Opening weekend

The weekend was a smash it.  We had an amazing turnout for the Joshua Tree gallery crawl.  It is fun to see so many people out and looking at art!  A big thank you to all of you who came out on Saturday night.  It was great to see you.

I thought I would post a few of the paintings Tina Bluefield and I collaborated on for those of you who are out of town and couldn't make the opening.  We had a total of fourteen paintings in the show at JTAG.  These were painted over the course of four paintings sessions.  Each one was painted by both of us.

"Dodo."  oil on canvas, 24 x 18 inches.  ©Swenson & Bluefield 2011

"Musician."  oil on canvas, 20 x 16 inches.  ©Bluefield & Swenson 2011

"Wonderland."  oil on canvas, 24 x 18 inches.  ©Swenson & Bluefield 2011

Here is the statement I wrote for the paintings:

Conversations

The experience of painting with Tina was like a visual dialogue.  Two artists, side by side, each artist making their own marks on every painting.  The marks were the words and sentences, and they passed back and forth, just as in a conversation using words.  We found ways to knit the marks together – there were even times when we could not tell who made each mark.  We talked of other things while painting: music, food, books, life.  The only discussion of the paintings before us was to determine when they were finished.  

An error

Matthias has informed me that he thinks the photos I've been posting of "Joshua Tree Buds" are actually "Joshua Tree Blooms"!!! He says that the individual bracts don't actually open up. (which is what I was thinking happened.) I don't know!!! How am I supposed to know? I have never lived here before, and it's not like anyone in South Dakota (where I grew up) ever taught a class about "the life cycle of a Joshua Tree". Ya know? So, my darling, beloved readers, please don't be angry with me. I was not trying to lead you on, or deceive you into thinking there was some grand finale of the Joshua Tree blossom. Nothing like that. Deep down, I am still hoping that the individual bracts will actually open, and then I will have my envisioned reality. However, I feel that it is important that I keep that to myself, and tell all of you that this is "as good as it gets". So you won't hunt me down and destroy me for disappointing you. Not that I think you would ever do that, but I hate to let people down. Forgive me?

To hopefully console you, I have painted another painting, just for you. And I have walked all over the desert, taking more photos of Joshua Tree, whatever-they-ares. And more wildflowers. This white one, I am pretty sure, is Desert Chicory.

Two new paintings and more Joshua Tree Blooms

I have been tromping all over the desert, in pursuit of a Joshua Tree that is actually blooming. However, it seems we must wait a little longer, my dear blog friends. None of them are QUITE READY yet. I did get some really nice close up shots today, where the buds were actually at eye level. (I am only 5'3", so that is really saying something!). I will have to remember where I found these, so when the flowers start to pop open, I can get more good close ups like this. I think these buds are cool looking already. I have no idea what to expect once they bloom. You can see that this second one is not nearly as close to blooming as the first one. I think in this earlier stage, they really remind me of the protea. (one of my favorite flowers!)

I did paint all weekend, pretty much. I had hoped to finish more paintings than I did. I don't know why it's going so slowly. I did finish two smaller ones, and I am happy with them both. These are flowers, well, they are abstracted. Or should I say I invented them. Yes, that is more accurate. I invented them, but to me they are flowers! I have titled them "Desert Bloom I and II". These are both oil on canvas, measuring 12 x 12 x 2.5". The edges are painted too, and so when they are dry, I will try to remember to photograph the edges.


I don't have much else to tell you. I have been fighting off a cold all weekend. I still haven't gotten sick, but I find that I tire easily, and so I am trying to sleep more and take lots of vitamin C. I swear I will post more when I don't feel so pooped!

Joshua Trees will bloom

I am excited, because yesterday, while cruising around in the desert, I noticed that the Joshua Trees are going to bloom!!! Not all of them have buds on them, but I did take photos of three different trees, in various stages of getting ready to bloom. How cool! For those of you who haven't read my earlier post about the Joshua Tree, they don't bloom every year. It seems they require certain conditions for that to happen. It is so exciting. This also means, that by the fall, I should have some Joshua Tree seed pods for someone I promised them to. (you know who you are!) I love that this kind of excitement can make me happy for days.



