from my studio

Not Far From The Tree

2011-11-07T16:55:00.000-08:00

I opened my studio door this morning to find this wonderful site! Did someone pluck her and place her here? Did she fall from the tree last night? I have an apple tree right by my door and have been amazed at how it has produced apples throughout this season. This was my last remaining apple. I had left it on the tree on purpose. It seemed sad to pick all of the apples this fall. There weren't many as workers had constantly trampled and interrupted the poor tree this year rebuilding the house that is hugging this tree.

So many thoughts passed through my head as I picked it up. Some corny (uh, see the title of this blog), some revealing and some sad. What amazed me was how this dame weathered the storm this past year. She's gorgeous! I mean, look at her. She's perfectly, imperfectly rounded, seems to be in good physical shape (not a bad spot on her), she DOES show some age spots, but her color is good - even cheery! She even feels like she has some substance to her as I pluck her out of the wood chips. As I turn her over in my hands she also seems to have an innate sense of humor - look at her leaning into that joke she's about to tell.

Well, she is gracing the center of my painting desk at present. She looks like she belongs there. Right now I am remembering Tom Hanks in a movie talking to a soccer ball he named Norman....or was it Ralph?

Backgrounds, backlighting and "Calling it done"

2011-10-01T16:54:00.001-07:00

As an artist I get asked 'What do you like to paint?" That question takes me off guard. Pretty much anything goes as to what draws me to a subject. This week's answer to this question is clearer. "I paint light!" It was the dramatic backlighting that drew me to this bunch of flowers at Renae's Bouquet in Santa Ynez (a favorite spot to pick up interesting flowers and inspiration). The question of how to translate that delicate peach color also came to mind - oh! and that gray/green foliage with the furry texture intrigued me. Hmmm. How will I get that effect?

Maybe it's not all about the light.

Here are the Dahlia's that captured my imagination. I have propped this on an easel in the corner of my studio for a day or so. What I have not done is capture the backlight. Perhaps my subject has gone another direction from where I started? An obvious solution is to drop in a mid toned to dark background around those flowers (risky at this point). That will illuminate the edges where the backlight effect is prominent. The question now? Do I call this finished or drop in a background wash?

The Day of the Dead

2011-09-25T23:18:00.000-07:00

I have observed and read about this Hispanic type of Memorial Day for a few years now. It's usually celebrated on the 1st or 2nd day of November. The first time I was asked to enter an art show with this theme I was shocked to find many paintings of skeletons, painted in a festive manner.

Today I have spent reflective time in my studio drawing and painting something I feel worthy of entering into the Day of the Dead show here in Solvang. My theme started out reminiscent of Davinci's Vitruvian Man, but as I was drawing the skeleton with outstretched arms I felt as if some other person or soul was observing or present in the background - hence my rendition.

I couldn't help but think of deceased members of my own family as I painted this piece. It was a somber, but warm day in my studio.

Why did the Tarantula cross the road?

2011-09-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been awhile. Thought I would start off with a recent story: 2 evenings ago I was driving down the road near my home here in Solvang, California. A gorgeous, slightly cool evening for this neck of the woods...and I mean woods! Our house is on a hilltop located in Santa Ynez Valley with coyotes, mountain lions (OK, I have never seen one, just heard stories), horses, wild chickens, and Max (my black lab friend who lives nearby). As I was driving down our canyon road I saw something dark (the size of my fist) 20 feet in front of my car. I slowed down as I saw this 'thing' creeping along. I STOPPED when I saw what would be the largest spider I have seen in the states. I pulled over, hopped out and stood in the middle of the road dumbfounded as this Tarantula made it's 8-legged way across the road. Uh, where were it's eyes? I couldn't quite see them and I wanted to know just WHICH way was forward as I stood ready to make a quick dash.
Anyway, another car was rounding the curve and I put out my hand for them to stop. The driver looked down in front of her car, smiled, shook her head and pulled around the crazy lady and her new friend in the middle of the road.
To make this story shorter, my new friend ambled across the road and that was that. After a Google search I found that this area of California is hopping with Tarantulas. The ones we see crossing the road are males, not too aggressive, evening time is the prime time to view them, and (of course) it is mating season. So, I wonder if I took a pole how many people got the answer to my subject line before I even typed this?

