1956 (WEST TEXAS) THE PAINTING

This is 24" x 48". Named 1956 (WEST TEXAS) trying to capture at home with Mom.

1956 PREPARATORY SKETCH

First I did a plan which always changes. 

Then painted some of the pieces that would go in the painting.

Practice, practice, practice.

AUSTIN KLEON AT BOOKPEOPLE

Last night, 5/30/14, Austin Kleon had a reading of his new book, SHOW YOUR WORK, at BookPeople (a Great independent bookstore). Sharon Smith, Cindy House and I got a seat down front. This is some of my sketchbook notes from the reading.He said originality is an idea of Capitalism, a Romantic notion. I do agree that chasing "originality", beyond one's own personal expression, isn't all that interesting.

RED OR YELLOW?

Does anyone know of two pigments that when mixed together is redder or yellower...as the blue is bluer.... than either of the two original pigments?
Glazing Cadmium Red Medium with Alizarin Crimson CAN make the red redder but that is not mixing. That's layers. Where does the idea of Three Primary Colors come from? Does it come from before the industrial revolution which produced PG7 (Pthalo green) and dioxyline purple (PV 23 RS)? Just asking.

1956 (WEST TEXAS) BLUES

The West Texas sky really looks black at night but it is a deep 3-D black. To reproduce 3-D on a flat surface is just a metaphor so I used the dark blue made from purple+green for the stars background. The middle value blue at the top of this detail is ultramarine+bit of white. The blue at the horizon is the Pthalo+Diox blue + white. A whole dialogue of blues with red & yellow bits in the stars to make an imitation twinkle. I know some is lost in photographic reproduction but this  gives the idea.

ART GUERRA ART SUPPLIES, NYC

I told Art Guerra at Art Guerra Art Supplies (510 E 13th St # A, New York, NY)
that I could mix a blue. He became livid. I tried to explain to him but he wouldn't hear of it. Art is a real art supply guru/fanatic and a wonderful resource.

BLUE COURTESY OF JOE SOSA

Blue is a primary color, cannot be mixed. That's theory and might be semantics. This a photo of a palette with my blue that I make from Pthalo green and dioxyline purple. I put a bit of the purple and the green so you can see the pigments I use.There is also a bit of ultramarine blue on the top side for a comparison blue.

Joe Sosa described this phenomenon  when I bought his Blue painting back in the early 1980's.

ROBERT BUNKIN

Robert Bunkin does magnificent paintings of people. This is a painting of Jenny.

  and has turned to Trees. New paintings by Robert are at the School of Visual and Performing Arts gallery.

TURNING INTO POSTCARDS

Turning the contact sheet of sketches into postcards seems a good use of the teeny pictures.

NURSING HOME SKETCHES

These are some of the sketches I did while visiting my Mom at her Nursing Home, Retirement and Nursing Center. I made a contact sheet from the scans of the sketches, printed that then scanned the page of 35 sketches.

DOG RESCUE

This is 24" x 36"....called a Dog's Tale.

SPONTANEOUS, SORT OF

I like to "polish" work but the spontaneity in the postcards is very seductive. Maybe I can pull more of that into the big works?

WEST in HYDE PARK

Walking around Hyde Park, I saw the most interesting houses. Individualized. 

I changed my selection somewhat for the second week-end. I took out Tipitina paintings and added a 30" x 24" painting of just dolls and blocks. 

I have noticed very few if any doll paintings have sold WHEREAS several Girl on Wall paintings have sold over the years.

What to do with all these paintings with dolls??? Paint them out? Roll them up? I got a lot of conversation and prolonged looking so they might be interesting. However, I am moving on!

POSTCARDS SUITABLE FOR USPS

Making postcards using the "contact sheet" function for printing images of my paintings is fun. I do like the US postal service and like to encourage

personal use of the service.   

NEXT SUNDAY MAY 18

Next Sunday at our spot on the WEST Tour, the Music will be there. In the shade at 4108 Avenue H, Hyde Park. Come by and see the art, visit the scene.

HYDE PARK SIX ON MOTHER'S DAY

My new selection of Doll and Walls drew a lot of interest but no buyers. This is not the audience for my work but I enjoy the conversations, yes.

Herb Long drew at an easel and Riley Hickerson played music.

Beautiful weather for the WEST Austin Studio Tour on Mother's Day.

WEST PERFECT WEATHER

I'm going to rotate the paintings, add this one today.

RILEY AND FRIENDS are going to play some R&B Rock 'N Roll, Sunday afternoon about 2 PM.

TODAY AT WEST

Some of the work that will be on display today and tomorrow.

ARTSPACE FOR WEST!!

As luck would have it, Kelli, the director of Austin ArtSpace saw my work on Facebook. She sent a message through Fcbk that one of their artists didn't make the show! So "Be ready to be lucky". She accepted FOUR of my works for exhibit during WEST. 

ME AND MOM....AND THE WALL

I saw a field of this prairie grass on a windy day. Watching the grass imitating waves on the ocean, I thought of our pioneer ancestors and the folk songs Mom would play.  Sweet Betsy from Pike, The Red River Valley......

PINK SKY

I had a professor once who said "the sky can't

be that color!" He grew up in a big city.

CINDERELLA IN A BURKA ON A WALL

I painted a woman in a Burka on a wall with one sparkly shoe. I saw photos of Afghanistan looking desolate like West Texas.

MIDLAND tx SKY

The endless sky is the main landscape opportunity in West Texas. Lie on a wall and watch the sky. Four or six feet off the ground one can see for miles and miles.

NOT EXTANT - ANOTHER ONE

This was called BEST RAINBOW. There is a little foot in the left of the painting on the wall. I still have the study for the painting. It's done in walnut ink.

GETTING ORGANIZED AND FINDING "NOT EXTANT"

While getting ready for WEST AUSTIN STUDIO TOUR, I find the sketches and photos of paintings sold OR no longer existing. Not Extant. Painted Out, Cannabilized for the canvas or just lost.

KEN SARO WIWAH TEACHES ANUNU UWAWAH AND DOLL TO DANCE

This is Anunu Uwawah, a soldier and the doll. It is sort of about her non-violent stategy.

 ANUNU UWAWAH AND DOLL DANCING came out of news stories from Nigeria added to my growing up in the “oil patch”. News stories about the oil industry often interest me. Anunu Uwawah was one of the women who took ChevronTexaco oil workers hostage by threatening to strip, take off their clothes! She and the other women won concessions from the big company by non-violent means.

Ken Saro Wiwa was a leader of the non-violent resistance to the exploitation of his people by his government and big oil companies. He was murdered in 1995 by the Nigerian dictator. Some of the practices that Mr. Saro Wiwa objected to are the ones that led Phillips, Texas (my former home) becoming a Super Fund site. The imagery is just about capturing a feeling or a mood.