Late December

Above is what the studio looked like this morning. It's been a crazy three days of work. Long story short; a new exhibition possibility popped up this past week and the deadline for consideration is the same as another show's submission deadline. I couldn't pass up the new opportunity and so counter to how I have been thinking I worked toward finishing 5 additional works quickly so that I would have 11 pieces to to split between the two submission packets.

Painting with a deck brush.

Rejected Possibility.

The following four images are what I am considering to be completed along with the image with the orange tulips on it from my last post.  At least they will done for now, I think I will probably work on them after the submission process or any subsequent shows if they are accepted.

Look Mom No Clamps

It felt like time to investigate getting one of these 72" x 72" configurations on the wall. Wall Buddies W-3300 hangers were used as the hardware, although I am somewhat skeptical  on their claim that their product can support up to 80 lbs, these large pieces weigh in at just under 40 with the bolts in the back. I left his on the wall for an hour before running it back down to the basement, but would like to do a longer "test-hang" to see how comfortable I am with this hanging method. Originally I thought screws and D-hooks, but cleats may be another option. Some more investigation and exploring needs to be done but the Wall Buddies may prove to be a good final solution.

Sorry, bad photos, but an attempt to show how the bolts on the back of the panels holding it together. I over tightened them on the first pass and threw a bottom square out of alignment, so I learned my lesson and backed off on the torque of each and for the most part is is fairly square. Not too worried about it being perfect, it is nice to see the panels as individuals, emphasized by edges not lining up perfectly. 

In other news:

Counter sunk a few nails and puttied up the holes, will try and do sets of 6 rather than than all of the panels at once. I am anxious to get back to painting some new material.

Looking at something different, that left eye is still not right . . .  Kind of just want to paint over it.

Work: 5-31

Last night was spent exploring further configuration possibilities with the new triangle panels along with some sanding. The non-traditional format really helps these paintings feel like objects, surfaces to collect marks, document images and to stand as a testament to time. My father likened these paintings to plants in a garden, once started they need tending, pruning, nourishment and the inexplicable degree of grace from God to become something. I like that. No timeline should dictate their completion only that they consistently be tended to and allowed to grow with integrity and God's grace. Than at some point when they are ready, they will be done.

Bad photo, I apologize. Looking at a variety of different types of panel and "wedge" sizes here. If you note the sliver of tan/blue wood that separates the top square panel from the rectangular one to the right of it. That is a result of having to fill in extra horizontal space created by pairing the two vertical panels in the lower left corner together. I'll need to craft an additional wedge to fill in the remaining half inch gap on the far top left side. I like these drastically smaller elements which could provide hits of color and contrast. Quilting with paint and wood. Currently 73"x72".

Work: 5/13-5/5

Further oil explorations with the bananas:

Other progress in acrylic:

Work 5/6 - 5/8

B A N A N A S

Looking for a way to add some textural and painterly contrast in some of the imagery led me to breaking out the oils and attempting to refresh myself on how to work with them. Working on a few clumps of bananas suspending from the ceiling over a period of several days. I've noticed several artists online lately that combine acrylic and oil and my thought is that there may be a way for me to use oil as a way to add a top layer to some of the pieces that provides another level of visual interest.