"Running Through" (final)

(unavailable.....12" x 18".....Water Soluble Oils on a 2" depth Cradled Gessobord)

First attempts at something are always difficult before they are easy. I did take a few liberties with this piece so that the stream flowing through the rock will be more convincing. For that reason I am not posting the photo, but eventually I will in a future piece.

The hugh "take away" from this piece are all of the lessons learned by simply laying the paint down. And that's what it takes to master something. It is a matter of learning something with each piece and making the observed corrections in the next one.

It has been my personal experience that it is better to move forward and finish the piece rather than scraping off the paint repeatedly. It is good to then use the piece as a reference and appreciate the progress made in the next one. Many of these type of pieces will need to be painted before I feel truly comfortable exhibiting it, but I will switch to flat panels to cut down the cost and then when something turns out really well, I can present it in a frame.

It is a misconception that everything created needs to be exhibited. I have fallen into that trap and am now determined to chalk those pieces off as learning experiences and keep practicing. The reasons for considering every piece as an exhibit submission are very real and often hard to overcome. Materials are expensive and there is always a tendency to want to redo endlessly until the life is literally sucked out of the piece.

However, some of the top oil painters in the country will say that an artist needs to do at least (100) smaller works just to get the hang of things. And even though I've created much more than a (100), there is still a learning curve going from small to large.

So why am I "rambling" on about this today? Because it helps me sort out my own process and hopefully helps other artists to realize that not all pieces need to be hung or sold. Those discarded pieces are memorials of "new beginnings". And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Alive and Active" (Final)

($125.00......6" x 12".....Mixed Media on 300 lb. HP....Mounted on a 2" Depth Clayboard)

"Words become alive and active when they take root in the heart." This quote was inspired by Psalm 119 and I chose the placement of the lettering to be in the interior of the piece and readable but not dominating the piece. This offers up a comparison with the heart being a small organ located in the interior of our being. On the other hand, all of the gestural marks and lettering visually describe words as being alive and active by the nature of their movement.

I am in a week long glass fusing class with the discussion and projects all centering around abstraction and design. The class had a rather open discussion yesterday about how often an artist creates their original concept to come out exactly as they envisioned it to be. The answer was never. 

Artists can invite disaster by expecting or trying to get their work to fit into a preconceived mold. It simply doesn't work that way. Having a general plan or concept is very wise, but the piece yields surprises as it moves along. And it's those surprises that give it the energy it needs to be successful and appreciated by the viewer.

It's really all about making design decisions along the way. More often than not, each piece gives you a bit more experience and informs the decisions for the next piece and the one after that....etc. So it is best to study your own work and see where you are with your habitual marks, textures, colors, etc. and then build upon that. It is impossible to begin your process where some other artist left off. You can only start a new piece where your last one left off.

For instance, I knew that a grid format created in an erratic fashion would create a visual punch. I also knew that silver leaf looks fantastic with black, text pages, and rice papers. I knew all of that because of my past pieces. However, I had no idea where the text would end up and this is the first time I have used pointed brush lettering and burnt sienna in this mix of elements. 

So now I have another piece under my belt and I know a bit more and I hope you have learned a bit more by observing my process. In the next few days I will be posting some of the work I am creating in the glass fusing class. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Shepherd" (Final)

($150.00......10" x 10".....Mixed Media.....Mounted on a 2" Depth Clayboard)

"Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need." (Psalm 23:1...Living Translation) As you can clearly see, many things have changed since yesterday. After writing "Shepherd" boldly in the background, the unfolding thought was to change the title and do only the first verse using a contemporary interpretation.

It has been a very long morning. I wrote this verse in gestural writing first...had some second thoughts so I sent the image to a friend and she confirmed what I was feeling, even though it didn't seem to line up with my conventional wisdom about edges and lines. 

So without further ado, I washed the lettering off and proceeded to deal with small, understated Versals. I do like it now and I believe the word "shepherd" written in white now remains the focal point. And this goes to the heart of layering and why I hope it has been instructive to see the actual steps. The best outcomes happen when you go with whatever evolves as you proceed with some of your original concept.

It is very important to allow it to morph into what it wants to be. Mental concepts tend to be stubborn and pesky little things that want their own way come "hell or high water". The only problem with that type of thinking is that it is like fitting a square peg in a round hole. Your piece will look contrived and overworked and end up on an ash heap.

The best thing to do is simply to relax and let it flow. Consult a friend. Pray and meditate. Walk away from it for awhile. Come back later and it will magically fall into place. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about. 

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.