Then and Now and Nowthen

Sea Sky Collage # 1
Digital print of photograph, photograph, sumi, oil, acrylic, spraypaint, woodblock print collage, gold leaf, metal
Apx. 6' x 6'














Sea Sky Collage #1, Detail of digital photograph
6' x 6'













Sea Sky Collage # 1, Painting Detail

















Forest Sea Sky
Oil, gold leaf, spraypaint
















Gold leaf, spraypaint, found objects, giant pixelated printouts of old photos, old photos. These are the things that I am layering in an effort to evoke the feelings of past, present, wonder and detachment that I find within the landscape. I went to Hawaii recently and two experiences continue to replay in my memory - decending the Haleakala Volcano on Maui and feeling like it was all I could do not to fly off into the ambiguous field of blue sky and water that met me as I swung around every switch-back on my bike. The other experience I will not forget was being under water at the edge of a cinder cone where the ocean dropped from about 3' into an unreadable abyss. Both moments felt truly sublime and brought me face to face with what I hope to show in my work - the unimaginable potential of tomorrow, and the atmospheric poetry of the past that brought us to the always elusive Now. Many ideas are wound up in these thoughts and the landscape is a wonderful metaphor to explore them. I am creating these collages in an effort to expand my awareness of my work and continue to search for the most radical honesty possible in my understanding of it.

The Sea is Silver

"Sometimes..." continued
Oil, Acrylic, Spray Paint, Cold Wax, Silver Leaf















The leaf is so reflective - I love how it captures the colors of what is around it. In this image you can see it finding the warmth of my dark orange puffy vest (yes, wearing it in the house. Welcome to November in Seattle).



















I had a fabulous meeting with Robert today during which we took turns visiting each others' studios. We had a great conversation that left me inspired and ready to work. I am super excited to experiment with different mixed media layered groupings of my work. I am not going to say much here about the process, but rather wait until it is further along to show AND tell. My mind is full of different thoughts and elements that I can trace from about third grade right up to this moment. Everything is unfolding and overlapping inside of me and it is uncanny how the readings and papers that I have been filling myself with during the AIB experience are completely supporting this moment. I feel it. It is very, very good.

Birthday Ride

October sky (the gift)
13" x 26" diptych
acrylic, oil, cold wax, spray paint
process

Sometimes the sea is silver

Sometimes
38" x 38"
Acrylic, oil, wax, spray paint

See?

Sea Sky
38" x 38"
Acrylic and Spraypaint
Processing...


















Sea Sky
12" x 12"
Acrylic and Spraypaint
Process

Through the Trees

Thinking a lot, at Robert's suggestion, about what really attracts me to the themes that reoccur over and over in my work. Moving through space, moving through trees. The embrace of the woods, the speed and satisfaction of weaving around and under obstacles, the comfort and company of living Witnesses to my life. The contrast of their open, unexpected organic presence to the heavy grid that we construct as modern, urban life. The way they smell, the way they sound. My witness to the stages of their lives. Traveling through time, together.

Having a wonderful...

...time.















This is the size of a postcard, created for Art Lab 9.
https://sites.google.com/site/artlab9

Before black, after white.

...thinking about depth, neutralizing the purple, maintaining the edge of untouched canvas, pulling back from the precipice of pretty...

Supposedly, the painting is on its side, but this is how I have been thinking about it.

Rain, Sun, Pie.

Rain then Sun
38" x 38"
Woodblock print, acrylic, oil, cold wax, spray paint, moab earth
In Process

One of the hardest things for me about mountain biking in the rain is how hard it is to see through all the rain drops on your glasses. Mountain biking is really hard enough without visibility problems, but there you have it. This painting reminds me of my first rainy mountain bike ride, which I had recently. Rain, then Sun.

Moab dirt all over my studio, spray paint on my scissors and paint on just about everything else. Whew! Painting fueled by cherry pie. This is what happens. I know this piece will not stay where it is for long, because I am very unsettled with it, but I wanted to share the whimsical quality it has right now before I work any more on it. Oh and what did I learn today? I can print my woodblocks directly on a primed and stretched canvas, and $10 a can spray paint is kinda worth it.

The motion of listening.

Listen
10" x 30" Triptych
Wood block print collage, oil, cold wax

Like a dream - but better.

Forest Flight Blow
big x really big
acrylic, sumi, oil, cold wax
in process

When I run through the forest trails really fast there is a feeling of flight - the ground rises and falls - the robins and wrens flush before me, and the light creates pattern and illusion - stark silhouettes and pockets of distance, blindness and vision - blur.
Its like a dream - but better.

Invitation to In Between

Hesperia (formerly blow)
Sumi, oil, cold wax, woodblock print collage, moab earth
36" x 36"

I have been thinking a lot about the places between elements of contrast where understanding and union occur. I believe this has led to the emphasis in this piece on the horizon and colors representing the beautiful and compelling union of day and night.

I always find it fascinating how I can go into a painting with a fairly specific plan, and the painting almost always has other ideas. Letting the painting lead the conversation of creating often makes better sense than my conscious ideas, and it usually turns out that my original plan comes out in time, but other things have to happen first - like this. Such a lesson about not letting the busy mind try to pull things to us before they are ready to come to us on their own.

I will let this painting rest just a bit, but I am considering pushing the darks in the forground and the atmospheric texture of the background if/when I go back into it.

Robert Yoder, my new wonderful mentor, and I had a great meeting where we talked about my desire for contrast and ambiguity and he suggested focusing on the square in order to detract from the landscape impications of the rectangle. I love working with the square and recently bought a ton of stretchers for more 36" and 38"squares. I am going to see about stepping back into a more minimal approach to reflecting on sea sky forest on this scale. I also wonder about the component aspect of same size squares in order to address the idea of a larger scale without working on giant pieces. Could these squares all come together somehow? Sounds like an invitation. Union. The places where different things meet. The beauty of between. The tenderness of transitions. The gifts of new spaces, and the patience to let them reveal themselves.

The start of something.

Blow
Sumi, woodblock print, cold wax, oil, Moab earth
36" x 36"
In Perpetual Progress

So not over, upside down (maybe) and filled with ideas for tomorrows...

Flipped...

I think I like it better this way.

More...

Forest Flight
Mixed Media
6' x 5'
In Process

Despite the murmurs in my head (psst...the top edge of the close shape must go) and the fact that much subtlety is lost in this image, I wanted to record this stage because some of the things I am interested in (atmosphere, contrast, transparent layers, lift) are starting to happen! I am slowly accepting the reality that working this large is just not the best scale for me in my current space. I think after this painting I might seriously let the large scale go.
Stay tuned... same bat channel.

Process...

Blow
Mixed Media
36" x 36"
In Process














Earth Sky Tide Study
Mixed Media
10" x 30"
In Process

I just saw it a minute ago...

blow
36" x 36"
sumi, acrylic, oil
in process