Turbulence ll

In finishing this larger and in color  ( many shades of green grays ) version of "Turbulence"( which was grey and white)  I remembered something I had forgotten.. Almost every image I paint, I choose because I have some emotional  attachment to some aspect of water... In the beginning I was just trying to understand what light and movement do to water/waves.. Now I see something and gasp. And the feeling stays with me.. Then comes the task of trying to convey that feeling in paint..

So I was really excited to hang this on my wall today... It replaces a calm wave painting that left for a new home at the end of last year. Now I just want to sit back on my sofa and stare at it... ( As if I haven't been staring at it for the past 2 months...)

Celebrated with a great morning paddle in Bo, sun shining through the fog, calm and glassy, Pelicans, Brandt's geese, seals, loons, fog show, good conversations with a surf buddy and to top it all off, rideable and fun small waves appearing out of the flat sea...

"Turbulence ll" 36"x36" oil/canvas

In place/scale

Turbulence

Just finished!  The reference for this photo came from a stormy day at Fort Point.. I was watching the waves and wishing I had my camera, then realized I was holding my iPhone.  Shot lots of waves but when I noticed the frothy water right next to the wall, that really caught my attention..

I had intended to paint this in color, but used an oil paint put out by Gamblin art materials once a year called "Torrit Grey" It's the color they mix together when they clean out all of their equipment from a year of making oil paint. So this is recycled sludge, so to speak.. Appropriate in many ways. 

On a personal note, I notice that sometimes my life is reflected in the paintings I end up working on.. 

"turbulence" oil/canvas  20"x20"

step 1 

step 2
 

On the easel

Here's one fresh off the easel.. And happy to be off too, as it was started weeks ago, and as usual, interrupted by life.. I have a whole set of photos that I need to have shot in high quality for my website..  Waiting for a foggy/cloudy day when my photographer (son) is available.. This was taken with my phone.. of course color and focus are compromised.. I tend to be picky about those things.. but not here.

"Light Catcher" oil/canvas  24"x24" 

musings

I feel a sensation in my mind that is the forerunner of an image that wants to appear.. Have been living with it for a time now, but it is getting stronger.. So what do I do?  Clean up the studio. Update my records. Clear the path so I have no more excuses for not making the jump to putting it down.. It's going well..

Found this unpublished post while cleaning up my blog drafts:

"Whom am I painting for? Every once in a while I lose track of why I paint.. The showing and selling side of being an artist is my least favorite part..but I feel I have a obligation to share my work as well as assume some fiscal responsibility.."

Texture

The waves were really messy yesterday, but I took advantage of my session to check out, yet again, the "color of water". This is sort of a companion piece to the untitled painting in the previous post, a surfer's eye view of a swell sweeping by. I felt like I was looking at my painting all morning. So I came home and put the finishing touches on it. Photo does not show the smooth surface of the painting itself, or the luminous quality of the paint, and dang it, I don't know if I will ever get the color right. Makes me keep on trying. And I do like painting on a metal surface.

"a little texture" 

Dawn Patrol

"Dawn Patrol"

 The experience of being in the water, as the sun is just peering over the ridge, never ceases to fill me with awe. It is just one of the reasons I love dawn patrol, the experience of getting up to surf before sunrise.  To make this painting personal, and because I wanted a new "board" portrait, decided to add my beloved Mystic with the orange nose to the photo.. My last board portrait, "Mystic" sold, but it is now only a back up board. Can't imagine anyone wanting this one, as personal as it is.. Unless you can relate to this experience, it could be a giant pencil!

"glassy rise" oil/metal 

Because "dawn Patrol" drove me a little bit crazy, I decided to get simple with the untitled painting above. Still the slick morning look of a wave approaching as I sit on my board, but a foggy morning.. It is painted on stainless steel, which complements the piece as well as being really smooth to paint on.. I really liked the simplicity of focusing on such a simple detail...

