Abstract Art Blog

A Year of Making Art, Day 273: New Paintings on Website

January 17, 2008 Day 273

Today I went back to a sparer, leaner drawing (see previous post):

Drawing #279 11" x 14"

After that, I worked on Canvas #32, putting down some initial colors and shapes:

Canvas #32 36" x 36"

This week I also put up twelve new paintings on my website. I'll show six today and six tomorrow:

Tossed Salad 30" x 30"

Hearth and Home 24" x 24"

Cool Flame 36" x 36"

Forging Relations 36" x 36"

Light My Way 36" x 36"

Accentuate the Positive 36" x 36"

(Note: There is a gap between the dates I'm writing and posting in order to give me time to get ahead.)

A Year of Making Art, Day 272: The Box Delivery Fiasco

January 16, 2008 Day 272

Today I did another experiment with my drawing, creating a background changing color from yellow to chocolate brown and back. Next, I drew with the chocolate brown, and then filled in some areas with brush pens. I'm still not happy with this, but I think it turned out better than yesterday's (see previous post).

Drawing #278 14" x 11"

Then I got a call from the trucking company that my shipment of boxes were on their way: two skids on a tractor trailer. We were supposed to have a "crew" ready to unload. Luckily I did round up a few people to help (including sister Laura), because the trailer could not get up the driveway at all after three tries. Our driveway was fine until today, when it got cold and froze the snow and water into ice. Next time, I'm ordering boxes in the summertime.

It took six of us an hour to unload the boxes into the garage by piling bundles on top of a van and driving them up and down the treacherous driveway, with a team at each end to load and unload. Then Adrian and I brought them into the studio, which was a trial because we just don't work well together. After that, I tried to rearrange them myself because I had blocked a light switch and outlet. Unfortunately, I piled too many against a bookshelf and all came tumbling down.

Jim finally came over and helped me straighten everything out. We will all be stiff tomorrow.

(Note: There is a gap between the dates I'm writing and posting in order to give me time to get ahead.)

A Year of Making Art, Day 271: A Failed Experiment

January 15, 2008 Day 271

I experimented in today's drawing, creating a background of patterns changing color from yellow to green to blue. After that, I drew a bold design with a black calligraphy pen. None of this worked well together, but I continued to play with it, adding more and more until I had done all I could. Here is an example of a failed experiment:

Drawing #277 14" x 11"

After that I finished the backgrounds on two new canvases:

Canvas #31 36" x 36"

Canvas #32 36" x 36"

(Note: There is a gap between the dates I'm writing and posting in order to give me time to get ahead.)

A Year of Making Art, Day 270: The Home Stretch

January 14, 2008 Day 270

I feel as if I am in the home stretch in this "year of making art," since I have less than three months to go. I'm proud of the fact that I made a drawing every day through traveling, depression, and cataract surgery on both eyes. I finally got new prescription glasses, by the way, that are working out great. They are progressive, with reading at the bottom, computer in the middle, and clear at the top for far distance. They are perfect for drawing as well as other close and semi-close work. I don't seem to need them for painting, where I'm generally working standing up and making broad strokes. For fine detail, I can always slip the glasses back on.

This morning's drawing was an attempt to forge shape out of multiple crossing lines:

Drawing #276 14" x 11"

Next, I worked on canvas #30 after finishing the tops and bottoms of #28 and #29:

Canvas #30 30" x 30"

(Note: There is a gap between the dates I'm writing and posting in order to give me time to get ahead.)

A Year of Making Art, Day 269: Finding Cohesion

January 13, 2008 Day 269

I made this morning's drawing with calligraphy pens, beginning with black, then adding color. When I had too much color, I went back to gray and black:

Drawing #275 11" x 14"

Next, I worked on Canvas #29, which I was fairly happy with as it was. The tops and bottoms had to be finished, though:

Canvas #29 24" x 24"

I took another look at Canvas #28 and liked it a lot, but it still needed something to make it more cohesive. I drew thin black lines with paint, and that did the trick:
Canvas #28 30" x 30"
My sister Laura and her husband, Jim, arrived from Kansas City yesterday and are sleeping at their new house, though they don't expect to actually move in until the end of March. Unfortunately, there was water in the basement when they arrived, and now they are busy tearing up, cleaning out, and disinfecting. I drove over to see them this afternoon. It was great being able to visit my sister after only a 15 minute drive!

(Note: There is a gap between the dates I'm writing and posting in order to give me time to get ahead.)

A Year of Making Art, Day 268: Painting Again

January 12, 2008

I finally got back to painting again today, working on canvases #28 and #29:

  Canvas #28

  Canvas #29

Earlier, I began my drawing with a simple black and white sketch, but then began adding other colors, and soon I had a problem.  After quite a struggle, I wrapped it up with a black calligraphy pen:

   Drawing #274  11" x 14"

(Note:  There is a gap between the dates I'm writing and posting in order to give me time to get ahead.)

 

A Year of Making Art, Day 267: Still Brain Dead

January 11, 2008

I am still brain dead after returning from the West Coast.  Silly errands and desk-clearing took up most of my day.  I promise, I will get in gear soon!

Thus, today's drawing was also embarrasingly simple and quick:

  Drawing #273  9" x 6"

Tomorrow I will start on larger paper again.

(Note:  There is a gap between the dates I'm writing and posting in order to give me time to get ahead.)

A Year of Making Art, Day 266: Inspired or Simply Lazy?

January 10, 2008 

Our flight back home was suprisingly easy, with all flights on time and the last one arriving in Ithaca a few minutes early.  When we got home at 10 p.m. we unpacked and then noshed and watched TV, staying up late since we were on California time.

Today it was hard to get out of bed and motivated.  To start with, my computer would not start.  The studio was cold and it has radiant heat, so it takes a long time to warm up.  This computer has been on its last legs for a while anyway, so I ordered a new Imac.  I have never used an Apple computer, but this one is supposed to be easy.  It's the transition that I dread.

Finally, I got around to drawing and made another small and simple one.  Was I inspired by Miro or simply lazy?

  Drawing #272  9" x 6"

Later, after it warmed up, the computer started.

(Note:  There is a gap between the dates I'm writing and posting in order to give me time to get ahead.)

A Year of Making Art, Day 265: Flying Home

January 9, 2008 

We fly home from California this morning, so I did my drawing in a bit of a rush, and then did another one to make up for it, also in a rush:

  Drawing #270  6" x 9"

  Drawing #271  6" x 9"

It will be a long day, with a three-hour layover in Philadelphia if everything goes smoothly.  I plan to lose myself in an Ian McEwen book and some New Yorker magazines.

(Note:  There is a gap between the dates I'm writing and posting in order to give me time to get ahead.)

 

A Year of Making Art, Day 264: Miro at San Jose Museum of Art

January 8, 2008

It is raining again in Palo Alto, California, and I heard it was 65 degrees and sunny in Ithaca, New York.  Bad timing.

We went to the San Jose Museum of Art this morning and saw a Miro exhibit of 60 prints, mostly lithographs.  His work is so inspiring--light, energetic, playful, and simple, but very strong.  We also viewed three rooms of the museum's permanent collection, finding a number of interesting pieces.

In my drawing this morning I used mostly the small-tips of the calligraphy pens in order to make a more detailed piece:

   Drawing #269  9" x 6"

Tomorrow we are heading home.

(Note:  There is a gap between the dates I'm writing and posting in order to give me time to get ahead.)