ALMOST FINISHED WITH AIR!

Okay, I spent Saturday morning putting the final layer, the so-called keyblock, on - the black ink. I was surprised how well everything lined up! Like I said in the last post, I had adjusted the alignment of the third layer, the orange, and I was worried about how the last would go. It's the most important, since it outlines everything.

I still have to weed out the bad ones, tear them down to size, sign and number them. Then I've got to make up a colophon (description, statement, facts, info and name) and stuff the whole works into plastic bags - which I don't have! Yikes!

I ordered some more, so now they are going to be even later than I thought, while I wait for the bags to be delivered. I must send an email to Four Oceans Press and explain.

I'll reiterate my theme.

In this series of the Elements, Earth, Water, Air and Fire, I wanted to show how we come into contact with them in our modern society. Imagining someone who lives in a highrise in the city - when they want air, they turn a knob and adjust to whatever temperature they prefer.

Here's my latest Classic Element - Air.

And here's the first two I did - Water

and here's the first, Earth -

DAY THREE - AIR PRINT

Here's the third color, I had to do a little adjusting to get it go line up right.

I just love this color! It's Akua intaglio ink Scarlet Red and Yellow Ochre mixed together. I'm using the same basic colors through the four different prints in this series. And yes, that's a cheap-o Speedball brayer. Use and abuse and toss it out and get a new one when it's used up.

And here's my Ettan press showing my easy to make three-hole-punch registration system using a 99 cent three-hole-punch made to fit into a three-ring binder and lots of blue masking tape.

DAY TWO - AIR PRINT

I got the second color printed today!

I can't go too fast or I'll hurt my neck - running things through the press takes a lot of turns of the press's wheel. I'm going to do one color a day, giving them some time to dry and not pushing my muscles. I gotta tell you, I don't feel guilty not getting them in on time. So far, every exchange I've done with this group I've been on time, only to have to wait and extra month for the stragglers to get theirs in. This time, I'm a straggler. But I should have them in the mail by Monday, only 5 days late.


Here's a great shot of Lucy, busy watching the driveway. She looks so sweet! What a tough life. Lucky dog.

STARTING A PRINT

Yikes, I got an email last Friday reminding me that my next print for the series, Classic Elements, is due on the 15th...next Wednesday.

Ha! I haven't even thought about it, let alone got it ready to go.

Prints are not an easy thing to just whip out.

I started working on the drawing at work over the weekend. I pretty much had the drawing down and finished it up Monday morning.

I carved the keyblock on Tuesday, transfered that to two more linoleum blocks and left them to dry.

Wednesday, I went to Daniel Smith (my favorite store) and got my paper and ink that I needed. I returned home, carved the other two blocks and tore the paper to the right size.

So, that takes me to today, the day it's due!

I started printing, and put down the first color on 40 pieces.

Here's a picture...
I know you have no idea what it is, but if you watch, you'll eventually see!

SPRING ARRIVES!

Wow, what a great weekend. Finally, some nice weather. The husband and I took advantage of it both days. Saturday, he got the bikes out (after a long winter's storage), dusted them off and aired up the tires. That lead to some general cleaning out of the garage first. We loaded the bikes up and grabbed the dog and headed to Alki. We knew it was going to be crowded, but my goodness - it was crowded! I've got a plastic milk crate mounted on the back of my bike for the dog. She wears a harness and gets cross-tied in so she can't get out (even if we go down!). This was only the second time she's done this, the first time was right after we got her, way back in November, when she was being on her best behavior. Well, those days are long gone. Lucy immediately started whining and trying to get out. We went about a mile, and then stopped. I couldn't take it anymore. I tried letting her trot along side. That worked better than I thought, although it slowed us down quite a bit. We didn't get even 50 feet, when she stopped suddenly and pooped...I guess that was the problem all along! (yes, I had a bag) We let her trot along side for another half mile or so, until it got too crowded with walkers and bikers and skaters and we put her back in the box where she rode pretty good the rest of the way.

