Hiatus

I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus from painting
these last few weeks.

Like many of us, I found myself unable to focus or concentrate
in the studio, so I decided to take some time off.
I’ve been reading, gardening, walking, and missing my
kids and grandkids terribly. .

This weekend we finally got to see them all at the beach.
At one point, our 4 year old (oldest of 4) asked if he could draw
so I got out my favorite “art kit”.

This portable water color set comes with a brush you fill with water.
All you need is sketch book and a kleenex.
(Thank you Sebastian and Sally!)

This is what he came up with!

“Day at the Beach” 4 x 6 watercolor, marker on paper. By Nico Colella

Oh, to be a four year old again!
I hope everyone is enjoying this memorable
Memorial Day.

New Subject Matter

I played 9 holes of golf yesterday and it was pure heaven.
I’ve been aching for some new subject matter
so the open space and all those greens
were just the ticket. .
I was so inspired that I got out my sketch book and
watercolors and did these quick studies
as soon as I got home.

I loved the organic shapes and the marker showing through
so I did these 9 x 12 acrylics on canva paper this am.

We’ll see where this takes me.

As our lives slowly begin to open up
and Mother Nature continues to do her thing,
I’m buoyed by hope.

Stay safe everyone!

Mother's Day

Like many, I’ve been cleaning out drawers
and finding lots of memorabilia.
I found a box of items that belonged to my Mom
and decided to paint them in her honor.

Mom’s Things 16 x 16 acrylic

My Mom loved to sew and always had a project or two in the works.
(That’s a hand appliquéd hanky and a needlepointed scissor case)
And her beloved transistor radio was always tuned to a baseball game.

I’m so grateful for the memories I have of my
amazingly talented and creative MOM!

Happy Mother’s Day to all.

Materials Matter

Just like our signatures, mark making in painting
depends on what materials we use.
(Think signing a check with a ball point pen vs. signing a photo with a marker. )
Last week, I got out my oils and did this
on this 10 x 10 gallery wrapped canvas.

I tried some “staccato” marks to perk it up
but the tooth of the canvas and the heaviness of the oils
made it very tight.

Then I took a piece of canson canva paper and my acrylics
and did this fun thing very quickly.

For some reason, painting on paper feels less prescious and is more freeing.
Also, I can be more agressive with the acrylics, because I can change it so easily.
Here’s the Procreate image I used as a quick reference.

I don’t think I could ever settle on one combo of materials
to use for all my paintings.
Each one is a single and unique experience
that depends on the materials at hand and the mood I’m in!

NOTE:

Now I need new brushes and
I’ve never ordered them on line.
I need to feel them.

Mark Making

We’ve been talking about Mark Making (or Paint Application)
in the MDN class this month.
This week, I played with using “staccato” brush strokes;
or quick short marks in the style of Van Gogh or Vuillard.

First I tried it out with the Procreate app on my I Pad.
I used the complement, in the same value, of each color section
to make the marks.

I kept checking the values by putting it into black and white
to see if they would “disappear. “

I did a pretty good job except for the shadow shape behind the pup.
I then tried doing that with paint and it wasn’t quite as much fun,
or successful.

“Guest Room”
20 x 10 acrylic

Stay tuned.
We’re exploring “slash and dash” brush strokes next!

Dishes

Now that everyone is cooking and eating at home,
doing dishes has become a regular activity.
I couldn’t resist trying that out as a subject.

“Party of One” 12 x 10 acrylic

I had fun using this procreate sketch as
as reference .

Thinking about all of my pals who are eating alone
more than they should be.
May we all get back to “dining out” sooner
than later.

Empty Rooms It won't be long

While further exploring interiors as a subject,
it occured to me that “empty rooms” can be a metaphor
for what we are all experiencing now.
I feel like we are all empty rooms,
just waiting to be filled with people again.

“Empty Kitchen”
20 x 16 acrylic

Hang in there everyone,
it won’t be long.