Giving Back

2011-06-16T20:27:00.000-07:00

Today was a day of gifts. I introduced 30 children to the basics of Chinese Calligraphy at the West Des Moines Library. One challenge was to give my demonstrations on a vertical surface. Now, that doesn't seem difficult until you think about standing on spotless carpet & painting with a large brush soaked in black ink. The staff may have been worried about the students spilling, but I was worried about ME spilling!

There were so many eager faces in the crowd. It warmed my heart to see all of those eager faces sitting there just waiting to learn.

The kids had fun and so did I!

Is this Heaven?

2010-12-17T07:23:00.000-08:00

This morning I met an artist friend at a local tea shop. I brought a prototype of a calligraphy painting I have been working on so I could discuss this with her. What a delight when my friend told me that she could read Chinese writing! It was even more of a surprise when she told me she could read most of my characters!

While sitting with our tea and talking art, a man with a warm smile and an Irish brogue approached our table. "Are you from China?" he asked my friend. "No, from Korea" Lucia stated simply. She smiled and then asked him "Are you from Ireland?" "Yes!" he exclaimed. "Dublin!"

Only in Iowa! :-)

Important Link for this Post! Gong Fu Tea
http://www.gongfu-tea.com/

All you have to do...is listen

2010-11-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

I am dancing a jig here (uh, my Irish slang...) as I finished my 2nd painting for the week. Both of these paintings are to be sold as either silent or live auction items for the ACS Bras for the Cause Events this weekend and another fundraisor for the James Albert Foundation which is helping to build schools in Belize.
The painting here started as a watercolor on museum mounted Gessoboard. I stained the sides of this board (to enhance the appearance and preserve the wood), then taped this off to protect the sides. I then did a loose, watercolor painting of an Asian elephant and an imaginary landscape. I had a poem that kept haunting me as I painted this elephant, so decided to write this in the quiet area to the R of the elephant. I then took some Walnut Ink and a calligraphy brush and quickly outlined the elephant to make it 'pop' just a bit. After the painting dried I sprayed the surface with an archival matte spray to help preserve the watercolor on this slick surface. I then went in with encaustic medium and brushed around certain parts of the painting, giving this a dream-like texture and appearance. The last thing was to collage a bit of calligraphy on this baby. The golden, calligraphic symbol stands for 'to listen'. The photos here are deceiving in that the gold pigment I used in the writing does not photograph well. The poem on this painting is from a favorite movie of mine, August Rush:

Listen. Can you hear it? The music! I can hear it everywhere. In the wind... in the air... in the light. It's all around us. All you have to do is open yourself up. All you have to do... is listen.

Autumn Morning in Napa

2010-11-02T07:58:00.000-07:00

Autumn mornings can be beautiful in Iowa. These farm scenes were taken just west of DM today. The colors and lighting were stellar. I do believe the best lighting may be about an hour even earlier. So, tomorrow or the next AM I am going out in my PJs and lugging a thermos of coffee!

Pthalo, Phthalo, Thalo and Prussian

2010-10-07T06:45:00.000-07:00

About this painting- and all of that gorgeous green grass! I learned a lesson about how SCARY pthalo green can be to a watercolor painting. Pthalo green and pthalo or prussian blue are staining, aggressive and 'yes' scary colors! I have those on my palette as other artists have mentioned they make great darks. However, they have ruined 2 of my paintings this week as NOTHING I did to neutralize these colors worked. Yesterday I spent an hour or so emptying/discarding all of the colors on my palette (including those obnoxious colors) and squeezing out only colors I love and find workable. Time well spent!

Of course, this is NOT the painting - but the photo. The painting will be redrawn and started again (without staining colors!). Perhaps shown in a later blog.

Is this Des Moines?

2010-10-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

This week I spent the a couple of afternoons sketching and painting in the Pappajohn Sculpture Gardens downtown Des Moines. I gave plein air painting a good run! The sun and slight wind enjoyed blurring my eyesight and tossing my easel or watercolor board around at times. Totally worth is as I watched and listened to all sorts of people enjoying this public space. I saw everyone from new brides to people enjoying a lunch hour, to kids tossing footballs. Was this Des Moines?!? It sure was! I am thankful for the donation and tax dollars that went into finding/procuring and saving this beautiful area.

Backlit

2010-09-21T15:52:00.001-07:00

Curious about this title? I came up with ~a dozen titles for this painting as I painted over the past few days. It could be due to the fact that this is my 3rd version of this composition. The other 2 were a tad less successful. It took some preplanning to decide on the colors, composition and design before I felt comfortable with this.

