Go big or don't bother. Well, not entirely true but I REALLY like painting large. It's just that there is not always a market for it. Like where would you but a baby this big?

But big makes such a, well......... BIG IMPACT. It's impressive. It demands to be noticed. It says I'm important and have an earnest message. And the message is usually some form of, "I'm larger than life." 

Here's a painting that I did recently for an international art competition. One of the reasons this contest is so great is because it lets the artist go big, if they want. Most don't. It's usually a gallery space issue. And shipping. And stuff. 

Most of my paintings end up too big to enter competitions. It's a problem but I usually just paint the size the content dictates. So sometimes, go big or don't bother, should be, go big and don't bother. But I still paint big anyways. I can't help myself. 

I don't know what it is about drapery but I love it. Love. It. When I see well done drapery drawings I just want to reach out and touch it. Feel it. Hold it. All that layered, luscious fabric. Maybe it's the seamstress in me that has a tactile connection. Truly, I don't know why, and really, I don't care. 
I just do. I know my little drawing above looks weak next to these below, but I still attempt fabric.

Here are more of my attempts with fabric. In paint.

Before all the wedding madness started last month I did a triptych painting for my lawyer daughter's office. Something in the colors she loves, that wouldn't distract her clients but be interesting, and that I could do quickly. Viola! It's not what I normally do but it was a very fun, easy artistic workout for me. Now when she sends me a photo of them in her space I'll share it with you. For now, you'll have to see it in the studio.

It's very different from the one I did for her Graduation present. And I use the term "Graduation present" loosely here, since it took me 3 years to finally finish it. And now that I have tried to find an image of it, to upload, I realize that I never had it professionally photographed for my files. Geez! An artist is never supposed to let a piece out that hasn't been recorded. Someone should fire me. Dang.

I'll upload a version when I take a photo of it. So what do you think?

Hope Series • Allegory of Healing

This is a piece that was a long time in the making really. When I saw the photos I had taken it reminded me of the hopelessness people can feel. Specifically, this is one of my daughters and it brought back memories of her life. And while painting it I had lots of time to reflect on our relationship and her life. 

She was born with a congenital anomaly that required surgeries and left her with some difficulties. They were the hardest to deal with during her childhood. And her care required physical pain. At one point, the strain became too much for her little 7 year old soul and she cried, "I wish I could die!" At that moment, I would have given anything to take her pain away. I yearned to do something. But couldn't. It was impossible. 

Searching for something, past her pain and mine, the thing that came to me was comfort and hope. I could give her the power of hope. A perspective past that moment. A view of the source from which strength comes. A balm for her wounded heart. 

I've thought of my own times of hopelessness and what it has been that has given me comfort and hope. Time and again, my greatest help and hope has come from the powers of heaven. This painting is about those critical junctures of life where we choose - hope or hopelessness. 

My daughter isn't 7 anymore. But, whether 7, 17, or 70, at those defining periods, I hope she will look to the windows of heavens, reach out to what is being offered, and have faith in the healing power of hope.

Symbolism
Some of the symbolism I see - 
     • When hopeless the foundation beneath you can feel as though it's deteriorating. Crumbling or melting away
     • We all have vessels that need to be filled
     • Personal revelation flows from heaven to us but we have to be willing and ready to receive it
     • There is no certain time frame to healing and hope will be need time and again
     • There is a healing balm within our reach

What do you see?

I'm teaching a student today a private lesson. I'm going to talk about the Rub Out Method in painting. These are a couple of photos of a small study I did for a larger painting.  

          • Start with an underdrawing of varied detail or just draw freehand
          • Pull paint off the canvas with brushes, cloth, q-tips, anything that works
          • Leave paint in areas that you want the darkest values
          • Usually it is done in umbers or siennas

This helps in numerous ways

          • Helps establish values before color
          • Creates an underpainting to "follow" when adding additional paint
          • Without a lot of invested time/supplies a composition can be established and re-worked

Here is another example Oil Painting Studies • I Love You Painting 

These are paintings in progress and aren't finished. I started them a while ago. 

Sometimes I get stuck. It's hard not to judge a painting before it's finished. I shouldn't, but I do.  When something's in the making it's usually not pretty, but it's all you see. (Kinda like kids, but that's another story.) So, I judged, and got very discouraged. I put the bottom one aside and started the top one. I'm 'feeling it' better with this one. 

It's not the models. They are both beautiful! They also happen to be my sisters. 

I think now I've halted because of my paintings skills, or lack thereof. I know some of you are going to go, "oh right, she can't paint, not. I can't draw a stick figure". But from my point of view, I'm still a beginner and don't have everything down, so I hesitate. Paintings are reflective by nature and take time. But, not that reflective. And shouldn't take that much time. 

So, I'm posting - just to get them on my mind again and to maybe see anything or have something come to me.

I'm very excited about the progress of this painting. Except. Except, white takes FOREVER to dry. And I have to wait for it to dry to go on to the next layers. I hate waiting. (Bonus if you know which movie that line comes from.) But, wait I must. And because misery loves company, you have to wait with me. *crickets*

A oil painting study I did this week. It's small but tends to go quickly that way. Eggs for Breakfast Anyone?

I really love flowers though I don't paint them often. I decided to do a little study and now I want to do a few more.

Here is a series of photos from an oil painting study I did recently for a larger painting I'm doing later .
Painting title: I Love You.