the great outdoors: some ‘passing notes’

Gaining inspiration from the great outdoors; just right. Just over the other side of the Cascade Mountains, we got outside. Fun and games, music, hiking and water sports were all included; though I still lost myself in looking and seeing and finding the ‘crux’ and letting go; study after study, one finds their way by doing the work/play.

My tools: pen and ink, watercolor, graphite and charcoal + art graph.

Inspired once again to pick up the many instruments in studio I play and begin some musical notes and compositions.

Get out there. So much music.

Civita 2018: There is never, never enough time at this place.

Stroke: It’s simply a matter of putting the right colours in the right places and doing it well.

Touch: Touch can be tender, casual, tentative, bold, curved, straight, thick, thin, sensual, energetic, dramatic or violent.

Words: Design, pride, joy, grand, flourish, style, quality, work, play, confectionery.

Thoughts: Waiting for the right mood or inspiration is counterproductive. Inspiration comes from doing. Action is more valuable than thought.

Preparations: To take moments to scrape along the golden riffles of memory. To cruise present as well as old reference. To decide size and format. To make sure that the tools are ready to go and that supports and materials are readily at hand. To decide to pre-mix colours — or merely to squeeze. To raise or lower a daring blank canvas to its beginning height. To realize that all other artists, living and dead, are sitting right here beside me. To turn up the Mozart, to count blessings and to commit.

Regrets: There is never, never enough time at this place.

Easel Living (Robert Genn)

join me:

after the show

A great day on Saturday; a thoughtful gallery, all day sun and great folk.

Its a funny thing spending an afternoon with your paintings all hanging in one room together. It’s a good idea to ‘stand back’.

I had some thoughts; about the abstract. I stepped back into studio the next day and after some warm up, watercolor strokes, a few more paintings appeared about the Skagit Valley; forceful, elegant and ever-changing.

A new direction, maybe. These paintings were waiting for me. I welcome them.