Painting From the Past

Just the other day I was carrying on about the unknown whereabouts of a career's worth of paintings... and LO! Donchaknow I receive an email from someone who bought two serigraphs and a watercolor back in the early eighties? Her note:

Hi Karen,

I purchased some early works of yours while living in Montgomery, AL (1980-83). I have two prints called "Big Red I" and "Big Red II" and I have a beautiful watercolor - looks like it might have been in your 'grasses' series; however, there is nothing on the mat about the name of the piece and nothing on your website that looks just like it. It is possible that if I look under the mat I will find that information. Just wanted to tell you that I was an early fan - then lost track of you. I was interested in seeing your recent works - quite a bit different from what you did in the 80's, huh? Of course that was over 20 years ago! Yikes, how time flies!! Is there still a market for your early work?

Well, Dang! What a nice and timely note! A couple of emails exchanged and she sends me the above image. Sadly, I was not the record keeper I am today and though I probably have an inventory card on the painting, I can't find one with this image. I remember the work... the stalks with fluffy grass seeds presented a fun challenge at the time... wet the area, let the color bleed into it for the fuzzy effect. The grass series is extensive but this one is more of a vignette compared to the many involved paintings of grass, pampas, bamboo, and other elongated leaf forms I eventually did. She asks if there is a market for my early work... I have no idea. I suspect not. That's something most artists seldom get to find out about. I really must do something about digitalizing those older photos. The prints she mentions are a pair of red geranium serigraphs... probably on slides somewhere, add that to the to-do list.

I'm packed up again, there are at least a dozen paintings in the van, ready to haul to Memphis. Thought I'd take everything and let them choose what works best. The gallery there has had a very good spring after several dry months. We'll drive a couple of extra hours to overnight in Little Rock with oldest son and family in their new digs. We see them all in a couple of weeks when the whole family convenes here for our annual gathering. Looks like we'll be 100% this year! Once that's done, I should have some good play time in the studio... really enjoying the possibilities that keep showing up (just when I have no time to give them.) Must pay close attention and not lose the beat!

The Making Of An Exhibition

If you have half the curiosity I have for this sort of thing, you might like to keep an eye on the Dennis Hollingsworth blog for the next couple of months. He traveled to Barcelona where he is setting up to paint for a gallery exhibition in September.

The Biggest Puzzle

KarenJacobs.com

Up at 3am, more the norm than not these days... actually I rather enjoy the solitude and lack of guilt that I should be doing something more important than browsing blogs, working digital jigsaw puzzles, playing solitaire mahjong or soduko. Two blogs in a row (here and here) knock the *joys* of coding... that other puzzle called: The Artist's Personal Website! That kicked in old memories and here we go...

I've had a 'web presence' since the net was still a young thing and AOL was the King of the Hill. I'd have to do some research to come up with an exact date I went online with my new site but it was the very early 90's not long after we bought our first computer. The free AOL Press was a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) web design program and not a bad one at that. I mean... hey, I figured it out and that's saying something because I had no HTML training and still can only putz around with code, forgetting faster that I can learn the stuff. (I'm remembering reams of printout instructions describing all the how-to-do-its.)

The site evolved as I learned new tricks, copied ideas from other art pages, experimented and explored. It was fun. I built websites for organizations, even a couple of galleries... all freebies, happy to do it for the joy of practicing my new found skills. Funny how quickly free stuff turns into demands to do more and better. Got out of that 'business' as soon as I could exit gracefully. As the Internet was becoming more involved in our lives, the whole coding thing was getting completely out of hand as far as my abilities were concerned. AOL Press died and Netscape Composer took over, suiting my simple needs. I still use it today... a lame, old fashioned version that has been left unattended in an open source landfill. I've tried to wrap my simple mind around some of the newer programs but nothing makes sense anymore, it's a language I just can't hack. So my website plods along with no style sheets, java or automatic thumbnail gadgets... everything's manually designed. The code is a patchwork of pieced together scraps I've borrowed from one idea or another over the years. But it works (for the most part) and serves as a career scrapbook of sorts .

