Oldies But Goodies--Part II

Martha's Runnunculas
Oil on Canvas 18" X 14"
I stole this from Martha Stewart's book on entertaning (don't tell her). I loved the dreamy old-fashioned feel of the image and in fact, pushed it even more that way. Never got a nibble at a show, but I love it.


The Toast
Oil on Canvas 16"X20"
I adapted this from a photo in a cookbook on Tuscan cuisine. I gave me a chance to work on hands. They came off kinda "hammy"



Seaglass Mosiac I & II
Both Oil on Canvas
I was given a book about seaglass, got interested in the subject and made some paintings from photos in the book. Loved the reflections/refractions in the colors and how they varied so much within each piece


Ensemble
Oil on Canvas 20" X 16"
From another cookbook, this one published by the U. of Michigan Musical Society. It was filled with dramatic photos of musical instruments. I combined a couple of them in this


As we prepare to go to Mexico for two months, I have been in the mode of blocking out new paintings to work on in the studio when I get back and the outdoors is less artist-friendly. I also plan to paint in Mexico, occasionally with our mutual friend Frank Gardner and on expeditions of my own creating. These will be mostly sketches which I will bring back. So I should have a good slug of work to do over the winter. I have a library show in December and another one in April, so I have to be sure that the work is fresh and the "repertoire" doesn't overlap.
I also confess that I sense my style is evolving toward a looser, more painterly style, with more expanded interest in color and value range, less detail, more intimacy in subject--a whole lot of things. I think this is the way for me to go--to look at naturally-occuring options--and to refine what I'm trying to do and to make the most of it. I also have an interest in face and figure work--more interpretive than literal--so I have to find a way to study more of that as well.
So regard the above paintings as something of an hommage to my painting past and a bit of a review of some of the off-beat subjects I've tackled.
I'll try to blog from Mexico as well, as well as keep up with those of my correspondents. Adios!

More About Doors of the World

Tuscan Passageway
Oil on Canvas 16" X 20"

This is my post for the co-op blog a group of artists are doing on the subject of doors. For links to the other participants, visit Frank Gardner's blog--a link to him is on my list of favorite bloggers on the below right.

This is the only painting I ever did where a door is the focus. I spotted this scene in a photo in a book about Tuscany, but since I had been there, I felt I was entitled to paint it. Actually, I've done it twice. I sold the smaller one, but when I have this at shows it invariably attracts admirers, but I haven't sold it. Maybe it's too dark, and threatening. But that's the thing about doors. You never know. What's behind them? Who uses them? It's that mystery that Frank mentioned. And the mystery deepens because in this scene you have to enter that dark passageway to get there.
Italy is great for doors. Arguably the most famous is the "Gates of Paradise"--the doors to the Cathedral in Florence created by Ghiberti in the 1400s. They are spectacular. But for me the Kingdom of doors is Ireland, specifically in Dublin. Doors are an artform there. When we were there a few years ago, my wife took dozens of photos of doors and buildings. You can find all about Ireland doors on the website www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/landmarks/doorsofdublin. Or just Google "Dublin Doors" and you'll have more info about doors than you can handle. There was a poster a few years ago that showed a montage of doors in Dublin. It was widely shown here. If Irish doors lack anything, it's that brooding mystery that attracts us. They are in bright colors, many highly decorated, very welcoming. Maybe that's why artists don't paint them much, no?