Giving Thanks

"Backlit Jack." Oil on Canvas, 20 x 20 inches.

Hello everyone!

I have written at least four blog posts since my last one - unfortunately, they were all written in my head, not on my key board. I guess it's hard for you to read my thoughts, huh? Yeah. So here's one you can actually read. (hopefully)

Lots of upcoming shows! In East Nashville:

In Twentynine Palms, I will be part of the Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition. The opening reception is on Friday, December 5th, from 5 to 8 pm. I will also have a booth outside near the 29 Palms Inn on Saturday, December 6th from 10 to 4 and Sunday, December 7th from 10 to 3 pm. I hope you will come out to visit me if you are in the high desert! I will have new giclee reproductions for sale along with recent original paintings of desert animals. I am working on some smaller, affordable original works that would make really nice gifts for the holiday season.

The holidays can be a hectic time of year. I hope you will take a moment to list some things you are thankful for. Here is my list, in no particular order:
Things I am thankful for....
1. My husband, who tolerates my art obsession and still loves me.
2. My family, who know all of my shortcomings and still love me.
3. My friends. I really have some amazing people who call me a friend. Wow. I am lucky.
4. My dog. Pono - who drives me nuts but makes me laugh every single day.
5. Collectors of my art - you are the people who make it possible for me to keep painting, and I am so so grateful for you.
6. Appreciators of my art - even if you can't afford to buy my art, or you just don't have the space, I value your feedback and encouragement.
7. Gallery owners who show and help me sell my art. I am so thankful for your help.
8. My blog readers - you!!!
9. Desert critters. Of all sorts
10. A warm house
11. Hot tea
12. Good music.
13. Paint and brushes.
14. Warm slippers

My list could be a lot longer, but I think I got the important ones down. What is one thing you are thankful for this November? Leave a comment and let me know, because I do love to hear from you.

Happy Thanksgiving, my dears!!!

When it rains, it POURS

Every once and a while, nature reminds us to be humble. After months of little or no rain, a thunderstorm hit Joshua Tree upside the head. Last Tuesday, at around 3 pm or so, rain began to fall in our neighborhood. I was so excited, I ran outside and ran around the house several times, just to feel the drops hit my skin. I couldn't contain my excitement. The rain began to come down harder. Thunder and lightening. Terrified dog. Hail. Louder thunder and lightening. More rain. Hail. The backyard begins to look like a small creek. Then a river. Wind picks up. Now, my elation is turning into something else. The road in front of the house also looks like a river. More rain. Thunder is now loud enough that I jump each time. A loud >CRACK< and a bright, white light. (We think this may have been lightening hitting the house.) More rain. More hail.

Finally, after about an hour, the rain did stop. We were lucky. No water or mud came into our house or garage. No one was hurt. We ended up without internet for a few days, but for the most part, we were unscathed. Others were not so lucky. One man was killed after his car became stuck in the mud and a wall of water came down and rolled his car over several times. Many of our neighbors have mud in their garages and one house had a car buried in mud up past the hubcaps. Our road is washed out in several places. I have never seen anything like it. Ever.

I am a little tired of shoveling dirt and mud. We had to repair part of our driveway and remove mud from the sidewalk around our house. I am also trying to locate a sprinkler head that was beneath one of our trees. I still haven't found it. Trails that were once familiar paths where we walk Pono are now remodeled by the water and nearly unrecognizable. A reminder of the power of water.

Work in the studio has been interrupted somewhat by the storm frenzy and by husband coming home after being away. Nevertheless, I am gearing up for the Hwy 62 Art Tours October 25th & 26th and November 1st and 2nd. I have framed half a dozen small jackrabbit drawings and I am getting things wired for hanging, photographed and hung on the wall!!! Very exciting! If you haven't been to the desert for the Art Tours yet, I highly recommend it. You have a chance to see the studios of many area artists during the best time of the year (weather- wise). I will try to put in a word with the BIG GUY for no big thunderstorms during this event. ;) For more information about the Art Tours, click here.

I'm going to try to have some of these drawings available for sale online soon. I'll keep you updated!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!!

Desert wonders

I have been working hard in the studio - so hard, in fact, that I haven't been sweeping the floor, dusting, cooking, or much of anything else. (this is unusual for me.) I haven't been very good at photographing everything I'm working on, either. But there will be an onslaught of photos soon, I hope.

