The PADUCAH PORTFOLIO

I've given myself about 4 months to complete the artwork for this project, and with the month of January about to end, a tiny bit of panic has seeped into my usually very well controlled and organized thoughts.  (At least I think of them as being controlled and organized.)  But, refusing to give in to even the slightest bit of panic, I will continue with my well planed and organized work schedule.  (Yes, I think of it as well planned and organized.)

The truth is...I am having fun!  There is always something new for me to do, a new subject, a different medium, a new size, or perhaps a new group of photos to take.  Here are several recent additions to the Portfolio:

Grace in profile...watercolor

A Great building...markers

I like bricks, but...pen -ink-markers

Paducah Built...pen-ink-markers

One of these days I will get back to the acrylics, maybe evens some large canvases, but until then...I am Paducah bound.

TAKING STOCK

Formaggioria...mixed media drawing on clay mono type...6x16"

When I left my medical practices to devote more time to art I left behind people who trusted me with their medical care; relationships and friendships that were forged from that trust ended because of the choices I made.  I still feel the guilt and remorse over the disruption I caused, leaving the noble work of medicine to “become and artist.”  Perhaps it was an effort to compensate for this that I silently promised them I would never stop trying to be the best artist I was capable of becoming.

This year will mark our tenth year in Paducah, ten years to totally immerse myself in my art.  Have I achieved the best of my capabilities?  Probably not, in every journey there is always the opportunity for one more step.  But I have kept my promise to try to take that ever-present next step.  Art has become the defining purpose in my life and my commitment to it has never wavered.

Do I believe art is as noble a calling as medicine?  No, I don’t; a physician has the responsibility to serve others, directly, whereas the artist works in solitude, touching the lives of others indirectly, through the finished work. But it was a call, one that I could not turn away from. I have no regrets about the paths I have followed and would do it again in spite of the consequences.  The alternative would have been to live an unhappy life filled with regret and unfulfilled dreams, always wondering…what if….?

I’ve learned a great deal about the craft of making art since my first gallery show in 1977, and over the year have become comfortable working in several different media.  I’ve become familiar with the basic principles of color, composition, and perspective, and the importance professionalism and the rudiments of self-promotion.  Finding answers to the many technical and professional questions I encountered was not very difficult, but the one question I have always struggled to understand is why I paint and draw what I do.

  Black at sunset...acrylic...10x30"

Cambridge...watercolor...12x17"

TWO MORE

watercolor...7x8
watercolor with pastel...8x11

I wish I could be as loose with my streetscapes and architecture as I am with these landscapes. I will have to keep working on it.

WHAT' NEW?

For the past 6-8 weeks I've been working almost exclusively with watercolor, so earlier this week I decided to spend at least some time on a new acrylic painting. I wanted to do something different, and after several thumbnail sketches decided on going vertical and stark. I chose a 48x24" canvas, put on my work shirt, and got my hands dirty. The result...


#1 I looked at this on the easel for several days before deciding I didn't like it and reworked the painting.


#2 This is the current state, which I prefer to the first one. Interestingly in the photos the first one is more appealing to me.

While playing with this barren tree trunk I have been working on the Cambridge watercolor and today completed the painting. I'll look at it for a few days to see if I need to make any adjustments.


Cambridge...watercolor...12x17

AN UPGRADED WEBSITE

After almost 10 years it was time to make some changes to the website that served me so well. Thanks to new technology it is now possible to create and manage a website with minimal effort and no understanding of the necessary technology. On the recommendation of a knowledgeable friend I chose to work with Otherpeoplespixals (OPP) and am pleased with the results. The advantage of the new site is the ability to easily manage it myself, adding and removing content as needed as well as reorganizing the artwork, links, etc..

My art is presented in 5 different galleries, based on the medium. I’ve also added a new feature called “What’s on the easel”, where every few weeks I will feature a different piece of work reflecting either something new, interesting, or specially priced.

I thoroughly enjoyed the entire process of setting up the site; it was amazingly easy, and I recommend it to anyone who may be considering such an undertaking. Check it out…
renzulliart.com

Here are 2 more small watercolor landscapes, plus the latest progress on the Cambridge commission.

