Landscape into Art

Entering Unknown

2011-03-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

Entering Unknown
Watercolor, 7" x 10"
14 May 2010

After some minor moving hubub, I'm settling into my new online home at suzannemcdermott.com. Please come visit.

I am posting everything — drawings, watercolors, photos, pastels, and other fun things under one roof.

Thanks for stopping by. See you at suzannemcdermott.com

Break of Day

2010-01-15T05:11:00.000-08:00

Break of Day
Watercolor on Indian Village, 5"x 7"
matted and backed to 8"x 10"
$175

Zen is doing one thing at a time. I've recently discovered that this applies not only to actions moment by moment but also to the overall arc of activities — at least in my own personal here and now.

If I am going to do something well, I really must concentrate on that one something. I have not been concentrating on this painting series for quite some time but, as I am very fond of making these paintings and of staying in touch with all of you, I have been avoiding letting this project go.

This avoidance has set up a daily conflict for me. I feel the tug to make the paintings which take hours. And, as we all know, there are only so many hours in the day. I have felt the need to quit the responsibility of posting to Landscape into Art to free my conceptual theme. I may continue to make spiritual landscapes for the rest of my life but, without the confines of this particular context, my watercolor work may evolve into something else.

Anyway, I need to concentrate on things other than making paintings for this blog. I've made more than enough to constitute at least a dozen or more small series within the larger concept. And so, I am bringing these postings to an end.

I've been rising before dawn and watching daybreak through my meditation. Each dawn is a new beginning. Every ending is a new beginning, too.

It's hard to say goodbye to people, places and things we love but, as Marcus Aurelius once said, "Loss is nothing else but change, and change is Nature's delight." He also said something to the effect that it is better to leave things before things leave us, but I can't find that particular quote.

This does not mean that I am quitting painting for god's sake! Those of you who are aware of my various activities can appreciate that I concentrate intently on one form of expression then give it a rest to explore another. While I require consistent creative expression, I am not (or no longer) attached to a particular form. I find that mysterious growth occurs when I put a particular practice aside for a while.

It is a great relief to be writing this now because I know that by formally letting this go, I'll achieve better clarity for my present responsibilities. And I'll start to live without the nagging feeling of an incomplete project needing attention. I am not one to leave things unfinished. I like the feeling of completeness that comes with endings.

I love each and every one of you who have supported me in this project by purchasing paintings and through your very kind comments. The paintings are still for sale! Please feel free to select a souvenir from this series. There are various ways to browse and prices and links are in the upper right corner.

Stay in touch!

Don't go away! I am redesigning my main website which will include a new blog with a place for new paintings, photos, drawings and whatnot. Maybe new music, who knows? The new site and blog will be integrated and all inclusive. When my new website is up and running, I'll make an announcement here and visit you at your sites to say so. So please hang out in my email, RSS and followers section. Join my mailing list in the upper right corner to receive occasional news.

In the meanwhile, my daily drawing practice continues to unfold at Studies and Sketches. It's just for fun and discipline but I am posting something every day. Although I have also closed shop there today, visit My Great Day where there's a wealth of good stuff to look at, read and listen to.

Don't hesitate to leave a comment or get in touch by email.

This is just a transition phase while my presentation is under construction!

XO

Wan Light

2010-01-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

Wan Light
Watercolor on Indian Village, 5"x 7"
matted and backed to 8"x 10"
$175

I have so enjoyed seeing everyone's winter paintings and photos. Some are simply exquisite. I can't say that I've traveled far and wide in the blogosphere but loved Sarah Wimperis' Swans in Snow, Mineke Reinder's Winter Sketches and seeing Joshemari's neighborhood blanketed in rare snow. It's a snowy world.

I worked on this as long as I could last night and then let it sit overnight. I hate to sound like a broken record (do people know what that means anymore?) but, while I could do more with it, I am letting it be it's wan self.

After arriving at a title for this, I see there's a Swedish band by the name. At this time of year in Sweden, they know the meaning of the phrase. These days where I am, it's the only light available.

As I write this, I am watching the snow fall, drinking white tea with honeysuckle in the kitchen. The local schools were closed for snow the past two days - and good thing because the roads were hazardous. But today, Saturday, is the first true snow day. It's good fun to ease into the day gently and keep life in the kitchen for a while before venturing out.

Well, I think I'll make some oatmeal!

Long Lost

2010-01-03T15:56:00.000-08:00

Long Lost
Watercolor on Indian Village, 8"x 8"
matted and backed to 11"x 14"
$320

I have enjoyed my holiday break and making time for painting. I'll have to see how I can keep this up in the new year. I will try. But my resolution is to at least make one quick drawing every day. I'll be posting them over at my drawing blog.

Cheers and best wishes for getting into the swing of the new year.

Blue Moon Blessing

2009-12-31T16:33:00.000-08:00

Blue Moon Blessing
Watercolor on Indian Village, 8"x 8"
matted and backed to 11"x 14"
$320

I wish you all the best of everything in the new year and in all the years to come. Enjoy every moment - it's all we have. Breathe deep, be healthy and thankful for our good fortune.

Here's my favorite quote today. I found it as I was clearing out a pile of Sunday NYT scraps.

"The thing about love is that we can't control whether we get it, but we can control whether we give it. And each feels as good as the other. Your heart doesn't know if it's loving a man, a book, or a puppy. If your heart were that smart, it would be your brain."
— Lisa Scottoline from Why My Third Husband Will be a Dog"

A good idea to keep in mind as we welcome in the New Year!

Above and Beyond

2009-12-23T15:05:00.000-08:00

Above and Beyond
Watercolor on Indian Village, 8"x 8"
matted and backed to 11"x 14"
Sold

If I do any more work on this, I'll ruin it. I notice things in the scan that I don't see on the drawing board. In any event, my offering for the day. Enjoy it and your holidays (though I'll probably be posting throughout!) Cheers.

Southernmost

2009-12-21T09:47:00.000-08:00

Southernmost
watercolor on Indian Village, 8"x 8"
matted and backed to 11"x 14"
$320

Yesterday, I threatened to take a nap but, instead, made this to celebrate the solstice.

After checking the Degas Landscapes book out of the local library more than half a dozen times over the past couple of years, I bought myself a used copy for Christmas. I can't say that I'm making copies but his compositions inspire me dramatically.

Happy Solstice!

Rocky Hill

2009-12-20T12:44:00.000-08:00

Rocky Hill
watercolor on Indian Village, 8"x 8"
matted and backed to 11"x 14"
$320

Perhaps the least interesting title I've ever posted but I'm just happy to be posting a painting.

Really, I think that all anyone in the northern hemisphere should be doing right now is sleeping. That is probably because it's all I really feel like doing which is difficult considering I'm deep into yet another phase in my great big project.

I might think of my great big project as a rocky hill. I'll get to the top of it — I just need to make steady progress. In any event, it's a satisfying climb.

So, I'm doing what feel like little daily tasks. Today, for example, I printed out the ordered draft of a book I am writing. The pile of paper is about four times the size I was expecting. No wonder I'm tired!

I can tackle the next step tomorrow, after celebrating the Winter Solstice. For now, though, I think I'll take a nap!

Rush

2009-12-12T18:26:00.000-08:00

Rush
watercolor on Indian Village, 5"x 7"
matted and backed to 8"x 10"
$175

I called this Rush because the central angle in the composition gives me that feeling. Also because it's the holiday rush and I wanted to make something cheery and bright. I am using up as much as I can of the watercolor that's already laid out, left over from previous work. The palette is untried though I'm sticking with just a few colors. Also, because of all the sparkly stuff around these days, I put out some metallic watercolors and will try to incorporate some of those over the next couple of weeks.

Here I use Daniel Smith's German Silver which is quite nice but not very showy. I saturated the paper before laying color in which led to some serious blossoms but I think they're pretty so am leaving them alone. Why not?

Early Winter Rain

2009-12-07T15:35:00.000-08:00

Early Winter Rain
watercolor on Indian Village, 5"x 7"
matted and backed to 8"x 10"
$175

This has been sitting on my drawing table for a couple of days. I thought it was too weak to post but now - after a dreary, rainy day - I've decided that it's subtle!

