Bug on a hill - Day 1

So, one of my many challenges here is trying to make this bug look like it is parked on a hill!

Speaking of hills, we are on the downhill the slide towards spring! Yay!

What do you think of Paul Cezanne's quote?

Art addresses itself only to an exceptionally small handful of people. Paul Cézanne

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"Art addresses itself only to an exceptionally small handful of people."

It may have been true in Cezanne's day, but what about now? 

I think people have more awareness of art and now there is so many kinds ... 

or is this just me, 

because art is ever present in my world? 

Something to think about.

Bug on a hill - sketch

I've been walking (and sometimes running hill repeats ... it's a tiny hill ...) 

past this little VW bug 

since I arrived in SE Wyoming. 

I thought right away that it might be fun to paint;

so I tried this sketch and I do think I'll give it a go.

#8 Faces - Fini!

Jean-Michel Basquiat, 5.5 x 6, oil on panel

Basquiat (12/22/1960 - 8/12/1988) 

He flamed out much too early. He was only 27.

After the graphite sketch, I layered on some Gloss Medium/Varnish and then painted in oil.

Detail

This effect is "antique with edge blur" from iPhoto. Cool.

On another topic, Pierre-Auguste Renoir's 172nd birthday was yesterday.

One of my most favorite art blogs is Katherine Tyrrell's, Making A Mark.

 

Katherine features a video (!) of Renoir painting in his late life, in the post link above. 

It is so remarkable to see him moving and painting with his poor rheumatic hands. 

I just may have to do a Faces of him.

If you watch it, don't you just wish you could also hear what he is saying?

#8 Faces - Begin

First graphite sketch.

Any guesses?

Too easy? 

Another painter I like is Greg Kondos. Very colorful and simple, but strong work.

Faces #7 - Fini!

Oliver Sacks  6 x 5.5  Oil on panel

I loved painting Oliver Sacks! Did you guess? 

I worked so long one day -

it was morning
 then I looked up -
 it was 2!

I really cannot believe how

the time floats by when painting...or at least when painting

is going well. When a struggle is going on

time stands still.

When painting is slow-going (ha ha who am I kidding...even if it's not)
I like to look at art on the web, such as this video of the upcoming
Christie's Chinese contemporary art exhibit.

ps ... blogger squished the painting, kind of obvious compared to the b&w

Faces #7 - Day 2

 Anyone know yet? 

Almost finished.

On another note, Mr. Guffey published my painting on the Virtual Paintout blog!

Very exciting.

Faces #7 - Beginning

This next Faces painting is someone famous. 

Let's see if anyone knows him besides me.

For the start I mixed Alizaron Crimson, 

Cadmium red light and I think some Burnt Umber; 

thinned it with my medium and covered the panel using a large brush.

Then with my gloves on, using a paper towel, I began "sketching" - 

removing the paint.

Valparaiso - Fini!

Painting a Mural in Valparaiso, 6 x 9, oil on prepared board

detail

Well, it really wasn't that fast. I did paint on it all morning.

I am happy with the way the values turned out.

I still didn't put as much paint on as I would like.

It will happen...

Stay tuned, next is my 7th Faces painting and it will be someone famous. 

I hope you try to guess. 

Meanwhile, this artist is doing something very different!

Valparaiso 4

Painting away ... this isn't going to be a fast one.

But I would like to have it finished by the end of the month 

so I can post it to the Virtual Paintout blog site!

If you haven't already peeked there, do go and have a look.

There are some wonderful paintings of Valparaiso there!

Valparaiso 3

I love the shadows, but worried how to keep them
 looking like shadows when I add more paint!

Valparaiso - 2

Getting some color down.

Valparaiso - the start

Setting it up.

Virtual Paint Out

Valparaiso, Chile - street scene   6 x 9, pencil

I decided to try Bill Guffey's

  Virtual Paintout!

For the month of February, it is in Valparaiso, Chile.
I know, I am getting a late start.

My little GoogleMaps guy landed in this street.

I chose it because of the shadows and bright colors - 

(all of Valparaiso's streets are quite colorful and I noticed tons of murals & graffiti!)

So here we go!

ps Bill also has a blog. I love his plein air paintings.

Faces #6

Syd Anderson  5.5 x 6  oil on panel

I'm happy with this. 

Syd Anderson was curator of mammals for the American Museum of Natural History in NY. He was my brother's professor when he went to Bolivia in 1985, and now a colleague. 

My brother sent me the photo and actually the whole photo is good, 

but I wanted to add him to my Faces body of work.

Faces #6 - Day 3

Didn't think the photo would turn out, it is so dark here all of s sudden!

He's coming along. I am just about finished.

I sketched a negative space as a warm-up today - below ...

 

... then sketched from my photos of when I went to the Seattle Art Museum:

Faces #6 - day 2

It is Fat Tuesday! Who had creole/cajun for dinner?

I made a shrimp etouffee!

Faces #6, begin

I think this portrait should be fun.

Love the 'stache, hat & glasses.

Cowboy & Chugwater Formation - Fini

Again, I had stained the board with 

Transparent Red Iron Oxide,

... thought it appropriate.

6 x 9, oil on prepared hardboard

Alla Prima! (yes, I posted the first photos yesterday, it was finished last night)

detail

Also, today is the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Significant only that I was born in the year of the snake, which is also this year.

So Happy Lunar New Year! Enjoy this!

Cowboy on Chugwater formation

Above is the screen shot from this video about the Chugwater Formation.

Below is the beginning of a new painting.

Wish me luck!

WY Snowy Landscape - Fini

8 x 8, oil on archival prepared hardboard

This painting took awhile. Hope it wasn't boring for you. 

I am happy with it. 

The sky (and truthfully, the vista) 

was actually very flat and gray...I took liberty with all the colors.

Initially, I covered the hardboard with a transparent red iron oxide stain.

Some of that stained, gessoed hardboard is visible in various spots all over the surface.

Below is a detail, and below that the b & w.

Thank you for viewing my art!

WY snowy landscape 5

Took a couple of photos. 

Changed the sky ... putting down more paint.

Trying to squint.

WY snowy landscape 4

Worked on the far ground.

I watched this video about the art forger,

John Myatt.  Kind of fascinating, knowing his prison sentence.

WY - snowy landscape 3

If I was out there painting it, it would be finished by now!

WY - snowy landscape 2

This will be a challenge.

WY snowy landscape - 1

Starting, only a few minutes work on this, then I had to vacuum, etc. 

Bleh ... (to vacuuming, not painting!)

It is from one of Matt's photos ...

 because,  it is too dang cold, well, it isn't the cold I am worried about

 - it's the wind! -

to go plein air!

Oh! I have two new painting crushes:

Colley Whisson (from Australia)

and 

Robin Weiss (from the Pacific NW)

Cherished

5.5 x 4.5, Water miscible oil on oil-stained Wallis paper

This is the last of this series of flower paintings.

The daisies are still pretty lively but everything else is about gone.

Had fun with this one, as you can prob tell.

Happy Feb 1 everyone! and happy friday, happy first friday.

If you are going gallery hopping, have fun!