there is a web that connects all things
This weeks painting adventure is along the Stonycreek River in Somerset County, PA. I’m working on letting go of my dependence on realism. It’s continuing to be a challenge. Stony Creek River #1: stage 1 Off to a good start- painting the energy and heat of the rocks and the river that scattered them. Late …
1. June Lake No.1 This past weekend I went in search of a natural swimming hole & came upon the Quemahoning reservoir. Such stunning landscape! After a deeply satisfying ( and chilly!) swim, I set out to paint in a new direction. I’ve heard variations on this suggestion from several sources. Basically: “Let go of …
After success with the “blob painting” technique I wanted to go a step further. The delight of blob painting is what shows up, like images in the clouds. Starting a larger piece on better paper, my initial blobs were without intent, just color and movement. I don’t have a photo of that stage, but you …
Back in September I applied for an artist's residency at Big Bend National Park, an opportunity to live and work for a month in one of our largest and most remote wilderness areas, right on the Mexican border (image above.) As I worked on the application, I gained a new understanding of why I paint the way …
I had a wonderful time at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda MD today, with my companion Maddie who is 14. We each went to different panels and met up to compare notes. I am new to the world of contemporary comics and I have to say: WOW! It was such a vibrant scene - the exhibit hall was …
This recent post from Chuck Wendig's blog Terrible Minds got to me: Nobody wants you to be an artist. It’s for a lot of reasons. Some come from a good place — they think, hey, we want better for you. The life of an artist is hard. Be a bricklayer, a doctor, a ROCKET LAWYER, something, anything. …
I try to get out and paint plein-aire from the Yoshino cherries during their brief and glorious blooming. It's always unpredictable! This year it seemed imminent, then a cold front delayed their progress, then BAM! an explosion of flowers. When I first came to Washington, I expected something gaudier. I was amazed by the subtle …
I heard poet Tracy K. Smith read her poem by this name on Studio 360's tribute to David Bowie. Tracy won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for her collection called "Life on Mars," inspired in part by the Starman in his many identities. She credits him with showing her “the imagination as something that is capable of creating a whole new …
Although four days ago I want at all sure it was possible, I just validated this years novel at 50,631 words and got all the fun NaNoWriMo winners goodies: Congratulations video, a purple bar, and badges, banners and a certificate! But the best reward is, of course, having done it. When it got boring, I wrote. When …
On October 17-19 I was on retreat with my AWWG sisters in Mathews, VA. I had never visited this part of Virginia before and was smitten with the peace and big sky. This is a bit of my scribblings. In the Tidewater we have our own weather. Pattern: clouds march offshore, moving south along the coast. Clear inland. …