Winter Sweeps In

2009-12-03T17:46:00.000-08:00

Winter Sweeps In
watercolor on Indian Village, 5"x 7"
matted and backed to 8"x 10"
$175

The temperature has plummeted to the 20's. Sunless, sullen days challenge my enthusiastic nature. This painting captures the beauty of the light within. That's what I have to nurture as my primal fears rise up with these cold and darkening days. It's really not so long till Spring — 12 weeks or so — and there will be warm days and sunlight in the meanwhile. I'll concentrate on that and the work I have in front of me and make time for these little paintings again. When they work, they cheer me up!

Before the Frost

2009-12-01T17:16:00.000-08:00

Before the Frost
watercolor on Indian Village, 5"x 7"
matted and backed to 8"x 10"
$175

This describes the feel of my yard and garden yesterday as it exploded in its final fall glory. Alas, it's December now and fitting that it brought the first frost and the end to the flowers. I'm thrilled the garden lasted so long considering the effort I put in this year!

Edge

2009-11-09T15:25:00.000-08:00

Edge
watercolor on Fabriano, 5"x 7"
matted and backed to 8"x 10"
$175

I've spent a solid week writing an Annual Report complete with budget analyses and projections. I feel like I deserve a medal but I have to settle for a job well done. It's tough to put the time aside to paint when my creative juices are flowing elsewhere and my head is filled with reviews and plans and facts and figures.

Somehow I managed to make this piece from a sketch earlier this year and the title is fitting. I'm at the end of one phase of a great big project and at the beginning of the new phase. I'm beat, so I have to put aside feelings of being overwhelmed and inadequate, take a rest and know that I'll wake up with renewed enthusiasm and vigor if not tomorrow, then the next day. I think I'll put my feet up and go watch the finale of Mad Men.

As I was scanning this, I realized that, while painting, I was listening to the beginnings of Ken Follet's World Without End, his sequel to Pillars of the Earth. It just so happened that the chapter I was listening to described a horrid scene of children entering the forbidden forest, wreaking some havoc just before a knight pursued by two king's men wreaked further havoc. Now I look at the edge of the forest in this painting quite differently than I did in the original sketch! Synchronicity and X Factors are two things I love about life in the universe!

La mémoire de la réflexion

2009-10-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

La mémoire de la réflexion
watercolor on Fabriano, 5"x 7"
matted and backed to 8"x 10"
$175

This title is far better in French than in English. Maybe because it's such a Cocteau-like phrase... or Proust, for that matter.

Anyway, the weather here has been perfect and I had time to walk around Radnor Lake both yesterday and today. I was stunned at every turn by the beauty everywhere I looked. Just as well I forgot to pocket my camera on each walk — I would never have made it around the lake!

But I brought my memories home and this is a result of one.

Evaporation

2009-10-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

Evaporation
Watercolor, 5"x 7"
$175

This painting gave me the feeling of all vapors being sucked up into the atmosphere. It reminds me of paintings I made in August of 2008 like Auvergne, Near Baden, 1904 and Drained.

I like humidity, in relative moderation. But now is the time of year when the air crispens and the leaves turn dry along with my skin and hair. Water. I'll just have to drink more of it.

For those of you who have been waiting with bated breath about the new roof I've been awaiting all summer, it went on one week ago today. It suits the house perfectly and my old chimney was carried away in buckets along with the remaining pennies of my home equity loan. But that's what those pennies were for!

Rain Fall

2009-10-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

Rain Fall
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
$175

Richard Diebenkorn once pointed out that the venetian blinds in his studio influenced an entire later series of his work. I can say the same for my back yard which serves as an influence to more than just paintings.

If you've been following over the past couple of years, you know that paths, ways, and courses of all sorts feature prominently in this ongoing series. But so do variations of my lovely and inspiring immediate landscape.

As some of you know, I've had unexpected but helpful renovations to the house this past summer. I've been waiting for a new roof since June but my roofer has been delayed by rainy week after rainy week. Here it is October and yet another rainy week. No leaks, so no complaints!

See photo posts from my back yard at My Great Day.

Satisfied Setting

2009-10-12T19:21:00.000-07:00

Satisfied Setting
Watercolor Crayon, 5" x 7"
$175

Wow, that's a lot of yellow! Well, the sun was going down on a beautiful day and I was filled with the good feeling of a job well done. I grabbed the watercolor crayons and went for it. Voila. I'll have to try these crayons on hot press. I bet they'll perform better.

Time for pizza.

The Shadow Clan

2009-10-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

The Shadow Clan
Watercolor and Karat Aquarell, 5"x7"
Matted and backed to 8"x10"
$175

I have a lot of anxiety to work out this week. Why not take it out via art? The healthiest way to vent, I say! Also, the coming season is closing in and I'm feeling like venturing back into nocturnes.

After much scribbling and playing with markers at the end of last week (see Studies and Sketches), I prepared several pieces of paper and went to town here with Staedteler watercolouring crayons and left over paint from Ripe. I almost overdid it but forced myself to stop when I ventured towards mud. I have the desire to make more of these. Now let's see if I can make the time.

Ripe

2009-10-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

Ripe
Watercolor, 7"x10"
Matted and backed to 11"x14"
$350

I threw myself into this then tossed it aside thinking it was a throw away. Then, as usual, once I let my dear partners - the watercolors, paper, and time - do their things, I discovered a piece that I like. Hope you do, too!

Sweater Weather

2009-09-27T19:35:00.000-07:00

Sweater Weather
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10"
$175

It was a perfectly gorgeous Sunday with the very first feel of autumn. After a long walk around the lake and mowing the lawn, I forced myself inside to work.

I am really on a drawing project and have lots of drawings to make before Thursday. Already late in the day, I procrastinated about drawing further by working on watercolors for a few hours. After so long out of practice, I'll just post the best of whatever I manage to make as I get my brushes wet again. I've switched to cold-press Fabriano block paper for a break from the Indian Village. As I find time to paint, I'll probably keep switching up the paper.

This is rather cartoon-like and reminds me of an old, snuggly, Missoni sweater.

Farewell Summer

2009-09-21T17:57:00.000-07:00

Farewell Summer
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10
$120

"There are those days which seem a taking in of breath which, held, suspends the whole earth in its waiting."
— Ray Bradbury, from "Farewell Summer"

Sweet September

2009-09-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

Sweet September
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10
$120

Today is my birthday, I took the day off, spent the morning in bed with my favorite spy, swam a mile and, because of Rhonda Carpenter's well done post today, made sure that I sat myself down for a watercolor session because she's right — there is no time to wait. There's only now!

I have two full sheet watercolors in progress but have not had time to plunge back into either. My birthday wish to myself is that no matter how busy I am, I pledge to make time to swim more and continue with my little watercolors as best I can.

I love September and hope you're all enjoying yours!

In Passing

2009-08-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

In Passing
Watercolor, 10 x 16"

My life, this summer, has slipped by like the image in this painting. As an example, this painting was made on July 12 and it's taken till today, August 23rd, to photograph and post it. I much prefer the way watercolors look online when scanned but this one is too large for my scanner.

In April, when I was traveling through North Carolina and in May, through California, I snapped random shots of the scenery while driving. Although this painting is from my mind, it's reminiscent of some of those shots though it really reminds me of a Colorado mining area above Telluride.

Some of my summer has gone to the garden, some to the house after lightning set the tone for new HVAC, attic insulation, refrigerator and soon, a new roof, to a part-time job, teaching, and every remaining second to my BIG NEW PROJECT. I keep wanting to make time to paint but must surrender to my current circumstance. Soon, soon...

Combustion

2009-06-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

Combustion
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$175

Nine days ago, my house was hit by lightning which took out my HVAC. At some point, my old refrigerator failed. This may or may not have been related to the lightning. I now have new, energy efficient central heat and air system, a new energy star refrigerator, and, just to be thorough, made an appointment to have my attic properly insulated next week. This afternoon, I learned that I was correct in assessing that I need a new roof. I have to get in line for my fabulous and very fair roofer, so by the end of another six weeks, I'll have a new roof with a nice venting system. As a result of this visit by Thor (Did you know that lightning is five times hotter than the surface of the sun?), I'm suddenly on a major home improvement tear! What the hell. Considering my electric bills over the last year, this is truly a blessing.

