Studio closed for maintenance today

i did not paint.  today was a looking day, a doing day: some laundry, some kitchen pick up, other general pick up, personal maintenance, some more looking.   the air is soggy, yesterday's paint film is gummy.  i need some damar, and the good smelling air turp in the green can, this acid that i'm working with really gets in the way  today was a gray bright day, for lazy reading, light napping, light tapping of the keys.  today was a day to make some broth, to do fill in shopping and smiling at new folk at the market.  

oh, and i felt these steps to the low tide today.  maybe one day i will paint it.  i don't know.  it is difficult.  the boat/harbor thing must be a calling that i don't respond to.  so why do i stay here, doing this contrary art?  it's my hometown.  there are very few figure painters here.  maybe i should focus on that.  maybe not.  oh, here are the steps to the black mud:

the bottom is 30 or 40 feet below my perch.  it is a really deep thought...er..mucky place. so boxy.

tomorrow, onward, paint.

deb.

that's it for today.

sometimes i get so busy worrying about ahht that i forget it's just a painting.  a good place to leave off.  have introduced more ocher and sienna.

time to clean up for dinner.

onward,

deb.

work in progress "Hakim's or...." set up and some progress

moved the ankles.  need to go over the whole once again and refine sizes.  slowly removing black from the palette.  the light in here is very 'silvery', i don't want to apply foil.  i'm starting to feel as if i'm finally painting and not just playing around with the media and technique...yikes.  

onward,

deb.

Change a part, change the whole

The head was moved on Sunday, The ankles were relocated on Monday.  Today, Tuesday, I will look at the toes.  Color is introduced sparingly.  Ivory Black is a somewhat brittle pigment and dangerous to build up in the thin layers as subsequent layers of paint may not adhere.  This requires vigilance and lscraping as needed.  The palette so far is titanium white, ivory black, yellow ocher, burnt sienna, cobalt blue.  

This is not easy.  It challenges me everytime i put it on the easel.  'Once you learn to draw; you will never doodle again.'  Nate Goldstein, or was it Angelo? from a long time ago in art school.

onward,

deb. 

Work in Progress. the challenge of the standing figure.

hello, this is where i stopped painting on "Hakim's or this is what it was like when i worked in bazaar".  The surface would not accept any more paint, and the light was fading.  the mirror i'm working from is on the floor.  There's a wacky tilt and views of the underside of things, like the shoes, robe, chin, nose,etc. and sizes are odd.  There is also an exaggerated curve to the gesture that is 'almost' but 'not quite'.  setting up to paint.  then the job search will continue.

best, 

deb.

if anyone is interested in drawing lessons, or portfolio review,  let me know!  i'm available.

Highlights of the first quarter 2014

therapy for a broken wrist.

fell on the ice in February

verre eglomise with LUXX make up for color

small detail, a self portrait verre eglomise/mixed media

LUXX detail

5x5" idea panel 

a face i remember

hello deb.

fairies came out to play.

we had a baby shower for my grandbaby that is due May 14. 

 Elizabeth is a gorgeous Madonna Mama.

    

decided to finish this.  Hakim's or this is how it was when i worked in the bazaar. 38x42"

following pics are the progress

                                     
                                       

                                     

I fell on the ice in February while trying to get into the handicap access to a crosswalk in the West End of Gloucester. I'm 10 weeks into the healing process. Lost my job in March.  So, I'm looking for work, healing my wrist, and painting.  The standing figure is the painting i have dedicated to the healing of my left wrist.  sticking to the academics, not trying to be fancy or artistic.  i just want my hands to follow my eyes and maybe make a good painting in the process.  i have already changed the gesture from what you see in the last image.  

i will be updating with my weekly progress with job searches, grant applications.  if not here, at least to unemployment.  i'm looking at the Krasner/Pollack grant.  I can't afford art supplies.

best,

deb.

Feast! "Feed the People and the People will follow" the Bollenberg

Hello, dear followers.  I am well.  I have been busy.  lots of living, daughter getting married, a trip to France, celebrations of all sorts with family and friends.  I've continued to work at Bananas selling the vintage and gently used goods, as well as, continuing my daily art practice.

I'll be showing some work from an on-going series "Family Heirlooms" started in 1999 and redacted in 2013; within a broader body of work i refer to as apres Versailles.

I'm working on a Hall of Mirrors (about 80 glass and mirror drawings) selections from this project will be showing at The Flatrocks Gallery during the next several months, and through the first of few months of the New Year.

Most of my marketing and social media time has been spent on Facebook. It has been the easiest way for me to communicate and share what i am doing.   if you wish to connect and follow my public posts on facebook, please look me up.

i'm Debbie Clarke

in

Gloucester MA.

I will make an attempt to keep this blog up.  sometimes i find this site clunky.  

 thank you and best to my art buddy John Kelly for giving me a nudge.  folk do read this blog.  i  have another post about that.  later.  will try for once a week updates.  Sunday and Mondays are good for that.

best, and thank you for following.  if you're in Gloucester, please stop by to see Feast and enjoy a real look at my work.  I think it is beautiful.  

best,

deb.

 

this drawing pleases me.  i should track it down.  mixed media with foil on canvas.

it's snowing today.  these Sarto sandals had a lot of fun in the sun.

best,

stay snug.

will be on a posting binge today.

lots of stuff to share!

deb.

big brush, 20 minutes

my friend Kay stopped by yesterday afternoon for a few minutes.  i asked her to sit while i set up a palette.  4 colors:  cad yellow medium, phtalo blue cobalt hue, cad red medium and alizarin (wanted grumbacher red, but i'm out; hence the 2 reds) and white.  twenty minutes a 2 inch brush and this is the result.  i've already started rubbing some of the profiles so that i can work on it some more.  

i have not set up a full palette in a long time, as a lot of the work during the past year or so  required small batches of color, mixed each time i started to work.  it felt good to move my eyes and arms as Kay kept moving around too (she is very animated.).   

the challenge for me is to keep the paint 'fresh' as  the work develops.  

can't remember the last time i worked from a model.  should do this more often, just to keep the motor

skills sharp.  did not reach a 'calgon take me away' moment, but had a blast thinking about nothing except what color is this, what direction is that, how does this relate to that,  and kiss (keep it simple stupid).

best,

deb.