Sunday was another beautiful day, even warmer. We took the bikes to Fort Dent and rode down the Interurban trail, where there are very few walkers, and it was early enough that there were not many bikers, either. We let Lucy trot alongside for quite a while, she did great. I worry she'll cross in front of me and I'll run over her, and bounce on the pavement (not good). But she stayed straight and true, like she's done this somewhere else before. Who knows? Maybe she has.

When we got back from the ride and did our chores I headed up into the studio, I was once again inspired to work on the dreadful painting I'd left on my easel. So, I think it's looking better, but its one I really don't care for. And I think I know why, finally. I'm doing this from a photo I took in California, the LA area I think. The freeways down there are different from the ones I see here all the time. And I don't like it's supports.

Have you ever noticed that all the freeways are individualistic? The supports and rails and under-stuff is all different in different areas. I can pretty much tell you about the freeways in King County, especially the older ones. And I have my favorites.

Anyway, here's the latest version of my last post, I completely changed the sky and the coloring. I'm liking it a lot more, although I had to get out my itsy-bitsy tiny brush to finish up some of the bad parts.

BACK TO THE LITTLE ONES

Here's my painting of the day. First image is the underpainting, basically laying out the lights and darks. The next image is the second layer I put on. I started playing with the coloring.

I had to quit because I was not happy with it. It was tedious and boring. (And my neck and head ache so bad I can't concentrate). The second state seems lifeless at this point and the clouds seem contrived...

This is acrylic on canvas, 9"x12"

ANOTHER VERSION

Lucy and I went for a walk in Lincoln Park in West Seattle before we settled down into the studio to work. Lucy went straight to her job of watching the driveway, on alert for cats, squirrels and other vermin.

I started in on my 'work in progress' that I posted in the last blog. So, here is where I stopped after several hours of revisions. I changed the shadow, fixed the biker, removed the tree and more or less finished that left side. I changed some of the colors and finally decided I had to quit, it was making me crazy.So, I will leave it like this for a while and look at it and think about it. I would love to hear from you all. What do you think? Any suggestions?

Here's how it looked before I started today, so we can compare.....

BOILER WORKS PAINTING

Here's the painting I've been working on.

It's a building at 6th & Lander, this is what it used to look like before they 'remodeled' it. It lacks charactor now, unfortunately.

The above image is my initial laying down and blocking in. After I got it done, I began to wonder what I found interesting....I hate it when that happens! I began to despise the horizontal bands on the buildings. I began to question the composition. The only thing I like was the sky.

I took the painting to my friend, and instructor, Julia Hensley. She liked it and urged me to continue. She says all the verticals from the utility poles offset the horizontal bands and to forge ahead.

After talking with her I found I was interested again. In the painting below, it shows what I've accomplished so far. I'm not done. I need to do more work on the biker and the big foreshadow, and I still haven't figured out what's going on on the left side around the corner. This is acrylic on a 20"x30" canvas.

I'd love to hear your comments.

Thanks!

NEXT ONE

Here's the next one in the series. This is a little bigger, and a little less abstract.

This is acrylic on canvas, 9" x 12".

Now that I see it posted here - I can see some things that need fixing...

ON HOLD

Well, its back to work (my paying job) for me. I work one week, then I'll be off for a week. So, I'll resume my series next week, when I'm not working.

Here's my car at work today - yes, I work in a scalehouse. And, yes, that's about five inches of snow on my car - and yes, it's March-freaking 9th for godsake!

FOURTH IN THE SERIES

Oh, this one was difficult...

It wasn't the painting, it was life that was difficult today.

I was feeling a little disoriented in my life this morning (for reasons I won't go into here) . And then the sun came out and the day turned just beautiful, but still cold. I occupied myself until late morning, hoping it would warm up a little, and then packed Lucy-dog into the car and went out for a nice brisk walk at Fort Dent in Tukwila. It never did warm up.

Lucy loved looking at the Canada Geese that were hanging on the soccer fields. I wish I could let her loose so she could chase them!

When we got back I was finally able to go to the studio and paint another one.

