My Paint of View - Trudy Bentley Rech

2011-07-12T09:44:00.003-04:00

Why stop painting? It isn’t for the lack of desire, but the fact is that fine art is not as important to people as eating and making sure gas is in their vehicle or that they have a roof over their head. The big collectors may still be active acquiring new work by the old and new masters but most artists I know are struggling to buy paint.

The “market” for small time artists is a difficult one. Getting noticed as any form of artist is difficult today. Various TV shows have opportunity for some of the performing artists to gain a glimmer of exposure. No Artist Star program exists and even if it did, with very rare exceptions watching someone paint is not for armchair entertainment and does not play well on TV.

The battle for recognition goes on daily for those who sculpt, throw clay, pick up a brush, pen or pencil to make art. Digital work is growing. Some of the devices such as the tablet have a similar feel to drawing. That being said, the feel of a brush to canvas is not something I have seen simulated. There is the lack of the smells/odors/fragrances one experiences when working in the real world, too.

Why stop painting? I ask myself that almost daily.

Time passages

2008-11-22T23:15:00.002-05:00

OK, so I fell off the Blogosphere. I also need to update my website with new paintings.
I am still around and still an artist!
Will be busy scanning in some paintings and posting some new work.

I have been in a blocked state. Sales are down for most artists I know. Plus, I have been rethinking my approach. Stay tuned!

Finally

2007-12-09T20:04:00.000-05:00

Ok, I was pretty upset when my PC crashed and the conversion to Mac was rough. Now, many printer manufacturers are getting around to producing drivers for Leopard so I am able to function pretty well. One printer still can't do what it used to, but at least it appears this manufacturer will eventually deal with this issue.

All in all, I am happier with the conversion to Apple. Unless PCs and Windows really change in the future, I will stay with my Mac system. The display is awesome and Adobe products so work better with Mac.

Did I say total convert to Mac?

2007-11-15T19:09:00.000-05:00

Oh, boy...well I am because I now own a lot of stuff. But the commercial showing a Mac and PC (people as a Mac and PC) making fun of Vista (PC operating system) should be making fun of the newest Mac OS!

Leopard can't print. I am kind of sick right now. Waiting months for printer drivers to be available is NOT an option.

Total convert to Apple

2007-11-06T10:55:00.000-05:00

Ok, I got an IMAC, it was a super machine but since I REALLY push my computers very hard with graphics and huge scanned files, I found I needed a bigger bite of the APPLE.

Also, we found a program after a long involved series of posts to the external hard drive manufacturer's troubleshooting tree. The program worked. It saw this back up drive. I am in the process of restoring these files and am so relieved. We made many previous attempts to recover these files using other programs ad methods. Hate to say it but guys don't ask for directions even when doing things like file restoration. So I decided to try the manufacturers' troubleshooting site. Finally, after what seems like dozen of exchanges, I got an actual email with a link to a program. The program wasn't free, but the fee was reasonable and forensic restoration is very expensive!

Now, to get back to real life! AND most importantly to painting!

Also had a great experience with a company I decided to have pack my paintings for shipping to the gallery. Oh, did I mention gallery representation? This is another post.
The packing/shipping company is PakMail. The store manager is an artist also. He does graphic design. On bad days, experiences like I had with PakMail make things right.

PS, everyone I have spoken with at Apple has been wonderful, too. Most are young people with great professional attitudes and an abundance of knowledge.

Virtual Disaster

2007-11-03T10:06:00.000-04:00

It has been a long time since I posted on my blogs. This year has been good as far as emerging goes, but I am very distraught at this time.

My wonderful (formerly wonderful) custom built PC with a RAID and back up external drive crashed. It has crashed in the past, however this crash killed it. I thought I was fine because despite some important data file loss (my stupidity), all of my paintings were photographed or scanned and saved in a couple different formats on my external drive. It was a shared drive on our network, in that my husband's computer could also access it.

The bottom heartbreaking line is that now despite hours of restoration attempts using a forensic program my old PC seems to be totally dead. The external hard drive is not visible to our other PC and my new system; a MAC, can copy the drive but cannot see the files. Now it is possible to read the same files on a MAC but because the drive isn't formated for a MAC I can't access the drive.

It is a nightmare. No matter what media you use for back up. Back up on OTHER media. Back up your back ups and back them up some more.

It is possible that some way we will recover the files, but it will take more time or energy than I saved by not being triply redundant (she said redundantly). I am honestly ill.

