Earl Grey, hot

6x6 oil on board

This felt good! I haven't painted in weeks, nor have I spent quality time with my blogging pals. There are quite a few artists online with whom I'd love to sit and have a cuppa.

I follow an embarrassingly large number of blogs. It is a celebration of people as well as the art they create. I enjoy reading about the sordid lives of the Pre-Raphaelites as much as the next person, but I am fascinated to learn what present day artists, of all levels of experience or education, are thinking and feeling when they work.

As for me, I was thinking, "boy, this old paint is gummy" and "I wonder if I put enough money in the parking meter." I painted this in an hour. I made myself walk away before I started to nit-pick or tidy up. There is something about this piece- the hues, the color washed background, the thrift store tea pot?- which feels like home. It feels like me.

Feels like Home, sung by Linda Ronstadt, written by Randy Newman.
Home, sung by Bonnie Raitt, written by Karla Bonoff

studying art and history

These are studies from a few weeks ago. I hope to try again while I still have daffodils in the yard. I haven't had the chance to paint or to comment on blogs lately.

We recently spent a few days in Philadelphia. We toured some historic sites, very inspirational, and we spent a day at the art museum. No, I did not run up the steps.

The exhibit Cezanne and Beyond was well planned, with an audio tour. It was interesting to see the ways in which Cezanne's work influenced artists who followed, but I was mainly focused on him. We also viewed a healthy collection of European Art 1850-1900.

As we headed back to Pittsburgh, we took a detour to Chadds Ford, to visit the Brandywine River Museum. It was so great to see the work of Andrew Wyeth, N.C. Wyeth, oh the many Wyeths. I lingered over Andrew's work, some of which included a written statement of his thoughts. It was heartening to see a painting dated 2008.

Our next stop was Shanksville, where we paid our respects at the Flight 93 temporary memorial. I was nearly oblivious to gentle rain and cold air as I stared out over the barren, sacred field. For a moment I imagined I was in a Wyeth painting, an expanse on the cusp of color. I'm at a loss to describe everything else I felt. I still have a lump in my throat.

strawberry study 22

I've been busy doing Mommy stuff lately, so I've had little time for painting or blogging. I spent a few days at the sewing machine, and from where I was working, I heard our backyard wind chimes. The chimes kept playing a series of notes from the Brothers Johnson song, Strawberry Letter 23. It reminded me that I painted these strawberries a few weeks ago, and never got around to posting, partly because they are studies to help me figure out why I can't seem to paint strawberries. If the chimes played Wipeout it would be just as appropriate, since that was the fate of 2 other studies.

garlic and onion

6x8 oil on canvas panel

Most of my cooking starts with garlic and onion. I can't think of a dish that doesn't start with garlic and onion. If you come over for dinner, bring dessert, to ensure that it doesn't have garlic and onion.

Fred

8x10 oil on canvas

When we enter our home, we remove our outdoor shoes. Inspired by Japanese custom, this is the first line of defense against household toxins. When I enter my studio, I change my shoes and put on an old cardigan. The fraying, paint covered sweater is more Kurt Cobain than Fred Rogers, but I often think about dear Fred when I perform this ritual.

Today is Mr. Rogers' birthday. I live pretty close to his neighborhood. He was a lovely man whom I hold in high esteem. I like him just for being him.

I never fail to be moved by this clip of Fred Rogers speaking before the Senate in 1969.

welcome

10x8 oil on panel

What was I thinking?! A pineapple? I gave up swearing for Lent, so this was a challenge. This was an arduous exploration of color and texture. Actually, I like the process of searching for color. I don't mind getting it wrong a few times on the way. Since I'm too lazy to make charts, I should save my palette paper, because those are my charts. I read something once that advised not mixing more than 2 or 3 colors, ever. Bullshit. (25¢ for the swear jar.) Some really luscious colors, sophisticated colors, require a more involved recipe.

Since I knew I wasn't going to achieve a certain level of realism, I had the freedom to play a little. The tiles or scales of the pineapple are colorful calligraphy. This was the first time I felt comfortable painting on a gessoed panel. The smoothness was my ally for brush strokes and luminosity.

The background of the painting is a terracotta wall in the second room of my studio, the clean room. When I moved in, I painted, installed a picture rail, and glazed a stencil pattern to look time-worn. I built a bookcase, from recycled wainscoting, to fit in an unused doorway. Welcome to my studio.

s'awright

6x8 oil on canvas panel

It's been a rough couple of months, with both of my parents and both of my in-laws having health issues. I had to kick my own butt into the studio, and I enjoyed the painting time. I like this piece. For some reason it makes me think of Señor Wences.