Artist's personal websites have not only become de rigeur, they are works of art in themselves in many cases. No longer just a repository for images and resume, they flash and entertain and even hide their wares. So, okay... I ain't going there. Composer and I have traveled as far as we can and we'll have to eat their dust. But hey! Along comes Blogger and we're riding again... free and easy and it don't get no better than that ;-)

Take A Deep Breath... Exhale

Square Steps, 48x40, oil, 1994

Ummmm... where was I? Monday morning fog of uncertainty hangin'round. Oh, yes... this was the week I'd planned to return to regular aerobics at the Y after allowing some healing time for the 'itis' in my heel. Put on a pair of jeans worn just weeks ago and they are way snug, not fashionably snug, unflatteringly snug... but uncomfortably snug as well. The day is full of errands so I could put it off (again) but the week is gonna be full as well (an 'errand' includes another art hauling trip, this time to Memphis) so maybe I'd best hunt up my march-in-place togs and do something about this growing SITuation I find myself in.

This painting from the past serves to remind me to take more steps... nag, nag, nag...

India Ink

I've been having a *Eureka!* kind of day in the studio and I'm here to tell you all about it. It's the PROCESS again, donchaknow? What fun! Since beginning the Bokusho series with India ink on rice paper, a problem-to-be-solved has been one of smearing ink when I try to adhere the squares to canvas. It's been a slow, cantankerous exercise where I finally just do it and hope the smears don't detract too much (my whole career of techniques is based on such hopes.)
Today's efforts were to use a thick gel applied with a knife so as to disturb the top layer of ink as little as possible (adhering the back with medium is no problem.) So on inspection when the gel is finally dry, I see that some squares have bled and some have not. Actually, I'm liking the bleed as it often involves the separating of the ink and reveals both ocher and blue along with the black. Ummmmm.... why do some bleed and some don't? Well, going into snoop mode, I recall that I took only one small bottle of ink with me to France and as time began to run short, I had to water down the bottle to make it stretch.
I noticed early on that the ink would sometimes show gold on the back of the paper, but I didn't realize that it was only the thin ink that did this. A ringer thrown in is that Raya loaned me a bottle of her ink to mix in with mine... didn't use much of it, but it may account for the blue I'm seeing in some of the squares. They've all been torn and mixed up so that it's impossible to recall when each was done. But from the detail pics you can tell that the squares are assorted at this point. Now, the trick will be to see how well I can control this phenomenon.

Hotlanta

July, 48x24, 2004

Three hour drive to Atlanta with morning sun in face -- lunch in a popular greasy spoon, food was good but noise level was high as the temps outside -- handed over paintings to gallery -- too hot for gallery hopping, museum or any such cultural endeavors -- headed home for another three hours with afternoon sun in face. Easy to be convinced of global warming this day!

Tomorrow will be better even if it is still dry as dust with temps hovering at 100 and humidity the same. Tomorrow I'll be in the studio with no interruptions and some new ideas lighting up... or old ideas refreshed, we'll see!

The accompanying painting says 'beach' to me... wouldn't that be nice?

Blog Readers... Again

Please don't laugh at me while I'm trying hard to understand how blogs and readers work... but I know for a fact that there are plenty of folks out there that are struggling as I am to sort it all out, trying to efficiently use our reading time so there is plenty of painting time left over. I recently gloated about discovering that the Bloglines reader was way better, and I still like it very much, but I've also discovered that it won't allow some blog subscriptions... doesn't recognize a feed from several blogs that might not even have such. But Blogarithm will recognize all blogs and notify if they've been updated, whether they have a feed or not. Soooo... I will have buttoms to both on my sidebar, and I will use both for which each is best. Felt like I ought to pass that vital info along... now, back to art talk. KJ

Now And Again

Now and Again, diptych, 60x96

I'll make a gallery run to Atlanta tomorrow (Thurs) delivering eight or so paintings (do you count a diptych as one or two?) Pictured here is a "request"... as opposed to a "commission"... might or might not work, but worth a try. It was fun to paint and reflects the landscape overload of the French experience. With each trip out and about in our little Opal we drank in the fullness of the changing countryside... becoming more familiar, noting slight changes Spring brings. So that explains the title and divisions. I keep saying I'll do more landscapes, but best I can do is just a few a year. They usually come in spurts, small series, but doesn't look like they'll take over the abstracts any time soon.

Blog Reading Simplified

Yes, I spend way too much time reading blogs... but I'm working on efficiency. This article is one of several that is addressing the situation since it seems that info overload is not an uncommon problem. I've changed my sidebar Blogarithm.com link to Bloglines.com as it seems to be a much more efficient reader. I'm sure there are plenty of other good programs, but I'm too busy chasing interesting art blogs to investigate and this one looks good for now.