Critics Picks

2007-04-13T23:26:00.000-04:00

Eternal summer
For a plein air painter, there are few better spots than Naples, Florida. Chicago artist and Naples transplant Trudy Bentley Rech conjures Florida’s eternal summer — the climate, the light and the denizens of that world — in work that’s intensely colored, both impressionistic and representational, broadly rendered and detailed where it counts.
"Finding a unique perspective or moment in time is part of my drive," she writes. "My work is all about seizing time with pigment."
Bentley Rech’s work is on display in two exhibitions: "Trudy Bentley Rech, Oil Paintings," the United Arts Council at Marco Airport, through June 30; and "I’ll Take Romance," Falciglia Art Gallery, International College Naples Campus, through April 26.
— T.D. Mobley-Martinez

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/apr/13/critics_picks/

The painting which appeared above this article is an oil painting titled Dancing Oak

This is MY kind of Friday the 13th! LOL.

Music and transformation

2007-02-16T09:54:00.000-05:00

I attended an amazing performance last night. Sir Neville Marriner and The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Jonathan Bliss was the featured soloist and his impassioned playing had me seeing colors galore. He autographed copies of his CDs during intermission and my husband and I both got one signed.
This experience will be the subject of a painting. I have trouble sitting still during a live performance of powerful classic music. The sounds move me. Some notes make me feel like the dog pictured cocking its head listening to the Victrola. Other notes must hit some synapse and colors flash or float. The experience is very intense and wonderful, but can be embarrassing as if I don't put my fingers on my lips, I sometimes hum or otherwise get so fully engaged that my body moves. Listening to a great live performance such as last night creates great dynamic tension within me and release as well. I came home exhausted and inspired.

I mentioned my synesthestic reaction to the very talented and sensitive Jonathan Bliss as he signed the CD. He was interested and asked if it was a blessing or curse. It is both but mostly a blessing.

The painting below has influences of urban sound surroundings. I cannot listen to some music, it literally hurts my ears and the pain goes beyond my head.

My husband likes Meatloaf (not the food). We once went to a concert. I had to put earplugs in to survive the experience. It was pure torture. I don't mind listening to rock type music on our custom sound system, but in person, it hurts. Contrast that experience with last night's most exquisite transformation and you have contrast like black and white. (Red or Green)

I just found a great website which explains synesthesia far better than I can:
http://web.mit.edu/synesthesia/www/

Bravo Sir Neville Marinner and your wonderful chamber orchestra! Bravo Jonathan Bliss! I know I will treasure the music you gave to the audience and put into my head. We purchased both of his CDs his home page: http://www.jonathanbiss.com/

Plein Air Experience

2007-02-10T09:47:00.000-05:00

My plein air workshop group has done well. We have one more session coming up a little more than a week. We have been plagued by "cold" and windy weather for our area (less than 60 degrees)! So we took a week off. Because I am getting ready for 2 solo exhibitions, I am using this time to get ready for these shows.

As a result of the workshop, I have also been doing more work outside the studio.

This piece was done near the entry of the Naples Zoo. The sea grape is a native plant and the play of light and shadow this day was particularly fun to paint.

I am not used to painting with so many distractions, however. It wasn't the people, or the duck...but traffic noise! The smell of the diesel fueled buses, the sound of sirens, horns and even some construction sounds affected my vision. I sometimes see colors when I hear certain sounds. I had trouble tuning out the cacophony of these disquieting noises and smells.

People on the other hand didn't bother me at all. I can talk and paint without loss of focus. The Muscovy duck hung out with me despite the fact he did not receive any food. He was pretty pesty, but he seemed to enjoy the fact I would talk to him. Muscovy ducks aren't native to Florida and they often become pests. Check my nature blog later today for more on this critter.

http://trudybentleyrech-artist.blogspot.com/

Where DOES the time go?

2007-01-26T12:09:00.000-05:00

It has been almost a month since I posted anything.
Well, I have been busy.
I do teach painting privately and via workshop type seminars.

Recently, a number of artists from Naples approached me asking for some guidance for their Plein air work. I have been delighted to oblige them.

Although unadvertised, this workshop has an ideal number of students (6).
I will post some of the pictures from the workshop soon. I need to reduce the size of the image files to make them uploadable.

The best thing about this workshop is the enthusiasm of the participants. They are a wonderful group of artists with a varied level of experience. I felt all have approached the "Painting Experience" with an open mind. We are combining the interest of painting outdoors with the wonderful natural environments still left in Collier County Florida.

1. Upland habitat (scrub, prairie and pine flatland) found at the Naples Preserve
2. Coastal habitat (natural beach with mangroves and other native flora)

3. Wetland habitat (ephemeral wetlands, "swamp" and a taste of the Everglades) found at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

How fun it is to combine the love of painting with the love of real Florida. Native plants and animals abound in these areas.

Back in the Studio

2006-12-30T10:42:00.000-05:00

Okay, I am back hard at work painting like I am afire again. The holidays and some of the running around with shows threw me off pace. So I have catching up to do.

Bayshore Arts is having an exhibtion in February and I will be submitting at least one piece for this show. The theme is LOVE.
The work will premiere here first in a day or so. I painted the work using water based oils in the hopes that it will be dry enough to submit by NEXT Saturday! One painting should be fine, but I am concerned about the other....I love thick paint.

