Silk Worms and other things

Today I found myself again in the countryside north of Calgary, spending the afternoon at a friend's cabin.  Brought my painting gear along, surprise surprise.  *laughs*   

First off, though, I became entranced by a multitude of ants who appeared to be moving house.  Travelling along their route, they were carrying eggs of all sizes - and some were carrying other ants, something I have never observed before.  Newly hatched perhaps?  They were small and curled up and seemingly inert as they were being carried along.  They put me in mind of de-activated robots.

After spending half an hour or so observing the ants, I figured I may as well get some painting in, as I had my kit with me and all.

the long view

the specific view

the underpainting

finished

Somehow I was not quite into painting a landscape in my usual way, today.  Maybe watching those ants had something to do with it... why try to depict only the surface of the thing when there is so much going on underneath? kinda thoughts.  So this painting was done in about 20 minutes, trying to catch some essence without fussing over surface details.

My palette, which I forgot to photograph, was very limited: 

cadmuim green light (hue)

cadmuim red middle (hue)

olive green

naples yellow

titanium white

And here's a glimpse into the studio of late:

Silk Worms
18x18 inches each

painted "frames"

 So here I am playing with edges, how to treat.  Working title: "Silk Worms".  This refers to the line quality and the organic but measured way those lines build up.  It also refers to some idea of things I have been reading in John Donne's "sermons" where he writes about the human desire to transcend earthly existance - everyone's body is eaten by worms in the end, and after death one cannot transform those lowly earthworms into silkworms.

I have really been thinking about what, exactly, I hope to accomplish with this life of art-making.  Not so much in a worldly sense but in a (personal? spiritual?) sense... no concrete answers yet, only questions.

And below, a new series underway.  Playing with the idea of an echo or shadow; this photo shows the very initial stages of that idea:

new series

Acrylic inks, which have not been used in a long time and which, I am certain, are very happy to have a purpose once again.

Until next time,

and again!

I have been doing other things besides plein air painting these last few weeks, but not documenting that work yet, so here we go: another plein air blog post.

Today we went out past Okotoks, sorta near the junction of hwy 549 and rr 338, just above the Sheep River valley.  Beautiful spot, filled with the type of Alberta prairie stuff I love - lots of long wild grasses and flowers of all sorts, very meadow-y and beautiful, a bit damp yet, but much to our surprise no mosquitoes!  After all that rain!  Lucky us.

the view

the preliminary sketch

Dirty camera lens, heh.  Still, good for field shots  :)

the palette

In addition to these colours I used raw sienna and cadmium green, finding I needed to warm things up a bit mid-way through.  Around 7pm things go a bit more gold...

the almost-completed work

I wound up altering this one a wee bit after we got home.

before, in the field

Above, what it looked like when we packed up to go.  

Below, what it looks like now: 

after, on the back deck

The main change I made was to the top edge of the trees at left, and a bit of the hillside beyond.  I also brightened those dabs of blue in the foreground - a slough with just a bit of water showing through the long, darker grasses.

It's not often I change a painting after leaving the field, and I can only really do it with any degree of authenticity immediately we arrive home, while my memory of the place is very fresh.

That last one I quite like.  Sometimes the old camera gets the focus bang-on.

number 86

On Saturday I found myself on the banks of the Red Deer river with my painting outfit.  There was a steep, crumbly bank to the left (not shown in these photos) and lots of trees and rocks and rushing waters.  Again, very difficult things to paint well!  But looking down the river one could get a bit of distance...

closest zoom possible

cropped to this

So I was focussed on this tiny slice of a view far down the river, and here's what that view inspired:

Alberta Landscape #74
oil on canvas, 10x10 inches

initial blocking in

limited palette + white

I have been thinking a lot about my other work, the multiples series I've been engaged in since January, and other abstract explorations.  Had a really great conversation with Ross Melanson this morning via skype, in which we discussed all sorts of philosophical ideas and how they relate to our respective art processes.  Ross makes conceptual art in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

My multiples are all about the many-sided view.  Our peripheral vision conveys more information, from more directions and through more avenues, than a focussed gaze ever could.  This is an idea which I come back to again and again in my work.

So it's interesting to me that I go out and paint these plein air landscapes, because it would seem that what I am doing is looking with a very specific focus, and attempting to depict in paint the thing that I am looking at.  

