Productive studio time today.

Upon arriving home tonight, a friend alerted me to a mention I received in The Stranger's Slog today. What a wonderful surprise!

I currently have 16 paintings, about half which are completed. And this afternoon I began a 3 foot square painting. It's much larger than all the others and I wondered what kind of craziness I was setting myself up for, considering art walk is in two days. It doesn't have to be complete but if it is in really bad shape, I have no place to hide it during art walk.

But overall, I'm pretty jazzed about these pieces.

And I'm very much looking forward to some good play this weekend.

I've been on a roll with the paintings. So much so that right now it's difficult to focus on anything other than the work. Good thing it's a vacation week. I even cancelled dinner plans for today so I could remain in the groove and honestly, I'm a little mad at myself that I unintentionally booked my vacation in a week that had First Thursday. It cuts into work time.

Yesterday, I received a surprising and wonderful crit of the work. Painting in the studio, I had my door open. There was a knock and an artist whose work I admire very much came in. I had wanted her to see the new paintings but am always leery of disrupting her practice.

The last time she offered good feedback was in the spring, on the bottle paintings. Her crit that spring included strong words that held much depth. They carried encouragement, and clear honesty. At the time, some of it stung, in the way I've learned that the feeling comes when hearing truth I know but either don't want to look at or haven't fully integrated. It's similar to the honesty I get from my therapist and allows me to trust deeper.

Knowing this about her, yesterday's crit was one I could trust. I've been quite nervous with this series and feeling especially vulnerable. Her excitement while surrounded by the paintings, offered great reassurance.

Here are two that as you can see are still wet. I'll reshoot them when I can. The darks in this new series have much color and are complex and makes it tough to photograph.

Both were shot at Jack's birthday brunch yesterday. Although I only captured two, there were three sweet dogs enjoying the festivities. Willy is the pup in the first photo and Coffee on the bottom. Willy's tail was a nonstop wag. It was either because it was his person's birthday or because Willy wanted a bite of the birthday hat.

oil on canvas, 20"x16"


I've loved the viaduct ever since I moved to Seattle and so am exploring it before it is gone forever. There is something intriguing in this solid structure that is disintegrating; a massive presence and the light that comes through the heaviness. It offers direction and yet, it's slowly crumbling.

Join me for art walk and see my new series in various stages of progress.

Thursday, September 2
6 - 9:30 PM
619 Western Ave
The Sophia Room - 4th floor south
Seattle

Nice light near the studio yesterday. And no studio today. It's a birthday party and then a concert this evening. But I will pop by on my way to the party to drop off a few canvases. One day while in the laundry room, I bumped into our apartment manager and he gifted me with four stretched canvases that had been abandoned many months ago. I have a 4 foot square, a 3 foot square, an extreme horizontal (4 feet by one foot) and a round canvas. I was very grateful for his kindness. Those large ones are not cheap.

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Here is a nice article in the NYTimes on Seattle's jazz scene and the strength of the jazz programs in a few of our high schools.

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Megan Seling (of The Stranger) created what looks like a decadent concoction where made a mini cherry pie and baked it in a dark chocolate cupcake, topping with vanilla bean butter cream.



Recipe at this link

Just looking at this makes my blood sugar plummet, but I would so try a bite.

Sometimes a bottle of water is the most perfect thing in the world.

one of the new paintings...oil on canvas, 14"x11"

It's my last work day before vacation and there is much to do today.

I'll have 11 days to dedicate mostly to the studio with only a few scheduled commitments. Sunday consists of a birthday party and then seeing the Kinsey Sicks. Next weekend is a play party and seeing the stage version of Dr. Horrible. Tomorrow was supposed to be a kayaaking date but we've changed it to spending time in the museum. Sadly, the weather won't be ideal for paddling on the water. I am intentionally not planning too many things because I need the freedom to work at will.

Oh yes, and Art Walk next week.

I've been on a roll with the new series and it looks like there will be over a dozen new paintings, in various stages of progress, to show on First Thursday. When I went through my storage loft last month I found at least 10 older paintings that would be perfect for the new work.

I totally love painting over old paintings. Allowing the history to speak to me, I cover parts of the old image while at the same time honoring what came before...the good and the bad. I relish the first decision of which old painting to select and then the sweet ritual of flipping the canvas around a few times looking at the painted light on the canvas and wondering which direction to turn it for the new work.

The first marks on the old painting are exciting. Listening to the new sing with the old carries contentment. A unique satisfaction.

Two days ago I ran out of the old canvases and so needed to pick up new ones.

With a fresh canvas, most times I'll lay a ground. Yesterday I prepped seven surfaces. Once in a while I will begin on the clean white surface. Mixing a warm black by adding a little ochre, I make the first mark. My hand begins to dance and the drawing takes form. The dark marks on the untarnished canvas carries its own joy.

