Growing again hinds' feet . . .

CORRECTED RE-WRITE OF THIS POST…

(I mistakenly thought David on Cennini Forum and then Jon who has posted on my blog for suggesting this book when all the time it was actually Eugene who suggested it. After reading my blog, there were so many mistakes I decided to re-write it completely.)

RE: Hinds' Feet On High Places by Hannah Hurnard

This is to EUGENE .... thank you for the suggestion to read this book!!!

After blogging about my fears in the previous post, Eugene suggested I read this Christian classic; an allegory about a very fearful girl and how the Shepherd from the High Places of the mountain (the Lord) helped her gain new feet (she was crippled) like those of a hind (female deer). As you know the hind is able to leap and bound across the roughest terrain … and in this case the rough terrain is the difficulties found in this life ... leaping above difficult circumstances.

What is written in this book is what I have experience throughout my life for I have met many difficulties and disappointments. At 66 years of age, I have been trotting on my own "hinds' feet” … romping with the LORD on the mountain tops through many a difficult circumstances for many years. That is why, when a Christian grows hinds' feet it is possible to declare, “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. " (James 1:2).

Yet those who’ve grown “hinds’ feet” are not exempt from self-deception from time to time. Seeking the Lord is what I practice on any everything that troubles me for I've learned that answers will come eventually. I had been seeking an answer to why I was so un-productive as an artist. I thought it might just be mere laziness, or that there was a lack of skill. I did not see fear. This self deception had resulted in an artistic block. How wonderful to have been nudged by the Lord to get this book. Meanwhile, in desperation, I poured out my plight in a private message to the moderator, Rob Howard on the Cennini Forum. He stunned me when he suggested that my problem was fear. He said, "You must overcome your fears" and he gave me some advice for doing that.

Then that little book came and along with it a conformation from the Lord. None of this is happening by accident. The Lord is orchestrating an answer and a solution. This is His way. I am gaining some strategies as how to battle what I recognize is my crippling fears. Fear is the opposite of faith.

For such a long time I had been blocked and I literally could not finish much art. I was overly critical of myself and set unrealistic standards. A fear of failing worked on my pride. I hurled brutal self-criticism upon my work. Nothing I did was good enough. A fear welled deep inside questioning, “Will my work ever be of any value? Will I ever be nothing more than an amateur? Will I fail?” Clearly, now I see that I was lusting after worldly success forgetting that it is the LORD God who gave all the talent I will ever possess at birth. How can I add an inch to my height; why am I worrying about talent or skill? It is not God that causes us to prosper (Det. 8) on this planet? All we are to do is be faithful .... not successful ....to do the best we can and to take advantage of every opportunity. Finally, I am free. What a heavy burden has been lifted off my shoulders.

Oh how long, LORD will I struggle and lust after the success of this world and the approval of mankind?

Scripture says, that if we will judge ourselves then we can avoid the disciplines from our Father in heaven. Those disciplines allow our problems to fester (Romans 4:2 - the Goodness of God leads man to repent ... waiting patiently and mercifully for the festering process to mature). When pain cannot be borne a minute longer, it must be lanced in order that the pussy sore can be drained completely and the wound healed. Our scares should remind us to deal with problems quickly to avoid such pain in the future ... but as with my case, deception clouds the truth.

As I'd stated before, just because one has been given "hinds'" feet (the hoofs of a deer) doesn't mean that one will never struggle again with the flesh. This is what scripture calls ... spiritual strongholds. My artistic block was the result of self-deception from false pride ... and repentance sets us free. Repentance simply means “to have a change in thinking, to agree with God and turn from that attitude.”

Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he: ..."

The deception: I didn't want to examine my pride issue and selfish ambition for the things of this world. I still struggle with wanting man's acceptance but at last I have insight now. The opposite of pride is humility...genuine humility. What does God allow, my flesh to be humbled ... to bring me into submission ... I'm so okay with that and the pain is going away.

Consider this, if there is a blessing for being an obedient child to our earthly parents might there is scripturally speaking .... (Proverbs says to honor your mother and father "that things will go well with thee and your life will be long upon the earth) .... how much more then .... will things go well for us on this planet when we agree with our Heavenly Father and do things His way!!!!

The Proverbs speaks wisdom: "My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they [shall be] an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck." and ...."My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth."

Thank you Eugene . . . you certainly were an instrument of God's will for me ... the Lord richly bless you and reward you my friend.

---Patti

Confessions of a fearful artist...

I've just discovered that I have an enemy; his name is Fear. What does fear do to an artist? In my own world, one product fear produces is a negative attitude and that is a prescription for a very big artistic block.

In my own meditation searching for a way to conquer this fear in me I had to look honestly at my ego and pride. I have such a great fear of failing; a fear that someone more knowledgeable more professional will pronounce my work as the worst sort of amateurish work. All that is ... is fear of embarrassment rising from false pride. So I am confessing.

Repentance from false pride....
Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate."

