Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Learning More About Charcoal



Went and hung out with some of my online artist friends in October. Gathered from all over the country in a small Missouri town- a few more days with Graydon Parrish. I really enjoyed all of the company, and was able to put aside what I thought that I knew and really learn some new things. Since that time, I have been drawing a lot using my family as models. I figure that way, I will have something good when I get through learning. Have done my middle two kids and working on my oldest child and youngest dog. Really am loving turning form and thinking about form in new ways.

These are going to look amazing when they are matted and placed in nice gold leaf frames. Since I would like to do a few more, I am taking a limited number of portrait commissions using this method, a much less expensive alternative to the painted portrait. There is still time if you would like to give a portrait for a Christmas gift, contact me. Gift Certificates are also available.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

What a summer!

Today I am home working on my poor neglected website. Have had family around all summer it seems, and have hardly been to the studio for the last few weeks.

This has been the most glorious summer in years. Nice and hot- lots of rain, so green that it is almost blue.

Over the next few days will be gallery visits and marketing then back to the studio and back to work. I promise!


Lori

Saturday, May 29, 2010

6 days

It is hard to believe that this 6 year old idea will finally be out there in 6 days.

Blinding light began with 6 still life paintings created in 2004 and 2005 for the NYC "Representing Reality" show. It really came together through a series of lake paintings, hallway paintings, and even a few city scapes- all with one common thread, light so bright that you might want to reach for your sun glasses. The new large paintings created this last year are still just the beginning.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Oh my poor neglected blog.


Stupid facebook has taken me from you... Or not as I am spending so much less time online these days. Not intentionally, just life that has crept up on me these last few years.

And besides that, I have a solo show just around the corner- less than two weeks away, and I am painting my butt off trying to get ready. I can not wait to show you my new work. I will be filling the Sage Gallery and also the Lakeside Legacy Arts Park Lobby. More information here. See you there!

Sage Gallery
401 Country Club Road
Crystal Lake, IL 60014

Saturday, March 13, 2010

The grey is lifting.


I saw a fly buzz by the other day. The snow was still on the ground, it was the kind of fly that Rick calls a zombie fly because they are still kind of stunned to be awake and act like the flying dead. I don't call them zombies, I call them promises of spring. I know, they are flies! But, this has been two back to back extraordinarily long winters with barely a warm day in between. Even flies look good to us now. Happy Spring, my friends!

I have 7 pieces in the LLAP Resident artist show. These three are in the Dole gallery, there are three in the Sage gallery and one in the lobby. They will be hanging all month, so stop by. If you give me a call and let me know that you are coming, I will meet you there. :-)

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Thinking outloud.


OK, so while I am here. this is totally thinking out loud, or just dumping my thoughts out and trying to make sense of them here, publicly. Not saying that my views are correct and not sure if I am qualified to even say a word about Art with a capital A, but this is my blog, so I will say what I want. :-)

While I work through the why of MY painting, I have been going to the Art Institute a lot lately. Once and sometimes twice a week for the past few months. Checking out the new modern wing- trying to get it. OH, there is plenty there to love, I am not saying that there isn't- but there is a whole lot that sure seems like a bunch of the emperors new clothes to me.

And I am learning. Over the years I thought that Cy Twombly was possibly the worst artist to ever be put in a museum. The recent Cy Twombly show was actually an eye opener. Not that I am a fan, but seeing his work all together like that gave me a better understanding. And while not my cup of tea, actually very beautiful all together.

Thankfully they have changed the exhibits some and removed the loud clown on the toilet videos that made standing in the Gerhard Richter room impossible. (!!!) Even though Gerhard has really bridged the gap between modern and traditional, I bet he would have been pissed to hear that obnoxious clown while looking at his beautiful paintings.

You know, there is so much to consider. Like the really wonderful room, possibly the best room in the museum, over looking the incredible Millenium Park that holds nothing but 6 white panels. It makes me mad every time that I see that, like that room was stolen from some hard working painter. Even though have been in a thousand discussions about why that is art, and have even heard some good arguments for it, I struggle to accept it. I'm thinking that I could go stand there forever and not change my mind.

And who cares? It is like you can not challenge it anyway- else be labeled an enemy of art, closed minded or stupid.

Hard as I try to keep an open mind, still I get so opinionated about it... Which is why I keep going back, because if there is something to it, I will find it.

I do understand and enjoy some of the color field paintings, and think that they are easier to bitch about than to create. Much of the modern art is quite beautiful. But the piles of trash? The length of sausage casings? the three poles? I am really not interested in a gimmick or tricks, but there also needs to be something more than just old dead technique, and I feel like I am getting closer to that thing. (or maybe had too much coffee)

There will always be artists taking the easy way out by doing nothing, which IMHO is actually preferable to those who settle on exploiting others, for example, a mediocre painter exploiting the bravery of a fallen policeman, fireman or our troops to make up for missing skills. No one would dare criticize your compositions or color when you paint your own self with their glory.

Like I said, I am unqualified, and very possibly wrong. I do know that for the rest of my life I will be learning how to paint, and a huge part of that is always learning/considering/growing into what to paint. Who knows where this journey will take me, but I am pretty confident that it will not be to show empty canvas, a can of shit or to a whole career built on exploiting other people's accomplishments.

Grey January Greetings!


I am getting emails about my poor neglected blog. I am sorry, I will try to do better.

Many of you know it has been a time for us here, we have had real world life pushing this blog to the back burner. There was a birth a college graduation and several other really good things. But there were also the several deaths and the care of my adult daughter. So, while I have been in the studio working- blogging has not been high on the priority list.

Anyway, I am working hard- focusing my direction, painting, reading, thinking and growing. Really growing- and I see an exciting new direction forming in my sketchbooks.

Anyway- thanks for the nudge to post, and stop by the real world anytime and visit.