As far as watercolor goes, I think I mention somewhere that I've been fussing over my palette. I'm happy to write that I have finally settled on a slightly revised set of colors that I'm really pleased with. Have been playing with larger sizes. Frankly, I'm a bit tired of making tiny paintings (at least for the moment). I'll show and tell with some new examples soon. I've been in transition for a while now. These things don't happen overnight.

Life is such an adventure!

Visit My Great Day.

Splash of Sky

2009-06-11T22:01:00.000-07:00

Splash of Sky
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$175

Life is full! One day, soon, I'll be satisfied with my garden plantings and I'll have more time to devote to painting and blogging. But in the meanwhile, my hands (and feet and clothes) are covered in dirt, not paint. When my California series has run its course, I'll post some drawings and pix of my garden on My Great Day.

Have a great weekend!

Phase

2009-06-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

Phase
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$175

Another painting started the first week of May and finished last week. The phase like placement of the clouds reminds me of some early Steve Reich pieces, like Piano Phase

Still am posting California sketches over at My Great Day.

Flight

2009-06-07T22:01:00.000-07:00

Flight
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$175

Home to cat hair everywhere, a shin-length weedy lawn, promotion of summer classes, a new part-time job, neighborhood drama catch-up, the garden (the garden!) and so on...

Because I have just started to settle into painting again, am fussing with colors and just about everything else in my studio, I'll post a few that I worked on just before leaving a month ago. But, I warn you, these new small paintings may be few and far between for these next couple of weeks. Yesterday, I started in on some large watercolors that I am taking my sweet time developing.

My daily drawing — always in a good gear while I'm traveling — has fallen apart now that I'm home. I'll have to see what I can do about that. But meanwhile, I'm posting sketches I made while I was away over at My Great Day. There, you'll find a regular daily fare.

I'm glad to be home, I'm glad to be back in the blogosphere and I just spotted my first firefly!

While I was away...

2009-06-03T19:52:00.000-07:00

...I made many quick demos for students in my Basic Drawing and Watercolor Workshops. My teaching demos — usually executed in under fifteen minutes — are always rough and ready, just to make certain points in passing. In these introductory workshops, my aim is not to show people how to paint as I do but rather to demonstrate certain behaviors of watercolor to help them learn how to develop a relationship with the medium. This approach is designed to encourage each student to discover (and appreciate) their own marks and expressive style.

The above sketch was made at my Palm Springs workshop, looking out the front door.

I made the sketch below outside the San Luis Obispo Art Center looking up from one of the rocks in the middle of San Luis Creek.

I jump into these demos and feel as if I'm holding my nose and plunging into the abyss from a high cliff. Crude and unpolished, still, they serve a purpose!

For more travel scribbles, you can visit My Great Day where I'm posting pen sketches and photos from California and beyond.

Fresh Gateway

2009-05-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

Fresh Gateway
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14
$320

Here is a place keeper for gazing while I'm traveling.

This is the latest in one of my favorite series that emerged with Float, a painting I did not post here but which can be seen (barely) framed for a show last year. That was followed by The Crying Clouds and continued with what I think I'll call Huge Cumulus.

Now that I've gone back through to categorize these, I see that there are not nearly as many as I thought. My urge was to keep doing these sorts of things over and over but did not want to continue to repeat myself. That I had done more, apparently, was just my imagination (running away with me). Maybe I'll throw myself into these when I get back.

If you'd like to stick around or have posts to visit while I'm away, you're welcome over at My Great Day to see posts on the materials I use. If you like those, you can read posts on Artists, my Influences and all sorts of other things (see My Great Day Sidebar).

In yesterday's post, I came forth about my dilemma on how to continue or better integrate my blogging output. Feel free to comment with suggestions (if you have any) after perusing my posts while I'm away.

Enjoy yourselves!

Flashpoint

2009-05-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

Flashpoint
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10
$120

At one time, I was posting daily to 4 blogs with weekly posts to a fifth, plus writing articles for my squidoo lens. I enjoyed every bit of it (though I did stay up way too late some nights). As life and circumstances have changed, and some of my blogs have reached their natural conclusions, I've been thinking about how to continue my blogging life. My thinking has not resulted in any satisfactory solution so I've just slowed down.

At the start of my blogging, a couple of years ago, I thought it was neater to keep my sketches and drawings in one place, paintings in another, and writings on art and life in yet a third (a file clerk's approach). Now I am wanting to integrate to one blog but am still unclear whether Landscape into Art is an appropriate blog theme. I'm also wondering (as I have from time to time) whether I am restricting my work by the theme that originally was intended as a title for a series of paintings.

I'll have time to wonder more on this as I travel about Southern California over the next few weeks teaching workshops and visiting. I want to (and have been wanting to) change my blog presence and experience. After my travel break, you may begin to see changes....

(may being the operative word...)

Divertimento

2009-04-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

Divertimento
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10
$120

While cutting paper for some upcoming workshops, I took a slice of my left thumb away. I won't be able to handle paper cleanly for a few days but this one was already scanned (with an appropriate title). Here you can clearly see the difference in work on Indian Village paper (here) and Fabriano paper (last few).

Afterglow

2009-04-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

Afterglow
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
SOLD

Time is rushing by in my world. Can barely believe it's been so long since posting last. Lots of changes afoot. A guest arriving. My own preparations for two weeks of workshops in California. And the weather has suddenly switched to summer. I've been busy in the garden. Planting, transplanting, helping transplants recover, nursing seedlings, watering, herding cats (yes, I do this), and all the time consuming necessities of earning my keep.

Yesterday, for example, I taught 5 classes of physical education to K-4th grades. Their lack of physical fitness was shocking - really! I coached 5 sessions, partaking in each, showing off for the sake of a good example. It probably won't surprise you that, afterward, I could not move from my day bed until it was time to move to my night bed. I wanted to pick up the paint brush but it will have to wait.

Afterglow is from earlier in the week. A slowly layered development.

Spring Smoke

2009-04-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

Spring Smoke
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10"
$120

Spring Sails

2009-04-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Spring Sails
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10"
$120

Spring can be deceptive. Fresh green appears and the sun warmly sweetens some days but windy and overcast rainy days pull me back into chilly winter shrugs.

When picking up the paint brush after taking breaks from this series, I find that I first must pass through a quick review of types of images or tendencies. Spring Sails, for example, is very much in keeping with early seascapes and skyscapes from 2007.

I still have a pocketful of useful Abraham Maslow quotes...

"We are not in a position in which we have nothing to work with. We already have capacities, talents, direction, missions, callings." — Abraham Maslow

Fortunately, these reviews must just be ways of getting my bearings because I seem to finally break out of them into images that are slightly new in some way or another.

" You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety. — Abraham Maslow"

She Passed This Way

2009-04-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

She Passed This Way
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$320

It's really appalling how many paintings I reject before one pleases me. A neighbor came into the studio a couple of weeks ago and picked up an almost folded piece on the ground saying how much he loved it and, of course, I sent him off with it.

This one pleased me because I had the distinct impression of an imprint of some personality having passed through the scene.

Risen

2009-04-11T15:37:00.000-07:00

Risen
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$320

Recently, I've been thinking a lot about Abraham Maslow and his hierarchy of needs . That's because I've been working on the Safety Needs level which has effected all my higher levels of needs, as evidenced by my long absence here.

However, as Maslow said "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself."

At some point during this absence, my hard disc crashed. While it took a week or so to replace the drive and reconstruct my applications, the effects of the interruption lasted a bit longer.

I'm so grateful for all of your emails and comments during this interim. I love you all dearly and truly appreciate this community.

I feel that this long series may have reached a conclusion, or a conclusion of sorts, though I can't say for sure. I feel that some new expression is percolating below the surface but have not had the mental relaxation space to allow it to come forth. It may take some time as these developments are not things we can force. These developments can also be quite subtle, with incremental changes only noticeable in retrospect.

In the meanwhile, I'll do my best to wet my paints on a daily basis, stick with the Landscape into Art theme for now and post what may be worthwhile.