This beautiful woman was walking down a rural road in Bali last year. I stopped in my tracks when I saw her/this scene from afar, whipped out my camera and wished I could stop time. I only had time to smile at her, then hope she didn't mind as I snapped away. She was obviously working, had a huge load of tropical leaves on her head. The summer sun was behind her, making it appear that this vision was from another place or time. The look on her face as she realized what I was doing will always make me grateful. She beamed. I don't know if what I saw was kindness, compassion, warmth, a friendly smile or tolerance. It doesn't matter. It was a warm, beautiful smile in a bucolic scene. That gesture and her grace warmed my heart.

A Day of Portraits and Models

2010-09-02T16:43:00.000-07:00

Day 4. Exhausting. Learned alot. Got frustrated, then poured those feelings out on my watercolor paper and life felt OK again. Drawing figures and portraits with any sense of accuracy is almost impossible unless done daily. Never mind. This act is probably frustrating period. It is also satisfying when an artist does capture a feeling or likeness of the model.

Attached is a portrait that I gave up on, started dropping in all sorts of mudd (professional term in my watercolor world.....), then started painting in vivid colors here and there. Mary (instructor) came by and took my sponge (!) and wiped out areas of highlights. Quite nice result, actually. A few more brush strokes here and there and this is the result.

The top photo is of Mary Whyte, her painting demo and the model that she was painting. An inspiring day.

"Does anybody really know what time it is?"

2010-09-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

Spent the AM painting at the Marina. The weather here has been surreal. I have found that September is the perfect month to visit San Francisco. There were 3 boats harbored here that captured me from the start. This photo was taken about 1/2 way through my painting. My painting stopped abruptly as 3 men started lounging on the grass around my easel. They were friendly enough, actually quite chatty, but I became unnerved as one started speaking about stealing the watches from another painter and myself. Well, time to move on to our next venue.....the afternoon found us back in the classroom painting models. I left my watch in my room.

A Day to Remember

2010-08-31T17:27:00.000-07:00

Well, today was emotional. I thought I would start with that to shut down any outside ears that could not take this 'kind of talk'.....this AM was another demo by Mary Whyte. Fantastic street scene that captured the side of a parking garage (!) and turned from dull grays, into lively grays and then a few strokes of vivid color as she was finishing a street car.

We then went off to paint our own masterpieces. I found myself at the end of a dock, amazed at the fog as it lifted and then reappeared. I sketched the side of the pier and a large boat anchored in the bay. It was mesmorizing. I kept putting down my sketchbook to grab my camera for yet another photo as the fog showed another side of it's personality. Finally, as I was painting I found myself crying a bit. Yep, pretty sappy, but this AM was surreal. The smells of ocean water, fish, bakeries; along with the fog horns and the cool breeze was something I will never forget. Alright, the painting that I started is going along well, but I want to finish that later this week and enter the photo at that time.

This afternoon we camped at the Palace of Fine Arts. I DID complete that painting (probably because I didn't spend my time weaping!) and am proud of a more than a few aspect of this one. I have posted an actual photo of the part of the Palace of Fine Arts and my1/2 sheet painting. I hope you enjoy this.

Art on the Coast....

2010-08-30T17:37:00.001-07:00

Day #1 of a workshop in SF with Mary Whyte. I am using a new type of brush and Mary's suggested palette. Workshops are usually intimidating and I found today to be par along this line. Mary's demo looked SOOO easy. No problem. Well, the 1st brush strokes of a background layer proved that theory to be wrong. After a couple of hours and mumbling something with more color that my painting, the attached photo is what I have to show for the day. Mary is smiling in the background, posing for this shot. She really is a good sport, artist and teacher. Soooo, I have much hope for tomorrow!

I would write more, but happy hour is well under way and I need to go get mentally prepared for tomorrow.

"Cheers!"

Monotypes, Mistakes and More

2010-08-25T06:58:00.000-07:00

I went to my studio yesterday to pack for an upcoming trip. Two hours later I finished painting a fun, loose version of something abstract/floral on a Plexiglass sheet. I was in the mood to transfer this onto printing paper to make a monotype....Have I mentioned that I may be a bit ADHD when in my studio? After soaking and blotting the Rives paper I placed this paper over the Plexglass sheet, rolled the print with a roller and "Voila!". What?!? 90% of the monotype was still adhered to the Plexiglass. I thought about framing the darn Plexi, then decided that was not my intended goal. I shrugged, muttered something off-colored, then propped the offending Plexiglass in front of my painting table and pulled out an Aquaboard, then began to paint. I liked the design and wasn't going to let this attempt go to waste. The end result is shown here. I am going to experiment with this piece by coating with wax/damar varnish as if this were an encaustic. We'll see where my mind and this project goes from there.
OK, back to my studio to pack for that upcoming painting trip............