No cadmium, folks. I cleaned up my act.

foiled again

6x6 oil on board

This metallic foil is driving me crazy. I had to try it again, it's so cool, but it's driving me crazy nonetheless.

My hubby likes dark chocolate. I'll give him some kisses for Valentine's Day.

Passionate Kisses, Lucinda Williams
Like a Star, Corinne Bailey Rae
Your Love, Keb' Mo'

bittersweet

5x7 oil on canvas panel

My husband has it easy, and he knows it. I never want anything for Valentine's Day. I don't need jewelry or perfume, or any junk from this week's sale flyers. All I want is his exquisite love.
And a pony.

You are the Best Thing, Ray Lamontagne

When She Believes, BenHarper
I Carry Your Heart, Michael Hedges

tango

6x11 oil on canvas

I have been painting for one year. It may seem as if I'm just dabbling, but I really do want to learn learn learn and to work work work. I get frustrated sometimes waiting for my skills to catch up to my aspirations. I paint cautiously, often agonizing over minutiae. I hope I get over that soon. I occasionally have moments which are more dance than dirge. That's what I look forward to. For now, I'm learning to see what's in front of me. When that comes more easily, well, I don't exactly know what comes next.

Today's exercise was a study of color. I ignored composition and brushwork to focus completely on color. After working with this sunflower last week, I wanted to more accurately convey its school bus hue. I wanted to see how much red appears in a tangerine. I wanted to be honest about the indescribable color of this grapefruit. Of course, as I painted, I started to think about edges and texture. Citrus fruit can look like a well painted ball if I don't think about texture.

I want to put my still lifes in more thoughtful settings, but I also don't want to fuss over it too much right now. I gladly accept any advice about that issue.

I can't bear to watch the Grammys, but I'm pleased that some talented folks were honored.
Robert Plant/Alison Krauss
Adele
Kings of Leon
Bruce Springsteen

long necked goose

6x8 oil on canvas panel

Hellooo baaaay- beh.

Man is this hard work. Too many petals...I'm going back to fruit.

Chantilly Lace, Big Bopper
Peggy Sue, Buddy Holly & the Crickets
Oh Donna, Ritchie Valens
American Pie, Don McLean

super sunny

6x6 oil on board

I tried a gesso board again, and I still can't get the hang of it. Canvas is like walking on sand, and panels are like walking on ice. I need some kind of hybrid. I kept sliding into previous layers, so I had very little control over my values. (I know, it sounds like a personal problem.) I guess I won't Zamboni over this.

After a crummy January, I have a renewed desire to get to the studio. And hey, my boys won the big game yesterday, so I'm feelin' pretty good.

I'm so lonesome I could cry, Terry Bradshaw

grand larceny, John Gorka

make links open in new tab/window

Since I don't have a decent painting to post, I'll give you a blogging lesson to make links open in a new window. (I thank my son for teaching me!)

For blogger users, you type your posts in the 'compose' box. You make a link by highlighting a word or phrase, and click the 'link' tab in the tool bar. But this makes a link that navigates away from your blog. You want your audience to stick around a bit longer! If your readers are clever, they will right click to open links in a new tab or window. But you can easily alter your links yourself.

There is a tab for 'edit html.' Look through the text and find the area where your link is located. It will look like this:

<a href="http://emptyeasel.com/">Empty Easel</a>

Add the following code between the quotation mark and the greater than symbol.

target="_blank"

Add a space before the word target.
Now it looks like:

<a href="http://emptyeasel.com/" target="_blank">Empty Easel</a>

That's it, Fort Pitt.

painted pony

7x5 oil on canvas

This was a quick play date with a pony bottle. I had limited time, which turned out to be good for me. I was forced not to fuss, and I played with some slippery transparent paint.

I keep pony bottles of Rolling Rock on hand for when I make chili. Six ounces for the pot and one for the cook. It's the perfect amount. I'm a cheap date. Rolling Rock was a western PA brew until a few years ago, in case you're questioning my taste.

I have this running gag in which I commandeer my loved one's shopping or to-do list and add "buy Dar a pony." I started doing it ages ago at my Mom's, because she always has a shopping list on the kitchen counter. On my way out, I sneak it on her list, just to let her know I was there. My husband usually has a list lying around too, of his good intentions. I add reminders for him to do nice things for me, including buying a pony.

When asked what I want for Christmas, my pat answer is "world peace and an end to hunger, ... and maybe a pony." Eric took me seriously a few years ago, and we've been contributing to several charities as a new holiday tradition. But you know, I'm still waiting for the pony.


