Friday, May 30, 2008

"Swiss Knife", oil on panel, 6 x 8

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Not much to say...just trying to stay sharp : ) Consistent would be good. I am trying so hard to paint some big ones for a gallery that I am having trouble getting these little ones posted, too. Know that I am trying to do better!
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008

"Corks", oil on panel, 6 x 6





That's right, I'm tackling tackle again.
Yesterday, I watched the demo that Carol Marine put on her blog. She is fabulous and her paintings look effortless. What's more, after you see her actually paint one, you get a feel for how very skilled she is. Her acumen with local color is spot on. That part I can't imitate, but for her economy of brush strokes, I tried that. I have a lot of bad habits to break. Not the least of one is reaching for the turps all the time. I was an acrylic painter for years and with that you have to wash your brush out constantly. With oils, it is best to wipe the brush of its excess paint rather than contaminate the brush with thinner. Anyway, if you'd like to see a great painter at work go to her blog and scroll down to her demo video.

Friday, May 23, 2008

"Pencil Shavings: Part Deux", oil on panel, 6 x 6


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I could do these all day. They are just the kind of thing I like, unpredictable, light and shadow, lots of parts instead of one or two objects. They are like little landscapes really.
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Speaking of, here is my big one, the one I did the "movie" about. I delivered it yesterday to Bennett Street Gallery here in Atlanta. I am working on more large ones so that one won't be lonely.

Can you see the way that this resembles the daily painting above just a bit. Lots of elements build the entire picture. Some can be edited out of each, but without getting 'too busy', plenty of objects can strategically left in. That's just one example of artistic license. There were many more branches interrupting the view of the river. I just chose one I wanted to leave in to lend some reality to the image and to balance the finished product. By the same token, I didn't count and certainly didn't paint in every one of the chips of colored lead from the pencil. Put in just enough to tell the story.
Hope that wasn't too sophomoric. Maybe I just like to hear myself type.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Fly lll, 6 x 6, oil on panel

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The flies have it. They are fun to paint though are a lot of detail I am not accustomed to doing. I've never really used a mahl stick but if I keep this up....
I am having trouble loading my "movie" onto the blog. It is really fun to see the transition my big painting went through to get finished. I'll keep trying. Like I said in my profile, this computer stuff is daunting. Wish I had a 7 year old who could do it all for me.
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Saturday, May 17, 2008

Caster, 6 x 6, oil on panel




Whew, I am beat. I've been working on the 36 x 48 piece all day. Almost done and then I can post the "movie".
Went out with friends last night and though I am grateful they do what they do for a living, man is that not for me! One is a Major with the police department and the other is a nurse. Believe me, society is much better off if I stay in my basement and paint! I joke with them and say that just because they may have said as children "I am gonna grow up to be a police officer/nurse" that no one would have held them to it. But they are very good at what they do so I guess we all end up where we're supposed to.
More tomorrow.
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Friday, May 16, 2008

Pepper, 6 x 8, oil on panel


I have been crazy around here, trying to paint as much as I can and have a bit of a social life. I have been bad about locking myself away and not seeing some of my dearest friends. So tonight I am off to see 2 of them and I am so happy. See ya tomorrow.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Paint Tube, 6 x 8, oil on canvas




Guess what I have lying around the studio...besides my pups. This was a good painting lesson. For one, the crimps in it were not predictable as they would be with drapery so I really had to study the thing to get it right. Secondly, knowing I was going to write about this, I found I was finally able to put into words why I omit the writing on the object. If it is not necessary, why do it except to practice hand lettering and minuscule details. I am basically a studio artist and I choose to edit a great deal. So even though I painted this from life, I only wanted the impression of the tube, not to convey the brand and all.

I am changing my selling policy now. Prices are down and no bidding involved. If you like it, you can have an original oil painting for $85.

The larger painting is coming along but I am getting too bogged in detail. I need to loosen up a lot more. I'm posting a couple of teasers. I've gone quite a bit farther than this but I don't want to give too much away.


I've intentionally given you a glimpse of the studio. Not really very telling, let me know if you want to see more some time. Lots of people ask to come see it as though it is where the Keebler elves come at night to help me...don't I wish.

Radio Interview now on line

Well, the Radio Sandy Springs interview is now on line. If you'd like to listen, you can find it
HERE
Just scroll down to the 5/9/08 interview and click where it says "LISTEN!" I've heard it for the most part, well duh, I was there, but we talked a lot before and after the interview, as well as during commercial breaks. So i wasn't exactly sure whatI said on air. Now that I have heard it, I will expand on some of those things on occasion in this blog.
I will warn you that the interview is one hour long, with host Mellisa Galt bouncing between me and Millie Gosch, a dear friend and fellow painter. Not that I couldn't have filled up an hour by myself, as many of my friends can tell you.

A daily painting is coming, still have to do it and work on my 36 x 48 piece today.
Later,
Georgia

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Strike Lighter, 6 x 8, oil on panel


Remember this from high school chemistry class? Haven't seen on in years (I won't say how many). Just happens I have one in a propane kit I have but have never used.

I am working on a 36 x 48 canvas right now of a landscape. Painting exactly what I appeals to me and shutting out the other voices that tell me to paint what sells, what I am already comfortable with... I want challenges and to paint for me. That is the only way I know to have a successful painting. I have to be immersed in the painting; become one with the work. That is when I am happiest and the result is best. The only drawback is that it makes it difficult to talk about the work, because I don't really know how it happens - it flows and I flow with it. Hey I'm happy doing what I love and that is enough for me. Grateful I can be one of the people who gets to say that at the end of every day.

By the way, I am making a "movie" of the big painting. When it is done, I'll post the "movie". Can't wait!

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Pencil Shavings, 6 x 6, oil on panel


SOLD
As promised, here's the beauty in the ordinary. Thanks, Erin. Wanted to bail on this pretty early on, it seemed to be forever before it was apparent what the image was.

Speaking of bailing, I've learned a lot in my painting career about the dangers of solitude. I have moments when a voice says "you can't do that, its too hard". I think we all do at some point in our lives. But those thoughts are of my own creation and have no validity.

I read in a golf magazine once about the lack of confidence that can strike in the tee box. It's a little like going on stage, even if just for a moment. I can really have doubts about my abilities then. Well, the magazine suggested that you pretend that your caddy were saying those things to you, like "don't bother, the ball is just going to go into the (woods/ pond/parking lot)". The magazine said that you would fire a caddy that does that, right? So fire the caddy in your head!

Friday, May 9, 2008

Lemon and Limes, 6 x 8, oil on panel


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Back to some fruit paintings. They are always good practice. In fact, we discussed it in the radio interview I did today.
I am looking for other objects to paint. I look around the house and so much is boxy, slick. I want toys, or parts of things, not the same stuff that gets painted to death. That's part of my shtick, seeing the unusual in things all around us. A fellow blogger says she like the design in ordinary things including pencil shavings. I love that! Maybe I'll paint pencil shavings next. Yep, that's what I'll do.
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Live Radio interview

Can't believe I'm putting this out there...I will be interviewed on Radio Sandy Springs today at 2:00pm. My friend Millie Gosch and I will be questioned about our paintings, influences, challenges and so on. For those of you in the area, it is 1620am. for those of you who'd like to hear it live on the web, go to radiosandysprings.com and click on the schedule for Friday, 5/9/08 at 2:00 (The Art Full Life).

It will be recorded, I believe, so you can hear it later, uggh! It will probably post on 5/12 or 5/13. I hope I stay composed and make sense. If not, you'll have something to listen to if you suffer from insomnia.

Wish me luck. And let me know how I did, ok?