I just joined this fine organization (on December 21st) and got the canvasses that day as well. I finished the paintings YESTERDAY. I am cutting this one close!

Longest Night

2006-12-21T18:22:00.000-05:00

I have lots of reasons to dislike December 21st. I rue long dark nights and short cloudy days.
I never used to understand why anyone would not find December an uplifting month, however this changed just after moving to Naples in December 2002. Both my my mother and my father-in-law passed away within 10 days of each other and before Christmas. Change happens and sometimes "it leaves a mark".
So it is the longest night and my most difficult day and night of the year.
Ironically on this unfortunate day, I learned a lesson in the business of art that has me smarting. The lesson will make me stronger as a business person.
I wrote about it in my ArtNews blog. Time will pass and I will have moved on, but on the longest night, I am in no mood to look on the bright side yet.

New paintings will be posted soon. I have so many ideas, but in preparation for a number of things, my work has been on the back burner for a bit.

Longest night...then tomorrow each day, just a bit more sunshine (rain in the forecast?)...oh well, I will just take an umbrella and lots of plastic backs to pick up my work!

Next show

2006-12-01T09:41:00.000-05:00

Moving on to the next show. December 2nd, Naples Community Hospital has a reception for the Atelier Lizio group show. I have 3 pieces showing. The community in Naples is very art oriented. Even some Starbucks feature the work of local artists.
August Skyscape is one of my paintings hanging in the NCH show.

Catalog of work! Exhibition schedule for November

2006-10-31T14:12:00.000-05:00

It is possible the pdf file will load with page 14 first!
When this link is accessed via my website or
Blogger newsletter it loads correctly.

The theme of my work this season is characterized
by a painting titled (I'll take) Romance
http://www.trudybentleyrech.com/Romance.htm

Hope even if you are not in town, you will visit my website &
browse the catalog. I am seeking commissions and will
be happy to work out details for shipping work.

Twilight

2006-10-24T21:36:00.000-04:00

Thought I would add the very latest painting here. I am very interested in how fading or early daylight influences the landscape. We have lovely pink clouds often in this part of the world. I find myself studying the sky every chance I can get to look at the colors. At dusk and dawn the transitions that take place have a pleasant little twitch to them...kind of a clash but not jarring (at least to me). The sun influences the clouds and sky more strongly while the trees and ground deepen. This is the view I have in my backyard. Golfers think of a fairway...I just think of the long view and the enjoyment of watching native birds and other critters enjoy their home.

Circle of Life

2006-10-24T21:27:00.000-04:00

This painting is one of my newest ones. Don't know if it will be dry enough to frame for November 1st, when I am in a two person show at the Norris Center in the City of Naples, but if not, there are a couple of other opportunities coming up the 2006-07 season.

It is a small painting 9 X 12 inches in oil and on an archival panel.

Love of my life

2006-10-03T15:10:00.000-04:00

I paid for many art supplies doing dog portraits when I was in art school. I do love dogs. All dogs but not just dogs. I love critters in general: birds, cats, dogs, frogs...etc...CRITTERS :-D.

This painting is a 16 X 20 oil on archival panel and framed in a gilded frame. It is "in the collection of the artist" and not for sale. The title is If Dogs Could Talk.
This dog does communicate very well with her eyes, ears, tail and amazingly word like expressions. She CAN spell and count. Dogs...I love dogs.

The friendship of other artists

2006-08-23T09:50:00.000-04:00

No images with this brief post today. Just a thank you to my friends/peers who provide insight and encouragement as well as fresh perspectives. Arts organizations provide another type of support for artists, but it is the artist to artist connection that I value the most. Thank you for your comments and input, Ron Barsano, Dave Kuszinski and Larry Blovits as well as those artists who have made comments directly here following posts, I am grateful for the time you took to share your valuable thoughts. Gaining insight into one's own work is difficult. We can use a physical mirror to check it, but the eyes of others whose work you respect is the best mirror of all. Without reflection and hard work, little growth can be expected.
Now, to the studio!

Glades Song

2006-08-10T12:31:00.000-04:00

I am not sure why, but painting the figure is so much fun for me. A local group of artists meet weekly to draw the figure from life. I am so happy to have this opportunity again. Hiring models is difficult on a tight budget, but being able to practice my craft with others not only keeps my skills honed, it is just plain fun. I believe artists need other artists. We have such a great informal group comprised of members of Jo-Ann Lizio's organization: Atlier Lizio
Occasionally, I hire a model or two just for myself. This painting: Glades Song is a result of such a session. I prefer not to do formal portraits, but to put people in natural settings and try to capture not only a likeness but the essence of the person/people in the picture. Here two friends/collegues are just visiting and enjoying a quiet song in a park like setting near the Everglades.

