S-t-r-e-t-c-h-ing Myself Through Oil Painting: (or, "Journey into the Black Hole")

Completed nearly forty years ago when I was in the 5th grade, and affectionately dubbed "Sunrise Over Fruit Bowl" by Massachusetts artist Debbi Friedman, the above was my first (and last) oil painting.

I have been interested in the arts from a very young age: drawing more so than painting, whether in graphite, colored pencil, or pen-and-ink. Drawing always seemed to come very naturally to me, and I have done precious little painting over time. Since returning to my artwork several years ago however, I have increasingly had the desire to try my hand at oil painting. I mean, really............how hard can it be?, I thought.

Gradually over the past few months, I have collected those items that I knew would be needed to make an attempt at oil painting: a canvas, brushes, linseed oil, odorless turpentine, stand oil, palette, and brush cleaner. Then little more than a week ago I took the final step and purchased five tubes of oil paint -- black, white, cadmium red, cobalt blue, and cadmium yellow. I remembered hearing that any color can be mixed from the three primary colors, so no need to go overboard, right? Debbi was quick to let me know that I may want to invest in more colors, but really, once again............how difficult could this paint mixing be? And besides: I was simply experimenting........trying it out. (THIS assessment from a woman with 400 different pencil colors.)

So, three mornings ago I decided that that was the day. Given the fact that there is a work-in-progress in my drawing room currently, I chose to spread my newly acquired oil painting supplies strategically around on the kitchen table -- and I sat down to get to work.

The self-commentary and inane questions began almost immediately. Is it possible to layer this dark-to-light, in much the same way I do colored pencils? (Uh.......no.)........ What is meant by the term "glaze" as it pertains to oil painting?........ I don't think I bought enough oil painting brushes; I wonder how water color brushes will work............... Is it best to work wet-on-wet?.......or wet-on-dry? For what reason did I buy stand oil? I can't remember...............I can't believe that some artists produce such stunning portraits with this..................... If I thin the paint with turpentine as opposed to linseed oil, will it dry faster? (At some point during all this I burst out into a loud hyena-like laugh, causing the retrievers to look up in an alarmed fashion.) How do you stir this stuff???........ Its thirty-eight degrees outside; is it really necessary that I well-ventilate this room?........... I think Debbi was right; I need more colors............ What exactly is meant by the term viscosity? (The property of a fluid that resists the force that tends to cause that fluid to flow.)

You get where I'm going here: this was no easy feat for me. After nearly an hour of........um........."painting", I put away my supplies and returned to my drafting table to lick the wounds on my bruised artistic ego. (The fact that I recently encouraged another artist to keep at it, despite his unfamiliarity with sanded pastel paper, comes to mind.) And I will keep at it, perhaps engaging in my second painting session sometime this week -- using the things I learned not to do from last week's adventure (and right after I obtain more paint colors). Needless to say, my admiration for those who paint has increased dramatically.

The result of my endeavor was an unrecognizable blue jay feather. Debbi said that feathers are difficult, which made me feel a little better (even if she was saying it for that purpose). Another close friend, Elizabeth Patterson of California, summed the experience up with, "I think that maybe you need to take a class".

Clearly. (loud hyena-like laugh)

Tribute: Human Nature as a 'Work-in-Progress'

For the past two weeks much of my focus has been on other than my drawing, rightfully so. Several days ago we lost a vital member of my extended family.

Doris Van Wagner was one of the most creative persons I have ever known: not only in regard to her designing, quilt-making, painting, and crafting, but simply in the way she executed her life. She was young, very young; only forty-seven years old -- and for the past twelve years she fought a tremendously courageous battle with illness. One could say she lost her battle with cancer -- or because of the type of person she was, one could say that she ultimately won her battle with life.

So as is my nature I have engaged in a tremendous amount of introspection as of late. I cannot adequately put into words how much it meant to me to be able to spend time in her home, with her immediate family and close friends, during the last couple weeks of Doris's life. I've given a great deal of thought to what I've learned (and relearned) from my cousins Doris and Tommy, as well as strong bonds created with other family members during this process. Though some of these principles may seem simple and obvious, here is much of what Doris and this experience has left to me.

1) Try to remember that we never know what is going to happen, or when. What is, or what we think may be, can all change tomorrow.

2) Really cherish whom and what you cherish: not only in thought and feelings, but through actions as well. Do not let time pass without letting others know how important they are to you.

3) Dare to be an emotionally strong person. When life calls on you with its toughest challenges -- even if you think you simply cannot handle it -- do it anyway. You can handle it.

4) Be as honest as you can with others, without causing harm. Speak gently. Do not speak ill of others.

5) Identify those things that you are passionate about, and pursue them with vigor. Work hard to develop them, even if it means doing things that you are afraid to do. Take risk, after risk, after risk. Fear subsides when it is faced head-on. What pulls at your soul?......Do not pretend it does not exist.