So what makes Bloglines better? Mainly, it updates throughout the day so I don't have to rely on an email to tell me what's new since the last time I indulged. Since I read sporadically and often way early in the morning... I don't want to wait for an email to point to new entries. As a longtime reader of Yahoo group lists, I find that a fine tuned blog list is a more efficient way to gather info on what's going on out there in the world of art... and a few other worlds as well.

So that's my unpaid endorsement and handy tip for the day.

Another French Residency

Another artist blogs her way through a French art residency... San Francisco artist Alanna Spence has arrived in Caunes-Minervois, which isn't so far from where we resided during April. Judging from her visit last summer, there will be lots of info and photos forthcoming. Obviously, her previous experience was just as rewarding as ours... it will be fun to follow.

Beyond The Process

Detail - Buchanan, 60x48, 2005


The dining room currently serves as a temporary gallery with the recent returnees propped around, each facing the center of the room. With sizes ranging from 36" square to 48x60, they more than dominate the space. I'm reminded again how little detail is available in my online digitals. Even the large resolutions in my files don't begin to show the work as it really is. So I spend time with each, getting reacquainted, rediscovering strengths and weaknesses of each. Shown here is an attempt at capturing a bit of detail from the painting, Buchanan... although you can make out the series of layers, the image still lacks a certain depth and textural quality.

I caress some... yes I do, don't laugh or jeer! I run my fingers across this area or that, feeling my heart lift due to a technique, a color change, a glazed bit of collage... something that I want to remember, something I'd forgotten about. I'm often tempted to make 'corrections' but experience tells me that it would lead to a total repainting and most don't require that. They'll be examined for paint chips or rubs, signs that they were sent out on approval but didn't make the cut... repairs will be made, they'll be good as new. They will be new! A whole new set of dynamics to explore. New faces, and hopefully, new appreciation. We'll see...

Silly me. But, you see, I am so far removed from my finished work that I forget how special each piece was in it's creation. Much ado is made by artists about the joy of the process, and I often sing the same song. But little is mentioned about the rest of the story... we artists seldom know what eventually becomes of the painting. The buyers name is sometimes given, but no contact, no viewing... I've no idea of the circumstance of most work that I've exchanged for money. Are they still loved after some years? Have they been shuffled out to make room for a new decor? Maybe a corporate employee took it home, or the kids inherited, maybe a consignment shop or garage sale... maybe stored under the bed or in a basement. I've been selling work since the mid 70's and I have often thought that when spirit leaves body, I might take a detour to revisit all those long forgotten works... but I don't know, maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea. They are all loved and cared for, I'd best assume.

Car Rack

...

Here are some file photos of the nifty rack my handy hubby built to make hauling many paintings, especially to multiple locations, much easier and organized. We picked up in two cities the first day out, then overnighted with friends in Asheville (with mountain side views to die for!) Then we took the long way home yesterday, down the extraordinarily beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway.

We keep cars for the long haul and I've used up three vans during my career, all were purchased with a 48" canvas in hand to be sure it would fit through the back door easily. Our current carrier is a Nissan Quest, the other two vans were Dodge and Mazda. The Nissan has the biggest capacity and with the backseats folded flat I can take an 80" long canvas or fit smaller ones to that length. Separated by full sheet cardboard, an entire show can stack and ride easily. Anything to make life just a little bit easier. We'll be on the road again soon since these paintings won't sell out of my house... gotta get them to some good wall space in Memphis and Atlanta!

Simplifying Gallery Life

Cornish, 60x48, 2005

I never imagined it would come to this. I have preached 'many baskets' for as long as I can remember, and here I am about to close out two decent reps. Flashing before my eyes are years of hard work making gallery representation happen, climbing the rungs slowly but surely to a point where, now, I must start backing off. It's not about age, health or retirement, I'm good to go for a bunch more years and my best work is still in front of me (said with a quick look around...) But there are lots of roses to smell and I really don't care to spend all day every day in the studio. Keeping fresh inventory in 8-10 galleries means a constant deadline and I'm, frankly, tired of deadlines. Quality suffers and there's little time to really play and enjoy the process which is the lifeblood of creativity.

