Warship (study).

Warship (study)

Ink with gold acrylic detail, on stained Canson 140 lb Coldpress

One of the pieces I recently finished, this was the original color study for the larger version in acrylic. It's relatively small at 7" x 8.5", and will be floated in a frame so that the edges of the paper are visible. I've included closeup details below (click on an image to see a slightly larger version).

Sharing something old, and updates.

Untitled, 1994
Oil on canvas.

At my father's house, in a shadowy area, hangs this painting. My first experimentation with oils, completed about 15 years ago as I was off to college. Most of it was painted with a rag since I had a true fascination about creating oddly "rubbed" textures. I also experimented with the halo, how it would be possible to get a true gold effect without using actual gold leaf, because it's expensive and time consuming. I actually have done true gold leaf (for my father's business) and in all honesty, even though the effect is beautiful, it is very time consuming and there really isn't any room for mistakes, because mistakes become very, very visible. Below is another photo of it where I put it on a chair so that I could take a clearer, un-shadowed photo. I also skewed the levels in Photoshop so that the rubbed areas and color would be more visible (the above photo is more true).


I think sharing old work is very important, it shows progression. Also, looking at your own work from the past, helps one see the improvement and strides that have been made, and raises flags on what needs to be worked on. It's also inspirational.

And updates! Did I say updates in my post title? Of course I did!

Well, it's snowing here and the roads are pretty rough. Rough to the point where I didn't make it very far on my way to work this morning. Slammed into a snowbank and got stuck going up a hill. That put a kibosh on my work day. During this bad economy every penny counts. So it all sucks big poopie that I didn't make it in. The truth is, not a single road around here was touched by a plow. Apparently they are waiting till the end of the day. Someone, at some townhall, is taking bets on how many people will end up in hospitals today due this anti-plowing thing. You know which town you are, ahem *cough cough* Westfield, MA.

But, on the other hand, this past weekend it was nose to the grind stone. I completed a few more pieces after I realized how much work is so close to being finished. But no sneak peaks till I take some proper photos. Definately by the weekend. I'll try anyway.

Also, good news for my father's friend "Jay". He was taken off life support Saturday night, and removed from ICU yesterday. I hope everything keeps going well for him.

I've also decided to take my Etsy idea step further and wrote up a three page business plan. I've also been starting back up on working on a proper website. Yey! The wheel is slowly starting to turn. Much of it has to do with everyone's support. That's you guys! All the comments really light a fire under me. So thanks :o)

Taaa Daaa!

Sketch for "Sisters"

So, a sneak peek at what I have recently begun working on. I've started this as the next color study for a possible larger piece. I do the studies to feel out if I will enjoy working on a larger, more time intensive piece. If I get bored, or it just doesn't work, I won't think about painting it.

Hmmm.

So today I made a list of all the pieces I currently have in progress. Too many. I think it's because I walk away from them too much. But I have to. Limited time, since I work during the day. Mix that with all the other things one must do to get through the day and week, and time becomes limited. Because of this, there is a lot of walking away mid progress. Limited time, plus pockets of un-inspirational moments, equals lots of pieces of work laying around in an unfinished state. When I do feel inspired, I may feel inclined to work on only a certain one, so that's why there are so many. Why so many??? But, but, there are so many that are all very close to being finished. So close, that there is no reason for them to be laying around any longer. I need to stop jumping from one to the next. Do others work like this?

Gosh darn it!

It's much easier to figure things out once they are written down. I lose sight of this at times. I really need to slow down even moooorrrreeeee.

How much more can I slow down my life? Let me ponder that.

Doodles.

Doodling all over the pages of your notebook, planner, or calendar. Some say bad. I say good! (Plenty of surface area!)

Doodles can be like little creative brain farts. Sometimes you can get really great stuff without planning. Provide yourself with plenty of spontaneous doodle surfaces. Especially those notebooks, planners, and calendars. You'll get new ones next year.

Things are what they are.

Mmmm. Look at the color of that paper. Arches 140 lb. coldpress. It's only because it's Arches. For whatever reason, the color takes evenly. Like coffee, with lots and lots of cream. Smooth, even, creamy surface of color.

That photo was taken a week ago, and since then, I have already painted the second layer. I will now trim it down, treat the edges, stick it in the vat once more. Then will come a final pressing, and the last layer of details and washes. Whew. It sounds like a lot but really isn't. Or maybe it is. I dunno. Doesn't matter. It is what it is.

I'd like to open a store on Etsy. It's been prancing around in my head for the last two weeks or so. I've heard of people doing pretty well on there, though I'm not sure what I would sell, or how well it would sell. I figure that anything is worth a try, for fun, as a learning experience or otherwise. Hmmmm.

And hmmmmm.

And it snowed Saturday. I had high hopes of heading into new york city for the day, but since bad weather and my (yellow weenie) car don't do well together, I had a change of heart.

Poooooooooooo.


But the view was nice, especially when the sun came out.

I'm back! And it's 2009! Whoa!

All that Holiday excitement, woo woo. That's what I'm using as my excuse for not posting for the last, oh, ah, let's see how many days has it been? The truth is, I let myself fall into a lazy stupor over New Year weekend, and as much as I wanted to make art, I just oozed procrastination. I really don't celebrate holidays unless I'm poked with a cattle prod by a family member, and instead use those days off as ME days. How selfish, I know.

But, I've been good about catching up on the reading of others' blog postings, and have been touched by the Holiday Blog Fairy. So, for celebrating the new, and forgetting the old, here is my personal recap of 2008:

Thank you 2008 for making me realize that life is so much more brilliant without a television. That making art is more important than doing laundry, or any other housework. That your day job does not define who you are, nor does it define how smart you are, nor does it define anything else.

What I do not thank you for, 2008, is all the rotten, crappy, luck that I received from you, and the miserableness you threw my way. But I won!! HAHA! And on your way out the door, I hope that you didn't forget to take all that rot with you!

Hello 2009 and thank you already for the daily brilliance in vision, and the acquisition of a much more laissez-faire attitude. Here's what I'm hoping you and I can strive for:

A more permanent place to live (so I can stop being a vagabond), good health for Preston Papoo in his ripening age (my ninja kitty), a bit more moolah to help pay down those huge Papoo bills, and all those other bills, and the other bills too. True friends. Good food to feed my tummy, and Preston's tummy. That the lemon does not break down and keeps on running throughout your reign and into the reign of 2010. That all those close to me have good health and are not in need of anything. That the new president can whip the dimwits in our government back into shape and actually make them work for the people. That's really not too much to ask? Is it? Thank you in advance!

And to all you wonderful peeps, as my father's friend, Mira, so eloquently said the other day: May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires. May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words... May 2009 be the best year of your life!!!

(Until 2010 comes along to outshine it!)