Back to Sleeping During the Day

In the last period of my life that I had time to paint deeply or obsessively, I would often paint a favorite image over and over. There would be something different that  I was chasing in each iteration.  

This was one of the last images that I really painted a lot.

My life was starkly different then. I was serially single and childless. Can you tell? 

"Pedestrian" 36"x45" (1998)

In this new period (the last six years) I have not really indulged going deep with an image.  I have been pretty much been careening through a bunch of different subjects, techniques and genres, like a drunken maniac. My dog is perhaps the only repeating theme. 

I think, however, that I am starting the serial thing again. Using an old title, "Sleeping During the Day."  The first one of that title was painted in 1990. It was tiny, maybe 12"x12". Someone... probably me, sleeping under a bright square of window.  I think I have a slide somewhere. The painting is now in the Swig Collection.  

Here is the new version with my daughter and of course my dog.  I have only painted this version twice, but who knows how many iterations I can come up with.  I am a fount for making up problems to tackle in painting.  

Finished with yellowish star.  Whole thing measures maybe 24"x30"

Earlier with a red star.

First one of M and E.  This one is big and tight, 3'x5.'  I liked the intimate scene painted in a non-intimate size.

Pardon me, but I shot these with my phone.  The last couple of posts I had Cera Hensley photograph my stuff.  What a world of difference.  

MBK and Elmo or... Debbie and Billy?

I was gifted a bunch of canvases from our friends Debbie and Billy.  I think they were unused signs for their wedding.  They have been married for years and are expecting their second child.  So, through a konmaring impulse and need to make room for the new nugget, I got some really high quality canvases.  Most of the canvases were blank, but this one had an interesting ground for layering. 

Here is the finished version.  Elmo is in sharp focus.  The bag is a drawing.  The window is a an abstraction.  You can still sorta see "Debbie" in it.  The floor is doing this undulating movement... bonus!

Early sketch

Husband really likes this version.  

Almost finished.  Carpet appears to be trying to slide off the canvas!

Everyday Company

I was gifted some canvases from my friends Debbie and Billy.  It is fun to find the composition for this unusual format.  I like the tension of the two of them facing away from each other. 

"Everyday Company" 36"x24"

Here is the preliminary sketch.  The couch was a lot longer.

Happy New Year!

Whew, we made it through the holidays, yay!

I managed to finish a few things!  Here is the second to last painting from what I am calling the "Rug Series.  

So far I am calling this one "Sunday Afternoon".

"Sunday Afternoon" 40"x30"  I really like the hands.

I drew it over an old painting.  

I really was trying to think of a way to save the bird. However, he had to go...