Surveying Her Subjects

She came in as the younger, smaller cat in the house, but soon took over as the one in charge. The back of the couch is the highest point in the room that is comfortable. She can see the whole room, the other cat, me, and the backyard out the window across the room. She has great color, sort of black and brown, some rust and white, a pink nose and “odd socks” as I call them, meaning each paw is different.

Quite a demanding little kitty, she yells at me when she wants something, but if I whisper at her, she will whisper back. She is a great model and I could paint her all day long. Now that the springtime sun is making its way into our home, and sunbeam naps are on the schedule, a new painting is inevitable.

“Surveying Her Subjects”, 6×6″ oil on panel

Available at Daily Paintworks: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/664015

Patience

When we are quiet, when we observe, when we are still, we let it in. We let in nature, as it will begin to trust us. We let in beauty as we see more. We let in peace as we connect with the heartbeat of the universe.

Or, like this little kitty, well, he is trying to let in his next meal I suppose.

“Watching”, 6×8″ oil on panel

Available at Daily Paintworks: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/660292

It’s A Big Job

by Guest Blogger, Fred the Cat

It’s a big enough job patrolling the garden, but when a dozen artists invade the place and I have to check out each one with all those shoes, and bags, and sticks in the ground, it’s a wonder I get to all my usual checkpoints. Good thing I have bench, with its raised vantage point and luxury sunbeams, to take a well deserved rest.

My Garden Spot, oil on panel, 6×8″

Available at Daily Paintworks: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/657133

Absolute Gallery

Feminine Mystique

Crossing Capitol Ave.

Cat at the Old House

Fleetwood Diner

In the heart of Old Town Lansing, Michigan, Absolute Gallery supports local artists as well as offering custom framing and an array of handpicked craft and gift items. Everywhere you look you will find something of interest. They offer innovative live programs from time to time too.

Visit 307 East Grand River Ave., Lansing, to see these pieces I just delivered and now available.

I Get By with a Little Help from My Friends

CAT AT THE OLD HOUSE

Painted branches in that upper left-hand corner 3 times and scraped them out 3 times. Grr-rr! Just don’t like it. So just keep painting.

Continued the siding on the house but, hmmm.

It’s great to have artist friends to get an honest critique. I often show my work in progress to my friend Tom Nelson, (see his work at http://www.nelsonfineart.com).

Yep, those lines are taking your eye right off the picture plane. Let’s lose some of those and also lose some of the edges on those windows on the left as well. Lost and found edges can be an important factor in the success of a painting. And maybe a bit of change in temperature of the color to push that area back.

Now you see what’s important—kitty, kitty!

Thanks Tom.

I Can’t Even Draw A Straight Line

People admiring art sometimes tell the artist, “Wow, you’re good, I can’t even draw a straight line.”

Here are my straight lines. Left hand; right hand.

There are no straight lines in nature. Humans make straight line usually with the help of a ruler or some sort of straight edge. In my previous blog you can see my preliminary drawing where I used a ruler to draw in the building. I do not use mechanical aids when I paint.

I could use a mahl stick which many artists use to keep their hand off the surface of the painting while doing fine work. Or I could tape it off like the artists did in the 1960s when Pop Art became the vogue and crisp, straight lines were part of the style.

I want my lines to show my hand, to look painterly. I don’t want a mechanical look even on mechanical objects. This is not a photograph. This is paint on canvas or board after all.

So if you can’t draw a straight line, maybe you can push some paint around.

It takes a few layers sometimes. I’m not done yet. Still moving paint.

Cat at Old House, starting to add color.

Adding more layers; do I want branches in the upper left corner?

More decisions to make. I’ll keep painting ’til I’m happy.

“Morning Exploring”

Morning Exploring

Plein air painting in a beautiful garden is already sweet, and having a little company makes it all the better. He doesn’t interrupt but he’s there for a pet if you need one.

“Morning Exploring”, acrylic on Gessobord panel 6×8″ unframed, is available by auction via www.DailyPaintworks.com starting at $60. SOLD

Now You See It, Now You Don’t

My cousin Elaine posted on Facebook, “Go look at the moon”. I went to look and couldn’t find the moon. Maybe wrong position at my house, maybe clouds. At 4 a.m. my eyes popped open as there was a bright light shinning in them—the moon! Ah, I see Elaine, what you were speaking of, NOW I see it. Oh my!

The same thing happened when there was all the fuss about the Super Moon. The moon that was the brightest moon EVER. Everyone looked for it when they went to bed but it was cloudy. Again at 4 a.m. my eyes popped open and there it was. The clouds were clearing. I got up, got my camera and started shooting. No good from the bedroom window. To my (home) office. No good through the glass; open the sliding glass door. Snapping away, adjusting the settings… THEN I see the (indoor) cat out on the deck!!!

Nice kitty, come back inside kitty kitty, I’m outside coaxing in my pajamas. Got her back in the house, checked on the other cat, took a couple more shots, and went back to bed. Wait…did I see both cats when I got in bed? Back to the deck and there is Leeluu out on the deck! The moon or the cat! Now you see them, now you don’t! One more time I coax her in and finally got to bed.

This painting, “Super Moon” was created from that night. It is 8×8″ acrylic on canvas with metallic and pearlescent paints added. If you would like to purchase this painting, please send your bid by email. Starting at $75.00. End of sale March 8, 2015, 5 p.m. EDST. Terms of sale.

This piece is sold.

SuperMoon