Bermuda Squall

2009-02-19T23:15:00.000-08:00

Bermuda Squall
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$175

Cascadian Field

2009-02-17T23:15:00.000-08:00

Cascadian Field
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$175

In a pile of paintings I just could not throw away, I found this one from late last year. Considering the similarities to Aglow in my last post, I decided to hang it out here in the public air.

Aglow

2009-02-15T23:15:00.000-08:00

Aglow
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
SOLD
to purchase this painting, email me

Back to my Indian Village paper. One of my students walked into the studio, saw this painting and said, "I'll buy that!" Quick sales are always encouraging!

Die Brücke

2009-02-10T23:15:00.000-08:00

Die Brücke
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$175

When I finished this painting, my strongest impression was that of a bridge but "Bridge" did not seem quite right for a title and Die Brücke came to mind. I was not initially thinking of the early 20th century German group but, after reading up on them, the title seems extra apt as I proceed into this increasingly expressionistic phase.

I've been using Quinacridone Pink throughout these recent paintings as the only red in my palette and am loving it.

To Weather

2009-02-08T23:15:00.000-08:00

To Weather
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$175

On Thursday it was 10º. Yesterday (Sunday) hit 73º. Maybe the geomagnetic polarity is shifting but I don't mind as long as this warm spell keeps up in my neck of the woods. I'll take February in this condition any time.

Emil's Garden

2009-02-05T23:15:00.000-08:00

Emil's Garden
Watercolor, 5 x 7"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$175

Bruce MacEvoy once said that my watercolors reminded him a little of Emil Nolde. I can see the resemblance in some of them, especially over the last few months. I thought of Bruce's comment after I made this one, hence, the title!

Enjoy your weekends and, for everyone with winning comments on my Nine Cats drawings, don't forget to email me your addresses so that I can send you a little something.

Thanks to Sandy, Trish, Mineke, Audrey, Rhonda, Mary, Peggy, Caren, Kimberly, Deborah, and Ajay for playing along!

Glade

2009-02-03T23:15:00.000-08:00

Glade
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10"
$120

I know that it's winter where I am but I keep pouring forth these vibrant colors. It must be where my soul is at so I take it as a good sign and hope that these colors cheer up all with February doldrums.

Still two silly cats in need of captions so come visit and leave a comment! I'll arrange for prizes to be sent on Friday.

Epipelagic

2009-02-01T23:15:00.000-08:00

Epipelagic
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10"
$120

In searching for a title, I learned a new word through this painting. Epipelegic — the sunlit zone of the ocean where plant life thrives. Yes, I'm back to the sun and sea theme. Can't help it!

Learn more about the pelagic zones of the sea.

Visit our four more kitties in need of captions to leave your entry.

Swift

2009-01-29T23:15:00.000-08:00

Swift
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10"
$120

I absolutely love the way the colors worked out in this piece. That's about all I have to say except that I am already so tired of being cold and it isn't even February yet. I should read more of my South African friends' postings. I understand that they're sweltering down there.

I'll put on some Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar music and do a Hula dance to warm up. In fact, I'll find something of the sort to share with you at My Great Day.

Please visit my Cats in Need of Captions.

Roll

2009-01-27T23:15:00.000-08:00

Roll
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10"
$120

One of my favorite themes is looking straight out to sea. Although I have had the great fortune of spending countless hours doing so, the actual view in reality is becoming a distant memory.

My pen and ink cats in search of caption contest continues at the Studies and Sketches blog for the next week. Come on over, leave a caption, maybe win a little prize!

Returning

2009-01-26T23:15:00.000-08:00

Returning
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10"
$120

This is called Returning because it is a recurring image reminiscent of Approaching Red. In fact, the first watercolor study for this Landscape into Art project that I made in my Moleskine notebook was for Approaching Red and I'm looking at that study right now, framed above where I'm writing. There have been variations since, like Canary Range. When I look at these, I feel that I am looking at a place I once lived though, as Lorenz Hart wrote, "who knows where or when?"

My silly cat contest continues over at Studies and Sketches for the next eight days. Come leave a funny caption and you might win a little prize!

Edge of the World

2009-01-25T23:15:00.000-08:00

Edge of the World
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10"
$120

At every moment, somewhere on earth, the sun appears again. Even in moments of extreme uncertainty, I find this a comforting thought.

Today, I begin a series of 9 cat posts at my drawing blog. Each cat is looking for a caption. I might feel really stupid if no one comments so, hopefully, someone will!

Clear Heart

2009-01-22T23:15:00.000-08:00

Clear Heart
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 8 x 10"
SOLD

As I worked through this painting, I kept avoiding the space that perfectly formed a little heart and finally decided to just leave it open, near the center. An open heart... what better center could there be?

Golden Fold

2009-01-20T23:15:00.000-08:00

Golden Fold
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$120

When I switch paper, there's usually a period of adjustment in which I work with simple shape and subtle color. I tread lightly into new or forgotten territory.

PS As Casey mentioned in her comment, "Feels like a new day!" It IS a new day indeed! I could feel it when I woke and now, I see that this is as appropriate a painting as any to mark this new dawn of our country.

Glimpse of Avalon

2009-01-18T23:15:00.000-08:00

Glimpse of Avalon
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$320

I might be standing on the edge of the Isle of Man, just after the sun has set, catching sight of an apparition.

This is the last of my 8" squares for a while. In my next posts, I'll be moving to a smaller format on different paper.

Three Sisters Redux

2009-01-14T22:15:00.000-08:00

Three Sisters Redux
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
Matted and backed to 11 x 14"
$320

This is undoubtedly a companion piece to Three Sisters. Different season, viewpoint and paper, but the form is unmistakable.

Party Grove

2009-01-11T23:30:00.000-08:00

Party Grove
Watercolor, 4" x 6"
$120

This happy little fantasy was made last fall but looks as though it might have come out of the same palette plate as Party Dress, made just last week. A little more color cheer to brighten your days.

Party Dress

2009-01-07T23:15:00.000-08:00

Party Dress
Watercolor, 7 x 5"
$175

I thought at first that this was too spring like to post in January. Now I think that it's just the thing — a burst of color in the bleak mid-winter.

Daily posts of landscape sketches at Studies and Sketches

Visit My Great Day.

Ice Floe

2009-01-04T23:15:00.000-08:00

Ice Floe
Watercolor, 6 x 6"
$75 (no mat)
to purchase this painting, email me

I love order, especially in presentation. I love coherent series of paintings that demonstrate orderly forethought and creation. That said, I am surrendering to the lack of coherence and order in my presentations on this blog from 12/24/08 through the end of January (I'm predicting here). This passage is a normal (and regular) part of the creative process and there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

Report from the studio....

I played around with some pastels and, as much as I love the medium, it is too, too messy for my personal liking (or requires noxious fixative chemicals that I don't want to use). I am luxuriating in taking time over four water soluble oils of various sizes. I'm sorting through art work never aired publicly, cleaning up generally and throwing out what I can. Also am giving in to hobbling around for a while. And rearranging the inner workings of my blog.

Keep an eye on my Studies and Sketches blog where I'm posting daily.

Also, I'm posting some forgotten articles on the history of Landscape painting at My Great Day.

More soon...

Promise

2008-12-31T22:01:00.000-08:00

Promise
Watercolor, 12 x 9", no mat
$125
to purchase this painting, email me

Welcome to the New Year! Isn't this an exciting day? I love the first of January. It's a blank page, a clean sheet, a new leaf and everything seems possible.

I hope that you all enjoyed lovely holidays and that you had lots of time to relax. I always think that I'll finish all of my year end tasks by December 31st but you'd think I'd had enough experience by this time to remind myself that most of the turn around tasks are not finished till some time in January (usually, the end of that month!)

I'm not one for new resolutions on the first of the year (I make them regularly) but I've been thinking of how easily we fall into habits. My art work is going through some sort of change and I find that I've become a slave to my own conventions. I keep wanting to repeat myself but something new is trying to emerge. So, after quite a bit of trying to work through the changes with an alarming amount of waste, I've decided to give myself a painting break. I am in the process of really cleaning up the studio and packing the paints and tools that I use every day away into the storage room. I'll follow by putting away my paintings so that I can't see them. Then I'll be working on some larger pieces in different mediums and maybe some smaller pieces too. After a few days without painting, I can feel the energy building up and am jonesing to sit down at my regularly proscribed time, set out my water, pick up the brush and go.

