Thursday, July 28, 2016

Less-representational

I've been working toward a
more expressive, less-representational
approach to painting for a while now.

Happy Harbor 
16 x 20 oil 

I knew this was a break through of sorts 
when I showed it to my husband and he said, 
"What is it? 
All I see are shapes and colors"

BINGO! 




Monday, July 25, 2016

Collage Bar

I've been playing around with cut paper painting lately 
and Marcia Ballou is the master of design and color 
in the collage department.   
This morning, I took one of the 
"Collage Bar" sessions 
she is hosting in her fabulous studio this summer.  

 
10 x 8 fabric, paper collage
I was having so much fun,
think I overdid it.

It's a very spontaneous and intuitive way to focus
 on shapes and color without any detail.  

 

This is one Marcia did in an earlier class. 
So simple yet so strong! 

I felt like a kid in a candy store! 
She has every color and type of fabric, paper, pens, paint, 
surfaces, mediums......yum!



A sample pile of small pieces of cut paintings, 
wallpaper, magazines etc... 


Go here to sign up. 
I highly recommend it!  


Friday, July 22, 2016

Color Interaction

I'm teaching some new "Expressive Color" workshops 
in August, so I'm experimenting with 
the effect certain colors have
 when placed next to others. 


"Color Patterns" 
 12 x 12 oil on canvas

I'm re-reading Josef Albers' 
and it's reminding me that 
"color is the most relative medium in art".  


Workshop #1:
SSAC Wed Thurs. 8/10, 8/11
9:30 - 3:30 

Workshop #2:
NRAS Sat and Sun 8/20, 8/21 
9:30 -3:30 



Sunday, July 17, 2016

Surfaces

I find my paintings dramatically affected 
by the surface I'm painting on. 
Last winter I painted over some old oil paintings 
with thick yellow ochre oil paint.
They took forever to dry,
 but it was worth the wait. 

"Gone Swimming"
16 x 20 oil 


The rough surface creates great texture 
 for the type of "pattern painting"
I'm exploring lately. 





Thursday, July 14, 2016

Say a lot with a little

I watched a great video of  Lois Dodd talking about painting. 
Her joyful, espressive paintings 
reminded me how much you can say with 
just a few well placed   
shapes and in the right colors. 
I had fun with this one. 


Docked
12 x 16 

It's amazing how much you can say 
with so little.




Saturday, July 9, 2016

Rocky Neck

I've been working on paintings from images
 I took in Rocky Neck last summer. 
(The historic Art Colony in Gloucester, Ma 
where I'm doing the Residency in September)  

The light on these roofs kept catching my eye. 


Rocky Neck Roofs 
12 x 12 oil 

I had done a larger version months ago 
and wasn't happy with it so 
I'd put it away to paint over it. 
Then two artist friends came to the studio and 
convinced me to re-visit it.

Rocky Neck Roofs
24 x 24 

That's the beauty of having friends who are artists! 

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Summer Reading

I managed to carve out a few hours 
before the long holiday weekend
to get this started, 
then finished it today. 


"Summer Reading"
16 x 20 oil 

The idea for this had been brewing for a while,
so it was one of those paintings that 
painted itself.
I love it when that happens.