Sometimes it feels like our days are so full of all of our life obligations, commitments, projects and chores that there is no time left open for pleasure choices. When we do see a moment and decide to go for the fun, we feel guilty that we chose to put pleasure over ,,, housework, for example. Well today I need to remember that painting is more than a guilty pleasure for me, it is a commitment. I am off to the easel.
In the spirit of showing the process of how I make art, I invite you to walk with me as I create these new small works.
I’ve started today creating a board, as has been used through a long tradition as a painting surface. Board is less used today with the availability of pre-stretched canvas. I enjoy working on this firmness of surface so I prepared a scale board of ash. To remain true to scale, I used ash veneer with several coats of diluted gesso, sanding each layer as it dried. This finished painting will be 3 inches wide and 2 and 1/8 inches tall. I hope you enjoy watching.
I had the opportunity to spend some good time at the easel, painting at the Oshkosh Trade Fair this last weekend. What I have posted here are the first two pictures taken of the painting I started there. 
This first photo is of me starting the fresh canvas on Saturday morning. The second photo here is on Sunday morning as I started back on the painting. 
My thanks to my husband for being the photographer and capturing these snapshots of the process. I will keep taking pictures as I work on this painting so that you can watch it grow as you have others. This time, though, the process pictures will include the artist in the process. I hope you enjoy coming along with me.
Well my last post, the one to start my new year, certainly didn’t push through to the Facebook connections like it should. Here is another attempt to see if I can get that pipe cleared. Wish me luck. I’m clearly a better painter than I am a blogger.
In my last posting I referred to my sporadic absence here on my blog. My personal life has continued to keep me from being as active as I should be with my art, but some events have concluded and after a great deal of soul searching and healing, my reclusive behavior should begin to resolve itself.
As a sure sign of that return I have resumed working on the commission that I mentioned. It is moving along well, and surprisingly fast now that I am restoring my disciplines and regaining my footing. I can tell that my work will be going through a great transition over the next several months. Even as I paint I can feel changes … and can see a subtle evolution of paint handling. Thankfully, I believe it will be for the betterment of my work.
Look for the final painting to be put up when it is complete within the next week or so. But for now, enjoy this rare sneak peek.
I have been away from the website for a while but time away from my blog in no way reflects time away from art. Away usually means I am: thinking more than painting, problem solving, or gathering visual fodder by traveling or researching. It might also be that I am focusing on personal matters that need my energy and full attention. In this case, I have been in the process of re-accessing the scope and direction of my work, AND have personal matters that need my attention.
Today, however, I stayed at the easel most of the day working on a commission due soon. That piece is fun to work on and in line with my recent historical scenes. To add to the playfulness of the work, a couple of the figures will resemble friends. I will put it up for you to see when I can.
What has been on the back burner — and that burner was turned up during a recent travel adventure — is a new series that will reconcile my love of working small with subject matter not traditionally expected. Looks good in my mind so I am about to move forward with it. If you’re interested, stay tuned.
I had an absolutely wonderful weekend last weekend at the Echoes of the Past Historical Trade fair. I saw friends and patrons, some who I hadn’t seen since fall, and painted for the first time in far too long – between talking art and visiting with friends. It was such fun. I don’t think I am quite done with this piece but the home stretch is all about little glazes and small details so I thought I would let you all see a nearly done version. I will put the finished work in the gallery when I am truly done. Next show is Kalamazoo in mid March.
I have not been diligent posting here about what is on the easel so I will touch on it briefly this morning. This spring has been about completing projects and coming full circle. It has been utterly amazing to me how pieces of my past are emerging and connecting fractured paths right now. Unfinished business. There is a great coming together that is equally exciting and unsettling. None-the-less, for the last month I have been working on a professional portrait of an administrator that was commissioned over ten years ago. Continue reading “Discipline of perserverence”
I adore all of the seasons that the upper Midwest offers. The joys and challenges of storms and cold and wind and rain are all as important to the texture of my observational soul as is the interaction with the many creatures I share my environment with. This Spring morning is gifting me a rich bombardment of color and detail from blossom to bird – from deep umber laden earth to the Monet pallet of the Virginia Bluebell flower. And the light and color are courting each other with the passionate dance of new lovers. Rains have left everything rich and sparkling with fractured light and a male rose breasted grosbeak sits in the blossoming cherry adding his splash of red to the mix. Lord, I do thank you for such wealth.
Kelly E. James 