Music of the Spheres

This painting can be viewed horizontally or vertically.  As vertical it has a different feeling of space and atmosphere,depth and distance, as opposed to the orchestra  and the audience.

          Music of the Spheres (watercolor gouache and acrylic 12x18 on watercolor paper)

It  began as a study of movement ,line and color, using a limited  palette of complimentary color.  When my friends responded they all liked this  horizontal view which looked like a stage or amphitheater. Once it is viewed one way, it's interesting  to accept the changed feeling the atmospheric view.

.Abstract work engages the viewer in ways that are different from the realistic scenes; it challenges and connects to our conscience  which might frustrate, confuse or question or even irritate .

Abstract Mixed Media

Experimentation is always interesting sometimes frustrating and often leaves me wondering what
others see in my abstract pieces. Letting images just happen  from a feeling or concept challenges that part of me that says I need to know what I'm doing.   I've always loved realistic landscape and flowers for the pleasure of being accurate, reproducing a better than photographic aliveness , pointing out what I like  about the subject.
       I called this Morning Meditation, it had that half awake quietness before the day starts, things out of focus, blurry and sleepy. .
                                    Acrylic, gouache and watercolor on watercolor paper. 15x21"
                                                           

Prints of the Peninsula

    Over many years of hiking , wondering and even flying I have collected many scenes of the  Olympic Peninsula and Olympic National Park.

    Many of these original watercolors  have sold but I have reproduced them as prints and cards using  a  printer which has color fast inks.  Giclee' ,to spray, is the term used to  indicate the color fastness of  inks in modern printers now available to artists.

     This control of  the reproductions allows the artist to represent  the original accurately at very reasonable cost.

Bird Ladies

Two  Bird Ladies, hand built figures  with birds made in a press mold fired at cone 6 mid range stoneware . The one with legs has  dowels set into the base to support the body of the figure.
     A previous blog showed the entire group from last winter, each lady has her own personality with birds ,flowers or a small vase built in.
 

Charcoal Float Drawing

 Natural abstraction :

Powdered charcoal on water color paper enhanced by a bit of tan and organized by a few black directional lines and very subtle value changes, expressed the icy puddles in my back alley. The mystery of the orange  is a cherry tree leaf  but I hope it causes the eye to ask a question and explore the rest of the design.  I always wanted to paint something with that wonderful color of the fall cherry tree leaves.

NEW CLAY WORK

My ladies are ready for the Blue Whole Show this  May.

Show at Blue Whole in May

For the news release I expressed how lucky I am to have the energy and creative drive to enjoy painting and pottery using the things I've studied for years.  The study has always been part of the pleasure, bringing up challenges and things to try. Art isn't just one thing, it sort of is everything,and it's my opportunity to know and show myself.
Some of the new work is shown on past blogs, hope you will take a look.  Thanks

Fog and Spider Web

Fog and Spider Web
Watercolor works well for fog, it's soft, transparent, muted and has soft edges which allow the eye to move easily from area to area unlike  to the spider web with its definite structure.  This was fun .. 

Peninsula Creek

Watercolors has a special ability to capture the mood of a place, to express the its feel , the shimmer of water and the dappling of shadowed light , the mood of color and its quietness.

Age Old Challenge in Old Age

   As I get older I'm realizing the value of things I used to take for granted, like knowing exactly the right word.   I just finished three 6x8 inch value studies  of rock carnes, They captured that special feeling  of satisfaction which is such a pleasure when a painting completely absorbs me.
I had been studying abstract work for the last couple years, trying to  apply my knowledge of watercolor and  the elements and principles of design.  In a sense all art is abstract and there  is no set  formula for what works.    Kindness, the  beauty of nature and simple things can express so much.

If the values are right , everything else will be okay.