Ghost of Versailles..and Benjamin Franklin's balloon.

Yesterday Nova featured the making of Ben Franklin's balloon at Versaille.  Part of the program was about the colors that the were used to create King Louis' gold on a blue background.  There were very strict recipes.  The blue was a cobalt base, the golds were shades of ochre.  Very good...it confirmed my instincts about painting that gold tone.

This morning I've started introducing the deepest ochres.

My right hand likes to go fast with the brush.  The canvas is only 24x24" and I don't want sloppy drippy stuff going on all over the place.  It is very challenging for me as the right hand has an innate knowledge, and I keep saying, not yet, we'll save the best for last.

Below are various details of the painting, any of which, could stand alone as a painting. Sometimes I fall in love small sections of a painting and decide to rework an entire painting around that one small section.  Instead of starting another painting, or derailing the work in progress, the prints of these details get re-worked into monotypes.

best, and onward

deb.

Ghosts of Versailles

This is a work in progress, an oil painting of my friend Paula and I in the Hall of Mirrors, on the left, and a bunch of tourists.  The work is progressing slowly, I'm holding back on a heavy handed brush with this one.

Almost daily updates are updated on facebook.  I'm debbie.clarke.5011,

My daughter Elizabeth has asked me to start posting less on facebook and to

start blogging, so here I am. 

best, and onward

deb.

My Good Workspace January 24, 2011

reviewing old work, showing some current work, getting ready to do some new work. will stretch canvas soon. will show some work soon on main street in a very prominent window location. stay tuned for details. will photo work soon to send to a jury show. busy, busy, busy. and right on track.

The WIP: Faces I Remember

two pics, same work.  top with white balance, bottom with automatic setting

My friend Paul Frontiero aka Capeannpainter recently posted about taking pictures of his artwork.  His issue is the photos lean towards blue.  One of his readers suggested he use the white balance feature.  I have never tried the white balance, so I did.  My simple $100 kodak digital has a white balance with three simple settings: daylight, florescent, tungsten.  I used the daylight setting, with close-up.  The white balance worked!  the top pic reads true.  I also tweeked the contrast a bit to get the pic closer to the drawing. 

 media for this face with no name (for now) is gesso, conte crayon and aluminum leaf on canvas, 14x16".  The composition is simply two shapes that i am in the process of complicating.  I use this same composition to start landscapes, standing figures, still life.     I have accumulated quite an inventory of these faces during the past three years.  some with names, some without.  This one has been on the drawing table for 3 weeks, and may or may not be done.

click the pics for close-ups.

best,

deb.

The wip (work-in-progress): Paul Frontiero continued. or how i got from there to here

Paul Frontiero, continued verre eglomise demo as seen on the goodmorninggloucester.com demonstration videos.  from top to bottom:  the canvas backing is overed in aluminum leaf that is adhered to the damp gesso.  2) the glass panel placed on top of the gilded canvas before the glass is scraped. 3 and 4 are details of the head with the aluminum leaf showing through.  5) toning the aluminum leaf with the darkest orange:  burnt sienna 6) the current state of this work in progress.  Today I will make some gelatin slurry and place some mirrored shapes.  pics to follow.  Paul is aka the Cape Ann Painter here's a link to his blog. http://www.frontierogallery.com/

 

The WIP (work in progress) December 2009

The Big Spender Chorus Line

a glass drawing in progress

verre eglomise, with oil on reverse glass and a mixed media support

24x36"

copyright debbie clarke 2009 gloucester ma

Historic Interpretation: AA BB Chair Reel

Two views, same painting, under different light sources. "The face we love the best" (paraphrase Leonardo) becomes incorporated into the glass artwork, as the viewer can see their own reflection in the glass. The artwork constantly changes.

copyright clarke 2009 gloucester ma

clicking the title will bring one to Peabody Historical show that this work is for. My work will be in part 2 opening in August.

The WIP (work in progress): The Wedding Reel

This is a detail showing the willow ware detail. the glass is backed with a gilded/painted panel. This is my interpretation in response to the collection of The Peabody Historical Society. This year they invited artists to create new work inspired by their historic collection. I have completed one study, and this painting, which is near completion. I have one more idea for the show, then off to the framers. My work will appear in the second have of the show (the first opens this weekend) with an opening in August, showing through September.

clicking the title above will take you to the site of the historicals current exhibitions

wip (work in progress): oncorhynchus nerka

that's my kitchen workspace above. below is the sockeye. aluminum and combination leaf on panel with oil and wax on reverse glass. detail below:

The WIP (work in progress): Hake panel 4 continues

I have added gold leaf to the front and gilded the panel behind the glass with aluminum leaf. refined the drawing, pretty near done.

The WIP (work in progress) panel 2 continues

In the big pic you can see my reflection in the mirrored sections.

work in progress: drawing for 'her shape too'

drawing for 'her shape' 12x12"
copyright debbie clarke gloucester ma 2008
sanford sharpie and dale & rowney egg tempera on panel

Progress Report: The Trapper John and The Dog & I drawing

This drawing is done. needs to be sealed. then the final light will be applied. stay tuned.
"Trapper John and The Dog & I" 30x32" copyright debbie clarke 2008, gloucester ma. chalk, aluminum leaf, wax, sharpie on canvas.

Trapper John, work in progress, as of 9/01/2008

Work in Progress:minus Dog&I and Trapper John

Two views, same painting.
The egg wash and chalk drawing is completely covered in 1-3 layers of aluminum leaf, adhered with gelatin slurry . I am in the process of burnishing the surface with cotton wool to reveal the images beneath the aluminum leaf.

There is a tradition of devotional art in which the sacred is visited through repitious acts, such as tending the altar every day. I have seen Shiva altars in which layer upon layer of silver or gold leaf is encrusted inches thick on the yoni/linga. This painting reminds me of the practice. The aluminum leaf will continue to be added until the Dog&I and the Trapper John become iconic. Sometimes the light hits this canvas and I am momentarily blinded by the brilliance.

Can you see what I see?

Trapper John, work in progress

The Trapper John minus Dog & I. still drawing, constructing the picture plane. media: chalk, egg yolk, gelatin slurry, aluminum leaf. it changes with the light.

"Dog and I" work in progress

This is the view. The tide comes in, the tide goes out, the boats come in, the boats go out, the boats rise and fall below the pier.

This is the first new work from my new nest. It is chalk, egg yolk, gelatin, aluminum leaf. 30x32inches on acrylic primed cotton duck.

Dog and I detail: The Dog and I (it will be yellow with green)

Dog and I detail: The Trapper John.

Sort of academic with a twist, a painterly drawing? some compositional dynamics to work out, then onto the next.

Ferrini Mirror progress report

ferrini is coming into relief. all of the words have died down, now all there is when i work is the landscape of his visage, the materials at hand. i have run out of gold leaf. i have run out of silver leaf. i now work with what i have left of the aluminum leaf and some indigo colors.

and this brings me to my favorite Thurber response to his editor's request for a progress report on his writing: 'well, i have drunk up all of the rum.'

blue women

The large panel on the right is now installed in the studio window. It is reverse oil on glass with gold and other metal leaf. This was started in 1996, last worked on in 2000, i am going to finish it. There was an underlying myth, now forgotten, along with a reference to walking on water. What will it look like finished?