Garage door

Our garage door, which is not a functioning garage, has been in need of a major paint job for at least 4 years now. My husband has intended every year to remove it and built a solid garage door-like wall in it's place, so I have been looking at chipped and peeling paint for all that time. I have also threatened to paint graffiti on to encourage removal of the door.. So, at last, plans have been drawn up, we have an estimate and a contractor lined up, so I decided it is now or never.. It was a lot of fun, such a relief from the painting I usually do.. plus haven't gotten any complaints from the neighbors... Hopefully we can remove it in one piece and someone will want it.. 

plastic from a fake flower found on the sidewalk

Temporary door

101 excuses

"foggy morning" oil/canvas, 16"x20"

I am shocked when I see the last time I posted on this blog.. And I believe "Board Meeting" was the last painting I finished. I don't even have the excuse of working on a large painting.. This version of "waiting for waves and wow the water is so beautiful" or "foggy morning" is a larger color version of "grey morning, 2010"  I do have legit excuses, maybe not 101, but a lot.

 I am hoping that because I have been out of the studio and away from work for a couple of months at least, something has been brewing in my mind.. The work of the plateau. It feels like being stuck, but maybe not. Guess I will find out!

I often wonder what it would be like if I was more obsessive and single minded about my work. As it is, there are so many things I enjoy doing, so many different things to explore: art, ideas, music, surfing,  life, etc. that it is always about a segmented mind. At least I finally accept that about myself, knowing it is just how this mind works. And more difficult as i get older to multi-task.

Named!

remains of the day

Many thanks to Gail Biddle ( as well Shelby, Laurel J, Brock, and Brenda) who supplied me with some great ideas for names. Out of that process, somehow this came to mind...

"remains of the day"

Board meeting

Yes, it really did look like this. And yes, some very nice waves rolled through between the meetings.. And yes, it does look totally flat between sets. I am so lucky to be able to do what I do.. And as I saw on a sign, "the only good suit is a wetsuit" ...

"board meeting" 15"x30" oil/canvas, 2012

Un-photogenic art

I was given a 6"x8" piece of plywood coated with homemade gesso and sanded. ( Thanks Jacek!) It is an amazing sensual surface to work on.. (an artist knows the feeling) Used a 4H pencil. Started at the bottom and worked my way up..Then I put a few light color glazes on top of the graphite painting to see what would happen..The medium I used, Neo Megilp (Gamblin)  is shiny and has dried hard. As always experimenting with depth in color.  Unfortunately, it is impossible to photograph accurately.  I think the camera must read "LIGHT!!" and doesn't know what to do.. more likely that I don't.. Did a little adjustment in iphoto, but couldn't duplicate the original.  Interesting project!

Moving on...

I have been on the proverbial plateau for a while, not inspired by much and not painting., although thinking I "should." HOWEVER, a change is in the air.. Could it be spring? The rainy days? An inspiring visit to San Francisco galleries ?  In any case, here are my latest offerings:

Along with glassy water, which is my idea of heaven, I am strongly drawn to the moving energy in the water that produces a swell which eventually turns into a wave.. "Pulse" is inspired by that energy..

"pulse" oil/canvas, 18"x36"  2012

EVOLUTION OF A PAINTING

"On the move" is a reworking of "horizon". I had been looking at "horizon" for some time now and although I was happy with it when I finished it in 2008, I had developed an uneasy relationship with it in the past few years.. (it worked as a study, but not as a large painting anymore) So, I decide to let it talk to me and see what was needed, willing to sand the whole piece and start over.. Figured I could always dump it if I ruined it.. Got ride of the horizon line first and added a fog bank that had caught my eye in the water a few weeks before .. that changed from a bank of fog to the way the fog feels when it is almost upon me, but not quite..like gazing into the unknown... added some foam in the foreground and more texture in the water.. I am happy with it now and feel like I am trying to spot something as I gaze into the fog.. So it never gets tiring.. Fog more "impressionistic" than my normal style of painting..

"on the move"  oil/canvas   2008-2012

"Horizon" ( as is this painting no longer exists) 

"Name this painting!"

Just finished this one. It has been on the easel since October...

I have NOT been working on it all that time.. Nov, Dec, and
 beginning of Jan. were filled with other life stuff.

Any idea for a name?

This was the underpainting.. My intention was to apply transparent layers of color to attain a luminosity.. As usual I  had no idea what I was doing. I think there is a methodical way to achieve what I was going for based on color theory,  but I sure don't have the experience or knowledge.. yet.

Water moods : 16"x20" grid arrangements

 All the 16"x20" paintings I finished actually make a very interesting "large" painting.. I just threw these together, with a bit of an eye for color placement, but didin't really spend much time with it..  Just wanted to give an idea of what an arrangement could look like.. These photos were quickly shot on the floor of my studio (nice carpet, eh?)

