Grey Umbrella 2

Here is another version of the lonely girl in the rain. I tried not to make this one seem so ominous. One of the things I like about this piece is the effect of the water on the watercolor pencils. I used some shaving of the pigment onto the paper and spritzing to create more texture.

A note on equipment, one thing I believe everyone should have is a set of watercolor pencils. They are fun, versatile, and come in extraordinary colors. Crafters and artists alike would find them indispensable. I like the Derwent brand. The colors are great and you can buy them in different size sets up to 72 pieces, and also individually at Michael's. The latter is key since most of us have a palette we prefer, with the end result of blowing through and needing to replace those go-to colors.

Seventy-One Last Tear

It seems I have two muses who help me with my art. One that inspires imgages, and one that brings them to life. The former has been very lonely, and the latter has returned after a long time away.

This piece is very personal, and was manifested in a very physical and emotional way. I am exhausted from putting it on paper. I have a very good friend to thank for the inspiration and the words that go along with it. Read the words, and if possible, listen to George Winston's "Peace" while you view it.

Grief begins as sorrow
and remains as emptiness
and at its best is nevermore.

Self Portrait 2 - Happiness

Watercolor pencil on paper.
I had fun doing this self portrait. First, I shot a couple photos with my Nikon P6000 so I would have something to go by. I have been experimenting with different types of watercolor paint. Solids, liquid concentrates, and pencils all have their place. On this image, I decided to do the whole thing in pencils, then spray and paint on water for an effect. As usual, I should have left well enough alone! The colors and textures changed too much in this case. For instance, Erin, I really was blonde this time before the water went on. In spite of all that, I kind of like the playfulness of this image, and I learned something about the technique.

A word about the happiness part: I've been giving much thought to contentment and what it takes to be happy. Like trust, if you approach happiness as if it were the null hypothesis and try to prove it's there, by convention, you never will. Perhaps instead it should be approached from a foundation of faith -- I believe in happiness, and all I have to do is trust and be. Let's give that a try!

Gray Umbrella

Pastels and watercolors on paper. This is another image I have had in my mind the past few days. I hope you can make out the silhouette of a woman walking through a driving rain at night. Flying hair, bleak winter oak, the protection of a simple umbrella, slogging home to a warm quiet place. Alone.

Cityscape Fairy

Here is another view of one of the sculptures from Northerly Island in Chicago. I don't like it. I consider it unfinished, but in addition to not liking it, I don't want to finish it either. The problem I have with this image is the paper is only 90 pound. And I am hard on paper, as I am hard on clothing and shoes. I fidget and tap dance. I run when I should walk. I climb on rocks in leather-wrapped heels as the spirit moves me. I carry good handbags in the rain and wear suede jackets on boat trips. I'm sloppy with food. I brutalize watercolor paper. I layer and layer the paint until I'm satisfied. I get coffee on it. I like saturation with lots and lots of color. I use pastels on wet paper. Lightweight stock pills and looks tattered given this abuse.

My other issue today is that I haven't been very productive for a few days. Creativity comes in spurts and fits. For those of you who thought doing a painting per day was ambitious, you were correct. Too ambitious. There are other topics for me to blog about, and I intend to post some days without artwork. The past two days, I just didn't know what to say, and so I was silent. If you are following this blog, bear with me. It may be drivel, but I promise if it is, it was an accident and that I will do my best not to bore you.

Prairie Fairies at Northerly Island

Magical, mystical bronze sculptures on Northerly Island along the waterfront of Chicago are the subject for this piece, painted in watercolors and oil pastels on paper. I was there in Chicago with friends at the end of summer. It was a happy time, filled with singing, laughter, jalopy riding past Adler Planetarium and Soldier Field (i.e. quadracycling--not recommended for the faint of heart, but you can rent these at navy pier if you feel like putting your life in danger one day,) and the joy of celebrating a friend's recovered health. This work started off being airy, light, mysterious, detailed, filled with blue skies and bright wild flowers. As the day went on, I just couldn't stand it. The gray and brown pastels jumped out of the box onto the paper. The lead fairy conjured up a storm over Lake Michigan, and my heart turned cold with the chill in the air. I was not satisfied until the clouds set in, and the sun was completely blotted out. I can almost hear the fairy in the background saying, "Not this again. Cousin, why can you never be content with a sunny afternoon?"

Of course I love the happy memory that inspired the original idea, but I am intensely drawn to the eerie, enchanted, mischievous, anything can change in an instant feeling that came out in the end. It also gives me hope. If enchantment can be found in the old Meigs Field airstrip that Mayor Daley,in the name of homeland security, had torn up in the middle of one fateful night in 2003, it must be possible for some magic to be uncovered in the mountains around Salt Lake City.

'Round Midnight

Water colors and colored pencils on paper.
This was an image from my mind's eye. Not really sure where it came from, but it is a very young woman, late at night, perhaps just leaving the opera. Something from behind startles her, and she gasps as she looks nervously over her shoulder while clutching her pearls. The feeling I get from it is like walking after dark in Manhattan, stepping swiftly, trying to feel confident, but all the while checking every alley and side street for lurking danger. I suspect this feeling is in my sub-conscious, because there is uncertainty in my career right now.

The other interesting note is that half-way through this painting I started singing the old standard, 'Round Midnight. If you've never heard Mel Torme's version, you must go to iTunes immediately and download it. The painting goes best with a haunting melody.

For those of you who loved the image of Vida, stay tuned, there is more to come. Also, I am very excited to be doing a project to go with some beautiful poetry by a gifted writer friend. Check back daily for more!