The Painting Spectrum - Process And Progress; Week One

Monday, September 12, 2016; this was it - starting a series of oil paintings inspired by man-made oil spills, big and small. The first painting I begin working on has a Gesso foundation on the canvas and a rough sketch - and I've already titled it. There are times when I truly wonder why I name my paintings, sometimes giving them titles that seem to have almost nothing to do with the series I'm working on. Maybe I do this as part of my creative process. By the way, this first painting is entitled "Sundance".

I laid the foundation coat of colors on this work and within a few hours had to put it aside so the oil would start to dry. I began my next painting already entitled "Waterfall". I struggled to find the color I was after. It's moments like these where I wish oil paint came in bright fluorescent colors like Hot Pink. Brilliant Red mixed with pure white did not produce the pink I was after.

In mild desperation, I went rummaging through an old suitcase that was filled with paint and other art supplies. Much to my joy, I found a half-used tube of Cadmium Red Rose. I mixed that paint with my white and came close to a hot pink as I was going to get. I'm satisfied with the bright color even if it isn't screaming fluorescent. A friend of mine asked, "Why don't you just use an acrylic?" Oil paint lasts longer than acrylics... way longer. Hence one reason why the tubes of paint are expensive. Plus the textures and look are different.

On Tuesday, I began "Jewels", only to have created what looked like the face of an alien in a left-hand side circle (another friends description, not mine - although I totally agreed with her). This painting was inspired by a small oil puddle mixing with water on asphalt with the sun hitting it. The blue oil drops on the faded tar that was in my painting stood out like eyes. It was not only distracting, but also disturbing. I let that painting dry for two days.

By mid-week, I went back to working on "Waterfall". I felt like I needed some additional inspiration, so on went the classical music and I "conducted" the painting. My technique was to commence with all the yellows first, as well as the other lighter shades of color, and then have the darker shades be the outlines of shapes, forms, and lines.

On Thursday, I painted "Tapestry". Have you ever experienced working on multiple paintings and some just seem to flow or come together better and/or faster? With this work, it seemed as if I was weaving it together, not stitch by stitch, but color by color.

Friday - time to wrap things up. This was officially touch-up day. On "Sundance", I blended in oil purple to take away some of the pink. I know - after all that searching for the right color, I blended some of it away. Next, I worked the inner circles to have a more oiled feel to them - as if they were flowing from one color to the next.
With the "Jewels" painting, I added black over the asphalt portions of the painting and those so-called "eyes" my friend pointed out, disappeared. The finished painting has a more peaceful look. I did the same procedure to "Waterfall" and gave it a purple glaze over where the asphalt would've been.
Lastly, on "Tapestry", I outlined in dark green some areas that were still bare and lacking color.

Looking back, I had a great week! I'm pleased so far with the paintings as well as the process. We'll see how week #2 goes. I also hope you enjoy these new creations.

The "well-oiled" painter,
Jill

"Jewels"

"Waterfall"

"Tapestry"

"Sundance"

The Painting Spectrum - Oil Paint Spills

For those of you who clicked on this blog post hoping to find an easy cleanup for when you topple over a vast amount of oil paint while painting an art work; sorry to disappoint. We're going to dig a little deeper today. I'm reading a book entitled, "The Happiness of Present - Finding The Quest That Will Bring Purpose To Your Life", by Chris Guillebeau, and I have decided to venture on a quest with my painting journey.

In the past, I've painted realism of flowers, oceans, driftwood, sea shells, animals, sunrises, sunsets, as well as landscapes. I've also abstracted these very same themes. My other abstract works have also contained words, have had paint dripped and splattered onto the canvas, and contained psychedelic lines. All these paintings I've done have increased my drawing and painting skills as well as a sense of design.

Uniting my passion of bright colors and oil paint, I have come to a unique focal point with my work. After having been in a dry spell for the past two months and at times felt like I was dying because I could not create if my life depended on it, I have turned a corner and feel alive like a phoenix rising out of the ashes.

I managed to produce enough sales over the summer to clear out a large portion of my older inventory. Any canvases that were not sold have been glazed over with multiple layers of gesso. Another goal was reached that has also been long awaited; art lovers have become more alerted to my work. So - what does all this have to do with "oil paint spills"?

