Incite Studio

Into The Realm Of The Unknown

2010-12-27T16:54:00.000-08:00

Today was my first day in the studio since school ended 10 days ago. It was a little strange being in the studio knowing that I no longer have the structure of academia shaping my days. I think initially it will be a challenge to come up with a routine that doesn’t revolve around school deadlines. The question is, am I up to the challenge? Can I create my own structure and remain committed to art making? Or will I be lured back to the safety and comfort of things known to me? Time will be the true arbiter.

Tempus Fugit

2010-10-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

Well time certainly does fly when you're busy and I've been busy. I've been hyper-focused on my last semester of grad school and at the same time trying to get a new business up and running. It doesn't leave much time for blog posts. So, instead of the free form approach to blog posting, I've decided to post once per month. The consistency will be good. Here's my latest finished piece. Another in a series of works that embodies the idea of fragmentation yet still connected by a unifying element.

Flow

2010-09-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

My momentum is good and I'm working at a steady pace. I've completed three paintings since Sept 1st. I like this piece quite a bit. It's energetic and has good movement and your eye travels around the canvas quite naturally. It 36x48" oil on canvas. Enjoy!

The Grind

2010-09-10T16:07:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a while since I last posted. Fall semester started last week and time has instantly become not enough. So far the semester is off to a great start. I have one directed study online class and one on-campus groups directed study. I'm feeling like I might actually finish this program on an upbeat! During this semester I'll post paintings in various states of completion. Feel free to comment, I'd love to hear what you think.

"All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness." Eckhart Tolle

Veritas

2010-08-31T14:05:00.000-07:00

Veritas: truth; a) reality, actual nature, real life; b) sincerity, candour, truthfulness; c) honesty, integrity. So it is called.

I'm calling this painting done. Flow and movement embodied in fragmented elements striving towards unification. As with all of my work, this painting grows on me each day. My work requires rumination where nuances of the work declare themselves over and over again. The continuous process of observation.

Printmaking

2010-08-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to finally have my print press in the studio! I built a table just for the press so it's easy to maneuver. I'll only be doing unmounted lino prints for now because I haven't worked out where the zinc plate process equipment will be placed. One more step towards a fully functioning studio.

"Silence provokes deep responses. Quiet your mind. Then beauty will rise up in you." Eric Maisel

The Home Stretch

2010-08-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

Well I can actually say with a high degree of certainty that I will be done with this painting by the end of next week! It's difficult to know when to stop sometimes especially with large work like this. Sometimes you just have to throw up the white flag and say OK that's it. Knowing when to stop is a very important part of the process of making art. Goes without saying...

Step-by-Step

2010-08-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

Feeling pretty good about the progress. However, the extended drying times are worrisome. Unlike the rest of the country, we're having an unusually cool summer here in Sonoma County; not complaining. As a result my oil paintings are taking longer to dry which impacts my process especially when trying to paint with more impasto. I guess things could be worse!

Process Delay

2010-08-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

It's been nearly a week since I've worked on this painting. This past week I was prepping 5 paintings for exhibition at the Rincon Center in San Francisco. It's a commercial complex with lots of good exposure. Let's hope people like the work and decide to take them home!

The extended break freshened my eyes a bit and now I cansee things I couldn't before. I finally broke my own color resitstance and began to incorporate cooler tones to further develop the depth. I'm also working on breaking apart the dominant red forms because the eye kept getting stuck there; it was too heavy. Still much work to do but today helped push me in the direction I needed to go two weeks ago! I'm trying not to rush things or get too anxious about not being closer to completion. It's hard to say how long a painting of this size will take to be completed especially when it's the process that I follow. If it were a landscape I would have been done by now but....

Progress Nonetheless

2010-08-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

continuing progress...

Wading Through

2010-07-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to say about the painting today - it will have to stand on in it's own. Although, I do have a sense of the end which usually means the pace will quicken and the end will appear!

Observations

2010-07-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

Today turned out to be a day of observation; looking at things out of context. Some pretty cool looking things. This fragment could be a painting... Besides looking at paintings today, I finally tried out my new photo wall and shot a couple of pieces. It sure is nice to be able to setup photo lights equally spaced to correctly light a painting. Now I'm off to chillax for a couple of hours.

