The Fourth

My easel has been on the screened in porch for the past week, and that is where I have been painting. It is chilly out there! This painting will be finished soon, unless I decided it already is. It is a 20x24 like the purplish one. The canvas already had a painting that I disliked more each time I looked at it, so I covered it up with what you see. There were parts of it I wanted to save, and it was hard, but I had to focus on the overall composition.

tribute to fall

The walkway through the back of Bellamy to Market today.

Those who dream

While I have a lull, I am trying to knock out these paintings. I know the ability is in there somewhere! Yesterday I worked at finishing one I started the day before. It wasn't bad. I took some pics and said...not bad. Today I painted over it. Not once but twice. It had some nice places and met the rules and formulas of art, but it brought me no satisfaction. This is where I am with the canvas this evening. I may tweak it a bit, but I am considering it my third one. A little on the Twombly side.  Nine to go.

Fun one

A while back I started a painting on this canvas but never got to it to a stage that worked for me. Yesterday I dragged it out, propped it up, and occasionally spread leftover paint on it. At some point, I thought...hey! I like that! So many modern masters have paintings that are no better. I don't have a title yet. Artists love to title their work, and titles are how they are identified forever.
 . . . I think it will be "Baby, it's you!"

First of twelve

Showing something I have painted is embarrassing and even more so when I know other people probably think it is strange. But I am going ahead with it and admitting that this sort of thing is what I really enjoy doing. I had rather "walk through hell barefoot" than paint something recognizable or realistic. If I can just spread layer upon layer and see what comes of it, them I am a happy painter.

I titled this, "It is written," because I scribbled a lot of what looks like writing into the top layers of paint. Actually I turned it upside down from the way I was working on it. 

the heat is on

It seems like years ago, but it was just February when I had a visitor to my studio one Fourth Friday who asked if I would be in an art show. When I asked her what I would enter, she said she liked my abstracts and my black and white photos. I was flattered and said, "Of course!" Surely I would come up with some art by then, I thought. But now, ten months later, I have nothing! Is it possible to do at least twelve paintings within a few weeks?! I really don't want to hang photographs, no matter how much I like them.
Several ideas have been floating around my head, garnered primarily from youtube. Maybe I could do something like them if I forced myself. But what I learned tonight when I seriously attempted painting, is that I do have a style of that comes out no matter what else I try to do. When artists teach, they all teach from their own style. Maybe my style isn't that awesome, but I have no choice really. I've gotta be me.

pix from yesterday and today

With my new phone.
A cute new French place near me that has coffee and pastries. The chocolate glace was like a mirror.
And the pretty sky yesterday.