Three of these paintings are still in the final stages of the underpainting in which I used a limited palette of black, white, yellow ochre, and burnt sienna. While experimenting with oil glazes on the 20x20 I learned that I need to tone down my transparent oil colors to get the effect that I am looking for. That painting has since been re-painted with the limited palette.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Last Homestead in process
My recent paintings are part of a series called Last Homestead. The title refers the home that remains in the center of construction along the bike path. Each painting shows either the house itself or the area around it from both aerial and ground level views. I am exploring ways to show the inevitable change that is now a significant part of our American lifestyle. There is tension between the disappearance of the familiar and the emergence of newer and better opportunities.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Painting in Process
Encouraged to work larger, I am painting a 60 x 40" aerial view entitled Beyond the Bikepath.
I painted the monochromatic underpainting with acrylics. Now that I have blocked in the colors I think that the freshness of the underpainting is more successful than the colored version. I'm going to experiement with a limited palette and perhaps change the colors again once I have done these experiments.
I painted the monochromatic underpainting with acrylics. Now that I have blocked in the colors I think that the freshness of the underpainting is more successful than the colored version. I'm going to experiement with a limited palette and perhaps change the colors again once I have done these experiments.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Disjunctive Space Workshop
I took a 2 day work shop with Melanie Authier this weekend. We discussed different types of space, and the effect of combining different or contrasting spaces in one painting. Our approach to the painting was through creating a collage with photographs and paper.
I asked Melanie about "contemporary landscape". She encouraged me to look at Dil Hildebrand whose paintings reflect his background in set design. She commented that contemporary landscape now often includes the influence of the urban environment.
Other artists she recommended are: Gary Evans, noting his process, which involves making sketches from his car and Monica Tap whose recent work involves the use of technology. Monica's series "One Second Hudson "depicts blurred images painted from a "quick time" video.
I asked Melanie about "contemporary landscape". She encouraged me to look at Dil Hildebrand whose paintings reflect his background in set design. She commented that contemporary landscape now often includes the influence of the urban environment.
Other artists she recommended are: Gary Evans, noting his process, which involves making sketches from his car and Monica Tap whose recent work involves the use of technology. Monica's series "One Second Hudson "depicts blurred images painted from a "quick time" video.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Multi panel paintings
I have been looking at multi panel paintings and have found that this format is popular with abstract artists who break one image into vertical bands, each segment painted on a separate panel.
The work of Trine Bumiller is also one continuous design, but her panels are different sizes, so the view of the image is determined by the arrangement of smaller canvases that together make one large composition. Her subject matter is often plants or trees. Don Eddy's work is in rectangles and squares, or alter-like pieces with a round edge at the top--sometimes arranged in vertical rows, and other times in pairs with a large vertical rectangle over a smaller vertical rectangle. His images are related by color or theme, but do not carry over into adjacent panels.
Bonnie Steinsnyder works in diptychs and triptychs as well as multi-paneled pieces, all of urban themes. Like Eddy, these each contain different but related images. Karen Kitchell often works in a series of 5 or more--often square panels all on the same horizontal plane. Her subject matter is plants or animal life that is not traditionally noticed or appreciated. Luis Gordillo's multi-paneled consists of vertical panels with related but not continuing design.
I plan to do a multi-panel piece that is related but not a continuing design. I am thinking about doing a triptych, but would like to keep the format flexible so that the panels could be hung in a row as one large rectangle, or in a balanced but non-symmetrical order.
The work of Trine Bumiller is also one continuous design, but her panels are different sizes, so the view of the image is determined by the arrangement of smaller canvases that together make one large composition. Her subject matter is often plants or trees. Don Eddy's work is in rectangles and squares, or alter-like pieces with a round edge at the top--sometimes arranged in vertical rows, and other times in pairs with a large vertical rectangle over a smaller vertical rectangle. His images are related by color or theme, but do not carry over into adjacent panels.
Bonnie Steinsnyder works in diptychs and triptychs as well as multi-paneled pieces, all of urban themes. Like Eddy, these each contain different but related images. Karen Kitchell often works in a series of 5 or more--often square panels all on the same horizontal plane. Her subject matter is plants or animal life that is not traditionally noticed or appreciated. Luis Gordillo's multi-paneled consists of vertical panels with related but not continuing design.
I plan to do a multi-panel piece that is related but not a continuing design. I am thinking about doing a triptych, but would like to keep the format flexible so that the panels could be hung in a row as one large rectangle, or in a balanced but non-symmetrical order.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Contemporary Painter
In looking at contemporary landscape painters, Sandy Litchfield exemplifies an artist who seems to enjoy nature as subject, but has developed a contemporary format for her work. Litchfield works on canvas, paper, and on the walls of galleries! Her work is very organic and includes painted collage-like areas of color and parts of images. The gallery website from her 2006 show describes her work as "map-like abstract paintings". I have thought of combining aerial and ground views, so I enjoy looking at how Sandy Litchfield solves this design problem. In describing her as contemporary, this article includes the following qualities: precise editing, a crisp approach to surface, broad array of technique, fresh, and suggestive.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Aerial Landscapes
My ideas about nature have been strongly influenced by spending time in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Hiking, horseback riding, and sking in the vastness of open land with no visible manmade structures surrounded by 14,000 foot mountains has given me an appreciation for the beauty and power of the natural world. It is common to see deer and other wildlife in these places.
Near my home, the urban environment offers designated open space to preserve trees and small animal life. There are concrete bike paths to access the river, and many people walk, jog, rollerblade, and cycle along these paths. I accept urban parks as a convenient substitute for the more authentic experiences of nature in the "high country" especially since I can still see the tall mountain peaks in the distance.
Reynolds Landing I and II reveals the attempts that have been made to make "nature" available to everyone by creating a park along the riverbank. On the other side of the river is a golf course--another man-made park. These areas allow us to feel that we are in nature, yet the concrete paths and proximity to major streets are indicators of a controlled urban environment.
Viewing these places from the air has increased my awareness of the artificiality of these environments. In Platte River Pathways I have intensified and enhanced the colors to emphasize the unnatural attempts to immitate nature in small areas sandwiched between the streets and the river. At the same time, there is evidence of the river's influence on the urban environment in that the paths, streets, and structures have been built around it.
Near my home, the urban environment offers designated open space to preserve trees and small animal life. There are concrete bike paths to access the river, and many people walk, jog, rollerblade, and cycle along these paths. I accept urban parks as a convenient substitute for the more authentic experiences of nature in the "high country" especially since I can still see the tall mountain peaks in the distance.
Reynolds Landing I and II reveals the attempts that have been made to make "nature" available to everyone by creating a park along the riverbank. On the other side of the river is a golf course--another man-made park. These areas allow us to feel that we are in nature, yet the concrete paths and proximity to major streets are indicators of a controlled urban environment.
Viewing these places from the air has increased my awareness of the artificiality of these environments. In Platte River Pathways I have intensified and enhanced the colors to emphasize the unnatural attempts to immitate nature in small areas sandwiched between the streets and the river. At the same time, there is evidence of the river's influence on the urban environment in that the paths, streets, and structures have been built around it.
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