I want a horse, Linda Ronstadt
Spinning Wheel, Blood, Sweat, & Tears

holiday highlights

8x10 oil on canvas panel

I took another stab at it. I wanted to show that the sage ball is matte and the copper one is shinier. And I wanted very much to represent the two parts that stood out when I took off my glasses: a positively fluorescent orange window reflection on the copper ball, and a few bright dots on the gold niblet thing. (White highlights would be a cop out, and not authentic.) They don't radiate quite as much as I wanted, but I made progress. I think I can pack up the ornaments now.

out with the old

8x6 oil on canvas panel

This painting has been languishing on the easel for nearly a month. I worked on it two days in mid December, then abandoned it. It says to me, "I'm not dead yet," but I need to give it the ol' heave ho. I picked up the branch and all the needles fell off.

I didn't get what I wanted from this painting, but it will do. It kind of looks like a vintage Christmas card.

crunch time

6x6 oil on board

My Christmas themed paintings will be ready around Easter. I could never be an elementary school teacher. I would fail miserably at the whole bulletin board thing. Mine would be hopelessly out of date, with the wrong seasonal border, and last years students' work.

Do you ever have that dream in which it's Christmas Eve, and you haven't purchased a single gift? It's a holiday version of the actor's nightmare I guess. Oh yeah, I have that one too.

One year, I was in the queue at a dept. store, and the cashier used the public address system to call for assistance from someone in the seasonal department. "Christmas, dial 9. Christmas, dial 9." In half a minute, the cashier decided she no longer needed assistance, so she called, "Cancel Christmas." Weren't we surprised!

I had better get a move on. I have so much to do. If I don't get something accomplished soon, we'll need to cancel Christmas.


Happy Christmas John

getting to know you

8x6 oil on canvas panel

I have been tagged by Marian Fortunati and W.R. Jones.
There would seem to be a rash of tagging going round, like some bloggerly transmitted disease. Bloggorhea? It's a fun way of getting to know our cyber pals better and promoting their efforts.

To play along:
1. put a link in your posting about the artist that tagged you.
2. write 5 -7 unusual things about yourself.
3. tag 5 - 7 other bloggers and let them know.

A few mildly interesting things about me...
1. I turned a 50's cape cod into an eco-bungalow. I designed our renovation, acted as general contractor, and incorporated every environmentally-conscious system or material possible.
2. On any given day, I will be wearing something green or brown. I could hide in the forest with Robin Hood.
3. As a kid, I participated in competitive roller skating. There. Now I can never be blackmailed.
4. I played Anita in a community theater production of West Side Story.
5. I do not wear make-up.
6. I love Star Trek.
7. I pun by accident all the time. It's like some wacky variety of Tourettes.

I would like to tag the following artist-bloggers:
Jeff Mahorney inspired me to start blogging.
Gina of Dreamland Designs makes wonderful stationary and meaningful scrapbooks.
Robin Weiss is very likely full of fascinating stories.
Raymond Logan doesn't have comments, so I'm tagging to torment him.
Marie Wise paints a series of wind turbines which is awesome.
Connie Chadwell paints excellent figures with 'motion and emotion'
Suzanne Berry writes about her lovely paintings in a heartfelt and humorous way

vegetarian thanksgiving

10x8 oil on board

I like Thanksgiving. I appreciate the spirit of the holiday, but if I'm honest, I really really really like Thanksgiving dinner. It is my favorite meal of the entire year. This year, however, will be my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian. I don't think tofurkey is gonna do it for me. I can always make a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. You remember? Popcorn, jelly beans, and toast. I'll have to read the label to ensure the jelly beans are made without gelatin. To be safe, I think I'll just have vegetarian Wild Turkey.

The gesso board did not cooperate with me. I'm pleased with the bottle, but I had to give up on the apples. Every move lifted paint. It reminds me of painting melamine, which is impossible without a shellac based primer. I'll paint the bottle again later this week, but it may not be quite so full.

Paul Simon: Still Crazy, Slip Slidin' Away

civil right hand

11x14 oil on canvas

I often dream up ideas or solve problems in the dawn of the day, while my head is still on the pillow and I can let stream of pre-consciousness do its thing. I've nearly convinced my family that I should not be disturbed at this time, because one of these days I'm bound to solve something major, like poverty or Middle East issues. Usually, though, it's about groceries or what color to paint the bathroom.

I woke up Wednesday, elated, my mind spinning. I composed half a letter to the president elect that I'm sure I will never finish. But I also pictured a portrait of my hand and the title. The background was not part of the original plan, but came about when I scraped my palette from a previous painting. I did not begin with a drawing, so I was happy to be able to get a likeness of my little raccoon paw right away, which only needed to be tweaked a little.

With My Own Two Hands, Ben Harper
Everyone is Good, the Roches
Beautiful City, from Godspell