HIMSELF circa '93

18x24"
pastel on paper
NFS

In the new beginning/cleaning process, everything is coming off the walls, even himself! I'm going to get it professionally framed finally. When we hooked up back in '92, I worked exclusively in pastel. I loved working with them but stuck with them primarily because painting in oil still frightened me at the time.

Since we share roughly the same level of ability there was a lot of sparring going on back in the day. I came home from shopping one day to find him hard at work on a pastel portrait of me that was stunning...the work, not me. I love it and it still hangs in the living room. However, I needed to answer his call with my own study of him and this is the result. He was tan from the summer sun, sitting at the dining room table, drawing happily with a glass of chardonnay by his side. More detail than you needed, but it was a nice moment and I wanted to wax poetic.

I'm finishing up my submission for this month's art meeting (it's late, the meeting was Saturday) in-between cleaning. I'm still overwhelmed but feeling very optimistic and anticipating a lot of positive results from all of this upheaval. We find ourselves actually walking by the studio and the store room just to glance in and feel their calmly uncluttered quiet. Ahh.

MOSES BOTKIN CHALLENGE August - BEHIND THIS!

BEHIND THIS

 

SOLD

It's that time again. Summer is shooting by and that's just fine with me, it's been too hot to do anything here. Last few days have been great however.

I'm firmly planted behind this puppy which is why I had to revert to an easily painted subject. The theme this month was yellow, black and white only. I used Naples Yellow, Ivory Black and Titanium White.

Enjoy these amazing interpretations of the limited palette:

“Sunny Back Light”
5”x7” Original oil on hardboard
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin
http://dianamosesbotkin.blogspot.com/

‘Grisaille in Yellow Ochre,
Ivory Black & White’
©2010 Vicki Ross
11x14 oil on panel                            
http://www.vickiandrandyrossart.blogspot.com/

“Waterlily in Evening Pond”
6x6 inches / oil on panel
http://jeanneillenye.blogspot.com

"Yellow Man"
12x12 oil on panel
© 2010 Robin Cheers
http://robincheers.blogspot.com

“Rose in Glass Vase”
©2010 Elizabeth Blaylock
http://elizabethblaylock.blogspot.com/

MEET BEAN

12x12"
oil on canvas
SOLD

This is Bean. He's not an Ewok. I checked. He's a commission I just completed. I think.

The revamp continues. This week, it's been an exceedingly sobering experience. All this started as my somewhat light-hearted effort to re-arrange my life in an orderly, grown up fashion, clearing out the clutter, start behaving like a professional. This week it became painfully clear that I have a problem. A big one. I had a moment of clarity I think they call it. I saw for the first time in my life just how much crap I've accumulated...and I'm only working on my store room.

This is my very first before and after photo. The big difference this time is that I'm not stuffing things away so it looks neat, I'm actually getting rid of it all. The living room is the unfortunate repository of what used to be here while I sort, donate and toss out. Happily, the Lupus Foundation picks up donations right off the front porch. I found boxes of canvasses I'd ordered and forgotten. It was like going shopping in my own home! This room is now organized in a very efficient manner. I'll never add anything unless there is a place for it. I'm thrilled and can't wait to branch out to other areas of the house.

As I filled bag after endless bag with books, magazines, action figures and the like, I became hopelessly overwhelmed and just sat down and had myself a real good cleansing cry. I didn't know! I didn't see! Just who the hell did all this? Apparently that "hoarder" joke I made at the outset is on me. On a sliding scale of one to ten, I'm quickly approaching a solid eight! Just thinking about the amount of things stuffed into closets and the garage is mind boggling.

I thought I was ok. You know, occasionally I spent too much on things we didn't need. I knew I mood altered with shopping. I didn't know I mood altered with clutter as well. Although I feel badly for wasting our money and stuffing our home with useless things, I'm grateful for whatever caused me to finally see the problem for what it is. Himself is beside himself with joy that I've finally seen the light. He offered to help, but I think the best therapy is to handle every single piece of poop I've collected. This way, I'll reflect a tad more on any possible purchase before bringing it home to add to the existing chaos.

Thank you everyone for your wonderfuly supportive comments! They've helped me so much! I don't feel like I'm alone in the wilderness of clutter. And the suggestions have helped so much. Each time himself sparks up the grill an entire box of bank statements and credit card solicitations do their part to get the coals a glowin'! And I also appreciate the suggestions on how to thank everyone for stopping by and leaving comments. I'm giving myself a block of time each day, starting Monday, to catch up on what everyone has been doing, I've missed so much.

Thank you again and enjoy the weekend.