Depth and Dimension

2010-07-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

Today I introduced yellow ochre into the mix. The overall image needed some warmth because the cadmium yellows were too flat and incongruous from the rest of the painting. Adding yellow ochre confirmed what I was thinking about the red forms - that they were somewhat overbearing and possibly preventing the rest of the work from evolving. So I'm searching for some connectivity for them. In order for them to feel more connected to the image at large, I'm starting to reduce their presence a bit. Of course that will continue to evolve as the rest of the painting develops. Off to think more about it!

A Full Work Day

2010-07-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

I had a full day in the studio today and I feel tired in a good way; the way you feel when you've accomplished things and made that to do list just a little shorter. I held my first art instruction class today in relief printmaking. Albeit with a close friend, it's helping me get my lesson plans in order as well as checking to see if I can actually teach someone something! Because you just never know sometimes... I painted this afternoon and you might be able to see some progress. I introduced a deep cadmium red which really added some depth. I'm trying to sort out some of the open spaces on the top part of the canvas. Right now just trying to create subtle breaks where other color or gesture elements can rest. I'm feeling pretty good about the progress. Although I must admit I'm behind and expected to be further along by now. All I can do is show up everyday!

As Time Passes

2010-07-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

I spent five hours working on the painting yesterday and yet it looks like nothing has changed. Sometimes painting is quirky like that. I think painting is like a clock that measures the passage of time and the marks and gestures are records of that moment in time. So it's both historical and current all at once. OK, that even hurt my head... I'm trying not to get in my own way and let things evolve organically. The image needs added color elements but right now I feel stuck or nervous about committing to more color? The red form also needs to change but in what direction I'm not sure yet. Painting is sometimes a love hate relationship especially when I'm trying to work out issues of color, form and balance. In the end it's all good!

Finally...

2010-07-17T07:48:00.001-07:00

My materials finally arrived! Poor planning on my part set me back about 2 weeks...live and learn. I finally transitioned to oil, thank goodness. I love to paint with oils. I almost always forget how relaxing and meditative working with oil paint is. Unlike acrylic, which creates a certain frenetic tension for me, oils are relaxing. I know with oils that a space exists for rumination and the push and pull process flows naturally. I wet almost the entire canvas today and will get back to it either today or tomorrow. It's nice to know that it won't be dry when I go back!

Dot Dot Dot...

2010-07-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

I made some good progress yesterday. It occurred to me that I had already created stifling outer boundaries and was feeling boxed in. So I'm beginning to break up the forms that are containing the edges in order to let the background and various forms flow off the edges. I'm really looking for movement and flow across the canvas. I think I'm close to achieving a solid design and will be ready to move to oils by the end of the week.

Giclees at ArtSlant

2010-07-09T14:43:00.000-07:00

You can now buy Giclee prints of my paintings. Check it out!

Breakthrough

2010-07-08T18:23:00.001-07:00

It may not look like it but I had some shifts and small breakthroughs today. I can now see more clearly the direction the painting is going in. Since my supplies are not arriving until next week, I stopped at Riley Street Art Supply and picked up some Golden Polymer Emulsion to help thin my heavy bodied paints. I also picked up three colors of Golden Fluid Acrylics. The increased fluidity made a huge difference. It allowed me to pick up my pace and move at a speed where I'm more comfortable. I nervously sent a progress image to the client. It's really hard to know what their first impression really is... But in the end it's up to me to deliver something wonderful!

"What is the color of wind?" Zen Koan

Building Momentum

2010-07-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just have to work through the internal voices of doubt that can stop a painting from being fully realized. That's what I had to do today, work through it, and in the end I felt pretty good. I started to really break up the large red form and suggest a different direction for the work. The elliptical, curvy shapes didn't feel right so I'm pushing it towards more angularity. I'm hoping that my supplies arrive tomorrow because I really need them! Poor planning on my part. Nevertheless, I'm feeling much more energized.

"Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine." Shunryu Suzuki

Picking Up The Pace

2010-07-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

Jumping in and trying to break up the space and punch up the color. I’m still working in acrylic while waiting for the less viscous acrylics to arrive. Hopefully they’ll come this week. I’m anxious to move on to oils. Moving to oils will change the process and overall look and feel of the work. I finally got my overhead light installed at the other end of the studio. I now have light everywhere which will take some getting used to. Not much else to say…

Pieces of a Whole

2010-07-05T16:05:00.000-07:00

A bunch of little actions today after taking the weekend off and doing absolutely nothing art related. Sometimes the mind needs a break in order to create space for seeing. I did some work on “THE” painting today not much though. I modified the red form and added cadmium red medium which did a lot to take change the direction of the piece. I ordered some additional materials from Utrecht that I’m waiting on. I was planning on going to the Utrecht store in San Francisco but found a better deal online. I ordered the Utrecht acrylic studio series paints which are really good for large under-paintings; I ordered the quart sizes. I had forgotten that I used them when I did the USC commission and it really made a difference in speeding up the completion of the painting.

I also stretched another 36”x48” canvas today; not my favorite thing to do but I’m on a very tight (nearly non-existent) budget! So, I’m using up the materials that I already have on hand. I worked a little more on a painting I started a couple of weeks ago. I’m not sure what direction it’s headed but I’m following it; yeah for process painting!

I’ve been thinking about process painting and what that means for me and how I might be able to talk about it more coherently. The painting process for me is really an act of recording my movements which are captured on canvas. Perhaps a distilled kinesthetic if there is such a thing…? At the point where a mark or series of marks is recorded, the mark is distilled and serves as a foundation for continuing the process of recording marks. How do I decide where a mark goes? It’s hard to say but usually I follow subtle movements from the acrylic wash that is applied to all of my canvases. Removing the white abyss is essential for starting the conversation. Additionally, I’m most successful when I abandon representation either from photos or from my mind. Relying on objects to inform the mark automatically imposes boundaries that I am often unable to escape and subsequent expression is lost. To be continued…

“Among the great things which are to be found among us, the Being of Nothingness is the greatest.” Leonardo Da Vinci

2010-06-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

No progress on "THE" painting today. My energy was not so good today and working on a commissioned piece when you're out of sync generally has disastrous results. So I started and mostly finished an oil painting today. It's 48"x48" on canvas. It will need some minor marks for minor balancing. I like when I can finish a painting in one sitting. It gives me a sense of accomplishment which is something that often eludes us painterly types. I also carved a 5"x7" linoleum block using the graphic image of Green Happy Dog. I intend to print cards and ask Barbara to carry them in her reception area. I figured since it's a doggie daycare and boarding her clients might like to purchase some cards with a cute dog image on it. Only time will tell!

"Know thyself? If I knew myself, I'd run away." Goethe

Push and Pull

2010-06-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes progress is slow and full of tension. I think it's the pace whether slow or fast combined with the tension that creates a certain push and pull that sets the tone for a painting. Right now the tone for me seems to be frustration and not necessarily with the painting. The central form, cadmium red area doesn't read correctly. I don't know if it's the circular flow making it look like a tomato or what. My sense is that this form is too contained and steals all of the energy. I think it needs to be better integrated into the overall image. I've begun to work the background to create some variation in color and depth and hopefully this will inform other aspects of the work. I sense breakthrough right around the corner. I suspect it's time to move to oils in order to facilitate this breakthrough. It's all about time.

"When the way comes to an end, then change - having changed, you pass through." I Ching

Form and Background

2010-06-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

I spent only two and half hours on "THE" painting today. Two to three hours is the window of productivity for me. If I go beyond three hours without a break then I start to destroy the painting. Most of the time was spent making minor mark adjustments to the central form and deciding how to tackle the background. I finally decided on orange as a starting point as a starting point for background development. As always starting like this is informing the rest of the work as I move forward. The push and pull, yin and yang...process painting; what I love most! I'm still working in an under painting mode and using acrylics. Golden acrylic paint is really great and I'm glad I discovered it oh so many years ago. However, I can feel myself resisting the urge to jump right into oil but I need to lay in more of the form and background before transitioning to oil.

