committment

I'm hard at work in the studio producing an abundance of new work. In addition to my solo show in June at Patricia Rovzar Gallery,  I promised delivery to the ever-patient Pryor Fine Art in Atlanta for arrival this Spring. And, I'll be joining the roster of commission artists represented by Art Resource Boston.

I've completed four pieces, have one on the easel, two on the hot wax table, and one in the wings. This sounds good in writing, but the holidays and a cold that lasted months resulted in a later-than-normal start.  In addition to my studio practice, I now find myself working through persistent personal issues of confidence, fear, and self trust.

Luckily, I have a terrier personality. Once on the track of something, I won't stop until I'm satisfied.

I could still use any extra good luck wishes you have laying around.

Winter Gatherings

Winter Gatherings, catalog of the exhibition at Selby Fleetwood Gallery, Santa Fe 

December 14 2012 - January 7 2013 Winter Gatherings Interactive Catalog

I am excited to have two paintings selected for inclusion in the Winter show at Selby Fleetwood Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Santa Fe is a mecca for artists and collectors alike. 

If you happen to be in Santa Fe over the holidays, stop in and give my regards to Selby, Sam, Eddie and Karinna. Opening night reception is December 21, 5pm- 7pm. Wish I could be there!

http://www.selbyfleetwoodgallery.com

20th Anniversaries and December Art

December 2012 is a great month for art, beginning with the 20th anniversary of Patricia Rovzar Gallery. The celebration began with a reception populated with artists and collectors in a room of walls covered with brightly colored art, wine, music and high energy. I am honored to be a part of the legacy of this remarkable gallery. For more background on Patricia and the gallery, be sure to read the Seattle Times story by clicking this link:  Gallerist Patricia Rovzar marks 20th anniversary

Opening night is Thursday, December 6th, 6pm - 8pm. The paintings are already being gobbled up by happy collectors, so make sure you come early to be sure you see all the new work from all of the gallery artists.

Elsewhere in Seattle, there is an abundance of shows that I don't want to miss. Around the corner from Patricia Rovzar Gallery is Traver Gallery. I am in love with the new work from Nancy Worden.

THE REVENANTS    Nancy Worden

Many galleries call Pioneer Square home. One of my favorite photographers is Michael KEnna. New work is on display through December 22nd at G Gibson Gallery 

Tidal Pool and Posts, Berck Plage, Normandy France    Michael Kenna

Outside the downtown core lives the Woodside Braseth Gallery with new work from Jared Rue until December 22nd.

When the Bough Breaks    Jared Rue

Fall Color

The rains finally arrived, but we were fortunate to have a summer that lasted late into October. This translates to astounding colors  before the rain and wind pulls the leaves from the trees.

These images are details from my current work, and they reflect my vision of the beautiful fall days.

simple pleasures

Most of the time, studio organization takes a back burner. Until the burner starts really burning.

This is one of those projects that I should have completed years ago. When brushes are left to float in the molten wax they will slip to the bottom of the pan. When the bristles touch the metal of the pan, they burn, causing the entire tray of wax to alter color. I purchase pre-mixed medium in bulk from R&F Paints. Not cheap. So every time I discard a pan of tainted medium, a little bit of profit slips away.

I made this simple brush rack out of scraps from my studio and the workshop. The base is a piece of flat plywood. Attached are two metal brackets from one of my industrial shelving systems. I've screwed some scrap filler wood into the brackets, and attached long screws to hang over the tray of wax.

It's not very pretty, and it's incredibly basic. But I'm oddly proud of my modest handiwork.

Special thanks to Larry Calkins for reminding me how easily influenced wax is to foreign material.

One More On the Board

One more month until the opening of my show at Patricia Rovzar Gallery. I'm excited about this body of work. And nervous too. My artist ego needs these long days in the studio over the past  five months to be rewarded with lots of accolades. Both the verbal and the monetary kind.  I have two remaining paintings to complete and then I will celebrate with a much needed bottle of bubbles.

See you at the gallery on opening night, June 7th, 6pm-8pm.

Fini!

'midsummer eve'  50" x 66"

Today marked the successful delivery of this large (50 x 66) commissioned photo-encaustic painting. It travelled across two bridges and three highways, balanced in the bed of a borrowed pick-up truck.

I made a secure shipping box out of pink foam plank insulation, the kind you would use in your walls at home. But once the entire box was completed, the size was one inch too wide to fit within the covered bed of the truck. In Seattle, with a constant threat of rain, road debris and stop-and-go traffic, I was concerned about damage to my precious cargo.

But, sometimes you just have to give in to circumstance. My husband and father-in-law secured our load and we drove, carefully, to our final destination. Happily, the stars were in alignment and the painting now rests safely in the consultant's showroom where it awaits installation onto the reception area walls of St Clair Hospital in Lakewood Washington. 

