A case of the uglies.

Not only did my work take a little shift early this year, but my way of working did also.  Gone are the days of being quite so deadline dependant.  I used to work on the final piece, pushing it through and finishing it up just in time to load it into the van and head off to a show.  The downside to this was not only that I'd leave for a show physically exhausted, but I would also return home to a messy studio, with nothing but blank canvases to look at.

Now when I return home I find a handful of paintings in mid stream, ready to be be picked up and carried through to completion.  This is more comfortable for me because I am not trying to start from scratch, trying to find the magic right out of the gate.  I am inspired by what is in front of me, and can build on it.  When I walked into the studio for the first time in a week, this is what greeted me...

Yes, "Chatterbox" has miles and miles to go, but it has good bones.  And I was glad it was there, not only to jump start my painting, but as a bit of relief to it's sister in the studio.  "Surly Girl" is also in progress, and is currently living up to her namesake.  As much as "Chatterbox" is inspiring, "Surly Girl" is not.  "Surly" is in fact going through a eye gouging ugly stage.  The uglies are not always a bad thing, in fact they are practically expected, much like awkward teenage pimples.  Sometimes I court the uglies, building on them on purpose.  The uglies can be used to balance out a painting that has become too saccharine sweet, or you can surround a nice bit with something muddy, or squishy, and the contrast makes it shine. 

But right now "Surly" is just ugly, muddy, patchy, and just difficult in general.  And a sure fire way to be sure she stays that way is to sit here and continue to write about it.  So off I go, let's see if I can get her back on the rails.  If I do, I'll post about her, if I don't...well, try to forget I ever mentioned her.

Sugar

Sugar is fresh off the easel, and ready for her first show.  The dress itself was a gift, someone came to see me at the show in Fort Worth with a shopping bag with this little gem tucked inside.  She thought it was a perfect piece for a painting, and she was right. 

The chemical formula for sucrose is in a pretty script in grey on pink in the background.  The right side of the diptych is pure contrast with deep smoke and charcoal grey.  A sugar bowl (which happens to be my china pattern) is painted at the bottom.  Three perfect duck shaped mother of pearl buttons drop through the middle of the composition. 

And, by the way, "Sugar" is Scott's nickname for me (not always deserved, but that's another conversation.)  Did you know that I consider all of these pieces self portraits?  Even sweet ones like this that began as a generous thought.

 "All the girls" will be heading to Seaside FL for her first show this weekend, maybe I'll see you there.  Sugar is about 20" x 22"   $925

Little Bird

"Little Bird" found a home in Texas this past weekend.  She is one of those pieces that I've hardly had a chance to get to know, so to speak.  Finished and framed the day before we left, and sold at the first show.  Sold to a sweet family, with two children and another "little bird on the way." 

The Pine Warbler, top left was painted, the next canvas down features a linoleum block print in the background and a great child's glove.  (I had the pair, it's match will surface in a later painting, I am sure.)  The bottom left is a nest made from pattern pieces.  The right hand side has a repeating lino block bird behind the dress which was painted with yellow dots under the blue.

I guess it's time for me to quit talkin' and get workin' as my next show is in about 10 days.  If you are from "around here" I'll see you at our little local festival on May 5th.  The Jackson Fine Arts Festival, just off the square in Jackson, GA.  Saturday only from 10am-3pm!

Birdbrain

"Birdbrain" is the latest big piece I've finished.  Like "Black Betty" and "Queen Bee" she is just over 72" tall by 24" wide.  The top canvas has her name cross stitched through the canvas, with birds on wires over top.  The next three canvases are birds nests made with sewing patterns, laid out like a slot machine.  I was trying to explain my thinking on this to Scott, and the best I can do is to say it's like the only options "Birdbrain" has are to nest.  She can keep pulling the handle, but no other choices come up.  The background on the main canvas is scattered with subtle sunflower seeds, and the birdcage is one that hangs in my studio.  The dress has a repeat pattern of Carolina Wrens, with tails crossed.  Behind the birds you can just see hints of sewing patterns coming through.  The canvas with the glove has a beautiful damask pattern in the background, and a scattering of just slightly larger than life size sunflower seeds in the shell.

Although "Birdbrain" is typically thought of as an insult, I prefer to think of her as someone who has birds on the brain.  Someone with a need to care for others.  This is represented by the seeds, (feeding) and the need to build, and decorate.  She is perhaps a little trapped by this, as seen in the birdcage, and the lack of choices with only the option to nest.  But I think she is happy, or at least content.

On the road again.

Ah, the glamorous life of an artist!  Scott and I left home yesterday morning, promising all three cats and Freda that we would be back.  "One week, we promise, you'll sleep through most of it!"  The van was literally packed to the gills, no looking out the back window, and be careful opening the doors so an avalanche of "Creatively Required Assorted Props" aka "CRAP" doesn't come crashing out.  We programed our first stop into our GPS and we were on our way, like a herd of turtles. 

We don't do a lot of sight seeing during our travels, in fact I try to spend as much of the time on the road checking my eyelids for light leaks.  As we said tonight to our dinner companions, the first day on the road is like a day off, a decompression day.  We just drive, usually no radio, not much talking, whoever is not driving is usually sleeping, and we just keep going.  Occasionally the van, with over 275,000 miles on it, hiccups, and I flip back and forth between quietly saying a little prayer to the god of vans, and silently swearing at it and threatening to take a sledgehammer to it if it leaves us stranded in the middle of nowhere.  So far this plan has worked fairly well, we drove past the spot where the alternator crapped out last time we were making this journey, feeling more hopeful by the minute.  Food is whatever is in the cooler between us, and we just watch the miles tick by.  725 miles yesterday, and another couple hundred today.  Yes, in case I have you worried, I did renew my triple A membership before we left.

