Personal Art Blog

Sharing the lessons I teach at the Artist Guild and the personal discoveries in my art.

Thursday, December 31, 2015

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




Tuesday, December 29, 2015

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.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

'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.



Friday, December 11, 2015

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, 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 

Anyone have any thoughts 
to share on any of the above?