Abstract Art

End of Summer Gloom

Cool September days in the northeast remind us that dark winter days are ahead.  In Ithaca, NY, where I live, there is an abundance of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).  In the past, I never thought I was affected by the approach of winter, since it lessened the guilt I would feel about staying inside all the time working.  But this Fall has been difficult.

Nevertheless, I completed one last Tic-Tac painting:

   Tic Tac Five, 44" x 44"

I also finished one in similar colors and composition, but without the tic-tac motif:

  Crescendo, 48" x 48"

Now I have to start work on a new commission, a 42 x 56 canvas to be hung in a health consulting firm's conference room.   

Abstract Art Calendar

  Earth Songs Three, 60" x 60"

This is the painting I selected for the front cover of my new 2009 Abstract Art Calendar.  It's always difficult to choose which 14 images I should use for my calendar each year.  I try to give a sense of new work, and a variety of styles and colors.   I included a drawing this year as well, though it was very hard selecting one:

  Abstract Pen Drawing #46

Horizontal images work best on the calendar, since the shape is horizontal, but most of my paintings are square.  Nothing I can do about that.  I prefer working on square canvases for non-objective paintings.

I'm using a new printer this year, and they gave me a calendar template with some holidays I'd never heard of, such as "the sweetest day."  Well, I'm not going to knock it.  We could all use a sweet day.

More Tic Tac Toe Paintings

Trying to paint with a tic-tac-toe theme has been extremely frustrating.  I never imagined I would have so much trouble doing it.  I guess for me, having a design in my head to begin with doesn't allow me to be spontaneous and free. 

I worked a bit more on Tic-Tac-Toe-3:

Tic Tac Three, 48" x 48" 

I like it better now, but would have made different choices if I'd had a chance to do it again.

Here's one that is looser and doesn't follow the design literally:

  Tic Tac Four, 30" x 30"

It is Labor Day, and all the Cornell and Ithaca College students are back on campus.  A friend of ours just moved here after getting 3 adjunct classes to teach at Tompkins Cortland Community College.  He will live with us until he finds his own place.

Summer is over.