Lord, forgive me and deliver me from false pride and arrogancy and the love of this world and all the false success of it. Remind me daily that all that is good in me is from you. Amen

Searching scripture this morning I came across these passages where the Lord admonished his children to not fear. There are two types of fear in scripture: one good one bad. Good fear is the awesome respect for the Power and Awesomeness of our Creator i.e. the fear of God is good for man. Bad fear is the opposite of faith.

These are the admonitions of the Lord:
• To Abraham God said..... Fear not, Abram: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward.... also...fear not, for I [am] with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

• To Simeon ... Peace [be] to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks:

• To Moses ... And the LORD, he [it is] that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

• To Isaiah ...For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

• To Israel ... Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine.

• To Jacob ... Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, [which] will help thee; Fear not...

• Jesus said to believers ...But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

• This is the confidence we can have through faith ...In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

Since coming to understand my enemy, the negativity has gone for when an axe is put to the root of the problem, negativity is turned to positive attitudes full of faith that I am not my own; that the Lord has a purpose for my life and it is He that is directing it. What ever ability I have was given me upon my birth and may I diligently pursue to ever be mindful that I am learning, developing and discovering these abilities. I will have failure but it is in failure that often the greatest lessons are learned; that false pride will plant fear and we are debilitated. Fear is torment.

If I succeed in anything in this life, let it be to the praise of the Lord for this is what I believe:

Ephesians 2:6
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

I have been saved, I am being saved daily, and I shall be saved at the end of this life; this is the walk of faith of every believer. All of the works of our hands are directed by the Lord...therefore, fear not.

Stars on my figuritive gestures!

A 20 minutes drawing on newsprint with vine charcoal.

I received a star on my drawing last night from my instructor. He doesn't give them out often.

This drawing is moving toward artistic express. I was given a star for the artistic line and achieving what he has been drilling for the last five gesture classes.

I am truly at a turning point now. This is what I have been working for; not that I think for a minute I have "arrived" rather this is a break through. From this point forward Glen will be emphasizing artist expression and aesthetic beauty of the figure...and likenesses.

I'm more energized than ever. How fortunate I am.



The following drawings are 45 second gestures. My instructor says "you must learn to achieve the figure in less than a minute. It should be in proportion, the figure balanced, and it should have movement showing exactly what the figure is doing."

I got stars on these drawings.


The second figure especially. This is not about a finished drawing ... it is getting the structure solid. As you see, you have to draw quickly.





These are all good.


Here I use simple pink sidewalk chalk and have 15 seconds to first gesture the figure using the flat side of the chalk. Then I drew the figure in the remaining 45 seconds with as few lines as possible the figure ... achieving the same three criteria as stated above.

These are a total of one minute drawings. See how they read as a complete figure allowing your mind to fill in.





My instructor, Glen Thomas, says this to his student artists, "If you do not gesture first you run the risk of having to keep correcting your figure because the gesture assures that your figure will be convincing in the end because it will be balanced, in proportion, and dynamic ... that it will show exactly what the figure is doing regardless of whether the figure is still or in motion. Even a motionless figure has weight."

He is right. Now begins working on likenesses, aesthetics, and not in just getting the features correct and recognizable but in showing the real person and intent of the figure.

On Praising the Copper Teapot Update

POST UPDATE: 9 Nov 2010

Well good grief....
WILL I EVER GET THROUGH WITH THIS!!!

Today, I was looking at this and realized that I have a drawing drafting problem. Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I made some major corrections but I am philosophical. I think that all of my figurative drawing has also made me a better draftsmen for my eye accuracy is much improved. Now what I have to do is persevere and correct this ... then I'll be happy and can move on.

I truthfully can say I have learned a great deal from this little study.

Will post a finished picture to compare with the photo below when it is done.

A work still in progress.... #4 update

I'm getting close but there are still some clean up issues.

Why the Progressive movement is un-American

PLEASE READ THIS. Please, I beg you.

I don't have to say a thing if the eight points in this article are read. If you want to understand what is going on in politics today, I implore you to read this article especially the eight contrasts and comparisons of what the Founders ... Jefferson and others.... of this nation believed in forming the US Constitution and how their views compares to the Progressive thinking. (A page turner.)

You will be appalled.

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2007/07/the-progressive-movement-and-the-transformation-of-american-politics

Written by Dr. Thomas West for the Heritage Foundation. Thomas G. West is a Professor of Politics at the University of Dallas, a Director and Senior Fellow of the Claremont Institute, and author of Vindicating the Founders: Race, Sex, Class, and Justice in the Origins of America (Rowman and Littlefield, 1997).

On Praising the Copper Teapot

Here is a current work in progress....
3. (A bit over saturated..doesn't look like the painting exactly.)

The pictures are little to saturated if compared to the actual painting but I checked the gray card (border) and that seems about right but my eyes do not see this image that hot.

Why...In God We Trust does not discriminate against atheists.

