San Francisco Loves Their Art!

Thank you to all Art Lovers that came out to Art Explosion's Spring Open Studios.  I loved seeing all of my old friends and making new ones too.

As many know, because I am a monko-tade, (文句を言う), or bellyacher, I have been busy mourning all the artists that have moved out of AE in the past year.  I have been lamenting so much that I failed to notice that there are a lot of really wonderful, accomplished new tenants.  Also, the old tenants have really stepped up their game!  There were some blank walls and some empty studios.  These empty spots, in my opinion, helped give the eye a welcome rest because all the other walls were booming with powerful art.  (At least that is one of the comments I overheard).  Overall, the art work looked finished and spaces were thoughtfully arranged.  (My studio looked, as usual,  looked disheveled,  till Liza B. and Ale B. came by Sunday and Feng Shuied it, whew!  I am such a two dimensional person.)

The kids were networking.  I was so busy gabbing and looking around, that this is the only picture I took all weekend.  But it is a good one.

I admit my reluctance when AE decided to go independent.   Scheduling our  Open Studios on a separate weekend from the rest of San Francisco seemed crazy.  Who do we think we are,  asking the public to make a trek out on an extra weekend?  So, it was a nice surprise that this weekend was one of the best OS I've participated in yet, proving yet again, that San Francisco is full of people that love their art and their artists!

Sneak peek...

This was the beginning of the new  "Sleep" painting.  

Super far to the left.  Will it work?  We shall see...

Sleeping During The Day

"Sleeping During The Day" is one of my favorite titles.  I painted the first "Sleeping During The Day" in graduate school.  I love the concept of incredible relaxation, comfort in a sunny spot! In reality I am a non-napper.  We are faking it in this picture, except for Elmo who is staring right out of the picture plane.  

Right after I painted that painting as part of my thesis, ha!  Thesis cracks me up.  (and sold it to the Swigs), I went on to paint a more autobiographically truthful painting called, "Insomniac".   Maybe this new one should be call, "Wishful Thinking"? 

Ok, I will tell you right up front, I am going to do this painting again.  My intent with this composition, was to make sure that my butt was not in  it.  Duh, I really failed.  However,  I like the red slippers. 

"Sleeping During The Day" 24"x20" oil on canvas.  It maybe finished.

 Gonna do another one, sans butt.  Wish me luck.  Here are the stages "avec butt" has gone through so far.

Sketch in paint.  No painstaking drawing for me.  I know, I could have fixed the butt issue here, but I didn't.   In the olden days I often did a painting up to seven times.  It's no biggy.

Scary hair!  Scary eyes!

Getting there...

This is the second to last version, (last version is posted at top of page)  This is when I had the bright idea to close my eyes.  That made it a less disturbing painting, for sure.  I was playing with crazy shadows on the wall.   

It is finished for now, I think.  However,  I have found with the paintings in this "Family Series" that I can't leave them alone.  I'm tweaking hard.  

For example...

Added more color and stuff to this one.  I can't leave it a lone, agh.