It's finally a hot summer here in Ojai. During the summer, I try to work hard making new work in the studio, because it's sort of an in between time; in between travel, and various art shows. My loft studio really heats up towards the afternoon, and it's tricky using my ceiling fan when I'm using acrylic paint as it dries fast anyway. I use Holbein acrylic paints, and love the smooth consistency and pure pigment colors.
I am already getting a few pieces finished, as well as ordering new prints and cards.
I'll dedicate a studio day or two packaging my prints with an acid free backing and clear sleeve ready to display.
I am showing my work at Poppies Art and Gifts in Ojai, and next month I'll be moving to a larger space there, so my work can really stretch out and I can show more pieces.
I never like to crowd a display space because that can be overwhelming to the viewer. I do like to mix sizes. My watercolor+ink work tends to be smaller sized, and my acrylics are generally larger.
Poppies Art and Gifts, 323 E. Matilija St., Ojai, CA.
I am always working at building my body of work. I have a show in two years at Fox Fine Jewelry in Ventura, CA, and while that sounds far away, I'll need all of that time to make some new pieces to show. As I am a slow and steady painter, and plan my paintings out carefully, my work takes time and consideration to make. I like working slowly; it's sort of meditative, it gives me time to add or subtract elements, and then move on to the next piece once complete.
Since my trip to France and Holland last year, I have been going back and forth between acrylics and watercolor+ink work. I have loved returning to watercolor, as it was my focus in college.
Watercolor is the perfect paint to use while on location, traveling or on smaller pieces. It can dry and be revived with water. I use a travel watercolor palette from Winsor and Newton as well as a large palette in the studio.
I enjoyed making some small watercolor+ink paintings on my recent trip to Mexico. Such fun to come home with some paintings!
New inspirations and recommendations:
Clear gesso from Daniel Smith artist supplies.
Seeing paintings from the later years of Claude Monet in San Francisco makes me want to visit Giverny, but in the meantime, these books; Everyday Monet and This is Monet, are satisfying my need to learn more.
In the back garden: For the first time, I've planted a little raised-bed vegetable garden with 4 kinds of tomatoes and yellow crook-necked squash. Bluebirds nested in a birdhouse on one of our oak trees---twice! Now we have sparrows nesting for the third time in a birdhouse my brother gave me many years ago, that he built.
Looking forward to the new season of Queer Eye. If you haven't watched this show, do give it a watch. In these times of seperateness and dismay, here is a show where 5 guys display kindness and help to all sorts of people who need it. Not just a makeover show, it's a kindness show
Paintings shown: "Matilija Poppies", watercolor+ink, SOLD.
and "A Lotus in the Garden", watercolor+ink, available at Lotusland, Santa Barbara, CA
Limited edition prints and cards may be available of these copyrighted images.
