoi. Clever, no?...

Stendhal Syndrome

I heard a while ago about a psychosomatic illness called Stendhal Syndrome which apparently happens to people while they are looking at art. Very bizarre. Shows you how incredibly powerful images are....

West Virginia

Craig and I go to the beautiful Canaan Valley in West Virginia each year on our anniversary and we head out today to celebrate our 10Th. We have very generous friends who have a ski home there, which is what most people go there for, so it is fairly empty when we go in August. I woke up with a horrible sore throat yesterday, so hopefully I will be ready for a hike tomorrow.
I am so thrilled to be able to get back deep into the woods.

from our 2007 trip...Otter Creek Wilderness in the Monongahela Forest

I leave you all with this article one of four from Alyson Stanfield's brilliant blog:

The first of four steps to selling you art: Devote yourself completely to a studio practice

Talk to you all next week!

Art?

Why is it that often I read an artist statement and come away from it feeling like "what??" Why is that when I look at contemporary art and mostly feel I just have been exposed to an expression that exists solely for the purpose of uncovering self-mania, obsession, and often, perversion? (I am in no way speaking about art that addresses hard issues.)
Anyone but me? Can anyone explain?
Can anyone be an artist? Is art really in the eye of the beholder? What makes a piece of art last over generations?
I realize this is as old a question as "what in art...."

Artist Kathleen Kendall

In February I have a show with artist, Kathleen Kendall, who also works with mythology. Today, I went over to her place and spent a few hours over coffee in her studio talking about all things art and life. I really enjoy getting together with her and feel a real affinity for her and the work she does. (oh, plus, she gets cool points for sending me home with a bag of veggies from her garden.....)



c Kathleen Kendall "Figure X"

Mourning Dove

5" x 7" oil on panel

On the Easel

Why is it that after a vacation I need a vacation day to recuperate? Laundry, cleaning....stuff.
This is how I left the painting on Thursday. I really feel good about it....I have a small goldfinch painting that needs finishing touches, as well. These two will be the first priority of the week.

Today's Painting

No story, no clues yet.....just an beautiful, snowy white bird. I am waiting expectantly for some information.

Tammy Vitale gave me a shout out, along with nine other artists at AOM, on Lenny Campello's blog. Humbled, again.....