Walking to Work

                            ,

Captain Solomon Jacobs Park at The Head of the Harbor, Gloucester MA.  This far view towards Ten Pound Island always catches my interest.  So many things to look at from the up close to the far away, to the above, to the below, to the squeeze in-between.  I'm not inclined to paint this, to squeeze all of this into a flat plane; however, all of this informs my art.  Everything here, within, without, is in constant motion.  This is the essence, and yet so easy to forget, so easy to want to fix, but must surrender to:  change is the only constant.  the still point what binds all of this together is the between.

best,

deb

ps:  the top 2 pics are from my walk to work on Thursday morning April 18.  the bottom pic of the long view was taken yesterday morning April 19.  sometimes i sense the ocean breathing.

My Day at The Cape Ann Museum

last Saturday and Sunday I spent the afternoons demonstrating and chatting about art.  my daughter Elizabeth Bollenberg came to the Sunday event and took some great pictures!  the set up was on the third floor of The Cape Ann Museum  where "The Rule of Four" exhibit is on view through May 2012.  I'm working in front of four of the Species paintings that I created for the museum in 1995.  There are Nell Blaine drawings on the wall behind me, and Lynn Swigart's photographs are glimpsed in the corner.

It was fun greeting folk, the old gray matter kept firing, amazing me at the accumulated knowledge that I was eager to share.  The most difficult/exciting part of the demonstrations was introducing folk to concept of change that is inherent in my process and final product.  Many folk wanted to know how I knew when a work is finished, since I have no preconceived idea of what the finished work will look like.  All I could say is, I just know.  There's an inner sense of knowing, all of the dynamics of the drawing work, the tension is just right, and I just know.  Some work happens fast, and other work happens over time.

best,

deb

as always, comments, questions are welcomed.  now, it is time for me to put my studio back together so that the work can continue.  

Rusty Anchor jellyfish (wip)

Here's the orange jellyfish in process.  reverse glass with silver, aluminum, rusty egg tempera, etc.  in process.  if you click the pic you can see the grains of rust.  my friend Paul Frontiero reminds me that "rust never sleeps".  I wonder if this will develop a rust bloom.  very excited about this.  19x20".

best,

Deb

ps: this will be one of the works in progress that i will bring to the Cape Ann Museum for my demonstrations on March 31 and April 1.

Taking in the Beauty and Making Paint

Late Sunday afternoon I took a stroll across the street to check out the beauty of the anchor that greets one at Capt Joe & Sons.  My thoughts were of hope and trust.  I would not trust this anchor to hold one fast; and if used, knowing the condition of the anchor; all one could do is hope that it would hold.  Close inspection revealed the trust that barnacles placed upon this anchor, until it became dry docked.  How was the anchor made?  It clearly has iron in it as evidenced by the rust; but what is the grain?  it looks like wood.  hmmm...questions to be answered another day.

I carefully collected some rust from some of the inner surfaces where the rust dust was fine; along with a few other crumbs. I then ground  the rust into a finer dust with a mortar and pestle then, added some water  to form a stiff paste.  I then turned this into an egg tempera paint by adding an equal amount of egg yolk.  I was hoping for a nice deep orange; no dice.  I ended up with a yellow ocher that I am using in several paintings of keys and jelly fish.   I named the paint "Rusy Anchor"

best, 

Deb.

Back to Work!

we had an engagement party for my elizabeth and her man joshua a few weeks ago.  i had to clear my workspace to make way for the bar.  krash/slide and all survived.  forgot that all of this work was stored behind/beside/beneath.   wonders never cease.  back to work, getting ready for my mini residency at The Cape Ann Museum at the end of this month.  more details to follow.  for now, bringing work to various stages of completion.  will demonstrate process, be available to chat with folk.

below are various attempts to photograph the mirrored drawings.  the reflection kept getting in the way.  i  reflected a white showerboard into the mirror, then took an offset pic.  what appears as a shadow line is the reflection of the sharpie drawing and gold egg tempera.  the box is lined with black velvet and will barely be visible when complete.    

Paul with Fish, update

Paul, detail.

This is a painting that I started several years ago, and have not finished.  The painting is in the attic.  why did I stop working on it?  I have misplaced the background fish that is the shadow wall for the verre eglomise.

someday I will finish this work.  btw:  some of the white areas is paint, other white areas is aluminum leaf, other white areas is where the light shows through from behind, other white areas is the surface light reflection.

best 

deb.

Updated:  May 22, 2012.  in all of my haste, this painting hit the floor.  i have kept all of the pieces and shards.  My friend Paul has gone through a difficult time during this past year.  His son Paul Frontiero Jr. was murdered last fall as he intervened in an attack on two young women.  he paid with his life.  then, he lost his beloved father a few months later.  when i saw the shards on the floor i thought of Paul
 'falling apart, to be put back together.'

best always Paul! steady on.
deb

A face I remember (the in-between)

the realtime view of the drawing in action.  the audio/video is a bit out of sync.

turn the volume down if fingernails on a blackboard bother you.  yeah, the sound

is sort of like that.  totally unaware of the sound when i was drawing...busy listening

to the inner sounding.

best,

deb.

