Oct.4th 2023

 And Time marches on...been playing with watercolors...a lot..and with no particular order, rhyme or reason, here's this month's episode of "Adventures in the Wide World of Color.

I "discovered" this delicious handmade 100 % cotton virgin rag paper . This is 6"'x 9" mounted on 11"x15" watercolor paper with Boku-Undo watercolors. "Joseph's Coat (remnant)"

6"x9" study for "Joseph's Shabos Coat"

                            Study using graphite watercolors with gold acrylic border/undercoat

    

                

                            Finished version of "Joseph's Shabos Coat" 11"x16" cotton rag with Kuratake                                         watercolors.

                          Vintage watercolor paper 9"x12" mounted on 18"x24" watercolor paper with Boku-                                    Undo watercolors. "Triad."

                    

                            6"x9" rag with Boku-Undo watercolors. "Miriam's Shawl (remnant)."

4"x6" Japanese watercolor postcard with Boku-Undo watercolors. "Tribute to My Father, My Brother, My Son."

 

Sept.9- "Who Knows Where The Time Goes?"

It was six months ago that Lu and I were sat in our Oncologist's office and he advised us that the finding of a CT scan  confirmed that I had Stage IV Urothelial cancer that had metastasized to the Lymph Nodes. His prognosis was that without immediate chemotherapy I had maybe six months and that with Chemo 12-18 months. Well, still standing, still fighting and still painting-save your tears and please (he says hopefully) enjoy the work.

I think that for me, as an artist, what truly excites me is the discovery of new mediums and substrates and the challenge of taking these new tools and creating something original and exciting. I offer the following in evidence.

I've been working from home a lot and doing smalls. This is on 7"x10" 1264 Fabriano watercolor paper and the golds are from a Japanese collection  (Kuretake) of  gold metallic watercolors coupled with Mungyo metallic oil pastels. "Confetti."

Two larger studies for a series titled, "New Color Ikons."- This is on Canson 12"x18" watercolor with Nova Color  acrylic metallic gold background and metallic color pastel colorfields in primary colors.

Finished  version (bad photo) on Strathmore paper 22"x30" same mediums but better executed. I'll post a better photo as it is pretty stunning in real time.

    

    ``This piece features a new medium for me, watercolors,  but they are graphite colors and come from Japan.

I've pretty much avoided watercolors because I just didn't feel I had the "hand" for it. Watercolors, to me, are like baking, no room for error. But, as is usually the case, I was very wrong. I just had to trust the process-corny, I know, but the truth, nonetheless. On Canson watercolor paper with Kuretake Graphite Watercolors. Not sure on the dims.

  Same as above with an acrylic seal that deepened the colors and added gloss.

Study piece on 1264 paper with Matisse gesso blue background and 3 variations of Nova Color gold.

 Another study but on a larger format using the metallic gold as a border with the graphite watercolors.

The photo is terrible but captures the rawness and unpredictability of the watercolors set against the gold border

 This is from "Lulu's Collection."  Titled, "Graphite Watercolor Landscape." My favorite, so far.

                                "Dreams #1"

                        "My Mother's Carpet." 

                        Metallic silver study on Matisse gesso background.

Wed.June 7.2023

 Been a while...as I navigate chemo and treatment, I'm finding it difficult to find that place (metaphorically) to paint. One of our support team described Lulu and my studio time as "our love language." I think that's a perfect description. We were able to spend some time last week and I got a piece done and offer it for your perusal.

22"x32" Arches watercolor paper. Background is gesso mixed with black India ink and  acrylics and graphite. "Weeping Peonies."

Friday, May 12th, 2023

 I can literally "feel" Mercury moving out of retrograde as it moves direct on Sunday May 14th. Mercury retrograde, on it's own, is a box of cats but add chemotherapy on top of it and it's a real "hoot." Let's take a look at some new images, shall we?

Working on the easel is always a challenge and really does effect how I work. I just look and see things differently than I would on the table with paper or on the floor with unstretched canvas. I really enjoyed doing this piece.

36"x48" primed with acrylics, charcoal and oil pastels. "Between Heaven and Earth, Lies Color."

I was thinking that color is chaos and that my remit is find the content/context/narrative that is hidden in the movement/form.  Which is utter bullshit but that's what "drives" me to decipher what I do. Final analysis is that, I paint. Full stop. End of story. The rest is just faff!

