Four in One,18x24

Tim Deibler.....

.....came to town to teach a workshop and needed a car.  We worked out a deal where I could sit in on part of his workshop as an exchange for some wheels.  Seemed like a good idea to me, so for part of his time here I put myself over in the corner of the studio and just painted.

When I was learning how to paint outdoors I used to take a panel and tape it off into squares similar to this.  I tried to get 8 or 12 little areas filled in a day.  When the tape got removed they were self framing little snapshots of what I had gotten done.  It made for easy comparisons and reflection on what I could have done better.

These rectangles are larger, as this is an 18x24 panel.  Here are some closer views:

 

Tim is a very good painter and teacher.  If you happen to be one of his regular students you are extremely lucky.  If you aren't in his area he has some well done videos on his website and another coming out soon, plus a book.  All the videos are good but my favorite is 'Finding Geometric Shapes in the Landscape'.  Go to his WEBSITE and check out some wonderful paintings.

I'll post some more in a day or so.

The Switch, 7x8

Artists know.....

.....when 'the switch' happens.  The more you do art the easier it is to get to that 'switch' when the right 'spatial artistic' side naturally takes over from the left 'rational symbolic' side of our brains.....the one that's usually in control.

Here it went the other way.

There I was having a peaceful time sitting in our living room putting pen to paper, letting the shape relationships easily seen by my brain's right side just take over and guide where the line went.  It was nice just floating along with those lines and shapes.....and..... 

Then the phone rang.  And it 'picked up' the call.  And 'they' left a message.  Can you see where that happened?  Where my left side listened to the call and, as long as it was in control, let my line go where it 'should' based on its bent toward symbolism. 

Phone hangs up.  Right side of the brain gets control again and back we go to finish the drawing....except for that wonky lampshade.

I still had fun....and the toned markers again did their magic.

Tentative announcement:  We are putting together a week long workshop in Montisi, Italy, an old hill town, for this Fall.  I'll be teaching Marker Drawing and Painting and pizza eating.  I may have to practice that last one.  This promises to be fun.  Stay tuned for details.....or write me an email if you want to be on the list for the actual announcement.

Ciao.  (I'm practicing)

Ragland 5, 30x36

Neil Young....

.....had his boat, Ragland, moored in Eagle Harbor for a year or so while he was selling it.  During that time I painted it plein air at least four times.  I thought the island should buy it just for it's ambiance, especially since long gone harbor businesses used to build boats like this by the score. 

I liked the paintings I did which you can see Here (at a distance), Here (similar to this view) and Here (another at a distance) and this one, which I never posted:

My paintings, although I enjoy them, never quite matched my impression of what it was like to stand out there as the sun set.....so I decided to do another in the studio that spoke more to the experience.  Thus, Ragland 5.

On a totally different note.....Exquisite Corpse.....
......I was out having lunch with the Balcomb boys the other day.  Put a paper covering on a table with three artists, a photographer, a musician and a painter, and what you get is a table full of drawings, doodles and ideas.

Somewhere during our meal we began adding on to one another's drawings and the musician asked me if I had heard of 'Exquisite Corpse'.  I had no clue.  It began, as much as anyone knows, as a parlor word game where each person added on to a sentence.  Then it became add on written stories and, eventually, even the surrealists used it to explore visual ideas.

Then, this morning, I ran across a recently posted example of it on a grand scale.  Three well known excellent watercolorists paint together on a huge piece of paper to create a spectacular work.  Joseph Zbukvic, Alvaro Castagent and Herman Pekel.....all well known artists.  It's 30 minutes long but worth your time: HERE    Enjoy this one!   You won't believe the size....

Morning Painting, 30x30

So, Here Is How It Goes.....

Wake up very early last Thursday.  Check.
Answer email.  Check.
Go buy some flowers.  Check.
Figure a still life set up and gather materials.  Check.
Drive to Studio 12 and set up before others arrive.  Check.
Begin Painting about 9:45.  Check.
Don't stop.  Check.
Paint until 1:00.  Check.
Drive Gail to an appointment.  Check.
Grab some quick dinner.  Check.
Ride bicycle to clay studio.  Check.
Spend three hours sculpting a ridiculous caricature.  Check.
Ride bike home.  Check.
Pet Noelle, Hug Gail.  Check.
Fall into bed.  Check.
Don't 'grow up' (whatever that means).  Check.

Tough work but someone has to do it.......