Unless I have more days like today, where I worked and worked. Worked. Scraped away. Worked. Spilled wax on my favorite t-shirt, dropped a wax-filled brush on the floor - getting more wax where it shouldn't be. Then, I did a lovely jackrabbit drawing, transferred it to my encaustic painting, and then realized I had made it too small!!!! Aaargh......

Tomorrow is another day.

I did want to share with you the wildlife moment Pono and I had on our Sunday hike:

Yes, that is a roadrunner in the talons of this amazing hawk. I am not sure what kind of hawk it is. Cooper's? Red Tailed? Does anyone know?

Here is a  photo of a recent encaustic:

"Legs." (coyote) Encaustic, thread, twine and ink transfer on panel. 10 x 10 inches

I swear there will be more soon! I'm not trying to be a tease.

I leave teasing to the rain. I heard it poured in Yucca Valley - 6 minutes away. There was flooding in the lower desert. Here chez Pono? We got .02 inches. WIMPY!!!!!

More Desert Creatures

Pono and I had a magical encounter with a desert tortoise yesterday morning on our hike. I took a video of it with my phone, which I had hoped to share with you. However, I can't seem to get the video to upload. Sorry about that. Photos instead...

Today's morning hike was all clouds and drama. As usual, no rain.

The studio has been absorbing most of my time and energy.

"Talking Roadrunner." Encaustic, thread, and ink transfer, 8 x 8 inches. 

There will be more work to share with you soon.

Thanks for all of your comments and emails! I cannot tell you how much it means to me.

Art and the rational mind

You may not know this about me, but my husband and I lived in Hawaii for a few years. We lived on the island of Maui. It was an incredible experience. We loved being near the ocean, where we could snorkel, surf and swim, but I also enjoyed having a chance to learn more about Hawaiian culture. I took a beginning hula class and really loved it. We miss it, but life had other plans for us, and now we are in the desert. Lately, I have been pining for Hawaii, for some of the things there that touched me so deeply. Since the hula was such a big part of living in Hawaii for me, I have been watching videos of hula to reminisce.

Some of you may be more familiar with Tahitian hula, rather than Hawaiian hula. Tahitian hula is much faster than Hawaiian hula. The dancers tend to wear elaborate headdresses, and the movement is focused more on the hips and less on the hands. There are two different kinds of Hawaiian Hula. One is the Auana hula. This is the Modern hula - the one with guitars, ukulele, dresses, flower leis - the one most of us are familiar with. My favorite kind of Hawaiian hula, however, is the ancient hula, called Kahiko. There is a lot of chanting, the dancers are usually adorned with greenery rather than flowers, and the instruments used are mostly the rhythm instruments like the Ipu (which is a drum made from a hollowed out gourd.) I have attached a video of women (wahine) performing kahiko hula, so if you haven't ever seen it before you can experience it for yourself.



It's often interesting for me to think about why I love the Hawaiian hula and chants so much. I don't speak Hawaiian, so I don't know what they are chanting most of the time. Yet it touches me deeply, and sometimes when I watch a hula performance, I am moved to tears. Have you ever loved music that is sung in a language you don't understand? What I have decided is that when we hear or see something that really touches us, it doesn't necessarily touch us intellectually. It touches our hearts. It touches our souls. Visual art can be like that too. There is always this initial desire for people to "understand" art. We think maybe if we understand it intellectually, then we will really be able to enjoy it. I don't think that's true. I think if it's something that touches us, it can touch us without our rational minds. It goes beyond that - it goes deeper.

Maybe the rational mind is a barrier between us and an ability to be touched by art. (Music, dance, painting, sculpture - I am putting all art into this word right now.)

I am curious to know what you think about this. Do you think you have to understand the words of a song to enjoy it? Do you think you really have to know what a painter is thinking in order to be touched by their painting?

"Untitled - arrangement on blue." Oil on canvas, 20 x 20 inches

Saturday's Coyote

If you find that you are sick of trying to find something good to watch on TV or Netflix lately and really want to be inspired, I highly recommend this interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAk4cwjvJ0A

I think you will LOVE it. I did. (With a shout out to Elena Ray for recommending it to me - thank you!!!)

Here's a new one from the steamy encaustic studio:

"Trotting Coyote." Encaustic, thread and ink transfer, 8 x 8 inches.

If you don't have time to watch the whole interview, I have cherry picked one of my favorite quotes from it:
"There is no creativity without vulnerability." ~Brene Brown

Growing up

"Moo." Oil on canvas, 30 x 30 inches.