I live very close to the ocean - the large body of salt water as well as its creatures are very dear to me. Remember the BP (British Petroleum) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that occurred just over six years ago? Their enormous oil rig caught fire and sank causing the largest environmental disaster in US history. Thanks to the fact that it took 87 days to cap the spill, and all the BP corporate BS, it took massive coordinated efforts from the federal government, the EPA, the Coast Guard, BP itself, and tens of thousands of volunteers, to help with the eventual cleanup that no one was truly prepared for. Even three years later, 4.6 million pounds of "oiled material" was removed from the Louisiana coastline.

My latest quest is to raise awareness of how our own oil consumption (as well as other countries) effects the planet. I'm bringing forth two basic concepts; the beauty of color and how this wild color looks on dirt, water, and other natural surfaces, ie; "spills". My inspiration or "oil spills" have come from numerous places. For example, a vehicle leaking oil onto wet pavement or a heavily photo-shopped digital picture of land and water.

Now that I have canvases to paint on and more room to paint, my goal is to create as many "oil spills" as it takes to raise 4.6 million dollars for environmental protection in the event of another oil spill. Each painting is 16"x20" in size and will sell for $1250 dollars. I realize that this goal will be impossible to reach
overnight or even in the next decade. However, I have given myself a goal of 30 years to accomplish this. That's approximately 100 paintings a year. Given my history, this is entirely doable. I've been averaging between 75-80 a year - and this has been accomplished while taking extensive time off for travel and previous health reasons. Will I reach my goal? I don't know - one day at a time. The joy is in the journey, not the destination.

I have begun numerous paintings already. Each work begins with a rough sketch with burnt umber. The work featured today is entitled "Sundance". You will see why in a few days to a week when it is finished. Until then, paint on!

Jill

The Painting Specrum - Why Beauty Matters

When I logged into my blog account this morning, I was stunned that it has been almost six months since my last post. I could use summer as an excuse, but since the summer weather didn't really start until mid to late May, that leaves about a two month gap in my excuse. I could use the reasons of teaching a painting class, or having displays - but my friends who know me, know that wouldn't fly either. There would still be gaps unaccounted for. However, if I dig deep within myself, I have been on a soul-searching mission in regards to my art. Not just what I paint - but my creative process and where that actually comes from and where my art is going from here.

Did I ever tell you that I love the town I live in? Like many other towns and small cities, it's not perfect. However, not only does it border the ocean, have incredible late spring, summer, and early fall weather, but a good number of people take pride in our towns appearance. For example, numerous people take pride in their homes. It's not solely because we live in a financially affluent area, (even though many of us are not wealthy), but many homes are old sea-captains estates, accented with lush bushes and prolific flower gardens. Many of these homes are located on the side-streets where I take my daily walk.

When I say something is "beautiful", what I'm describing is a quality of the world that God has infused into all creation and what humans do with that creation. The three characteristics usually given in descriptions of beauty are:
 - Unity or Harmony
 - Particularity
 - Awakening of Desire

For example, take a beautiful latte espresso - work with me on this one and read on. First, all parts are well unified: the bean variety, the ground, water temperature, milk, the timing to make the beverage, the foam, and the loving care with which the espresso was made and served. The harmony of the latte-ness if you will. Secondly, the espresso is exactly what it needs to be. We love it for what it is - it's not a cappuccino, or a macchiato. Lastly, the beverage provokes the latte lover pure joyous outbursts. The latte awoke in us a desire for another one, perhaps tomorrow.

Beauty stirs an ache of longing in our hearts. A longing for a sense of order in our lives; a sense of my unique place in the cosmos, and a sense of being caught up in something larger and greater than myself. The power of beauty lies in the extent that we find something beautiful - whether it be a chocolate bar or a huge European cathedral. Beauty invites us to desire an experience of order over the forces of alienation and loneliness.

Likewise, to the extent we experience particularity, it invites us to long for the God of our understanding through our works of culture-making. Daily reminders are needed because the dissolving, homogenizing forces in our lives are powerful. Overly hectic schedules, broken and/or strained relationships, acts of self-sabotage, and other such realities rob us of the sense that each good thing in this world is a gift from God.

I am rededicating myself to beauty. We have the abilities within us to see beauty - and to make beauty shine - from all sorts of things, even broken ones. We just have to refocus our energies. Dreams, goals, and aspirations are important and worthwhile. However, they cannot be the number one or sole focus of our life. We need to look inside as well as outside of ourselves. I can only hope that my paintings and other art works God inspires me to create show love through them.