The other good news is that I took a few of the new paintings down to Christopher Morgan Galleries in Palm Desert yesterday. The owner seemed to be pleased by the direction of my new work. In fact, I put Damar Varnish on three of them, and they will be going back down to the gallery tomorrow. For those of you who aren't painters, Damar Varnish helps seal the painting, and protects it from dirt and scratches. It also provides the surface of the painting with an even gloss or matte finish.

I have been experimenting on small pieces of board, and I thought I would post one for you. I think this one turned out particularly well. It is only about 5 1/2 x 7 1/2" or so, but still, I think it is successful. I have layered several coats of oil paint over the top of heavy acrylic medium that was applied with a palette knife. Once the surface of this painting is dry, I will most likely be listing it on my etsy site, so check back!

Persistance pays

I have been in the studio quite a lot over the weekend. It is a good feeling, like coming home after a long journey, to be painting once more. I think sometimes the most difficult part is experiencing really magical days, which are often followed by days of frustration. Those frustrating days make it hard to paint again the next day, because they leave an imprint of dissatisfaction in your mind. Today was a frustrating day. One thing I have learned is that if you CAN resist the urge to quit after a hard day or two, good things will happen. Easier said than done, my friends. This is when a little optimism will really come in handy.

I am working on two different things, as usual. One thing I am working on is a new grouping of abstractions, based on my monotypes. I have been experimenting on different ways of achieving similar effects on canvas. I have about a dozen of these abstracts in the works right now. So far, I only have one that I am truly satisfied with. It is the painting you see at the beginning of this post. It looks much better in person, but part of the problem is that the oil paint is still quite wet, and therefore, shiny. I am particularly pleased with the colors in this one. I am finding it interesting that I am here, in the desert, and nearly all of my new abstract paintings are predominantly blue. Gee, do you think I am craving water???!!!??? I could always say the blue is SKY, and not water, but when you see the blue, you will know I am making that up.

The other thing I am working on is, of course, the figure. My other true love. I am not feeling totally satisfied with just the sessions I get once a week in a group, so I have decided to take advantage of the one model I always have - ME! There is something unique about painting yourself. So far, I am focusing on the torso, not the face. That will come, eventually. My goal is to paint between 3 and 5 of these little figure studies a week. So far, I have three. (One being the ugly painting I did today.) You probably won't get to see that one. Here is one from last week.

I read in "W" magazine about an artist named Thomas Nozkowski. It is an interesting article, and now I have found a new abstract artist to admire.

Process II, When Frustration sets in

For any of you who read my earlier post about process, here is a follow up. A day or so after the last painting was worked on, I started another. I find it is good to have several paintings going at the same time, so that when one begins to get muddy, you can set it aside and still have another painting to work on. The paintings seem to influence each other, and I learn more this way.

This new painting did not go as smoothly for me as the first one. (By the way, that first painting I have decided to name "Change is Inevitable" and it measures 30 x 36".) I used the same steps as on the earlier painting. First, I chose my sketch and taped it to the wall, where it is easily seen. Then, I did the drawing in black charcoal. The black charcoal lines were reiterated in oil paint. Again, the drawing is not about reproducing the sketch perfectly, but about finding the most balanced composition on the canvas. Right away, I ran into some issues, since the sketch is on a square piece of paper, but the canvas I used is much more rectangular. You can see how I started to stretch out shapes to activate more of the space.

It's hard to say where, exactly, this painting began to fall apart for me. I was having fun at the beginning, but looking at the photos, I can see that the composition is not solid because of the difference in shape between the sketch and the canvas. I did begin to add color, and advance the painting in much the same way as the first painting.
You can see that I am still turning the painting, as I usually do, to make sure I am working the whole surface of the canvas.

I still like the loose expressive qualities of the brushwork at this stage. I use very little medium when I paint, because I find that the medium is the smelly part, and my studio space has never been large or particularly well ventilated. So, necessitity is once more the mother of this style I have been using. I love the way thick paint looks anyway. Like frosting, with lots of texture. Yummy. The other thing I want you to notice at this stage is the part in the far left of the canvas. This will eventually become the crux of the whole painting for me.

I realized I had this space over in that area that somehow felt empty. You can see that I thought making some kind of visual texture might help it, so I used circular brushstrokes to fill in the blue area. That area began to irritate me, and even though I kept turning the painting, to work the whole canvas, that ONE section got the most attention.

