During the past few weeks more folks have entered the gallery wanting to paint. Wistfully they declare how they have no time or no talent - or both. The latter need not be a barrier for the skills can be learned. The former is a mind set.
When the children were young I had not yet begun to develop my interest in visual work. But through out my life I have needed something to do with my hands to keep my sanity in tact. Once it was pottery, then guitar and piano, mandolin and banjo, song writing and sewing. When the kids were little and I had to follow along behind as they trundled through mud puddles and chases balls, I turned to hand piecing sampler quilts. The colors called.  For each child a quilt emerged- purple for Luke, green for Gabe and blue for Ben. But it could not tell the stories. And so sketching entered the scene. While the kids slept I grabbed 10 minutes a night the last ounces of energy used.
This was my art for 10 years. Sketchbooks filled with Japanese and rough indications of what was seen.

And so to any of you wanting to paint begin now no matter what the time constraints are. Build your vision. Sketch for just 10 minutes a day.

 A great violence was done to my family this past year. This act has stirred in me a constant search to understand what inspires in humans the need, desire or just inclination to damage another physically or psychologically. There are of course, those who are so deeply damaged themselves that they need to lash out and hurt others. But then there is what I have observed the need in some to protect their ego and they will do anything in order to do that ... protect the ego or a way of life.

Through my searching this winter to understand the whys I have come to an awareness of a balance. Art can be a very ego gratifying endeavor. It can be a vehicle to fame, a way to recognition and a mode of self definition. Up until the 20th century, art was the way to revere God and his/her creations. Then art became about the artist. It became about emotional catharsis, an internalization instead of an outward glorification and celebration.

I am glad I have the balance in my life of internal exploration and indulgence and external growth and accountability. I hope that I have given my children the tools to achieve this balance as well so that they never need hurt another to justify or maintain their own existence.  For it is a balance and it is art which can allow for the moving beyond of oneself. As Erik Erikson describes generativity the ability to produce and give forth for others with no need to attach ones own name means we can be beyond ourselves. And I believe it is this state which when achieved means we never need hurt another to protect our own. I think my sons have this. My eldest more than anything wishes to be a healer and that desire is beyond money or material needs it is a passion and will with time and practice, become his art. My middle child is an empath who will use his skills and intuition to identify patterns in human behavior. He too, has an art. My youngest all body and motion, has yet to find his art. But he cares more for the human soul than his own material needs so i believe he too, will find his art.

I feel for those who are so trouble they need to disregard the humanity in others in order to secure comfort. How do we raise our children so that the evolution of the human spirit is of importance? Isnt it art which can achieve this what ever the medium?

I have decided to start this part of the forum because the intertwining of parenting and my art as been what has nourished each. I would not be the parent I am if I had not had passion for art and I would not be the artist I am if I had not been a parent - or at least deeply involved with children.

There is something about both 'tasks' which can allow and even invite self focus and ego gratification. I have met artists and yes I myself have found times of slipping into states of ungenerous spirited thoughts and behaviors. It struck me at one show in particular when I asked a fellow artist how she had achieved a certain effect. She would not tell me. If I do not communicate to my children all I know how will they ever grow beyond me? And so from that moment I resolved always to share everything I know and understand. It is our visions and our diligence and our tenacity to pursue our craft to its finest that distinguishes us- not our secrets.
 

Often when I am not able to take a class or work with other artists to rejuvenate my thoughts and skills, I read about another form of art. This helps to see in other ways. One of my favorite books from which I used to teach is Sound and Sense- a wonderful collection of poems interspersed with astute commentary. The author, Laurence Perrine, says, " The difference between the writer using language to communicate information and the poet is this: the practical writer will always attempt to confine his words to tone meaning at a time; the poet will often take advantage of the fact that the word has more than one meaning by using t to mean more than one thing at the same time. (pg. 35) He goes on to recount, "A frequent misconception of poetic language is that the poet seeks always the most beautiful or noble-sounding words. What he really seeks are the most meaningful words, and these vary from one context to another. Language has many levels and varieties, and the poet may choose from them all. His words may be grandiose or humble, fanciful or matter of fact, romantic or realistic, archaic or modern, technical or everyday, monosyllabic or polysyllabic.

These thoughts if changed from language of the word to the language of the visual Perrine compels me to consider my 'words' when painting. I examine my recent work analyzing in what voice I have been speaking. Do the words augment and support the feeling I am trying to engender? Do I slip into using the same language for each piece  or is each piece fresh with new words, strokes, vision?
How does one stay fresh in story as well as expression?