The following is a post I made recently on face book regarding why the phrase: "One Nation Under God" and "In God We Trust" and my premise was that these statements do not infringe on the rights of any human being regardless of religious theological view, or philosophical view, nor does it infringe on atheists who say they do not hold any belief in a higher power. The matter under discussion, revolves around the concept of what do you put your faith in versus a belief system revolving around theology or philosophy. This is ultimately about natural rights of our Creator versus rights bestowed by human law.

The First Amendment's Establishment Clause does not “separate” government from faith; it separates government from theology or philosophies of life.

The phrase "separation of church and state" is not found in the language of the First Amendment and it’s Establishment Clause. Rather the clause is designed to clearly prevent establishing a national church or a theological position of a particular view of God and this includes any kind of philosophical view of life including the atheist view. These are matters of conscience and belief. All mankind have faith in something and what this rationale is that humans are born with natural rights regardless of whether a man believes life evolved or just happened, or whether life began with creation of Adam in the Garden of Eden. Man has faith in himself or the Bible, the Koran, or the writings of Budha, etc. It’s all faith.

These phrases were placed on our national monuments, in our Constitutional documents, and on our currency by men who were both Christian, Deists, Agnostic, Atheist .... namely Jefferson a Deist, and Franklin who was most likely an atheist. There were many learned non-religious men involved in the forming of our government who were agreeable to the addition of these phrases. Why?

This is about Natural Law straight out ... which these men fully understood. Let me try to explain through this post:

Consider this, America has not nor have we ever been a nation of atheists and that while the minorities are represented and have their natural rights secured along with the majority, it is the majority that rules how the Constitution will be worded. The Constitution was ratified by the votes of a majority. That said, is it’s language discriminating against the small minority of secularist, atheists, and humanists who do not hold to a religious view point?

On the contrary, it is this language “One nation under God” that guarantees every citizen of every philosophic view that their natural rights will be forever protected. Without this language, there is no guarantee.

There is a very important reason our Founding Fathers included these phrases and also amended the Constitution to clarify their position with the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment. No doubt driven language driven probably by non-Christians statement of the time. However, note that there in no specific wording "separation of church and state" in this amendment. That phrase has been added over time and has become CONVENTIONAL WISDOM which is used to declare that we are NOT one nation under God but separated from God. If you think I am wrong, prove me wrong. Go read it for yourself.

The Establishment Clause prevented any religious denomination or sect … a certain theology or philosophy … from ever being established as America's national religion or philosophical view of life, therefore, preventing the teaching of a particular brand of theology or philosophy of life. In doing so the Founders prevented the creation of any specific government church or government view point that should be a matter of personal conscience and is improvable one way or the other. No one can prove there is a God or disprove there is no god. This is brilliant. This move keeps theology of any religious stripe or a philosophy of life from being dictated and imposed upon American citizens. Rather every citizen decides these things according to their own conscience. However, that Amendment did not deny nor did they ever separate this nation from FAITH IN GOD ... or faith in a god.

Faith in God or faith in a god concerns a belief system or philosophy of life and that is why Jefferson and others wrote extensively about natural rights of men. They included resoundingly these phrases such as ... IN GOD WE TRUST, and ONE NATION UNDER GOD in our documents of governance and then engraved the motto everywhere on this our currency and coins, and continued to chisel into stone these mottos all over Washington DC into the stones of our monuments and in our anthems.

This is why. Having a simple FAITH is vastly different from being a Catholic, a Baptist, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a New Age wacko who bows down to magic rocks, or even a Satanist witch bowing down to worship the black magic of Lucifer, or atheists who bow down to themselves and worship man himself thus making himself his own god. Like the Greeks did. All of mankind has faith in something.

Very smart men...weren't they? So if it is in God you trust or if it is in a god you trust or yourself you trust in there is a guarantee extended to by your which is your natural right.

Let me explain.

For example, if your god is yourself, and you think you know all things and the meaning of life and there is no other power higher than yourself according to your conscience and that creation evolved all by itself, and you have decided mankind holds all the answers to the meaning of life, you are quite free to pursue that philosophy freely in the United States of America. Find others who believe as you do, organize and go vote for your favorite atheist or humanist candidate. Maybe you can persuade one day the majority to your way of thinking. That is your natural right.

In my view, people who do that have just made for themselves their own idol... namely man … themselves. That is who they have faith in. Man will have faith in something. Some have faith in science, education, philosophy and so on; other have faith in the what the Bible says or some other sacred text. Yet, no person has the right to impose his brand of philosophy or religious view on another. There is the problem.

The Founding Fathers understood this concept.

Mankind is flawed. This also is a recognized fact. The Bible tells Christian believers and the Jew this truth; history also records this truth to the atheists and secularists. Can anyone say there is a perfect man without flaws? Can you honestly say mankind has improved the human character and over come his flaws? Power, wealth, envy, and covetousness corrupts and men resist it yet few overcome these temptations especially in governance. Would you agree?

