Better? 2nd & 3rd Look at the Trail Painting

After my initial sketch of the trail I wanted to go back in and fix many of the things I couldn't get to in the first pass -- so I cleaned up the color, put the light spot behind the trees, silhouetted the jogger  ... is it better?  My next step was to clean up further -- tie some of the larger areas together so it wasn't so many individual moments, but a more cohesive experience.  Better still?  I don't know if I'm done yet, but I'm liking the evolution.

Still Life in progress

I started painting this still life today in a class designed to teach fundamental painting techniques -- not remotely my usual subject or approach to painting... and yet... I think I'm learning something.   Never having gone to art school, I've been learning by doing, not necessarily a bad thing.  Still, there are plenty of technical aspects -- the chemistry of painting-- that I know nothing about and if the paintings that come out of this are better for a little chemistry, all to the good.   

Wonder Woman, part 2

I had first intended to add a flag to the picture, but it was suggested to me that I put the stars on her costume instead.    Not sure what, if anything, I might do next.

Wonder Woman in the studio -- work in progress

In studio class today, we had a model and challenge of painting her in two different poses on the same canvas.  She was dressed as Wonder Woman.   This is the initial sketching in of what I think I'll be doing with her -- a large, cold, imposing figure facing a smaller, warmer, seated disciple.  How very odd - but if I ever needed to stretch my mind around painting way outside what I'd usually do, this would be it.

Along the Capital Cresent Trail

It's a warm-ish February day and bikers, walkers, skaters and joggers were out on the trail.  It was mid- to late afternoon and I wanted to catch the motion that was going by.  No one stopped to pose, although a few people asked for directions!

Mannequin and Model -- work in progress

It's crazy how I started this (the larger one), things were going well.... and then in fixing the mannequin, I made the model's face worse.  I was trying to relate the two expressions and I think I needed to step back a bit more to see the expression on the model.  This one is definitely going to undergo some more work.  

Attention Restoration Theory!

That's putting scientific terms around the concept of what art means to me -- a time to focus and immerse myself in nature, which restores reserves that have been depleted by everyday stress.  It's the title of my show, March 21-22 at the Yellow Barn Gallery.  

ART (attention restoration theory) was developed by a U. Michigan professor, Steven Kaplan, who demonstrated that not only could viewing nature restore focus to an otherwise stressed-out person, but could even provide a hedge against future stresses.

So -- if you can't get out and take a hike or paint en plein air, the clear answer is to buy a painting of something so beautiful, so transporting, that it gives you the experience Kaplan describes as "soft fascinations" like clouds, sky, and trees and then enjoy focusing on it... instead of kids, work, deadlines and the great forces that make the world stressful.

Now -- I'm back painting in the studio, as the weather has not been cooperating one bit with my plans to paint outdoors.  Still, I'll be posting paintings again in the coming week and get back to regular updates on my ART -- attention restoration theory.

Yellow Painting, part 3

Yellow Painting, part 2

I don't spend much time working in the studio on paintings that were begun outdoors, but I really liked this painting of yellow fall color that I'd started in October (the small picture is the way it looked two months ago).   Working in the studio, you have to ask what the painting needs, as I have nothing other than my memory and the idea I was going for to work with.   I knew I wanted to reduce the impact of the rocks in the front and lead into the leaves and sky area.

There will be a part 3, stay tuned.  

Now Showing!

I have work on display in two venues right now -- one, a piece is in the Yellow Barn Gallery member's show.  It's a juried show and the 100+ pieces on display are truly inspiring.   The gallery is open Saturdays and Sundays from 12 - 5, 7300 MacArthur Blvd. through December 21.

At the Edgemoor Club,  the holiday decorations include 14 of my landscape paintings.  It's hit or miss whether you'd find the club doors open if you wanted to peek, but the club is at 7415 Exeter Road, Bethesda.  301-907-2961 is the phone number you can call to see about getting in.