Until next time,
Jill

The Painting Spectrum - When Is Enough... Enough?

   If you look back through my blog archives, you'll notice that this is my first post since January 2016, and only one of a hand-full in the past six months. I'm still painting, but more of my energy lately has been involved in selling works for the Christmas season, marketing myself, writing my second book, reevaluating where I'm going with my art work, and recently celebrating half a century on the planet. Yes - it's been a busy couple of months.

   It seems I'm at a crossroads with my painting - not whether to continue and/or keep selling, but whether or not I should paint over some "older" canvases. After 30 years of painting, and not having the luxury of selling every single work I've ever created, canvases have been mounting up to the point where I'm running out of room. Not just in my studio, but also in my living space as well as a storage closet at my youngest daughters house 10 miles away. I've done it before - last time was about 10 years ago - painted over "older" canvases or works that I felt weren't up to my standard of potential at the time... if that makes any sense.

   But here's the rub - after all these years and even doing the "painting over" process once before, I'm still scared to actually do it. My husband has diligently photographed and cataloged every single piece of artwork I've ever done; including pen and inks, process drawings, works that have been sold or long since painted over. But my mind runs through the arguments; "It can still be used for inspiration for another painting." or "What if someone wants to buy the original 10 years from now?"

   The other side of the coin is that my process has improved over the years. Aspects like perspective, dimension, and balance have resulted in better paintings. For example, I gave a hard look at some floral works I did upwards of 15-20 years ago, and I must admit they seemed more flawed than more recent paintings. The perspective seems off, the flowers are too "flat", and to make matters worse, ultra-violet rays from indirect sunlight have faded and/or altered the pigment colors. Because of that, part of me is more than likely to paint over it - the work has had its time. Time to move on. The other part of me thinks I'm painting over history - my history - and I would be destroying it.

   Apparently, many artists struggle with this conflict and challenge. I read an article recently that even famous artists throughout history have been known to paint over and at times destroy or burn original works. They, like a lot of us, simply run out of space.

   However, the most frustrating aspect of this challenge is that I've had more people than I can count tell me I'm a great artist, or that I'm very talented, and that they love my work. I've even had a few people try talking me out of my idea of painting over an older work. "How can you even think that? You just can't paint over that - it's gorgeous!" Point taken, I think. Then I ask them since they love the work so much, how about they buy the painting... at a greatly reduced price... or, hold on a minute, I'll give it to you. It will go to a good home. After all, you just told me you love it. Awkward look and dead silence. And they don't take the painting either...

   Granted, not every scenario plays out this way. I've had numerous people accept my works as either gifts or purchases with enthusiasm and open arms. I'm trying to come up with some different ideas so I can "thin the herd" and alleviate my storage problem. One concept I came up with is a penny auction, perhaps on my Etsy website. I would list numerous older works at prices ranging from one dollar down to a penny. The only other expense the customer would have to pay for would be shipping and insurance. What do you think? Do you have any other ideas? Send a reply or comment below and let me know what you think. Serious ideas only, please.

Until next time,
The Happy Over-Stocked Painter,
Jill

The Painting Spectrum - Expanding Your Horizons Part Two

   Mine was a week marked with some anxiety, mixed doubt, a little fear, a turn-around surprise, and terrific success. With my perceptions at times, if I don't have a problem - I can create one in my mind. I began last week thinking I would only get one day and maybe an additional hour somewhere to work on the ocean sunrise mural I've been commissioned to do, as my client's schedule and mine did not coincide. I imagined all sorts of chaos and fiasco's that could happen (but didn't) like spilling large jars of paint all over the floor and not having enough cleaning supplies to take care of the mess.

   As the days passed, I visualized the colors I was going to paint and had a decent, clear idea of what I wanted as an end result. By Thursday, the day before I was due at my clients house again, my frustrations were mounting. I usually allow myself at least a 4-5 hour block to paint; whether it be a large canvas or a large wall. I also imagined (there's that word again) only getting a fraction done of what I wanted to accomplish. By Thursday evening however, things started turning around. My Friday morning appointment with another client postponed a week, and my husband Dave carpooled with a co-worker so I could have the car all day. That made things much easier. I finally broached the time block subject with my client and we resolved that issue that was spinning around in my head.

   Friday came, I gathered my supplies and headed over to my clients house. I can be so OCD at times and this was one of them; I had packed my painting supplies days before, so I could just grab and go. As I was heading out the door, I was still double checking that I had everything I needed.