The last one

I took a "staycation" last week, surfed almost every day, enjoyed our "summer" weather, clear calm warm, and nice waves..When the waves weren't good, it was just so darn nice being in the water I just paddled around, or sat on my board..stayed out with no "have to go home and work" voice in my head.. However, I am always looking looking when I am out there. Even surfed in a red tide one day.. They should call it "burnt sienna tide" and it only was that color when the sun shone on it.. 

  At home I stayed out of the studio, didn't think about painting .. I can feel the energy of something that wants to find it's way onto a canvas, just need to be patient about it..  Just like these past days, the waves have been good but I need to be patient and let them come to me , which they eventually do... 

  Ah, the things I learn from surfing.... 

"prussian sea" 16"x20" oil/canvas

"Prussian Sea" is the last of the 16"x20" series.. "Prussian " refers to the color of the oil paint I used..

4 more sixteen by twenty

On the journey (which is stalled at the moment with one more to do) of completing a number of 16"x20" paintings.. While each stands alone, I am thinking of displaying 9 of them together in a grid pattern.. all flush against each other. Seen all together they give a great display of the many facets/faces of water.. No titles yet for this bunch.. 

"Pulse" 16"x20"  oil/canvas

"Return II " 16"x20"  oil/canvas

"All that glitters" 16"x20" oil/ canvas

"Morning Flow" 16"x20"  oil/canvas 

"Color of water?"

 Local business owner of Magnolia Gallery in Larkspur, Theresa Ryan, an amazing framer and creative person extraordinaire, has "The color of water?" series on display in her shop window.. along with my first surfboard (with a painted graphic that covered a hung ding repair) and an amazing recliner built by Matt Stoich who has a custom upholstery shop next door... all sitting on 200 pounds of sand in the window.. Thanks Theresa! Check it out if you are in Larkspur! I love seeing the 4 paintings all together.

A surf painting!

Needed a break from the water surfaces, so decided to give a try at a more "traditional" surf painting.. "K.B.'s Left" is actually a first for me as the surfer is actually the focus of attention.. (Not counting the surf photos I copied in high school.) Thought it would be interesting to combine the water surface ( foreground) with a shot of someone actually surfing.. I had taken a photo of my surfing buddy, Kathy, a while back. I worked with a couple of reference photos to  provide additional information of the wave, the light, and the foreground surface.. I was also trying to capture the morning light at our surf spot.. And the color of the water is rarely that color.. but as we all know,  the color of water is an endless topic for me... A nice little experiment...

Both of these painting capture the feeling I have while I am out on my board. I love it that every time I surf, I am also working.. Art is life.

"K.B.'s Left"  9"x12"  oil on masonite

(an earlier painting- focus on water, not the surfer)

Silver and green

Moving right along. My goal is to do 8 of these 16" x 20" paintings.. Exploring different angles, colors , light. etc..  Four down, four to go...

"silver swell"  16"x20"  oil on canvas

"green sea" 16"x20" oil on canvas

Longing for beginner's mind

Why I haven't posted recently:

1)  Finished "the color of water ?" series.. yikes! what next?

2)  Excessive ukulele practice/play

3)  Child #2 moved into her own place and started a new job.

4)  surfing

5)  distractible mind (so what else is new?) 

6)  what next? (again) 

7)  designed a tee shirt for the Berkeley Ukulele Club..by hand... THAT took a lot of time..

8)  and all the other life stuff

 Now that I have a LOT of water paintings and explorations under my belt I don't feel quite so much like the beginner I was when I started all this.  I also feel like I am starting to repeat myself..and when I stop seeing new things, well... I lose interest and move to other things.. I know I have just scratched the surface with the water paintings.. ah, for a return to beginners mind.. 

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's mind there are few"- Susuki Roshi

SOOOOOOOOO.. I decided to buy eight 16"x20" canvasses and just paint as a practice.. Move quickly from one to another (yeah, right!) .. They actually look pretty cool when I hang all of the same size together.. Here are the first two.. (not including the 4 completed canvasses I already have)   

"Peachy morning" oil/canvas 16"x20"

"Shallow" oil/canvas 16"x20"