Although I fall in love with various aspects of a painting in progress and know my more successful work happens over older paintings, I almost always become infatuated with the initial marks on a blank canvas. Early on, I'll stop, hang it on the wall, pull up a chair and stare, reveling in the sexual moment it is.

Simplicity has its own beauty.

Grasses in late afternoon sun...

Yesterday was my 10th anniversary as staff at Pride Foundation. I still enjoy my job, adore my coworkers and am passionate about our mission. It's challenging, intense, the hardest job I've ever had (next to painting), and quite wonderful.

A snippet of the back patio at Madame K's in Ballard...

I began a new series last week and am about 8 paintings in. Although I'm excited about the work, right now I'm keeping it mostly to myself.

Except for this. Here is a little taste

A small (9"x12") quick oil study.


And this morning I discovered a new painter, Luke Miller Buchanan.

Here is his portfolio.

one of the "Bleeding Vessels" paintings, completed in June. 30"x40", oil on canvas. I finally took a shot of it today.

Sometimes choices feel like these doors found leaning against the brick of my building this morning. If I had the space and the time to work with them, I'd get them into the studio. There is a great art project hidden within these doors.

Sadly, the Lusty Lady closed in June. Right after it closed I was walking past and noticed this sweet memorial. This is a photo I meant to post but had forgotten about it until going thru my photos this week.

This morning I was up early, threw on closed, quickly scanned email and then headed to the studio to paint, picking up coffee and breakfast on the way. From there it was grocery shopping and back home to unclog a drain. I'll head back to the studio later this afternoon. The new series is coming along and I'm pretty excited about it.

This is Maple, another dog that comes by once or twice a week. She grew up in a puppy mill and then adopted by a coworker. She loves her patch of sun...and her sheep.

Doesn't that look like the best place to nap?

Because I've wanted something more professional than gagnon art I began creating an actual website for the artwork a few days ago. It's an interesting process made more so by the fact that I'm teaching myself as I go. It's going to take some time.

I will have a page for my photographs as well as the drawings and paintings.

While going through old work, sorting and categorizing, it was helpful to see the bulk of work that I've done in the last four years. I had forgotten about most of it...such as a series of small sketches, like this one.

Today has been a wasted day because although I was exhausted when I went to bed last night, my mind turned on as I shut off the light. A major bout of insomnia. It was easier to take the day off today instead of try to work a database and make massive errors. So after a morning appointment I've sat at home and simply vegged.

art thoughts, written yesterday...

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As I wrote to a friend yesterday, in the studio I'm a little obsessed with painting the same image over and over, trying to get a handle on it. Although excited about the new subject matter and it's immense possibilities, I am still very tentative with my handling of the paint.

It's a continual flip flop from "wow, did I just do that? Very cool!" to "ugh, it's boring." There's a lack of boldness and so it feels commercial. When I speak of commercial in regards to my own work, I mean that it is something that pleases the masses while being aware that I am not being entirely authentic. It's created by a fear of what I have to say, knowing most of my viewpoints place me in an unpopular position because it's an uncomfortable one.

I am NOT defining commercial for someone else's work. Your mileage may vary.

My history is one where when I speak my truth, the majority of those closest to me freak out and run. Put up walls. Slam doors. This is what I'm working to break through and I've seen how it affects my courageousness or lack thereof with the paint.

For most of my life I've felt like the little kid in the corner afraid to open his mouth because each time he did, he'd get slapped (figuratively).

So I decided that if I work the same image over and over and over and over again, maybe it will help me break through what I'm afraid to share.


Ha...I took a break from writing this entry to go read my astrology.
It said:

I get the idea that you are struggling to change your mind about something large and overwhelming, and yet also very personal. I don’t know what it is, and it could be a meta-theme that affects numerous aspects of your existence. But I can give some general lines of approach to the process. Using astrology itself as a metaphor, consider that this craft involves exploring existence through most technical analysis of data alternately with, or simultaneously with, surrendering to the most etheric influences of soul and cosmos.

Composing music or creating art works the same way; full expression is achieved through what is at once mystical and highly disciplined. In the coming two months, I suggest honoring art as a divine process. Listen to music as if it was a direct expression of religious wisdom; consider lyrics over and over again, as a rabbi would read the Torah; view visual art with awe and wonder and as a direct window to the universe. If you practice daily, it will help — help, that is, to move your soul to the act of creation itself. And only this will save you.


Wow...that is some serious, no frills confirmation.


And from a few days ago:

What you see is what you get. That’s your motto and it’s quite a theme for you this summer. Yes people love to lay on the images illusions, glamour and glam. You have to be you and now you have the strength the awareness and most of all the desire. You know you don’t do anyone any favors by pretending you’re someone you’re not. But you may not win any popularity contests either because when any one person gets real that shocks other people either into promptly doing so or freaking out because they’re hiding who they are. But none of that needs to matter.

It has been my biggest lifelong lesson and one that is playing a starring role in my life this summer.

It was a warm night, but being on the second floor near the window allowed us to feel a cool breeze, creating a refreshing evening.