But I'm surrendering to this self imposed rest period from painting which just happens to coincide with a physical rest period due to an ankle injury from a bad fall before Christmas. It is almost impossible for me to just lay around with my leg elevated but, after more than a week with no indication of healing, I will have to attempt the impossible! (Not to worry, as I am a veteran of ankle injuries, I know the rules and regulations pretty well.)

All that is to say that, while I'll be posting here at least bi-weekly this month, I'm posting daily at my Studies and Sketches blog. So come visit there this month as I post a review of a sketch book with intermittent work from the past 2 1/2 years.

Visit Studies and Sketches and listen to some good music waiting at My Great Day.

The Home Place

2008-12-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

The Home Place
Co. Donegal, Ireland
Watercolor on Lana hotpress, 7 x 10
Commission 2008

I came across the files of a commission I received earlier this year. The commission was a gift for a special birthday and, as I recently received a thank you note, I know these are now safe to post.

The Home Place study 4
Watercolor on Moleskine watercolor paper, 5 x 7
Commission 2008

This one of the five studies for the final piece went with the commission.

The study below, on Indian Village paper, I've kept for myself.

The Home Place
Watercolor on Indian Village paper, 5 x 7
NFS

The Gift

2008-12-24T12:54:00.000-08:00

The Gift
Watercolor, 5 x 7", no mat
$175

Merry Christmas!

The Order of the Golden Dawn

2008-12-21T04:04:00.000-08:00

The Order of the Golden Dawn
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

What matter? Out of cavern comes a voice,
And all it knows is that one word "Rejoice!'

— 'The Gyres' William Butler Yeats

Happy Solstice!! The World is now officially a brighter place.

Read about Charlotte Salomon at My Great Day

Light in Hiding

2008-12-18T06:46:00.000-08:00

Light in Hiding
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

I made this at the end of a long session overworking another painting — sort of a last gasp of intentional energy with the palette I'd been using. As I looked at this in a saturated state, I did not think it would work for a variety of reasons. But since drying completely, I've become fond of the sweet and goofy personality of that yellow, almost dead center, and have decided that this is really a cute painting. And timely. The sun is playing peek-a-boo, teasing before being born again. Here on the home front, I can't remember the last time I saw the sun, so I like the reassurance of this promise.

The title alludes to a Robert Motherwell painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, called Black in Hiding (1976). I happen to have a post card of that painting in my collection and the title has always stuck in my mind. I like Motherwell's titles a lot (and feel like I've written about this somewhere before).

Here's the initial color study for Light in Hiding (and the failed painting in-between).

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Read my two-part post on one of my favorite artists, Charlotte Salomon, at My Great Day.

Postscript: This evening, as I was walking into the studio, my eyes fell on The Cloud, a Prince Eugen painting I've had tacked to my bulletin board since I moved in. You can see it in my post on Nordic Landscape. What I didn't mention in my original post here is that Light in Hiding seemed familiar though I couldn't put my finger on why. Now I know why. If you look at The Cloud, you will, too.

King of the Night

2008-12-16T16:41:00.000-08:00

King of the Night (Darkness Rules)
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

The darkest hour is just before dawn. That's what they say and it's true. For me, at least, this is one of the most difficult moments of the year. What keeps me going when my mind gets a little too wild is that I know, on Sunday, the light begins to return to the world. I find that knowledge comforting.

This painting has been sitting on my easel for four or five days. I knew that I had to develop it but was terrified that I'd ruin the foundation with additional work. Mid-day today, I sat down and carefully worked it up to completion. People have commented on my bravery at various risks I've taken in my life — things I thought of as not well thought out or just plain stupid rather than brave. To me, it really takes a lot of courage to go back into a watercolor that's at an advanced stage and work to finish rather than ruin it. It's helpful to have the pressure of producing a blog post to make that work happen. Thanks to you all for your participation so that I keep this blog going.

It's late and I can't remember if there was something else I was going to write about this painting (probably) but I have to tell you that yesterday, late morning, while I was out here in the studio taking a yoga break, 25' away, my house was being burglarized.

I was as oblivious to the burglars and they were to me. Thank God. Fortunately, my neighbors across the street watched the entire episode unfold and, as my side window was broken and jimmied open, my neighbor arrived (with German Shepherd in tow) and announced, "The Police are on their way!" At which point, I saw two big men burst from the back side of my house and barrel past my studio across the lawn to the alley. It was really fantastic! I had no idea what was going on. I was really very, very fortunate. Within an hour, the police had come and gone, my neighbor's husband had replaced and fixed my window, and I was back at work. Sort of.

Now I'm checking the doors to make sure they're locked three or four times before walking away. The most noticeable effect is that I feel extremely confused. Not completely unusual but far more pronounced than I can remember.

This business brought another sort of darkness into my consciousness. But, being the silver lining kind of gal that I am, I appreciate the various positive results of the experience, not the least of which is... it's important to have good neighbors (and to be one, too)!

Leaves and Trees

2008-12-12T14:06:00.000-08:00

Leaves and Trees
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

This is the finished painting that grew out of the color studies I posted about yesterday.

Read more about my Materials and Process (and process of other artists) at My Great Day.

Good news to share! I sold my painting — Virunga, Night Falls. Good news because I am sending the profits from this painting to Virunga National Park to benefit the rangers who, at great risk to themselves, protect this World Heritage Site forest and all her creatures, including the trees, the Mountain Gorillas and Rhinos.

Read more about Virunga at My Great Day and follow the rangers' adventures at their blog.

And Hey! Come celebrate Helen Frankenthaler's birthday at My Great Day!

Tree Glow

2008-12-11T13:33:00.000-08:00

Tree Glow
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
$120

Today's post is on the evolution of a color idea.

When I was actively writing and performing my songs, touring as a singer and guitarist, and regularly being interviewed by journalists and radio DJs, one of the inevitable questions was "Which comes first? The words or the music?" Unless you're a team with particular roles, like Rogers and Hart, there's no real set answer. Sometimes an overheard phrase suggests a lyric which suggests a musical idea. Or, after some noodling around on a guitar part, a lyric idea might arise. Or a story idea comes along suggesting some relevant lyrics, they're set to music and a song grows from there. Or a guitar instrumental suggests a character or a scene and a song grows from that. The mysterious beginnings of an idea are wholly dependent upon the work of development.

I write all this because my process with these landscape paintings is not so dissimilar. Do I start with an idea of form or color or place or weather or what? There's usually some notion that triggers the development of each new painting. Often, several ideas come together at the same time — difficult to tease apart.

Although I'll sometimes just plunge right in and see where the painting leads me — and that approach can produce some very exciting results — it's as much a crap shoot as anything. Regardless of how I start an actual painting, it's really critical that I have my colors together first.

So I like starting with a limited palette of 3 to 5 colors that I first test in little studies. These limited palettes are often suggested by something I see in nature and make note of during the course of a day, or some combined splash in a magazine or in an historic painting. When I'm stuck, I reach for my book of notes on color combos from previous paintings, or for my stack of pre-tested swatches that I've collected from scraps over the past couple of years.

In the case of today's study, I was cleaning out the supply room (a never-ending process), and found a scrap of newsprint I'd scribbled on with charcoal and pastel. Wow - interesting colors.... a lime green, deep violet and yellow orange. I wonder how they'd work in a painting....

So I selected these tubes: Daniel Smith Imperial Purple, Rose of Ultramarine, Green Gold, Serpentine, Goethite amd M. Graham Cadmium Yellow. Then, made a little swatch test with some of those:

Hmmm... looks like there's some red in there. As orderly as I try to be, in the throes of painting, sometimes I'll just need that one more color and forget to make a note of what it is. Looks like I did that here! And from this swatch, I next made the color study you see at the head of this post.

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to show this little evolution. Tomorrow or the next day, I'll post the finished painting that came out of these.

More!

Because of the first comments I've received and knowing that you all have not been following along since the beginning or understand the links between My Great Day blog and Landscape into Art, you might want to visit my postings on Materials and Process at My Great Day. In them, I talk more about my own process, let other artists I admire talk about their process, and show my materials and where I work.

Be sure to visit My Great Day where we're celebrating Helen Frankenthaler's birthday!

