An Outline of a Painting Doug discovered a line drawing of a cat waiting to pounce on mouse who lurked behind him . . . or her. Two grandkids made suggestions for adding details. Then, I channeled my inner Matisse, adding adventuresome goldfish, and added a falling...
A Weather Bank I wish we had a weather bank in which I could deposit the all the lovely hours May has generated. When Maryland’s summer arrives, I could withdraw enough cool dry air to keep my charm from depleting. On our evening walks I smell honeysuckle and...
Painting Painting pink tulips in February has been a good use of time. Listening to a biography of Charles Dickens while I paint has also been a good use of time, especially for one who read more Cliffs Notes than Dickens’ originals. Dickens was like the nineteenth...
Last week I occupied myself with three small paintings. Two were disasters, requiring immediate Gesso interventions. One was worth keeping, the first one. Looking at it, though, I can see the proportions aren’t right: too much container compared to the tulips. Well,...
Here’s the first painting of 2021: I call it, Appraising the Times Ahead. The cat is 2021; confined to my fishbowl, I warily wonder what the future holds. Why am I Worried? The storm COVID has moved closer, striking several of my friends, just as the New Year...
A friend asked why I copy paintings. Well, happy as I am in our house, I am a wee bit tired of its vistas. I feel like I'm 16 again — gas is cheap and I'm grounded. ~Internet meme, April 2020 Also, if I set myself up outside, I might start to weed and dirty fingers...
To date, I have finished 50 paintings, more or less. At least five more await completion. A few of these have been languishing years; three, a few months. Others, though, have moved to other homes! Trying to get these framed for a show would be . . . expensive. So,...
As each painting adventure begins, I have a little talk with myself. My subject – a painting or photograph -- by a favorite artist – is usually simple and colorful. I anticipate how it will be. But I have a little chat with myself. It’s not going to look like what I...
I wonder if an art book called The Pandemic Painting Chronicles would sell, assuming we go back to writing and selling books. The painting I finished today borrows from Matisse, and my memory of our granddaughter’s first pet, Fin the fish, which liked to jump out of...
From another late-blooming painter and former President, comes an argument that supports my reasons to keep painting: I wanted to make sure the last chapters of my life were full, and painting, it turns out, has helped occupy not only space but opened my mind....
Autumn Weather Taught Me a New Word I learned a new weather word this first week in autumn. The weatherman said we are in the grip of a flash drought. Never have I heard of a flash drought! This recent pattern has been coming for weeks! It is becoming severe. Since we...
A friend asked for one of my owls – the crazy owl I “copied” from my former art teacher’s collection. Do you know how great it is to have a work in progress? Even if it is a crazy owl? Not having a familiar work in progress is perhaps one of the saddest realities in...
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