Using new materials always helps, a new color, a new surface. But these can become cliche so fast. One style I recently developed in order to bring energy to watercolor appeals tremendously to viewers. It would be easy to say this particular poem over and over again but it is important not to use these words unless there is a vision they articulate otherwise it becomes about a technique.

I struggle with this not only as an artist but also as a teacher.  Techniques are only techniques a word is only a word unless their use is rooted deeply and firmly in meaningful thought.

How to create different moods in paintings has been what I pursued this winter. What creates mood? Is it just color? Is it edges? Is is contrast? Composition? Cool/ Warmth contrast? All of the above?
Dark does not automatically mean creepy or depressing. Dark can be so beautiful also mysterious and inviting. To achieve this I thought it important to practice and explore how to paint lights in darks.
The attached picture is my second attempt at engendering mood in dark which is moving beyond just emotional catharsis.

Greens are a color which help me practice seeing those key characteristics of color distinctions that develop nuance and depth. I am not sure why this is other than because there is so much green around us and it is a secondary color. We have to mix green so we must be fully aware of the true qualities of that green for which we are searching. I look out my window to the every green trees- There are places where the green is far cooler almost a cobalt blue and then  tips which have more yellow than blue exuding warmth. There is direct sun behind the trees, but where the rays alight is cooler than the green of the tips. The sky against the almost shale blue tree top is more purple than blue and thus warmer than the tree. Surprisingly it is in the shadow of the tree where the warmest greens occur. These greens clearly have some warm reds which not only warms, but also grays them. Mixing such greens is a delicate balance especially in watercolor  for the wrong red, like Aliz. Crim, will defeat the attempt to warm and a cad red will opaque the glow of the paper.

So how do these words help us to paint? To be honest, I am not sure. But by looking so intently and by working to discern differences I heighten my awareness of the subtle shifts in nature. This gives me more information I can choose to include in a piece and especially pieces about greens.

Play with greens in watercolor. Watercolor is the medium with infinite choices and thus options. The slightest change in the rations of pigments and water will change the green achieved. Develop greens in context of the work for a recipe will not hold true for different situations since the light and the green and the surrounding colors will be different.
With pastels in some ways it is even harder because we are limited by the green mixed by the company which made the stick. I have found few greens especially dark warm greens which were not olivey or chalky. And here in Maine the last thing we have are chalky, olivy dark greens! But Sennelier does make a green - a rich warm dark green which serves to really set off lighter energized warm greens. They are number 179 - 180.  And then there is a dark red made by Terry Ludwig which when applied first, generates a depth in green that truly makes the painting surface deeper. I seldom repeat use of pastel sticks from one picture to another for if I slip into that pattern I find that I am just resorting to recipes and habitual formulas the death of inspiration and artistic exploration... However, these colors are so versatile in the effects they create as a base, I allow myself  to use them over again.

Drawing so intrigues me and I never can plummet its depths. On reading Classical Drawing Atelier by Juliette Aristides, which abounds with quotes from Drawers of our past, poignant points engender a desire to just draw!
Here is one by Albrecht Durer quoted from the Art of Measurement
"Sane judgment abhors nothing so much as a picture perpetrated with no technical knowledge, although with plenty of care and diligence. Now the sole reason why painters of this sort are not aware of their  own error is that they have not learned geometry, without which no one can either be or become an absolute artist."

This has been a winter of pastel painting-- mesmerized by  rich colors, intrigued by layered textures, lost in intricate drawings-- it provided escape from a world gone askew. Seldom do I spend so much time working in one medium. But this along with teaching the week long workshop brought out specifics about pastels which I must record so that I do not forget these quirks.

Large pieces have been the staple and to work on them effectively I paint at the easel. But this creates dust which floats down causing two problems. One is blowing dust ( verses flat work and dust remains on the picture allowing for easier disposal.) and two is tracking dust, dust which rolls down the surface of the piece contaminating color as it falls. This becomes even a bigger problem if fixative has been applied for the dust will adhere to that tacky stuff attaching colors where they are not wanted!

To minimize the first problem I keep damp towels below the painting.  A pan with water also helps. For the second, after layering in the first 4-7 coats of pigment working towards the final ones, I will work top down on the painting.

Using pastel pencils have become  very important as well. Seldom did I use them when I first began painting in this medium. They are an excellent way to soften edges with out loosing color or mucking up color by smudging.

There is a new fixative on the market which is cansein based, in a pump bottle and organic. Consequently I am actually trying it. Specifics can be found at Dekota Art Supplies. It does very well to stabilize bottom layers should a whole new direction need to be developed.  I have not sprayed it on finished paintings--- not sure I want to!