Attar of Rose

2008-12-08T22:49:00.000-08:00

Attar of Rose
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

For these few weeks, I'm showing a bit of my process — where my color ideas come from and bits of what I make in preparation for a presentation painting. Attar of Rose was developed from the colors of the study I posted yesterday. It's also, obviously, a companion piece to Blue Skies.

Now, in response to my recent tagging, I am listing 7 painters I've discovered since blogging who's work I really like a lot. (There are others but I've mentioned them in previous tags and some of you, dear readers, are among them!) Because of this recent tagging, I forced myself to reach out, explore and mingle more than I've been doing of late and, as a result, discovered several of the blogs below. A good thing!

Go look at the work of these painters —

Randall David Tipton

Carol Feldman

Alessandro Andreuccetti

Steve Penberthy

Derek Jones

Not blogs, but still....

Stuart Shils

Lynn Boggess

That is the extent of meeting my tag obligations so here's a bonus. Go visit and read

Bruce Macevoy's writings on (mostly) historic watercolor artists

The Next Valley

2008-12-07T23:15:00.000-08:00

The Next Valley
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
$120

I am just back from my Christmas concert after a long but fun weekend of art showing and selling with a great group of artists. At some point on Friday, I had a relapse of my cold. Darn! Oh, well. 'Tis the season. Considering how knocked out I was with the cold, the house concert went very well and we all had a great time.

This color study is made with M. Graham Quinacridone Rose, Ultramarine Blue, Daniel Smith Goethite and Green Gold.

Blue Skies

2008-12-04T06:16:00.000-08:00

Blue Skies
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

This is where I really like to go and it took me several paintings to achieve. My motion was much less stiff and careful. I also switched out the Quinacridone Rust from the previous day's color set for the Daniel Smith Deep Scarlet which I'm very fond of.

At this point, I would like to acknowledge that Hillary Miller, Caren Goodrich and Dianne McNaughton all tagged me during the last month. Between illness and other distractions, I have not made use of these mentions. I'm really waiting to compose not 7 facts about myself (you can find out way more than you could ever possibly be interested in by following links through the sidebar to my main website and beyond) but 7 alternate things with links to 7 watercolor artists out in the blogosphere. You'll have to stay tuned for that but I didn't want to let any more time go by without nods to Hillary, Caren and Dianne.

A weekend-long holiday art show plus a Sunday night concert loom this weekend, so I'm off to prepare for those. Enjoy!

You can see this week's pencil drawing over at Studies and Sketches.

Cold Marsh Wind

2008-12-02T17:16:00.000-08:00

Cold Marsh Wind
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

This is the first of two paintings I made directly from the same colors as the study in my last post. Although the sun is out, the cold is biting and harsh and you'd better be well wrapped up to enjoy this scene.

Turquoise Wind

2008-11-30T23:15:00.000-08:00

Turquoise Wind
Watercolor, 4 x 6"
$120

I gave myself a break because I was dissatisfied with the work I was turning out. Not because I think the recent work was not good but that I was rushing to post rather than thoroughly considering what I was painting and taking sufficient time to consider a finished piece. I also gave myself a break because I was ill and it was the Thanksgiving holiday!

I put all of my recent paintings up around the studio and studied the ones I personally favor and thought about other parts of my recent process that I've found dissatisfying. As a result, I've revived my watercolor studies to work out palette ideas and to check color interaction before launching into a larger painting. Never a bad idea!

After going back and forth about whether or not to post the studies here, I've decided to — at least for now — because it's interesting to see the development and the transparency of the process.

The colors here are Daniel Smith Cobalt Teal, Quinacridone Gold, M. Graham Cobalt Blue and Quinacridone Rust.

See previous watercolor studies.

Book Release Announcement!

2008-11-22T07:28:00.000-08:00

I've just released my new book, The Age of Flowers.

This book represents the last phase of The Age of Flowers series of watercolor paintings. Made in Charlottesville, Virginia, during 2004-2005, over the last three years, I've developed a limited edition of fine art prints of the paintings, posters on recycled paper, a variety of note cards and finally, this book.

The paperback book includes 24 beautiful plates of all twelve paintings and selected details, each illustrated with my own poetic text. There's a preface and an excerpt by Aldous Huxley from The Doors of Perception.

You may order paperback copies directly from the printer where you can preview some pages and also download copies of the book.

If you would like autographed copies, contact me directly no later than November 30. (Believe it or not, that's ten days from now!) Autographed copies cost slightly more (because of shipping) but come with a little extra surprise.

Gift packages combining the new book with a set of note cards, a poster or fine art print can be assembled through The Age of Flowers shop. If you want an autographed copy as part of a gift package, contact me directly. All holiday gift orders must be placed no later that December 1.

If you order the book directly from the printer, your holiday orders must be placed by December 12. You can download the book at any time.

See Walden Pond watercolor prints and notecards.

Adrift

2008-11-21T17:13:00.000-08:00

Adrift
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Something resurrected and refurbished from the reject pile. I have been fighting this for weeks, but seem to have finally succumbed to fever, chills, aches and general malaise. Am putting myself to bed with a heating pad. Not bad timing — it's in the teens outside.

Crag

2008-11-18T14:39:00.000-08:00

Crag
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

I've started to work on freer, larger drawings of landscapes with charcoal and ink. The motion of this work is transferring to my watercolor stroke. Three effects are that I want to work much larger, draw more starkly with the brush (not pulling the stroke apart in any way), and that I long to leave as much white paper as I can. I don't know why it's so de rigueur to cover all parts of the paper. I find myself doing so more out of a feeling that I must, rather than because I always want to. Very often, I find myself sad that I've covered the bright, untouched areas that show off the painted colors so vividly.

Now that I've put this up, I realize how similar this is to Early Snow. Completely unintentional but very interesting how such a similar scene with almost the exact same colors emerged/

Gathering

2008-11-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

Gathering
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

When I first looked at this painting, the idea of spilling came to me. It was more the sound of the word than the actual meaning. The more I considered various titles, the more the image seemed to gain strength at its center. The energy is not draining at all here but coming together in radiance.

Passing Notion

2008-11-16T23:15:00.000-08:00

Passing Notion
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

A new week and I'm back to the main chance. Landscape. Watercolor. Painting.

Because this blog is partially about our inherent connection to the landscape, not too far off topic, I'm compelled to share this. I sat down to dinner late last week and caught a segment of the Lehrer report on Dementia. One bit really gave me pause. In some patients with a particular form of what allopathic doctors are diagnosing as frontoemporal dementia, creativity and a deep connection with nature arise. As I am exceptionally creative and have a deep spiritual connection with nature, this caught my attention. If you are, too (and I'm guessing you are) this is worth a read. Here's the transcript of that segment that I am excerpting without permission:

SPENCER MICHELS: But Miller and other researchers now believe dementia is far more prevalent among Americans than the official estimate of 5 million.

DR. BRUCE MILLER: We think that this greatly underestimates the number of people who are in the early stages of these diseases. And it may be at least twice as many people have not yet been diagnosed with dementia, but are just beginning to show problems related to these diseases.

SPENCER MICHELS: New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici was recently diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, raising the disease's profile.

In his research, Miller discovered that patients with FTD often become amazingly creative, taking photographs, painting, making artificial flower arrangements.

For this 56-year-old Bay Area patient, who asked not to be named, the changes to her brain have led to a spree of poetry-writing combined with an intense spiritual appreciation of nature.

DEMENTIA PATIENT: The flow of nature lifts my heart.

SPENCER MICHELS: Did you always think so highly of nature, get involved in nature, or is that something new?

DEMENTIA PATIENT: It is something new. It is something new.

SPENCER MICHELS: And do you know what it's connected to, as to why that's happened at this point in your life?

DEMENTIA PATIENT: Well, it's connected that I am looking at nature in a deep way.

SPENCER MICHELS: Her husband says doctors say his wife has semantic dementia, a form of FTD. The patient doesn't think of herself as sick, just slow.

Do you feel healthy or do you feel anything is different than it used to be?

DEMENTIA PATIENT: That I can see nature purely and write these incredible poems, I'm so grateful for that, so that slows me down.

DR. BRUCE MILLER: You see this subtle, slow change in the person, their sense of self, their personality, their behavior, how they empathize with other people.

