Roses and Cherries...

Roses and Cherries

8x8" oil on canvas SOLD

Artist Note.

I made a video of painting

this piece. It was a good one 

because it showed the 

struggle in the middle. 

I know you are all

only too familiar with that!

I emerged victorious, 

quite thrilled, and guess what...

the guy with the camera

had it all out of focus!

To say I was bummed

is an understatement.

The bad luck Video story continues,

I have had three videos made

this year by three different

video experts and not one has 

been usable. 

Maybe I will have success in 2016

I made my Fracturing video 

for Daily Paintworks

myself. I just set up a camera 

and went for it. 

BUT... I had a 

lot of requests

to show my palette at the 

same time and that 

created the problem. 

I do not 

know how to do that myself.

Enough of all that...

Here's to a wonderful 2016 for all of us.

May our supportive bond of blogging 

friendships continue with the 

 stimulation and encouragement

that is so special. 

I appreciate every one of you, 

and wish only the best for you all

Vincent van Gogh

I am busy with a project  and 

not painting so thought 

I would pass my personal

observations on 

 a couple of winter paintings.

We have been hit with an unusually 

large amount of snow here in southern 

New Mexico and it brought to mind 

poor van Gogh moving from 

Paris to Arles 

for the warmer climate 

only to arrive during an 

unusually cold and snowy time.

A true artist... he did get out and paint!

Vincent van Gogh.1888. Landscape In The Snow.

What's not to enjoy when 

looking at these paintings. 

Warm and cool colors bouncing off 

each other add a vibration

of energy to his strokes.
In the top one

The red house has the 

importance of being 

near the vanishing point

with everything converging 

comfortably to it or from it. 

Even the edges of the trees 

and dog fit perfectly. 

I really like the way 

the black hat lines up 

on the horizon, and the 

duller red of the jacket is perfectly 

at home with the 

colors in the front ground. 

Vincent painted the one below

a few days later...and good for him...

he obviously was trying to 

experience a whole different 

composition. 

Vincent van Gogh  1888

Snowy Landscape with Arles in Background.

His horizon line is still high with 

a secondary focal area 

of house and tree

off to the right, making the cooler

blues he used to paint 

the town of Arles 

appear even more distant.

 The repeat of verticals in this painting

add interest and strength. 

I really like the

 foreground, but have no idea

what his vantage point was.

These two snow landscapes

are rather sparse probably

 because, like all of us,

it takes getting familiar 

with a subject to 

really do it justice.

That... or it was too darned cold!

For example- look how he painted the area

10 months later.

And of course it was warmer then!

Vincent van Gogh 1888

The Red Vineyard

This one is supposed to be the 

only painting Vincent ever sold

during his lifetime.

I have just read Leesa Padget's
new post, and surprise...
she wrote lovely things about me
HERE

Thank You so much, Leesa.

'Tis The Season...

Season's Bauble

8x8  oil on canvas SOLD

This was done in the workshop.

A lot of fun.

I did a paint-a-long and it was

neat to see so many different 

versions of the same red ball

using the fracturing technique.

Artist Note

This is my last post before

Christmas.

Peace in the world - will

it ever happen?

I think of the refugees

trying to escape the horrors

of war in their homeland...

The countries who take them in

and the turbulence of of 

conflicting emotions...

I thank our military and their families

who sacrifice so much for the 

ultimate goal of 

Peace.

More than ever 

I am very grateful for 

my life.

May everyone's Christmas or

Holiday be full of joy and love 

for those we care for, as well 

as those who are now only 

memories in our hearts.

Be safe, be warm, and be at Peace

Blessings.

Workshop Demo

 Some Favorite Things

10"x 8" oil on canvas 

I am giving a

Fracturing Workshop

and this was today's demo.

I have an enthusiastic group

of artists, and I am

excited by the resulting 

paintings. They show a 

willingness 

to push themselves out of 

a secure comfort zone.

Artist Note

Last week I was lucky

enough to go with some 

artist friends

to Miami for 

Art Basel.

It claims to be the largest

Art show in the U.S.

Top galleries from

around the world pay a fortune

to display the work of their

artists in the

Convention Center.

Plus

Art Miami 

and Context

are nearby and equally

stellar.

I saw a wide diversity

of art. It was stimulating

and thought provoking.

Picasso, Matisse, Miro, Chagall,

Diebenkorn, Motherwell,

 mixed alongside some 

contemporary favs of mine.

I found I was drawn 

to some of the Chinese galleries

with their very accomplished artists.

Many artists of unknown 

pedigrees displayed.

some very interesting work

which kept me enthralled

and others, belonging to what

art critic Brian Sewell

humorously dubbed

the post-skill movement,

made me scratch my head.

Abstract and

non-representational

work were the largest category,

and I saw marvelous collage

pieces -  many of them

 were dimensional and 

the shadows created a 

wonderful extra level

of interest.

These made me think of a 

blogger I follow.

who is doing really

great collages. Check her out.

Libby Fife

(Libby, you would have 

had your nose right up to them) 

Some thoughts...

How will Globalization

change our perception

of art?

I was exposed to art from 

round the world,

 but saw many of the same 

imagery and techniques.

The easy access to media

sharing obviously has diluted 

the cultural influences 

which were 

unique to individual

countries. 

There appears to be a lack 

of an entirely new  

art movement.

 Everything I saw had 

a strong basis 

from previous movements. 

Installation Art is pushed by 

modern technology but is

still Installation.

Digital art is progressing 

and for the same reasons.

It appears most of the world is 

experiencing strife. 

Usually it emerges in art.

I will be watching for a new 

Guernica

Anyone have any thoughts 

to share on any of the above?