BLACK LAB

BLACK LAB
16x16" oil on canvas heavyweight canvas
NFS

NAP TIME

Nap Time

oil on heavyweight canvas, 18x18"
NFS

LITTLE DANCER

LITTLE DANCER Allison 2
18x24" on heavyweight canvas

NFS

ON THE EASEL: TWOLIPS

TWOLIPS in progress
36x36", oil on heavyweight canvas


Valentine's Day flowers from Tim, 2017...with a little help from me. Have a few other paintings going on but thought I'd give this a rest and post it now because I'm undecided about so much.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!

"Tim in the Light"

October 1, 1967- February 23, 2012

 
8x8", oil on canvas
NFS

Although I know you are with me always, there are no words to describe how very very very much I miss your physical presence. I will love you through all eternity.

Five years still feels like five minutes.

BREN FINISHED FINALLY!

"Bren"
30x30" oil on heavyweight canvas
Private Collection

PUP

"PUP"
10x10" oil on canvas

SOLD

STEEMAS!

"STEEMAS!"
30x30" oil on heavyweight canvas
SOLD

Still working on this, there's a lot that needs to be done but I'm getting a bit bored and I don't want to ruin it because I've lost interest, for the time being anyway. These are the clams that I snapped while rinsing them in the sink a few weeks ago.

Why "Steemas" instead of Steamers? I'm from New York. Long Island to be exact and our accent is very distinct. If you've ever seen the Long Island Medium on TLC you get it. Although admittedly, I have tried to cover it up for years. Imagine my surprise when my college bud and I visited her family in CT back in the day and the way I spoke was the topic of the weekend! Ouch! Who knew?

Anyway, I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed working happily away on this for the last 2 weeks, however today it was a struggle getting in there so methinks it's time for a fresh canvas. The distinct semi-circle lines need blending and there's lots of highlight work to do but I thought I'd post it today for the Naked Artists challenge and finish it up when the mood strikes.

The great thing about this subject matter is that painting each distinct line and ridge would send me screaming into the night so I was forced to suggest instead of render and it was quite different from how I usually work. It's still pretty tight but that's me and I'm finally getting around to accepting that.
And appreciating it!

Off to celebrate! Today is our 21st wedding anniversary! Together on this plane for 23 incredible, joyful years! I can't wait to see what comes next. Happy Anniversary Berry! You are so cool.

And my apologies for not thanking those who stopped by and were kind enough to leave comments for my last post. Decidedly not cool! I so appreciate you stopping by, I can never say it enough...it means so much!

Happy creating and I hope everyone is enjoying the summer. Would be nice if it got warmer here though! Oh well, at least there's no snow to shovel!

I THINK IT'S BACK!

"BABY BLU refreshed"
oil on linen 24x20"

Well that happened! The other day while tidying up I suddenly felt a strong urge to paint! Finally!! I ventured into the store room—very scary, what a mess—there's a dent in this canvas because of said mess—looking for some large canvases to prepare and saw this painting of Blu from June 2011. Tim was still here then! Sigh.

Anyway, it struck me that if I worked on a piece already established I would be able to bypass the procrastination and false starts that usually pop up when standing before any empty blank canvas. It worked! In no time I was boldly splashing on a background...which has always bothered me. The interesting point about this particular painting is that I considered it completed back then, however as I continued to work on it and it came together, at last that familiar yet elusive wave of joy passed over me and I was involved and enjoying myself.

The fear was gone, the timidness evaporated. I didn't equate the outcome with self-worth and I believe for an instant or two, I actually felt to my soul that none of this mattered...not one tiny bit. Oh in the material world, "why haven't you been working, what's wrong with you" kind of way, of course it matters but in the big picture, in a universal sense, it absolutely doesn't matter at all so have at it Suz and have fun! And I did.

The trick is believing that when a painting isn't working for me but I think I'll get there.

I am pleased with the finished version but not altogether unhappy with the original. As I said, the background always bothered me, visually it didn't read "casual oil sketch"  but messy vertical lines for no reason, so I think the version on the right is more what I'm looking for now. Either way, I'm elated to have that desire back again and whatever coddling I need to do in order to keep it going... I'll do!

I think accepting the void and not fighting it is key. Since "IT" happened I've learned to accept the present moment more and more. The pain comes from resisting it. As I worked I listened to Eckhart Tolle's "The Open Door" session. We often think if we resist what's happening it will somehow protect us from the pain it will inevitably cause. "This shouldn't be happening! I refuse to accept it!" The very simple and obvious reply...But it is happening!

Apologies to the kind folks who left comments on my last post. I haven't returned the compliment as yet but I will. I so appreciate your support and sharing, it helps on so many levels and thank you so for dropping by!

VENUS the Charger Lady

Venus the Charger Lady
9x9" pencil on paper
NFS

Okay! So, here you have it! Still not feelin' the flow. It is the strangest feeling going into the studio, fully expecting to work and minutes later finding myself in the living room, on the couch looking out the window! Still. No. Desire. To. Work. At. All!

Heavy sigh!

I wanted to do Venus in oil, however even squeezing it out of the tube onto the palette sheet felt wrong, so I tried a pencil sketch. Whateva! Not gonna stress. This has happened before and will again, for whatever reason. The ego gets off on me analyzing it and trying to figure out what the end game is, so screw it, not gonna do it. I have far too much to be grateful for to get my drawers all twisted because I don't feel like creating. This too shall pass.

Yeah, I know. But when?

In the meantime, I promised myself I'd keep darkening the studio door and attempting to work. We'll see.

Oh, yeah, Venus. Let me 'splain. She literally charges the iPad up. It slips right into the handy little slot of her mitten-like fingers, rests snugly against her enormous mammillia and sucks up energy through a little port thingy near what should be her navel. A little strange but so unique. I love her. She looks like sculpture, sitting proudly on the coffee table, right next to the starfish my budly Brenda sent me last year in a goodie box.

Thank you so much for your patience and for stopping by. I so hope to be posting something of substance soon! Don't give up on me!