Holiday Tidings

Hope you've had a wonderful holiday and are getting jazzed up for Art-a-Day January.  My daughter and I are visiting the artist community of Tubac, AZ today, getting inspired by beautiful art.
See you here again in 4 days!

The 7^th Annual Art-a-Day starts in 2 ½ weeks.  Are you in?

Totally Fun - Thank You!!

 Thank you for your posts, your pictures, your rich and honest words, for making this a fun place to come again and again.  Even though I was a total slacker, I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing creative community with you.

I am so itching-eager to spend time in the studio and have a specific project I'd like to do - so, February might be my art-a-day month.  As always, everyone welcome to post any time and the more the merrier.

If you're from the region -enjoy the return of the sun!  What a powerful source of joy that is!

January 31, it's a wrap

The past couple days of January were spent doing a field study and then some studio work to complete. The few days of sunlight got me wanting to wander out and paint. Though a bit breezy, I did paint briefly in the truck -- a bit cramped and messy! It was fun to study the scene though and just get down a few preliminary strokes before heading to the studio.

There's a lovely sheltered path that passes under a high embankment of trees along the Columbia River off Columbia River Park Trail. Perhaps you will recognize it. The river laps the shoreline, nourishing the abundant eco-system there. I was thrilled to see a figure in bright yellow walk into the scene, and got a shot of him before he disappeared into the shadows. (Follow the progression of the painting below, final is shown last) 

Field Study - "River's Pause", 8x10 oil on board, ©Laura Gable
I got down just enough color to suggest the scene. I enjoy the freshness of this piece.

FINAL: "River's Pause", 8x10 oil on board, ©Laura Gable
(The scene was refined a bit, small strokes added, focal point adjusted, colors and value adjusted.)

Here's the best awareness for the month -- the most rewarding part of art for me is the disappearing into the process of creating ... Moving into that space where time seems to be suspended. May you find magic in these moments like I have.

Thanks for journeying with me. I enjoy the creative interaction, seeing what others are up to in their processes, and value the comments we've shared. Thanks so much Bobi for making this available to us again, and for guiding our steps. You are a jewel.

Visit me on my personal blog if you want, I'll post there throughout the year. http://lauragable.blogspot.com

Last efforts of the month, by Pat.

Today is still January. Sorry about no pics but you can see the newest of the new at The Salon in the The Roxy after Monday. I will hang on Mon. We are prepping for that class today. I am also firing a glaze and a bisque kiln now. This weather is nice since we were running short of suitable clay. Some clay is out on the retaining wall to dry a little and now we are all set for next week. The Richland library expected the 3-D art removed yesterday so it was rush,rush this AM. Cyberart 509 exhibits there. We are supposed to rehang at AA on Monday but I don't think I will make it but if there is a pillow to sit on some more of the 100 bowls for charity might be made. Bobi,this is genius and I wish more folks shared. Posting pics would be nice but I am embarrassed to keep asking She Pat to post for me. She is actually involved with a "Photograph a Week" for a year with a friend from Portland Or. She should post. Maybe next year. I wish we could figure out an exhibit or the work. Thanks for everything you do Bobi. A note to Chel, I think that is what it is about. According to the "rules" of conceptual art, if you thought about it you have done it. The "rules" of conceptual art now there is an oxymoron. It has been an honor to be associated with Bobi, Chell, Laura and all the rest of you. Thanks Pat

Jambalaya

Have finally finished my mixed media work. It's pretty jazzy, and I've titled it Jambalaya. Mixed media on black suede mat board. 20" x 8"

Chris Walling

Progress

Hello. I might have finished my painting of dancing Buddhists Monks today. I Lifted from the new Nat Geo mag. It might not make it out of the studio or it might get hung this weekend at The Salon at The Roxy. I went to Lowe's and bought some gold spray paint and sprayed the edges like a frame. It will be sprayed this weekend with acrylic along with Miles and the painting I lifted from a Purex ad. Pics tomorrow hopefully. Thanks Pat

Grey-Scape

"Grey-Scape" 6x4 oil on card, ©Laura Gable

Who is ready to see the end of these temperature inversions, grey days, mist, freezing fog, hoar frost, intermittent flurries, and freezing rain? We start to realize the value of LIGHT in our days, and which gives us so much to study as artists. A moment ago I saw some actual blueness in the sky so am hopeful that the skies will turn today.