I have to say something. I have been holding it in for too long, and if I don't get it out, I might pop. Why do we think things that are cute or fun are only for children? Why is it that only children get to have fun? People see my paintings and drawings of animals and they say, "Oh! That would be so perfect for a child's room!" Or "You should illustrate a children's book!" Well, I hate to quibble with you people, but I did NOT paint those animals for kids. I painted them for adults. I painted them for me!!! I painted them for YOU!!!! And you know what? I think adults need stuff like this a lot more than kids do. Life gets too darn serious, old, boring and ugly when you grow up. If you aren't careful, you will end up surrounded by plain white walls, grey clothes, and one old, dusty book about something boring and serious that you've already read on your bookshelf. That's why you need me and my art. Because I know how to have fun. I know the value of cute. I understand what cute can do for your outlook on life. Oh yes. I do.

"i love everybody." Oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches.

And we all could use a little more of it.

There. I said it. Have fun. Giggle. And jump rope for a while. Or swing on swings. And find something Cute! (preferably something with sophisticated shadows, just for an element of truth.)

Sightings

The weather this past week has been as fickle as a teenager. It begins to get hot, and just when we are settling in to it, the wind picks up and blows the heat away. Today is cool and pleasant. It makes for nice walking in the morning. Here are some desert animal highlights, both from walks and from out-the-kitchen-window sightings.

Our friend "Bald Tail" returned for a drink of water. 

I would not have seen this coiled up rattler if Pono hadn't plopped down just 5 feet from it to get a drink of water from me. As I gave Pono his drink, I just happened to see it out of the corner of my eye. Effective camouflage!!! Once you see a snake on the trail, everything else for the rest of the hike looks like a snake! I call it "getting the slithers." It's good to be hyper aware at this time of year.

Another painting from the new series:

"Dissipate." Oil on canvas, 36 x 12 inches. 

New Direction

Hello everyone! Lately, I have found myself unable to write about what I am doing in the studio. A new series is in the process of being created, and I needed to avoid words for a while and focus on image only. For me, painting is a way to think, a way to sort out the ideas in my head. When I write, the words seem to confound the issues I am working out in paint. Trying to describe painting in words - is it a futile endeavor? Perhaps. Or maybe I just needed to turn inward in order for this new work to become something. In any case, I think I may be far enough into it now to feel comfortable sharing some of it.

It all began when I was getting ready to teach my online class "Intro to Abstract painting." I had created a series of exercises designed to help artists explore and experiment. I wanted to see if my exercises had any merit, and began doing them myself. I had done many of the exercises before, years ago, in a modified version. As I was testing my exercises, I stumbled upon an idea.

small watercolor & gouache studies - approx. 6 x 6 inches

What if that wonderful, lively quality of watercolor or gouache could be replicated on a larger scale using oil paint? I have always loved watercolor. My first experience with painting was watercolor painting. When I am feeling stuck in the studio, or when I want to go back to the basics, I always reach for watercolor. I decided to try working from some small watercolor sketches.

Whenever you take an idea or sketch and push it to a completed work of art, there is always a transformation. In this case, I found I was exaggerating the qualities I love in the water media. I was not aware of this. It just happened.

"What Was Found." Oil on canvas, 20 x 20 inches. 

Above is the first one I finished. I have about five others in various stages of completion. I will be interested to hear what you think.

What do you see? Does this painting remind you of anything?

If you missed my online class, it is now available to take as a self study. Just click this link for more details.

March 25th

Morning walks in the desert have become dream - like visits in spring time wonderland. There is actually less walking than stopping, looking, loving and photographing. Thank goodness for patient walking companions.

I have been busy teaching the online painting class, squeezing a few hours of painting in between. So far, the class has been a positive experience. It is exciting to see other artists, some of whom are quite accomplished, explore abstraction and push themselves outside of their normal way of working. I am proud of their courage! (and inspired by them too.) I think I got lucky with a great group of people taking my class. I feel quite certain that I will offer the class again, at some point.

In the studio, there are a number of different directions being explored. Some are still too new to share, but others are continuations of ideas you have seen from me before. I am working larger and making an effort to slow myself down. I want my paintings to reach a higher level of completion than ever before, to push myself beyond former notions of what a finished painting looks like. There has also been a lot of drawing, sketching and playing, just for good measure.

"hedgehog." Acrylic, gesso, ink, marker and charcoal on paper, 12 x 9 inches.

Little elephant. Collage, gesso, ink and charcoal on paper, 12 x 9 inches. 

"i love everybody." Oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches.

What have you been up to?