The clip of this lovely older woman being interviewed next to her husband segues to a hospital office in which a Nobel prize winning doctor discusses research on drugs to combat these sorts of degenerative brain diseases. I thought, Are you guys kidding? Are the joys of creating poetry and making a spiritual connection to nature something you must work to extinguish with drugs?

Both my father and his brother declined and died of Alzheimer's, so I do not take these sorts of problems lightly. And because I keep a light guard on potential genetic issues, I should say that I have always been as creative and connected to nature as I am today. However, if my brain is going to "degenerate", I beg that it make me more creative and more deeply connected to nature. What's the option? Television? I was so distressed, that I had to immediately turn it off. Not a bad consequence.

Herald

2008-11-14T19:04:00.000-08:00

Herald
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Partly because of the full moon and partly because I stayed up way too late last night watching Craig Ferguson, I woke up late this morning, befuddled and muddleheaded.

Knowing that this was probably the last warmish morning for some time to come, I drove myself to Radnor Lake for a long hike along the ridge. I'm not sure if my head ever cleared completely but I'm awfully glad that I went. It was mild and beautiful. Colored leaves covered everything, including the trail. I usually hike on the other side of the lake so am not as familiar with the ridge trail. It dawned on me that, even though I could not see the trail, I knew, more or less, where it was, and even if I strayed from the path, I knew that eventually, I would find my way back to the head of the trail. Trust. The word popped into my head with a neon intensity.

That's my operative word for this phase of exploration and development in my life. Trust. I'm trusting myself, my intuition and decisions, the time it takes to explore the options, and the goodness of the universe to guide me along the right path, even when I can't see it.

And so, my cheeky monkeys, I must clarify that if I bring up the dilemma of earning income as an artist, it does not follow that I am feeling badly about the dilemma. God know, I'm not the only person wondering about such things these days. Money or no money, a large portion of an artist's creativity is spent on creating space and time to create work.

Some of you have asked me to continue writing about what I opened up this week. Really, my plan was to keep the writing on this blog to the subject of watercolor and landscape (though I haven't been regularly forthcoming about either). As I said in the last post, by the time I finish a painting and post it, my brain is a bit too pooped to do any writing of note. However....

I received such a strong response that maybe this really is of value. Feel free to leave a comment here about what you might want brought up or continued for discussion that you don't find on other painters' blogs, and maybe we can make it work. If there's nothing, then I'll happily stick with my evolving program.

The Season Between

2008-11-13T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Season Between
Watercolor, 9 x 12" no mat
$100
to purchase this painting, email me

This painting is slightly out of the ordinary, forced in some places, undeveloped in others, and more for fun than anything because I was so struck by this lovely, warmish, colorful afternoon, that I wanted to pay a little tribute. There's a cold front coming in.

Yesterday's post generated more off-line correspondence than any other post I've written in over a year. Not much time to deliberate about that right now but thanks to everyone for the comments. I'm glad that I wrote the post. Normal thoughts at a very normal moment in an artist's life and a lot of us can relate. Sometimes we look at things as this or that, either or, when in fact, decisions and situations can often be worked out in more subtle or (hey!) creative ways. It's like looking at a diamond; each facet presents a different view into the jewel — you just have to turn it a little. So that's what I'm doing now — turning the jewel a little.

It's after 9:30 PM, I've been working on this painting for hours and usually, I'm too beat to write much (or sensibly) at this stage of the evening but I wanted to get a new painting up post haste, to change the vibe of yesterday's writing.

Folly and Providence

2008-11-12T15:45:00.000-08:00

Folly and Providence
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Here's what often happens when I'm traveling to a place I've never been before. Just before I get to the spot where I have to make my last turn, I panic, thinking that I've gone too far, or am headed in the wrong direction, or took a wrong turn way back when. I'll usually pull off the road to check on directions and, nine times out of ten, I'm half a mile from where I'm going and right on track.

I am not going to go into this too deeply, but something is telling me to put this out there (here). I'm struggling right now with how to proceed with my life. After working independently, more or less, as a musician, artist and designer for the past thirteen years, over the past four or five months, I've been exploring various alternative ways of generating income. Selling artwork and teaching drawing and watercolor are not amounting to anywhere near enough to survive, let alone thrive on. The last month has been spent honing my résumé. Suddenly, I find myself ready to begin a job hunt. All practicality aside, whoa, is this the falling back on fear and panic just before potential expansion? At the same time, more than ever, I recognize the value in the art work I'm doing and its potential for development, and the time it takes to really do the work and allow for the development. A little voice is wondering, all this time on alternative options... maybe better spent on the main attraction? Art + Time + Money. It's a thumbnail sketch of an age old dilemma.

Until this very moment, I would never have thought to write about this sort of thing publicly or in the context of showing my paintings. However, I am one to follow my gut and my gut is suggesting that I toss this out there. Actually, it's not my gut, but this particular painting.

Where is the path in this painting leading? To nowhere? To the mountain top? To the heavens? To the edge of a cliff? Is this Folly? Or has the journey along this path been guided by the divine. In the painting, the path is blazing itself as it climbs. Faith and hope arise to meet fear. None of us, really, knows where the next step will lead us. But it's a good idea to have some clear vision of where we'd like to go.

So, I think I'm pulling off to the side of the road for a minute here to ask myself, where is it, exactly, that I want to go? I have to be clear on that first. Before I ask for directions.

Moon Kiss

2008-11-10T20:21:00.000-08:00

Moon Kiss
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

The temperature around here has finally dropped which means that it's cold in my studio (and in my house!). And it's dark early. My not so great already eyesight is very unreliable after the sun goes down and anyway, I believe that watercolor should be done by daylight. So, late in the day, as usual, I got down to painting with some comment on the dark in mind.

I let this dry and develop while I went out to a talk on children in nature (No Child Left Inside). When I came back to look, there was one little spot that bothered me. I teased it and taunted it until I thought, well, I'll rip the paper if I do any more. When it dried enough to scan, it looked like a pair of full lips floating in the cosmos. All ready to kiss the waxing moon or just having blown it out. Poof!

And I've Looked Over

2008-11-06T06:59:00.000-08:00

And I've Looked Over
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Over the last two years, I have been developing my relationship with watercolor through these landscape paintings in such a way as to participate in the process rather than by attempting to control the medium to produce some preconceived idea. The more I let go of trying to control the outcome, the more exciting the results.

Having said that, I do have to employ all of the skill and knowledge I have developed from many, many years of working with watercolor (and trying to control it!) in order to achieve acceptable results. Sometimes the results are exceptional and sometimes I pile up reject after reject. An important part of my watercolor practice is to be patient and allow the water, the pigment and paper to have their say instead of willfully forcing them to some imagined end. They can often make something more beautiful amongst themselves than I could cause alone or even imagine. Another part of the practice is knowing when to stop. When to be patient and listen, and when to decide that the work is complete.

All of these issues are perfect metaphors and training for living life in general and in community. I always tell my drawing and watercolor students right up front that these practices provide opportunities for and sure paths to self-realization.

Cheer

2008-11-05T14:03:00.000-08:00

Cheer
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

I've pulled this from the maybe pile because it's light and bright and, well, cheerful! Good for the day.

There's some dancing going on at My Great Day.

My songs and CDs

Winds of Change

2008-11-02T23:15:00.000-08:00

Winds of Change
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

They're a blowin'...

Visit My Great Day this week for photos of our fellow primates.

My songs and CDs

Memory of Ascent

2008-10-27T23:15:00.000-07:00

Memory of Ascent
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

This is the memory of the climb, early on, when the grass was still fresh, the pinnacle seemed like a forever away, and the journey, laden with promise.

My songs and CDs

Virunga

2008-10-26T23:15:00.000-07:00

Virunga, Night Falls
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
SOLD

Please go to the Virunga National Park website, watch the videos on the main page, then read the blog to learn what's happening at the World Heritage Site that is home to 200 of the remaining 700 Mountain Gorillas. Donate what you can. All profit from the sale of this painting will be donated to the most crucial needs at Virunga. If you want to buy another painting from this site this week, I'll donate a portion of that sale, too.

CNN report 10/26/2008.

