Monday, August 16, 2004

Wells, 8.13.2001(#7) Wells, 8.14.2001(#8) Wells, 8.14.2001(#9) Wells, 8.15.2001(#10) After painting six consecutive scenes, I had to change the pace and mood in order to escape fatigue of senses. These one hundred scenes were selected from more than five hundred snaps I took over the course of three days, so they encompass all the different light, from morning to dusk. The last hour of the day light is particularly dramatic in this landscape, with the setting sun radiating intense orange glow against the rolling hills which in turn cast dark shadow that slithers like a giant serpent as I pass by in the car. Driving through this region is a fantastic experience any time of the day, but it is at dusk that this reaches a divine realm. I never felt more precious about the sliver of light disappearing into the horizon and the following otherworldly glow slowly turning gray then black, as if the sun was setting for one last time. And to translate this into 5" x 8" two dimensional surfaces using pulverized earth and heavy metals? I was regretting that I ever took on this challenge when I made #7. #8 did not help me either, but I had enough time for another try that day so I came up with #9. Some how, in some small ways, this was an improvement over the first two. Perhaps I let go of the overwhelming pressure of recreating the original impact. I started to see my painting more as an abstract picture rather than a mirror of the visual world. I paid more attention to the overall harmony of this humble 5x8 universe which also carried through to #10. The edges are softened, the shadows reflect more light, and skies are more sensitively gradated. But like the setting sun, satisfaction in painting is so elusive. Who knows what tomorrow will bring... 1:11:28 AM    comment []

Monday, August 9, 2004

Driveby 6 Pine Grove, 8.8.2001 (#6) Interesting. I didn't like this one so much when I painted it, but now I kind of like it. Dark tree silouhettes on the horizon are usually difficult because they could turn overly cute. I'm happy with the way those sharp silouhettes contrast with the blurry grass at the edge of the asphalt. Trees are very sparse in this area, and when you see them they look rather odd and wooden (pun unintended). From the distance, they remind me of the miniature plastic trees you use in model making. They are great fun to paint, being the last touch to add at the end, but horrible to correct if mistakes are made. 3:49:41 PM    comment []

Saturday, August 7, 2004

Driveby 5 Pine Grove, 8.7.2001 (#5) This one starts to get a bit muddy in the foreground grassy area! It's a fine line but yesterday's piece was nailed just with a few strokes without having to go over it at all. With this one you can see some of the trees were wiped and then repainted, and the brown and gold of the grass are becoming like cumulus clouds rather than waves of grass. Still, I'm getting pretty comfortable here with this combination of colors and composition, I stopped short of destroying it. Perhaps it's time to go on to a different scene... 10:58:01 PM    comment []

Friday, August 6, 2004

Pine Grove, 8.6.2001 (#4) I was very happy about this one. The tree on the right is the obvious focal point, and that came out quite satisfactory. Something as simple as that can at times look very out of place... The colors in this one seemed more fully balanced than in the first three. There is a right amount of warm orange and gold in the wheat to counterbalance the bright blue of the sky, and the blackness of the tree anchors the colors. I liked the subtle difference in tones between the brown soil and black asphalt of the road. As with all good paintings, this one happened quickly and effortlessly. The sad thing is, you can't deliberately make it happen. I follow the same methods, chant the same mantras, wear the same beret, smoke the same cigar butt, and always enter my studio with my right foot first, my left hand in fist and my right eye closed, all while singing Like a Virgin backwards. But alas. It's a mystery when it clicks and when it falls apart. 9:46:21 PM    comment []

Tuesday, August 3, 2004

Driveby 3 Pine Grove, 8.2.2001 (#3) Hmmm. I was not all that happy with this one. It's hit and miss with thin lines in oil painting like the fence cables in this one. The paint must be pretty fluid but not dripping, you have to have a steady but not rigid hand, and you can't make mistakes. This one was a miss. When the whole composition is so simple and geometric as in this painting, those last touches could make it or break it. 12:04:03 AM    comment []

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