Eve Swings

Eve Swings
2022. Acrylic, charcoal, collage on canvas. 12 x 12 in.

Got the paintings back from the framers, and I’m very happy with them.  No surprise there; Plaza always does a super job.  So I just need to make some labels and they’ll be ready for hanging the show on Monday.  Relieved!  That’s one thing I can check off the list.

And I can’t complain, the studio is very close to checking off, as well.  The painter will finish tomorrow and, gotta say, it looks nice!  It may not have looked this good even when it was new – and that was a very, very long time ago.  What it’s lost in vintage authenticity and ramshackle charm it’s made up in simple, clean freshness.  It looks veritably sprightly!  I did use shingles that are in line with the original look, and a slightly cool gray color not far off from where the cabin started.  So, in sum, it looks almost like a dream version of the old cabin, renewed. A few minor items remain but those may be completed over the weekend, we’ll see.  Tomorrow I start taking old shingles and other debris to the dump.

The above painting, Eve Swings, had a twisting (okay, tortured) path to completion.  I loved the big olive-y green shape with the pink base color, the torn white piece, and the smaller red square-ish, but things went through a lot of changes from there.  There were a couple more pieces intended, but once I got this far I changed my mind and left it in this simpler state.  The orange and red rod shapes retained their edges, conveying the halo effect I noted in my last post.  I don’t think this photograph gives the colors their due; their cool but juicy interplay in the original is a big part of the “swing”.  LOVE reds; the infinity of reds gives me an infinity of pleasures.

Scrambling

For Juana
2022.  Acrylic, charcoal, collage on canvas. 14 x 11 in.

Life has been generous with the curveballs lately, and I’m a little stressed out with trying to both keep up and keep from getting hit.  I think the only reason I’m able to settle down and write a post today is that yesterday I finally got my paintings safely deposited with the framer and feel secure they will be ready for the “Wonder Valley Friends” exhibition opening two weeks from today at the 29 Palms Art Gallery.  When last I posted I had expected I would be getting them in to the framers the next day, and I was much surprised on that visit to learn my venerable long-time framers don’t deal in the particular frames I wanted to use.  Yikes!  Not what I expected to hear!  So then the scramble was on, the mad details of which I’ll spare you, but I did eventually find what I wanted on-line, the two suppliers were surprisingly prompt and well-packaged in their shipping, and yesterday the batch of seven paintings and their intended frames were delivered for assembly to my regular framers.

But that little drama pales beside the larger disruptions, the greatest of which is the construction happening on my studio.  It’s needed re-siding since…well, since before I even bought the place, but I loved the original look and didn’t want to change it.  But my property insurer was less enamored of the vintage look and demanded I replace the ancient disintegrating shingles or lose coverage.  The journey from there has involved all the distresses familiar to our current climate such as shortage of skilled ready labor, shortage of supplies, lost materials, late deliveries, etc., plus some associated wild-card mishaps such as motorcycle accidents (not mine), failing septic systems, and vehicle breakdowns.  The last couple months have been an adventure, and not a fun one.

Be all that as it may, at this moment the old shingles are off the studio, new windows are installed, plywood sheathing and black paper wrap are in place, and half the new shingles are up. The yard is a jumble of materials and tools and the interior of the studio a mess, but progress is now swift and in a few weeks I believe all will be back to rights.  I can’t wait.

Above is another of the new collages, this one also featuring charcoal.  I got a similar speckled result from the main color layer that had also occurred on the preceding piece, “Karma”.  Once again, I rather liked it.  Notably in this painting I retained the translucent edges of the collage pieces rather than trimming them off.  The combination of slight reflectivity and cloudy translucence bestows a kind of aura around the shapes that appeals to me.  So this piece marks a distinct development in my handling of the edges of my collage bits, a development that has continued in following works.  Counting the days until I can get back in the studio and do some more.

Granite and the National Park Art Expo

snapshot of Granite VIII in new frame

When I dropped off my painting at the 29 Palms Art Gallery yesterday, more entries were arriving by the moment to join those already leaning against the wall.  They’ll be hung before next Thursday, when the 9th Annual Joshua Tree National Park Juried Art Exhibition officially opens.  I must say, I was impressed by the other entries (now viewable on-line at the JTNPArts website).  Some really inspired works this year, from all over California and the nation.  I am honored to be showing among them. 

You can see in the snapshot above what my entry looks like in its frame.  I happened to already have this frame in the studio, and I thought that it went well with the painting.  Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while may recognize this piece from the Granite series I was working on last year.  I set it aside as I thought it might be a good fit for the JTNP show, and I was really pleased when it was accepted.    

But now my attention is back on P-A-I-N-T-I-N-G.  Finally!  Open Studio Art Tours was a major interruption in my work process, and I can’t wait to get back to it.  (I’m not nearly as nice a person when I can’t work, let me tell you!)  Yesterday I finished turning the studio back into a studio, instead of a gallery, and life feels normal again.  So look for more new work soon!  🙂 

Bond

Carbon 7
2021. Acrylic and graphite on canvas. 14 x 18 in.