To learn more, see today's post at My Great Day.

Featherweight

2008-10-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

Featherweight
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Enjoy your weekend and the changing season.

Down Draft

2008-10-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

Down Draft
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

This was sitting in my reject pile but I kept pulling it out. Messy, but something attractive to me about the rainy quality and the clearing to the right of the painting. So, I reworked it a bit and am letting it out for an airing as I work on some writing and organizing.

Firestorm

2008-10-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

Firestorm
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

More often than not, while I am creating these paintings, I consider our historic perspective on landscape, what is becoming of the natural world, the landscapes that are changing before our eyes and what the future view may be.

For example, in California, there's no longer a fire season. It's fire season all the time.

Strike

2008-10-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

Strike
as in sudden success
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Strike was the word that came to mind when I looked at this finished piece last night and I have not been able to shake it. There are many, many definitions and usages of the word strike but in this case, it means to find a rich deposit or to meet with sudden success.

Plunge

2008-10-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

Plunge
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
to purchase this painting, email me

Finally. I've made a couple of nice enough pieces this week but they were beginning to look alike and I was getting sick of the horizon line. I'll save them for some blank spot in the future. Still, I've kept at it. A wave on a piece of junk mail caught my eye today. I turned around to the drafting table and this appeared. Inspiration can come from anywhere!

This reminds me of The Crying Clouds and a larger piece, Float, (which I forgot to photograph before it was framed, but you can see n the exhibit photo). I loved both of these pieces and am glad to have the image type triggered again.

after Mysingen

2008-10-13T17:51:00.000-07:00

after Mysingen
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Yowza, huh? After another stack of rejects, I changed paper. That was no help. So I started flipping through references and something made me grab my August Strindberg book of paintings and photographs. More than anyone else, I feel a strong spiritual affinity with Strindberg, who, of course, wrote, but also played guitar, painted and made photographs. And his paintings, when I discovered them a few years ago, hit me where I live, as did his approach to making them. Strindberg writes about "automatic art" which is really an intuitive approach, letting the process lead the painter discover, in this case, the landscape. That has been my approach for this Landscape into Art project. (Strindberg also too this approach to his guitar playing, as do I.)

What I find is that, as soon as I nail a particular format, as I have in these 8 x 8" pieces since mid-September, I inevitably reach a point — it seems, just before the format becomes calcified, or after I've been interrupted for a few days —
where I can no longer repeat myself, or I begin to make pale imitations. Very unsatisfactory and frustrating. That's when I begin to switch paper, change up my palette, accumulate piles of rejects and, before I completely throw in the towel, I'll try working off someone else's painting.

In this case, Strindberg's Mysingen, 1892, which is very much an oil, done in messy impasto with a palette knife. Not quite like making a copy of Carel Fabritus's Goldfinch, which is serene in stroke and palette. Nonetheless, I went at it and at first, my strokes looked like John Marin's, raw and crude. But I worked at the strokes and managed to keep the paint fresh looking. It's a miracle I didn't rip up the paper with all the reworking. After all that effort, I almost wished that I'd copied the dimensions of the Strindberg (not square) but I wasn't after an exact copy, just a springboard. Anyway, at the point I started this, I was in no state to carefully measure off a copied dimension. I might be off the Indian Village paper for a while. I might not be posting regularly until I get back in the saddle. Hard to tell. We'll have to wait and see what tomorrow brings!

To learn more about Strindberg's paintings and their historic position, read my post on Nordic Landscape from my Landscape into Art Squidoo lens at My Great Day. I also highly recommend August Strindberg: Painter, Photographer, Writer.

Surefire

2008-10-09T16:19:00.000-07:00

Surefire
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

I am preparing for a rare music gig tomorrow at the Southern Festival of Books so probably won't have time to paint and post tomorrow. This may stay up for the weekend. More to say, but I'll wait till next week...

There's a special treat over at My Great Day for Video Friday, so be sure to swing by.

Relief

2008-10-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

Relief
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Why "Relief"? Well, this is a joyful little result, for sure, and any experience of relief leaves room for joy to flood in.

I have a stack of, oh, eight or so miserable, unsuccessful attempts at paintings from the past two days. I changed my deep blue to Daniel Smith Prussian and could not stand any of the results. Horrid! I switched to a hot press Arches block with an interesting result but a bit off the mark from what I'm currently showing. Then I consulted a color chart I made for myself in August of last year, washed all of the watercolor out of my palette and replaced it with the tried and true palette I'd worked so hard to devise. My basic set of colors is back to M. Graham (the most beautiful watercolors!) supplemented with my very favorite and fun Daniel Smith colors. Sometimes, just to shake things up, I'll begin to play with different palette combinations and then lose my way. Good think I saw that color chart peeking out from behind the cork board! Even though I was really tired today, I sat down to work anyway and here's what we have.

Now, dinner.

Autumn Field

2008-10-05T23:15:00.000-07:00

Autumn Field
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

I'm loving these paintings. Hope you are, too. The square format is providing me with a tremendous amount of freedom though the size is still manageable for these daily posts. I shudder (shutter?) to think of having to photograph watercolors as I increase my size. It's so difficult to capture the color properly with a digital camera. Scanning works beautifully for the watercolors because it provides that back-lit by the white of the paper image.

Overture

2008-10-02T23:15:00.000-07:00

Overture
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

This will be up for the weekend, so I think I'll take a little survey. Sometimes when I make a painting that I'm not entirely happy with, I'll toss a variety of mat sizes over the image to see if certain crops of the large painting might work better. At first, I wasn't sure about the large painting (though now that I've let it sit awhile, I do like it), so I put a 5 x 7 opening over and was struck by the crop I'll post below. Just for fun, feel free to leave a comment on what you think about this particular full size and its smaller crop.

Tumble

2008-10-01T23:15:00.000-07:00

Tumble
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

I really must write something under these paintings in order to attract visitors but, in fact, these paintings are not meant to be explained or commented on — just experienced and enjoyed (or not) by viewers. So there, I've written something!

I am enjoying the larger square format and am chomping to make much larger paintings from these but time is tight and I'm delighted to be making these at all. Obviously, I've slipped into a new series though I do not understand them yet enough to lasso a series title.

Flush

2008-09-30T23:15:00.000-07:00

Flush
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Firefall

2008-09-29T23:15:00.000-07:00

Firefall
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Impending

2008-09-28T23:38:00.000-07:00

Impending
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Deliverance

2008-09-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

Deliverance
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Lodge Creek

2008-09-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

Lodge Creek
Watercolor and Charcoal
9" x 14"
NFS

Today I did not have a chance to sit down to paint until after the sun was almost down and, although I spent hours at it, did not turn out anything worthy of posting. Oh, well. It happens.

In the interest of continuity, I am posting a painting that I've had propped up in my studio most of the year. It's a painting I made in my backyard in Charlottesville, Virginia while I was beginning work on The Age of Flowers series. I didn't know quite what to think when I painted this but loved it anyway. Except that I've been glued to mostly open and distant views of horizon and sky, this really foreshadowed the landscapes I've been making in my Nashville studio for the past almost two years. There are two more differences. This was painted directly from life and with a much more limited and simplified palette. I really do believe in a simplified palette but collected so many colors over a rather short period of time that I feel compelled to use them. (Waste not, want not.) Still, and I'm certainly not the only one to say so, but more colors, more confusion. Although I've made a lot of paintings and drawings of my back yard here, most of my work has been out of my head. (!) Working from life is better, but it's interesting to see what arises from my subconscious and from following the brush strokes and restraining my efforts to see what the medium and materials have to say for themselves.

See photo posts from my back yard at My Great Day.

Vale of Light

2008-09-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

Vale of Light
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

Three Sisters

2008-09-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

Three Sisters
Watercolor, 8 x 8"
$320

I have some extra mats of this odd size opening laying around, hence the different dimensions. Actually, I'm thrilled to be working outside of the constraints of the standard mat sizes for the standard frame sizes. (Although these mats are cut for standard 11 x 14.) The problem (and the only problem so far as I'm concerned) with watercolor is presentation. They must be matted, backed and framed which is not only expensive but also a nuisance in more ways than one. I wish that I could paint them and just go, "Here! Here's your watercolor!" and hand the paper away.