Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Small Interior Study
I'm a member of the faculty at the Sedona Arts Center - we have a faculty blog and posts nearly everyday. We each contribute weekly. Because we're all instructors, our posts have a teaching bent - what we're working on, why we do certain techniques, experiments and assignments. Here is my latest post. I really like this painting - I've used it on my new Composition Chart. If you want to see all other Sedona Art Center Faculty Blog entries, go to http://www.sedonaartscenter.com and click on Painting a Day Faculty Blog. Enjoy!
I continue with my small warmup series of acrylic paintings. My intention was to make a prominent focal point of color, neutral background and use the "golden section" composition.
My four accent points are: 1) dark blue spot of color on the bottom of the vase, 2) focal point of flowers - violet/pink spots of color, 3) chair back, and 4) dark square that "grounds" the chair.
The white table cloth pushes the table and vase to the forefront, the golden rectangle "doorway" makes the background, along with the chair recede.
Small Interior Study - 10x10 inches acrylic on paper.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Mendocino Art Center Reception
Mendocino Art Center hosted a opening reception for my "No Full Disclosure" exhibit last Saturday, March 14. I was so please -- big spacious space, great lighting, wonderful food and wine from Handley Cellars in the Anderson Valley. Lots of friends came by to celebrate. Always great fun to see Sunshine Taylor! Karen Bowers introduced me to Bob Rhoades, soon-to-be-retired art professor from the College of the Redwoods. Board members Dale Moyer and Don Paglia also dropped by -- great to have their support! My thanks to Michele Ketterer for coordinating the exhibit. And thanks to Linn Bottorf - he is the registrar for workshops at MAC - he told me that there are a couple a spots available in my April workshop, "Abstract Acrylic Painting and Collage" -- it will be great to keep working on my No Full Disclosure series during the workshop. Give him a call.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Show Reception & Announcements!
Experimenting with Combined Media
This is an original 12 x 12 combined media on paper, mounted on canvas.
I set out one morning to experiment and play as my warm up exercise. I started out just goofing around on 300 lb watercolor paper with gesso - building up thick layers, then scratching, scraping and imprinting shapes and patterns in the gesso before it dried. Then I painted with acrylics - building up layers of patina and also rubbing out areas, scratching thru the layers to reveal color "surprises." All the while, imbedding collage graphics and drawing back in with Derwent watersoluable pencils (my favorite is Black, 8B) while the painting was still wet.
After I was satified with the result, I glued the paper to a 12 x 12 canvas. The paper is slightly smaller so there is a 1/4" border all the way around the paper.
Before I adhered the paper to the canvas, I painted the outside edges of the canvas purple - also painted a 1/4" border. The glue I used to adhere paper to canvas was Gel Medium. After letting dry (with weight on top) for a day or two, I varnished the entire piece.
"Matinee" is very textured, combined media paper on canvas - no glass necessary.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Sedona Arts Center's "Painting a Day"
Last year, Vince Fazio with the Sedona Arts Center asked the instructors who teach there to contribute to a "Painting a Day" faculty blog. We've been posting on the SedonaArtsCenter.com site - I thought I would start posting my contributions - this one is my latest - posted last night. Enjoy!
I've blogged about my warmup paintings, but I don't think I've shown an overall view of them. The size is 9x12 inches - acrylic on paper. All are gessoed and are varnished when completed. I work on at least a series of three - similar colors, compositions, etc. My warmups follow a distinct composition - the still life one above illustrates one of my favorites - the "Cruciform" composition. When I work on a still life painting, I pay attention to the composition, the color combination and the light source. In this case you can see the light bathe the flowers - coming in from the left, with the vase casting a shadow on the right.
I call these 9x12 studies "small original paintings" - I have them on my website. Please inquire as to availability.
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