"Lost" Marble Paintings!

Recently I met an artist online on facebook named Jason De Graaf, (http://jasondegraaf.blogspot.com)that paints incredible paintings! He uses marbles in some of his paintings, which caused me to search through my closet to find some paintings I painted of marbles in the 90's. My work is done in watercolor, and at the time I painted the paintings, my gallery in Napa refused to hang them, I think because they were too "contemporary" for them, so I put them away and continued down another path. (Not before the city of Fairfrield, CA (where I lived at the time)bought one though.)

Anyway, after seeing people painting marbles, I photographed these paintings and posted them on my website. I think they hold up pretty well, but some of the shadows need to be repainted. I may try painting one of them in oil in the future!

"Flaming Red Canna"

Here is a new portrait I have been working on. I can't quite decide if it is finished or not. Seems like the hair is too "neat"....Don't know if it will be in my Modernism show, since I am holding back (some of)the paintings for the show (from my online sites). The painting in the background is another Georgia O'Keeffe, "Red Canna", but it reminds me of flames, hence the title.

"When September Ends"

I just realized that I posted the wrong painting of "When September Ends". The painting I posted is called "Leah on Burgundy Couch", at least until I come up with a better title.
This is "When September Ends"; which was painted of my daughter a few years after she graduated from college, and I felt the melancholy of growing up and "becoming who we are" in her eyes. Like the words of the Green Day song: "summer has come and past, the innocent can never last....like my fathers come to pass, 20 years has gone so fast...wake me up when September ends"

San Francisco!

Last weekend my husband and I went to San Francisco to visit our son, Shane, who lives in Oakland, and also for me to meet with Martin Muller, the gallery owner of Modernism, and discuss my work, and upcoming show.
We had a wonderful time, and saw some incredible art: Gottfried Helnwein, Mel Ramos, Robert Rauschenberg, Wayne Thiebaud, Eric Zener, Gilles Marrey, and Sylvia Ji, (thanks Shaudi for opening your beautiful home, and giving us a "tour" of your Sylvia Ji collection) just to name a few. And those were all in galleries, (and one home)...we chose not to go to the SFMOMA, because of time issues, as well as we have been there many times. (We did check out the SFMOMA store though, because they have such wonderful books, and assorted art gifts!)
My meeting went well with Martin, and we are "refining" the group of paintings that will be in my show. We are close to setting a date, and I will post that as soon as it is decided. It was a very productive meeting! (I have decide to delete a few of the paintings that will be in the show from my blog and website, (that I previously posted) so the work will "be new" for the show.)
On Saturday we went on Bart to the Eastbay, where we saw my son (Shane)and his girlfriend's (Mel) apartment. It is very cool, with wonderful art, and a cute pet cat; Hiboux! Mel even made us some delicious vegan cupcakes! (Her vegan blog is vegilicious)
That evening our son took us to the Berkeley Rep Theater where we saw the musical "American Idiot". It was a fantastic show, and of course the music was incredible! As I re-listened to the American Idiot cd, (when I got home)I realized it was totally suited, if not written to be a "rock opera". I must say that was one of the highlights of our trip! The Bay area is so beautiful, and I always miss it when I return! (We lived out there for 7 years, in the 90's)
Today I am posting a painting I painted of my daughter, Leah, that I painted after listening to the Green Day song; "When September Ends", along with a photo of Shane, Shane, and me in Oakland, with the Bay Bridge behind us.

Georgia O'Keeffe

Last week I watched the Lifetime movie about Georgia O'Keeffe. After the first two hours were almost over, and Alfred Stieglitz died, I got excited, and was looking forward to another hour about Georgia O'Keeffe living and painting in New Mexico. I was soon to be disappointed, when the movie abrubtly ended. I guess in hindsight I shouldn't have been surprised, because it was, after all, a Lifetime movie. They chose to view Georgia O'Keefe's life through her connection, romantically and professionally to Alfred Stiglitz. Of course he was a driving force in her life, and I am reminded of my son saying to me once that Georgia O'Keeffe was only famous because of Stieglitz, and I argued that while he promoted her, and gave her many of the opportunities she possibly wouldn't have had without him, she was still the first person in art history, that I know of, to paint the subject matter she chose in her own personal style.
To me, after reading much about Georgia O'Keeffe, I think of her as a strong and independant woman who would suffer almost anything to continue painting. I found the movie to be true to everything I have read about her, but from letters she wrote before she met Alfred, she still seemed to be a strong willed woman, and not quite the love sick nymph she was portrayed as in the movie.
Another one of the things I question about the movie are the size of her paintings. I have been adding Georgia O'Keeffe paintings behind my figures, and I have been trying to keep the sizes true to life. So when I saw her painting her "Oriental Poppies" probably at least 5' x 8' I was surprised that I could have been off by so much. So I looked up the size of the actual painting, and it is 30" x 40". It sure added to the drama of the painting, (in the movie) to see her painting such a giant, beautiful image! Then I remembered the first time I went to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum in Santa Fe, and was rather shocked by all the small paintings. (I think we have seen her work in print or posters for so long, that we think they are huge. A few actually are huge though.) I was blown away by the art in the movie! I think it was, and should have been, the best part of the show.

