A View of Alhambra

A View of Alhambra originated from an image I photographed in 2004 in Granada, Spain. This place of earthenly beauty and seeminly spirital energy has been a place of inspiration for me since the first time I explored there.

Georgia O'Keeffe once said that "Nothing is less real than realism.... Details are confusing. It is only by selection, by elimination, by emphasis, that we get the real meaning of things."

The Alhambra has such gradure; that to try and capture its entirety is overwhelming. It is the way the paths all lead to another, to another area of beauty and serinity; to another covered walk, arch and window. It is a unique blend of water, earth and man.

Most of what I paint comes from my responce to locations, people, events and thoughts. My camera is my tool for documenting of the original beauty as my eyes saw it. My brush is my tool in illustrating how my soul felt it.

Swirls in August

On a night I couldn't sleep sprang 2 new abstracts. Blue then Green.

Both paintings are oil on canvas 16"x20"

There is energy here; a process of movement, color and intensity.

I only wanted to work with cool colors as to help calm down the energy.

I'm not sure quite what to call them yet. But I'm leaning toward "Curving In" for the green "Journey" for the blue.

But as usual, I'm also not quite sure they're finished.

Behind the bars and new adventures

'Behind the Bars' is an oil painting I begain after hearing of the death of T.T. of Powhatan, A young soul shot down too early in life. With such a large spirit and a smal glimmer of hope for escaping Powhatan now permanently traped behind the bars of the ultimate fatal obstrustion. The choice of cool colors contradicts the violence of his death but acts as a glimmer of hope that one day the light from within his earthly soul will transend the bars of violence and earth and float gracefully into the afterlife. Peace be with you T.T.

Between the Bars

BETWEEN THE BARS oil on canvas 12"x16"

As with anything I seem to do, this to seems incomplete to me. The design is set but I think it still needs more layers. Dimension and texture variation would help.

This painting was started on Monday 6/30 after a day filled with morning for a slain student. A funeral unlike any I have ever attended. One life still holding on and one life passed. My community is rattled; many families fractured, my students devistated, my coleagues stunned and me? I paint it. I've learned from 2 great artists that it is not neccessarily the recording of an event, but the expression of the effects of the event and the avenue in which the artist chooses to take in that expression is of greater importance. While I don't paint realism; I instead break down more complex memories, thoughts and specific details into the most basic elements. Line, shape, color, texture, value and form. No matter what I end up producing I am bound by finding and creating a good composition. Even if the subject does not make sence to anyone but me.

I am so fortunate to have a job that forces me to learn more about my most favorit artists and my own world an d history so tht I may share that with my students. What I absorb finds it way into how I view and create. It's inevidable that the artist creates from which they live. All actions have reaction. All experiences change the next.

The 2 artists: William Turner and Pablo Picasso

1week of art works

Here's a great video I stumbled upon. Yep, It's all about the process.

Ode to the U

Here is a work truly therapeutic in origin. One that is created and then put away because the process of creating it was and is more important than the final work itself. Here I reached back to my sisters Freda and Georgia. After an evening of research about my pending procedure I was compelled to paint. " Ode to the U" I will call it for now. Oil on board. About 16x20 I know there's significance to the colors, but I just can't put it into words yet.

Color Families Update

On this Mother'sDay, my wonderful family granted me a peace filled day in my studio. Not only did my dear hubby take them out to find me the most perfect bicycle, but then, after a short family ride, minus JC of course as he was having Nintendo DS withdrawal, my dear husband announced to the kids that Mommy gets to have her peaceful day of alone time in the studio.

So back I went to continue adding layers to what I'm calling for now, "Color Families".

The yellow background is about done;that is giving I don't go out of my lines I've created for the other objects. My theory about coloring outside the lines still stands but when you create your own lines it is most rewarding when you can stay with in them. I suppose that could go for many aspects in life.

Working from left to right I've added layers to the for most little left ark but it still lacks weight. I'm still working at creating water movement around its cylindrical base. The for most large red ark Is my new point of focus for adding layers. I'm working on getting its dimension to emerge from the surface.

While "Color Families" still has a ways to go, I'm sure enjoying the all moments spent working on it.

Color Families Continued

I was blessed this evening with some quiet time to add some more paint on this piece. I'm digging on the curve. Still trying to build each structure into a solid form. More layers are needed, but I'l get there... eventually.

Monocromes to Color Families

The Monochromatics I've been working on are again evolving. Now working in color families, I've set out on 2 new paintings. The Purple and Blue is a diptych; each panel is 10" x 13" on board. Not yet finished, but no empty space. Now it's time for details.

The orange swirl abstract began as a watercolor painting and now is an oil in progress. Gentle swirls rising from waters.

Monochromatics to the Rescue

In the midst of creative block called working for a living I've begun small quick oils that I may actually finish in 1 to 2 sittings. Unlike the larger oils that are on easles and leaning on walls in various states of completion, these are small enough for only one thought.

All three here began with a few lines on board. From there layers of blue and white pigments and oil are added and blended with both brush and finger.

Abstract thoughts in the begining blend with realism to create a new middle ground of likeness or resemblance in a final product. These studies are quick bursts of energy that keep the balance.

For those speratic breaks in regulare schedule there are larger works ready for brush and pigment.

This painting here is oil on velum. It began as most do with a few random marks and grew from there. For now, I'm calling it The Forest. In doing my homework for teaching my students I find a variety of great poses and figures that always seem to find their way into parts of my creations. From El Greco to Matisse and from Michealangelo to Picasso their images tell the stories that are the beginnings of new creations.

REACH is stuck now. This one needs a break before he can continue to grow. AS for now he can not grab hold of the blue arch because it's to fluid. Water maybe. Not to sure yet. We'll see.