MITCHELL Joan

Turn your volume off, i think the music gets in the way of the visual survey of Joan Mitchell's paintings.

I received a folio of Joan Mitchell's "Sunflowers" when I was in art school. My painting studies were moored on observational painting. Why these abstract flowers? The paint was dense, clunky, with a sloppy brush, somehow they seemed related to Hoffmann, and I resisted understanding. My discomfort with her work continued until I decided to copy one of her paintings. and then I copied another. and another. and then I was pregnant and went to The Albany State Mall. and there I walked in one of her "Landscapes" the painting bigger than my 8 month belly. There was so much joy and light coming out of the work...it made me dance!

I painted on and on with her work always on my studio wall until I closed my studio in Magnolia. Today I look at my gesture painting of Sunday morning and I say "Hello Joan"! you are not a dead hero, you are my live companion! I see you right there in the green of my picture plane, the speed of my brush.

best always,
deb.

Cripple Cove, Sunday morning painting class

a reader of this magpie's nest inquired about the plaque attached to the buoy that is moored high and dry at the Cripple Cove Landing (which is where we meet on Sunday mornings ((6:30am!)) to paint.  There are 4 plaques!  This is the seaward side of the buoy. 

and these are the paintings we did.  left 1,2,3:  Paul Frontiero.  center on clipboard:  Liz Bish.  next:  Debbie Clarke demo of a gesture painting reflecting my response to the color and feel of the morning. on right:  Tom Amend.  Last week painter Jeff Weaver stopped by and noted everyone was painting a different view.  This past Sunday we all faced the backlit hill with sun rising behind.  3/4 of the way through the class I introduced pthalo green into each of the students' palette, showing them the cool/warm possibilities.  

Liz wanted to know what I would do next to my painting.  Nothing.  maybe I will sign it.  The gesture is a completely different 'scene' than the one I started with.  When I started to paint I did not know what was interesting about what I was observing.  I made one spot of color against another.  between conversations with students I painted and then 'wham' the dark shape pressing down on the center of the picture plane against the house caught my eye.

"Cripple Cove gesture"

 5/2/10

copyright:  debbie clarke

oil on canvas 

12x16"

PS:  Thank you Joan Mitchell for painting your landscapes.

best, deb.