Painting and Garden

Here's the latest picture for the show.......a pastel on black paper.

Then the garden's progress as it slowly turns to Spring in Eastport. I plan on making a brick path through the garden so I won't have to walk all the way around it to get to the car, but so far all I've done is brought up a load of bricks from the back of the house. There is quite a big pile of them beside the bulkhead and I have used them for various purposes, mostly involving animal confinement. I think there's still enough left for this project. I need to weed quick........while I can still tell which is the good stuff.

Gladiolas

It's been some time since I posted anything and it's hard to say why. I have been busy framing and finishing up my work for the show, which is opening May 6. It is tedious and time-consuming, so I guess I had nothing much to say. This is the last painting I did, and it was a terrible watercolor. I had to wipe off the whole top half and then go over everything with pastel. It's quite pretty now and I'm glad I persisted
in the face of disaster.

Today I framed the big painting of the crowd in Hawaii...the first one I did for the show. I found a frame that had been on Thelma's painting which was pretty close to the right size. In order to use it, though, I had to take the painting off the stretchers, cut off both ends and glue it to a piece of masonite. The piece of masonite went with a different frame, so I had to saw it down. The whole enterprise went remarkably well, despite the fact that I couldn't find either my saw or the spray-on adhesive. I used the jigsaw and some Elmer's glue, which worked very well. Most of my other things are framed, but I still have two more paintings to do and finish the framing...........I have enough time to do it as long as I don't drag my heels.

Still Life

I forgot to photograph this before I framed it, so there is a lot of glass reflection here. I didn't feel like putting the effort into taking it out, so here it is with hints of me and the washing machine. This is another one from Thom's photos, for the show. I painted it before, in oil, but it was sold at Lisa's gallery. I tried it this time in watercolor and I actually think I like this one better. When I did it yesterday I was unimpressed because of the opacity in some big areas, but I am more accepting today.

I must have been in a slightly contrary frame of mind yesterday in other areas, too. I began to complain to my art day companions about the direction of the gallery and it's stifling effect on creativity. (I have once again resigned from the gallery, by the way.) My implication that the work there was was done as a product to sell rather than an inspired piece of art was met with some objection. Of course this was totally justified, since I often seem to dismiss the wide range of creativity and reasons for doing art. Because of that, I seem to be criticizing other points of view while I stand on my soapbox. I guess since my views are often not shared or really understood by my company they come across as disdain for other points of view.

Patronizingly, I think I understand others but they don't understand me. Really, how arrogant I am.

Flatiron Building

I had some false starts with this one, but I like how it ended up. The picture is cut off a little on the left and top, but my camera would only take one picture. I thought the problem with it was solved, but apparently not. Anyway, this is a drawing covered with random watercolor and gouche, then lifted out with a Q-tip. That's it.

Sunrise

For some reason my camera decided to work again, so I took this picture of the pastel I did for the show Thom and I are having. As I was getting ready to the camera up to send it back for repair I decided to give it another try. The only think different was that I rubbed the tiny battery connection points with my finger in case they were dusty. It's hard to imagine that was the trouble all along.........but it's working so why question? This picture is pretty lousy because of the flash bouncing off it, but the idea is certainly there. I painted the paper with gold paint before I did the pastel (mainly because it's all the acrylic paint I had), thinking it would give a subtle glow. I don't think it did that, but it did something........