One of my artist friend's recently mentioned that even on cloudy days the sky is actually lighter than it is when it is full of brilliant blue. It does make sense that light grey is lighter and brighter than the cerulean and ultramarine blue skies we crave. The pervasive greyness alters and unifies the landscape's colors and tones. The value scale falls in the middle (2,3, & 4 on a scale of 1-5), as most bright highlights and deep shadows fall away. So with this in mind yesterday, I painted our local hillsides and waterways from memory. I know I would do better with a photo reference, but this moody landscape is emblazoned into my psyche! Greyed color can actually be quite lovely and serene. The yellows in the foreground were even greyed. Compared to the other colors they seem so bright. The cheat grass and other nimble brushes within the marsh take on some varied and interesting colors this time of year.

So my awareness of the day: When I open up and really see with these two treasured eyes of mine, I can find beauty even when things are gloomy and grey. Find the mystery in the misty days.

PS - we are almost done with this challenge. I didn't do a painting a day, but I tried to do something creative most days and when I was too tired to pick up a brush, I even counted the creative thoughts as valid and pertinent!

Cloud Scape

"Cloud Scape" 8x10 oil on board, ©Laura Gable

Painting clouds can be challenging as there are no hard edges. This is my attempt doing so from a photo of a distant horizon and the earth curving away above. I'm not sure I've captured the curving away of the sky, as this was very vast. I do like the feel of it though, and the bits of orange that crept in on the left side of the lower sky. Even though it may look like it, there are no intentional monster faces in these clouds. But if you see something there, am sure it might be a window into the individual psyche (smile).

Today's awareness: I have this wanting to create scenes from memory, yet I find I do much better if I have something to reference in front of me while I paint. Seems like a simple awareness, but it is powerful none-the-less.

Check out Kimberly Camp's posting on Sojourner Truth.

Pots - 1/26/14 by Pat Fleming

Hello. This is a picture of some of the mugs I mentioned earlier. The ones in front are stoneware and the ones in the back are earthenware. I was surprised that there were only 52 left in the barn. Along with the 36 in the house I am short of the 100. We decided to include 4 pairs of matching mugs in a basket to the ACT auction along with a thrown coffee filter holder and some tea and coffee. Today I trimmed some bowls and fired 2 test kilns. The tests were for cone 1 pale dirt glaze and the cone 8 wood ash glaze. The reason for firing to cone 8 is to re-fire at cone 1 and that re-oxidizes the glaze and we get a very mottled iron red. That glaze was the subject of the first article I had published in the 70s. I was afraid to share my secret but after I did it became obvious that no one cared so sharing seems to be safe in the art world. Let's all share. Thanks. Pat

1-25-14

Hello. We went to look at The Reach with Bobi yesterday. That was cool-thanks Bobi. Yesterday I fired 2 kilns, one glaze and one bisque. Today I fired a test kiln to test a couple of glazes that are causing me grief. A friend has notified us that she wants some mugs for the ACT auction coming up nest week. Luckily I work every day and have many mugs but I want to have matching stoneware ones and my cone 8 (2300 F)glaze is causing grief. The dirt glaze is always reliable but the wood ash one is not. Today I trimmed bowls for the Summer, Safe House, charity action. I couldn't sleep a couple of days ago due to realizing I could use the 1200 lbs of cone 6 clay that was given to me a few years ago so I will continue the bowls using this. At cone 6 we have a really simple, stable, glaze and so it goes. I will table the cone 8 stuff and continue the cone 6 and earthenware (1984 degrees F) for classes. I will try to get She Pat to post some photos but the pots are unfired so they are not pretty (what ever that means) If you look at the new National Geographic mag you will see a picture of dancing monks. They spoke to me. I will paint one of the dancing images instead of Jimmi H. I got in a heated debate with a new art teacher somewhere in the either. She thinks she has discovered that System Analysis is applicable to art education. I signed off with a shot about her not wanting to follow old people who have already gone through that and found it didn't work. When one is young, one thinks they have discovered a new trail when the trail has simply been discarded and grown over. Systems Analysis, as it is taught, is diametrically opposite of what we should be teaching in art. Thanks. Pic tomorrow. Pat Fleming

