Caution

Today I finally stashed all the materials I brought home from my August workshop in Michigan, and tried to fine tune this oil painting of a traffic signal.  I took a photo of the stop and go light a couple Saturdays ago, attracted, perhaps, by the bright September sky and the geometric shapes and intense colors.  Looking at the painting, which looks best if viewed through squinty eyes, I'm not sure it was a great subject to paint, but at least I got going with working in the studio, after several weeks of real hesitation.  What is that?  What makes a person be full of ideas and enthusiasm and suddenly seize up and stop working?  I've been blaming it on my unhappiness with the workshop, and an end of summer desire to be outside.  Maybe that's all it is. Maybe this painting is some sort of message from the universe to think carefully, proceed with caution, but not stop.  I don't know.

I did have a nice day last weekend in Madison at the state day for the Wisconsin Regional Artists Program. I had a small painting accepted to the show, and also received a cash award. Can't complain about any of that. 

Summer is Over

This week in southern Wisconsin has been glorious - blue skies, temperatures in the 70's, low humidity, few bugs.  These are the sort of days that when I was teaching, inside a cement block room all day, I wanted more than anything to be outdoors.  I appreciate my freedom to come and go, to paint my front door, plant a pretty mum, photograph at the cemetery, take a top down ride on a country road.

But, summer was good too.  I backed away from entering my art in many shows.  I did enter two WRAP (Wisconsin Regional Art Program) shows, and came away with mixed feelings.  I enjoyed both presenter/judges - each as very accomplished and enthusiastic.  But neither struck me as being a very articulate judge.  I can accept differences in taste and opinion, but I want whoever is judging the show to present clear criteria for what makes one piece better than another.  Simply saying "I liked it" isn't enough, and neither is the perennial lament that the show was difficult to judge.  Sure it is.  But the judge's job is to have, and to apply, reasonable criteria and explain it to the people did the work, and paid for the privilege to show it and have it judged.  For the judge to admit they know little about sculpture, or photography, or abstraction, and then go on to judge anyway is a disservice to everyone.  Maybe there can be two people at these events, a presenter and a different person as a judge. I don't know.

I went to fewer Monday evening figure drawing sessions than in previous years, mostly because through much of the summer it seemed that Mondays evenings were stormy.  The studio is about twenty miles away, and sessions are in the evening, so if the weather is bad I generally just stay home.  That said, I went to about four sessions, and did some drawing that I enjoyed.  The last one I attended was a month ago, and I only took out the sketches to spray fix this morning.  I'm always surprised by them, when they've been put away for a while, and usually like them better after that breathing time passes.

 This weekend is the State WRAP event in Madison.  My painting didn't win any special award, though my little artist trading card sized painting was chosen to be included in a calendar, and sold, which was nice.  I look forward to the social event on Friday evening and the speaker on Saturday.  It's humbling to see how much good work non-professional artists around the state are doing.

A Little Validation

Gothic Gazing

5x7 inches, oil on paper

I have an art friend who has told me, more than once, that "validation is for parking passes."  In other words, it is important to feel satisfaction with your own work, and not be dependent on positive strokes from other people.  There probably is wisdom there, but I couldn't help but be excited to receive an email from the Wisconsin Regional Art Program (WRAP) that my wee painting received an award at the annual state show, held this year in Wausau.  

I was told the award is the Aaron and Ruth Bohrod Memorial award.

 First established in 1977 by well known Wisconsin artist Aaron Bohrod, this award is now a memorial award honoring Aaron Bohrod and his wife Ruth.  It is currently sponsored by Katherine Schmitt and her sisters.   It is given for "outstanding excellence in painting" and active participation in WRAA.

I'm not entirely certain  that my painting should be mentioned in the same breath with Aaron Bohrod, but I am thrilled that this year's judge liked the painting well enough to recognize it.  I will admit here, that I like the painting too.  I spotted these two young men at the Art Institute a while back, peering intently at the iconic Grant Wood painting, and I surreptitiously snapped a photo (no flash). It tickled me to see two people who looked more likely to be skateboarding than gallery gazing so wrapped up in what they saw.  It's dangerous to pigeon hole people. Anyway, the contrast between the two boys and the pair in American Gothic appealed to me.

 There is a cash component as well, which will offset the cost of traveling to Wausau to attend the show and awards ceremony.  It should be a fun weekend, viewing the other paintings, seeing art friends, and enjoying a short road trip to central Wisconsin.

Equinox 2013

My most recent abstract paper collage, 8x8 inches

It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood, and I was mostly in Madison at the State WRAP conference.  I always come away from these shows and talks invigorated and full of ideas.  The Wisconsin Regional Artists Program is a venerable program, begun over 70 years ago at the University of Wisconsin under the guidance of John Steuart Curry.  The idea was, and is, to promote artistic growth in non-professional rural people.  The program sponsors shows around the state, an opportunity for amateur artists of all sorts to show their work, and get encouragement and feedback on it. At each local show a certain percentage is chosen to go to the state show, which has traditionally been on the UW campus. 

This is my piece, almost a full sheet, which hung in the Pyle Center in Madison for the past month.  This painting started out as a watercolor, based on a photo a model at figure study allowed me to take.  Later on I added pastel, which made the colors more interesting.  She always posed in yoga clothes, which made a painting of her easier to send to a show like this.  I'm not sure how they would respond to nudes, which is what I usually draw at figure studio sessions.  I was interested in the judging this year.  I know judging is entirely subjective, but was surprised at how few figures or portraits received any special awards or recognition.  There were some beautiful pieces at this show.

So anyway, the autumnal equinox happens today, and we head into fall.  I'm enjoying cooler evening temperatures, which make working upstairs much easier than when the temperature is higher.  But I know the days of hummingbirds, basil in pots, and tender flowers is coming to an end soon.  And that is always sad.

A Couple Miniatures for Tiny Treasures

Both paintings 2.5x3.5 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

I was approached by a person online who wanted me to create an artist trading card sized painting of a raven, with the understanding she would send me something she had done.  I haven't gotten into ATCs very much, but since I enjoy working small I did a little series.  Each card started out with some altered tissues and National Geographic pages, but all that ended up being buried under acrylic paint.  What remains is the texture, which was, in the end, impossible for me to photograph without getting reflections.  If I had photographed before I varnished, I would have been OK, but I got impatient.  That's not a good thing.

I plan to send these small paintings to the Wisconsin Regional Art Program for their annual Tiny Treasures fund raiser.  Artists create ATC sized paintings, pay a small fee, then the paintings are all sold to raise money for the organization.  In addition, the entries are judged.  There are some cash awards, and the winners are printed in a pocket calendar.  I was happy last year to have my painting chosen for the cover of the calendar.