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Juror's Award

"A Simple Truth: Trust," pastel, 12 x 12 inches

This year I have cut way back on competitions but one of the few shows I have entered is the Northwest Pastel Society 28th Annual International Exhibition in progress now at American Art Company, Tacoma, WA. I am happy to have received a Juror's Award from Juror/Judge Marla Baggetta for my painting, "A Simple Truth: Trust." The show runs through August 2. There are many beautiful paintings in the show, visit the gallery if you can.

artist food for thought

I've just begun reading "I Always Loved You," by Robin Oliveira - a novel about Mary Cassatt and her relationship with Edgar Degas. This thought on page 15 resonated with me:

"To fear that no matter how hard she worked, no matter how much she studied, she might lack the essential talent of seeing. For true art lay in seeing....a properly chosen palette, a true sense of proportion, an effective brushstroke: These were not gifts; these were technique, obtainable by tireless observation and practice. But sight? Sight, it seemed, was a gift from God."

I continue to focus on small still life paintings. I'm comfortable now with my oil technique but this week I changed my process a little. I'm completing the value stage and then moving on to another painting. When I get a couple more of these I'll go back to the first one and begin to add color. My reason is two-fold.

1. To let the value dry before adding color. Although this will limit my ability to remove paint back to the white surface, it will also limit my ability to remove paint when I should have left it where it was.

2. To distance myself emotionally from the composition and value stage, hopefully to approach the color work with fresh enthusiasm.

I'm always looking for ways to make better paintings. Now, the obstacle is not materials or technique but instead, my inner dialogue. Find ways to free yourself to create your best work.

salt and color

A Good Morning, oil, 6x6 inches

A Good Morning

A Good Morning in progress. I think all it needs is SALT (lightly). This is the stage of a painting that excites me most. I always think I would like to just quit at this point so today I did. From here, I would add color to be sure people know those are orange slices. Purple to indicate dried Statice and green for the glass plate and salt shaker. And then of course, details and refinement and viola! before I knew it I would have another polished painting that didn't excite me as much as if I had stopped much sooner.

A reflective morning about options and ownership, I'm feeling rebellious and that is a good thing for Mild-Me.

I lost it!

Oh happy day...well, actually happy moment late last night. I finally successfully lost the edge of my green marble. I imagine those reading my thoughts here are artists or art lovers and can appreciate a well-executed lost edge. But, there are other benefits of 'losing.'  Lose, let go of, don't own situations that are not yours. Lose yourself in your passion, whatever that may be. Yesterday's Seattle Times newspaper had an article called The Art of Focusing by David Brooks. Interesting reading. Back to painting now and my pursuit of more lost edges.

First of the oils to a new home

Yay! The first of the small oils I've been working on since taking the Qiang Huang workshop in April is on its way to a new home. Actually, I will miss it.