Clover Island Stroll

"Clover Island Stroll" 11x14, oil on board, ©Laura Gable

Today was the perfect day to complete this unfinished plein air study. It was started on a lovely September day on Clover Island here in Kennewick, WA. The island has been going through a facelift over the past few years, with the addition of the lighthouse and these lovely foliage lined curving paths with boardwalk viewing bump outs. Though it was a breezy day that started out with intermittent sprinkles, it turned into a bright sun filled afternoon ... perfect for painting lighthouses. This pair of friendly walkers happened by at the right time so we can get a sense of scale of the vertical shapes.

Today's effort involved adding the figures, and refining the shape of the trees and clouds, plus altering the colors on the lighthouse and pathway. I'm wanting to do more in this series. Hopefully it will warm a bit so an outdoor excursion is possible ... or I will dig through my photographs to find a worthy candidate to paint. So that's the day's awareness ... paint in a series.

This was shared by my friend recovering from hip surgery, and it feels very fitting for this painting: "God is good, He widens our path so we don't stumble." May you have wide clear paths today. 

Heart's Afire

"Hearts Afire-revised" 12x12 oil on 2.5" cradled masonite board, ©Laura Gable

I can't get too far into the year without doing a sunflower painting. This few day's effort was actually altering an old painting that sat around the studio too long. The concept was there, just needed a bit more for the execution - two flowers almost combined together to make one. One a bit bigger and stalwart, the other a bit closed in and nurturing. I enjoyed the way this painting has moved closer to my original intention to portray the two hearts afire, with more juicy paint and muted grayish areas, lighter and darker tones, more definite shadows. It says a lot about love and deep friendship.

This is painted on a 2.5" deep cradled masonite board.

A poem I recall from high school days which seems fitting today.
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.
Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Just walk beside me and be my friend.

-Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Albert Camus

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/albertcamu100779.html#yUgrl8qasdtRJV1W.99

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Albert Camus

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/albertcamu100779.html#yUgrl8qasdtRJV1W.99

January 23

Am growing concerned about the overall composition.  Somehow, I have to get your eye back to the picture and away from that dangling branch on the lower left side...  These blossoms are HARD.

Thank you! to you diligent ones!

I, apparently, have been practicing the art of patience with myself.  :)  

The good news -I believe I accomplished yesterday (and again today) more than I have in these last two months.  Certainly understandable but, dang. it's nice! I even sketched!

JANUARY 21

Remember - GO SLOW.  There are places here where I saw a huge shadow - along her jawline, down her throat - and I DANGIT painted too long, too dark, all at once.  BLAST ME.  The nice thing about this paper (and hopefully, the paint colors themselves) is that I can remove some of it - some more than others.  I succeeded in working all around yesterday, I can see that, and the new challenge is - where do I blend the person and the branches.  How distinct is the boundary?  This is definitely more pains taking then a simple portrait and the challenge continues to be to not spend too much time in any one place so the entire painting grows all at once blending and making one cohesive whole.  It is fun that this really isn't a portrait but a painting, which sounds weird...

JANUARY 20

Again, a day late - took this this morning before I started working on it again.  It's coming along, I just have to be sure and not get too caught up in any one part - keep working around and around.  I like how her face is a part of things and not THE thing.  If I can keep the colors clear...

A little of this and that

Well I have done some sketching with the Urban Sketchers  down at The Blank Canvas and I have tried to finish a couple of old paintings...progress below.

I liked stage two and now I am discouraged and stuck. This last week I was too busy to get anything done but the Urban Sketchers. But alas I have not totally given up yet.  

One other little artsy project I got sidetracked on was reviving some old rapidograph pens I decided to dig out.  I have not drawn anything as of yet with them.  I actually like all the fussing and repairing of these antiquated pens. Thanks to Adrian and his box of parts ;)

dreaming of sunshine

Dreaming of sunshine, on Sandypoint Spit, Ferndale Washington.  No wait, I just drove back from there, not a dream.