I continue to explore how best to develop organic marks and shapes using the pastel sticks. Sticks come in so many different shapes. Terry Ludwig's are square, Sennelier has hard edges for new sticks but these quickly soften as they are used. I therefore, keep one end specifically un used except when I need a very small mark. Nu Pastels are also good for this even better than the pencils. These sticks in my palette end up getting broken into smaller and smaller portions as I look for a very fine point! Fortunately they are cheaper than the others.

Next entry will be an exploration as to how to add to a basic set.  There are so many brands and so many colors, it can be very difficult figuring out how to slowly supplement the initial palette.

These are two very different topics but want to explore each.
These past week at my last on the road show, I had a fascinating talk with a fellow artist.  She also happens to be an high school chemist teacher. Our discussion began with the state of education in this country and as conversations do we wandered in and out of topics arriving at an exploration of the beauty of integration.  For years I have integrated math and music into my art ( melody lines are a wonderful way to build  eloquent designs math, especially geometry,  is fundamental to composition. My chemist art friend then explained to me how the first periodic tables for chemistry were based on the musical scale! As scientists discovered the properties of the substances of the earth they organized their learning rooting it in their knowledge of music!
I found this to be terribly exciting. And what is more, the natural properties the actual facts of the findings fit into the 8 note scale. Is there a pattern in nature or what? I have always thought nature is the most randomly organized system or most ordered chaos and as an artist it is my constant struggle/delight/ inquiry to find ways to produce marks more organic or orderly chaotic than my hand and eye can ever produce!

That being said, I have started to really play with mask in these attempts. I have tended to avoid mask with watercolor painting because it is so stiff and hard edged. No matter how much rubbing and attempted bleeding there is always 'proof' that mask had  been used. But through play, I have found some fun ways to manipulate mask to produce some interesting effects.
Here are some things to try
#1. Mask some shapes and when dry do a wash. Before the wash is dry try lifting the mask. This will soften edges and make less of a separate carved out look.

#2. Buy some drawing gum made by pebeo. This is very liquid mask so it runs. Mask some areas then get a very fine nibbed squirt bottle. Set the nib in the puddle of wet mask and force air out. This creates a very find misted edge.

#3. Using the same Pebeo mask, put a little in fine nibbed bottle ( like the ones which come with Masquepen) blow the mask onto the paper. This produces a fine spray .

#4. Do a mask design on your paper. Once it is dry, paint a very liquid rich wash. Tip your paper this way and that letting the paint follow the outlines of the mask. ( This is not dissimilar to trying to get those little silver balls through a maze) Look at the patterns the paint makes around the mask by how it collects in certain places.

These are all just gimmicks of course. The challenge for us artists is to think about how we can use them to augment our vision in a given piece. While I have been tempted to paint a painting in celebration of the 'gimmick', I work instead to apply the right gimmick to help tell the story in  the right piece.

This summer has been a time of playing in watercolor. The weather cooperated. June and July were wet, drizzly, misty foggy days which suit watercolor so well! And then, playing in watercolor, rather than highly rendered mediums, means quicker pieces which means costs remain in folks' price ranges. And so experimenting and expressing extrapolated hidden talents of this quirky medium. It also demands, when given the slightest wiggle room, that the artist relinquish all control- oh how humbling an experience!
The attached piece was completed without the use of a brush. yes this is indeed the diametric opposite of my other water color based favorite medium, Asian BRUSH painting! What a thrill! and what a lesson! I highly recommend this play to anyone and everyone- (especially if you are a highly controlled type of individual! Just as an aside- where I used to live we had Buddhist monks come to teach and pray and meditate. One of these individuals with whom I would participate in o chya no u, Japanese tea ceremony, told me, "When you enter a monastery you are asked what you prefer-- to be with people or to be alone- if you say people, you go alone and vis-versa" In other words stretch the limits of ones comfort zone!  )

In any case, get a sheet of hot pressed illustration board or if you are really daring, Yupo. Tape the board/paper down to your drawing board. Plan where you want your whites to be. In other words, do not forget to do your thumbnail sketches! This is the one time you will be 'in control'. You will be the visionary. Next, mix up lots of paint and put it into a tiny nosed squirt bottle. Have also on hand  a spray bottle, pots of water, clothes possible q-tips. Think about the over all movement of the paint on t he surface which will help make your vision. Squirt the paint on to the paper. Before it has a chance to set into the paper, use your spray bottle to move the paint as well as wet the portions of paper which did not get paint. Watch what happens to the pigments when you spray
#1.  it directly
#2.  next to it
#3.  into the paint and tip your board in the direction you are spraying
#4. the paint then move your board around
Experiment with all the different movements you can achieve-- and think in terms of movement of helping the water control the pigment. You are the Guide!