This is Spokane #3 - 8"x10" acrylic on canvas.

PS. 4/20/2009 - I changed the name to 'Confluence'

TODAY'S PAINTING

Here's today's little painting.

I'm on a roll! This one is Admiral #1 - 8"x10" acrylic on canvas.

NEW SERIES

Well, maybe a continuation of the Freeway Series in a more focused way.

I've agreed to hang some of my work and a friend's annual Art Show and Sale at her home in April. So....I think I need a group of small canvases that I can price at an affordable level.

I stopped at Daniel Smith's here in Seattle on my way home the other day and picked up seven 8x10" and three 9x12" canvases (on sale!).

One a day, just one a day...that's all I need to do!

Here's yesterday's: Spokane #1 - 8"x10" acrylic on canvas.



And here is today's: Spokane #2 - 8"x10" acrylic on canvas.
To be continued..................

STAMPEDE of the OX

They are on their way....finally!

I took a big pile of envelopes to the Post Office today (54 I think), I had to go to the counter to get overseas stamps. Luckily, I went early and beat the crowd.

Here is this year's Year of the Ox postcard exchange for Barenforum. It's from a doodle-type drawing I did while thinking about this year's exchange and decided what the heck, why not?

It's an etching I did on copperplates. The first time I've used copper. I made three plates, but ended up using only two, I didn't like the one that was for the background. So instead, I went with heavy plate tone. I've always liked a good plate tone!

I tried coloring the horns a la poupee', with varying bad results, so I switched to chine colle.

I used some colored papers I already had for the horns on the rest of them. I also tried several different color combinations.

I'm not a very good printer - I'm always experimenting and have a hard time making an 'edition'.

I hope you enjoy them, and Happy New Year!

Year of the Ox, a year of Prosperity through Fortitude and Hard Work.

6th & ROYAL BROUGHAM

I started a new painting today. It's of a building in the Sodo area, I couldn't remember exactly where, but I kinda remember the general area. Anyway, I needed more info about what the power poles in the area were doing. So, after I laid down the foundations of the painting, Lucy and I decided to go looking for the building to take another picture of it.

We took the bus into town and then started walking south. On the way, we passed this public art I've never seen before.

It's a 20 foot tall cyclone fence. The artist has installed thousands of little white plastic circles in the holes of the fence to create pictures. They are like the pixels in the picture. Very cool. What a great way to de-uglify and add interest to a plain ole' cyclone fence.

Can you see the face?

VALENTINE'S DAY

I went up to the studio today with every intention of working on my Year of the Ox etching, but I just had to sit down and paint this beautiful bouquet of flowers from Darrell.

I must admit I brow-beat him into sending it to me at work this year. I've always hinted I'd rather have flowers sent to work, then get them at home. If I'm working, I'm there for almost the whole day. This year was no exception. I'd enjoy them more at work where I was going to be spending my whole weekend.

When I mentioned it to him this year, he says, "I don't know the address"....Wham, he got it sent to him in a great big-fonted email. No excuse now.
Anyway, I painted this with a big brush, really fast and loose.

I like it, and now I'll have the flowers forever!

This is 12" by 9", acrylic on canvas.

Thank you Darrell.
He's so sweet.

CHOP MARK

Darrell and I went to the Pike Place Market for breakfast and on the way in I saw this nice Chinese gentleman selling custom made chop marks. He's probably always been there - but this was the first time I noticed him. Probably because I now have a dire need for a chop, and I keep putting off making my own! I will be sending out my Year of the Ox postcards soon. He asked me to write my name, I wrote out my whole name (as above) he paled! I said how about just the last name - he asked how to pronounce it, then I guess he made the symbols that phonetically sound out Peart. Pe-art. Cool. Darrell likes it, t00, he says we can both use it.

It came in a nice little silk box and I also got some of the red ink. He carved it from a square of marble that had a Monkey sitting on top, since I was born in the Year of the Monkey.

PS - I don't remember which way is up! If anyone can read it, could you please let me know? Thank you!