A group of 6 tapestry weavers from the PNW met for a retreat. I drew this with a micron pen and added colour with Art Bars.  Fine Australian Tapestry Workshop Yarns, on the beach?  Well no, not quite.  In a well lit cabin on the beach.  On Saturday, the snowy mountains across the bay and in the distance, were showing off.  I took lots of pics!

patti

JANUARY 19 - ALREADY!

Lots of thinking - maybe too much! - but I have painted Grace twice now and am losing interest but I really don't like either one of them.  I wanted to experiment with backgrounds on these watercolor portraits as I have been leaving them basically blank.  I've been looking at a lot of art - Van Gogh, Matisse - and there is such interest in the background where it becomes such a big part of the overall design.

SO - I found a photo of a beautiful flowering tree and am incorporating that into the portrait.  I really, really hope I can integrate the 2 in some interesting pattern.  This is what I started with this morning and have worked on it all day (in between gasping during football games).  I'll take another photo in the morning to show the progress...

Today

Well there is nothing else on TV except some game so I am here. I fired 3 kilns, glazed some mugs, trimmed some others and loaded a bunch of over reduced pots into the barn kiln so we can burn the excess carbon off of them. I really over reduced the firing sometime last year and the pots have been sitting around being all black and such. The barn kiln is on the same circuit as one of the ones in the basement so it will have to wait until tomorrow. A sagger will be installed and the pots will be reduced again just not so much. Does anyone want a tubing bender? A new band saw has replaced it and it produced some new wooden bats yesterday. Whoo-hoo! I have adhered some newspapers to a canvas (ala pinterest) with some acrylic and am planning on doing a monochromatic painting of Jimmi Hendrix. I have never done him before and it seems kind of cliche'. I will look for someone else but maybe it is time for some Jimmi over some plasticized Tri-City Herald. The Tri-City Herald as art, is that rich or what? Thanks. Pat

A few progress shots of a painting I'm still working on.

We seem to be entering the doldrums of the month. The point when the new year's gusto starts to settle down. When we begin to realize we are still treading the same path we were on before, but perhaps with a more purposeful step, and a bit more refreshed view of things.

I want to share a few "progress" shots of a painting that I'm still working on.

I started with a balsa wood board that was primed with gold gesso. The first few coats of oil paint mixed about 50:50 with Dorland's cold wax medium were applied with spatula (soft turquoise and wax); Another layer troweled on (soft green and wax); and then with a brayer (white and wax). These colors did dry between coats. A small amount of scratching happens at this point. That is the Step 1 (not pictured).

Step 2 (one is not posted)

Step 2: Once this dries for a few days, I used an oil pastel crayon to draw out the figure. A rubber tipped tool moves wet paint around, making hash motions. She is ethereal and made of the clouds and ocean waves. A bit like a Mary Oliver poem I've read recently --

"Today again I am hardly myself.

It happens over and over.

It is heaven-sent.

It flows through me

like the blue wave.

Green leaves - you may believe this or not - have once or twice

emerged from the tips of my fingers."

Step 3

The figure is defined a bit more a few days later (again with oil pastels) and bits of the background start to take shape.

Step 4, almost there

This time I decided her head needed some attention so oil paint without wax was brushed onto the face and parts of the background. More oil pastel were also drawn on. Next step will likely be another bit of wax/oil paint applied and some scratching through to reveal the under layers. I did that a bit on step 4, though not as much as the last painting that I did.

She will yet evolve a bit more ... stay tuned.

Three Aspens

"Three Aspens" 5x7 oil on panel, ©Laura Gable

The rocks were shimmering in this outcropping from a photo I took a few years back while traversing parts of Colorado. I failed to label the location. The sky was crystal clear, air redolent with pine and clouds had that cotton-candy quality. Pristine! The aspen trees were just starting to lose their leaves. Crowds flock to the mountains in late September to see the "colors" of these golden groves of white barked sentinels.

Am having fun doing these little almost-daily studies. My goal for a few days now has been landscape. And wiggling the brushes around in the oils again. I took a break for awhile from my oil paints late last year, so am enjoying this dalliance. Awarenesses arise while I work, and this day's was to make an effort to design the scene - not just paint what I see.  It's harder when working with the perfect photo (anyway I was pleased with this amateur shot I took). When you are outside and surrounded by the brilliance of the outdoors it is easier ... steal a tree from over there, move the clouds, let the scene dance about. A lifelong pursuit, I am sure.

