inspiration + influence
In order, starting top left to bottom right:
Tom Hoffmann, Catherine Gill, Alvaro Castegnet, Skip Lawrence, Barbara Fugate, Dawn Emerson, John Singer Sargent, Richard Diebenkorn, Andrew Wyeth…to name a few.
Grand teachers.
Feb 11
monotype.
The joy I felt in studio yesterday and today was terrific; a process successful as I discover once again; ‘it’s in the doing.’
More discovery of color was certainly the objective but the spontaneity a monotype press can give you is surprising and freeing.
I will continue my color studies; still life next. Why aprons?
Well, I found a beautiful and meaningful concept describing ‘women’s march’ which is happened in Seattle and worldwide.
Color is a powerful design element I am thoroughly enjoying. Check out that red!
More soon.
road trip
‘Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose’. (Charles Eames)
It was a road trip last week; arranging flowers in a painting; conceiving concept. As I worked the painting, I wasn’t too sure where I may be headed. I was ‘driving the car’ in a meandering direction; all seemed fine. Then, a wrong turn, over working concept even with subtle changes.
However, I charted my course and using my camera, I documented each step along the way. Because of my patient documentation, now I may begin again and set the vehicle on the right ‘fork in the road.’
that’s what I’m talking about…
The Depictive. The Evocative.
‘Painting what you do not see is no better or worse than painting what you do see. The only sin here is to not allow yourself to explore all possible realities. I often see paintings that while technically near perfect, are void of soul, personal expression, and creativity.’
Skip Lawrence
note to self
My sketchbooks: pages and pages; hand drawn thoughts about
drawing, teaching, design and whimsy.
Thoughts begin with an idea, a notion, described in visual line and written notes;
no pressure, just letting ideas flow: exploration of concepts and
confirming ideas with a pencil.
My skills stay sharp in all my fields of work;
a simple drawing clarifying my next steps in studio.
I plan to incorporate color next in my new sketchbook;
starting anew today. Stay tuned.
garden series.
here are some links: why work in a series; it’s brilliant!
working in a series elizabeth barton
inside out
Totally enthralled by my visit last week;
surrounded by the energy Richard Diebenkorn’s sketchbook
show at the Cantor Art Center in Stanford.
Not surprised, early in his career he focused on Edward Hopper
paintings and emulated the work in his early 20’s.
So here I am, emulating Diebenkorn’s work;
turning the work inside out and investigating and
guessing his thought process, methods and media.
His use of space and shape, an expression all his own; so honest and ‘right there’. I sketched at the show inside my small sketchbook; his use of line, description of shape, composition and media technique. My conclusion was an understanding of his love of simply looking, representing the world with interesting shape and love of drawing.
On the plane ride home, I further looked at his still lives; found the composition dynamics as one’s eyes travel through the drawing page and contemplating that these are landscapes too; dynamic forms in perspective articulated by shape.
Addressing the page, with shape in a creative manner is key in R.D.’s work.
All beautiful shapes.
Richard, with a capital D.
Heading out to San Francisco this week to find the sketchbooks of Richard Diebenkorn.
http://museum.stanford.edu/news_room/diebenkorn.htm
The sketchbooks display ‘ a mind exploring spatial relationships, abstraction and pure
elements of line’ and ‘exercises of hand and eye.’
Doing a bit of homework before I visit in my sketchbooks;
exploring exercises of hand and eye.
Inspiration, for sure.
