Tuesday, May 27, 2008

LPAPA show Re- models and Shopping Cart

Here are two older Plien Air paintings I'll post just to be confusing. I recently almost totally re- painted them out of my head.
both are 6x8 you may remember them from the past.



I'm in with two paintings this year (not these above or below)
4th Annual "THE BEST OF PLEIN AIR" Show
June 5 – June 14, 2008 You can see them if Check the LPAPA link for info...



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Oil on linen 12x16

Here is just a simple little one where I'm playing with color and pushing active design, to make a boring view interesting as per what I do. No story here, to be honest I forgot where this one was referenced.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

South Connector





Oil on Wood, 24x32

On the 605 headed South there is a spot a bit past El Monte where they have some palm trees planted... I thought that was enough for a painting, but then the Palms felt to centered so I added the Blimp. A rare blatant cheat from me as I like to paint "honest" real places, but I think it gave more interest and balanced the composition to a asymmetrical view I can live with.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Stripper and Porn Star

Over the years I’ve occasionally tried to do a painting based on a photo from a Men’s magazine. They have never come out satisfactorily. Besides poor execution stemming from the many inherent handicaps of working from photos, the images always came off as embarrassingly pandering. And why wouldn’t they? The photos’ are designed for men to masturbate too.
I made another stab at the process with “ Porn star” a month ago. This one the first one where at least the technique was acceptable, but the same cutie- pie glamour element is there making it still in the woman as a sex object first and foremost category along the line of artists who do pin-ups.



Oil on Wood 12x16

After trying another that I won’t even post that was again to pin- up cute, I decided to go against my libido, the goal to find something deeper than surface sex. I picked a photo of a well past her prime stripper who was never a beauty, but obviously had “assets” she could exploit and be exploited by. I worked over an old painting by priming it with modeling paste with the deliberate notion that I wanted the surface to be as rough as her life had probably been. I don’t recommend modeling paste as a surface, it was like trying to paint on cement, but I think it helped me avoid making it sweet and pretty with the brushwork as I usually do. Shaved down my brushes too.



Oil on linen/ modeling paste 12x16

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Big Tree and a live Demo




I wanted to try to be really loose and expressionistic on this one. I fussed with the tree canopy a bit then rubbed it out and banged it in fast and spent a little time on the truck, but the rest was fast, fast, fast! ( this is not the demo)


For those of you intrested I'm giving a demo May 18th at the

San Gabriel Fine Arts Association
425 West Las Tunas Drive
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626)282-1448
The demo is on May 18, at 1 PM. The admission is $5 per person. The location is at the Grapevine Room on 324 S. Mission in San Gabriel. It is adjacent to the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse.
Call them for more info

Or cut and paste this link:
http://www.barnesroberts.com/mezz/club/sgfaa.html

Friday, May 02, 2008

3am & Dead bird




9x12 oil on linen

For years I've thought about painting a nocturne of my Neighbors porch. One a hot night in April they left their porch light on by accident. I was watching a movie late and kept distractedly looking out thru my open door at this view. I finally went and got my Camera and snuck outside in my PJ's, nervous the whole time everyone would assume I was a peeping Tom. " Officer, I'm an artist, It's for a painting of their porch, HONESTLY!"

Sorry about the glare, I used some Liquin to darken the painting and it's very shiny.





both oil on linen 5x7
Sharon brought this little guy to me a few days ago, she found him dead in the street so I did a few studies of him then placed him were the coyotes would find him. ( unless I bury him deep they would dig him up anyway) Seems more natural than throwing him in the trash.
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