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Malcolm at the Buddha Board

Pay no attention to the terrible rendition of the hand. That will all come out great in the end, or else I'll pitch myself off the back porch.

By the way, I finished the Somber Fruit. You can see this under the Still Life category. I must say it was quite still the whole time.
So I'm still working on Malcolm at the Buddha Board, but I have a feeling that it will end up being one of those drawings in paint that I like to do.

post script: I struggled like a navvy last night over Malcolm's hand. No, really, I got the basic outline okay  on the cavas but the fingers started to move all around and confuse the hell out of me? I couldn't tell which finger was which. And I'll tell you I was sober the whole time. So I did this: I traced the hand outline from the painting and drew the hand. Now, I can draw a hand. Yes, the drawing was good. Really it was. Then I went back to the canvas paper and I still couldn't make those fingers go where they should. I cut lines in between the fingers on the drawing and tried to hold it over the painting and make it right. No, and they (the fingers) were all misshapen and stuff like that. So this morning I got up, roared like a bear and threw myself at the hand. It appears to be shaping up okay now. Stay tuned.


Help me, I'm afraid to put the grapes on the white plate

I've been working in Chroma Interactive (hate that word) Acrylics. I bought a few tubes a while ago and messed up pretty badly with them. Things just slid around long after they would have been completely dry in regular acrylics. Now I'm trying again and liking these paints very much. Working wet in wet is a snap. Well, a longish kind of a snap. So I've got this very still life going here and I'm afraid of the grapes which belong on the white ceramic plate. The grapes could be the most interesting part of the painting because I think you could work in that dullish gray tone that purple grapes have. Because there are so many individual grapes, I think with regular acrylics the gray stuff would end up sitting on top of the dried purple color. Anyway, I'm scared. Not that this is such a beautiful piece. God knows there are plenty of wacky areas to fix up, or not. The cast shadow under the bowl leans to the left while the deeper shadow under the plate is right under the plate. That's how the still life appears as there are two sources of light. I can't tell if it looks crazy. I just had to tell someone about this before I march in and tackle the grapes.

post script: The grapes are on the plate. See Main Page or Still Life

Holy Cow! Is This Horrible?

I'll let Tom Canel decide. He always tells me my worst stuff is great. Anyway friends, here's what's happened sinced that fateful Thanksgiving when I discovered the Shroud of Turin thing on the crusty baking sheet. (see Nov. blog posts for photo of baking sheet)This is in acrylics on a stretched canvas.  I got the background thing going with Liquitex's Turner's Yellow. Beats me why Turner himself never thought to look at his dirty bakeware. Next, the 'figures' were done in my new favorite color-Carmine-by Rembrandt Paints. At this point I was pretty amused. Then I started 'ruining' it by adding Winsor Blue. Yuck. I was no longer amused. I added a few black spots which didn't make me cry. Then I started the long and arduous task of painting out the blue. The lesson here is that I'm way too dumb to quit, ever. What's the verdict. Funny enough to keep? Only Tom will tell.

post script: Tom was not enchanted, but Malcolm was. Merry Christmas, Malcolm!

Nadine and Fionna Sold

One of my all-time favorite people just came over and bought Nadine and Fionna in the Red Chair. I feel like two friends just told me they're moving out of town. Nadine, my constant companion for almost two years was the hardest to part with. Fionna, who is my daughter, is a more recent painting and a bit easier to let go. Fionna hung over my computer workspace for a short while, so I guess I should just not look up there where she used to be. But Nadine!, oh lord.

There are certain things I will never sell. Portraits from life of David and Virginia. The Devo Stocking heads. Stuff that carries too much emotional weight. Maybe the portrait of David Johansen. Also, these were painted many years- decades- ago on old computer paper which is not all nice behind the paint.

When I decide to put something up for sale I know that I have to be willing to let it go. But since I haven't sold much until now the whole issue was rather moot. But still, I've made my decision and there you are. Do other artists have a hard time parting with things.

Really, I'm fine and very happy that people seem to like my work. I am not the world's most accomplished painter and I do believe in doing art for my community which means affordable orginal art that working people can buy without sacrificing the family budget. So..the person who bought these latest two is very dear to me and she lives right nearby. Guess I'll have to wipe my eyes and get back to the easel and painting table.
With gratitude to everyone who came to the show last month and to everyone who has taken the time to look at my Art Website,
Jeanne

Amazing Piece of Crud Makes it onto Canvas

I am being egged on to finish painting the amazing piece of crud from an old baking sheet. (See the original on November Post)Here I've got the first background coat on with the figures unpainted. They are almost sure to be done in "Carmine". "Winsor Blue will figure in somewhere. And there has to be Black.  Absolutely! I can afford the paints and canvas because...I sold more paintings after the show. Thank you all, and Artist and Craftsman Supplies in Central Square thanks you.