   After I set up my work area and laid down my drop cloth to catch any of those spills my mind was determined I would make, I began at the top of the wall lettering in the words: "EACH DAY IS A NEW BEGINNING". So far so good. I then mixed up a batch of color that consisted of brown, white and yellow, painted in a bunch of dunes and rolled it across the bottom. I effectively covered up the last of the Caribbean Blue color.

   Next I was going to paint on a pale Cobalt Blue for the sky, but I couldn't find in either of my painting bags. I was positive that I packed it - but it wasn't here! I was frantic. Now what do I do? I paused, prayed and reflected. The idea to use a different shade of purple came to me. I mixed another batch of purple and white that resulted in a rich lavender and rolled it on the sides of what hadn't painted over yet. Afterwards, I was pleased with this improvisation. I then speckled it throughout the top of the mural going over my guidelines for the lettering. Moving forward, I went back to the yellow, mixed in white, and went over the sun. I wasn't happy with the yellow - I could still see the Caribbean Blue through it. I also painted on the sparkles of the glistening water.

   I stood back, pulled out a chair, and sat down - looking over my mural contemplating my next move. My next idea that came to me actually crossed my mind two weeks ago; to paint in the pink clouds with crumpled paper towels. I felt a small wave of fear course through me, but then it passed. I boldly stood up, mixed red and white paint into a pretty pink, dunked the paper towel in it and smeared the wall with it. When I relaxed, the fun began. That's one thing my husband always tells me to do when I paint - above all, have fun! I danced the paint on the wall as well as covered myself with it. I had a blast! I redid the lettering with a glaze of yellow and then redid the sun yet again. Lastly, I paper toweled in some orange in the clouds.

   Realizing I was entering the home stretch, I painted in the walkway and the details with the dunes. For a moment, I exited my painter zone and realized there had been noises outside, but I never registered what was going on. My plan was now that the dunes were done, I was going to sit down and appreciate how the mural finally came together, but I ended up going to a window instead. That's when I saw some large front-loader tractors clearing the streets of snow. Once again, my brain kicked into gear and I thought that they might have my car towed. I hurried to my painting area, took a picture of the mural, hustled the clean up process, and ended up leaving an hour before I had planned. And no, my car did not get towed...

   I felt so alive and exuberant. Satisfied at a job well done! It feels good that I can still produce a type of art work that I hadn't done in a long time. I am ready for my next wall. Please feel free to contact me for a free consultation.

Until next time,
The Happy Painter,
Jill

The Painting Spectrum - Expand Your Horizons Part One

   As I write this latest entry, I occasionally glance out the window and watch the falling snow. It has been a mild winter so far here in coastal Maine and this storm is no exception; the snow has been mixing with sleet as well as rain. I'm reminded of the quote; "In the depths of winter, I learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." - Albert Camus.

   My husband Dave and I performed all our usual Saturday errands earlier and a little more hurried this morning in order to be back home before the roads became too slick. I purchased a few magazines with the intention of spending a dreamy afternoon making collages. At this juncture, I have already flipped through the somewhat similar pages - for some reason, they all depict winter getaways to Caribbean locales. The pictures are indeed warm and inviting on a bleak January day. After I finish posting today's blog, I will embark on making said collages.

   The colors of the Caribbean and summer in general reminded me of one of my other winter projects; I am currently painting a mural of a sunrise over the ocean. This project began as a conversation around Thanksgiving after I began working on a series ocean sunrises and sunsets all done in oil. My then future client gravitated towards one work that was already sold. My first thought was, "Great! When can I start?" But the more I thought about it, the more nervous I became.

   First off, this would be an indoor mural painted in the dead of winter. That means an acrylic paint would have to be used (no smell) as there would not be proper ventilation for oil paint. Remember - this is in a persons house... not my studio. I love the smell of paint! They, on the other hand, may not be a huge fan of the odor regardless of how beautiful the mural looks! Using acrylic paint also requires a different process than working in oils and the colors are limited. Mixing these colors in order to get the exact shade one wants can be a time consuming endeavor.

   Nothing more was mentioned about the mural until early January. I was then shown the wall where my client wanted the finished work. Challenge number two reared its ugly head - most of the wall is slanted. Nervousness turned into a pang of fear. How am I going to pull this off? I discussed my concern afterwards with another experienced artist and he told me to paint the sun (and horizon line) below eye level where the wall was vertical.