Beatles Re-Enactment Concert

PIKE PLACE MARKETI skipped out on work today. Darrell, Lucy (in the Sky with Diamonds) and I went to Pike Place Market in Seattle to witness the 40th Anniversary Re-enactment of the Beatles Rooftop Concert.


We had a great time! So did Lucy. One of the men in the crowd was feeding her peanuts. She's such a mooch!

The day started out cold and foggy (was it London fog?). The sun broke out as the concert started, people danced and sang and had a great time.

Thank you Seattle!

SELF-PORTRAIT AS TREE

I signed up for this exchange on Barenforum months and months ago. It sounded like a really good idea at the time. I didn't think February 1st would come so quickly!

I put it off, and put it off until I ran out of time. Of course I did. It's the only way I ever get anything accomplished!


The first challenge was the paper size - 16" by 5-1/2" in a vertical format.

Tall and thin...that's perfect for trees - but not for my self-image of short and wide!

The second challenge is, of course, the self-portrait. I started thinking about what kind of tree I'd be, if I were a tree. Hmmmm.

After much reflection I decided I'd be a Willow, with very deep roots.

The next challenge is coming up with a do-able image. Not too complicated, limited colors, easy to translate into a print. I started with some colored pens and a web-search for pictures of willows. I arrived at this stylized version that I really like.

Everything went fine until my subconscious took over.


I don't know why but I drew a little fallen branch......my Moe.



From then on, anytime I worked on this project, I cried. I miss her so much.

My head pounded, I thought I was coming down with the flu and I cried.


Every step seemed to have it's own complications. But, I persevered, I was running out of time.


After I put them into the mail I realized, my head had stopped pounding and I was feeling pretty good, actually. I guess I had needed to work out some of my sorrow. Or I had put it into the print.

I don't know. I still miss her, but I don't cry at the drop of a hat anymore.

CLASSICAL ELEMENTS - WATER

Here is my second in the series for Four Oceans Press. This is a linocut, using three plates. Run through my Ettan press. The image is 6" by 9" on Rives paper.

Continuing on my theme of Classical Elements in our modern times. When we want water, we turn a faucet and there it is!

FRUIT ALPHABET

I joined in on another print exchange from Four Oceans Press. This one is Fruit Alphabet Exchange. Each participant picks a letter and makes an image of a fruit that represents that letter. I picked 'A' even knowing it would always be on the top of the pile!

I really wanted to do a simple apple. This is a woodblock reduction cut. I started with yellow, having cut out anything to remain white. Then I cut away the parts to remain yellow and printed the green. I added a little darker color to the bottom of the apple and the leaf. (Is that cheating?) I gave a lot of thought to just leaving it like that, (see below). But, I tried red on a few and decided that really made it pop. I added a litle extra brown to the stem at that time, too.

This is 'Apple', relief print reduction cut, image 6" by 8" on Rives paper.

Edition of 30, with one Variation entitled 'Green Apple'

NEW (Used) DOG

After much soul-searching, and I must admit, internet searching, I came across a picture of a great little dog up for adoption. Her name was Sally and she's a Jack Russell Terrier about 4 years old. I convinced the poor suffering husband that an adult JRT wouldn't be anywhere near as difficult as getting a puppy. He relented, knowing that there was a hole in my heart that needed filling.

We picked her up and brought her home (as a trial - yeah, right!) She was great, very quiet and well-mannered, but timid and scared. You gotta wonder what she's been through. Sixty days in a high-kill shelter in Bakersfield, rescued at the last minute by Ginger's Pet Rescue, http://www.gingerspetrescue.org/ who then shipped her up to the Seattle area in a dogbox in a van, and put her into a foster home with other dogs.

Her foster-mom was really great, we met at Southcenter where it was agreed we'd take her home.

We went first to Petco to get a leash, some food and a bed and other stuff. Petco wanted me to sign her up for freebies and they needed a birthday for her. Taken by surprise, the first date I could come up with is a date that is meaningful in Darrell's and my life, August 18. When we got back home I was reading 'Sally's information sheet that came with her and the paperwork listed her birthday as, you guessed it, August 18th! It's kismet, karma and Holy Cow! It was meant to be.

