Sunday, December 13, 2009

progress with Ludwig V.


Slowly but surely making progress. It's the small things within the image that make a big difference, bringing out more of the details and nuance of his face.

Have had limited time to work on him lately as I've moved my studio space into Reuben's studio space which is traumatic and energizing all at once.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

you're the greatest Beethoven


another installment of my friend. Stay tuned for the final, final. The changes are subtle I know, maybe not visible in this itty bitty size?

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

this is what


"Birch Winter"12x36"
Call me. 415 992 1537

No, not yet


It must be hard to tell when an artist is done with her work. No, Ludwig is not finished. I did move him to another wall in the studio so that I could get a longer view. Whilst the paint dries a bit, I can look at it and live with it so that I can formulate my next step of nuance and putting in the highs and lows, the lights and darks.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

van Beethoven, in stages

p.s. this painting is in progress... please stay tuned.






I've begun working on this piece- 4.5 feet by 6.5 feet tall. Quite enjoyable to get back to an oversize portrait again after my friend Giacomo left me.

Friday, October 2, 2009

So long, Giacomo


This week, a few day after Open Studios, I sold the portrait of Giacomo Puccini to a lovely couple in Calistoga. And they had a truck. Truly, clients that I can appreciate.
The painting is 72" tall and 60" wide.
I'll miss him.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Weekend One: success all around!

Yes- so much success on so many levels- I am so happy this week as all of the artists at Gstudio had a successful first weekend of open studios. For me, 9 paintings. For my oh so wonderful studio mate Reuben, selling some key paintings, wonderful.
So this week, following up with clients interested in commissions, payments and starting up and finishing up paintings before the next weekend. Just a snippet for now. I'll post again next week after I wake up from my coma of exhaustion sometime around wednesday with the final reflection of open studios. Weekend two awaits! Wish me luck!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Ready, Set

Yes, we here at Gstudio are ready for our close-up as Nora Desmond would say to Mr. DeMille. We artists are definitely on that level of crazy, and in anticipation of a show like this one, a big art-palooza of one, we go a little further into crazy.
I wonderful friend/food blogger for winecountry.com did a blog on our group this week and Liz of Gstudio and I agreed: we knew we were crazy, but had never seen anyone actually say it. In print.
Oh well, at this stage of my life, um, at this, ehem, age of my life, I'm happy with me and I won't be attempting to change that part of me other than the natural evolution of myself. As it should.

Wish me luck on the show! Hope to see you there, K

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Why do I paint fruit and vineyards?






I am always struck by not the question itself, but rather the need for the question. The simple answer: The simple beauty and depth of the subject. Case in point: the plum. Buy one or pick one, take it home and for five minutes notice how many colors you see and how deeply the colors seem to go.

I don't think I need to write any more about that.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

lisa's riva'


this image is for my dear friend Lisa to see. So if you're not Lisa, please, avert your eyes.
It's called "Napa Riva' Summa' Yes, you read that right and you may interpret any which way you please.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

a painter is a painter is a painter

In washington right now, three weeks- extending my time out of my studio for virtually the entire lenghth of our "summer" In quotes because summer, when one has kids is the time period between the last day of school and the first day of the coming school year. Two months, quite unlike the summer of my youth: Three.
So, my brother, the local rockstar around these parts tells me he's putting a primer coat on a building that he's recently built on his property. I'm happy to desert my children, walk over at dinner time and paint in the corners on a coat of primer coat so Mike can continue with the roller and not stop and start like one would do if they were alone with the job.
I miss painting and really, primer coat, final coat, paint anything: I'm happy. It puts me in that state of mind that I am in the studio. A slight ache in my post surgery hand and sheer happiness.

Monday, July 20, 2009

2 months to go till open studio

So, in preparation to open studios here in Napa, at Gstudio we're getting the ball rolling as they say. Talking postcards, press releases and oh, yes...making art.
What will I be doing this weekend? Flying to Washington to visit my parents. With my boys. To eat copious amounts of marshmallows roasted over dad's buick sized fire-pit. (the eating of marshmallows will be done mainly by my boys and my mother.
Yes, three weeks I'll be there, just away from the studio long enough to know that when I return, yes, the shit will hit the fan.
But there you have it. And I am looking forward to it.

Monday, June 22, 2009

more from the studio


The very thing that makes these paintings luminous is the very thing that makes them the most difficult of models to photograph...
this plum painting is 36x48"

Saturday, June 20, 2009

little bird, little bird





I believe it is true when I say I've never posted these little paintings of mine. They're anywhere between 5x5inches up to 12x12".
A quiet and fun side subject that I started last year, I am a little bit touched every time I sell one. Because I find them charming, I hope others do to.
I hope you enjoy as much as I enjoy painting them.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

And now for something a little different...


I call it:
"Napa River Summer"

each panel is 36" high by 48 inches wide.

Friday, May 22, 2009

more is better


Less is more?
I snicker.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

image for AF

more updated images of recent work




Besides this large canvas, I am working on paintings for an event at Beringer Winery in lovely St. Helena.
June 13th: wine, cheese, music, food and over 70 artists in attendance. Should be quite the blow out, eh?

