Daffodils in the Rain

For a month now I have been doing black and white drawings of the ripples made by rain drops on a tiny pool of water that rises up by our miniature daffodils. None of the sketches really helped in the way I paint wet into wet oil.

the grid is an imperfect drawing tool

I am making a Power Point slide show about inventions for my grandchildren who are now teen- agers. One of the most important historic inventions is the grid according to my grandfather Emile Widler. He used to draw a grid over his photographs and then enlarge them for watercolors. Searching the Internet for a match for one of his paintings of Chinese Emperors, I found a photo that matched his painting especially in the eyes ears and general shape of the face. Then I drew a grid over a copy of the photo and made an enlargement. I was amazed at how closely the lines matched my grandfather's except for purposeful changes like removing the mustache and making baby doll lips.

I usually do not like copying photos because there is no need to understand the volumes and the lighting. It is a mathematical exercise. However, in the case of my grandfather's portraits, he deviated enough to communicate his feelings on this emperor with tiny lips and a high forehead. It is alittle humorous.

Drawing Preparations for Painting

Traditionally drawing is the recommended foundation for painting. Yet, I always yearn to have paintings that are direct and fresh and alive. If I do a drawing first the painting is likely to loose life and spontaneity. I am so anxious to have the thrilling experience of getting a painting that comes together without being overworked, I neglect drawing.
Day before yesterday I painted daffodils outside in the cold. My first oil painting of the season. It didn't work.

Drawing Kissed by the Sun's Promise of Spring

At mid-afernoon the clouds were spreading and dissapearing. I could feel a faint warmth on my cheek as I marveled at the angle of the sun kissing them as they kept dispersing.

Drawing Faint and Ephemeral Clouds

March 2nd marked the beginning to an at home journey to viewing the spectacular without leaving my doorstep. I have my eyes on the sky all day and into the twilight hours. I make quick pen and ink drawings just a few inches on a side. Usually nine to a page.

There are some difficulties on my journey in the skies overhead. Some mornings on first glance I see a flat gray sky. But looking a few minutes at the undefined fluff, I am surprised to see subtle changes between the horizon and zenith. I record them in greater contrast.I also see differences between clouds looking at them from different windows on different sides of the house.

This month the clouds move into new formations before I can fully plot the volumes of clouds and their relationships to one another. That is OK, I just strive to get as much as I can down. Often I follow a line in the sky with my eye as a I draw without looking at the paper until I have an area plotted and I go back to shade always in greater contrast.

As I draw I look at the dark lines and judge that my drawing is too defined to be clouds. The spidery lines look unreal when judgement creeps in on me prematurely. I ignore my shock. I continue being too bold because I know I am in a foreign area to my previous work. I am stretching new compositions and expressiveness.

I have a new plan to draw the ephemeral. I have always been sad that wet into wet paintings look so wonderful before they dry. Now I will begin drawing ink sketches of drying paint at its most dramatic. The drying is slower moving than clouds in March.

Drawings Versus Sketches, and Cartoons,

My drawing efforts are tacked up on a board where I can look at them every day.

" draw-ing n. 2: the art or technique of representing an object or outlining a figure, plan, or sketch by means of lines" 3: Something drawn... b) a representation formed by a drawing

"sketch n. 1: a) a rough drawing representing the chief features of an object or scene and often made as a preliminary study"

"cartoon n. 1: a preparatory design, drawing or painting ( as for a fresco) 2: a) a satirical drawing commenting on public or usu. political matters b) comic strip

All three, drawings, sketches and cartoons require the act of drawing to produce them. As an artist in the process of making art, I hope when I am drawing that I accomplish my aim of making something I can be proud to say is a drawing. When I fall short of my intentions I call it not a failure but a sketch in preparation for a drawing I can call art.

This month I am drawing every day. At the beginning of the month I said I would do a drawing a-day but that goal may be highly optimistic.

Drawing challenge in March leading to color and Paintings in April

These are quick sketches from pigeons watching us at Mo's Restaurant in Newport and the fish were in aquariums at the Hatfield Marine Center.

A Crab to take Home

This painting hangs in the stairwell leading up to the dormitory at the Oregon Hatchery Research Center.

Shivering Daffodils

I am keeping my eyes open for inspiration. This morning brought a snow shower and the daffodils hung their heads as a snowy wedding veil covered their too early to bloom petals. In past years I noticed daffodils blooming in March always were followed by snow. It isn't even March yet. I must paint this one.

Memory of Water Falls from Heavy Rains

This painting was begun in 2002 after a walk in the rain at McDonald's Forest near Corvallis, Oregon, It is acrylic on canvas, 4' 8" x 3'.

Liquid Energy

"Liquid Energy", acrylic 3 1/2 feet x 5 feet. Begun in 1997, with adjustments in 2003 and the past few days. It makes me feel better now.

Crooked River

Crooked River, Eastern Oregon, Acrylic, 48" x 24" Hangs in the stairwell leading to the dormitory at Oregon Hatchery Research Center. This is one I used to think was finished but I thought it would be better if I put a wash over some of the river in the foreground. So often touch ups like this kill the energy in the painting but this one is exceptional.

Painting inspiration going with the flow

Coit Tower Mural, San Francisco

I was going to throw a dice to start doing new work. Maybe it would land on planning a mural type painting for one of my large canvases;doing ink drawings of kitchen utensils or a watercolor of yarn balls symbolizing women's creativity; abstract paper carving and collage, painting outdoors in the mist, changing my slide show, "Could Fish Hooks be the Most Important Invention Ever?" so it can be enjoyed without me moderating it in person. Couldn't find a dice! So I flipped a coin - heads ink drawing and tales watercolor. Heads won. Couldn't find my new pen points so I used a rusted one and tried to go over pencil lines from the elk I sketched last week near Reedsport. That lasted about five minutes and I started cleaning my studio table top. Then I worked on my slide show.