Whew

2006-08-09T16:08:00.000-04:00

Balancing painting and real life can be interesting. I am coming up for "air" today. I just updated my website and added new paintings. Three are strictly about native Florida and one is about people enjoying natural beauty. I really enjoy figurative work the best, but nature comes in close second. Please visit my website and see the 4 newest pieces. Rabbit, Rabbit replaces Dancing Oak on the homepage. Old Spirit: Survivor is the painting of a gopher tortoise who has large scars on his shell as a result of being run over in traffic. A neighbor rescued him and brought him to his property. It isn't good to move critters (not sure if what he did was legal), however, this fellow would have been dead had he not been rescued. Development and roadways put animals like this amazing old fellow in grave jeopardy.

New related blogs

2006-07-24T06:58:00.000-04:00

I took time yesterday to catch up with photographing my latest paintings and to create two new blogs!
Fun with Paint is all about having fun with paint or other material where the medium itself just takes over. It is about relaxing after working hard and playing with color and or images.

http://fun-with-paint.blogspot.com/
Check it out this is where I will be posting my experimental work.

The second blog is my Newsletter Blog. Trudy's ArtNewsLetter
http://trudybentleyrechs-artnews.blogspot.com/

While the plan is to update this site weekly, I will likely send out the link to my email subscribers only monthly. I do not want to become a spammer!

Lonestar

2006-07-24T06:49:00.000-04:00

Met this fellow during a trip to Ft. Worth, Texas, last year. I took dozens of digital images of him and a few other cowboys who were there for a special event. I prefer working from life, but working out sketches for this painting could almost hear his charming laugh. I took many more images of the rodeo and some other interesting cowboys, and Indians.

To see more of my latest work, please visit my virtual gallery website.

Lost in painting

2006-07-23T16:29:00.000-04:00

Well I hope that I can get a bit caught up this week. Been painting so much, that I haven't had time to post.
I will post a few new pieces here and of course on my home page.

This one is called Dancing Oak.

I have done so many still lifes that I needed to literally take a breath of fresh air. Check back again in a day and see another piece. I am also going to post some experimental works on another blog. Check for the link here later today.

Time

2006-06-27T11:49:00.000-04:00

Where does it go? In case you didn't visit my home page this is the painting that "won" the front image.

Updated my website again

2006-06-27T11:34:00.000-04:00

I have been working hard. Have two upcoming exhibitions that will add to exposure locally. More about these opportunities for you to see work in person as they approach.
I had a hard time deciding which of the paintings done in the last week or so to put on the front page of my site. I finally chose Eastern Influence, but wanted to showcase another painting as well. Do you think I made the right decision? The paintings are very different in mood.
This is the other contender:

It is a 16 x 20 inch oil on archival panel called (I'll take) Romance

Completed yesterday

2006-06-13T16:15:00.000-04:00

I am using the working title, Patio Plants for this 16 x 20 oil on Masonite panel. I started it Friday and almost completed it in a short painting session. I was finally able to put finishing touches on it yesterday. The orchid is a cultivated variety with origins back to a native Florida orchid called the Butterfly Orchid. I have a Butterfly Orchid growing naturally in one of my trees but it took a hit from Wilma last fall and I don't think it will bloom this year. The blue flowers are plumbago and very intense in color. I got close to portraying the intensity of the hue, but I am not sure there is a pigment made to hit this color on the head. The other flower is a native wildflower which shows up in many states: common name...Blanket Flower.

New work: Feeling Sentimental

2006-06-13T16:05:00.000-04:00

Feeling Sentimental is a painting of my favorite flowers...roses in a color my mother loved. I included her pearls in this 18 x24 " oil on archival Masonite.

Major website overhaul complete

2006-05-05T14:49:00.000-04:00

As I get my business plan together, I am learning about how to reach out and share my work with the world. Following some excellent suggestions from collectors, friends, fellow artists and my husband, I made some major website changes. The new work is now shown first as thumbnails and can be enlarged by clicking. I am using only Contribute3 to edit and create pages. This software is excellent, but pretty limiting. One day I hope to be able to delegate my website maintenance to a real professional. For now, I have learned a lot and will continue to improve the site. Please take a moment to visit and send feedback via the links. An E-Newsletter will be forthcoming. You can sign up on the website or contact me via my profile here to subscribe. http://www.trudybentleyrech.com/

Newest painting

2006-04-28T15:50:00.000-04:00

My newest painting is of a delightful woman who models part time. She is the first model I have hired for just myself.

I titled this painting “…brings her own light”

It is a 16x20 inch oil painting on archival panel. I am pleased with the result and plan on keeping it in my own “collection” for now.

Time to go plan the next painting!

Conte figure drawing

2006-04-16T17:23:00.000-04:00

What I did to keep myself busy while the gesso on the new panels dried...a drawing on Bristol board (a type of stiff paper) treated with gesso. The gesso was applied as to create a random texture. This drawing is a study for a future painting.

Conte portrait

2006-04-11T14:05:00.000-04:00

Had a nice opportunity to have a model sit for me. This is one of many images I will be working on in the future.