It’s interesting to witness someone bonding with a piece of art.  As the creator of the work, it can be very exciting to watch the viewer see in the work something that you put in there.  It may not be exactly what most excites you about the work; the response always relies to some degree on what the viewer themselves bring to it.  But in the best situations, the two of you connect through something in the work that you both share, something you both can see and feel and may never have had another way to express.  A connection that the artwork allows you, together, to discover. 

The Open Studio Art Tours gives me a unique opportunity to witness that bond develop, right in my studio, in my world, where I create it.  There are no intermediaries.  No distance.  No separation. 

The above work, Carbon 7, marked a departure in the Carbon series in that I introduced graphite as well as a deliberate gray shape.  Because of that, it took me a while to decide if it belonged in the collection.  I made another piece around the same time that included graphite, and ultimately I excluded that one from the series.  But Carbon 7 made it in.  I liked the expansion it signaled.  It felt right. 

The person who bought it has purchased my work in the past and, as with this one, seems invariably drawn to the slight outlier, the work that in its difference reveals the heart of a collection.  She sees something that I see.  It is a wonderful, and very special, connection.  

Mop Up

Satellite Beach
2021. Acrylic on canvas. 16 x 12 in.

Whoosh!  Hwy 62 OSAT 2021 is over (for me – there is another weekend to come for many artists), and I’m exhausted but really glad I did it.  OF NOTE:  I will be leaving my work up in the studio through next weekend if anyone who did not have a chance to come by would like to see it.  Contact me and we’ll set up a time.

I’ll have more to say in other posts about the experience, but right now I’ll just note that everything went smoothly, all our preparations served us well, paintings went to new homes, and many wonderful art conversations were had.  Thanks to everyone who came by!  It was so satisfying to finally be seeing friends again, both old and new.

And now I can start obsessing about my artwork again, hah!  Satellite Beach, above, started at the same time and in the same way as Lighthearted, early in the year, but this one took much longer to declare complete.  It was a different process than I’ve been using lately, with an emphasis on mixing and balancing the colors – yellow iron oxide, Indian yellow, phthalo turquoise, and violet oxide, plus of course black and white.  The textured canvas gives the colors extra depth and the transparent colors more strength.  I hope to do more in the vein of Satellite Beach and Lighthearted.  I’m happy to say both of these paintings have found folks who love them.

I have lots to reflect upon in terms of the responses I observed to the work I had up.  Almost every collection got at least some love, and odd pieces did as well.  I must say it was encouraging.

If you want to see the show for yourself this week let me know and we’ll set something up!

A Beautiful Weekend

Snapshot of wall of mandalas – OSAT 2021

I survived, my friends, and actually had a great time!  The first weekend of Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours was stunningly beautiful and only a little breezy; I couldn’t have asked for better.  It was so wonderful to see in actual person many old friends and also to meet new neighbors – just like the old days.  (Wasn’t sure we’d ever feel that again…)  

Miss B.’s signs were perfect and so far as I know no one got lost.  Okay, one visitor did get stuck in the sand but it was nowhere near us so I’m blaming Google Maps.  Remember, friends:  Don’t rely on the app or Google maps!  Follow the directions in the catalog!

The mandalas fairly flew off the wall and half are now gone.  You can see them as they were hung above, with the Aquaria spread across the bookcase below.   

And – my favorite thing – there were plenty of conversations about art, and excuses for me to talk about my paintings which, as readers of this blog know, I can do at infinite length.  

We’ll do it all again next weekend, of course, but for anyone who can’t make the weekend I’m happy to set up an appointment if you want to come by sometime this week.  Just send me a message. 

None of it would have happened without the skilled and untiring efforts of Miss B., who made an inviting courtyard for those arriving and those who wished to linger. 

And of course, there were cookies.  Thanks to Richard for baking and bringing by oatmeal-coconut-apricot delectables in his traditional contribution to kick things off, and to Valerie for even more cookies!

Ready, or not

Bushed.  But ready enough.  Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours starts tomorrow at 10 a.m., and yes, my paintings are hung, the floor is swept, the parking area is designated, Miss B. has the courtyard decorated and the snacks ready.  Simple snacks in little bags, as it’s still Covid Times and safety is on our minds.  And yes, masks will be required at Studio #2.   But, I think, pandemic or no, we’re going to have a good time.

Miss B. was in charge of the signs, and oh my goodness they are SO good.  She was tested as this day brought rain (highly unusual here) and wind (only too common), but her signs will not melt nor blow away, you may take my word for it.

The OSAT app is now available and is a really handy tool in many ways BUT, sorry to say, not consistently reliable in terms of the digital map – typical in wild places like Wonder Valley.  In my case, it takes one to my neighbor’s house, not mine.  However, it will get you to Mesa Drive and from there you may follow the aforementioned signs to my studio.  And the directions in the print/pdf catalog are correct.

Not every T is crossed nor every I dotted, but we’re ready enough.  And too damn tired to do another thing tonight.  So wish us luck, and luck to all the 165 artists participating this year.

And before I say goodnight, I wish a thanks to all the hard-working volunteers on the OSAT team and to a very thoughtful friend who brought us cranberry scones this afternoon from Porto’s in Los Angeles – exactly the thing to finish the day.