BRIGHT CONVERSATION in progress

18x24"
oil on canvas
in progress

Well, it's pretty obvious I didn't limit my palette yet. I will and am looking forward to it very much. There was so much going on with the sun on her face, I needed to use oranges, yellow ochers etc. I've posted this to light a fire under the hind parts to get back to work. I've been so busy cleaning I haven't had any extended time to paint.

Speaking of cleaning, happily the universe is helping out. I got a call yesterday asking if I had any books, magazines, household items, clothing etc. They hit the motherlode here. I've got 7 huge bags full to be taken away tomorrow morning and more to follow. I get overwhelmed, depressed and want to give up there is so much stuff, but I'm determined to get it all out of here.

I'm trying a new canvas surface for this one and I really love it. It's a heavyweight linen with some tooth to it and it really takes the paint well. I started this along with the new beginning but had to put it away for a bit.

Back to going through the books and mags. Please forgive my seemingly non-responsiveness...is that a word?...to your wonderful comments. After I'm all tidied up, I'm working out whether or not to thank folks on my blog or send an email. Does anyone know the proper etiquette? Miss Manners would have a whole new career handing down edicts stating the proper, polite behavior online.

I'm off.

PROGRESS or keepin' it honest

Well, it's August 1st and I'm makin' progress. I'm not gonna get all heavy handed with myself about missed deadlines. The deal is I'm doing it, that's the point. Meeting deadlines will be addressed during the next new beginning.

First however, an admission. I'm an artist. It would be a good thing if I knew how to spell palette. I'd like to thank an amazing artist and new friend Jala for very delicately asking if I meant palate/palette as a play on words. How tactful and kind. Unfortunately no, I didn't. I've simply been spelling it incorrectly for quite some time now. You know when you're sure of the spelling or pronunciation of a word and you find out it's completely wrong and your face grows flush and hot as you realize how often you've used or said that word? Well, that happened.

Anyway, that said, I've made great progress although it certainly doesn't look that way. Here's why. Mail and I have a strange relationship. I can't seem to let it go.That nice man in that cute little truck leaves me so much stuff to look at every day, what kind of person would I be if I just chucked it all out? So I save it. Why? I have no idea. I'm getting help.

So, all that mail eventually gets stuffed into bags and the bags get stuffed into closets and  the store room. And in order to be able to actually walk in and move things around, I have literally been shredding, cutting and ripping up bank documents, credit cards solicitations and unsolicited address labels from as far back as 1994. I know there are bags with older documents in the garage. I don't want to think about that now.

This gives me new hope of a real new beginning because I am going to eliminate every bit of clutter and confusion from my life and take it from there. Himself is admitting he had given up hope of ever living clutter free and is considerably hopeful that a real change is taking place. Ouch!

I've filled three...count 'em three... huge contractor bags of old shredded mail. Hold me, I'm frightened. My feeble attempts at cleverness aside, I am feeling as though a huge weight has been lifted and I'm on my way to a simpler, more direct and present way to exist.

Thanks again for the support, the positive reinforcement and the spell-check, it's all helped me on so many levels. We'll see.

MAGIC for Yapstar.com

16x20"
oil on canvas
NFS

Meet Magic! Last year I was invited to enter my work in a contest Yapstar.com was having. I was lucky enough to be chosen to share first place with another artist. Magic's photo won as well as my chosen subject. This incredibly beautiful Irish Setter was such a joy to paint.

This is just about done. I sure hope his owner is happy with it. We'll see.

JANUARY and an update

NFDP

I need to keep myself honest regarding my new beginning so I'm posting my progress. And here it is. So far....none. But!... I have been trying and will continue to do so. I began a new painting, determined to limit my palate, but no go. Changing is a process. I will be patient with myself on this little journey. It should be fun and I'm determined to have fun if it kills me. Kidding. Really, I'm not taking myself or painting all that seriously right now and to me that's real progress.

As far as cleaning and getting my studio and storeroom in order, I've actually made a dent! I'm giving myself until August 1st to complete the organization of the clutter. I'm stoked about taking my "after" shots. I really have been watching too much HGTV haven't I?

I have nothing finished, so I'm posting this poster, my second art club project. The word we were given was January. I don't like January. We expect ourselves to become different people on January 1st and are ultimately disappointed...sometimes on January 2nd. It's cold. Christmas has come and gone, taking with it that warm womb-like feeling of crackling fires and  a house full of jolly people. Not to mention the fragile promises and intangible dreams of becoming thinner, richer and wiser by the following January 1st. I created a movie poster parody to convey my contempt for the month of January and some of the baggage it brings with it. For moi anyway. I'm sure a lot of folks love January and to those of you who do, my humbug apologies.

Again thank you for your supportive comments, it really helps to know that so many can relate to the chaos, both emotional and physical.  Back to work!