Tea and Roses

2006-04-04T14:28:00.000-04:00

This is the painting in its almost completed state. I am ignoring it for about a week so I can look at it more objectively. Then, I can make any need adjustments and sign it.

Closer

2006-04-04T14:26:00.000-04:00

The title is Tea and Roses.

Busy as a bee: underpainting

2006-04-04T14:20:00.000-04:00

Been very busy painting. Thought you might like to see the latest one. Have a few minor things to do before I consider it complete. Depicted in this post is the underpainting. I had fun with Photoshop losing the background of my studio.

Another new painting

2006-03-24T14:30:00.000-05:00

The three roses used in the other smaller paint were used again, but with a different perspective. When placed in a bleach and sugar solution, fresh flowers last a long time. This piece is a 24 x 24 oil on a masonite panel. I am using more panels now. Likely that I will be moving toward using Belgian linen in the near future.

The Key

New painting

2006-03-24T14:25:00.000-05:00

The title is Three Roses.

Think of Roses

2006-03-17T23:19:00.000-05:00

I have been so busy painting, that I haven't done any household chores...the garden is weedy, my hair needs cutting, but I am painting like a person possessed.
Hot off the easel, too wet to sign yet, this is one of the last three paintings I did. Working title: March Roses.

The workshop

2006-03-07T12:10:00.000-05:00

Ok, I had planned on posting more during the workshop with Karol Kintz. But...I have been working my tail off. Good thing.
I see paintings everywhere I look...that is everything I see seems to be in painting form right now. Even the newspaper seems to be transformed. Boy is it ever hard work, yet fun and very exciting. Am painting some plumbago flowers now. I finished a painting of tropical flowers and posted it on my website. See for yourself the side by side comparison of the plumbago painting and the tropical flowers.

The plumbago flower has a very difficult to photograph and paint color. I am some paint straigt out of the tube to get the intense purple/blue hue seen in the shadows of this flower. It is a challenge to get the right feeling.

Red

2006-02-20T10:55:00.000-05:00

This post isn't about RED tape, but about red roses.
I will be taking a workshop with Karol Kintz on still life painting. Karol (who I mentioned before in this blog) is an accomplished artist who is featured at the Knox galleries in Naples. She studied at the American Academy of Art where I studied as well. Karol also studied with the very famous David Leffel. Google his name! Wow, I would love to have one of my paintings sell for 25K or more someday...
I plan on posting a work from her workshop weekly. To begin, however, this is a small painting of roses I did as a begining point before the workshop. The format for this oil is 5x7 inches.
If you got to this page from my website, you can return by clicking here
http://www.trudybentleyrech.com/

Progress

2006-02-19T21:50:00.000-05:00

Learned a lot this weekend about getting into being an artist as a business. Where I live in order to work professionally, one must have an occupational license and really set up with various State and Federal entities as a business. Lots of RED tape. I went to a workshop by a group of volunteers with SCORE. They are usually retired business people who have lots of experience. The Small Business Administration works through this organization.
I have a lot to learn and my target to be fully operational as a business is fall of 2006. I will first make a business plan. Nothing in art school or even college covers this type of thing. I am happy there is an organization like SCORE.

I will be taking a workshop this week. Posting a painting done to prep for it tomorrow. More about the workshop with the painting!

Website is updated

2006-02-06T20:45:00.000-05:00

If you are reading my blog, take a moment and check out my new website....
http://www.trudybentleyrech.com

I have learned a lot. Most artists post their bio in the third person. This is the web. I want to be more informal. My Bio and formal resume will go with a package to folks who want this kind of documentation or if I am in an gallery exhibition or museum type show, but for online...I am staying casual...at least for now. What do you think of this painting? I am donating it to a charity event for Step by Step Early Childhood Development Center. They help children with developmental delays catch up. It is a great center. They use art to reach out to the young children. It is one of my favorite pieces, but theirs is a great cause. Hope it brings them much needed funding.

One more thing

2006-02-03T20:05:00.000-05:00

New artist statement part one...more candid
Why do I make variety of art I make?
I am an intensely visual person with a huge curiosity about life science and the arts.
My artwork is about connecting both.
For example, when my subject is a person, I like to look beyond the physical shell to connect with the personality of my subject.
Capturing the physical image of the subject is fun. I see mass and form, flesh and structure with a spark of the person inside.
Painting becomes my dance inspired by vision, being actualized by my own muscles and bones.

Working on new site

2006-02-03T19:50:00.000-05:00

Put up the site and now am revising it in a major way. Took down all the pictures. Building the site with only Contribute 3 and limited templates is frustrating, but I have learned to go around a lot of obstacles. Helps to play with software. I could envision getting Dreamweaver someday, but have some other items on my wish list, like an Epson 4800 printer. Great way to make digital prints AKA giclees with such archival qualities as to probably outlast most actual paintings.