Thankfully, its final delivery and installation is now in the very capable hands of licensed professionals.

midsummer eve, photographed at an angle to show hi-gloss surface

A Back Breaking Labor of Love

I'm currently working on a large (50in x 66in) commission for the lobby of a hospital here in Washington State. I love commissions. And although challenging, I love working large.

The panel was expertly constructed by Matthew Olds of Hold Studios. And this time I also outsourced my large format printing from The Color Group. All of the pieces were beautifully produced, and everything is coming together just as planned. On schedule.

And then today. Instead of waiting to ask someone in the building to help me glue the large sheet onto its substrate, I decided I could handle it myself. I slopped the glue onto the panel and quickly squeegeed it across the board to a smooth, level finish.

I carefully picked up the large sheet, and was immediately engulfed by the mass. To avoid the sheet falling onto the sticky surface, I flopped the thing over my head and blindly lined up the edges into the correct position on the panel.

Stick. Remove. Kink. Crease. Tear.

Then finally, it rolled into place and I began frantically burnishing the surface. Dabs of glue spotted everywhere. This will require sanding and covering with some R+F Encaustic gesso in areas.

Whew. It will all work out in the end, but next big project, I'll be enlisting a helping hand. For now, I need a back rub and a martini.

A Peek in the Studio

I 've been busy this year preparing for my June show at Patricia Rovzar Gallery. Which is my current excuse for not posting more regularly.

Here are a few detail shots of work in the studio. 

bamboo,

atmosphere,

 texture,

 shadow,

 shades of green and gray and blue

 lots of mark making

three on the wall.

Working With Art Consultants

These tiny 10" x 10" tiles were painted for Art Source LA, a fine art consulting firm based in Los Angeles, with offices in Washington DC and China. The company primarily focuses on commission and reproduction work.

Art Source LA, (ASLA) contacted me in November to see if I would be interested in joining their roster of acclaimed artists. After a review of their astounding client list, some very favorable phone interviews with a few of their existing artists, and an in-person meeting at their offices in Santa Monica, I was excited to join the ranks.

They have a different approach to presenting work than a traditional gallery. Many of the projects are large, requiring the commission and purchase of multiple works of art. There is no showroom for the client to see and select work. Instead, the consultants at ASLA create a project proposal, including a slideshow of artwork that they feel would fit the specifications of the project. In addition to slides, they show small original samples that represent the finished painting surface.

My work has been presented for three projects, (that I know about) to date, including one enormous  —17ft x 16ft — painting for a new high rise building in China.

Wish me luck!

leftovers and a little olive oil

 poppy leftovers on the easel

Thanks in part, to a severely overcooked bird, none of our guests returned for seconds, and we were rewarded with an enormous amount of Thanksgiving leftovers. The leftovers were turned into all sorts of turkey related concoctions. Some edible.

"a very large meal" 12 x 24

Same thing with poppies. After completing such a large body of poppy paintings, I found the studio filled with bits and pieces of cropped images and odd-sized boards. 

detail from "a very large meal"

I don't usually like working with smaller sizes, but I also wasn't anxious to jump back on the computer to develop new large imagery. And the beauty of working small, is that it gives me a sense of freedom to work on new techniques. 

detail from "a la folie"

The details above illustrate how I'm developing my mark making through scraping and rubbing. Keeping in the spirit of the season of cooking, I used olive oil to rub off excess paint. Reheating the area with a heat gun caused the paint to separate in areas, adding texture to the work. 

"a la folie" 12 x 24

Inspiration From Architecture

"and the leaf is singing still", 32.5" x 30"

This is the final painting ready to deliver to Patricia Rovzar Gallery for the annual group show this December.

I'm planning to explore bamboo in depth in the months leading to my June 2012 solo show. My husband is naturally the best architect in Seattle, but this particular inspiration came from a visit to my neighbor's house, designed by another talented local architect, Tyler Engle. 

front entry with view of bamboo through window beyond

As you walk toward the entry, you are greeted by a soft glow of light  filtered through the front door. Immediately opposite the front door is a frosted glass window, which looks out upon a contained area of densely planted bamboo. During the day, the bamboo is lit naturally, and the forms take on soft silhouetted forms. At night, the bamboo is lit, and the soft forms present different colors and patterns. These patterns are constantly changing throughout the day. The way some leaves press up against the glass and others fall softly into the background reminds me so much of how wax reveals and hides the image in photo encaustic painting. It was a struggle to join the conversation of the party, as I found myself wandering to the hallway for glances of that beautiful scene throughout the night. A magical box. I must find a way to intrude on my neighbor for more visits, and potential photographs.

If you find yourself downtown in December, please stop by the gallery and then let me know what you think of my new work. 

above: details from "the leaf is singing still"