Your expression is Unique

"Consolation." Oil on linen. 40 x 40 inches. (repaint from 2012)

After several discussions recently with artist friends, I have come to realize that the most important thing an artist can do is show up, every day, in the studio, and work.

Easier said than done.

Sometimes it's pretty easy. Go into the studio, paint. But then there are those other times. Those times when you question absolutely everything you are doing, and you think there can be absolutely no benefit to society in this endeavor that is painting. I am alone, painting one picture after another, agonizing over some, effortlessly revealing others.

It is at such times - those times of doubt, when one must find other creative people who are doing what we are doing, or have done what we are doing. They can reassure. 

You can listen to a great piece of music. Your soul is lifted. You can visit a museum. You are awe-struck. You can watch a great dancer/ice skater/actor. You are transported. You can read a poem or book where something really speaks to you, almost as though it were written for you alone. Then, you are reminded that yes, there is a benefit in creative endeavors. Others are changed by what you may do, if not by something you do today, then by something you do one day.

For all of my creative friends (which is almost all of you, whether or not you admit it): keep on, keepin' on!

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is or how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open”

Martha Graham

(Martha Graham was considered the "Picasso of modern dance." You can read more about her here.)

Happy New Year!

M gave me this fantastic book for Christmas:
Wayne Thiebaud - A Paintings Retrospective. Thiebaud has been one of my painting heroes for quite some time now, but as I drool over this book, I admire him more and more.

I have been taking time to see art in person. I recently have gotten the chance to see Diebenkorn's Berkley Years at the Palm Springs Art Museum as well as a very exciting trip to Los Angeles to see MOCA. Let me just say that the permanent collection at MOCA is really something else. It would be hard to make a list of all of the works of art that I saw - all I can do is tell you about the main highlights for me. Oh, the Giacometti sculptures! Oh, an Agnes Martin right next to Cy Twombly! OOOOoooo...look at the David Smith! And then there was the effect the Rothko room had on me. I walked in and was overcome. Tears in my eyes, I felt almost like I couldn't breathe. Or maybe that I no longer had to...

Now, for all of you who pooh pooh Rothko, I am just going to say that I once felt the way you did. I once saw a Rothko painting in a book and thought, "what is all the hoopla about this painting?" I even saw one small Rothko painting in a museum once and felt the same way. But that was before I was really painting in earnest. It was also before I saw a really large Rothko in person. The thing that can never ever be explained about a Rothko painting is the presence, the physical quality it has in person. The velvety color, so deep you feel like you could dive into it. The monumental size of some of them, especially when there are several grouped together, like in that room at MOCA, also adds something to the effect they have on a sensitive person. All I can say is that I am really happy I got the opportunity to see that. (Kudos and thanks to M and C for going with me, and to M for driving in the terrifying LA traffic.)

I have to say, for someone who didn't get to visit many art museums as a child, I am happy that I have been given opportunities to make up for some of that as an adult.

Here I am, trying my best to be near Rothko. No photo will ever do this painting justice.

It is important to feed your creative spirit. That is what I have been doing. Seeing other artist's work. Visiting friends. We even got to go to a place that was wet and green over the holidays! Hopefully, all of this re-fueling will pay off in the studio.

Stay tuned for new work, opportunities to see my work in person, and an upcoming online class! Here's a teaser: the class is a painting class called "Using non-representational art to find your voice as a painter." It will be coming this spring! It's a two week class, so if you think you might be interested, let me know. (Thank you, to those of you who already have!)

(This is the blog post that took two weeks to write. I am recovering from a cold, but there really is no good excuse.)

These are Thiebaud's words, but they are precisely how I feel:

"People say painting's dead. Fine. It's dead for you. I don't care. Painting is alive for me. Painting is life for me."

Wishing you all the best for 2014, my dear readers!

Tortoise walk

The desert got some much needed rain last week. Well, not everyone got the rain, but near our house, we got two good, wet storms. Little green things are pushing up out of the soil and the rabbits finally have something to eat that I didn't plant. What a great relief!

On the walk this morning with Mr. Pono the fuzzy dog, we had a tortoise encounter!!! I am sure the tortoise came out to munch on some of those little green things. This tortoise had places to go, plants to eat.

I suppose if there were a desert creature I could most identify with, it would be the tortoise. When frightened or threatened, we retreat into our shells. Our insides are soft. We love to eat flowers and green things. We may be slow, but once we get going, yes, we do move. You don't see us out in the open too often, since we spend most of our lives hibernating....and we look prehistoric. ;) I'm not sure I could go a whole year without water, though, like the tortoise can. Such an impressive critter.