My official website

2006-02-01T23:42:00.000-05:00

I just published it tonight after finding a host and registering the domain name. I will have it looking better by tomorrow. Will be adding a counter to gauge traffic.

The Visit

2006-02-01T09:40:00.000-05:00

This painting got me started back painting my favorite subject: People.

It is an acrylic painting done Alla Prima style on a 24 x 36 inch canvas. I don't ever really intend on selling this piece. "She" is what brought me back to painting representationally again.

Some artists and collectors only feel oil paintings are the most desireable. I like to use a lot of different mediums to express myself. I do love working in oil, but acrylic paint has wonderful qualities as well.

Growth

2006-02-01T09:21:00.000-05:00

The sketch group was better than ever last night. One of the artists who was there is another American Academy of Art graduate. Her name is Karol Kintz. She will be teaching a limited sized class on painting flowers "Alla Prima". The style Richard Schmid http://www.richardschmid.com/book.html uses. I started at this school a few years after Richard Schmid went there. He was already quite well known. Mr. Mosby was his teacher and mentor. Although Mosby was still there when I went to classes there during the summers while still in high school, I was enrolled in life and fundamentals classes and didn't have the honor of studying with this wonderful painter. Fortunately Mosby's influence prevailed when I attended full time. Mosby's friend and fellow artist Joseph Vanden Broucke was my teacher. Mr. Van was a wonderful teacher. I hold the distinction of winning the Mosby scholarship. The year I won, my friend David Hettinger also won. They split the scholarship between us. My growth was stunted in some ways because of life choices, circumstances and perhaps even fear of failure/fear of success. Now, I am focused and enjoying growth. What will be will be. I have to paint. I have to draw. I am eating, dreaming and living my work again. The fellowship of fellow artists really helps. It is all about growth.

Conte crayon still life

2006-01-25T12:27:00.000-05:00

This is a fully developed Conte crayon drawing. It is in the collection of a colleague. I really enjoy working in the medium. The subject? The seed pods of the mahogany tree. This species of mahogany is native to south Florida.

Conte crayon drawing

2006-01-25T12:13:00.000-05:00

This is a nude from one of the drawing sessions. I will post more drawings, however, I am self censoring until I have my own website. Some people find nudes offensive. I don't. I started drawing nudes while still in high school. I did medical and biological illustrations while in college and later worked as a nurse. I find the undraped human figure to be beautiful.

My Friend David Hettinger

2006-01-25T11:31:00.000-05:00

If you look close, David has a Salon de Garage postcard in his shirt pocket. Our visit was just wonderful. His success is inspirational to me. Not only is he very talented, but he is a very good person and loyal friend. I have a picture of the two of us taken with the camera's timer, but...I like being behind the camera and not the focus of it.
More links and pictures to come. Check back daily or at least every other day. I am looking over some drawings made at the Atelier Lizio's sketch group to post. After I resize them for the web, I will select a sample to add to the blog.

Good News with Plums and Green Apples

2006-01-23T17:12:00.000-05:00

May have an opportunity to show in a gallery not too far away from Naples. Developments will be posted once confirmed. Not a good time to sit back and relax. I don't mind being busy this way one bit.

Good show

2006-01-22T17:01:00.000-05:00

Well, I am happy to have sold 10 pieces. I was pleased to meet a number of people interested enough in my art to purchase it. Surprisingly, the small nudes sold the best. I enjoyed the exhibition. The funds from this show will be used to resupply and further establish myself. The biggest compliment anyone can give an artist is to buy a piece of that artist's work. Thank you to my new patrons. I look forward to additional encounters with these nice people and hopefully others who decide to add my original work to their walls in the future. Sona Gallery owner, Deb Angus went above and beyond to be helpful. The gallery business isn't an easy one. It was an honor to hang work in such a nice space. Angus is also an artist. You can visit the Sona gallery site by visiting the site below.
http://www.sonagallery.com/sona.htm

Check back tomorrow for an update

Hanging the show

2006-01-19T09:24:00.000-05:00

Tonight, I will be at the Sona Gallery in Naples later today to hang my own work. Although the space is restricted because this event has 12 other artists showing, I have a great hanging plan. All the extras are under control. I have a guest book, business cards, bio and artist's statement as well as some brochures showing past and present work. The show opens tomorrow evening. I will be happy to take some of the day to relax. Today, I am adding a still life to this blog. I am feeling a bit hungry!

Another slice of the sky...

2006-01-13T14:43:00.000-05:00

Sky Slices

2006-01-13T14:37:00.000-05:00

Entitled Sky Slice: Blue this acrylic painting reflects my interest in clouds. I tried to add more than on file to show the other slices, but wasn't sucessful, so I will make seperate posts.

Plumbago in the Afternoon

2006-01-13T14:15:00.000-05:00

This 5x7 inch oil will be part of the Salon de Garage exhibit opening next Friday evening and running through the day Saturday.