   Okay, I thought. That sounds right. However, I was unsure if there would be enough room for the beach, dunes, and small boardwalk / walkway leading out to the water that the client was hoping to add to the mural. I must admit, this project has taught me some valuable lessons:
 - When in business as a professional artist, one must have a written contract. Since my client was also my friend, we only had a verbal agreement. While that was fine with this particular arrangement, I would not be able to do this with a total stranger.
 - While I did this second aspect after I started, I should have included a printout of a picture that would be a close rendering of the finished work from the get-go. By having both of these articles, it allows both partners to have input on what is expected. While the expression, "...just use your best judgement.", can be a huge ego boost, I cannot utilize it as a plan.
 - Make sure we both know and remember when I plan to come over and paint. Even though we have calendars on our walls as well as in our phones (complete with reminder tones), people still forget or mistake days and/or times. One thing I found is I need to make my intent more clear and it is my responsibility to confirm all my appointments.
 - One of my favorite colors is not necessarily one of your favorite colors! One example was an acrylic paint bottle I used that showed a pale Caribbean blue - perfect for the sky. However, when I finished that portion of the mural, the color looked darker than I anticipated. I thought it might be because the room was getting dark and it would look great in the morning when the sun lit up the room. Nope! The color remained too dark and too powerful. I still liked it, but my client didn't.
 - I have to remember that not everyone is going to like what I like. I'm not the one who has to live with it - they are! If I use colors my client likes, I will have a satisfied customer (as well as a treasured friend).

   After we talked about what direction she wanted to go in, it was on to operation redo: painting over almost all of that too powerful blue. In a project of this size, I'm also finding that a small paint roller can be a huge blessing. It is a massive time saver especially on a wall this size. Other blessings include the use of drop cloths (I can thank my husband for that... um... suggestion). Again, I have to remember I am in someones private home, not my studio. It is not artistic license to trash the place in the name of fine art.

   After a good portion of the re-painting was done and some solid design was put down, I was chatting with another good friend of mine who mentioned "... I was expanding my horizons." I laughed out loud although she did not get her unintended pun at first. Nothing like a good friend to keep you grounded and out of your head. And nothing like a winter project to make summer dreams come true. While I have yet to complete this work, I will be available in a few weeks during the month of February to paint a mural on your wall, be it home or work place. Please visit my website http://artscapedesignstudio.wix.com/jadl or my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Artscape-Studio-119342494755215/. You can contact me through either one of those sites.

Until next time,
The Happy Painter,
Jill 

The Painting Spectrum - Why Art Is Important

   This is an unusual blog post - usually I'll focus on a painting, or a creative process, or another aspect of my art that I'm currently working on. However, this post is sort of a stop-gap. I am working on a new series of paintings - ocean sunrises and sunsets. I have painted over 20 works over the past two weeks. The creative muse hit hard and I responded to it. The result has been oil paintings ranging in size from 11" x 14" all the way to a 26" x  28" canvas. At this juncture, I'm waiting for the paintings to dry, so my husband can photograph them.

   Numerous people have seen some of the finished works in my studio. They seem to strike a chord, a memory, or something inside themselves. Some have gravitated towards one particular painting, others appreciate the entire series. The question remains - will they sell?

   In our western world culture, art in general, on the surface it appears, is "supported" by the public and the communities we live in, mine included. However, when reality sets in, art as well as artists are often considered to be pretty far down on the totem-pole of importance when it comes to what we add for value to society. Art, Music, and Drama are some of the first things cut from school budgets. Business loans are few and far between for artists and studios. Why? Because we don't sell just a product - we mostly sell emotion. Adding insult to injury is the that we live in a total monetizing, fear and lack-based society. When all this is added up, it's no wonder most people feel that art is self-indulgent and a luxury for those who have the time and can afford it.

   Nothing could be farther from the truth. I believe that by understanding and honoring our natural need for the arts, we would see less suffering, unhappiness, and violence in the world - and an increase in happiness, health, fulfillment, and well-being. History has shown that people and societies have risked their lives to save art works during times of war and upheaval. They answer, again and again, the age-long question, "What are we fighting for if we lose the beauty and history of humanity in the process?"

Art is important - it's as natural as you and me. We have an emotional need for it. We have to ask ourselves - how much beauty have we allowed to come into my life today?

Until next time,
The Happy Painter,
Jill