So here we are, Fort Worth, Texas.  So far, so good, a simple load in.  The tent went up, under the main tent.  Fort Worth is known for crazy winds, and they deal with this by putting up large tents that are roped to the pavement.  Artists squeak their 10' square tents into a 10' square spot, we are wedged in there so tight the wind would have to take all six tents, plus the main tent at the same time.  And we have good neighbors, that is important, nice neighbors.

Then panels, and weights, and paintings.  Lights, chairs, table, portfolio bin, more boxes, storage bins.  It's all set up, the van has gained several inches of height with the unloading of it all.  And we checked into the hotel, a charming hotel.  If your idea of charming is a cinder block building with saggy little beds.  But the sleepier I get, the better the bed looks, and trust me, we have been in far worse.  The good thing about this place is unlike most shows, we are within walking distance to the hotel.  And we found several good bars and restaurants between here and there. 

So we'll see you on Main Street in the morning!  I think I have the best looking show I have ever put together Ft. Worth, so come on down and take a look!

Black Betty (without the shine!)

It's pretty amazing the difference a decent photo makes, compare this image of Black Betty with the one a couple of posts down and you'll see what I mean. That's all I've got for you right now though. I'm pretty excited about "Birdbrain" on the easel, and I should go out there and see where she's headed!

The Arm Wrestle Ho Down.

That time has come again, the arm wrestle.

That's the time after I've given myself a break from the studio, but before I actually start painting again. I need a little break after a big push for a show. I have to clean the house, because it's usually been completely neglected, work in the yard a bit, catch up on all those errands I put off. I might even put stuff on etsy like I did a week or so ago. ( You can see the etsy shop at : http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSpringGallery?ref=si_shop )

But now it's time to get back to work, it's been time to get back to work for a week or so. But instead, I have started the dance...the Arm Wrestle Ho Down.

Oh sure, I'll get a couple hours of work in a day, this week I've carved two little bird lino blocks, and printed about 50 of the little boogers on pattern paper last night. But really, that is about one day's work stretched into a week.

But, it's been sunny, and beautiful, and my garden has been weedy, and there is bread to bake and dog bellies to scratch. Oh, and a mosaic wall to fiddle with, but somehow that is too close to actually "getting something done" and has only been worked on in fits and starts. And naps to take.

But that annoying bitch in the back of my head is starting to mutter, and moan. She is loudest as I am trying to get to sleep at night. Chastising me for going to bed at a decent hour when I had a nap, and I really didn't get much done today. "You do have another show coming you know, you might want to have, oh I don't know...some inventory? A painting or two perhaps?" She is very sarcastic.

And of course, once I get the motor going, shake off the spring fever, and get immersed in making new work. I find a great rhythm. Scott knows to fend for himself, and I find this great peace. I think I am almost there. Boxes of canvases are coming in a few days, I am scratching down new ideas on scraps of paper everywhere.

But the tomatoes, I need to plant tomatoes.

Black Betty

This is not the greatest photo in the world, shot in the studio leaning back against the wall. Please pardon the blinding shine, I will try again. But until then, here is "Black Betty." She is the same size as "Queen B." With the same number of canvases, just arranged slightly differently. The top three canvases are tree branches in an inky teal. The next one down features photo transfers of a repeated martini glass over silver leaf. "Black" is stitched through this canvas. Then the panel with the top of the dress, bulls eyes repeat in the background, and a damask pattern covers the dress. The original beading is shiny black, with beautiful texture. Then we are down to the glove, which is also dotted with bulls eyes, "betty" is painted in her palm. Finally the bottom canvas is also the bottom of the dress, the lining showing up the slit is covered in silver leaf and dotted with little photo transfers of flies.

She is a bit of a mystery isn't she? Black Betty will be heading to Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival next month!

Queen B

I have started on a new piece, as I am waiting for it to dry, I suppose I'll write about this one.

"Queen B" is made of 7 canvases framed together to make a whole. In addition to the dress and glove, the only other materials used were acrylic paint and linoblock prints on rice paper. Three different linoblocks were carved for this piece. The damask pattern, which shows up on the top canvas, as well as the second from the bottom, the bee, and the crown. The apples were sketched and painted on black gesso. The little swarm of b's on the glove is mostly lines and text from sewing patterns. You can see a close up from that panel in my last blog post. One part you may not be able to see well is the pale bullseye in the palm of the glove. Visually connected to the swarm, it is a reminder that the Queen can hurt you. The lines swooshing around in the main background between the crowns are intended to mirror the lines in the swarm.

The next piece, currently all gooey and mucky in the studio is "Black Betty". She will be the same size as this one, 24" wide x about 74" high. Hopefully BB will be done in time to take a trip to The Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, next weekend in Tampa, FL. If all the linoleum block prints in this piece make you happy, take a look at my (elle)ements on website, www.thespringgallery.com Now, it's time for me to get back out there...

A quickie

Honestly, I have no idea why I am taking a minute to blog when I am in the final stretch for the first show of the year. I am working on "Queen B." She is 24 inches wide, and somewhere around 6 1/2 ft tall. Made up of 6 different canvases. This is one of them, it is 24" wide. I had a rough idea of how I wanted this to go when I started on it this morning, but I'm kinda tickled with how it's come out.

If you click on it you can probably see a larger version. I am hoping the dark area on the right reads as a swarm of bees...kinda tricky that. But the issue of the moment is that I like this part of the whole enough that it's about to dictate a palette shift for the entire piece. All part of the magic of not having a plan and letting each brush stroke inform the next move. And hey, I have a whole 60 or so hours left before I want it to be finished and ready to pack in the van. If I don't sleep.