The Blank Canvas Urban Sketch

On sunny January 15th, the Urban Sketchers met at Cindy's The Blank Canvas in downtown Kennewick. For warm up I sketched the metal wrapped bar and a table and chair.  I also drew a spot light focusing on Laura's Balloon Smiley Face, that she sketched on my blank page as an "atta gal" star!

So, I swiveled 50 degrees and attempted to sketch Dave.  Well, it looks a bit like Jim!  lol
I had great fun and hopefully I will make it to the next sketch!
patti

JANUARY 15

TRI-CITIES URBAN SKETCHERS:   

Every Wednesday the Tri-Cities Urban Sketchers meet somewhere at 9:30 am to draw.  

We usually draw until around 11 - 11:30, share our sketches and chat.  There have been times when we stick around and have lunch.  It's a great, fun event that has grown to mean a lot to me - it improves my eye, it challenges my hand and it's fun to meet up with other crazy people who draw.

 

This is the sink faucet by the counter with the coffee machine.  

I was a bit overwhelmed by work issues this morning 

so I needed something simpler than a huge, open room!

I finished early and drew a couple quick studies of Patti and Maryann.

Art for today Janury 15 by Pat Fleming

I am deeming the painting done and will spray it with acrylic this weekend. Also included are pictures of some test pots thrown off the hump for testing glazes. We use local material for glazes so each batch must be tested. Also included are some mugs sitting in the "wet box" resting. And finally a picture of some Othello clay set out to age and dry for the near future. Thanks. Pat Fleming

Colorado Spring

Hello art-a-day viewers. It's not to late to jump into the challenge. Drop us a line, or comment here, and we'll add you as an author.

Here's my post from a study I did over a 3 day period - it had some struggle in it. My goal was landscapes again. I'm enjoying painting these small ones, they are refreshing.
----------

"Colorado Spring" 6x8 oil on panel, ©Laura Gable

I still have a hankering for Colorado. And Springtime. This field of lupines and wild flowers was so pretty, from so long ago. The back hills were beckoning me into the scene.

I had a bit of struggle in this painting. I wanted to establish a hierarchy with the two trees so made the right one more dominate, and added a path so one could get into the painting. The lupines are still a bit troublesome though.

Observation

This really odd. The grey area that Laura was posting about wasn't showing up now it is. Sometime I think it is a conspiracy by the computer nerds against anyone over 40. The Mazama ash has too much water in it. I added 2% bentonite, 10% each silica and titanium oxide. finished mugs this AM. Class tonight. Thanks Pat

My progress

Hello. I am in, how cool is that? The catastrophe wasn't as bad I as I had feared. The pots were all over fired but nothing melted onto the shelves and elements- whew! Testing cone 8 wood ash and volcanic ash glaze tonight. Added bentonite to Mt. Mazama ash but it needs ballmilling. Pulled some handles today for mugs I made last night, added some more borate to the dirt glaze, have a class tonight. The wood ash glaze is doing really odd things and needs attitude adjustment. This is cool! Thanks Bobi! I'll try to do pics next.

January 12 - Oops, darnit.

I would say this painting is complete except that the drawing is off!  RATS!  The mistake I made was working on his face WAY too long before going to his hair and his jacket and once I got there I realized everything was too long and it doesn't look like him.  It's the lousiest thing, when you spend so much time on something and the underlying drawing is incorrect.  My wish is to have something that actually looks accurate but is interpreted in a whole new way.  I will need to do this again (and save this for another 5 years until - in case - he grows to look like this)...

Logging on

Hello. I wonder if anyone recognized the words on my last posting. Well this is really odd. I can only get through from Laura Gables's e-mail. There is no orange rectangle with a white pen on the site that I saved to favs or through www. etc. Thanks Laura. Well anyways I am afraid to go down stairs to look in my kilns. I use a pyrometer as back-up and the wires were in the way and stopped the shut off from activating. The kiln drastically overfired and I am afraid everything is melted. We were heading to cone 05 and hit cone 8, I fear. I will have to look and we have a class tonight and I must face the music. This stuff happens but if I had not been occupied with a stupid TV show I would have checked it an hour earlier. The other kiln worked ok so it is not totally loss. Now I must see if I can post pics through Laura's e-mail. This computer seems off. It dumped all of my saved e-mails.