THEREFORE, it was essential to get the nation to agree that there are certain natural rights that are given by our Creator that are inalienable. That means a right that no man can take away from another other man; further, no man can endow or give another person that right. It is these "inalienable rights that only God" can give or take away. Man is born with certain rights that only God has the authority to give or deny it to humans. God has that authority because he created all of us in His own image...they are Natural Rights.

Now this is an important principle for a group of people to agree upon because it guarantees human beings in America that they have an uncontested RIGHT TO LIFE, an uncontested RIGHT TO LIBERTY i.e. personal freedom, and AN uncontested RIGHT TO PURSUIT HAPPINESS....but that is UNDER GOD not under man or a government. Agreeing to these Natural Rights is the guarantee because it rests outside of man or government authority. Your rights can never be revoked by government or any man.

In this way all citizens are given a guarantee of these rights under our laws which are then fully enumerated in our Constitution, accepted by a majority of God fearing and non-god fearing individuals. All laws are judged against the Bill of Rights and that is why the Supreme Court Justices are so important...that is their job....they don't create law, they judge it but these natural rights stand.

Right now Obama Care demands that you buy something. Your personal liberty is now in jeopardy ... and that is the uproar. Simple. The government has no right to force you to buy something.

Now, on this subject, if you think differently, you, in my opinion, are not a student of the writings of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the original founding documents.

Do you think they ever envisioned a monster of a proletariat government that is now in place? They knew that states rights were essential for dispersing power and de-centralizing it .... and so the Federalist Papers were written to clarify that and they also knew that there had to be a way to fix any problem they might not have foreseen with the Amendment processes but they divided the power to do so among the three judicial branches to make it extremely difficult and cumbersome to change anything and as any student of civics knows, this Constitution has held without further need of Amendment all these years except ... as the Fathers saw on women's rights and slavery issues.

It is brilliant thinking ... and it has worked pretty well for 200 years. It still reflects the majority position of this nation for over 95% of the population profess to be Judeo-Christian or other faiths and sects leaving a tiny few atheists who declare, in my view to be their own god ..... who say they have no faith in anything but themselves.

Atheist view is a silly notion in my view....but then I'm a Christian...I would think that.

THEN FROM THE OPPOSITIONS WHO WROTE:

I am a student of American history and government. The founders -- in religious terms at least -- were as diverse a group as our leaders today and perhaps as diverse as we ourselves.

Among them, were John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (author of the Declaration) who were deists and not Christians, George Washington whom I believe was Christian as were many of his peers, Ben Franklin who was either agnostic or atheist, and Thomas Paine who was an avowed atheist. Our nation is strong so long as we realize it is made up of all of us working together as one.

Historically and philosophically, it is of a movement that grew out of the European Enlightenment which came up with the novel idea that people should rule themselves and that nobody should be able to dictate their private belief or unbelief.

MY ANSWER: Ha, ha, ha. ....David ... did you not read all of the rationale I posted (ABOVE)? Yes, you are exactly right and my friend ... I think you are making my point nicely .... ( Maybe I lack clarity....ha.)

The fact that Jefferson and Franklin and many others at that time...back then supported "In God We Trust" and "One Nation Under God" language is significant ... and the mention of "Our Creator" and so forth apparently satisfied their views .... making my point precisely. They did not see that including those phrases to be any sort of a threat to their own atheistic or deist views at all. Ever wonder why?

Study "Natural Rights."

I hope all those who agree with my post will cast their votes for a return to common sense governance November 2nd .... all those who hold to America's core beliefs as found in the Constitution and Bill of Rights as well as the Federalist Papers, strengthening State's Rights and holding to the wonderful ideas of governance of our Founding Fathers.

So it is "In God I Trust" in my heart ... as I go to the polls and vote in a few days. Character is everything...we'll see if we still have knowledgeable people left in this nation. Move the power back to the center.

On Hope.

Hope what you please; but remember, that hope without truth at the bottom of it, is an anchor without a holdfast. A groundless hope is a mere delusion. -- Charles Spurgeon

"So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchiz'edek." --Hebrews 6:17

The anchor will hold through the greatest storms of life......awesome truth.

Keeping Me Honest....

I was accused of being honest on my blog. I try to be but I'll say, I struggle with my ego just like very one else but I KNOW that for me to grow as an artist I have to realistically look at myself as the amateur that I am. That doesn't mean I will stay here but I have to work hard to humble myself and listen to critiques that I always want to be defensive over. That is why I listen to artists that I have absolute confidence in with the greatest care. It is easy to "wow" the general public; it is another thing to "wow" a colleague.

"Lord, help me always to be in this position, that I might give you all of the glory for anything I accomplish and take none for myself. Help me to stay motivated and to truly say I have done my best." Amen

KEYS...when evaluating a painting by Rick McClure

I. Is There Enough Contrast

Ask yourself, "is there enough..."

