Re-imagining my Process

Here are two studio efforts underway to be completed this week.

Living in a northern country as a valley-bottom dweller has its liabilities. Months of little or no direct light, short cold days that drive me into my studio to huddle beside a small heater while I try to paint under artificial florescent lighting. Might be bearable if the dreaded SAD wasn't pushing my spirit into the dark places.
Okay, it's not that disturbing but yesterday I did step back and I observed myself huddled over a mediocre black and white printout of a tiny photograph attempting to connect to my subject and understandably I asked myself "what are you doing???". Responding to your subject through photo reference is not unlike building a relationship with your partners passport. It may take you places but there's little joy.
This is an insidious trap set for artists by ourselves and remarkably many of us are pulled in like invertebrates caught in a rip tide.
Well, enough of this. I rolled around all night grilling myself with questions like "what am i creating art for, whats important, where am i going and what do i as a human bring to the rest of my tribe when i create art?"
I don't have all the answers but this I strive for; I must paint from life regardless of discomfort. Its only when interacting directly with nature and people that I have any hope of communicating and contributing to good in the world.
These concerns may seem to be escoteric pretension to you but they are fundamental to whatever it is I'm stumbling towards. All of you in your own chosen disciplines are making choices not unlike mine I'm sure. We need to hold up our end in this journey we call a lifetime.
Next time I trust I'll come to you with some snow on my boots and blood on my brushes. Have a great week.

Cars as art

Its time for a new season of Formula One racing to begin; this weekend in Australia! Exciting!
I painted "Fire in the Pits" from a time when seven time world champion Michael Schumacher dominated the field for Ferrari. The drama in the pits is always entertaining and all the red cars and uniforms remind me of ants. Michaels back driving for Mercedes but he's an old man now and its unlikely he'll overtake those twenty year olds. Or ????


I have been painting a series of old Porsche favorites lately. The classic cars seem as much an art form as anything humans set their hands and minds to. I guess, being mass produced, they cant claim absolute originality but these old guys were largely hand built and when I'm through with painting one they are pretty unique.

Carving a turn under the claybanks in a 356 Speedster


A venerable RS from '73

a little light reading

The primary inspiration for my art is the "good" I see in the world. The Fathers' touch is everywhere in the cosmos, my neighbour's face and in the dirt under the microscope. My paintings are influenced by my world view and probably a reaction against much of the past century of art history. While concurring with Stuart McAllister's statement that "much of the energy and effort of our artists and cultural architects has gone into debunking, dismantling, or deconstructing all that is good, beautiful, and respected, to be replaced with the shallow, the ugly, the ephemeral" how then should I work out my art? Creating romantic, disneyesque propoganda is not an option and is an intellectual and spiritual dead end. Thomas Kinkaid's portrayal of "a world without the Fall" is visual cotton candy that, regardless of his excellent workmanship, takes the viewer into a blind alley.
Too critical? coming from a marginal painter- perhaps but that is the nature of blogging.

In the attached detail of my painting "Joy Ride" we see a young woman reveling in the glory of the moment, rolling through vineyards, spring air breezing through her hair, couched in a lovely roadster. Contrary to the absurd cliche "it's all good", we see a deteriorating roadway, vines that require constant physical labour to maintain and a painting technique that suggests imperfections and possibly decay in the Porsche's bodywork. Even the passenger's identity is a bit questionable.

I see a world full of wonder with many opportunities for joy rides, but it is also a bit bent. Something is not quite right here, and how do we get back to it?

Next time, more pictures, less words. I promise.

In from the cold

Last October a friend offered me a seasonal position in her environmental consulting business and since the taxman was flogging me unmercifully and my stomach was growling I gratefully accepted. The experience was very appreciated but my painting regime has been decimated. Now the contract has ended and I'm up for air, back into doing what I'm compelled to and it feels great!
I will be blogging regularly again and also overhauling my website (I apologize for the mess that's been ) so hopefully it will be worth a viewing very soon.
This year's Penticton visitor's guide features my painting, "Beach Boys" on the front cover. This is entirely due to the efforts of Prema, owner of The Tumbleweed Gallery in Penticton. I really appreciate her support. Her gallery is bringing in new work all the time so if you are in the area take the time to check it out.
Back to the studio for me and I'll keep you updated on my work. Peace.
While I'm showing off covers, if you haven't seen my cover on Art Avenue here's what that looked like. Back to the studio for me and I'll keep you updated on my work. Peace.

SHOWTIME

I'd like to invite you to the opening of my 2010 Red Rooster Show this Sunday. Forty of my paintings will be hung and there will be food, wine and live music performed by Joanna. Two other artists, Irene Gray and Grace Shaw, are showing as well so there is great variety in the artwork.
Its always a big effort to prepare for an exhibition and that's why I've been a bit negligent with my blog postings. I hope to see you there and please forward this link to any of your friends who may be interested.
Red Rooster Winery is at 891 Naramata Road a bit north of Penticton. Opening time is Sunday, Nov 7, 1 to 4.

Intuitive or Calculated Art

The Wedding
Surfacing

Here's a couple of paintings that have been executed with two very different processes. To begin a piece I need to find a "point of departure". In order to start the journey I have to get off the dock and onto the boat somehow. There are many ways to begin. Here's two.
In the painting of the old car with the bridesmaids reflected in the bodywork I had a definite story I wanted to tell. I began with several sketches and had the whole composition sorted before picking up a brush. I photographed my nephews bridal party and a neighbor's Model A Ford. I was in the middle of a series of car paintings and this one fit right in.
The other painting "Surfacing" began with an general image in my mind that had a very strong, personal meaning. I just started without knowing where I was going and the thing painted itself. Because of how this idea came about I think it can be interpreted subjectively and may mean different things to various viewers. If it speaks to you let me know; I'd be very interested.

Wooden Boats and Artistic Research

Hudsons Hope to Sea adventurer

For the sake of my art and for a healthy balance to my world view occasionally I need to strap a kayak on the car and head out of man's constructs into God's organisms. Always more enjoyable in the company of friends and especially with at least one kayak virgin. Four of us spent a few days on the north end of Kootenay Lake this week where we experienced pounding rain, lovely warm sunshine, adventurous river crossings (one of us discovered the excitement of recrossing a river after a rainstorm raised its levels 8"in thirty minutes), and the comradery born in shared adventure.
We climbed the Fry Creek Trail beside spectacular cascading waterfalls and strolled across acres of soft moss covered forest. With no time to paint in the midst of living the adventure I consciously absorbed as much as possible and I trust my future work will be enhanced by this time in nature.
There is something about wooden boats (or any hand made device) that seems to attract people and break through their resistance to connecting with strangers. Whenever I have my kayaks in populated spaces I meet interesting people with great stories. This trip was not an exception.
A fellow approached us in Nelson when we stopped for lunch on Baker Street. He had just returned from a wilderness kayak trip on his own for 54 days paddling from Hudson Hope to the ocean. Check your map to get a sense of the scale of that journey. There are plenty of adventures for us twenty first century humans if we step out of our tethers with eyes wide open.
Okay, I better get back to work now and hopefully my next entry will display fruit from my effort.










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