Hello. "Is there anybody in there? Smile if you can hear me. Is there anybody home?" this is a test to see if this works since there is no blinking light on the camera.

My experience (2)

 http://ibaritr.blogspot.com/

The second installation of my experience.  A bit redundant but I feel strongly about the  mental attitude and its role in my recovery. 
This is a short piece though the whole of it will be insufferably long. 

Ashby: Bright Color planet

Well not painting everyday, but am getting things done. This done. Mostly for now. 18 x 24 Acrylic called "The Moons of Shroom"   :).  This is a lot brighter colors than I usually use.  I had fun.
Greg Ashby

Autumn Trails

"Autumn Trails" is a small study for a cold and windy day. Guess I've got a hankering for a Colorado Autumn right about now. We traveled this path by bicycle many years back, going from Dillon Reservoir to the town of Frisco. The aspen trees were glistening with golden color. It was an idyllic time.

"Autumn Trails" 6x6 oil on 3/4" cradled textured board, © Laura Gable

Happy trails!!

January 9, 10, 11

Thursday, January 9 - Basic wash, thought these colors are really much less brilliant than this shows.

Friday, January 10 - This is always so scary.  I wonder what the heck I am doing half the time but continue to work round and round, staying off the wet paint and onto the dry.

Saturday, January 11 - This is much more true to the color and it's reassuring to see something that begins to make sense.  Now, the challenge is to not go too far while still defining his features and turning a flat 2 dimensional piece of paper into a 3 dimensional head.  How fun to have a place to post daily progress!  Again, Arches 300# Cold Press Watercolor paper - 22" x 22".

sketching and weaving

When I can, I hop down to my tiny studio and weave tapestry. I am sampling backgrounds, snow and trees.  I am weaving with Elv super fine yarns and silk. The colours appear lighter than actual.  The sample measures 2 inches across and woven until all the problems are solved. I leave the ends hanging about and easily to see the combinations of each bundle. Woven sideways, I am weaving a forest of Nths. lol

Yesterday, I patiently waited, a curved fireplace, a couple of chairs, lights above and a cylinder for a table. I didn't have to wait very long.

Gulp, here's my attempt at Urban Sketching.  I was in Clearwater West with Nancy, betcha can't tell!  So, I have heard, that sketching is a good thing, geesh, I certainly hope so..... Laura, are you laughing...
patti

January 10

'DOUGIE'  The start of a new watercolor portrait.  These will be a day behind because I take the photo in the morning before starting so it's the previous day's work.  Not much time to paint either today or yesterday but some!

Revise

Three Plums, 8x8 oil on board, ©Laura Gable

Revising an older painting that needed a bit of softening of edges, warming and brightening up of colors was what this day's studio effort called for. Just a few brush strokes for this quaint little French plum painting which was originally painted last year.

more fun with sketching

I am still trying to figure out how to do a sketch-sketch, I mean not the painting-like sketch. I was used to painting watercolors before I started sketching, and I find myself filling up the paper with stuff like I did with painting. The only difference for me is that I work much faster and don 't polish my sketches. I will keep on sketching and sooner or later I'll get it right.

Sketching with the Urban Sketchers Today!

Always a great time (tho not nearly this challenging) the Wednesday morning sketching with

the Urban Sketchers at Clearwater West.  

A GIANT perspective study!

Blogging about Sub Arachnoid Hemorrhage and Brain Surgery -correct link

Oops - here's the correct link...

http://ibaritr.blogspot.com/ 

A Little Sketch

Thought this would be easy as I sipped a cup of coffee this afternoon at The Local, and then the perspective got all wonky and drove me nuts.

I am also working on some paintings that are not going so well.  For me I guess I just need to keep plugging away and be happy with getting something done and learning from my messes. 

January 7 - Landscapes

Yup, sometimes a Landscape means a Landscape and I LOVE the art of Landscapes.  I research trees and shrubs and driveway material and screens and windbreaks and walkways.  Today I did not go into the studio but sat at my desk and drew...