Violet at last

2006-01-12T16:20:00.000-05:00

I thought "Violet" was not going to make it online. It is a "Naples" nude...in that the painting is pretty modest for an undraped figure. You can enlarge the images and then click the back button to return to the page.

Making a catalog

2006-01-12T16:07:00.000-05:00

Today, I am working on a catalog of work currently available. I photographed most of the pieces on Tuesday and am now importing the RAW format images into PhotoshopCS to make certain the color profiles accurately reflect the work and to make smaller, web friendly files.
This is one of the paintings that will be at Salon de Garage at the Sona Gallery in Naples this coming Friday night and all day Saturday. The title, Violet, is not a woman's name, but refers to the primary pigments used in creating this small oil from drawings I made during the Tuesday sketching sessions.

Violet...doesn't seem to want to load so I am going to try "In the Rookery" to see what happens.

Reconnecting

2006-01-12T15:46:00.000-05:00

Had a fantastic visit with David Hettinger yesterday. Dave's work is currently showing in one of Florida's premier galleries: Weatherburn Gallery. Their website is www.weatherburn.com
David is a Master in the Oil Painter of America. His work is absolutely beautiful. Have also reconnected with another former American Academy of Art student and now excellent painter Dave Kuczynski. His work can be seen on this site http://www.mowsart.com/ (check the gallery section.) One of our old group includes Ron Barsano. Ron is the first person I found when using Google to search for classmates. His work is just beautiful also. http://www.barsano.com/index.html I have asked for help from a fellow blogger and artist, Martha Marshall. http://marthabrooksmarshall.com/ She has set up links on her blog on a side area and I will be doing this soon as well. She has links to some of our other friends on her blog and website. Martha was very instrumental in my return to painting. The synergy from a group called BRAVA in the Tampa area gave me confidence to paint outside of the closet again and take my work public before we moved to Naples and it was time to get reestablished once again. BRAVA has a blog http://bravaartists.blogspot.com/

Exciting news

2006-01-09T21:35:00.000-05:00

Not only will my work be featured in a show in Naples called Salon de Garage January 19th and 20th, but a very good art school buddy is going to be in town for the "season" openning show featuring his wonderful paintings at a very prestigious gallery. Woo hoo. The artist I refer to is named David Hettinger. His work is part of a group show at Weatherburn Gallery. He is a Master in Oil Painters of America. I am thrilled for him and very much look forward to seeing him after many years. We competed for and split the Mosby Scholarship at the American Academy of Art. He has more than paid his dues and I am playing catch up. Our competition was always friendly. Tomorrow I will do a digital photo shoot of all the pieces I will have showing to compile my catalogue for the show. It is my humble hope that someday, I will be a featured artist in a prestigious gallery such as above. I have had too many interests and not enough focus. It is harder now, but I am determined to keep pushing. I am very fortunate to be able to concentrate my efforts now.
I will post at least one of the pictures I will be showing...and hopefully selling! Very soon. Made an Access database for my currently available work yesterday. I looking to build my art as a business without losing contact with my creative side AND find a way to get the daily chores done!

Productivity

2005-12-11T18:58:00.000-05:00

I have been painting almost daily. Getting ready for a show in January. I am excited about the opportunity and will post some of the new paintings here. After painting them, I must let them dry long enough to be handled for digital photography. Once I capture the image, I must resize it to a reasonable file size for the web.
This painting is small, only 5x7 inches and done in oil. It is of the American Beautyberry, a woody shrub native to the southeast.

November fog

2005-11-14T14:49:00.000-05:00

Well, have been feeling somewhat foggy over some non art related stresses. Nature seemed to agree and when I looked outside last week, I found this vision that I rushed to paint. The working title is November Fog, but I may change this. I prefer more esoteric titles.
Click on the image to enlarge it and hit the back button to return to the page. It was a good week I completed four paintings. Using water soluable oils! Holbein is the brand. Normal oil colors can be added to mix new hues without removing the soap and water cleanup characteristics of this media. Acrylics, watercolor and gouache can also be mixed with these oils. I use Holbein acryla gouache. The oils...called Duo, can be layered over other media as well and visa versa. I missed oils very much. The quality and handling is just like what I remember with normal oils. What a great invention.

Stormdance paintings

2005-11-08T11:43:00.000-05:00

I am interested in spirals and other patterns found in nature. I did a series of paintings with this in mind a couple of years ago.
Skydance was the first of this series.

Recovery mode

2005-11-08T11:21:00.000-05:00

We were fortunate. Power was lost and found. Communication desolved as even buried cables were uprooted with felled trees and cell service was almost non existent. Still, we are lucky beyond words. The sketch group was disabled by a lack of power. I thought I would use quiet time to draw. Instead, I found myself using my time to figure out how to keep frozen food frozen beyond 3 days. We had no structural damage. The emotional toll is unexpected. Those who served the public during the storm are certainly stressed.
Nature is powerful. Feeling humbled by this brush with disaster, I am eager to return to the life sketch group tonight. My best hope is to channel the stress from the storm into work. Perhaps I may revive my StormDance series.