It didn't take us long to agree that Sally was not her name. Actually, it's just a name the shelter gives to an animal when they come in. Since she didn't respond to it anyway, we decided to change it.

We bounced around a lot of ideas, and settled on Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

Welcome home, Lucy!

PRINTMAKER OF THE MONTH

Wow, I was surprised to find myself named
Printmaker of the Month for November
at Four Oceans Press.

Thank you for the honor!

CLASSIC ELEMENTS - EARTH

This is the first in the CLASSICAL ELEMENTS Exchange through Four Oceans Press.
After giving this a lot of thought, I've decided to go with the Elements as we encounter them in our lives now. Our modern society leaves small opportunity for direct interaction with our elements. Here is my take on Earth - the only time we get near it is in the potted plants in our homes.

This is a lino-cut, four plates- the black line (key block), the flesh of the hands, the green plants and the terracotta pots. I used the pin registration I learned from Andrew on Wetcanvas.com. It worked great!

Here is a picture of my wonderful press, an Ettan 24" and the stand my husband, Darrell built for it.

MOE PORTRAITS

Here's a little portrait on panel. I started out thinking I wanted to do 'little dabs of color'. I seem to start out that way, then as I get into it, I revert back to my 'natural' way of painting.

I like the way this turned out.

Acrylic on panel 8" by 10"

Here's another:

This one is from a contour sketch I did in my sketchbook. I took a photocopy, blew it up and used the acrylic gel medium transfer method to get the sketch onto a panel.
This goofy painting captures more of the personality of Moe.

I guess I should explain the bottle cap. Moe loved chewing on metal objects (?!!). It started when she was just a pup. I think it eventually morfed into an obsession with Snapple bottle caps. She was perfectly content to hold a bottle cap in her mouth for hours. Every once in a while she'dcome over and say, "Go ahead, try to take it away from me....go ahead, try. Try. TRY."
If I ever had a need to get whatever it was out of her mouth, the only way was to turn her upside down over the sink. Ptooey, out it would pop.

Love you, Moe!

SPEAKING OF PORTRAITS

Here's my first attempt at acrylic gel medium transfer. I took a 'blind-contour' sketch from my sketchbook and blew it up on the copy machine. Next, layered it with 3-5 coats of acrylic glossy gel medium and then rubbed the paper off the back and glued it, with more acrylic gel medium to a canvas. Then I painted color on top of that. Afterwards, most of the original black line drawing was covered up, so I re-stated them with a Sharpie (will that hold up over time?)

Oh, this is my poor suffering husband, Darrell.

Here's another one on panel:

Darrell's grand-daughter, Victoria says upon seeing these for the first time, "Grandpa's eyes are not like that."

I love this and had great fun doing it.

MOE - Oct. 9, 1994 to Sept. 10, 2008

My constant companion and walking partner, my joy, my responsibility, my Moe passed quickly today. Having lived with diabetes for two years now, she was ready to move on.

I miss her terribly, my arms ache from wanting to hold her one last time.

This was after a hike up Mount Si (2000), while Darrell and I were changing out of our boots, Moe wandered into nearby bushes, only to come out so pleased with herself because she had found some sh*t to roll in...

This was taken last week, on our last dog-biking outing. We made a big loop around West Seattle, stopping to find geo-caches along the way. It was a gorgeous day.

I miss her so much.

VANILLA HOUSES #2

Here's the start of the second in the Vanilla Houses series. I put down a blue for the shadow areas and white for the light areas and blocked out the basic shapes. Lots of work still to do!

I prepped this panel of masonite with gesso and then a layer of acrylic gel medium mixed with pumice powder, the same as I would for a pastel board.

This answered the problem of no texture, but I don't know that I like it. It seems like it sucks up the paint! The glossy-ness is gone from the paints. I don't know how to explain it, but the paint goes down in a totally different manner then when painting on canvas.