Category Archives: art

1st Mobile of 2018

It’s been nearly a year since I’ve posted anything. Lots going on to say the least. But for mostly recreational purposes, I’m starting up with some art projects; mobiles now, possibly some painting to come.  This mobile is around 25 inches long when stretched out and about 15 inches tall. The “petals” are wood that I jigsawed and sanded in my basement workshop. Bright colors to brighten up a room and one’s mood.

Available for purchase here

Does the Problem Solve Itself?

This is one of a series of ink paintings I am posting. This one is a bit more angular or geometric than some of the others. Still, there are places where lines and shapes fade. There is the sense that it poses some sort of geometric relationship or problem.

In naming these ink pieces, I spend some quiet time with them to see what ideas or feelings they evoke and then try to find the appropriate words. This is an activity that anyone could go through engaging with this work and so the title I have chosen is my title. You are invited to choose your own.

Talking about the series of ink paintings I am currently working on and sharing, these works show the interplay between paper, ink, and water. I love how straight lines and geometric forms dissolve into more undefined shapes. When I do ink works like this one, I might start with a general idea about what I’m after, but once the process starts, there usually is very little control. As the three elements (ink, paper, water) interact, I find that each mark has to respond to what is playing out before me on the paper. I seek to create interesting contrasts and compositions. That works best when I trust my intuition and let go of any sense of control. In some ways, each painting paints itself.

This painting is 9 x 12 inches on 110 lb. mixed media paper. I ship in a sturdy cardboard tube so you can choose the frame itself, but if you would like me to frame it, let me know and I will try to work it out with you.

Available here for $50.

Does the Problem Solve Itself?

 

Present Memory

This is the second in a series of ink paintings I will be posting. I call it “present memory” because there are parts that connect to each other and many straight edges that suggest something solid and clearly defined. At the same time, there are discontinuities, smudges, and places where the ink runs. Perhaps this is a view of memory works–hence the title. This is how I see it, at least. Perhaps more important than an exact description is the feeling it evokes in the viewer. That feeling is likely to be unique for each person and different from what I was sensing as I made this.

Available here

Present Memory

Shadows and Portents

This painting is the first in a series of ink works I have done recently and will be posting in coming days and weeks. These works will all show the interplay between the paper, ink, and water. I love how straight lines and geometric forms dissolve into more undefined shapes. When I do ink works like this one, I might start with a general idea about what I’m after, but once the process starts, there usually is very little control. As the three elements (ink, paper, water) interact, I find that each mark has to respond to what is playing out before me on the paper. I seek to create interesting contrasts and compositions, but the process works best when I trust my intuition and let go of any sense of control. In some ways, the painting paints itself.

Available at Etsy.

Metropole

This is another of my urban patterns series as it evokes an urban landscape. As with many of my paintings, this one is composed of multiple layers, which can easily be seen. The build-up of paint also created an interesting texture. I was quite please with how this came out on many levels. The colors are not as saturated as in some of my paintings, but they work well together and also form a nice value contrast. This painting was created mostly with a palette knife and is 12 by 12 inches on canvas. It can be hung as is or framed.

$150 at my shop.

Metropole
Metropole

Inner Landscape

I spent a lot of time on this painting, so I don’t recall all of the steps. It was very much a “paint as you go” process. I know that I started with some gesso or molding paste that I used to create a textured surface. Then I started painting small sections and tried to be mindful about how well the colors and non-linear shapes related to each other. Many of the layers of paint are very thin, lower layers show through.

9 x 12 inches; at my shop for $110.

Inner Landscape
Inner Landscape

City on the Edge of Dawn

This painting is very much in line with the “urban patterns” series of paintings I have been doing lately. I chose the title because that is what came to me after I finished the first and primary painting session. This painting is a somewhat less complex than many of those others; intentionally so. I think I sometimes pack too much into a single piece. This one is also bigger than many of the others.

18 x 24 inches; acrylic on canvas

Available here.

city-edge-dawn900px

 

Sometimes a Disturbance

As with most of my paintings, this one has multiple layers, where colors blend between layers and within the same layer. I did not have much of a defined starting point, just an idea about shapes and colors. As I continued, the process took on a life of its own and I was putting down paint in relation to what was already there. Sometimes the result is unsatisfactory, but I am happy with how this one turned out. Let me know what you think.

This is another small one at 9 x 12 inches. Available at my shop.

Sometimes a Disturbance
Sometimes a Disturbance

Cascade

I sometimes like to paint fast and loose. This is one of those paintings. I put down a base layer, then a light blue I mixed on top of it, but allowing the base to show through a bit. Finally, orange and dark blue with some blending. I think what is so satisfying about painting this way is that there is minimal thinking involved. Yes, I definitely think about where I’m putting down paint in terms of composition as well as colors, but with paintings like this, I am able to express something directly without planning it. What I am expressing is hard to describe and perhaps shouldn’t be described. So, I’m just letting this painting speak for itself directly to the viewer.

9 x 12 inches. Acrylic on canvas.

Original available for $110 here.

Cascade
Cascade