Why?  I ask myself.  Is this practice not the antithesis of all my studio exploration?  Well, yes....  ah, but no: 

I never paint landscapes from a photo, working in my studio*.  After conversing with Ross this morning, it has occurred to me that the appeal of plein-air painting is that when one sits on location to paint, a lot of peripheral information about the landscape invariably gets in, one way or another.

To paint a landscape from a photo would be the true antithesis of what I do in my studio, because a photo necessarily cuts out peripheral information.  In fact, this very aspect of photography is the basis of a debate around ideas of "truth" in photos.  Ah-ha!

Ross talked a bit about how, even when an artist makes a seemingly abrupt shift in style or subject, there is invariably a continuity in their work.  

Well, I believe I have just discovered some continuity between plein-air paintings and studio practice: the importance of peripheral information which permeates everything I do.

Thank you Ross!  :)

* A few months ago I made a landscape painting which was basically an enlargement of a plein-air work.  It was commissioned by my parents-in-law, and was definitely one of the more difficult things I've attempted to do in the studio - not so much due to the expectations of family, but rather due to the lack of information I had to go on, as my own plein-air work leaves a lot out!  The completed painting looks well in their home, but for me does not catch the essence of the landscape depicted.

And here is a lovely snippet of the Sheep river from last week:

Something about the shape of that brush, against that rock, in that water...

nearing 100

This weekend I painted on the banks of the Sheep River.  Here's the first one:

The sky was very moody when I began and then cleared up by the time I'd finished.  Oh those Alberta skies, where storms pass over the horizon without lingering!  Water tumbling over rocks is still very difficult for me to paint well, but I am determined to keep at it and improve.

Next day I tried again:

the view

the sketch

the completed painting

I like that second one better, though I still have in my mind's eye an image of landscape painting that I rarely come close to, ha.  Well, I would set the bar very high and then work towards it.

sand, an excellent brush holder

my perch 6 feet above the river

I am nearing 100 plein air paintings.  When I began doing this I did not intend it to become such a regular part of my practice.  Isn't it funny how things go?

:)

big sky

Yesterday I painted under the big sky all day, from 8am to about 7pm.

Woke up with my head full of plans for the day - I had intended only to do some prep work outdoors and then work indoors while the prep layers dried.  Instead, the prep work - and the lovely weather - carried me away and I made several large abstract paintings!

Drying between layers:

Photographed this morning in my studio:

Some were old paintings worked over and some were begun from scratch yesterday.  I really like 2 of them, another 2 are maybe-finished, and 2 definitely need more work.

Wow, that was a terrifically productive day!

It's interesting how the energy of these paintings is quite different from the careful-thoughtful-stitch energy... but the results do have something in common, I think.

inside and out

Morning: continuing with a new series underway:

These small pieces are not quick in coming; for some reason it seems I have to wait and think between each one, even though they are all related.  Hmmm.  Could I be losing my momentum?  Or could it be, as my dear friend suggests, merely that the work is more complex than it appears, and so requires this extra gestation time?  It's true my head has been very busy lately with thoughts of how things go.

Afternoon: plein-air painting along the river near my home.

Haven't painted outdoors in some weeks, so this excursion was particularly therapeutic.  A lovely purple-grey storm brewing overhead - inspiring skies!  Small spatters of rain just beginning as I finished up.  Perfect timing.  :)

:o:o:o:o:o:

This:

plus this:

equals this:

Not yet finished, I think.

afloat

It's keeping the soul afloat, that's what it is.

I'm really liking these surfaces, like stone or copper, a kind of weathered look.

a few things

Last two weeks there've been a few things happening in the studio.

I've built a lot of very small canvas stretchers, and a few larger ones too.

Started a new series of square Multiples, then realized I misjudged the amount of canvas needed around the edges and so now I am brewing alternate possibilities in the back of my mind while working on other things...

... other things, like this large purple-and-blue painting.  It's a diptych and it's near to being finished.  Pinned to the wall next to it are 5 long pieces which I began in February.

The painting of the 5 long pieces started well, and now begins the push-and-pull process of bringing them to fruition.  They will go onto their stretchers after they have been painted.

It's starting to become quite cluttered in here!  Soon, I think, there will be a cleaning.

switch

I have been enjoying the switch away from "multiples" to finishing these older works.

Delving into unknown territory makes for a wonderful but sort of exhausting journey.  It feels good to refuel with a more familiar aesthetic for awhile.

The yellow one has got to here:

And I've just collaged in a few more bits that need to be weighted down while they set:

Jars of preserves can be just the handiest things to have around!