Finding Structure

After staying away from the studio for a few days
I re-entered today with some new energy.
I’d found some great images of interiors I’d taken
one summer at a friend’s summer “camp”
and got inspired.

I realized that interiors are a very comforting subject right now.
Getting out a ruler and planning the shapes ahead of time
gave me structure and stability.
Then I was able to play with making up colors, values
and mark making.

This was satisfying in so many ways.
Here’s to those rooms getting filled with people this summer!

Epiphany

Like many of my artist friends, I’m having a difficult time
focussing in the studio;
finding it difficult to be “present”,
(which happens to be an essential requirement for
creating meaningful paintings.)
It’s discouraging and usually means
it’s time to take a break.

The Present
12 x 12 acrylic

I tell myself that times like these are usually
followed by an epiphany* of sorts.
Both in the studio, and in life.
Happy Passover/Easter everyone.

*(1) : a usually sudden manifestation or perception
of the essential nature or meaning of something.
(2) : an intuitive grasp of reality through something
(such as an event) usually simple and striking.
(3) : an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure.

Planning Ahead

I am a planner by nature.
So for years, whenever I’d hear artists say things like
“just let it happen” or
”let the painting tell you where to take it”
I’d be skeptical.
Lately though I’ve been forcing myself to the easel
without an idea or a plan (or a reference image!)
and the results have been quite surprising.

“Alone Together”
10 x 10 oil

This began loosly as a beachscape, until I found myself thinking
about all the people who are losing loved ones
and cannot be with them to say goodbye.
Soon, the colors became muted, the linear shapes appeared
and marks were made;
seemingly without my direction!
Yikes.

I’m not sure I’m totally comfortable with this approach,
but I do think that less planning produces more discoveries!

Painting An Emotion

I’m learning that a common approach to abstract painting
is to start with a non-subjective idea;
such as an emotion, a sense, or a memory.

“Empathy”
12 x 12 oil, cold wax, oil sticks

I began this while thinking of all the ways people’s lives
are being impacted in both
positive and negative ways these days.

That led to my being conscious of
balancing the dark / light,
thick / thin, and dull / intense elements.

Somewhat like this wild emotional roller coaster ride
we’re all on these days.
Stay safe!

Embracing Chaos

Not having any pending deadlines or committments for my work,
I’m finding myself free to explore and experiment like never before.
My goal to be less representational and more “expressive”
has opened me up to all kinds of discoveries.

I think this one is finished for now.

I’m not using a reference
and am trying to allow the painting to evolve on it’s own.
This was becoming a landscape, (below) however
I thought the shapes were all too similar in size
and I didn’t like that blue shape.

So this is pretty much when the chaos started.

At this point, I was ready to scrape it off and start over.

However, I’m teaching myself to work through those moments
when I have no idea what I’m doing.
I’m trying to “embrace the chaos”
and am finding it quite exhilarating!

Probably a good way to approach life these days.

Meditation Painting

I re-visited a favorite Sunday traditon this week.
I listened to the live broadcast of the
First Parish Unitarian Church in Boston
11:00 service while painting.

I seem to be drawn toward the purple and yellow complements;
to me representing Easter, waking up, rebirth, renewal, hope, forsythia, azalea.
So this is what happened.
10 x 10 acrylic

As I Iistened to the reality of what is actually happening,
I was buoyed by Rev. Kendrick’s message of survival and hope.
We are all going to be changed by this
and mostly it will be for the good.
My grandmother always said:
”Greatness is never achieved, until one has suffered.”
Nelson Mandela

Thinking Abstractly

Since the world feels like it’s upside down,
I quess this is as good a time as any to experiement with abstracts.
I’m getting inspired by on-line classes, pinterest and
books on abstract painting;
Jane Davies’ Abstract Painting in particular.
After a long walk in the woods yesterday,
I did these from memory.