Anyway, after such a long post, I have added some Georgia O'Keeffe videos from youtube to my blog. The first one is actually Georgia O'Keeffe in New Mexico, and I think it gives you more of who Geogia O'Keeffe was in almost 10 minutes, than was shown in the entire Lifetime movie.

"Wyoming Peonies"

Here is the "finished" peonie painting cropped, and a little larger. (I couldn't quite figure out how to delete the first photograph of the painting on the easel.) So for now I'm leaving them both.

A few weeks ago I wrote about starting a new floral painting, and it is almost finished. I still have to work a little on the background leaves, and maybe lighten up some shadows on the left hand peonie petals, but as a whole I am pleased with the painting. Most of my previous flowers have been painted in watercolor, but I am enjoying painting them in oil for a change. Also I have never painted just blossoms and leaves, but have always painted a vase of flowers, because I am so interested in reflections and refractions in the vases, (especially using black and white stripes). So this painting has a different feel to me than my previous floral paintings, not to mention the size is 27" x 36". It was a nice break from my figurative work, but already I'm anxious to start a new portrait!

Nude with Mask!

I am just starting to navigate the internet world of blogs and websites, and have been reading a lot of daily painter blogs. The criteria is that the artist produces nearly a painting a day. The sites are really nice, but, although I do paint nearly everyday, except Saturday, it takes me about a month, (with drying time between the first layer of oil paint and the last) to produce a final painting...if not longer.
I am thinking of starting another blog that would be about...monthly painters...lol. All in due time. I have only had my blog since June, but am amazed at all the wonderful blogs out there that have been around for years! It also takes a lot of (painting) time just to search out all the art related blogs and websites. I have to limit my time, or it can get away from me!
This painting today is one of my model Kaitlin wearing a mask in front of a large target. The target is a nod to the art of the 50's and 60's, more specific, Jasper Johns, and the mask makes me think of a carnival theme. I plan to paint some more paintings in a similar vein.

Starting New Floral Painting.

Today I am excited to start a new floral painting! It is always exciting to start a new painting, but it has been a few years since I have painted still life, much less a floral. Also I have never painted such a large oil flower painting. ( I usually paint flowers in watercolor.)

It will be a break from my figures, and it was actually hard to mentally make the change, because I have been focused for so long. I still love painting figures, but this is totally for me!

I'm posting a watercolor of peonies that I painted a few years ago, and sold. Peonies are one of my all time favorite flowers!

Painting Progression.

This is one of my favorite paintings of one of my favorite models, Kaitlin. The reason I like this painting is because of the look on her face. As I looked at the painting progression, I now wonder if the green background wasn't a better choice than the white, or gray....? (It is already at Modernism.) This was a painting that "painted itself", because I had all the information in the photograph.....no fixing, no changing, and no additions. A simple background! If I would paint it again, I would possibly take off the nylons, because they are pulled up so high.

Looking for a Title.

This is a new painting, I have been working on for awhile, trying to bring it to completion. I think I still have a little work to do on the hair, (again), but am fairly satisfied with the painting.
My friend Monica, who teaches Greek at UNM (as well as some other classes), suggested "Mimesis" for a title. It means reflection in Greek, and Caley, my model is a student of the Classics, so I think it works. Also the ocean in the window reflection could be in Greece.

Art Santa Fe and Rauschenberg Show

This weekend my husband and I went to Santa Fe to see the art at Art Santa Fe, and a Robert Rauschenberg exhibit at the William Shearburn Gallery. I must say that while the Rauschenberg exhibit was quite wonderful, we found Art Santa Fe to be a little lacking. There seemed to be fewer galleries representing, as one could imagine with the economy, than there were two years ago. There were some great paintings, and there was even an Andy Warhol, and a Roy Lichtenstein for sale, to mention a few. A lot of abstract work, and not much realism. Landfill Press was showing how a lithograph is made, and that was very interesting!
As far as the Rauschenberg exhibit goes, I was surprised, and delighted, to see some of his large works made on stainless steel. They lose some of the reflective quality when seen reproduced in books. It was exciting to see Rauschenberg's work....and I always try to touch someones work that I revere...just to feel that much closer to them...and mission accomplished! (When you go to museums you're usually not so lucky.)

Portraits

While I love to paint figures and still life, I especially enjoy painting portraits. After seeing Malcolm Liepke's show (online) at the Arcadia Gallery in New York City, I have decided I need to paint a few more portraits.

I started painting my daughter, Leah, and my neighbor's little girl Anna Beth Lane, and like Liepke says about what attracted people to his work:

"It was the emotionality of the work, the connection to the people who were
painted and the faces. So, I decided to simplify the background and just
get rid of all that other stuff behind it. My work is about the connection
with the people I paint."