"A Face I Remember" once again

erased, scrubbed down, excavated.  yes, this is the palimpsest that i have used for the drawings of the prior 2 entries.  the image redacted with a different axis.  marker and gesso on shower board framed, 11x11".

i think i'm done with this one. will turn it to the wall and tell you in a few days.

best,

deb.

Redacted, erased, covered up. "A Face I Remember"

"A Face I Remember" redacted, erased, covered with gesso...already to start again...later, after work today.

erased sharpie drawing with gesso on shower board.  

The crystalline ceiling of The Friari Chapel where the fresco disappeared, still resonates with me.  am also reminded by Audrey Flack that one can never completely erase the work.  even if all signs are removed that the hand 'was here' the energy has changed and will continue to resonate.

best,

deb

Another Face I Remember

another face i remember.  a work in progress, or not.  sharpie on shower board.  10x10"

best,

deb

My Good Workspace!

cleaned up the space to make way for verre eglomise and mirror making.

compared to what was here last week, it really is in working order.  and yes, i know where the tape is.

best and onward,

deb.

a nice comment from friend Clarity

found in my drafts.  should have published this months ago.  the link will take you to the google profile.

A nice comment from virtual friend  Clarity

Always have loved your fish paintings. They are...delicious. ;-) and Clarity's work is nourishing and delicious too!  we are connected through many on-line followings which has grown out of our initial virtual meetings on livejournal.  click the link and check out their work, their world, their books...a real treasure.
best,
deb

'Faces I Remember' new addition

this is a 12x12" framed hand gilded silver mirror with sharpie and incised drawing.  several view with some interesting reflections.  and example of the face we love the most.  'fuschia is a hooka!' is a passive agressive response to a woman telling me that this color is not for little girls.  it is for hookas!  so there.  that's an incised drawing from memory of a Rembrandt self portrait.  i have to look at the mirror for a very long time before new faces are suggested to me.  some of the upper shapes give me torso references...that is another body of work; unless, i decide to integrate them within this work.   interesting idea.  i wonder if the imposition of my will, will make it 'work'.

best,
deb

Cape Ann Art Haven Buoy!

i volunteered to do a buoy for the Cape Ann Art Haven fundraiser that will

 be held on the 27th at Cruisport Gloucester.  finally found some glue strong enough 

to hold the madonna and child in the curve of the chopped up buoy.  as if i carved the niche just for them! 

 didn't think i would succeed with this project as i had no designs on this buoy 

from the very beginning.  all i kept thinking of was how phallic the form is.

i might leave it as is, just sign and date it.

'madonna with child' copyright clarke 2012

gloucester ma

Preserves

"Copper Paint Manufactory" on left:
  copper leaf, fish scales, styrofoam particulate,
preserved in wax from melted candled ends 

in 3", 3oz jars.  copyright clarke 2012

gloucester ma

"LePages Mucilage" on right: 

aluminum leaf, fish scales, styrofoam particulate,
preserved in wax from melted candled ends 

in 3", 3oz jars.  copyright clarke 2012

gloucester ma

the paint company is out of business.  part of the iconic building is demolished;

 building being rehabbed by the Ocean Alliance, a non-profit 

the glue company is out of business. the property is now occupied by 2 gated communities.

the prosperity/demise of both companies followed the tides of the Gloucester fishing industry.

the wax is from vigil candles collected from various candlight vigils, services etc held at or in association with the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist church.

the styrofoam particulate is from a styrofoam buoy for The Cape Ann Art Haven's auction January 24th at Cruiseport, Gloucester.

jars:  purchased at Ace Hardware, Gloucester Crossing, Gloucester MA

Saatchi Showdown!

http://www.saatchionline.com/showdown/view/showdown/9/artist/52641

I have entered the Saatchi Collage Showdown.  If you have a Saatchi account look for The Fish Eye Bruegel by Debbie Clarke and give it a vote!   first round voting ends on the 19th.  my little 8x8" is up against 1959 other works. gawd.  a snowball in hell.  oh, well, i keep trying!

Here's The Fish Eye Bruegel.  If you wish to vote and don't have a Saatchi Account, you will have to set one up.  It is easy and free!

PICK ME!  PICK ME!  PICK ME!  send this little guy to London!

thank you,
Deb.

hey Picasso!

'child with thinking cap'

tape transfer ground with metal leaf on stretchers

every-once-in-awhile these funny little line drawings show up in the work.  for years these only showed up in my 4x5" sketchbooks.  never took them seriously.  now, they give me a joy.  this reminds me of Picasso's work.  just sayin'.

best,

deb