Glenda, Elizabeth, Karen and a colorful Elephant named Mena!

2010-08-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like there are four of us in this art group. However, the elephant was just a guest....This was taken at Arts On Grand in Spencer, Iowa at our reception a few nights ago. Delivering and hanging the show was hard work, but alot of fun. Arts on Grand did the managing/food/drink stuff and did that well. Our job was to deliver over 50 paintings (many large) and hanging them with levels (or whatever those devices are called...). I learned so much, was thankful for the help from the gallery and my art friends and from Jay (Liz's husband) who was a trooper and hung all of the paintings with us! I do think he may have been the reason we ran out of wine for a bit during the show.........OK, I didn't see him drink one drop, but just thought of that!

Spencer is a warm, cheery and upbeat town with interesting and kind citizens. I stayed at a B&B called The Wild Rose nearby in Spirit Lake and that was a bit of heaven. It was large, quiet, and my back porch looked out onto a water garden and a large pond. The breakfasts were wonderful and quick. I had a tasty, hot, egg/cheese dish with warm, home-made cherry scones on my 2nd morning. The rooms are comparable to the more expensive rooms that I have stayed at on the coast. Can you tell that I had a good experience in NW Iowa?

Paint On Our Shoes

2010-08-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20108150301

Well, tomorrow I leave for Spencer with >20 paintings. Two art friends and I are being featured at Arts On Grand in Spencer, IA. We will be hanging ~45 paintings in aquamedia. I am both excited and nervous about this venture. There have been a few write-ups in local newspapers and I attached a short write-up that even made it into the Des Moines Register this morning. What a great surprise that was!

I think the issue that is making me most nervous is giving an artist talk at the reception. Gads, I really do NOT like public speaking. Maybe I could just prop up an easel and paint something. I did this yesterday and had alot of fun just painting and seeing people's reaction to my work.

Wish me luck!!!

It's Not A Bowl of Cherries...

2010-08-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

I finished this still life and learned a thing or two. I went into this thinking this would be about painting some pears. Wrong! It was much more fun painting the cloth than those pears. I had fun drawing the cloth with watercolor crayons, then dropping in watercolor, letting the wet paint run over the lines and activating/or spreading the crayon lines a bit.

This still life and painting will be set up at our show in Spencer in a couple of weeks. It should be a fun addition to our paintings in the gallery.

Another finish to 'This Just Made Me Smile'

2010-07-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

I spent another hour or so today tweaking this painting. I felt the white flowers (or white, negative space) needed some more work. I also got lost in some line and color work (applied by large watercolor crayons, no less!). Now I feel better calling this completed.
Thanks for sharing comments and opinions on my last post. I found it interesting that a few more of you enjoyed the more representational painting.
I am finding that this looser, feeling-type of style suits my moods anymore. The tighter, photorealistic paintings were a big part of my past, but my paintings lately seem to be filled with a sense of abstract color and large, flowing brushwork.
This painting is now matted, propped in my studio and guess what? It still makes me smile!

Attacking the Leaners

2010-07-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for a show that will be up in August. I have all of the paintings that will be hung at the framers, and now I am working on paintings that will be in mattes (in a bin) in the gallery during our show. The past 2 days I have worked on 2 paintings that were started previously. They were filed away (along with ~50 others!) waiting for further inspiration. I have completed these 2 paintings. They are in 2 different styles, representing 2 different periods in my painting life---or 2 different days of the week!

I would like to have your input as to which one you prefer. Don't be shy, it's just 'us' here! Your feedback is both interesting and valuable. Please go to the top of the right hand column here to cast your vote.

The top painting is a more traditional floral (no name yet) and the bottom painting I have titled 'This Just Made Me Smile'. I think you can tell by my title attempts which one I enjoyed the most!