While you’re at it…

Shamanic Dimension
2021.  Acrylic on canvas. 14 x 11 in.

Red red RED!!  A coat of pyrrole red and a coat of quinacridone red, with carbon black.  There’s a little texture from an underlayer of Golden Light Molding Paste.  From last July when it was hot hot HOT in the studio.  This is one of two companion pieces to The Heart in the Bardo, currently on view in the OSAT Collective Show in Joshua Tree.

The on-line map for Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours is now available either as a download or within Google Maps.  There is a print version of the map in the print catalog, which is available at various locations across the Basin.  There should be an app available soon (I hope so, since it starts this weekend!).

Apparently there are more than a few errors in the map and catalog, which is unfortunate as this is a big place that’s easy to get lost in.  I understand they’re trying to  make necessary corrections on the app.  I’m happy to say the map and directions appear correct for my studio (#2), EXCEPT for not listing that visitors should not use GPS to find it.  So:  Don’t use GPS to find me!  Follow the directions together with the map, and you’ll be good.

While you’re out at the east end there are some other studios you should not miss, including:

Perry Hoffman and Doug Smith at Studio #4 (weekends 1 and 2) at the phantasmagoric Tile House, with unique ceramics, paintings, mosaics, photography, fabrics, furnishings, and whatever has sprung from their irrepressible minds this year.  Always super FUN!

Robert Arnett at Studio #5 (weekends 1, 2, and 3) in the comfy backyard with gorgeous Impressionist oil paintings hanging on the fence.  Bob has an eye for Wonder Valley like no-one else.  Everyone loves going to the Arnetts!

Mark Heuston at Studio #1 (weekends 2 and 3), the farthest east this year in the real outback of the Morongo Basin.  Mark casts found and recycled metals into acutely observed desert sculpture, and usually schedules a few live castings during the tour.  Note that Mark really got the short end of the stick in the catalog this year, both having his website URL misprinted and being left off the map entirely.  So make an effort to find Studio #1 via the directions and you won’t regret it.

If I’m not mistaken Perry, Bob, and Mark have participated in Art Tours every year since it began 20 years ago.  They are Destination Studios for many veteran OSAT visitors, and for good reason.   So if you’re going on the Tour, don’t miss ’em!

Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours 2021

Yes, it’s happening, and you are invited!  It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s the 20th anniversary so come to the beautiful Mojave for the 2021 Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours.  I’ll be Studio #2 and happy to see you!

The event extends over three weekends and I will be participating in the first two:  Oct 9-10 and 16-17.  My studio will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with lots of my new work on view including the Mandalas, the Bell Poems, and the Carbon series.  I’ve been busy organizing and making things fit for visitors, and Miss B. has been getting her event-planning full on.

Note that at my studio masks will be required, and safety for all will be our priority.

The OSAT website is now up and you can view a pdf of the catalog here.  The map and the app are not on there yet, however, so you’ll need to check back for those.  The event ranges from one end of the Morongo Basin to the other and some routes can be sandy or confusing, so a little advance planning is a good idea.

October in the desert is lovely, we’ve all been through a lot, and I’ve created paintings that I hope help you find a place of calm, clarity, and depth.  I look forward to seeing you.  🙂

Untitled
2021.  Acrylic, graphite, china maker, crayon on paper. 10 x 9 in.

Carrying On

Bell Poem No. 18
2021. Acrylic on canvas. 20 x 10 in.

My spirit revived somewhat this week when my partner came out into the studio with me and we looked together at the work I’ve been doing, the situation in the studio, and the possibilities for a sane, safe, and satisfying participation in October’s Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours.  (Reminder:  I’ll be Studio No. 2 on the first and second weekends, Oct. 9-10 and 16-17.) 

The challenges of this summer (not to mention the last two years) have been frankly discouraging, and I’ve been on the cusp of withdrawing from the Tours.  (Did I mention that the power went out for 22 hours after a thunderstorm last week during triple-digit temps, and that there was a breakdown at the well and we were without water the weekend before?)  I’ve felt extremely unprepared despite my best efforts, covid continues to make public events fraught, isolation has led to a crisis of artistic confidence, and the Art Tours organizers have also suffered from the covid malaise in their preparations and promotions, leading to a less predictable and potentially less successful event.

But as my partner and I pulled out the artworks, considered possible hanging schemes, and addressed organizational challenges, my spirits rose.  Although I know this year may not be be as straightforward, convivial, and celebratory as past Tours, it really is possible that it will be rewarding in its own way.   I do believe in the work, and I do believe that viewing it here in this desert retreat may bring some folks solace in this stressful and alienating time.

It helped that my partner was so enamored of the works that she has commandeered several pieces for hanging in the house until next month, including Bell Poem No. 18 above and also Mandala II.  It is reassuring that she is so delighted by them; as I mentioned, the isolation of the last two years has left me in need of a reality check on the appeal of the work.  Of course, she is biased, but so is everyone, right?  Anyway, the next challenge will be getting them back away from her for display in the studio in October.