In other news, I am gearing up for the Hwy. 62 Art Tours, which is an open studio event for me. The last two weekends of October, you will be able to come and see all the new work that I have created this year. Or at least, all the new work that I haven't sold yet. I am happy to tell you that I am experiencing pretty consistent sales this year, and I am grateful for it. If any of you buyers are reading this, THANK YOU!!!!

If you want to see a short (3 minute) video of me talking about my work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxP8yhZGnP0

As ever, thank you for reading my blog!

What IS talent?

tal-ent \'ta-lənt\
Noun
1

a: any of several ancient units of weight

b : a unit of value equal to the value of a talent of gold or silver

2

archaic : a characteristic feature, aptitude, or disposition of a person or animal

3

: the natural endowments of a person

4

a : a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude

b : general intelligence or mental power : ability

5

: a person of talent or a group of persons of talent in a field or activity

A young boy is bored one day in class. He begins to doodle in his notebook. His father happens to see the doodles and buys him a sketchbook. Shows him books about art. Takes him to museums. Introduces him to working artists. The boy draws and paints throughout his school years. He eventually goes to college and then graduate school where he studies art. He graduates and immediately gets recognition for his work and gallery shows. Is this talent?

A young girl who is shy and awkward in school doesn't make many friends. She doesn't get good grades. She reads a lot, alone in her room, and begins writing in a diary. Her parents don't make much money, and they are too busy with their own problems to give her much attention. She makes it through high school and college without any major accomplishments. Her guidance counselor worries that she doesn't show any real interest in school or friends. She floats around from job to job. She works as a waitress for a while, all the time writing in her journal. She never marries or has children. When she dies, her journals are discovered. They are filled with magnificent stories and poems, many of which are published posthumously. Her writing is read by millions worldwide. Is this talent?

I have been reading about talent, genius, creativity and success, always hoping to gain a little insight. Maybe hoping to learn something valuable. I have yet to read Gladwell's Outliers, but I am familiar with some of the ideas he outlined in his book, particularly the ten thousand hours theory. The main thing that I have so far concluded is that there is no one thing that leads a person to succeed. Not only that, but success is defined differently by everyone. Talent is also defined differently. Many of you probably already know that I have never put much faith in talent, whatever it is.  I am a proponent of the parable of the tortoise and the hare (and that's not just because I live near them and paint them!) 

I have spent too many hours writing this post, and reading about all these ideas, and now I sit here wondering why. I suppose it's because for most artists, there is always a point in time (sometimes more than one point) when we look at how we spend our days and we wonder. "Why do I paint?" "Should I paint (write, dance, sing, etc.)?" "Is creativity important?" "Do people who aren't artists even care about art anymore?" Introspection is a big part of the creative life for me. I question everything. I doubt everything. And then I go back into the studio and paint some more. Because I don't know the answers, and making art is how I search.

"A question of Time." Acrylic on cold press watercolor paper. 11 3/4 x 11 3/4 inches. ©Karine Swenson 2013

"Pools of Light/ pools of water." Torn envelope and acrylic on cold press watercolor paper, 11 3/4 x 11 3/4 inches. ©Karine Swenson2013

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” 
― Calvin Coolidge

What do you think?

The Desert in Outrageous Bloom

I have been working so hard in the studio that I think I have finally hit a creative wall. I think I actually have to take a day off! (whoa.) I know, but there's nothing else that can be done. I tried to paint a cottontail rabbit today - nothing new, nothing I haven't tackled before - and I just couldn't make it work. There was frustration. There was a throwing of a brush. There were breaths drawn to calm down. More working...getting more awful by the brushstroke. I finally had to WALK AWAY. Sit down in a different room. Gather myself. And then, I went back and wiped the whole painting off. (oh yes I did!)

So I have decided to write you here, my dear blogger friends. Hi. I promised to share with you some photos of the Joshua Trees in bloom. I am going to do that, and I am also going to share some photos of the Mojave Yucca blooms. We've got one in front of our house that is exploding with flowers. Astonishing flowers. Here are the Joshua Tree blooms (and one bud):

Here are the Astonishing Mojave Yucca Blooms:

Taken in the last light of the day - so delicate

Don't you LOVE them?

Send me your encouraging words, as you have done before. Please. Since delivery for my April show is less than two weeks away. And I need to have at least two more (preferably three!) paintings. (And this is oil paint we're talking about here.)