Finished pieces

Evolution of Herstory Acrylic and Latex on Cotton, 6ftx8ft 2006-07
While this painting was "done" by the show opening dat I still can not say that I think it is really complete.





The day finally arrived when I could say, "Ok, they're done.... well sort of. Getting a date for exhibiting my paintings and Photography forced me to finish what I started. I have found in life that things get done faster when there is a dead line. The following are images of my studio now with the paintings in their resting places. Here they will stay now that the exhibition is closed until one fine day when someone decides they just have to be a collertor of great contemporary art. That is, someone other than me.


Going down the stars to the studio one would find Some og my photography and painting.

The painting on the far right was not created by me. Rather it was created by a former studnet of mine, Jared Crane. Don't be afraid of the tree lady in teh corner. Even with her belt of bullets, she's practically harmless. My son has lent me Michaelangelo for inspiration and guidance in my creative journies. The painting on the close left is "Dancing Through Life" and nect to it is "Trinatys Myth"

Looking from the sitting area into my painting studio. When I'm not painting in this space I am setting up the portable studio and photographing.

The purpose of the cabinet for the computer was so I could close it up when not in use. It never seems to get closed.

Evolution of Herstory

Evolution of Herstory

The painting has finaly made it to exhibition at Ty & Co Espresso. More input on it later no time now. IT will be on display from 11/10 -11/18 2006

Parts and Pieces

This painting is developing a life of its own. Figures are emerging and faces are coming out of hiding.

If eyes are the portal to the soul then that explains why eyes are so difficult to paint. It is intentional that there is, and only will be, one set of eyes looking out from this painting at the viewer. All otheres are looking up, down or off somewhere else. Every being here is reaching, stretching, searching for something. What is that something?
I am drawn to the energy of the red, orange and Crimson. It is not an angy red, or a bleeding red. It is a hot, energy filled fire that burns in all of us. It is the burn of the search. The quest to stretch oneself to find the boundaries and to reach out of the safety net that is the box that binds us.

Torture of the Title

After working on a painting for a while there comes a point when a title will help direct the completion. The Problem then is realizing a title that will not adversly effect or direct the evolution of the artwork, yet will capture the essance of its meaning.

A Title can ruin an artwork, but so can the lack of one. WE all need direction. The title I give serves my direction. What about the viewer's direction? What's to say that my direction is the only direction. IF we all are individuals with different backgrounds and experiences, then we all bring somthing different to we encounter. It is only with expressing the individual interpretations of any experience that we truely understand our own.

I'm thinking of calling the above paintings "life"

I can not decide on this one. I think it still needs more paint befor it has earned a title.

Versions and Variations

Variations on a theme. That is what theses paintings are about. The theme? Evolution. Not evolution like the world and the begining of man, but evolution of mind and spirit. AS I work on these paintings I often get to spots I do not know what do do with yet. I refer back to my knowledge of design and try to see what would enhance the over all design, and then balance that out with the underling idea that everything evolves into something more. NOt nessacarily bettor or worse, just different. With every artwork there are sections that could be developed further and even stand on their own as a work of art.
Technology has made it possible to crop and explore vaiations of any image. So when I get stuck on a paintings I will turn my attention to my photography, or search other artist's works for inpiration for my own work. So here is a photographic images I have been playing with.

Abstract painting in action: Balancing Act

Abstract painting in action: Balancing Act

Balancing Act

I kept wondering what was going to be in the circle. Then last night after staring at it minlessly it came to me. So the eye ball is now emerging. While it still has a ways to go, I now have a direction and pupose for that part of the painting. The more I look at this painting, the more the words balance and balancing act come to mind. Sounds like I have a title emerging. Paintings are like children. Sometimes you just have to stand back and see how it develops.

The gifts you were born with were not granted to you arbitrarily. While you may never discover what impact your light has had on others, you can be certain that when you embrace your talents and share them with others, you will spread illumination in the world.

Comparing this image to the one from today, I difinitly like the incorporation of the eye. The new green added to the lower right side needs to be lighter, but it'l get there.

The people in the bottom of the big painting (still no title yet) are taking shape. Two hopefull women adding their support to the flying souls.

Happy Days

Making progress. Today I worked on solidifying the upper right of the paingting. The center face is starting to take shape. I envision a female face looing out at the viewer from the distant center of the light vortex. Much work is still to be done. I feel the two women of the bottom right reaching up to support the figures in there quest to float up and out. A sence of hope emerging from beneath the whirlwind of energy.

Survival

Survival seems to have such a negative conotation in my mind. YEt survival is just what it is... Staying alive or perpetuation a life force. No one said it was a good or bad thing. A fun or boring thing. A soft or loud,light or heavy, rough or smooth. So I guess it is up to each of us to decide that on our own. MMMMM

"Fighting for survival" We have all heard this. Ever heard laughing for survival? Painting for survival, Playing for survival?

In a way, I think this painting is about survival. All of these figures are emerging from, or stepping into, one thing or another. One strand or another, One path or a nother. No one total individual. All connected with lots of layers. Kinda like Shrek.

Connecting for Creating

No one can opperate in a vaccume. Looking at art, talking about art, sharing the processes, all are essential in creating it. No pictures today. After great discussions and thinking and looking, and painting and .... I'm too tired to photograph it. Just excited to see what ideas tomorrow morning brings. Must make time for sleep.