Stylin' Leo

2010-07-04T18:37:00.001-07:00

Today was a day that started out hard. It was raining and I was thinking alot about my nephew, Ben. I went out to my studio to finish up a piece for an upcoming show. Then got started on a warm-up exercise that kind of took over my day. I have a series of giraffe sketches and photos that keep coming to mind as I paint. I LOVE giraffes. I have a 12 foot one in my back yard who proudly displays holiday lights every year. Anyway, this guy was started by drawing with a small bottle filled with black gutta as I swayed along to a couple of Jack Johnson CDs. Then I flooded the Aquaboard with water and started painting with watercolor, large brushes and loads of water. A few hours later I was ready to sign this project. It ended up being a good day that was full of warmth, some fun, a few tears and lots of color.

Puccini's Dance

2010-06-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

I have been traveling, painting, and painting some more. This was completed a week ago. I picked some hydrangeas (don't tell my husband!) and arranged this still life as an art friend was coming over to paint. I went into this painting thinking "this will be a quick study" and soon liked what was happening, so kept going.

I was happy to finish this study in a couple of sittings (before those gorgeous flowers wilted). This Am I will soften a few hard edges on the teapot and a few other places. I may add a small stroke or two on that paint brush, but I do believe I better stop after that.

My highlight was finishing this to Puccini's Tosca.

Traveling a bit...

2010-05-10T04:40:00.000-07:00

I just got back from some wine events and traveling in the wine country in California (well, somebody had to do it!). The day before leaving I needed to get rid of some flowers 0n our table that still had wayyyy to much beauty to just chuck in the garbage. Instead of packing, etc., I headed out to my studio for 'just one sketch' and here is what evolved. Needless to say I fell in love with this gorgeous bouquet and fell a bit behind on my schedule. My goal was to finish this the day after I returned, but a family emergency is taking me to the airport today, so this project will be waiting for me a week or so longer.

I will finish, photograph and enter this when I get home. In the meantime, my goal is to continue to get 'just one more sketch' in daily while I travel.

"Bon Voyage"

Amana Bamboo?

2010-04-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

Last weeked I spent in the Amana Colonies studying Sumi-e painting with Karen Kurka Jensen. She has been practicing Chinese brush painting for 20 years and has studied under Susan Frame. Karen was fun, energetic and informative on the issue of Chinese Brush Painting. We painted orchids, bamboo and learned much about Eastern philosophy in art.

This was a study that I thought was so-so, until I did some negative-painting with sumi-e ink. By doing this the highlights in the bamboo just popped. I am happy with this piece; and am thankful to meet and study with another talented artist.

Pondering the Game

2010-04-22T18:44:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I am entering this painting in a juried show in Omaha. The show is centered around an Alice in Wonderland theme and is to be displayed at The Hot Shops Gallery in Omaha.

I have combined several techniques and am quite happy with the results of this process. This is an oil monoprint, with collage and an encaustic coating. I mounted this monoprint on hardwood and then coated the finished piece with beeswax and a damar varnish coating. I then had this framed in a matte-black shadow frame. I love the look! It is contemporary in style, yet the young Alice is a powerful piece. I will try this process again.

I am thankful for themed art shows. They truely are fun to prepare and paint for.

A Day in Ojai with Richard

2010-04-22T18:28:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I spent 3 days in Ojai, California painting in pastels with Richard McKinley. What a wonderful, informative, intellectual and talented artist. He worked so hard at making the rounds, speaking, teaching, critiqueing, and painting with all of us. I also met many wonderful artists, most from the area around Ojai and Santa Barbara.

Anyway, this is a plein-air painting that I did on location while at Lake Casitas. It was a tranquil, sunny day. A good place to do compositional and value studies. I started with an underpainting in watercolor, and finished this with pastels. I will work on this more, but for now have this propped up in my studio while I ponder just what else needs to be done. I find that as I get more comfortable with my techniques, I need to think more and paint less. I could go on here ad nauseum, but will sign off as I feel this painting describes the day better than any words I could write.

Thank you Richard.

The Offering Basket- completed

2010-04-22T18:22:00.000-07:00

This is the final version of The Offering Basket. I had an offer to buy this by a viewer, yet wanted to do something with the hard-white area in the middle. I found that a soft, sky/like background wash was a good way to both save the lights in the composition and pull this painting together.

I am thankful for people who value art enough to share their thoughts on my pieces or to even purchase a piece. What a validating and generous gesture!

An Unfinished Painting..........

