A Creek Runs Through It

50" x 40", oil on canvas

A recent commission for a really nice couple who wanted a scene from the creek on their ranch.  I really enjoyed painting this one. 

All she wrote . . .

Untitled, 42" x 42"

oil on canvas

Here it is, number four, the final of the four-painting campus life commission. As my daddy would have said, "that's all she wrote." The four pieces have been framed and installed in the brand new UAC building at Texas State University in San Marcos. I haven't visited the building yet but have received positive feedback on the paintings. 

Now for some nice simple landscapes!

Number three . . .

Untitled, 42" x 42"

This is the third in the four-painting campus series -- and another that almost rendered me goofy. I had eye strain from trying to sort out all those bicycle parts.

Second of the big four . . .

Untitled, 50" x 40"

Here's another of that four-painting commission. I happened upon these guys just after they'd settled in for a guitar session in the campus Quad. 

I Got Some 'Splainin' to Do . . .

Untitled,  50" x 40"

I'm still around in case you were wondering. Just been totally absorbed with a four-painting commission for a Texas University. They're large pieces (two 50"x40" and two 42"x42") with lots of figures and detail work, and they took over my life for the last few months. Did I mention there was lots of detail?

Above  is the first painting. The scene has 21 figures and nine thousand steps in case you were wondering. I painted this one first, because I figured it would be the biggest challenge to my sanity. But there's another one that was equally challenging in terms of hair-pulling detail; I'll get to it in another post.

A job of this magnitude can be tricky, especially when there's  a short timeline on top of multiple trips to meet with a committee and to get plenty of photo references. I was in the studio seven days a week for most of that time, sometimes till 8 or 9 at night. (Okay, it's true I don't start painting till around midday, after I've put in several hours with the business side of my career -- and other, uh, business.  Still.) 

AND there's a chance I may have emerged from the project as a total wino. But maybe that will turn out to  be a good thing. We'll see.

Anway, I DID emerge -- with most of my brain cells intact. So I'm celebrating. The paintings have been hung, and the reviews are all good. Doing the happy dance here. 

Polyptychs

"Lazy Afternoon"

Oil on canvas

Tetraptych, 32" x 32" overall,

each canvas is 16" square.

The big problem with painting polyptychs (multiple paneled paintings) is not how to keep them all balanced on your easel -- it's what to call the complete piece. Yeah, we've all painted diptychs; that's a no-brainer. Even knocked out a triptych or two. But what about four or five or six panel pieces??? And, if you don't remember that bit of trivia from school days, that, my friends, is what Wikipedia is for. Once I'd conquered the balancing act and finished this one, I thought I'd better figure out what it was in "tych" speak before someone asked. At least, I want to give the appearance of knowing everything about something I've produced. (No, that doesn't carry over to the subject of my kids.)

So here's the rundown on multiples: Diptych = 2; Triptych = 3; Tetraptych = 4; Pentaptych = 5; Hexaptych = 6; Heptaptych = 7; Octaptych = 8.  If you're working on nine or more, you're on your own.

New Beginnings

"Pictures at an Exhibition"

(a San Francisco street fair)

oil on canvas - 24" x 48"

Happy New Year! Wow. It's been a while since I've posted. While I can blame a heavy workload for my dereliction of duty, it hasn't all been work at the easel. A couple of studio shows, plus some field research for a commission, plus all that holiday busy-ness has interfered with my computer time -- and my easel time. Oh, and one more little thing: my grandkitty, Zoe, has moved in for an extended visit while her mother (my daughter Carrie) is in other parts of the world. Zoe is a sweet, petite all-black kitty who demands lots of affection, and I am putty in her paws.

Now it's time for new resolve. 2012 is going to be a good year. I'm going to make sure of it. You do the same.

"Gullfriends" and Grandmas

"Gullfriends" 

(in its original form)

52" x 48" oil on canvas

I'm a sucker for grandchildren, so when a grandma who had bought this painting (it reminded her of her granddaughters) asked me to add another child -- a boy -- to it, I folded.  Of course, it's not as simple as "just stick him in there anywhere." Adding a design element after a painting is completed can destroy the integrity of both the art and the artist. (And I would never make such a change to someone else's work.) It requires rethinking the whole composition for balance and color and -- everything!  In this instance, it also required moving and/or removing some elements and repaintng others.  As with a lot of work, I have to let it sink in a while before I can judge its worth objectively.  I'm happy to report, though, that Grandma was thrilled with the result.

"Gullfriends" 

(with its updated cast of characters)

The painting was photographed at differenct times, with different cameras and lighting, which accounts for the difference in color. 

Lovin' That Luby's

9"x24" diptych, oil on canvas

This painting proves two things: 

(a) inspiration is where you find it, and

(b) cell phone cameras are great for capturing the moment.

Although, it took some effort to adjust the perspective from my photos and make these folks line up correctly in the paintings, it was a fun project. If you're not from Texas, you may not know that Luby's is a popular cafeteria. The two pieces are available as giclees from Gallery Direct.

Same Song, Different Verse . . .

This painting was done in oil on a 22"x28" black canvas. 

The version below is 8"x10",  gouache on white paper.

A bit different, huh?

The patch of flowers is located -- along with many, many more -- in Harmony, CA.