Inspirational motivation VS. critical appraisal and Dr. Watson's plan

Sea Bass that Don caught the other day.

For some weeks I have been critical of maybe over a thousand of my past works. I identified some gems from the mass that just didn't have enough cut. I put the incomplete work in recyclable piles. Maybe a few changes would save them. Experience, however, shows my best work is in the immediate here and now. Small changes to works that have been around for some time usually kills the energy and life of the painting. After being in the critical mode, I am having trouble switching to inspired energetic painting.

I accept my difficulty of going back into painting while being concerned of how I am expanding with more paintings. Commencing painting again requires confidence. Making more, however, will be problematic ten years from now when I might want to live in smaller quarters. Ultimately my children will have to deal with too much of my work if I haven't found a place for it. I could dwell on the fact that I have not found a market and I don't want to be a slave to the marketplace.

Years ago a psychologist Dr. Watson suggested putting a cap on the amount of works I could make and keep. For him one painting was all he needed to feel he was an artist. Actually my benefits from making art is more than ego but a way of life. I ignored the Watson plan for years so now I am going to go to greater lengths to be a responsible family member. I am not only going to limit my work in numbers but I am going to reduce my inventory.

I have gone ahead for 25 years with confidence that my paintings will be found. Every new piece was begun with confidence that I would be able to store it somewhere. I had in 2010, however, reached the point where I was spending more time moving paintings from pile to pile than actually working.

I am going to continue painting but with a plan of reduction. Every year for eight years I will paint big ones starting at 3 feet by 5 feet using the supports I already have. Canvases will be removed for the purpose of becoming table coverings or rugs. But every year I will make sure I reduce the number of large painting supports by two. So when I am mid way through my 80's I will have only one large painting left.

Now that my plan is set, it is difficult to get into painting again, because I am in the severely critical mode. What will I do?

I have noticed interesting sunsets and clouds yesterday. We might go to the beach. I have made some tinted watercolor papers and have 17 empty tinted canvases. Also some ink, pens and new drawing pads. I'll start by rolling a dice to select which direction. The important thing in inspiration is not wait but get started then the inspiration comes.

The High of an Art Reception Coupled with Humbling Studio Management

In one painting of a thousand or so unfinished ones I poured rehydrated Bengal Rose gouache. It powdered and pealed. Then I put semi gloss, UV, satin varnish on it. The paint became brittle and pealed more. I like the pealing but it is so fragile, I am not sure I can save it. Today I adhered the 300 pound cotton rag paper to a museum board and flooded the pealing areas with Liquitex gloss varnish and medium.
An important reason for this show is empty our house so I could go through my work and separate what is important to me from the works that fall short. And there are many unfinished or do not rise my pulse. I framed works selected by my daughters and prepared 17 large surfaces for oil or acrylics.
For years I have not been so critical of my own work. Every day more and more goes in the recyclable pile. Tomorrow I hope to start working from the immediate here and now instead of trying to save an old work.

Sunday my retrospective reception talk and tour was attended by loving family and good friends. The theme of paintings was paintings while my husband fishes the past 46 years of the 50 years represented. My 9 slide show brought some good suggestions as to whether or not fish hooks were the most basic invention upon which all others stem. To cover their ideas, I am adding four more slides from our trip to South America.

"Clamming at Newport, Oregon" Gouache Painting

Problems with hydrating broken tubes of watercolors and gouache

"Bengal Rose Painting" with a freshly applied UV protective, satin varnish poured over powdered and flaking paint. Also note that the picture has been switched from landscape to portrait. I'll eventually collage the bottom to the top.

The joys of painting on the floor by my warm wood stove came to an end when my husband reported Bengal Rose color on the bottom of his socks. I thought I had scrubbed up all the spills by the fireplace and that solved the problem. But last night the paint powdered and fell off the painting behind his dinner chair.

My reclaiming watercolor project is removed from our living area and is now in the shop studio.

Moving forward after thousands of paintings

Knitting Needle and Crochet Hook Orbs, watercolor on paper 30" x 22"

This is a time of reflection while I put together a show of 50 years of my paintings. After selecting just 40 from the ones in my collection and from borrowing some, the house is still just as crowded. My husband and I are stretching canvases to paint and then I have put a tinted coat of gesso to make a nice ground for the paintings.

I have new and gessoed over canvases in the shop studio and two piles to paint in the house studio. The sorting shelves of paper work has a shelf of recyclables. Interesting I thought I was going to make papers for collage and ended up modifying old paintings giving them some new life. A dozen have made it to keeper shelves.

Fast Drying, Juicy Watercolors Painted by the Wood Stove

Salvaging is a freeing experience. First I selected several hundred watercolors that are not special to me. Some are very old and good paintings but just not that great. I am painting either on the back or on top of bright color. I salvage all the paint from a tube, meaning I feel free to use large amounts of color. The fireplace is very warm and dries the puddles of paint with amazing speed.

Dried, painted papers are hung on the bulletin board. I am considering these for further layers, collages, or maybe as finished work.

Exhibiting on 2nd Floor Albany Public Library 50 years of painting fisheries

Albany Public Library is a newly remodeled insurance building at 2450 14th Avenue SE. The exhibit can be viewed during open hours. Monday - Wednesday 10:00 AM to 6:00PM, Thursday - Friday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM to 5:00PM, Sunday 1:00 PM -5:00 PM. The second floor exhibit titled "The Rest of the Story" will be up through February.

A 15 % commission goes to the Friends of the Albany Public Library.

"Alsea Ripples" is donated to Oregon Hatchery and Research Center and will hang upstairs in the dormitory dining area.