One thing I did differently with this painting is that many of the shapes became closed within the edges of the canvas. The other painting had a lot more areas where one color melted into another, without the benefit of lines (or boundaries, as I sometimes think of them.) I continued to feel irritated, and ultimately ANGRY at that troublesome section on the left. (Now it's on the right side.)
I worked much longer and harder on this painting, at one point I even took it off the easel and walked it into the other room! I reworked a tiny painting to list on etsy, and completed two miniature paintings, the whole time obsessing over this big one. I finally caved, put it back on the easel, and worried it some more. The whole time I felt very dissatisfied.

Interestingly enough, This second painting, called "Winds of Change" is the one Matthias says he likes the best. I still like the first one better, but at least I don't hate this one as much as I did when I finally took it off the easel.

I have yet to decide if I will rework the "Winds of Change". I am feeling pretty good about the first one, but you never know. That one may get a facelift, as well.

Process

I am finally painting again. It's hard to believe, but I broke down my studio last DECEMBER to pack, and this is the first chance I have had to set it up, and paint in oils once again. Time flies when you are moving to a completely new place. Anyway, I decided to try to share a little of my process with you, so you can see the evolution of an oil painting. Here we go.

First, I sat down with my pastels, and some tiny pieces of paper I had torn up into these miniature squares. I stack them up next to me, take out the black charcoal pencil (number 4, if you really want to know), and do quick little drawings. It is important that the drawings are quick, because that's how I stay loose. I usually do between 6 and 9 of these little drawings. I line the drawings up where I can pick and choose, and then I begin to add color. This is where a lot of my experimenting comes in. It seems like the drawings usually get better as I go along, but of course nothing is set in stone. I try to get them all to a "complete" stage (these are only studies, after all, so I am not trying to finish them). Then, I choose a favorite. This will be the guide for the painting.

The canvas I used for this painting was already stretched and gessoed, ready to go. This saves a couple of days, for those of you who don't paint. I have this really black, messy charcoal that I use to do the preliminary drawing with. I am not worried about perfection here. The extra lines I draw to "find" the right proportions are lines that can be used, or not, later. This all depends on how I feel the composition is going as I get further along. Here you can see the charcoal drawing on my big canvas.

I have to admit, it was hard to remember to stop and take photos along the way! Harder than I thought it would be, that's for sure. I guess I was a little excited. I take my time, squeezing out the oil paints, and mixing colors. I have discovered that if I hurry here, the painting will suffer. I use this time to think about the relationship I want the colors to have, and to contemplate the feeling I am shooting for with the painting. I often have a word, or emotion in my mind when I start a painting. This one is really about the move, or more acurately, learning to bend with the wind. I am finding greater peace in bending whichever way I am being pushed (or led) by life.

I am always conscious of focusing on the dark and light areas. One of the things that I find exciting, visually, is having a big contrast between the dark and light areas of a painting. I like to start with the dark if I am working on a light ground, and start with the light, if the ground is dark. So the dark blue and black were painted first. I want the brushwork to have a lot of energy, so I am using big brushes, and rough brushstrokes initially.

At some point, I decided the colors were just not dynamic enough, so I began to add more color than I had initially planned on. I tend to turn the painting as I work, so that it forces me to work the whole painting at once. I want the painting to advance as a whole, rather than having one little area that I love, and the rest of the painting in shambles. I find turning the painting will help me with this. (Although it can be messy, since I usually paint the edges, too. That's just the price I pay, I guess.)

I have the little study for the painting taped up on the wall, right next to where I am working, so all I have to do is turn my head a little bit, and I can see it. With this in mind, remember that at some point, the large painting has to become its own work. There is always a departure from the original sketch, and sometimes letting go of that original idea is difficult.

I have now reached a point where if I were to continue working, the colors would get muddy looking. That is a sign that it is time to stop. (that, and my rumbling stomach!) So here is the painting in its last stage. There is a chance I may look at it tomorrow and find a section to rework. However, I need to let it dry before really working it again, if I want to keep the freshness. Since this is oil, it could take a week or two (or more!) for this to happen. So for now, I am done!

