Studio Visit

DC got dumped on by snow this weekend, which is a great excuse to be a hermit, stay inside and paint. I need to get some of my own work done so that I have something to blog about! In the meantime, since the workmanship aspect of my studio is in full swing, I'd like to invite you over for a virtual studio visit.

I pay DC rent in order to be able to block off one-fourth of my living room as a drafty, naturally-lit-from-the-left painting studio. I bought a wooden kitchen caddy from Ikea, which has a chop-block top and two slotted shelves. That provides a place for plastic boxes for paints and other supplies, and my sketchbooks go on the bottom shelf when they're not on my coffee table. I use my side table for reference materials, a bendy ikea desk lamp for more exact lighting, and the top of the caddy for my palette.



Painting is great because canvases are thin, and easels fold up and lean against things well. That means I can deconstruct the studio space back into my living room for parties. I like this. That said, when I take weekend-long painting retreats canvas drying begins to take up my entire apartment.



I'm going to have a real studio visit one of these days, complete with a show of my work, price lists, refreshments, and comment cards. Just need to do some painting first!

The Next Step

I washed dishes today. I procrastinated it all weekend, which meant that I procrastinated some of my painting this weekend, but I swear it was for a good cause. Sara got me a book called The Artist's Guide, and I spent all weekend reading it, highlighting it, and writing notes in the margins. It is a primer for people interested in making a living off of their artwork. While painting is a side gig for me, this book was incredibly useful and encouraging.

So, instead of showing you the half of a painting that I did do this week, I'd like to share the book's first exercise with you. It's called "Dream Big - Create a Vision of What you Want to Achieve."

Q: What would make you successful as an artist?

A: Having people see, enjoy, and care about taking care of my paintings. Inspiring people. Having the means, impetus, time, and creativity to focus on developing my own art. People wanting to buy that original art. A gallery sponsorship. The occasional exhibition. Being a part of Culture.

Q: What would make you feel successful in your relationships with those around you?

A: Interacting with friends and family in soul-nourishing activities. By this I mean holding an exhibition with Poet friend Ekoko with my paintings, her poems, poetry readings, hors d'oeuvres, and the company of all the people in our lives, as well as strangers. Also, taking the time to write and send cards. And having more frequent connections with relatives and friends who live far away.

Q: What kind of life would make you truly happy?

A: Life with a variety of activities that fulfill all parts of my brain. Motivations that not only get me up in the morning but keep me going so that I have enough energy to not only paint but to be active, cook, clean, eat right, etc. A supportive group of people around me in my professional, artistic, family, and friends circles, including a good art dealer or gallery one day.

Cathartic, yes? Next week we'll go on a studio visit. This is supposed to be the bread and butter of creating and selling artwork. Of course, you're always welcome to drop by for a non-virtual studio visit. Just give me 24 hours notice so I can do my dishes.

Inversions

The business is going well, I'm getting good commissions, and I'm excited about painting them. I even have a number of paintings started for this month and next. But the weather on this second day of a three-day weekend turned dreary and somehow I wasted 2 hours this morning watching Meet the Press. Before I knew it my painting time was more limited than I wanted and my dishes weren't done.

First on today's docket was a limited palette beverage still life (wine, martini & tea) on board. The board has two holes in the back like hang-able picture frames, one at the top and one on the side, so that you don't have to frame it. I set up my lighting, put on my music, and painted. Hum dee dum.

After I finished it I went to the grocery store, which exacerbated my realization that I'd gotten out on the wrong side of the bed. Dreary raininess and a combination of passive-aggressive customer (the oranges are 3 for $2) and slow cashier (they're 2 for $3 on the computer) really got to me. After that I headed straight to starbucks for a coffee, came back, and decided I liked my painting. Then I thought, hmm, I'd better check and see that the hole for hanging it is on the top. Nope.

My painting is upside down.



This is not unfixable. But I think I'm going to take a page out of the yoga playbook and get the foundation of my life together (orderly kitchen and no more eye make up in the bathroom sink) before putting knife to canvas again today.

Painting: Wine, Martini & Tea
Beverage: Water
Playlist: French (yelle, brigitte bardot, carla bruni and yes, "draw me a sheep" by mylene farmer)

Canvas Talks

You may be wondering what in the world that splash of color is on the title of this webpage. That is my first serious venture into the world of abstract art. A friend commissioned me for this piece, and her only instructions were: 24x48 inch oil on canvas with bright colors, primarily red and yellow, that doesn't resemble anything. Voila!

Were it not for a chance encounter with Sam Gilliam on the first sunny spring day of 2009 I would not have known where to start. But after visiting his friend's studio and watching them work on a Smithsonian commission I felt prepared. He taught me that abstract is an extension of the painting and drawing basics, not a simplified version of them. He also taught me that color and composition are king. With that in mind, I paid very strict attention to planning every color mixture and knife-stroke in advance, and followed my plan exactly. This was a large departure from my typical painting method: 2 hours, palette knife, good playlist, glass of wine, done.

Knowing that I wanted a yellow background, I started with a purple wash so that the yellow would pop. I mixed it with earth tones and highlighted it with transparent gold. Instead of going straight for red I added a layer of its complementary color, dark green. Then came the red. I made sure to mix it into the green layer a bit to avoid crayola syndrome. The background to the bright colors is dark purple again, then in the final layer I stopped adding earth tones. Instead, when mixing the highlights, I began using white to pop it. I finished the center colors before the yellow/orange hue that appears almost like an aura around them. That hue was part of my plan but I had been nervous to put it in before adding the colors. The painting was missing something, though. I took a deep breath and thought "well, if it doesn't work, I'll paint over it."

The end result: Depth, thanks to alternating warm and cool colors, and mixing in earth tones. Composition, thanks to an off-center vertical spike. Light, thanks not to dabbing white here and there, but using warmer, yellow, reflective light and shadow. Lesson learned: Follow the plan, breathe, and listen to the canvas.

Does it look like anything? That's up to you to decide.

Drink: Dark and Stormy
Playlist: Naomi's - from DC: The Movie production