These are both acrylic on paper.
I used a limited pallette of cad orange, cad yellow,
dioxide purple, red oxide and cobalt turguoise.
I also focussed on varying the shapes, lines and negative spaces.

This is a whole new world, literally and navigating it
in a positie way is a challenge.
More than ever, documenting my artistic journey gives me solace
and I welcome you along.
We can do this!

Thick juicy paint

I’ve recently gone back to using oils and it’s wonderful to
feel that thick juicey paint on the brush again.
I was inspired to do this simplified landscape
yesterday.

“Spring Ahead”
10 x 10 oil

I used this dramatic image below
(a friend posted on FB) for inspiration.
I mainly focussed on contrasting those gorgeous spring pastels
with all the winter neutrals.
And that sky!

This is a wonderful time to get out and explore the landscape.
I encourage everyone to dig deep into their creative selves
during this unexpected “free time”.
Draw, cook, sew, paint, glue,….
everyone is an artis!

Life Interrupted

I cherish winter, when things generally slow down
and long hours to work alone in the studio are available.
However, I find teaching a weekly class, giving private lessons
and meeting up with like minded pals
keeps me inspired and engaged!

Now that all of that has been cancelled or postponed,
it looks like a walk in the woods is the ticket.

“Forest Bathing”
14 x 11 acrylic
Included in the James Library Annual Spring Juried Show
showing this month.
The opening reception has been postponed
but is open to the public.

”Gordon’s Pond”
16 x 16 oil

I did this from memory after a long walk yesterday.
It feels like the earth is waking up and coming alive again
after a very mild winter.
Stay tuned.
More to come, for sure.

Abstracting the Landscape

I’m not sure I’ll ever be a “full on” abstract painter
but I’m always looking for ways to make my work
less representational and more expressive.
This week I took it further than ever before in this “abstract” landscape.
My inspiration was that first day in spring
when the bright yellow forsythia pops in the midst
of all the muted purples and greys of winter.
No reference!

As you can imagine, this went though many
stages and versions and I was confused and frustrated
during most of the process.
But WOW.
It was great fun to let go
and just let the painting happen!
This could get interesting!

NOTE:
I got so involved while doing this,
I didn’t get any progress photos.
However, this is about where it started.

Limited pallet of yellows, purples, sap green
and brilliant blue in oils and oil sticks.
I used a pallett knife and some scrapers
to push and pull the paint around.
After this, my main focus was
to keep it from looking like
a “real” landscape!

Adding Texture

I’ve been working almost exclusivley with acrylics lately
but have been wanting to use my “texture tools”;
scrapers, brayers, knives, oil sticks, etc.
I don’t find acrylics as easy to push around,
so I got my oil paints out this week.
I’m newly inspired!

I had a great time pushing the colors and shape sizes
while applying lots of texture.

I’m happily getting around to exploring some of the approaches
I recently taught in my Modern Painting class.
(Practice what you preach!)

NOTE:
Below is the “start” I did a month ago
10 x 10 oil on board

And this is the image I used as a reference.

Landscape Fun

I had some fun making this landscape more “modern”
using some of the approaches I teach in my class.

The landscape in New England in winter is generally
not very dramatic or inspiring.

I used this image for reference and then used the Procreate “pallet” below
(that I’d created from one of my bar scene ideas)
for a fun limited color scheme.
(I did add a little blue)

I’ll admit.
I’m a bit conflicted about using Procreate
and all the technology available to artists these days.
When I spend too much time on it
I feel like I should just be painting “for real.”

But then again, what you can do with it
is SO much fun!

More Bar Scenes

I’m finding the bar scene as a subject more fun than imagined.
For this series of quick acrylic skeches,
I have to be “on the sly “ to get the images.
I take a ton of quick pics with my phone,
sometimes pretending like I’m taking a selfie.

”Legal C”
8 x 8 acrylic sketch

“Beijing House”
7 x 10 acrylic

Living in New England in the winter is challenging
for those of us who crave color.
So indoors we go!