Pono visits the ocean

Today, we decided to escape the heat, and head for the coast. Pono has never seen the ocean before, and we thought it would be fun to take him to "Dog Beach". We had a few errands to run first, so by the time we got to Dog Beach, it was about 4 pm. The parking lot has meters, and we only had about one hour worth of coins. We put all the coins we had into that meter. Then, we headed down to the sand. There were people and dogs everywhere, but it wasn't overly crowded. Right away, I took off my sandals and headed for the water, with Pono on the leash behind me. He was fine, until he saw the foamy water headed towards him, at which point he leaped into the air and headed up the beach as quickly as he could, dragging me behind him. We walked to a less crowded spot on the beach, so we could let Pono off the leash. It was taking some coaxing on my part to get him in the water. The waves were a little scary!


Fortunately, Matthias had the wisdom to bring a ball. When Pono saw the ball, he forgot all about the terrifying waves. We didn't throw the ball so that he was chasing it into the ocean, but he did manage to get quite wet. We were able to use the ball to lure him in deeper than he would otherwise have gone. Plenty of other dogs came over to us, wanting to play with Pono, but he only had eyes for the ball. Nothing else seemed terribly important. The good thing was that we managed to wear Pono out in the one hour our coins had alloted us.

The water was much warmer than Matthias and I had expected it to be. If we had known it was going to be so warm, we definitely would have brought our suits. (and surfboards!) We both managed to get quite wet. It still felt great.

The only down side to the day happened after we left the beach (fortunately). I think Mr. Pono drank too much ocean water. He got a pretty sick tummy, and had diarrhea when we were walking to the car. He seemed fine after that, so we loaded up, but then about a half hour into the ride home, he threw up. Not good. We had to stop and let him out for some air (and us too!) He did drink water and felt good enough to sleep all the rest of the way home. Hopefully, he will learn not to drink that salt water, because we'd really like to take him back to dog beach again.

There is one other exciting thing I would like to share with you. Earlier this week, I sold two small oil paintings to a designer for the tv show "Las Vegas". Apparently, there is a pretty good chance my paintings will be on television! How cool is that?! If any of you feel like looking for them on the show, these are the two paintings I sold.

Etsy is worth visiting!

I just want to thank all of you who posted comments on my blog, wishing us well in the new house adventure! August 10 seems like a long time to wait, but I know it will go fast. I am not sure if adobe is cooler than a regular kind of house. I think REAL adobe is, actually, but this house is FAKE adobe. Meaning the adobe is just a surface they put on a standard wood frame house. It just LOOKS cool, if you catch my drift. ;)

I want to post a little about etsy today. If you have never visited etsy, I highly recommend it. It is a website for buying and selling all things handmade. You can find art, clothing, soap, candles, magnets, handbags, baby items, quilts, and on and on. The thing that distinguishes etsy from other sites, including ebay, is that the people who are listing items on etsy are also the creators of the items. So if you buy something, you are buying directly from the artisan. It is a very exciting concept, and there is an amazing amount of talent!!! Here is the link to click. Of course, I have listed some of my small originals, cards and prints on etsy, but I want you all to know there are many other artists and crafters selling on etsy. You can even buy supplies - things like yarn, buttons, fabric, etc.

I have recently listed some of the paintings from the 100 on etsy. For those of you who don't know about this, I painted 100 oil paintings for a show at my gallery in Salida. The show was titled "100 paintings for $100 each". The idea was to create paintings that regular people could buy. Something for those of us who don't have thousands at our disposal. Yes, I realize you can buy reproductions that are very affordable, however in my opinion, there is just nothing at all like an original. These 100 paintings are all oil paintings, and they are quite large, for the price. Measuring 12 x 12" and 12 x 16" each, the main focus is abstract. I did do a few landscapes (which I sold right away), a couple of paintings of leaves (also sold right away) and some nudes. The one remaining nude will be listed sometime this weekend!!! There is nothing quite like setting a large task for yourself and then being able to complete it. It was exciting to paint all of those paintings, and then see them hanging up on the wall, all together. It became an installation, really, once they were all hung. I tried to find a photo of it, but I think it is buried in a box somewhere. Here is a photo of the front of my gallery, instead. Just so you know, I sold almost all of the paintings from the 100. (over 80% of them are sold, which is pretty good, considering the show was only up for 2 weeks!) What I am posting now on etsy are the few who still haven't found their rightful owners. There are still some really nice ones left!

I just took the dog for a walk, at 8 pm, and it is still scorching out there. It is quite impressive, really. I like it, though. After a cold and snowy winter in Colorado, I am NOT going to complain. I'm just going to jump in the pool....