6) Life is too short and too precious to allow ourselves to be worn down by negative persons and experiences. Do not allow your soul to be sacrificed in this way. Take care of yourself; even if this requires you to have the courage to make tough decisions.

7) Do not be angry; and if you are, don't hang onto it unduly.

8) Forgive others whenever possible. Remember that someday you may need someone to forgive you.

Thanks for reading.

Telling a Story

Regardless of whether I am observing another artist's work or making compositional decisions about my own, I often am most drawn to images that tell a story. The story may not be obvious, but rather implied -- through the visual narrative, gestures, or the look in a subject's eyes --causing me to derive meaning and subsequently emotion, from an image. That may be the primary reason I feel compelled to draw people; I seek to convey a feeling, a story.

For me, my current work-in-progress is a compelling story. It is an image chosen from literally hundreds taken of wild horses in both South Dakota and Wyoming. There was simply something about these two particular wild horses that grabbed me, and continued to grab me -- as I have returned to their photo images many times over the past couple of years, only to put them away again and begin work on something else.

According to some sources there are approximately 38,000 wild horses in the United States that live on the range. Another 30,000 are cared for in corrals and pastures funded by the government following their capture by the Bureau of Land Management. The stated reasons for these wild horse round-ups includes the fact that there is not enough viable range land to sustain herds (a fact disputed by many), and competition by large livestock ranchers for the resources of food and water. Wild horse proponents assert that the BLM has regularly removed horses from the range at the urging of cattle ranchers, and without adequate land studies. And the round-ups themselves are another source of tremendous controversy. Frequently conducted using helicopters to drive the horses, many are injured or killed during the process, and foals too young to sustain themselves are separated from their mothers. Though some of those in captivity are adopted out through the BLM program, many go to meat-buyers and slaughterhouses. Over time the BLM has acquired so many wild horses and burros in captivity, they may engage in mass euthanasia to deal with the numbers and subsequent cost. Admittedly, I do not know enough about this issue to have developed an opinion about what specifically should be done -- but arguments against the BLM's practices are extremely compelling, and seek to place the welfare of wild horse herds as a top priority. I have been fortunate enough to have walked among wild horses and photographed them in their natural habitat -- and the experience was like no other.

With that as a backdrop, I return to my work-in-progress. It is one of my larger pencil pieces to date, being approximately 22" x 30". It portrays two wild horses that had been captured by the Bureau of Land Management in Wyoming, freeze-branded, tagged, and placed in holding pens. The dark horse (partially completed above) stares right at the viewer; the pale horse, whose rendering is not yet begun, has his head hung and face buried tiredly and sadly into the neck of the dark horse. Their recent struggle is evidenced by the blood and grass stains on the coat of the lighter horse. It is an evocative image that truly tells a story, and I wonder at this moment -- whatever happened to those two horses?

For more information (on both sides of the controversy) visit the Bureau of Land Management website at http://www.blm.gov or the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign.

Road-Trip: Kellogg Bird Sanctuary

Recently my husband and I visited the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary in Augusta, Michigan, for the purpose of obtaining potential photo references. Originally developed in 1927 as a refuge for migratory birds, the 180 acre sanctuary also became an important part of Michigan's Trumpeter Swan restoration project in the 1980s. It features numerous species of waterfowl in their natural habitat, as well as birds of prey enclosures displaying a number of raptors and owls. I found that we were able to get so close to many of the bird species with our camera equipment, that I have many more resources than I could ever dream of using. Bird photos, anyone?

While en route to the bird sanctuary we accidentally happened upon quite a gem. Much as I hate to admit it, I was more than a little cranky that we had not stopped for breakfast prior to arriving in Augusta which is more than an hour from our home...............because upon first glance it appeared that there was no food to be had in Augusta! Then just slightly off the main street we happened upon 'A Food Affair Cafe', a gourmet restaurant owned by chef Jared Dellario, and his mother Cheryl Dellario. 'A Food Affair Cafe' strives to use products made and grown in Michigan in an effort to help sustain the state's economy, and rightfully prides itself on the fact that all menu items are made from scratch and from the freshest ingredients available. It is truly fine dining, in a comfortable and casual atmosphere adorned with fine art by local artists. Both of us felt that it was one of the best restaurant meals we have had in quite some time.............and enough cannot be said about the level of hospitality we were shown. Because we arrived earlier than most Sunday patrons we had the opportunity to talk with the owners as well as "Rachel" our waitress, and we truly enjoyed meeting and chatting with them. So in sum, stop in to 'A Food Affair Cafe' for a great meal; even if Augusta is a little off of your beaten path, you will find it well-worth the detour.