• Contrast in Values - for a form to have dimension there has to be at least a light, medium and dark value.

• Contrast in Colors - Is there a range in color?

• Contrast in Temperatures - warm and cool contrasts

• Contrasts in Intensity - bright intensity of color to neutral color

• Contrast in Edges - sharp and soft edges

• Contrast in Simple and Complex busy areas contrasted to calm areas

• Contrast in brush strokes - using different brush sizes and shape

• Contrast in Repetition -- is there variety

Four Planes of Light - Are their values correct?

1. Value of Light of the Sky Plane

2. Value of Light of the Horizontal Plane or Ground
Where is the horizon? Is there more ground or more sky? Do not place the horizon near the middle of the painting. Ask, is the painting scene a mostly sky painting or mostly ground painting.

3. Value of Light of Sloping Planes (example: hill side)

4. Value of Light of Vertical Planes


III. Value Integrity of Masses

• Shadow Masses....are shadows all below a medium 5 Value?

•Light Masses .... are lights above a medium 5 Value?

IV. Focal Area -- is this the place of highest contrast elements on the painting? Are the other areas subordinate to the focal point? Are you viewing the scene and painting it as your eye sees rather than as the camera sees? Meaning, the camera puts everything in sharp focus, your eyes do not. Notice that you focus on an object and everything else is blurred in your peripheral vision. That is how you paint a scene and thus draw your viewer to your focal area.

V. Harmony -- is there color and a key?

These are the suggested check list items to consider for working through a painting to evaluate where the problems are and how to correct them.

Off To Paint Landscapes at Quartz Mountain...

UPDATE: Here is a little color study, a sketch which is one of two I did at Quartz Mountain yesterday (Oct 10th).

I was sitting in the sand on a sandy beach with the mountain in the distance. This image is very difficult to show on-line because up close the sketch is nothing....but the further back from it....it comes together. Therefore, the smaller image "reads".

I determined to follow exactly Rick McClure's instructions from his demo on my first sketch but never got up from my chair before the easel to view it from a distance. I just plugged along for the 2 hour session blocking in and working as fast as I could and never viewed this from any distance.

To my surprise, the instructor came up behind me and announced that he wanted to include my sketch in his critique session which was scheduled at the end of the day.

I thought nothing about except he wanted to maybe show how the work needed to be improved which is fine with me. He presented it at the end of the critiquing session ... about 9 other sketches with mine being presented toward the end.

Rick's method of critique was very instructive, asking the group, "what is good about this sketch and also how could it be improved" .... going from painting to painting. It was instructive. I didn't feel anxious about mine but prepared myself for possible constructive negativity.

Then he presented mine and said, "this is really a good painting and there is so much right about it and the brush work can't be taught it is just something you innately have ...." asking the 20 artists attending, what was right about it. I was shocked and started feeling really a bit embarrassed because I had not expected this. The artists gave some wonderful positive feedback. Then Rick said, "there in nothing wrong with it at this stage .... a few minor things." I was truly stunned.

Am I a landscape artist? That is the journey I'm on to find out by taking these workshops. Could it be I have some natural ability in this direction I never knew I had?

The looseness required in painting fast under the gun in plein air painting was good discipline. A brevity of strokes that often is missing from studio painting is interesting in itself.

The day was a bit warm at 84° and hardly a breeze, and sand wanting to create some havoc with my gear and walking, all in all this was a melodious spot but I dreaded lugging the gear back and forth, setting up and tearing down and stowing ... but oddly enough it did not take away the harmony of my day. It was a pleasant experience except when I had a tumble from the a step at the top of a ramp landing into unstable sand .... and fell into a rather large bolder with my hands full of gear. Oddly enough as I began to fall thinking, "wow I'm going to be badly hurt" and surprised I did not hurt anywhere (except my pride) with just a little bruise on my forearm appearing a few hours later. I'm fine and feel I had a few angels present. :O}.....

Being outdoors was surprisingly refreshing and I found myself reminiscing about my childhood; a time when I was out doors every single day playing as a kid that I rarely thinking of but should for I had a happy childhood. Maybe I will blog about that more or even paint a series on those days. Hum...is that inspiriation.

Good feeling.

**********************************************
ORIGINAL POST:
For the next two days I'll be on location outside painting with a good artist friend.

This time, I think having worked on the little sketches (see previous posts), I feel more confident and in control especially of my palette. The trees are just beginning to turn golden fall colors and it is cool and lovely even chilly in the morning.

My friend and I will paint on our own the first day and be in the workshop the next day.
I'll update when I get back.

Roses Update

Final finishes for sculpture pieces.

These are sculptures I am putting some finishes on. The portrait head is the base coat of bronze (over ceramic bisque) and have not put the patina on a blueish patina...to come.

The skull is a copper patina (greenish patina).

I'm liking the effect. What do you think?

Reactive Paint Finishes for Sculpture

This is the first light application of reactive solution on the bronze base layer. You can see the patina beginning to form. Some of it I can rub off but if I want to stop the reaction I can seal it however, it probably will change the color a bit.

