Emotions of Red...

November and December could fall through a manhole, never to be seen again, and I wouldn’t miss them.  Difficult memories trigger melancholy autumn reveries ~ if I agree to them. Some years are better than others and some experiences hurt too much for words.

Grief was the national endowment this holiday season and, over time, we’ll each find a way to pay tribute and evolve meaning for a better world.

I live for 21 December ~ the return of light. The week between Christmas and the new year is a period of reflection, chalking up progress, metabolizing regrets, setting intentions for the next twelve months, reorganizing for maximum efficiency and sending less used items to goodwill or recycle. I reevaluate my priorities and cast ahead to see if

the path I’m on will lead me to the feelings I want to have over the next 365 days.

This is a self portrait from the dark days of the past quarter. In her opening remarks at a Doll Gardner Gallery exhibit, Karen Van Hoy stated studies show red elicits aggressive responses yet when tinted down to pink, the same color is the most peaceful. I found the concept fascinating and experimented with the idea. This type of mark making has been with me for most of my life. I’ve tried unsuccessfully to elegant up and decided raw, unadulterated interaction with the support and medium is how I am able to most fully express.

Self Portrait in Contrasting Shades of Emotion, 2012. Oil paint and bars on canvas, 30” x 24”.

Constellations...

I’m excited about a new series I’ve been working on for the past few months.


The work is a radical departure from previous efforts and combines my love of sculpture, photography, painting and drawing.

These posted images are of photo transfers and acrylic skins on steel plate. I’m working in copper, aluminum and brass, as well as dimensional formats. The “paintings” combine my current images of contemporary structures with my father, grandfather’s and great-grandfather’s photographic portraits.

The pieces give form to my interest in genetic memory and it’s impact on our beliefs and choices.

Friend and teacher, Corrine Loomis Diets, visited my studio recently. While she taught me the initial transfer techniques she remarked that she’s never seen anyone try color photo transfers or photo skins on larger metal supports. She was so enamored we took a field trip to my favorite suppliers so she could try a few for herself.

It’s always gratifying when explorative efforts spark creative dialogue.

Communion. Photo transfer and skins on steel, 18” x 12”.

The first larger effort and while technically this falls a bit short of my imaginitive mark, the communication of intent is satisfied. Communion combines my image of the Florence, Oregon bridge with a portrait my father took in the early 1950’s. 

No Clearance. Photo skins on steel, 18” x 12”.

Images of my father as a young boy (photographed by his father), and my father at the end of his life, illustrate the impact of self as observer in our lives. The structure is a railroad stop in Chewelah, Washington.

Kumari Devi

Thought it may be time to post some of the work I’ve been doing in the past months.  A departure from the usual in some cases, all of it fun to do.

2012, gouache on watercolor paper, 9.25 x 9.25, private collection

Kumari Devi means virgin goddess. She certainly was a pleasure to paint and get to know.

 

Crown Imperial Fritillaria, Fritillaria Imperialis.

 

 

This one may require additional resuscitation.

However, for now calling it good. Feel sort of like God on the seventh day… in need of a rest. Yellow is notoriously difficult to handle without creating mud. I set the exercise to try for blue shadows and sure enough tipped toward grays. Fell back to the warmer colors for reflection and shading.

If anyone knows the name of this flower will you please be kind enough to enlighten me? Took the photograph on Vancouver Island and folks this far south don’t seem to recognize her.

2012, Pastel, 36 x 24. When we know the name of the flower, the painting will claim a title.

1 July 2012 - Thank you, Cheri Lovre and Gretchen Carnaby, for sharing the name of the flower with me. I appreciate your kindness.

Paint me home...

Mt. Sanford and the Copper River Basin is a successful rescue project.

I started the piece years ago in a Spokane basement studio and it was almost finished.  The studio was a favorite hangout for some nasty spiders so we had regular pest control. At the time they used a spray and while I saw the potential risk, and asked the service person to be careful, I didn’t follow my intuition and move the piece. The result was bug spray dripping into the pastel. There was no point in being upset at anyone but myself since I clearly didn’t listen to the discernment prompt.

Fast forward ten years.

It’s been sitting in my studio and I have no idea why I didn’t put it to rest in the recycle bin since it looked pretty bedraggled with nothing left to lose. Decided to experiment to see if I could reclaim the work. Sprayed a couple of coats of Spectra Fix Degas Pastel Fixative lightly over the surface and the droplet evidence disappeared. Normally, I don’t use a fixative on any pastel work, yet this allowed me to go back into the nearly completed painting and revive it to the point I’m happy with the result. Since I don’t know to what extent the insecticide affected the archival quality of the work this will remain in my personal collection.