July 26, 2008

Today while I was painting some little pieces of furniture for my daughter who will be moving into her first apartment shortly I realized two things about my style of painting. First I'm a messy painter which is not very conducive to using oils and second I'm a messy painter which is not very conducive to smooth drip free surfaces.

Years ago, with encouragement from my departed painter friend Scott, I attempted to paint with oils. I bought small tubes of basic colors, new brushes and a few small canvases to try my oil painting skills. What a muddy brown mess! Because I tend to paint thick and fast the paint did not dry enough to prevent one color from mixing with another. With acrylics, which I use, the paint dries rather quickly. In fact unless the humidity is extremely high I can completely cover a canvas, throw in a load of laundry, hang up the previous load, return to my easel and the paint is completely dry and ready to be worked. This works for me best as I like to add layers of paint until the correct color appears which is only obtained by working the canvas. For example I may start an area with a cool red then proceed to paint orange, green, yellow, blue, etc on top then finding the original cool red color over all those other layers of paint now works. I feel the many layers of paint give the painting dimension which I often mourn the loss of when a piece of mine is photographed and the paint(ing) flattens out.

July 25, 2008

Cleveland Clinic
acrylic on wood
2002

In 2002 my daughter had surgery to repair a hole (atrial septum defect) in her heart. This was a particularly frightening time filled with doctor visits (4 doctors were interviewed before one was settled on. Because I am an overly protective mom I never left her side and spent the night in various states of awakeners watching oxygen and heart monitors, asking patient nurses what everything meant and offering my left arm as a pillow to my sleeping daughter.

The painting Cleveland Clinic was painted a few weeks after her surgery.

July 24, 2008

Tonight while me and my dog were in the woods on the way to our huckleberry patch we were accosted by a ground nest of angry wasps. This diversion from our original intention grabbed my attention fully. I had become so accustomed to traveling the same path that it took a few minutes to get my bearings and decide how to go around the nest without being stung. While I was bushwhacking the thigh high ferns I considered the fact that change is inevitable and wondered how I would be affected by a slight detour in my route.

Every once in a while it's good to get things stirred up. All change, no matter good or bad has an impact on perspective (at least mine) and forever alters the way things are perceived. For instance every time I go to a museum my art work changes though that change might seem insignificant.

In February when I saw the Frida Kahlo show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art I was affected by her colors. This actually was surprising to me as I have seen many of her paintings before in published form. My expectation before the show was that I would be affected by her technique and/or subject matter and all though those things did make an impact it was a room full of her paintings that demonstrated her color palette most of which is easily lost in printed materials.

Likewise when I first began really looking at modern art and the skill of the masters who created them, I began to understand the brush strokes and choices of color. When I saw Matisse's Thousand and One Nights I was struck that his pencil marks were still visible. This was again a surprise that I enjoyed finding and I keep it in mind when I fight not to overwork my paintings and leave some of its original intention on the canvas.

July 23, 2008

Pulled In All Directions
1999
acrylic on Belgium linen
24" x 36"

In 1977 I attended Pratt Institute in New York City for three years of intensive art-only training. Upon completion of this curriculum, I felt not yet ready to tackle the corporate art directors world and decided to continue studying this time at Penn State, University Park, PA. A major in art with a specialization in graphic design upon portfolio approved by the head of the graphic design department. It was a highly competitive major to be accepted in and I was quite surprised when I was given a nod and accepted in.

I will forgo describing what several years of the tutelage of Mr. Sommese. It was better documented in a fictional book Cheese Monkeys by Chip Kidd which is based on the experiences a former Penn State Graphic Design major had while a student at P.S.U.

Lanny Sommese would only refer to me as "Pratt Reject". He would ask impossible tasks to be done in impossible times and nary a word of approval. I can only think of him as a childhood bully with tenure. Eventually I figured Life was too short to put up with such nonsense, my stomach was getting the better of me and I opted out of school altogether.

So even though I failed to turn and face you today when you burst upon a private meeting I was having with one of your colloquies I knew who you were and found it charming that you are one of the first people I run into when returning to Penn State

July 22, 2008

Summer '07
2007
acrylic on hemp and organic cotton
32" x 32 "

Is it me or is it impossible to be creative in the heat of the summer. It's outside all morning, cool down for lunch and indoor house chores, back outside for a bit, rest in front of fan for a bit and long hikes into the berry laden woods. When is there time to paint???

I got my new canvas stretched-The size is 36" 36". The canvas is made from organic cotton & hemp which I got on-line from Nearsea Naturals. Tomorrow I will gesso 2 coats if it's not too humid. Have no idea what the subject of this painting is to be. Had a couple of ideas a while ago but their feeling of importance has faded a bit.

Will keep you posted.

Peace always

Sharon

July 21, 2008

The Toothache
2002
acrylic on wood cutting board 24" x 18"

Sorry that I have been negligent in my daily post but a reaction to a bug bite has kept me down and out. Several years ago I had a similar malady with a tooth gone bad thus prompting the painting "The Toothache". I'm not sure if this will warrant a painting but promise to be back to speed tomorrow with a more insightful post


Peace Always

Sharon

July 19, 2008

I have been going to a shrink fro many years now with great success. She is a new-age gal though to meet her you would think otherwise. She has a Educated English accent, quite pleasant to look at, a small diminutive and is quite un intruding. She listens, she talks, I listen, I talk.

One of the things I had been unable to grasp was a concept she used of "asking for what you want/need?" and the universe will provide. It took me a while but eventually I have time and time again tried it. It's been my limited experience that this philosophy is absolutely true. That being said however delivery is never via the means you thought it was to be.

For example. I have been having a physical summer with lots and lots of gardening, hiking and yoga. The house was being cleaned from the inside and out, laundry caught up, the garden bursting with food to carry me through the fall.

But I though for one week it would be nice to do nothing.


I pictured staying in a cabin with no electricity in the woods alone with my dog.

or an private beach reserve that I could just take photos of shore creatures all day

Knitting on a porch at Cape May, New Jersey (maybe a nighttime beach walk)

Well as I knew I got that week via an allergic reaction to most likely an insect. First my neck swelled and hurt, then the sides of my head, then forehead and now my eye are so puffy that it's hard to see when I go outside and squint in the sun.

I have spent the week, napping, reading, watching tv and videos, nighttime sitting outside. I managed to continue laundry and dishes but other than that little else. My canvas is wrapped on the kitchen table waiting to be stretched when this vacation is over.

Peace Always

Sharon