This is the iron base test tile turning from two light coats of reactive solution. It will continue to rust ... changing to a shade of dark orange-rust. I like this a lot.

This is the first base coat of copper. I have not applied the reactive solution yet because i need to apply a second copper coat that needs to dry. Tomorrow, I will start the process to add a green-ish blue patina.

These may be used on clay pots for the garden....and sealed for outdoor use or even placed in a fountain (a bit more work to seal it). Way cool.

The Delicate Matter of Artistic Temperament

Rob Howard moderator of the Cennini Forum on-line, made some interesting observations on artistic temperament, painting content, and observations of my temperament at this moment. Those comments have caused me to pause and reflect and realize this personal climb toward the ledge of a professional has become a scary ride.

COMMENT #1 – On Content

Rob wrote regarding focal point and interest in a discuss sparked by my two landscape sketches previously posted:

The problem with most paintings is that they are a fait accompli, a completely contained universe that allows few questions and even less discovery. The artist presents everything with few mysteries and expects the viewers to be like good little children at table, and eat everything set before them (meanwhile ruining the experience by grumbling about being not appreciated for slaving over a hot easel all day).

(The following alludes to a suggestion of what to add to paintings to create more interest...an alligator hiding in the water for example.)

What the hiding alligator would do is give the viewer something to discover on their own. It would never be mentioned in the title. Once they discover it, they'll call everyone over and will be so delighted that they'll speak about it outside of the gallery..."you've just got to see that picture of Elegiac Park...tell me what you see." That's intriguing stuff and that brings in people to see it.

I once had a studio on the roof of the Bradford Hotel in Boston. It was previously the kitchen, all tiled and with twenty-four foot skylight ceilings. It was a great place to grow plants...some of which became the size of trees. I made a series of snipers painted on Foamcor®, cut them out and positioned them in "the jungle." It was a never-ending source of delight to visitors to suddenly see some grinning Japanese soldier in a tree, taking a bead on them. They'd act as if getting shot or have running gun battles with the cardboard cut-outs, that's how easily people can become involved and become unleashed.

There was a real lesson there and that lesson is...hide the alligator. In other words, put something in the painting that delights and surprises. Just going out and painting what's there is no different, in intent, than snapping a photo. And you don't want to end up over at ARC, do you?

COMMENT #2 – On method.

There were several other artists who were commenting but I’m only posting Rob’s advice for brevity’s sake. DHT member suggested that I get 25 or 30 hardboard panels and paint on and move on until I start getting the feel for an approach.

Rob wrote responding this suggestion: That's good advice for Patti (David) now that she's at this critical stage.

Patti, make life easy and just concentrate on painting. Call up Max at 706-227-4427 or go to www.realgesso.com and have him bundle up a bunch of panels. If you haven't worked on real rabbitskin glue gesso, you're in for a treat, but his oil primed linen panels are delightful. Ask him to toss in an ABS panel too. ABS is an ultra permanent plastic sheet they mount to hardboard and, for my money, it may feel better than gesso (of course real gesso feels soooo much better than acrylic primer.

One of the things I learned a while ago was to buy supports in quantity. In that way I know there's one waiting for when the mood strikes and i don't end up painting on junk and regretting it later.

I wrote back this: Good grief, Rob...what critical stage???? I'm just stuck. Seems like I'll never become productive.

Rob is answering both Phyllis and me, making a point of where both of us are as artists. Phyllis was taking from a local artist that Rob and others thought not to be very good but obviously Phyllis admired this artist's work. Phyllis is a better artist...he is saying.

Obviously, we are looking at the same pictures with very different eyes.

In preparation for Burns Night and haggis eating, I was compelled to remember and recite various of the bard's poems and this one bears on the discussion. Rrrr rrrrr rrrr (that's me gettin' my proper burr sounding like a lawnmower....) “Oh wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursel's as others see us! It wad monie a blunder free us, And foolish notion”

Basically, the eternal truth that Burns touches upon is that we don't have a clear vision of who we are and what we can do.

Perhaps you have not really looked at the most recent pastels you have done (Phyllis). The compositions (you did) of both the clouds through the trees and the path are vastly beyond what (the artists you admire) McCombs is showing in her works. Her compositions are weak to the point of being nonexistent and the biggest failing is the picture lack "bones." That is to say, even in a landscape there should be a feeling of structure and weight, just as when painting a figure. I'm sure you've seen paintings of people where they look almost like inflated skins...no bones are evident. That's because the artist failed to observe past the surface. There's no weight, no underlying structure. (However) That is clearly the case with McCombs. If she concentrated on the rudiments of painting and drawing with the same degree of attention and energy she puts into making evocative titles, her pictures would be better. But they are clearly nowhere near the depth and solidity you have been showing in your recent work.