2010-03-23T06:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I decided to put both good and bad days/(weeks?) into this blog as this is reality in a studio- MY studio anyway. I have been trying to finish a painting that is to be auctioned off at a local gala in the near future. It started out as an exciting array of colors/forms and emotions (the abstract orchid from my last blog entry) but came to an abrupt stop when it came to finishing/tweaking the background. I have been in a funk/deadlock/or whatever you call it when you stand in front of your painting with your heart racing (due to deadlines and imagined faces of 100s of people standing in front of one's painting with faces of boredom as the auctioneer keeps begging for bids..........). How do you meet these deadlines without compromising your art? How does an artist appeal to buyers and still say what is in their heart? I really did not think this would be so hard.

Anyway, I have decided to leave this painting alone for now. Lesson learned. I am taking one of my other paintings (a favorite!) and placing this in the auction as I need to get started on yet another commission before the week is done. Actually, I am already planning that next painting as I type this. Ahhhhh, thank goodness for new ideas, a new day and a cup of tea.

"Happy painting!"

Khanh's Orchids

2010-03-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

Today I finished (?) a painting that is going to be auctioned off in a week or so at the Des Moines Wine Fest Gala. It's propped in my studio at present so that tomorrow morning I can walk in and look at it with fresh eyes.

This painting was started approximately 24 hours ago as a release for my frustration. You see, my husband is president of Wine Fest this year and was walking through my studio as I painted, flipping through painting after painting for the "perfect painting" for a Wine Fest auction item. Well, this is not a comfortable scenario for me (and I think most artists!) so I told him I would "get right on that" and ushered him out of my studio door. I then pulled out a full sheet of YUPO paper, grabbed a gorgeous potted orchid & plopped it on my desk and jumped right into my fresh paint with the largest brush I could grab. Ahhhh, the right side of my brain is such a great place to go and just play...........

I love getting into the brushwork (Chinese or Asian style) of the flowers and leaves, then figuring out the design and composition as I go along. I am comfortable and stimulated by this style of painting, but it goes against what I have been taught by traditional teachers (by first doing value studies, choosing one's palette, sketches, etc). I am also finding that many of my paintings that I do in this way look similar to me. Sooooo, "is this my style or am I just in a rut?" Ooooooh! Such deep, philosophical questions..........

The Offering Basket

2010-02-26T12:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I have finished the painting of this wonderful, elderly and quite thoughtful woman from Bali. Another lesson on 'overdoing it' with watercolor as I feel I have lost some of the freshness (or the white of the paper shining through) in her yellow robe and hands. That is SO easy to do in watercolor! I enjoy certain areas such as the free-form batik-like pattern in the top half. I like the final product of her expression also. Actually, I enjoy all of the top half! It is the bottom half that I find a bit uninteresting. Hmmmm. That may be some Freudian thought due to my own body image.......anyway....moving on for now, but you may see this thoughtful woman resurrected on a full sheet of watercolor paper, with a goal to be completed in no more than two sittings.

Off to capture some other images of Bali. What a beautiful country.

A Lesson in Bali

2010-02-23T19:33:00.000-08:00

A painting I am working on this week. I met this woman while visiting Bali recently.
She was patiently trying to teach me to weave grass to make an offering basket. The look on her face was so peaceful, introspective and kind. I am experimenting with my own version of batiking in this painting also by applying hot wax with a tjanting (batik tool) to use as a form of resist to save some light areas of the paper. There is still wax on parts of this woman's gown. Tomorrow I will be hopefully finishing this by glazing over the gown with warm golden color and finishing her hands, face and the midsection. A fun piece so far.

2010-02-17T06:36:00.000-08:00

In yesterday's life-drawing class there was a beautiful, full-bodied (finally!), mid-life woman posing. Well, I drew her for about an hour and then realized that I was mesmerized by the coffee cup that she had set quickly at the foot of her chair before settling into her final pose. What was with that?!? Procrastination?

I was happy with my position as the view was mostly of her back and the side of one leg. That may not sound interesting to most, but the light was quite soft, yet dramatic hitting the curves and valleys along her back and side. I find it most appealing to draw or paint someone with a fabric strategically draped. The lines, shapes and value changes in certain organic material can be as sensual as the human form. Hmmmmm, perhaps coffee cups have a sensuality also........

The Lesson

2010-01-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

This was more of a success. I have told you previously about studying with 'Jo' in Gilbert, Iowa. She is such a wonderful and colorful spirit. Well, during our last session she was giving a demonstration and the light coming through her studio window just danced across her hair. Their was a softness about Jo that day.

I snapped some photos and this is what I ended up with when I got home to my own studio.

