A Man for Monday

This is the 3rd and most successful of the Andy paintings. I really like this one. I will post the 2nd Andy, next week. I needed to put something up that didn't make me cringe for a change. Lately my painting posts have been, not so aesthetically pleasing. I hope to change that! I am heading out to the studio today. It warmed up outside and I am going to take full advantage of the warmth.

18+19+20 details

I did a lot of blabbing yesterday about painting. The bottom line is, I need to stop thinking and let the painting happen. Some good things are happening in these close up views. Now I just have to get over the fact that it is cold out and get my butt out in the studio and finish this one. Onward!

Frankenstein Friday

Yes, it is another black and white artsy photo of the Chug. From the couch arm rest, Frankenstein can see out the front window. He has now curled up into little Chug ball and is sleeping on the pillow.

18+19+20

Here is a view of the progression of this set of paintings. I have been hard at work and am very close to pulling this one together. I have been taking photos after each session. After I shut down the cold studio, I can sit in the warm house and contemplate my next moves on my computer screen. It is a very helpful tool. But no replacement for being in the studio. Even if a color seems like it would work in a particular area a painting is about more than just blocks of flat color. For me it is anyway.
I am a painter who likes paint. Paint that is transparent or opaque, thick or thin, wet on wet or dry brushed, flat or shows brush stroke... how it is applied where it is applied can change everything.
I got to a point one night last week where I was swimming in paint! The surface got super thick and it was frankly out of my control. I kept trying to get it to do one thing and the harder I pushed the less it went as I wished. It is important to know when to back off. Listen to what it is trying to say..go with it. Or just scrape! scrape it off and start over. I like squeegees for this task.
Other times I loose the ability to mix or see color. In one session all the color can become too mixed out with white. The pallet goes from deep rich color to washed out pastel! When you are in that particular Hell there seems, no way out!
Sometimes you get locked into an image that is never going to work. I stayed pretty close to the original in the first two panels but the last one changed completely in the last session. I think it may change even more.
There are lots of variables. From the temperature in the studio to what I had for dinner too how pissed off at the president I am. I try and get it right. I try and paint at my strongest and most alert. I try to remain open and let things flow. I try.
while painting this one I realized I respond best when I treat my work like I am tagging a building. Like a graffiti artist. I hit it. Then I go back and re tag it. Then hit it again! When I moved to Virginia I thought I had to change that. But it is me and it is how I work best. I re discovered that on this painting.

Thursday is Kick Ass Chick day

Yes, I know I have already posted this painting of the lovely and talented Judy McGuire. Yesterday my copy of her new book How Not To Date came in the mail. I was thrilled! Judy was the first female portrait I did in NY. Mostly because she was the first person to say something nice about my work. But there is more to it than that. She was/is the best girls night out partner ever! But better than that she is just as close to Mr. Eleven ( I like a woman who has lots of platonic guy friends and she has the best).
Having an Advice Columnist as a friend is great. Not only is she bubbling over with good advice, or bad advice depending on how you look at it. She also is a willing listener to all the bad boy/girl friend stories you can dish out and she can one up them, with her own. She manages to take all that compressed pain and relationship baggage and make it funny! As painful and embarrassing as it can be, she spins it into hilarity and manages to give some solid advice too!
My advice is: buy the book!
You can gage my comments by this fact. I finally figured out how to link! I wanted to share this that much!

Wonder Woman Wednesday

Oh my, the treachery!

Happy New Year