Just the last day or so, signs of spring are everywhere. The daffodils have come up and there are buds on some of the trees. Tufts of green are springing up here and there in the woods. The dogs beg to go out and bask in warm sun. Steve has planted lettuce and onions and I had the studio door open today as I worked. Best of all, the wild plum tree is beginning to show signs of life!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Backyard Magic 36 x 30 Private Collection
I am happy to say this painting found a new home in Ft. Worth last week. Although this "view" is only a few hundred yards from the door of my studio, I painted it from memory late last fall or early winter. I have talked a bit about that process in these posts.
The online class Painting Water is in full swing and it is a lively bunch! Some bloggers you might know are in the class (Brian McGurgan, Loriann Signori, Caroline Simmill, just to name a few) and we have Scotland, Germany, and all over the US from coast to coast represented as well. Next month, one of my most popular online classes- Drawing and Painting Trees- returns! There are a few spots left. You can click here for information and here to register.
Every once in a while, you gotta be grandma- or in my case Gui (which is what Wyatt age 6 and Lydia age 5 call me). This painting will be auctioned to benefit Wyatt's school, St. Vincent de Paul at the Great Expectations Gala being held at the Hyatt–Denver Tech Center the evening of Saturday March 5th.
I just received a bronze mouse named Nosey courtesy of my friend Steve Worthington, animal sculptor extraordinaire. Steve ran a contest over Christmas on his blog to win a mouse and I won! Steve is a fantastic artist. His wicked British sense of humor and childhood fascination with all kinds of critters have combined to create a wonderful bronze menagerie. If you haven't yet, please check out his blog and website.
Nosey arrived yesterday afternoon and immediately set out to explore. Click to see a closer view!
Nosey quickly reintroduced himself to his buddy Chubby.
He then decided to explore the library. Note Lonesome Dove and Emily Dickinson on the same shelf with Emerson. I will have to speak to the the librarian about that!
Exhausted, he and Chubby decided it was time for a snack.
Dusk on the Prairie Dog Town Fork 14 x 18 Available at the Panhandle Plains Museum Invitational
The Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River captured my imagination over ten years ago. We crossed over it several times a year on our way back and forth from Florida to New Mexico. There was just something about it that was quintessential West Texas.
It is one of two streams that form the headwaters of the legendary Red River. When I say "stream", I am perhaps speaking a bit too grandly about what is mostly a dry, sandy, occasionally muddy, braided swath that cuts through the panhandle of Texas.
I've exhibited for a number of years at the Panhandle Plains Museum Invitational (which I wrote about here) . The very first year I sent a painting of The Prairie Dog Town Fork and went to the opening, eager to see my work hung in this venerable institution. As I stood near my work, I saw one Texan point to the painting and say to another "I reckon we must have had a flood that year." Alas, there was too much water! He bought it anyway, so it must not have bothered him too much. But, this year I decided to opt for a little more sand and mud and bit less water.
I continue to read A History of American Tonalism by David Cleveland. I have found the sections on Tonalist etchings very interesting. There was a revival of interest in etching and printmaking in general in the late 19th century. Whistler's influence looms large in this and many of the better known etchers from that period were in Venice at the same time or later influenced by him. His haunting nocturnes of Venice inspired many others to take up Venetian subjects as well as harbor scenes. In fact Cleveland states that "The Tonalist etching was virtually born in the cold winter of 1881-82 as Whistler produced his first and second Venice sets...".
J.M. Whistler etching and drypoint
In America, the tendency of the Tonalist artists to pursue intimate corners of nature continued in etching subjects of the day. When searching online, I found this wonderful etching by the artist Ellen Oakford. It was made around 1887 and exhibited at the New York Etching Club around 1888. So far, I have found very little information or work by Ms. Oakford. Apparently, she was one of a group of women etchers active during this time. But, this lyrical mysterious etching confirms that I am following in the right footsteps.
This week I've been working on drypoints again. I've talked about this here (and how it differs from etching) but I thought I would show a few images of the actual process. Here is the plate with three of the tools I use to work the plate. The squiggley one has a point on each end and is called a Whistler's needle. The flat part on the one on the right is a burnisher which you can use to soften or eliminate lines on the plate.
The paper is soaking in a water bath before it is used. After its soaked for about an hour, you take it out and blot it until it's damp but not dripping. Then you are ready to print.
Here is the ink being mixed on a glass palette. This is Daniel Smith burnt umber etching ink with Easy Wipe added- a substance which helps make the ink more workable.
Here the plate is being warmed up on a hot plate. This will make the ink easier to apply and manipulate (especially since it was about 45 degrees in my studio today!).
I am applying the ink to the surface of the plate with a cloth dauber. The entire surface is covered and wiped in each direction so the ink can find its way into all the lines as well as the burrs thrown up by the needle. Unlike an etching where you could wipe and rub pretty vigorously, with a drypoint you have to use a lighter touch to apply and wipe the ink.
Here is the plate after I have started wiping the ink but before its completely finished. I forget to take a photo at the end!
The plate is on the press waiting for the paper (which is in the bath at the right) to be laid on top. The blankets (which you can see laid back over the roller) are then placed on top and the tension adjusted to an even pressure and the press bed rolled through.
As many of my blog readers know, I lived in New Mexico for over five years. Although I am completely immersed in the landscape around me now, I still see New Mexico as a beautiful, magical place. So, when I got the opportunity to organize a workshop in Taos, I didn't hesitate!
