More in the Maelstrom

“A Rare Ascension”, acrylic, gesso, collage on canvas, 24″ X 24″

Another painting in the Maelstrom series.  Maelstrom, as in the opposite of Main Stream, though the two sound so similar.  Topsy turvy landscapes which fly or spin or erupt.  This is the most tranquil one of the series, though it does seem poised for take off.  More about the Maelstrom in a post last month .

I’ll be showing these and other newer paintings at ARTrails Open Studios coming up Oct. 12, 13, 19, 20.  I hope you’ll put it on your calendar if you’re close to our area here in Sebastopol, California.

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Blown to Pieces

“Blown to Pieces”, acrylic, Masa paper collage on canvas, 48″X36″

The world sure feels like it’s flying into pieces sometimes, especially when you read/watch what passes for world news here. But this painting, finished a couple months ago, puts a cheerful spin on it.  We went to the beach this morning, to evade the inland heat.  Ocean and boats and colorful beach umbrellas with a flock of white storks thrown in and we were completely revived.

There’s still time to see the Up, Up, and Away exhibit at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, “A joyful exhibition featuring work [including my painting above] that expresses and investigates various aspects of flight.”  I had just completed this painting when I saw the prospectus for the show and realized it fit the description perfectly.  This is a national juried exhibition which will be showing from June 13-July 20, at 282 S. High St. in Sebastopol, CA.  The Sebastopol Center for the Arts is in the newly remodeled Veteran’s Building, hours Tues-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat. 1-4.

And while you’re there, definitely take time to see the show in Gallerie II of Connie Murray’s powerful, exotic, life sized mosaic sculptures. 

Landslide

“Landslide”, acrylic on gesso textured canvas with Masa paper collage, 48″X36″

Paint larger.  That’s been my mantra for the last few months as I wished that I could be an Alice and take one of those “eat me” pills to grow larger so I could keep to the same scale.  People told me, “just use bigger brushes” and so I tried that.  I’m still trying that.  But there’s other issues to solve.  Like the table, (when you work flat).  It’s too small.  And you can’t just reach across to paint the other side from one position, so you end up having to paint up side down or sideways and use bigger muscles to reach. And then it takes up so much more room in the studio that you can ill afford.  But ah!  the impact is so powerful.

I had planned an entirely different painting when I started this latest Fantascape.  When it wasn’t working I kept just making changes, hoping something would materialize.  I never intended so much realism, but these rocks kept looming and I finally gave into it. I don’t know anywhere such a landscape exists.  Perhaps in Lord of the Rings country?