These two galleries (Knoxville and Asheville) are fairly new on my roster. Three years for each, the first year being stellar in sales but the next two petering out sharply. Some of this is my fault, a lot of it is not. I expect things could turn around, but the drive time and lack of reason to go there other than exchange paintings is reason enough to call it quits. (I avoid shipping whenever possible and feel the need to visit in person anyway.)

So tomorrow, Thursday, we head out for two days on the road, coming home with eight big babies that will quickly be dispersed to other locations. I feel more relaxed already! 'Cornish', pictured above, is coming home along with several others from my Tartan Series. The idea was to use the colors in various tartans and make a paintings out of them. Sort of a title-before-the-painting kind of thing. Hey! Ideas and titles are sometimes hard to come by! No wonder I'm looking to cut back.

Gripe #53442 - Art Spam

There's a new irritant in my inbox, and it has to do with far flung artists I never heard of having shows on the other side of the US, sometimes Canada, or at least several states away from me, announcing with great pride that I'm invited to their opening! Well... I understand mass marketing and maybe I ought to be indulging in some of it myself. But if I did, I would add an *UNSUBSCRIBE* link at the bottom of the message so those uninterested could easily opt out from future mailings. I would want to know if I was irritating people, wouldn't you? So, okay, just hit reply and say so... I did, but it first crossed my mind to send it to the gallery she was so proud to be showing in... heh, heh, heh... but I didn't. So my dear friends bothering to read this blog get to hear my nag... sorry 'bout that.

Color Surprises

Aude 2, 48x24, 2001

Okay, so drawing is not my strong suit. And in recent days, the fact that I am also not a colorist has been reinforced. Our current household project is to clean and restain the exterior decks, railings and walkways, of which there are plenty. No biggie, right? Just pick out a stain that matches the house preferably slightly darker. Numerous trips, remixes, exchanges and we still don't have it right. Last year the house had to be painted earlier than necessary because I picked the wrong color for the metal gutters and trim which was supposed to matchbut clashed horribly. And I call myself an artist ;-/

I think the artistic path I chose, veering away from factual realism, had a lot to do with the fact that I can't see the fine nuances in color! My father and son were/are colorblind and the gene passed through me... making me think that I suffered some handling damage along the way. I've never read anything to suggest this is possible, and I certainly am not colorblind, but I sure seem lacking somehow. Anyway, we decided the hell with it and we'll try again three years from now when it's all to do over again. Maybe we'll get luckier with new color choices.

As for my studio workaround, not a problem. Color is as much a final surprise as the composition... it's just not planned in advance but surfaces through many layers of glazes, scumbles and mindchanges. The painting above is a personal fav which I've tried repeatedly to recapture on another canvas... I'm no good in that department either. Guess I'll have to settle for surprises.

Sketch Journals

Observations from shotgun position...

Around the first of the year I discovered (very late, I admit) a vast number of sketch journals online, all serving to make me extremely jealous of the terrific efforts by so many artists. "I wanna do thaaaaaattt!" my inner child cried. I bought a couple of Danny Gregory's books, who seems to be one of the several gurus out there (check out ole Crack Skull Bob for a daily fun fix!) and made a shining attempt at daily sketching, but alas, my efforts have been sad and discouraging... not to mention what it's doing to my ego! Please take into consideration that the example above was performed in a moving vehicle and only revealed to provide graphic commentary to this blog entry.

This is leading to the impetus for this entry... Annette Bush diligently filled her sketchbook/journal the month (April, 06) we were in France, and it's a jewel! Her skilled daughter, Susan, tricked Blogger into listing the archives in first to last order by date (as it should be) so it's an easy read for the whole month. I've linked it on my Cat'Art reference site and will put it on my sidebar as well. It's a keeper!

Bridge Lines

....

Countdown 1 and 2, @ 36x36, 2005

Having mentioned a local bridge and how it's lines found their way into my paintings (during my formative abstract years,) I thought I'd post a couple of recent examples and show how those lines still sneak into my compositions. As I uploaded these paintings, I noticed the torii structure is evident as well, though that might be considered a stretch.

Ruled lines have long been a featured part of my compositions... the paintings don't seem finished without them. They are sometimes buried under opaque or glazed paint, often reapplied and don't always follow color changes. What the digitals don't show are random graphite lines which are equally important. They are often applied as the painting nears completion... a ritual of scribbling on finished work that I'm not sure I understand, but may have something to do with showing it who's boss. The explanation I give my galleries is that the random marks represent energy... and that's probably closer to true.

