The daily dose of art A SHRINKING LANDSCAPE

How low can I go?  Four by four is the smallest to date.  Somewhere in the studio I have one or two mini canvases even smaller, and if I can find them may try my hand at a mini mini.

Warm Landscape  6x6

Dunes  5x5

Moore's Place  4x4

The daily dose of art A PRODUCE MARKET RUT

I can never resist a colorful corner market, especially if it has a grand awning and lots of produce.  And when I can't find one, I simply imagine my own on a small piece of watercolor paper.  The small watercolor sketches today are the result of my imagining.

The daily dose of art MINIATURES

Once in a while I get lazy.  Well...maybe more than once in a while, and when I do, I turn to the minis, watercolor or acrylic paintings 8x10 and smaller.  They are easy and fun, and make me feel like I'm being "productive".

Barbed  watercolor  3x7

Acrylic Diptych I 8x8

Acrylic Diptych II 8x8

The daily dose of art WORKING SMALL

I will show restraint and refrain from using the tired cliche - Good things come in small packages.  I can be more creative than that.  So today we see that size doesn't matter as we look at several mini paintings.

Cottonwoods  watercolor  4x7"

Early Morning Light  watercolor   3x4"

High Plains  acrylic  4x4"

B & W and color all over

 Smedley-Yeiser house...markers, ink, pastel...8x10"

 Lowertown boatyard...markers...6x9

Coast guards...pencil...8x10

In the midst of preparing for a weekend book sale in the gallery I managed to find enough time for these two small pastel paintings:

pastel on paper mounted on 8x8 panel

pastel on toned paper...image aproximately 4x9"

Loving the small stuff

I am enjoying the break from regular gallery hours (will open on Fridays and Saturdays in January and February) although I'm still spending most of my "free" time in the studio.  The work remains small, and there has been a gradual shift from markers and watercolor to pastels.

Here are 3 recent pieces that I've just added to my Etsy store:

 Tuscan Orange...pastel on paper...image 3x7"...$50.00

Purple Mountains...pastel on paper...image 4x8"...$60.00

Distant Hills...pastel on clay mono type...image...3x8"...$50.00

NEW WORK

After three delightful days with my daughter Amy and her family I find myself back in the studio, looking for some traction to get back to work. In spite of my dedicated efforts I never found that traction; the highlight of the day was sharing a glass of wine with my neighbor Keyth who gave me a lesson on the mechanics of a good gold swing. But I'll keep looking, confident that I will find that traction and get back to work.

The days before the Christmas break were productive and I will share the results of those efforts now. I'm working on material for the BARNS & FARMS show I plan to have in the gallery in March, but an ocassional non farm and barn painting finds some expression.

The following paintings are pastel on paper and measure apox. 3-4" x 6-7":

THESE LITTLE THINGS

2x6”…5x7”…4x6”…Since late this summer the great majority of my work has been in or about these sizes. I found myself with little interest in my usual work and after looking around for something to do began sketching from some old photos. I was having so much fun that I decided to re-visit old places via my photo files and recording my “visits” with these drawings, most of which have been posted on the blog over the past 3 months.

It has been interesting seeing how the work, even at this small size and with minimal ambition has begun to evolve. The evolution is an unconscious one, in which some of the drawings begin to become more complicated and their goal more ambitious. Over the course of this series some of the pieces were done primarily as a study for larger work, while others were conceived of as finished pieces.

The most recent development has been replacing paper with scraps of old clay mono types, similar to the clay drawings I’ve been doing since my return from Italy last year.

The challenge, as the work tends to become more involved, is to maintain the freshness and naivety.

Two from early in the series...




Two "intermediates"...




Most recent...





I look forward to continue working in this size and improving my technique, especially with the work on the clay mono types.

SUNDAY MORNING MUSINGS

I believe I could measure my days by these small drawings/paintings. Individually they certainly are not epic in any way, shape, or form. But perhaps together, as one body of work, they can become more than are. Regardless of what they are or are not, they continue to hold my interest and I think of them as either a resting place while I wait for the muses to lead me elsewhere, or as part of a body of work I have yet to fully understand.


Prairie landscape...watercolor and pastel


Corner market...markers


With Patience out of town I've taken a few days off from the kitchen, enjoying some leftovers Keyth as so kindly shared with me. (He makes great chili.) I look forward to her return tomorrow and the resumption of our pasta dinners.

IN THE MEANTIME...

while I try to find my way in this maze called a studio...I work away at my drawing table/station, hoping the muses will come and lead me into the chosen direction. In other words, what the hell should I be doing? I'm not complaining, because I really enjoy doing these mini paintings and drawings.


Yesterday several clay mono types that had been out on loan were returned to the gallery...this in one of my favorites and measures approximately 14x7".

And completing this post is a view of my "drawing station" taken with my iPhone. Everything I need is within arms reach.

LESS IS MORE…

Maybe not, but sometimes working small is just plain fun, and that is what I’ve been doing lately. Working from memory, imagination, and photos, I’m creating these small sketches/drawings, reaching deep into my collective experiences for bits and remnants of things past.

Predictably one thing usually leads to another and we end up far from where we started. It will be interesting to see where this takes me.




All drawings done with pencil and markers

IT'S BACK TO WORK

after a brief one and a half day trip to Lousiville. As I promised myself, I have begun working on 2 acrylics, one 24x24" and one 24x48". Both will be scenes from last years Italian journey. Too soon to have anything to show you, but I do have to Clay mono types that I am adding to my collection of miniatures. Neither have a title.


7x4.5"


6x5"

MY VALIUM

I admit it. I was anxious today, waiting for the opening reception of our exhibit at 5 PM today. My therapy was to paint these 2 small wc landscapes.


Through a screen of trees wc 5x5"


Distant Hill wc 6x7"

HOOKED ON BARBED WIRE

THUMBNAIL Not sure why but I remain fascinated by this image and just had to paint it again. I'm sure that I will return to it once more, sooner or later.;


Wired Down acrylic 5x5"

LESS IS MORE

or so they say. I am doing my best to test that notion, and in the process having fun go back through some very old reference photos. The first is from pics I took some 12 plus years ago on a drive back from the whippet Nationals in San Diego. The other from a trip to New Mexico 3 years ago.


Late Autumn watercolor 5x8


New Mexico watercolor 5x7

LIFE SAVERS

I seem to have lost all my enthusiasm for painting "epic" works on canvas, or just about anything else lately...EXCEPT...these tiny watercolors! They have been the only thing between me and utter frustration and mental chaos. (My wife might argue that point.) In any event, I plan to simply go with the flow, and when it is time to move on to something else, I'll know it.


Snow field watercolor 5x5"

MORE POTATO CHIPS

I may never stop...just keep on going until I'm covered with a pile of these small wc paintings. I tell myself they are all for our show next month of "Small Works", but I'm not sure I believe that. Whatever.....here are 2 recent efforts.


Warm Landscape wc 6x6"


More Tuscany ink-wc 5x8"