Where do I go from here? It is many any years since I've even thought about painting, let alone this blog -even more years since posting here. Caring for my dear husband, Steve became all consuming. He supported me and my endeavors, in so many ways, since our beginning in 1998. I will be forever grateful for his love, generosity, humor and steadfastness. April of 2023 he transitioned to the other side and is off on his own adventures once again. This says it all: The Other Side by Don Conoscenti. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkL33VFPSGI A few weeks ago, I went into the studio with the intention of considering what to do. Could I still paint? Have I learned a bit about values an chroma? Could I still find my initial intention of making work that brought beauty, serenity and calmness into the paintings and perhaps share that with others seeking that in their chaotic lives? I don't know yet. Much dust and chaos reigns in my space - just as I left it during ...
Posts
(Well, Blogger is publishing all my new photos much lighter than they are in my photos or seeing the paintings in person - wonder what's up with that!!! I kind of don't want to hit publish- get so frustrated doing this kind of busy work - no offense to computer people! What's the point of publishing my work if it looks washed out!) Here are two 12" x 12"'s, also at Abend Gallery in Denver. The Center of a Sphere is not on it's Surface... oil on panel 12" x 12" Lee's Peonies oil on panel 12" x 12" Sold
New Paintings...
Been painting every day and still it takes forever to finish. I'd rather paint than write so not much to read here! Here are some new paintings - all at Abend Gallery for the Holiday Season. Sasha's Tip oil on panel 6"x 6" Private Collection (Sean) O'Meallie's Yoyo oil on wood panel 6" x 6" Private Collection Side View
More paintings at Abend
Blue Pitcher and White Tile 20" x 20" oil on canvas Private Collection Egg Timer 20" x 20" oil on canvas Private Collection
Counter Balance...Sold!
Counter Balance oil on panel 10" x 20" Private Collection Oslo, Norway Long time since I've posted, but I am painting again and have several paintings in the works...more to come!
Some Recent Work...
Sand Dollar Bay 1 oil on canvas 12 x 24 Private Collection Denver Botanic Gardens The Birdfeeder oil on panel 5 1/2" x 11 3/16" Private Collection
Copper #8 Grisaille
Getting better - will work on this until I'm satisfied then I'll start the color - my whole objective with this entire enterprise! By the way, I use 1500 grit sand paper cloth, wet, to sand down ridges of paint in-between each days work if there are any. I don't use any medium at this stage.
Copper #7 Grisaille
Here's the very beginning - a real mess! Looks kind of blue green, but it's totally neutral gray paints!
Copper #6 drawing
I use home made pastel transfer paper using a sienna soft pastel/alcohol on tracing paper to transfer my drawing to the copper. Then I'll start the grisaille.
Copper Prep #5
Here's my 12" x 12" 18 gauge copper panel smooth and dry ready to the drawing. You can see how thin the paint is - that beautiful pink copper color shows through in place, though it won't show in the finished piece.
Copper Prep #4
Sure wish there was a way to put more than one photo is a post, then I could write the whole thing together instead of piece meal - last step on top of first ones! Anyway... Here, I'm using a brush to put on flake white - actually I used some Cremitz white here - that's been thinned with mineral spirits or turps. I started with the brush to get the stuff on there, then I smoothed it out with my thumb.
Copper Prep #3
After polishing with the Never Dull and cleaning several times with the alcohol, I then use ca.400 grit wet/dry sand paper to take off the red curprous oxide (CU2O) formed by reaction between surface of copper and oxygen in the air. You can see the fine powder that's on the sand paper and the difference between the cleaned side/dirty side. This abrading, done in small circles with dry sand paper and quite abit of pressure, is what allow the paint to bond with the copper. I think an ion is exchanged between oil paint and the metal, but don't know the science exactly - only that it works! Then I clean off any red dust that is left behind, again with the alcohol. Now it's ready to accept the ground of thinned flake white.
Copper Prep #2 Supplies
Never Dull - a metal polishing batting that works well. Denatured Alchohol 400 grit wet/dry sand paper flake white oil paint thinned with a bit of mineral spirits
Copper Preparation #1 Dirty copper
I love painting on copper! But as with most painting supports - linen, panel, canvas or wall, there is much work that must be done before I can even think about painting on it. Here is a 12 x 12 18 gauge copper panel. Paint will not adhere to the surface as it is and MUST be thoroughly cleaned and abraded .
Blue
Blue oil on linen panel 13 x 15 Private Collection My intention here is to study the color blue. However instead of painting blue spheres like I did for 5 YR, I decided to try this blue pitcher that's pretty close to 7.5PB and Nasturtiums from last summer's window box...for a touch of humor I added a small iron bird wondering about that reflection that leads outside! I started this one with local color on linen panel and have started another using a neutral grisaille but on copper. I'll post the way I prep the copper in the next post.
Battiporta - Italian Doorknocker
Battiporta (Italian Doorknocker) 9 x 8 oil on wood panel Private Collection
New Work 2011
My, how time gets away from me! I have been working, though you wouldn't know it from the dates on this blog! Black Capped Chickadee oil on panel 6 x 8 Commission
20th Anniversary at Abend Gallery in Denver, CO
Still Life with Crystal & Peonies oil on panel 15 x 17 (image)