Abstract How-To

When I delivered the seven little Bokushos to my NOLA gallery, I tried to explain what they were all about and how they came to be. I was asked to write it down so she could be better informed. I couldn't just write a few words, so I made a page which can be printed out on one sheet which explains the small, unlinked images.

Abstract painting is often a mystery to many, and I've learned that some really do want to know more about the process. Usually, I mumble something using a few keywords and add a shrug. It's not an easy genre to explain! In this case I happened to be able to trace it step by step from inspiration, through fumbling around, and finally the realization of a finished product. I don't know if it adds anything to the appreciation of the works, but it's a bit like tracing ones genealogy... it might amount to 'so what?', or an enthusiastic 'is that so?'

Thoughts...

The following quote is by Hokusai... of "The Great Wave" fame:

"...but all I have done before the the age of seventy is not worth bothering with. At seventy five I'll have learned something of the pattern of nature, of animals, of plants, of trees, birds, fish and insects. When I am eighty you will see real progress. At ninety I shall have cut my way deeply into the mystery of life itself. At a hundred I shall be a marvelous artist. At a hundred and ten everything I create; a dot, a line, will jump to life as never before. To all of you who are going to live as long as I do, I promise to keep my word. I am writing this in my old age. I used to call myself Hokosai, but today I sign my self 'The Old Man Mad About Drawing." -- Hokusai

Well, I'm not writing this from my old age, but I can see it coming if I squint. The talking heads are fond of saying things like 'fifty is the new thirty' or similar. Well, I'm not fifty and I sure don't want to be thirty again, I just want to be the best I can be right here and right now. Those following this blog will recall that I made a big deal of wanting to regain my drawing skills, among other things, and although I gave it a shot, not with the dedication I'd hoped. I'm in awe of all the daily drawing blogs out there, and I follow a bunch but they haunt me with guilt.

"How hard I find it is to see what is right in front of my eyes!" -- Ludwig Wittenstein. That's the quote that really got my attention. I must try harder to see.

Artist Statements

Studio Walls, Before and After. Cleanup Progresses.
Lisa Hunter writes a blog called "The Intrepid Collector" and recently had this to say: "Personally, I think Artist Statements are to blame for the notion that artists can't explain their work. Many statements are badly written or barely comprehensible. But maybe that's a function of, well, their function. What exactly are they for anyway? Are they the artist's "criticism" of his or her own work? Are they Cliff Notes for collectors who don't understand contemporary art? Are they a "translation" of a visual idea into a verbal one? Most artists I know hate writing them, and few collectors get any real benefit from them."

I'm long overdue for an update to my statements. I give two versions to introduce me and my work on my resume page: 'About the Art' and 'About the Artist'. The latter (at the bottom of the page) was developed to cover a lack of impressive art degrees and show that I really have worked hard and left a creative trail. I guess they've served their purpose, but when you find a copy staring back at you from a gallery site and a chill creeps up your back, well... maybe it's time to move the words around a bit. Maybe I've outgrown those words, maybe I'm not even that person at all.

Good Mail

2003, Meeting of the Minds, 36x36, mixed media

Earlier this year I was (once again) sweet talked into donating a painting for a MOST IMPORTANT event, yadda-yadda. I'd sworn off this method of giving away my paintings to 'collectors' who only buy when they can get something cheap and it's a write off as well. Normally, I don't even get documentation, much less a thank-you. Well, today was different. A letter of appreciation from the organization came in the mail today, stating the winning bid (quite respectable) and giving more info about the cause (the Marcus Institute, Caring for Children with Disabilities) I feel much better about the donation... anything to help needy kids gets my vote. The donated painting is pictured above.

But hey! Real money arrived in the mail as well! The 'Cathar' diptych, finished just prior to leaving for France, has been hung, and I'm told it looks grand in it's corporate entry. I hope to get down to Montgomery and get an installation shot at some point. Would that all works had such a quick turn around from gesso to check, but that's just asking a bit too much now, isn't it?

Galleries...

The drama of gallery representation is spelled out quite effectively in a blog called Tire Shop. I've experienced much of what is described, the good, bad and ugly, and have managed to cull the spoilers and focus on the good guys. The next step will be to face up to a few really nice galleries that just can't seem to move the work, are inconvenient to access and, at this point in time, are not prime to my game plan.

