A nude for Sunday

Something Only She Knows 30x40"

I finished a new painting this week, and I'm so happy with the way it came out. These large ones are very special to me, and it takes months to do just one. From first conception, it often takes years before they come to fruition.

This one was teetering on being "finished" for weeks, but I kept making small adjustments; fine tuning the color arrangements, flow and overall solidity. There's always a moment (after working for hours), when I take a step back to look at the painting with fresh eyes. It either tells me it's done, or it's set aside to for another day. How do I know when it's done? It's when I can look at it as a whole, without my eyes being drawn to this part or that. It's when I know I haven't neglected any one part, trying to convince myself it's good enough. The whole painting settles, and in some way, becomes it's own entity. It tells me it's ready, and I let it go.

Two Years in the Making

So much has happened since my last blog. It’s been a nail-biting month, where I dealt with some very difficult decisions.My leap back into the workforce was short lived. I was hired as a bar manager for a new restaurant, and given the task to stock a full bar, create a cocktail menu, staff and train within 12 days. We were only open 9 days when the whole restaurant went belly up. It was the most hectic, ridiculous few weeks of my life.

This experience taught me one important lesson: I belong in the studio! Within those few weeks, I lost out on a gallery show in San Francisco because I didn’t have time to drop off the work, and was inundated with 14 commissions. I’m still trying to catch up. There’s nothing like a cosmic kick-in-the-butt to put you in the right direction.

That said, I want to thank everyone for the heartfelt words of encouragement. I’m so humbled and amazed to reach anyone through my bumbling adventures and the outpouring of support made all the struggling worth something. Thank you, thank you.

So I’m back to clawing my way along. Rent may be late, the creditors are calling, but I do what I can and hope for the best. It’s out of my hands; it’s in my hands, through my hands. Something like that.

I want to introduce my new painting, Tangle. It’s something I started in 2007, and stuck in the closet for a few years. My first attempt fell short of what I was trying to accomplish; a vibrant blend of human form and abstract painting. Instead, it was heavy and awkward, and often confused for a statement on anorexia. You can see the original version here.

The new version has a more narrative approach, and I enjoyed bringing the painting back to life.

Tangle 30x40"

The mini series has grown and expanded. Here are a few new little lovelies:

Ringneck Dove -buy

Red Onions -buy

Raspberries -sold

Whiskers -sold

Jellyfish -buy