To be quite blunt, I think this recent advance has left you somewhat frightened. You're not holding onto the old tricks that always worked and you've let go to take some chances (this goes for you too, Patti). This has left the two of you searching for something to hold onto. In Patti's case it's the mistake of trying to rework pictures which are fine as they are. In your case it's clinging to what you perceive as a known quantity...a workshop teacher.

You're both wrong in the way you're going about dealing with this insecure feeling and (this is most important) you're both absolutely dead right in what you did that got you to this scary place. You've been so busy climbing to this summit that you don't know what to do now that you've got there...and worse, you're getting vertigo and feel the need to hold onto something.

Don't worry. The feeling will pass. In your place I'd save the workshop money and go out and get an expensive pair of shoes instead. It will be better spent...and good shoes make you feel confident, don't they?

I don't know what they've been putting in the water on Oklahoma but whatever it is, bottle it up and send some to the rest of us. Please...the both of you...trust what it is that is bringing you to this point. Do not lose it with overthinking it. Trust yourselves and learn to live with being scared at these new successes. I think they'll be coming more frequently.

About Rob Howard.... a successful professional illustrator and portraitist residing North of Boston in the little town of Haverville, at the age of 71 provides his great intellect, sarcasm and wit and insight to the professional artists subscribing to the Cennini Forum. ( If you want professional guidance as an artist, you should look into joining the forum.)

Rob, a typical master of the arts and pro, delivers straight from the hip no BS critiques that are truly constructive and often pulling no punches, are invaluable to my own growth and therefore I have come to rely Cennini for straight answers to my art quarries on over the past four years. He has never let me down.

Rob simply knows what he is talking about especially in the knowledge of materials and techniques, composition, and aesthetics. A man who has acquired exquisite taste.

We have not always agreed about Christianity and have had a fist fight or two but I have grown to appreciate the value of his artistic direction in art and I think our battles were those out of friendship and concern, at least I hope he views it that way. I'm sure he has never had a Christian challenge him and his catholic faith. (That is another story.)

In four years...I'm feeling maybe I'm getting somewhere. There are other excellent comments but for brevity sake, I'll end this post.

On finishes....

This is a great tool...your finger that is.

I've been working on finishes for my sculpture pieces that are created from stoneware clay, fired to bisque. I can't afford $1000 each to have them bronzed. Therefore, it is necessary to put a suitable finish on my portrait bust and bas relief plaques...and a skull/muscle head study.

What a chore it is to figure this out. I tried shoe polish but I didn't like the finish (it could have been how I prep-ed and applied the polish).

Undaunted, I asked the experts on finishes on the Cennini Forum and the following is the finish recipe I'm following and their advice. One is a porcelain finish; the other will be a faux metal finish using reactive paint.

On the porcelain glazed finish, unfortunately, I'm having problems with brush strokes...I don't want them. I've had to sand and take off the finish; starting all over.

Why do I use my finger for a tool instead of a brush or a sponge-brush because I cannot get the latex to lay down smooth and any brush strokes or sponge texture takes away from the piece. Thinking outside the box after adding Flortrol® and it didn't help...I just used my finger and painted; it worked nicely. Smooooooth.

This is the skull/muscle sculpted head that I seemed not to have a problem with and so I'm about two or three sets from finishing this.

This is the porcelain like finish using special warm and cool glazes (AquaCreme®/latex glazes) alternating.

Why not just put a firing glaze on the unfired clay and fire it on, you ask? Because I want more depth, more of an artistic look...at least that is what I am trying for. Not there yet....but getting there.

Reactive Paint: Faux Metal Finish
Bronze, Iron, Copper Patina Tests

Here are three test tiles I am completing in view of finishing my portrait head. These are the first base coats. I'll put the second coats on in the morning and then applie the chemicals that will turn them to an aged bronze, the copper to a blue-greenish patina and finally the iron to rust. Then I will have to decide which will be best for my piece. I'm thinking the bronze or the iron.

Two little oil sketches....6x9

OCT 3rd UPDATE: Often, clarity comes the next day. Funny how easily we are tricked into discouragement and tempted to feel defeated. On the Cennini Forum, the moderator, whom I've grown to trust in matters of art and artistic development made some observations that have in my view helped my psychologically. Rob suggested that as artists grow up the plateaus of learning, we are met on a precipice of fear. I will post a new blog and talk about artist temperament.

OCT 2nd UPDATE: Discouragement is not always bad, it makes one think and if your wise, face reality.

I'm painting over these sketches today and probably the roses too .... going to forgetaboutit and start all over with something else or a new approach entirely. Nothing lost here.

I did learn that I have not developed as much as I thought. It takes some effort to admit what every artist fears and be honest with yourself. I'd rather know it. That is me. I've always said, "This world doesn't need any more mediocrity in art and especially painting .... I don't want to add to or spend my time producing it." Maybe, I'll go to sculpting ... maybe there is some natural ability there I should explore...but for some reason...I love paint and I love drawing figures. I'm glad to know how trained artist see my work. So often you can't get honesty.

