Early Timber Gap, painted on board (Hey painting owner, want a touch-up??)
Timber Gap as painted this summer – yes, I know all the little canvas lines show in the photo.
With these 2 Farewell Gap paintings, I can’t decide which was painted earlier. Guess I finally caught up with myself for awhile in terms of painting ability! (But the cropping in photography could use a bit more practice. . . )
This may be hard to fathom, but while I was working on the mural, I also knocked out a few paintings. They will appear here one or two at a time for the next few days. The plan was to have them for a show and sale in Lodgepole, but we, The Kaweah Artisans, have not received permission from the National Park Service to proceed with the show. Meanwhile, they will appear here one or two at a time for the next few days.
Got a deal on 10×10″ canvases, which seem to work well with my cropped scenery paintings.
One of the best things that ever happens to working artists is receiving a check in the mail for paintings sold, especially when one has forgotten about said paintings! I sent 6 paintings of beachy things to Lady Spencer in Cayucos, California. Gina is an old friend from Exeter, and her store is full of lovely items from various artists. We’ve talked for years of her selling my art, and it took years for us to find the right plan. (Of course, by dragging it out, each time I visit the Central Coast I had an excuse to see Gina and call it a business trip!) She believes that more than just beachy subjects will have a market; I trust Gina’s instinct and experience. Here is what I am sending her next:
Okay, they are just begun in this photo. The flag will be a gift for someone who has gone above and beyond the call of volunteerism on the mural. The large poppy painting is a commission. (K, are you reading this??)
I have decided that there are 3 kinds of sky colors applicable to my painting:
Blick.com had a great sale on 10×10″ canvases. Since I have enjoyed the 6×6″ squares so much, I decided to try these. There may be a show in Sequoia over Labor Day, and it makes sense to paint subjects that are relevant to that area. These are all from photos that I have used in the past, but the square format adds a challenge and makes them look new.
This is one of the most dreaded, misunderstood and boring aspects of being an artist. We artists, in general, dislike writing about our work. Obviously this doesn’t apply to me! But while I love to write, the artist statement gets me bowed up. I don’t do well with Artspeak, and I hate pretentiousness. This a.m. I read an article in the business/art magazine Art Calendar about writing an artist statement and realized it was time to update mine (yet again!) I’m still not sure if it is supposed to be a personal history, a personal philosophy of art, or an explanation. Regardless, here is my current one:
Art has been my fulltime profession for 17 years. Pencil used to be all I’d consider – it was the best way I knew to get every single detail in excruciating perfection. As my drawing students and customers asked for color, I reluctantly entered the world of colored pencil to record life around me. It didn’t resonate with me the way graphite did (and still does!), so 4 years ago I began to oil paint. As my proficiency increases, I’m able to focus more on light and color, and less on minutia. Although my medium is different, my favorite subjects remain: giant Sequoias, Mineral King, citrus, and Three Rivers. Tulare County is my home and recording its beauty is my goal.
It will probably be rewritten many more times as I learn what this is supposed to be and do. Mostly it is a requirement for gallery entries or group shows. Since I tend to be a maverick (as my college photography teacher told me back in the late ’70s), I can usually avoid this part of an art career. Yea! So, have a look at what is almost finished for the Zonta show (and they invited me WITHOUT asking for an “artist statement”):
Ever use a GPS to help you reach a destination? If so, you have experienced what happens each time you choose to go a different route than the Talking Lady instructs. She says “Recalculating, recalculating!” That is exactly what I do with the prioritization of paintings in progress. Have a look at the current list:
How do I prioritize? If there is a paying customer, it goes high on the list. If there is a deadline, it goes high on the list. If it is tiny and I can work on it at The Art Co-op, it gets painted on Thursdays, in order of priority. The “spec” paintings are arranged in order of the shows coming up and how I am guessing (an educated guess of course!) they will sell at particular places. When one or a group gets finished, you know what I do? I recalculate, of course! 😎
a completed Sunny Sequoias in the ongoing series
a completed poppy for an upcoming show (click on to enlarge)
a completed orange for Mr. Ag Property
This is just a little reminder that you can buy my paintings on my website https://www.cabinart.net/oils_new.shtml (In case you were wondering. . .) I have added 3 that you probably have seen on this blog; now they are on the website.
Late Summer, Early Morning – oil on wrapped canvas – 11×14″ – $154
Moro Rock IV – 14×11″ – oil on wrapped canvas – $154
Sawtooth II – 8×10″ – oil on wrapped canvas – $80
My mobile easel is in a new place behind the cabin. See?
I was standing there painting and a chipmunk ran across my foot. “How rude”, was my first thought. He was awfully cute, but that was a total invasion of my personal space by a complete stranger. Then I bent down and looked: I was invading his space by standing in front of his front door! (Obviously I should have tried another photo – please excuse the blurriness) 
This is called Arriving In Mineral King. It is still wet and was painted in Mineral King, in case you were seeking a bit of authenticity. 8×10, $80, oil on wrapped canvas. Hard to believe I was standing in Farewell Gap one week and painting it the next!
This is what I worked on today. Can you tell what these are wanting to be when they grow up?
Upside down is a good way to force oneself to see shapes as they really are rather than as one assumes they are. It sorts out some of the confusion of the familiar. It causes one to filter out all the detail and focus on the larger shapes.
Perhaps it will be easier for you to identify shapes here.
This is hard. I’ve painted it 3 times now and it is still hard. 
This is also hard. Somedays I can hardly wait to be more proficient at oil painting so that I can see the pieces take shape faster. And isn’t it weird that when the paintings take less time that they will probably bring in more money?? Reminds me of working dumb jobs – the lowest jobs on the pay scale are usually the most difficult! Go figure. . . I’m not complaining, just puzzling over one of the many mysteries of life.