The location for the class is a beautiful private home equipped with two large studios in Ranchos de Taos. It's surrounded by the gorgeous high desert and views of the Sangre de Christo Mountains. There are affordable accommodations nearby. The workshop is scheduled for September 19-23, 2011, which should put us at just the right time to view the breathtaking color of the turning cottonwoods and aspen.
This five day workshop will combine some outdoor work with studio time. We'll draw and sketch in the field, then return to the studio to compose well designed underpaintings and learn indirect painting techniques like glazing and scumbling to create luminosity and atmosphere.
Light lunch will be supplied each day and we will also have a couple of evening sessions to talk art history and the business of art.
The workshop is beginning to fill. A $150 deposit holds your spot in the class, with the remainder due 45 days prior to the start of the workshop. Please email if you have any questions. You can sign up here (scroll down to Taos workshop).
Yesterday a big storm blew through leaving six inches of snow (unusual for us). We've had snow about once a winter since we moved here, but it always warms up and is gone within a day or less. But, cold weather is supposed to hang around for a few more days so today was a snow day! We went out to explore late this afternoon. I was particularly struck by the rusts and ochers in the trees and grasses, against the violet sky and cool expanse of the snow. I came home with more than a few ideas for paintings and etchings or drypoints.
Black Capped Chickadee 2 1/2 x 5 1/4 graphite on sketch paper
Bird watching is one of the simple pleasures of winter. We have an abundance of subjects to watch at the feeder and bird bath these days. The usual suspects- chickadees, titmice, juncos, robins and cardinals. But, the cedar trees and a huge old mulberry tree on our property also make this home to bluebirds, pine warblers, cedar waxwings, several species of woodpeckers and the elusive yellow belly sapsucker. Still, the little chickadees remain my favorites.
The new online class Painting Water starts next month. You can click here for information and registration.
Edge of the Field II 8 x 10 Available at Huff Harrington Fine Art
This small painting was done from memory. Working from memory is a skill that can be acquired with practice. It requires careful observation over extended periods of time. Why is this important? Memory is a powerful aid in helping us separate the things which are visually compelling as opposed to merely present in a scene which interests us.
To illustrate this point, in my workshops, I ask students to close their eyes and remember a very significant event (this can be visual but doesn't have to be). So, go ahead-close your eyes and think of something in your life like that and try to see it in your mind's eye. When you do that, you will remember and "see" details about that event even though it may be far removed in time. But, if you try to remember things that are extraneous to the event- the weather, what you had for lunch that day- those memories will be gone. That is because your memory has distilled and intensified the most important aspects of the event. This can be an incredibly powerful tool in making art. We just need to learn how to use it.
Edge of the Field 8 x 10 Available at Huff Harrington Fine Art
I was going to write a post today about what I thought I had accomplished this year. It has been a very productive year for me in the studio, teaching and writing, showing and selling my work. But, I found myself much more interested in looking forward today than in the rear view mirror. And while I have laid out a whole list of goals for 2011 for the business and marketing side of my work, I am more focused right now on the actual work. I set some things in motion this year that I mean to build on in the coming year-more drawing, printmaking, bigger paintings and a renewed dedication to explore every field and woods, pond and stream here in my little corner of the world.
I've been working on drypoints over the last week. I talked a bit about that process here and here. The copper plates I ordered finally came and I've enjoyed working on them. They are harder than zinc so the burr stands up better to repeated printing and holds the ink better. Plus they look absolutely gorgeous when they are inked. One of the things I am finding fascinating (and unexpected) is how much pleasure I get from both the technical and artistic parts of the process. In fact, I've come to realize that it's hard to make a distinction between the two. My goal is to find a vocabulary in this medium which reflects my aesthetic and makes the most of its special properties.
I'm offering this one in an edition of 10. Because the plate is re-inked and hand wiped each time, there are slight variations in each print (Whistler did it so I guess I can too!). You can click on the image and get a better idea of what the surface looks like. You can click here for purchase information.
Dawn Spills Over the Hill (2009) 10 x 10 Private Collection
As we celebrate this blessed season with family and friends, its also a time to be grateful for the blessings we've received over the past year. I want to thank all those who take the time to read this blog, my students and artist friends for their friendship, inspiration and camaraderie this year. And, as always, I am grateful to my collectors and galleries that represent my work for making it possible for me to make a living doing what I love.
My very best wishes to you all for a Merry Christmas!
Spring Evening (2009)
Backyard Magic
Wyatt's Aspens
Dusk on the Prairie Dog Town Fork
J.M. Whistler
Twilight
Edge of the Field
I am applying the ink to the surface of the plate with a cloth dauber. The entire surface is covered and wiped in each direction so the ink can find its way into all the lines as well as the burrs thrown up by the needle. Unlike an etching where you could wipe and rub pretty vigorously, with a drypoint you have to use a lighter touch to apply and wipe the ink.
As many of my blog readers know, I lived in New Mexico for over five years. Although I am completely immersed in the landscape around me now, I still see New Mexico as a beautiful, magical place. So, when I got the opportunity to organize a workshop in Taos, I didn't hesitate!
Light lunch will be supplied each day and we will also have a couple of evening sessions to talk art history and the business of art.
Black Capped Chickadee
Edge of the Field II
Edge of the Field
The Pond
Dawn Spills Over the Hill (2009)