Friday, May 1, 2009

that's why it's not called "a painting a day"


I said to my friend as they critiqued my blog and questioned it's merits. I work large. The larger the better in my opinion. Working this large means I can't do a "painting a day" as the term has been used by those esteemed artists, usually completing work in one day, usually small, as in, inches.
So, I invited my friend to the studio. The painting as an example is 4'x10' in length. The stretcher bars built by my friend K, who has now begun an addiction in me: Access to large, custom sized stretchers that he delivers to the studio and I cover in canvas, gesso and prime for the next work of art. Did I say addictive? I can't even tell you. All I want is still larger canvas with which to work.
My fabulous studio mate, R is also a size addict. We're bad in that way, always looking for our next big canvas fix. He ordered four, I'm pondering the next "hit", not even close to being finished with the painting that's 10' in length.
But the question I have is this: Anything smaller than ten feet at this point will seem less of a high. Can this be stopped? Do I need it to stop?

Monday, April 27, 2009

gone fishin'

Does anyone still say that? Or does one have to be of a certain generation and beyond to even understand what that means.
My 19 year old friend A had never heard the words "tract house". I thought that was fairly charming. It falls into the category of what happened to albums, dial phones, and and drive in movies.
I digress. Yes, gone fishing, and not in the way that you might like to think but rather spending too much of my time fishing around these parts on the vast highway of I, reading others' posts of this and that, nothing particularly. E tells me as long as i am not adding more and more sites to my bookmarks I am safe. Good rule of thumb me thinks.
Here's what else I've been doing:
A fellow artist K recently offered to make me custom sized stretcher bars/supports so I quickly satisfied myself by having him build a 10 foot long canvas (four feet wide) and I stretched the canvas, primed and now ready to go with my next painting.
I could go on and on about how happy this canvas makes me, but i won't. Suffice to say, I love working on large format space.
The Gstudio group and I have a show coming up at the Beringer winery in St Helena which is shaping up to be what I anticipate as a fabulous time, with our group having a prime bit of realestate to show our art, right in front of the Mansion, under a massive oak tree.
Life is good.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

fears no more?


So we had a group meeting and L has given us assurances that we all have a safe studio home and all will not be lost.
Back to business at hand. Many things that I'm working on right now: a commissioned painting, participation of Gstudio at a Beringer Winery event in June, The Napa arts council open studio event. Everything is sounding far in advance but in fact, these are the things that for an artist, must be thought out and worked on early. Thoughts must turn to inspiration, inspiration must gel into idea, idea must find it's way to the canvas and paintings must dry. This takes a bit of time.
Here's a painting that I've been working on for a bit. Although I will sell it, it's just a little something I did for me.
Giancomo Puccini (maestro of "Madame Butterly, Tosca, Turandot to name but three.) I put myself in there so you could get a better sense of size. 5'x6'.

Friday, February 27, 2009

the winds of change are a comin'

That does happen, doesn't it. Just when all is settled, content, comfy cozy... there it is, like it or not.
L of Gstudio is deciding to take her show on the road, so to speak and here we are, 4 artists, biting our nails. What to do, what to do? Was that the white rabbit of Alice in Wonderland lore that uttered those very words?
L happens to be the glue of Gstudio, so it will be an adjustment on us. She promises to return and as I understand it has to due to a solo show she's recently booked for an artist here in Napa.
I'm an addict to change and drama of sorts, but secretly is it my change that I love and not so much the change of others?

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

teacher! teacher!

That's right, every first and third Saturday of the month, I'll be teaching an art class at Gstudio. On this Saturdays menu:
palette knife painting. Wha? you say?
Abandoning the paintbrush for the palette knife is what this is. The effect can be smooth, abstract, thick, and chunky.
11am. Be there.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Napa Valley Mustard Festival


Saturday evening, January 31, you'll find me at the Culinary Institute in St Helena and I won't be cooking dinner.
One of my paintings was chosen for the 2 month long event and the kickoff or "mustard magic" will be held that night.
I know the image was already published in a previous post, but of course must post again to keep all abreast of the actual work selected. Called "Fall Vineyard" it measures 12x24" and is oil paint and gold leaf on canvas. Anyone interested can bid on it at auction at the previously mentioned event. See you there!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

signs of spring?


But isn't it January? Yesterday's high temperature's were in the 80 degree range. Something's wrong with that picture.
Around these parts we're talking Mustard Festival. Don't know much more that that really- I'll have to fill you in later if you'll come back as I find out more about this Napa Valley extravaganza...(say that with a european accent, please) What I do know is that I entered my work in the art competition...stay tuned and here's a sample of what I entered. Wish me luck.

Monday, January 5, 2009

hello again

A new year makes me so happy. It feeds into everything that makes me smile and enjoy my life. New year, new start, change.
I lerve change. I know this creeps some people out, but I do. Reorganize those closets, change around that filing system, color the hair! Read my horoscope recently and I don't remember the source but according to some genius astrologer, despite the countries economic problems, my year as an artist and a virgo should be booming! Can't wait! Bring it on!
On that note, I'm entering an art competition with the Napa Valley Mustard Festival folks and will likely know by the end of Jan if I'm in or out- wish me luck.