SEPT 30 UPDATE CENNINI: I'm getting some great responses on the forum.....this is what I wanted but it is a bit daunting to get honest critiques...and find out the truth from my friends and colleagues...I've made more mistakes than I thought.

ORIGINALLY POSTED:

These are two little sketches from a landscape workshop at Will Rogers Park...Next workshop is at Quartz Mountain....hope the trees are turning....Oct 9th.

Figuring it out...need to literally smell the roses for a while.

Sometimes it is important to get away....to think.



It pays to ask and to read a lot.

Okay now I think I am getting an idea of where to go with my next painting of the roses. The secret to getting the luminous petals and range of red is via layers of glazes. I read the whole book on Painting Techniques of the Masters by Cooke (Rob Suggested on Cennini Forum), and also realized what is missing is some composition which means MORE THINKING on my part.

Ya don't just stick it in front the easel, ponder it 30 minutes, and paint it and ever hope to create quality art.

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Also....there has to be some issues with texture .... as well as chroma but I am thinking I need to look at a different red. Pyrillo Red (for the roses below previous post) from Studio Products which is a concentrated pigment and NO FILLERS.

Also, I have been studying GREEN in foliage on this trip...the texture and variety.

I cannot wait to get home and solidify what I was thinking.

Roses in Progress...difficult.

Progress report...
I think this is just not working......but I am determined to finish every piece of art I start. These roses are just not right nor are they artistic....aaaaaaaaargh!!!

After some thought, I decided to add some other items to the piece: the wedding cup, rose pedal and the oriental carved screen in the background (barely visible and not finished on the right of course).

I am not finished with the roses!!! I'm glazing and neutralizing and working on edges. It's far from being finished but I thought I would upload the process...for the heck of it.

When it is finished I'll repaint this and loose the vase...and try painting roses again. Next time, I think I will do a griselle (FR: greza•y) and then apply glazes. I am not doing the beautiful rose any justice.

(This was difficult to photograph so I tilted the picture forward to reduce the glare.)

Below is an earlier version.....and previous comments.

Nearing completion. This is a painting of one bouquet of 38 long stemmed roses given to me on our anniversary. I've been getting one rose for every year of marriage for 38 years. Never in those years did I ever paint my bouquet successfully although I tried once or twice but was met with failure. How difficult to capture the true beauty of a simple rose without it coming off amateurish.

This painting is getting close but I'm not there yet.

John Ruskin, the great art critic said about successful art ... "all art is praise." Does the art do justice in praise of the rose but that is really quite a challenge. My painting is symbolic of my husband's feelings for our relationship and the beauty of our long union.

I'm having difficult with the red highlights. Red chroma/hue goes pink or orange when I try to raise it's value to a highlight. I've taken down and neutralized the shadows and then grayed down. Red is difficult very difficult.

The other part of this is not making art sentimental. Ways to go. I'm not sure this says anything.

Please comment ... what do you think? It seems a bit contrived at this point.

I'll work today and post at the end the progress. ( This photo is from yesterday.)

Not happy.....yet.

Finally ...off to the kiln.

Finished!

Long Time Ago...

My college roommate and fellow art student at Baylor sent me a picture of myself when I was about 23 years old. That day I was pulling etchings, lithos, linos, and woodcut prints in the printmaking shop at the art department.

How I wish I had had the faith at that young age to choose fine art as a career path .... instead of graphic arts...how different my life would have been.

I'm finally following my heart. I should pursue printmaking...I loved it.

August 2010 - Drawings

This series of drawings are 5 minute sketches. I'm pretty happy to get the whole figure and it be in proportion but better yet the right gesture that is in balance.

Progress....at last. These are loose and quick and I really think they are some of the most expressive work I have done in a while.

These in color are 20 minute conté compressed charcoal sketches.

Sculpture come to life.

This is a bas relief about 10 x 13 inches, stoneware, with one firing that is almost finished. I need to put on a final finish on but I'm pretty pleased with this one in the over-all feel.

Two more bas reliefs are in progress besides this one although I had a bit of a disaster with one when it was accidentally pushed off the shelf by another artist while in storage. Unfortunately the plastic bag came open that was keeping it moist allowing it to dry out. Unfortunately it buckled and did not dry flat. Last night, I re-hydrated it but cracks appeared.

Today, the cracks will be repaired and hopefully the work finished...keeping my fingers crossed. This is a nice series and I have learned a great deal working from 2 dimension into 3 dimension. This is very much like drawing since the gesture is drawn at first.

Other sculptures are nearing completion also. This is still a work in progress...nearing completion...

This work is from a one day portrait workshop created from a live model. I'm planning on a session with Glen, my instructor at his private sculpture studio on Sunday. I need to hollow the head out before firing.

I doubt if anyone would be interested in buying this piece but it will be a good example of my portrait work.

I've been invited to join the Sculpture Society of Oklahoma. I think I will.