This is hard to do, considering how long and hard I've worked to have a good string of galleries handle my work. This ole race horse still wants to run, but not in quite so many events. Opportunities show up and the possibilities of new adventures are stimulating... I have to give myself a shake and just keep on holding the pace.

One point I would add to the Tire Shop article is that in the age of Internet communication, it's very easy to locate a few artists that gallery represents and ask for the lowdown. I still do that, even if I don't plan to join, and it's interesting to hear the answers.

The image is from my May, 2005, show at Carol Robinson Gallery in New Orleans. They made it through Katrina and it continues to be a strong gallery.

Delayed Reactions

2006, LeMer, 36x60, mixed media

So I'm not the only one. Reading Robin's blog makes me think the sinking spells and odd-man-out feelings I've been having are not unusual after spending a month away from routine. The worst of it is over I hope, and life seems back to normal, whatever that is. Normal, for me, means either too much to do or not enough... it means a familiar rut that is both cursed and sought... it means people who really do care but just don't think to give you all the strokes you think you need because their normal life is in need of strokes as well. I'm entering into the 'too much to do' mode, having wasted precious time being slow to surface.

I'm not superstitious, but I have a silly habit that has worked for years... that is to think 'worse case scenario' and that cancels out the possibility of it happening. A simple example would be: if I'm going downstairs with both hands full, I imagine myself falling, feeling every bump along the way. Then I proceed with the proper caution and all is well. When I fell to my knees coming out of a store in France, arms loaded with veggies and mouth in motion, I was obviously distracted. (Well, I was faced with this great view of the Pyrenees...) If I'd focused on possible results of my actions, that wouldn't have happened. It seems to work on a much larger scale in my life as well. The theory being, it's what you don't think of that will get you! Wonder what the term for that would be, positive/negative visionary reversal?

The painting above was started and finished since my return. It was suggested that I do something with blues as a client is looking and likes my work. From the first layer, I knew that it would reflect the Mediterranean, and therefore, the title. The photo isn't the best, I let it get away from me before a proper shoot.

DUH!

Under the "Things I'm Slow to Learn" category:

For a long time I've wished Blogger had a link back to the main page which shows all recent entries. As I follow a number of interesting art blogs, I've noticed that Typepad and others have a 'Main' link which allows that. So I put one on my blog, up top on the right. That doesn't help me with other blogs when I want to see what I missed.

Well, guess what? Blogger does have this feature! The whole title is the link to the main page! Okay, I'm a happy reader now. No complaints. Except that the blogarhythm program that announces new entries messes up sometimes (I subscribe to my own, so I know) and skips an entry now and then. Thought I'd pass along this piece of vital info for those who use alerts of one kind or another... they generally take you to one entry, not the whole thing or most recent entry.

YIKES!

Okay, let's call it 'multi-tasking'... there's a lot going on in this mess. I have to admit that my studio is a bit more out of control that usual, and I'm taking steps to correct it. Since the camera was handy, thought I'd confess my shortcomings.


Cleaning and organizing my studio has always brought on a surge of new enthusiasm once all is in order... maybe it's uncovering stuff I'd given up on and seeing new potential... or finding that brayer I needed just the other day. Hey, maybe the TV remote will turn up!

As I was prepping these photos to show the world, I realized that in every corner, since taking the shots a couple of hours ago, things are already changing. No, not cleaner, but work is actually progressing.

The white gessoed canvas on the prop easel has been primed, the 60" canvas standing on end at the doorway has been final coated, two of the paintings on the wall easels have had more attention paid to them... I'm impressed! And what you don't see is my database has been set up to spit out an inventory sheet for a gallery delivery tomorrow. Methinks I'm getting back into the swing of things. Maybe I'll even find time to spiff up this mess!

Four On The Floor...

I've been playing... just thought I'd show the beginnings I spoke of yesterday. Not much to comment on as they are far from being resolved. It's my nature to churn through an idea until it begins to mature. And here are four on the floor, still showing their wet polymer top coats. Nothing original here, but it's a start. I'll try layering glazes and see where that leads. Ordered more rice/mulberry paper with larger works in mind. Small just doesn't say much.

