Work in Progress – Woebegone Art

Press the reset

Sandor on the left, his doppelganger (in progress) on the right

In the stillness after the build up and then blow up that was the Festival of the Arts, I’ve made an unexpected discovery: there is no stillness.

I promised myself — during the mad process that was getting ready for my first art festival showing — that afterwards I’d have some downtime to just regroup. But I didn’t know to expect the natural busywork that comes afterwards: unpacking and taking stock and listing new inventory, sending out non-local sales, tallying the business end of the process. Post show communications and commissions and following up on surprise doors being opened. Chasing momentum before it begins to dissolve.

Today, for instance, I am cleaning and reworking my studio because later this week I’ve got an interview with a local reporter and photographer. They are visiting to cover my art and my story for our regional papers. It’s an incredibly opportunity for interest and exposure and I truly appreciate it.

While my time is not yet entirely my own, and I’m further out of my comfort zone for an extended period of time, I’m thrilled with the direction this year has brought my art and my own personal growth.

New ink: an old-school throwing dagger on my forearm

And in the interest of full disclosure, I am not without rewards for bravery. I’ve recently acquired some bonus new ink, courtesy of friend and all-around consummate pro Jay Savij of Lucky Supreme Tattoo in Oregon City. And, in between commissions, I’m fashioning two dolls based upon our dogs that will be really and truly just for me.

P.S. I realize I haven’t yet carved out enough time to update my website. On my to-do list: udpating recent art into the galleries.

Last call for paintings

Work in progress: "Tethered," an oil painting featuring a frog balloon and a guinea fowl — Work in progress: “Tethered,” an oil painting featuring a frog balloon and a guinea fowl

I am in the final stretch for finishing paintings to show at the upcoming Festival of the Arts. Although there are still a few weeks until show time, oil painting has its own schedule.

I paint with lots of layers of very thinly-applied color. Each layer requires proper drying time, so that the paint can coalesce and not create gummy or sticky patches. Normally, drying time is not a problem, but up against a deadline I’m counting how many layers I can apply and still make the window. In addition to drying between layers, the finished piece will need to be dry enough to frame, a process which then has its own timeline (two weeks for custom frames).

Luckily, I’ve finished most of the pieces I want to show, including one I just wrapped up yesterday. But the vision that came to me last and strongest I’m still working on. Fingers crossed.

Paintings in progress

Every day, I’m joyfully daubing paint in my studio. So much so, that I have little time to type today. Instead, I’m going to share some paintings I’m currently working on.

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This painting I’m calling “Envy”.” It features the color green, as in green zinnias and a green ladybug. There is some nefarious exchange happening, and I can’t yet tell who is the seducer and who is the seducee, but something is afoot.

13184607_1036764653080025_1574424419_o I just finished this painting, entitled “Promises.” It features a non-plussed monkey in party frock and strewn irises. I keep painting monkeys despite them being a little difficult to portray; the wrong slip of the brush can go silly or cro-magnum. I’m very pleased with how she came out.

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This is the newest painting I’ve undertaken. It’s a long panel, with a semi-abstract background and a guinea fowl with a balloon in the foreground. In the balloon I’m going to depict a blue frog, which in my work has always stood for death/change. I’m really hoping I’ll be able to finish this in time to show at the Festival in June.

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With this piece, I wanted to explore different textures and how they could relate together: depth, the long, sinuous lines of the back leap, the furry continuity of the caterpillar. I like the implied movement happening here. This piece needs a lot of build up to achieve the depths I’m looking for.

13161338_1036765506413273_663393118_o This painting of two very different types of birds communicating had been set aside in favor of commissioned pieces. At some point I had lost the vision for this as a result, but it is coming back to me now. I’m going to be taking it up again this week with renewed fervor. Some of my best pieces have had breaks in the middle, and I’m hoping this results in a strong finish.