Re-working A Post For Paint Nerds

 I am slowing down.  I am reworking.  I am still.

Remember these paintings?  I decided to work on them some more.  I wanted to try that outlandish ultramarine blue sky on them, because I liked how the sky turned out on the stop sign painting.  But now I am getting carried away.  I always do, because this is my favorite part, tweaking something till I get that buzzy euphoric feeling, or... I ruin it, or... I get that buzzy euphoric feeling and I ruin it.

I read that Rodin took 14 years to do the Gates Of Hell.  Same thing with that statue, I think...  of Balzac.  He re-worked everything and he worked in clay.  He thought cutting marble was a waste of his time, so he would hire someone to do it.  Still working in clay was no picnic.  It  had to stay wet that whole time, (sometimes 14 years) so it would not crack.  What a hassle.

So I am taking my time.

"Angry Bird" 

I sanded "Angry" with turpentine and graphite sandpaper, a technique I learned from my, now far away but still adorable friend, Jhina Alvarado.  It creates a super smooth surface like plaster or fresco.  I feel like a postage stamp muralist.  I re-painted the background an almost pure ultramarine blue.  (Actually, I try not to put down any "pure" colors.  It is one of those "3 rules," every color is actually three colors mixed together, nothing is straight out of the tube.)  Then I  re-sanded and put down this cerulean.

Then of course, I had to re-work the whole bird, because that is what always happens when you repaint.  Everything you didn't repaint looks under painted and it is.  So hopefully this process brings the whole painting up to a new level, that is of course... unless it doesn't. 

"Flight" I did the same thing with this one, sand, ultramarine blue, sand, cadmium yellow, yellow ocher, cerulean mix on top and re-work the bird.  I still want to work on this one.

I like the way "Angry Bird" turned out, at least I do today.  The head and wing in "Flight" need to pop out from the background more, so I am going to make more of a value change there.  Maybe go really light and Naples yellowy in the background in those two areas.  Then I might put more detail into the head and the wing.  What that really means is more detail in the whole bird.  (see above)  The painting still is lacking depth.  I will most likely leave the other wing less defined.  It is farther away and moving so lack of detail might work...  At least that is the hope.

At The Beach Again - 45

I made a painting for an auction at my daughter's school.  I had a hard time deciding what to paint for them.  Usually for auctions I donate something that is already finished, but for this I wanted to do something new.  At first I thought a dog portrait, but all the dogs I have painted, have  been for good friends.

Chuck Close is a portrait painter that also uses his friends and acquaintances as subjects.  I guess this way he did not have to flatter the sitter in any way.  He painted them stark, exposed and without taking a commission.  This was his effort to throw off the baggage of traditional portrait painting.  Not that I am comparing myself to Chuck Close...  My portraits, after all, are of dogs.   And my subjects are all irrepressibly cute and appealing... no matter what I do. 

"45" Phase One, oil on canvas, 12"x16"

So, I decided to do a painting of what has become one of my favorite scenes, "45th Avenue."  This one is lilliputian, a third the size of the other two.   I used to work this way a lot, where I painted the same subject over and over.  It might sound boring, but I learn a lot this way. 

Phase Two

Phase Three

Fini! I changed the values in the water, and the road.  I amplified the contrast in the foreground objects.  Then I  added some drippy glazing to the sky and cleaned up the 45th sign. 

I thought this painting was all about the light and the color, but I think, as my friend Will said, it is really about a feeling, an emotion.  I love the way the beach makes me feel, at this time of day.  Heading out to see the sunset.  There is a smell, a sound, and the visuals are always moving.  The sky is an indescribable color, a blue, with Naples yellow, black and a load of flake white.  It is so mixed it can change from too yellow, to too blue, to too gray.  Great fun.  Really, it's a lot of fun.  Not kidding.  No wonder I keep painting this scene.

Edited by Makiko Compton

I Paint Because I Can't Sing

This is one of my re-paints.  Originally this painting was second in the on going series of abstract bikes.  The re-paint has knocked it to number five. 

I think I have finally figured out why I bounce around all the time, between realism and these abstract bike paintings.  

Painting realism is more meditative for me.   Painting these bike paintings are exciting, but unnerving.  They can go in any direction at any time and I crash and burn more often than not.  

Final, new "Sloat" 

Old "Sloat"

Mid "Sloat"

I thought it was finished, but...

Heavy Into Observation is happy to announce a new editor to our staff, Makiko Compton.  Makiko comes to us from St. Paul's Elementary and middle school.  Makiko is a exceptional writer and boogie boarder.  We will make every effort to continue our regular one to two a blog posts a week, however, it will depend on the new editor's homework load.  Thank you for your continued support and patience. 

My Time In Wonderland And Painting Over Things

Last week was crazy, but good.  It started on Monday, I got an email from Irene Hernandez-Feiks of Wonderland SF, and Chillin Productions.  I met Irene when I wandered into her store on 24th Street, (where I bought a cool vintage brass, Z28 belt buckle.)  Chatting with her, I noticed the back half of her store was a full-on art gallery, with paintings, sculptures and crystal chandeliers, only in San Francisco... or perhaps Brooklyn.  

We got to talking about art which led to her asking me to participate in her Club Mezzanine Show. Unfortunately, I couldn't do it,  I was taking my daughter down to L.A. that weekend to do some Obon Dancing and get her in touch with her roots.  Irene said no problem, we would keep in touch. 

It started with Irene calling me last Monday.  She asked if I would put some work in the next show at her store, Wonderland SF.  I said yes! (of course). 

She came to the studio to pick out work Tuesday. 

 I schlepped work over to the gallery Wednesday.  

She hung the show Thursday.

The opening was on Friday, whew!  

Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures, damn.  Makes me wonder... what kind of Japanese am I?  I need to Obon Dance more.

I am not going to show what this used to look like.  I'll get scolded, sorry Tracy.

It was a good week painting too.  Here are a couple of paintings I started painting over.   Re-painting  always makes me feel better. 

Though one time it got me in trouble.  I re-painted something that Washington State Arts Commission had a slide of.  They called me a few weeks later and wanted to purchase the painting for a public space, but it was gone! 

You would think I would learn my lesson, but I hate having unresolved stuff hanging around.  Also, I like it when a painting starts to really weigh something, when it has about three to five pounds of paint on it, ha!  I am a frustrated, two dimensional sculptor. 

Ooooow, so ugly dakine.  Gonna fix it.  See the old seagull?

I did a little editing.  It is getting better.  Hope I don't blow it.  

For Tom And The Kitchen

I did this one for the Kitchen.  Tom, my boyfriend, designed and commissioned it.  He likes color.  He is Italian.   I don't know if that explains it, but I think it is related. 

 

"Escape" 24"x16" oil on canvas

Last Minute Show At WONDERLAND SF

New Painting For Tom

Hi,
I got this last minute show with 11 other artists.  The reception is  at Wonderland SF on 24th Street and sponsored by Skyy Vodka.

http://www.wonderlandsf.com/

This Friday 6pm-10pm

Amazing work by:
Alec Huxley
Andrzej Michael Karwacki
Henry Lewis
Jeffrey Nemenzo
Lani Tanaka
Lee Harvey Roswell
Mark Campbell
Melanie Alves
Robert Bowen
Tatiana Suarez
Todd Laby
Ursula Xanthe Young

Sponsored by Skyy Vodka

Come by and have a drink and check our some truly amazing art!

When: Friday September 21, 2012
6pm-10pm
Where: Wonderland SF
2929 24th street, SF CA 94110 (between Florida and Alabama
415-641-4600
www.wonderlandsf.com

Art For Aids and Open Studios In One Weekend!

This weekend was an art marathon. 

It started on Friday night with the Art for Aids auction.  Jhina Alvarado, Lucky Rapp and I all donated paintings for the  UCSF Alliance Health Project. 

Me and "Orange Bicycle," This painting was kind of a break through piece for me.  It was bitter sweet to see it go.

I did a little more tweaking to this painting.  I added more detail to the pelican.  Then... I blocked in a delicious slab of reddish gray paint, that varies from brushy-ness, for the top 5/6ths to smooth at the bottom, and added a moving red ring a ding.  I figured out how to deal with the unusually long format and incorporate a interesting division of the space, which is something I have been trying to figure out, and use, forever. 

"Cruising Employed" 36"x24," oil on canvas

This is what it used to look like.  I was not sure how to make the different orientations.  Maybe the painting can be hung many different ways, upside down, sideways, depending on the mood of the viewer.  I will probably try this again, because I am kinda stubborn.  

Pious Pelican

You love pelicans too?  I  thought I was the only one.  Someone pointed out to me that they are creatures comfortable on land, sea and the air.  I love how they look crazy/hideous/prehistoric on land and like vintage car cruisers in the air.  Then they do this insane kamikaze dive, with that scoopy beak.

detail of "Cruising Employed" oil on canvas, 30"x24"

They look like a experiment.

Fossil evidence of pelicans dates back at least 30 million years.

The pelican has been featured in mythology as far back as the 12th century.  A mother feeding her brood with her own blood.  A male pelican that kills their brood, only to revive them with blood from a self inflicted wound.

I love it, Zombie Pelicans! 

The Art Elves Have Been Visiting

As some of you know, I rent a space in a communal studio, we lovingly call it "Shanty Town."  It is housed in a large warehouse.  It is  a "biosphere" of  creativity.  It is an amazing place to hang out.  Who knew there were so many people doing artsy stuff.  

Lately there has been a huge turn over.  People have moved out and are now working at home, some are starting graduate school and are entitled to a studio space. (As expensive as the tuition is, was, I have to admit, I loved graduate school, three years to paint, see painters painting, talk painting, have other people talk about your painting.  What's not to LOVE?)  I still have friends in "Shanty Town," and I will make new friends, but it is definitely the beginning of a new phase.   

From what I have observed so far, most of the new people come in at night, so I don't see them very much.  Some, I haven't seen at all.   I just see the clues that they have been in, in the night.  I see a chair moved, I see the changes in their work...

It is like the elves have visited. 

Anyway, open studios should be interesting.

I am still working on the shy pelican, that's giving a fetching look over it's shoulder.

I have moved the horizon line down some more.  

I am indulging in a color binge.  Close up this painting has a lot of color, especially in the "nautical pier post" or stump to the lay person.   I have been alternating working in my old way OHB (one hair brush) and flat brush.  I am either doing painstaking rendering or brushy brush strokes.  (see next image)

I used a flat brush on Makiko's hair and face, showing the brush strokes.  I think it has a lot more movement and light this way.  (I know I said this painting was finished, but I can't leave it alone!!! Maybe it will be finished before she goes to college.  Do I hear graduation present, yea?)

"Under An Iron Sky"

New series that reminds me of how I used to work.  This is not quite finished, but the process is clear and logical.  I feel so sane. 

I laid the ground with lots of gesso and sanding. Then I blocked out the background, leaving the pelican white. 

I am slowly adding layers, opaque and sheer to build up a luminous background.  I did thicker paint for the clouds. 

I decided not to make the background all sky and I put in some undulating water.  The water has a lot of color in it.  I want to vary the contrast of the values, so that parts will look closer and the part near the horizon will look farther away.    I am starting to build up the clouds and started blocking is some darker values to the pelican. 

Stay tuned...