Finding A Direction

Obi 1 - 4, 200512x12 each, mixed media

I've mentioned earlier that the knotted torsos of the plane trees grabbed my attention early and held it through some early ink on rice paper experiments while still in France. (View here and here.) I didn't know where I was going with the random marks but a browse through the catalog of Nguyen Cam, a Vietnamese artist who had worked and shown at Cat'Art residency previously, opened the door to possibilities. The marks I was making on varying sized squares began to make sense and I've just started thinking about how I might use them. Whatever they become will be far removed from the plane trees that started this creative stream, but not confused with Nguyen Cam's handsome works. I do, however, give a nod of appreciation to both for renewed enthusiasm for endless possibilities. I expect the early efforts will be similar to a group of works I finished last year, the four Obis shown above. I look forward to carrying this idea further.

That Was Then, This Is Now...

Prior to the adventure of France, I had a pretty good rhythm going here... almost daily entries featuring a painting from the archives which somehow tied into 'the theme of the day'. I'd like to reclaim that sense of purpose, mainly because it allowed me to revisit early works, reminding myself of where I've been... and fueling the potential to travel on.

But that was then and this is now... all that fueled potential in the studio has yet to provide any finished work, despite a decent attempt in the studio. Two large paintings in progress... both suggested by galleries as having potential buyers (not commissions... smart people don't pay up front for unseen works they'll have to live with for eternity.) So am trying to read the minds of mysterious art patrons and am frustrated to not be able to tackle my own ideas. I should just cover the canvas(es) and shove them out the door to fend for themselves instead of poking and prodding them to grow up and make something of themselves!

Okay... got that out of my system. Now to go back downstairs to see if they've managed to finish themselves...

In Twenty Five Words or Less...

Been home for over two weeks now, time to put it away. The fact is, it was my experience and to try to convey it to others is like offering water without a vessel... it just doesn't hold for others the way it did for me. That's the reality of such a trip... the polite 'did you have a nice time' requires a simple, unadorned answer... that's all they're asking for, don't even bother with pictures. Blogs, once thought to be the answer, are also excessive for most needs. So tuck it away in the place one keeps such things and try to come up with a suitable, brief answer.

"Spring in rural France, away from the tourist attractions was just what I needed to reaffirm my belief that the best things in life are free... or at least don't require tickets, lines or crowds." Okay, that's thirty five words... I'll work on it. Of course it wasn't free when one counts the air fare and other stuff... but the actuality was that the day to day simplicity, beauty and discovery fulfilled me more than any museum or other trampled attraction could. That's my take on it.

'Nuff said... future posts will leave the adventure behind. Well, maybe a reference here and there, but life goes on and I'd best try to catch up... rejoin the sheep being herded down the road...

Party People

There were many opportunities to gather and share food, wine and good company. A welcoming dinner on the big terrace was our first first such evening, complete with a few visiting artists from the surrounding area, but most important to us, a chance to get reaquainted and anticipate our exciting month ahead.

A week or so later, we gathered for a simple artist group/goodbye supper for Debbie, an event which grew and grew. It also became Chin Kong Yee's farewell evening (a photographer/painter from Maylasia) so we added chairs to our circle table to include Kong Yee and the director Catherine along with Cristophe (I'll call him the superintendent of the center, he had a solution for everything,) Addy (the yardman) and the sculptor, Nicolae. John, Ellie and Daffy were also invited so my little rice and sausage soup designed to supply easy meals through the coming week, expanded and grew to accomodate all. Of course, the offerings brought by our guests enhanced the dinner mightily... and the roaring fire and candles lent ambiance.

Karen, Annette, Ellie, Kong Yee, Robin...

The window sill buffet...






Full table...


John and Kong Yee







Scenes from the Easter Party in the Sculpture Shed:

Just getting started... it lasted into the next day... I didn't, but the party did!

Dozens of beautifully colored eggs Artfully arranged by Annette and Pat.


The grill begins with the burning of the art. Note the colored ends of the logs in foreground... they're from the art installation in the exhibition gallery.




Sculpting and glazing the hens...

Josep, Annette and Raya





Just step over the dog...

Cristophe, John and Pat





And there were many other gatherings and photo ops...

the Paint-L banners...

Josep shares a Cuban with Pat...





Table Talk with Raya, Robin, Pat and Ellie...

Pat and Catherine on the terrace...






Welcoming party on the terrace


People just sort of migrated to the patio one evening. That's Deef, or David Vanorbeek, in the center, a Flemish sculptor with studio on Cat'Art campus.


Cheryl enjoying patio party... this evening happened as we began thinking about our departure. Could be her thoughts are of how much we'll miss the camaraderie at Cat'Art.