LESS IS MORE,

at least that is that my current mind set. Of course it could be that I simply lack the ambition to tackle anything larger than 7x13", the size of the last 2 small watercolor landscapes. I expect that sooner or later I'll take on larger, but when I do I'll keep one foot in the smaller camp.


landscape #6

Landscape #7

TWO MORE

small watercolor landscapes to add to the series. The composition/scene remains reasonably constant, only the colors and values vary.


landscape #3 5x7

landscape #4 6x8

I anticipate adding 2 or 3 more paintings to this series before moving on to something else.

QUICK & EASY

A life committed to art is not an easy one. The demands on creativity are many, and like most artists I often find myself facing the enormous daily question...What can I draw or paint that would be exciting, interesting, challenging, and of immense redeeming social value...at the same time being quick and easy?

Clearly I was in a dippy mood when I wrote the above comment in my journal in 1983. Quickness and ease are usually not the guiding principals in creativity, although there certainly are times when that happens, often unexpectedly.

But, there are also times when I find myself wandering aimlessly about the studio (as much as one can wander in the space I have.) looking for something to do but not wanting to get into anything major, in other words, something quick and easy, and fortunately there is such a thing...the small watercolor landscape. I began doing these small paintings/sketches in the fall of 2009; they were the inspiration for what would become a regular e-newsletter from Gallery 5. After almost a years hiatus I have returned to this daily exercise. They are fun to do, instructive in learning the behavior of colors and pigments, and last but not least...they are quick and easy!

Here are two such landscapes. They bear a strong resemblance to one another by design; I am planing on series of paintings of the same general composition/scene using different colors, lighting, and values. I anticipate it being a fun exercise. Each piece is approximately 5x7".

IN PRAISE OF CIABATTA BREAD

Eating alone is not my favorite thing to do...EXCEPT...when I treat myself to a ciabatta lunch. Not any ciabatta bread, but Josh's ciabatta. Let me say right now, I am not a paid spoke person for Kirchoff's bakery. The simple truth is that I am addicted to this wonderful bread, which is rather amazing since until now I have considered bread to be an accessory to a meal. OK, more than an accessory where sandwiches are involved.

Patience is working today and I am alone in the house with Mama Pajama, Fat Charlie, Delia, Luciano, Sam I Am, Swede William, Lindy Loo, and the 4 poopies...I mean puppies. Or do I? She won't be home until somewhere around 8 PM so my mid-day meal will be solo, and I cannot wait!



The meal is simple elegance. Two slices of toasted ciabatta on a bed of arugula, drizzled with olive oil and fresh lemon juice and covered with grated parmesean cheese. On the side, mozarella and fresh tomatoes, and of course, a glass of your favorite wine. For lunch I prefer a cabernet or chianti.

And after lunch? It is studio time. The Cambridge painting is slowly taking shape, and I've returned to the small watercolor landscapes that I was painting during the last few months of 2009.




Moore's Place wc 7x10

LOOKING BACK

Work in the studio has been moving forward (more like inching forward) at a rather slow and perhaps too comfortable pace. I started work on a new 12x48" Italian landscape...too early to show anything...and spend some unhurried time on the large watercolor and new clay drawings.


clay drawing...510'

This seemed like a good time to go back through my files and look at work from the distant past. I find it surprising, appalling, and sometimes inspiring, asking myself did I really thing that was good? Or, WOW, could I do that again? I thought I would share with you a few of the "wows", watercolors that I had printed back in the mid '80s.


ST. MICHAELS BY THE BAY

DUKE OF GLOUCHESTER ST.

CHARLESTON SC

WHITE BIRCHS

White Birch...watercolor...4x6"

These small watercolor sketches have provided me with an abundance of satisfaction. In addition to the joy that accompanies their creation I am gaining more insight into the technical aspects of the media. An additional bonus has been their popularity with my client base resulting in significant sales.

Although I have been spending more time with the acrylics lately, I expect to continue working with the watercolors, on both small and somewhat larger pieces.

LOOK MA!

No trees, no barns, no fence posts, and no barbed wire!! Just another sky, horizon, and foreground.

I have learned a great deal from these small paintings, and plan on working on a larger scale after I've finished preparing for, and celebrating, our 7th anniversary event.


Dawn...watercolor...4x7"

The sky was done with Alizarin Crimson, Cobalt Blue, and Raw Sienna. I like this combo for the sunrise effect it creates.