Unlike Liepke, I started with the portraits, and have recently taken on a more narrative quality in my figurative work.

Watercolor Paintings.

Watercolor Paintings

When I started painting, I started in watercolor, mostly because of two artists: Steve and Monatana Naegel. They were both watercolorists in Casper, WY, and I thought their work was incredible! I started taking classes at the local college, and even brought a stack of paintings over to Montana's house, uninvited, to show her my watercolors. She took them to her kitchen sink, and turned on the spray, and proceeded to take off most of the paint. Looking back on that now, it seems a little shocking, but she made her point that I had used too much pigment, and it freed me to start fresh.
Later when I taught a class in Berkeley, and the day was almost over, I noticed that many of the artists had done the same thing...used too much pigment. I remember telling them that just because they had one hour left, be careful not to "overpaint" the painting. I guess that is the tricky part of painting, in oil or watercolor...when to know, or decide you are finished.
I've just had my website linked to the National Watercolor Society's website, and thought I should post a few watercolors. I am looking forward to painting in wc again soon!

Casper, WY

Just returned from Casper, WY, the town where I grew up. The winters there are really cold and windy, and seem to last forever, but it is a beautiful place in it's own way. ( We never missed a weekend of skiing in the winter, no matter what the weather.) A great place to grow up, and raise kids. I moved to Sandy, Utah when I was around 30, then to Fairfield, CA two years later, and finally after 7 years in CA, I moved to Albuquerque, NM.

The summers in Wyoming are really wonderful! This trip was to celebrate my dad's 80th birthday, and all my brothers and sister were there, with their children. (except David's kids) I was especially happy because my son and daughter were both there, along with my grandson.

On the way home from Casper we were lucky enough to stop in Loveland, CO to see the" Wayne Thiebaud /70 Years of Painting" show. It was an incredible show, although I would have liked a few more cake and pie paintings, and maybe some more figurative paintings.

I saw another of his shows in Sacramento, CA when I lived out there, and I love his work! His use of color and paint is amazing, not to mention his subject matter. Wayne Thiebaud seems like a very humble, hard working man, and I hope I will get a chance to meet him in my life. He is almost 89 years old, and still paints nearly every day. What an amazing painter!

NM and Ghost Ranch

I wrote about Ghost Ranch a few weeks ago, but didn't know how to get the photos to "imbed" in the post....now I have learned how, but don't want to rewrite the whole story.....so if you want to read about my trip to Abiquiu, and Ghost Ranch, (where Georgia O'Keeffe lived and painted) check out the older posts.

Here are some of the photos of the beautiful landscape of New Mexico!

NM and Ghost Ranch

Last Saturday my husband and I went up to see Ghost Ranch, NM, where Georgia O'Keeffe lived and painted. I have always read about the greatness, and the vast and unique beauty of NM, and how many famous artists and writters have settled here (DH Lawrence, Mabel Lodge, and more recently, "celebrities" such as Julia Roberts and Val Kilmer). So I was excited to see what the look and feel would be.

I have lived in NM for 13 years, but because I grew up in WY, I think the impact of coming to NM was less than if I had lived in the eastern United States. I have always lived in the west, and when I moved here from the bay area (Fairfield, CA) and my husband and I drove up to Santa Fe, we kept waiting for the "magic" to hit us. (It didn't.)

Then we drove up to Taos, and when we hit the summit, coming into the valley, and town of Taos, we were struck with the beauty everyone talks about. There really was a unique quality to the atmosphere and light. (But who could say that walking around Jackson Hole, WY, surrounded by the Tetons, or on top of the Rocky Mountains in Vail, CO, or swimming in the surf at Stinson Beach, or even anywhere in HI, is any less beautiful?) Each place is beautiful!!

So having said all that, I find it hard, if not impossible to choose one place in our country that is the most beautiful. NM has grown on me over the past 13 years though, and I really do love it here! Now I am struck with NM's beauty every day! Just looking out my window at the Sandia Mountains, and the deep blueness of the sky, it really is awesome!! (I even enjoy the trip up to Santa Fe.)
When we went to Ghost Ranch, (2 hrs from Albuquerque) the most amazing thing to me was to stand where Georgia O'Keeffe stood and painted, and seeing the exact landscape as in her painting. The guide (yes we went on the tour) would hold up a picture of a painting, and then we'd look up and there it was, exactly as she saw it. That to me was incredible!!
The only disappointing thing about the whole trip was not seeing Georgia's house. We could see it through the fence at the driveway, but other than that it is fenced off, and there are no tours through it. You can tour her house in Abiquiu, but we chose not to take that tour. (It is $40.00 each.)

Ghost Ranch itself is like an old hippie commune. They hold all kinds of classes that include many different arts and writing clinics. People wander around, and they can hike, paint, read, etc. They can even spend the night, and there is a dining hall to eat. I would think people from the "big cities" would love it. (They even filmed City Slickers there, and some of 3-10 to Yuma.)

This is the first day of my new blog!! If anyone can find me, please let me know, or ask me a question.