WILMA!

2005-10-23T14:53:00.000-04:00

Not art related, but I do hope this Hurricane is gentle with Collier County. Expect to be without power for a while. As a former Girl Scout, I am well prepared to manage for about 30 days. My spouse is also a foward thinker. Our home is located outside any of the evacuation zones.
Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst.

Bird painting

2005-10-07T18:44:00.000-04:00

Decided to play with an image of a woodpecker and made this painting. The title is Over the Rainbow and Through the Woods.
You can enlarge the image by clicking on it. Hit your back button to return to this page.

Sketch group

2005-09-21T14:40:00.000-04:00

Found a nice group for a peer to peer life drawing experience. The group meets once a week in an art gallery filled with interesting and inspiring work. The space itself is just wonderful. Even the floors are white. Last night, despite a loud strong storm outside that made me wonder if the roof would stay on, I was so focused that I couldn't stop drawing. It was the second week of visiting with the group of local artists and drawing once again from a live model. I am rusty. The first week was ok, but my arm was sore. This week was better. My eye is coming back. Gesture, line and fluid likeness is back within my grasp. There is nothing quite like drawing from life. I have never particularily enjoyed plein aire painting because of bugs and limitations, but there is a freshness to working live and in the moment. The figure is especially inspiring to me. I will post some sketches from the sessions. I have to photograph them and make them websized first.

Sunday, September 11, 2005

2005-09-11T15:08:00.000-04:00

A time to remember. A time to never forget. A time for prayer and learning to work together again.

Middle Age Mirror: portrait of the artist

2005-09-09T16:11:00.000-04:00

Click on Image to Enlarge it and hit your back button to return to this page:
This painting is an acrylic and acrylic gouache on bristol board. Framed it it measures about 16 x 19 inches. The work was inspired by the seemingly inevitable momement many women fear; when we look into the mirror and see our mother.
I decided to embrace the moment versus fearing it. Age happens. My mother died at age 88 in 2002. She spent most of her life smiling. Painting her from memory and a few photo images, I caught her smile even in her last year.
I am at crossroads. I live in a beautiful area in a lovely home. As time passes, I am more than ever aware of our temporal existance.
Looking in the mirror, I hope to push beyond the surface and become more of my own person and a stronger artist.

Captured by news

2005-09-09T15:50:00.000-04:00

I had planned on posting more about art and paintings. Lately my vision is filled with awful images from cable news. I did enter a painting in the National Portrait competition despite the feeling that any work I can do as a painter was dwarfed by the enormity of the loss of so many lives.
Then, today, the Artist's Magazine arrived.
In the October 2005 issue, there was a very nice article about an artist who also studied at the American Academy of Art. Her work is really beautiful.

It is difficult being a painter in isolation. This magazine and staying in touch with other artist friends helps with momentum. Naples is a community which has a lot of artists, especially during the winter months. There are some classes but they seem to cater to the people who want to just begin painting. The informal gathering of artists together to just sketch, chip in together to hire a model all seem to be absent from this area. Some groups do have get togethers and meetings, but the focus of these groups isn't what I had been so fortunate to have found in the Tampa area when I lived there.

So today, after reading about Susan Lyons and reminding myself people actually once paid money for my work, I am determined to think more positively. I need to find a way to start a sketch group and find some place to meet without huge fees.

I am also going to add the portrait I submitted to the national competition. I don't really think it will make it into the finalists, but I had to try. I do know I need to work more from life and must find a way to do this. I love nature and pieces about rhythm and pattern, but figurative work is always been where my heart is.

Adding a link to another Blog

2005-07-15T15:07:00.000-04:00

I have a couple creative friends who also have a blog of their own. Check out Joy's Journal. She is a very talented writer and has published a book about building a home that is excellent. More later.
http://journals.aol.com/pagadan/JoysJournal/

Cottonmouth snake

2005-07-03T16:12:00.000-04:00

This snake was resting very comfortably on a log as I walked past during a "swamp walk" in Fakahatchee Strand in Collier County, Florida. I think the snake is quite beautiful and was very happy to have had a long lens with which to capture this image.

This image is protected by copyright laws and is an example of my nature photography.

Decided to try Blogging as a presence on the web

2005-07-03T15:47:00.000-04:00

As a painter of many years, I am struggling to gain recognition in SW Florida. I had begun to gain momentum while living and painting in suburban Tampa, but moves happen. I live in an absolutely beautiful area. Many retirees and seasonal residents decide to become or declare themselves artists, so many local galleries are resistant to "local" talent.

I am also a big fan of ironic humor. Carl Hiassen's POV on Florida is taken to heart.

So much for my first Blog entry.