"Thank you Jo".

Life Drawing- Savannah

2010-01-28T07:48:00.000-08:00

This week was another opportunity to draw from the human figure. Always a challenge and a humbling experience. After many short poses (30 seconds to 2 minutes) we went on to a longer pose. This will take awhile to get comfortable with watercolors on an almost vertical surface; let alone the drawing aspect.

I found the gesture drawing (what we are learning currently) is different than contour or blind contour drawing as with gesture drawing the lines need to be fluid, continuous and capture the gesture or movement of the mode. My first attempt (attached) at drawing Savannah is somewhat clumsy. I did feel some relief in adding some color. However, my pride turned to dismay when I added a second wash (because I felt to good about that FIRST wash) and the colors became garish. Wow! Yuck! Why did she turn cadmium yellow and quinacridone red?!?

Well, when I got home I found Adobe Photoshop saved me a bit with some of their texture programs overlaid on this study. OK, humbly I submit this posting as I said previously I would submit these.

BTW, the painting of poor Savannah got taken to the sink and looks a bit better now that I have scrubbed out most of her color with lots of water and a sponge.

Until next time.....Happy painting!

It's what I do

2010-01-24T18:52:00.001-08:00

Well, it has been awhile since I wrote and I am petrified to actually tell you just how much I have been painting. See, this is just what I do. I paint. What have I been painting? Hmmm. Portraits, Chinese brushpaintings of orchids (both the flowers and beautiful, graceful stems and leaves), an abstract and a landscape or two.

I paint daily; actually averaging five days a week. I have signed on with two different groups this semester. My plan this semester is to immerse myself in both drawing and painting with a focus on the human form.

Thursday's group meets in Ames, Iowa and we paint nudes and still lifes. The teacher (Jo) teaches out of her home and gallery. She is a true art-spirit who lives and breaths art. She just returned from a workshop on the East coast with Charles Reid. This week we painted from 3 different still life set-ups that she had in her studio. It was a treat to see her notebook and paintings of Mr Reid's class and to hear some of her stories about studying with this master watercolorist.

Tuesdays group meets at the Des Moines Art Center and is taught by Tracy Duran (the visiting artist at the DM Art Center). First class is this Tuesday and I look forward to this. More on that class after Tuesday.

Well, next time we meet I plan to start posting photos of projects and paintings (both finished and complete).

2010-01-04T14:12:00.000-08:00

Well, we're off....just finishing my first website and am pretty excited about it. I have been painting for many years, but a bit slow to come out of the gate and put my art 'out there'. My goal here is to write at least weekly about the goals, thoughts and challenges of producing fine art.

Over the past few years I have been studying both Western painting (with a focus on watercolor) and Eastern painting. Currently I am focusing in two areas:

1. on life drawing and painting. That translates into both drawing and painting live models. I actually start one of my classes this week and am pretty excited! I will be taking weekly lessons or classes at both the Des Moines Art Center and at a private studio in Gilbert, Iowa. I am challenging myself to keep watercolor as my medium during these classes. Watercolor can be pretty unforgiving, but will hopefully help me to lighten up during these classes.

2. on Asian philosophies as I realize that calligraphy and Chinese brush painting are as much about the process or way of life and thinking as about the product (finished painting). My goal is to blend these two types of painting into an expression that is true to myself.

The past three months I have flown out to California to train with an artist/calligrapher in the Santa Rosa area that has studied Chinese brush painting for years and has trained with Ning Yeh. Her name is Judith Cunningham.

Books and DVDs that I am currently reading and studying from are many. Here are a few on my desk at present:
'Asian Philosophies' by John M. Koller
'Japanese Kanji Calligraphy' by Kunii Takezake and Bob Godin
'The First 100 Chinese Characters' by Allison & Laurence Matthews'
Ning Yeh's series (DVD) on Chinese Flower painting, along with his books- both instructional and illustrational. You can view these on his website at: www.orientalartsupply.com

Well, enough for now. I hope to start posting some musings and photos (whether good or bad!) of either Chinese brush painting or paintings of live models.

Blogging these thoughts is new to me; so please feel free to give me feedback. I look forward to this adventure!

back to the studio.....

2010-01-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

Today, I created a fan page on facebook for Kyoung Studios. Feel free to become a fan and post any questions or comments you may have. I plan on adding a few pictures of my paintings on that page, but several are already up on my website: www.kyoungstudios.com