Come one, come all! come to shop or just visit. It is a great time every year! We have some who come for the free food (it is that good). I hope you'll find a time to drop by. It is casual and I will be there the whole weekend!
This is a new painting that will be in a show at Frameworks Gallery in Marietta, GA. It is one of several I have for a 10 person show. I know a lot of the other artists and I can tell you it will be a great show. Hope you can come out. It will be November 18th from 6 - 8. If not for the opening, visit the gallery when you can, it is really beautiful. I will post the invite when I get it. This is an entirely different show from the one I posted yesterday. Busy, busy.
This new piece will be in the show at Pryor Fine Art this Friday, September 17th. Quick art lesson - abstract painting is taking a subject and taking liberties with it, reshape the image, change colors, contours anything that keeps it from being a representational piece (for instance: photorealism). Non-objective work begins with no real object in mind - instead just a feeling and a playing back and forth with balance, color, shapes and so on, keeping the painting from looking like any object or subject entirely. It is at once freeing and difficult. There is talent in keeping the marks interesting and creating a composition with harmony and balance. Here is my first non-objective piece I've done in a while. Tell me what you think. Parts of this ended up looking like Matisse's interior pieces such as:
The Conversation. This is a painting of Matisse and his wife having an argument. One clue is that the wrought iron on the balcony spells out the french word "Non" meaning "No". One doesn't notice it right away. This piece is an abstract painting in that the room seems so flat, the chair she's in doesn't seem to have any volume to it and the scene out the window is tipped upward toward the viewer. In realism, the land should recede and become lighter and less intense in color.
Wow, I just spilled on that one, huh? What do you think the similarities are between my painting and Matisse's.
I just had to put a picture in...these are my babies Gracie (closest) and Trixie. They are being very good guarding the front yard and garden! And yes, Gracie has one blue eye and one brown. Anyway....
I have been accepted to Pryor Fine Art here in Atlanta. This is a very prestigious gallery in the Buckhead area and they will be handling my larger pieces in Atlanta. This Friday night, Pryor Fine Art is having a major show celebrating 20 years in the business. Their gallery now includes a space below the one they have had for years so there will be tons of art to enjoy. Six of my latest pieces that you've seen here on my blog will be included! I am grateful for this opportunity.
Also, I have taken the other new pieces up to Hanover Gallery which represents me in Chattanooga. Missy Peirano has incredible energy and ties to everything that happens in that town. And the gallery is in a great part of town (Northshore) that overlooks the river. Lots of walking and shopping and communing with nature near Coolidge Park.
Both these galleries have Facebook Pages so check them out!
Sometimes to appraise a painting I'm working on, I put it on the computer and crop out the studio in the background. That way I can focus on the work with out distraction. So...this painting has already changed from this look. Still playing with it. I hope to put another post up today. BTW, one of my favorite jokes is... What's brown and sticky?
This painting has had many reworks. They are here in order, representing the last 12 hours it was worked on. By showing these different stages, I run the risk of someone liking a previous stage but I have to say I am most happy with the final product.
Boy am I loving this direction. Does anyone remember learning the song in grade school "Kookaburra sits in the ol' gum tree, merry, merry king of the bush is he...."? Anyway, I will be out of town for a week and only able to draw for that time. But I will return with lots of ideas for the studio. Have a good week, everyone!
Here's another large abstracted one. This is so freeing. I used to only paint abstract work, all made up in my head. Then I took a plein air class and took to painting outside and looking at everything - painting what I saw. That transition is easy. Going back to abstracted work after being away so long is actually harder. But like riding a bike it is all coming back to me.
Ok, this one is different, but as I say, I get kinda restless at times. It is very liberating to doodle on a painting. I really like this one - it has so much to say. Click here to visit my eBay store.
This is of the shoreline on the Greater Satilla River in south Georgia. The Satilla is steeped in tannins from the cypress trees there. It looks like very strong tea - a little disconcerting at first. And the first fish I pull up is not a trout but a gar. I thought it was prehistoric - not seen byy modern man ever and when my heart stopped pounding I was gonna make the cover of Time magazine for having found one. See below.
I'm a little wistful about letting this one go. I painted this one on site. I really loved our painting trip in Maine and if you've been there then you'll recognize this shoreline. $150 Click here to go to my store.
This is from a trip a bunch of us painters took to Maine. We had wonderful weather - spent a whole week. Painted like crazy! Click here to bid. Starting at $100
If you've something to share, please do. Being a studio artist is like working in a vacuum. I rarely get feedback except by way of checks from my galleries. And if you like my blog, please tell your friends...the more the merrier!
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