                                                                                                                                    

Awagami washi 24"x36" primed with Matisse pale blue gesso. Black India ink and acrylic ink.

"Hana-bi"

Wed. May 3rd, 2023

 While I'm waiting for my 6th infusion, I thought I would add some recent work that catches me up, if that makes sense.

Chemo has definitely had an impact on my stamina and it becomes important for me to "paint surf" as much as possible. I need to "see" our studio everyday just to connect with both my work and Lulu's because it reminds me of all that we've done together and individually. My "window of opportunity" is about two hours and then I'm on my face but I've brought supplies home and have been doing what my friend Dale calls, "smalls." So, without further ado, some smalls and a large.

48"x60" gold acrylic base with red/yellow/orange acrylic2nd coat and then R&F oil stick blues.

                                                        "Lulu's Fibres"

I came across this paper quite by accident and it is "heavenly." Hand made cotton rag 6"x8". Alcohol ink, graphite and oil pastels. "Chemo 8"

Same paper with alcohol ink, temperas, graphite and oil pastels. "Chemo 7."

 Same dims/paper with temperas, graphite and oil pastels. "Chemo 6."

Friday, April 28th, 2023

Continuing with work done at home with another one of my "Shit That Keeps Me Up At Night-Bogeyman 2." Perhaps, a feeble attempt to exorcise those bloody demons that...keep me up at night...

 11"x15" 1264 Fabriano watercolor paper. Temperas, oil pastels and graphite.

Thursday, April 20, 2023

 Couple of new pieces to share. Hope you enjoy them.

First up is "Keokuk, Iowa, Subway Map." 18"x24" Canson watercolor paper. Matisse gesso undercoat with acrylic and alcohol inks. I once worked at a factory in Keokuk. Piss factory would be the right description. 

This one is "private" and given that there's no traffic here, it stays that way until history decides otherwise.12"x18" Canson watercolor paper with tempera paint, oil pastels and graphite.

"Shit That Keeps Me Up At Night (Bogeyman#1)"

Sunday April 16, 2023 Hristos Vaskrese!

An Easter offering. 18"x24" Canson watercolor paper with Matisse gesso background. Graphite, acrylics, and oil pastels.

                                                    "Chemo #4" (with port installed)

Friday, April 14, 2023

 I thought it would be interesting to posit process via two images of the same work- from an early iteration to its current (and I believe completed) state. DIMS: 24'x36" primed canvas. The undercoat is a charcoal wash that has been tempered with oil crayons (sky and sea)- the buildings/structures are layers of graphite, charcoal, oil crayon, oil and acrylic paint. It's titled "Italy, After the War." My older and too soon deceased brother, Stevan, was born in a DP camp south of Naples (Eboli). This is a fragmanet of dream/imagination/cosmic transference.

Here are the two iterations:

1st iteration- not bad but there is a vagueness that is dishonest and it just didn't capture the range I was reaching for.

2nd and final version. Mo betta! Thanks for looking, Hope ya saw something!

Tuesday April 11, 2023

 As my heart continues to open and I shed all the nonsense that used to fill me up, I'm left with this child in me and his paints. I think that it was the soon to be canceled, Pablo, who said it, "Paint like a child..." I'm left with no real choice but to do so.

22"x30" Canson watercolor paper. Temperas and oil sticks. Sticking with the dopey jokes:

"Chemo-Sabi" with apologies to Tonto.

Good Friday, April 7, 2023

Working on a theme- 11"x15" 1264 Fabriano watercolor paper. Tempera, charcoal and graphite.

                                        "Chemo #2"

Tuesday, March 30,2023

 Mornings remain cold here in the heart of the Midwest-warms up with the sun and the early harbringers of Spring have shown their faces with crocuses and other dots of bright color.

New work- 18"x24" Canson watercolor paper that has been heavily gessoed with chalk pastels that have been rubbed into the surface with India ink stain, oil pastels and graphite.

                                                            "Chemo #1"

Tuesday, March 21st, 2023

 We welcome the arrival of Spring as the force of Hope and Renewal as the Creative "springs forth" in all things.

24"x36" canvas charcoal wash back ground with graphite, oil crayons and acrylics. "In Italy, After the War."

22"x31" Arches watercolor paper, oil crayons, Casein paints and graphite. 

"Le Sacre du Printemps." Honoring not only the arrival of Spring but also the landmark revolutionary work by Igor Stravinsky. Never ceases to take my breath away.