The past couple of weeks it may seem as if I am doing more running around than I am drawing -- and relatively speaking that may be true when compared to the big push I experienced in July and August just prior to the gallery show. But truly, I am drawing; and in fact am working on the largest piece I've done to date. It is currently experiencing its "ugly-phase" -- or one of the many, considering its size. A work-in-progress photo will be posted soon.

Thanks for reading.

"Quest for the West": Road trip to Indianapolis

Over this past weekend I visited the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The Eiteljorg is the type of gem rarely found east of the Mississippi River, and is currently host to the fourth annual Quest for the West Art Show and Sale.

Quest for the West features still lifes, portraiture, landscapes, wildlife, and narratives that focus on the culture of the American West. Though much of my own work is similarly themed, I have not had opportunities up to this point to see original works by some of today's top western artists. Living near the overlap of the rust belt and the corn belt one is, shall we say, western-deprived. I was absolutely thrilled to see original works by artists such as David Mann, John Buxton, Robert Griffing, John Fawcett, Roseta Santiago, and Daniel Smith, to name but a few.

However, it was while I slowly perused one of the museum's regular collections that I came upon what I found to be absolutely awe-inspiring: Howard Terpning's "Blessing From the Medicine Man". I consider myself to be fairly familiar with Terpning as an artist -- I have seen his work in books and magazines many times, and in our home we have several of his limited edition prints. Despite this, I was not prepared for how powerful his work is in person. I believe it is safe to say that I began to make the security guard a bit nervous, as evidenced by his repeated strolls back-and-forth behind me as I stood with my nose about fifteen inches from the surface of the painting while taking copious notes on a small piece of paper. I was bound-and-determined to discern what specific colors Terpning uses in his amazing skin tones. (I don't know if I figured it out exactly, but it sure gave me tremendous joy to try!)

My description of the Eiteljorg excursion would not be complete without mention of the Art-o-mat -- a retired cigarette machine which vends original pieces of art for a mere five-spot! I came upon this bit of intrigue while wandering the museum's second floor. The Art-o-mat was originally developed by artist Clark Whittington in 1997, and there are now 82 of them in various locations around the United States. One can even become an Art-o-mat artist: just follow the above link to find out how. (Please pay no attention to the photographer in the mirrored front of the Art-o-mat above!)

So in sum, the Eiteljorg Museum is a great way to spend an afternoon for those with an interest in western or Native American Art. If any readers have been there or visit in the future, I'd love to hear your impressions.

Opening Reception: "Line by Line"

There are times when one wishes there were three of oneself, and for me the "Line by Line" artists' reception, with fellow Michigan artists Bonnie Auten and Dianna Soisson, was one of those times. I thoroughly enjoyed mingling, chatting, and yes.........at times laughing way too loud.........with those who attended. We truly appreciated the many who came out to see us and our work - even given the great football games whose air times overlapped with the reception! Many kudos to Scott and Barbara Hudson for putting on a very nice event. The exhibition will continue at the Hudson Gallery in downtown Sylvania, Ohio, through September 29, 2009.

Now its time for me to attempt to regain increased focus on my work, so look for new work-in-progress in the near future. I have spent much of the past few days acclimating to a new Toshiba laptop computer with a different operating system than what I have become accustomed to, and an unfamiliar photo imaging program. Thankfully however, I have a couple of close friends who are much smarter than I concerning computers, and they are ever-gracious when I repeatedly call on their expertise. The laptop will be used primarily for all things related to my artwork -- digital submissions, storing photo references, reformatting art images, blogging, website maintenance, etc. -- and will be adorned with a large sign which reads, "NO TEENAGERS ALLOWED". (I know some of you are feeling my pain.)

"Line by Line - Three Women Working in Colored Pencil": September 1 - 29, 2009

Throughout the month of September, "Line by Line: Three Women Working in Colored Pencil", will be on display at the Hudson Gallery in Sylvania, Ohio. The artist's reception will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2009, from 5 - 7 p.m.

The show features approximately thirty colored pencil works by Michigan artists Bonnie Auten, Dianna Wallace Soisson, and myself. It is a pleasure for me to have the opportunity to exhibit with two such gifted artists. From Bonnie's engaging and vibrant still lifes, to Dianna's lovely florals and water themes, to my western images -- this display provides a great deal of diversity, and has something for everyone.

The Hudson Gallery itself is located in the historic section of downtown Sylvania. It specializes in custom and archival framing, and is recognized as one of the area's top venues for original artwork. Owned by Scott and Barbara Hudson, the gallery is also a representative for Labino Glass and features contemporary art by various artists..............And an additional note regarding Scott and Barbara must be made here: one would be hard-pressed to find two lovelier and more genuine people. They are an absolute pleasure to work and talk with.

We hope to see you at the reception!

(In the above photo, clockwise: Whiskey Mountain Cowboy, by L. Schumacher; Rendezvous 1946, by B. Auten; and It's not the destination, it's the journey, by D. Wallace Soisson)