The never ending painting:

I thought I would never finish this work this past year.  After leaving it for a couple of months, I returned to it today to finish it.  Is a painting ever finished?  Some would argue "No."  Perhaps ones day in the coming months I will add or change a few things that I thought should be different while photographing it this afternoon, however for today I will proclaim that it is done.  There are several posts on this blog in the months of June, July and August that feature this works progress.

The thing is complete when you can let it be.

- Gita Bellin

Morning Battles - painting completed...

I teach color theory. I have decided to paint all color principles I ask my students to paint. I believe in the color principles defined by Johannes Itten. I am a convert to my belief. I thought his color principles were dated and old fashioned. After teaching color theory, I started seeing the principles defined by Itten everywhere, every day in movies, advertisements, clothing, etc. I realized his ideas about color are alive and well. This is a still life of my daughter's toys. In the work, I am interested in painting a subject I can approach in a straight forward manner. I am at my best as a painter when I have a direct perceptual reference. Morning Battles takes on Itten's Contrast of Hue. I thought that color contrast would be the best for my idea. Conflict is a form of abrupt communication and hard transitions. Light/dark contrasting colors exemplifies dual, conflicting feelings of joy & exasperation I experience in the early mornings while trying feed and dress a toddler.

In the final stretch...

...and hoping to be done with this painting today.  Below are photos from my progress yesterday.

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.

- Henry Ward Beecher

Paint, paint, paint

I paint each day as to finish the painting, and I am always disappointed when it is not.  Made some strides to day in color and structure.  I believe I will finish this work this week.

I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.

- Vincent Van Gogh

A day spent advancing the art.

Title of in progress painting:  Morning Battles, acrylic on canvas.

Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do.

- Edgar Degas

A morning and afternoon well spent...

...beginning a new painting!

The greatest temptation and danger is to rely on previous solutions and thus paint the same picture for the rest of your life.  - Charles Movalli

It can't look like you've worked hard and long, even if you have. A painting should be done quickly with both your intellect and your nerves. When they give out, stop. 

- Charles Movalli

9/13 - 9/15/2013, Part II

Continuing to work out that long term painting from the summer.  Lots of textures in the surface and color relationships to resolve.  To further that goal, spent time working out ideas with marker on vellum paper. Progress is posted below.

detail of weekend vellum drawing

marker drawing on vellum

detail of long term painting

detail of long term painting

detail of long term painting

We get used to a certain kind of color of form or format, and it's acceptable. And to puncture that is sticking your neck out a bit. And then pretty soon, that's very acceptable.

- Lee Krasner

9/13 - 9/15/2013, Part I

A weekend exploring the relationship of color.  This post is part one, color and landscape studies.  Indoor studio time forthcoming...

Sketchbook page, Finlay Park #5, 9/14/2013, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Sketchbook page, Finlay Park #6, 9/14/2013, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Sketchbook page, color relationships, 9/14/2013, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Memory is deceptive because it is colored by today's events.  - Albert Einstein

8/12-15, 2013, A Week of Sketchbook Adventures

Sketchbook page, Finlay Park #3, 8/9/2013, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Sketchbook page, Finlay Park #4, 8/9/2013, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Sketchbook page, Still life of Roses for long term drawing #26, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Sketchbook page, Figure Study for long term drawing #27, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Drawing is putting a line around an idea.  - Henri Matisse

8/9, Hot outside, but cool in the shade...

...cool enough to continue to explore plein air work at Finlay Park.

Sketchbook page, Finlay Park #1, 8/9/2013, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Sketchbook page, Finlay Park #2, 8/9/2013, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Literature expresses itself by abstractions, whereas painting, by means of drawing and colour, gives concrete shape to sensations and perceptions. - Paul Cezanne 

8/5 - 8/8, This week's indoor studio time..

...is a slow ending and a fast beginning.  Working on the long term work is taking more time each day than I expect, and that is OK.  Decided to balance the time by working on a painting based on the pool side sketches.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.  Knowledge is limited.  Imagination encircles the world.  - Albert Einstein

8/2, Pool side plein air ride.

Sketchbook page, Pool side #1, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Sketchbook page, Pool side #2, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock.

-Thomas Jefferson

8/1, Another zoo day today...

Kicking off August by going outside instead of inside.  Will return to the long term work during the next couple of days, but for the next 48 hours indoor studio "vacay."

Sketchbook page, Riverbanks Zoo for long term drawing #25, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Don't wait for ideas, they come with production.  - Chagall

7/31(the AM), A morning at the zoo...

...drawing bamboo. 

Sketchbook page, Riverbanks Zoo for long term drawing #24, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

For me nature is not landscape, but the dynamism of visual forces.  -Briget Riley

7/30 & 7/31 (the PM), It always feels good...

...to be in the final stages of a painting.  This one is coming together this week, but I can get a bit anxiously excited, and not wishing to take a wrong turn, I might pace myself by leaving it for another work for the next couple of days.  The "7/22, 723, & 7/24 (the AM)" of this blog is the last comparable post of this painting at its previous stage.

I carry my ideas with me for a long time, rejecting & rewriting until I am satisfied. Since I am conscious of what I want, I never lose sight of the fundamental idea. 
- Beethoven

7/29, Figuring it out

Much of the early sketchbook work featured on this blog has been devoted to the environment and atmosphere of the long term, large scale work.  Now that the work is in the final stretch, the figures need to be finely tuned.

Sketchbook page, for long term drawing #22, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

Sketchbook page, for long term drawing #23, marker, 

 and pen on paper, 9" x 12"

The artist does not ascribe to the natural form of appearance the same convincing significance as the realists who are his critics. He does not feel so intimately bound to that reality, because he cannot see in the formal products of nature the essence of the creative process.  - Paul Klee