Newer work #102

Every day you get a chance to start over….

#1432 “Joy of newness”, mixed media on panel 18×10. $180.

I just wondered whether I’ve now written more haiku than sonnets….

Sonnet Challenge #37

Got the inspiration for this one while doing a little clean up for my absent neighbor.  I was working early in the morning before it got way to hot, even for the acclimated desert rat, to be doing yardwork.  I decided to turn the inspiration into a kid’s summer day because the first line had a bit better ring than ‘I caught the sun while grubbing in the yard…..’

Catching the sun

You caught the sun, you held it like a ball
in two-year hands – a shining rounded joy
so newly given, a perfect rolling toy
and never thought that it would burn at all.
Your retina was blotched from gazing up,
your shoulders burned, your face, your arms, your knees
from summer’s day your heart demand you sieze
to dance beneath the heated turquoise cup
of sky. And as earth rolled round to sunset
you played your heart out, flew it like a kite
upon the solar wind, til it grew night
and tiredness told you it was time for bed.
Your red face says you caught the sun today.
Your smile, that it was worth it just to play.

Just Wow

Today’s inspiration.   I just love living here.

Newer work #96

Pretty apropos of the current situation.

#1424 “Without Darkness”. Watercolor collage on foamcore, 7.5×5 in mat to fit 10×8″ frame. $45, free shipping.
Contains the words “Without darkness we would not appreciate the light.”

La Mirada talk and demo

Last week I went to the monthly meeting of the La Mirada Art Club to talk about my work and demonstrate part of my process for them.  I was fortunate that one of the members agreed to take some pics of me working while I was assembling the refractured watercolor.

Here’s the empty room, just when I’d set up.

After having watched me brutally hack up my painting, I start by assembling the horizon. 

I usually am looking at the sky the ‘right way up’…..

…and I usually start with the top of the sky….

Now it’ starting to come together.

Sliding some deeper blue under other pieces.

Well folks, that’s all we have time for tonight.

This is the layout that I created at the demo, but I just picked up the pieces without marking their places.

This is the final product

The poem in it reads:

Dawn leaves me speechless

These gold and turquoise jewels

precious beyond words.

 

Cloud Appreciation Society

If you see my post but don’t open the Cloud Appreciation Society newsletter, make this on the exception.  There is a wonderful short video of rare and beautiful mother-of-pearl clouds!

A forever home in Palo Alto

A recent sale at Palo Alto subsequently got back to me as a pic of the painting in its forever home.  This one might not look as interesting as you would think it could be, but I knew before the new owners took it home, it was going in the guest bathroom, so most of the surrounds are omitted for aesthetic reasons.

“I thought this would be” has the following lines written for it and painted into the horizon areas: I thought this would be the view I’d live and die with but the sea recedes.

Skies Exhibition.

I’m happy I was accepted into this online exhibition and received an Honorable Mention.  The couple who run this are local and I’m hoping that at some point I will be included in the in-gallery shows.

The 3rd Annual Skies art exhibition is now open. Thanks to all the artists who participated and congratulations to the winners and finalists including Best in Show winners, James Griffin (Traditional), Pavlos Evangelidis (Photography & Digital) and Diana Fernández (3-Dimensional). Click HERE to see the exhibition. Also visit our YouTube Channel on September 8th to see the exhibition videos.

“Sunrise with Creosote” Oil on canvas 30×40″. $1500.

Good morning

The upside of the return jetlag is being up in plenty of time for mornings like these.  I lost a little red in those clouds when I went to get the camera, but it’s still beautiful.

Dawn off my back porch – my favorite place.

Newer work #50

I thought I would choose the raindrop shapes and the pink background for this one because we always think of rain/water as blue/gray/white.  So I thought I would be obstreporous and go the other side of the color wheel.

#1229 Love Rain II. Mixed media on pine panel, 17″ diameter. $300.

The picture of this in place gives a much better idea of the texture and sheen.