"The only joy in the world is to begin." Cesare Pavese

Laying in the forms

2010-06-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

I started the 12' x 8' painting on Sunday. I put a wash on the entire canvas to eliminate the white abyss. Yesterday I started laying some basic forms based mostly on how the wash had settled and also on some loose ideas about movement. I'm still very focused on the cadmium red and see the central form that is developing as the receptacle of that color. It's been quite a long time since I've done a canvas this large and I'm finding it a bit challenging to get out of the gates and catch that momentum that carries me through the rest of the painting. I'll be back in the studio tomorrow and hopefully with a fresher perspective. I guess these are the challenges that fine art painters face each time we embark on a new piece. I also think that some of my hesitancy comes from starting to think about the upcoming semester and how hopelessly behind I feel about my thesis project. Even painting can't relieve some stresses!

Cadmium Red

2010-06-18T14:22:00.001-07:00

I'm about to start a painting that will have a strong emphasis on cadmium red specifically cadmium red medium. Cadmium red medium is one of my favorite colors. I also like cadmium red deep but have found it somewhat limiting in recent months as I work towards a lighter palette. Cadmium red medium is rich, vibrant and full of energy. It's an exciting color and sort of makes your heart race when you first encounter it. I use Gamblin oil paints and have found their cadmium red medium to be very opaque and with a very strong tinting strength. Yes, I know it's toxic but I'm not eating it, I work in a ventilated studio and I try to avoid contact with any cadmium paints. As much as we'd like for there to be a comparable alternative, there is just no substitute for oil paint. What is your favorite color?

“Every day is a good day.” Yun-Men

Routine Getting Underway

2010-06-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

With a little help, the 13'x9' canvas was hung. It has two coats of gesso and needs at least one more. I haven't worked on a canvas this size in a few years. The mural I did for USC on Catalina Island was the last one I did of this size. Hopefully it will be as fun! I also started a couple of easel paintings. The acrylic paint which I use for most under-paintings is drying incredibly fast because of the heat. Sadly, I had to bring the encaustic paint back home until we can seal the rest of the hard to find cracks to prevent bees from coming into the studio. Yesterday I was greeted by a small and mostly lethargic contingent of bees happily congregating around the pigmented wax. The afternoon heat was enough to release the slight aroma of bees wax and hence a calling card to all bees in the area. It's okay actually because I usually don't do too much encaustic painting during the warmer months. All-in-all, things are starting to take shape and I'm adjusting to where everything is located. I also had my first visitor today; it was nice to take a break and share the space. Right now my thoughts are turning to the deep cadmium red that I need to incorporate into the large wall painting. Fun!!!

“Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.” Shunryu Suzuki

Blank Canvas: A New Day

2010-06-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

After a very brief family visit in Germany and a few more days of sweat and perseverance, my Incite Studio is done...well, as done as it's going to be!

Moving into this new space has me thinking a lot about how much body movement is intertwined into many of my paintings. The kinesiology of painting perhaps? My previous space was somewhat small and restrictive especially when painting larger scale; say anything larger than 48x36”. Consequently, my work over the past five years conveys a certain frenetic and congestive energy. I'm looking forward to hanging the #12 cotton duck canvas on the wall and beginning an exploration of new and possibly forgotten body movements.

New art on the horizon...

“There may or may not be an idea, and the meaning may just be that the painting existis.” Jasper Johns

Break Time

2010-05-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

Well, the studio build out and clean up is nearly done. I didn't get moved in as originally planned but will get to it after a short break. I'm off to visit family in southern Germany and then off to see Berlin. I hope to see a lot of art and visually stimulating things. Maybe I'll get inspired. So, hanging and gessoing the canvas will have to wait until I return.

The whole of life lies in the verb seeing. Teilhard De Chardin

Small Works Exhibit

2010-05-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

I've got a painting in the Small Works show at ArtSpace404 in downtown Santa Rosa. The exhibit runs from June 4th through July 9th. Get out and enjoy some art!

The First Coat of Paint

2010-05-28T18:20:00.000-07:00

Excellent progress today! Wiped down the entire studio, mopped the floor and actually got one coat of paint on the drywall. There's still a lot of painting to do but things are moving in a positive direction, quickly. There's a possibility that canvas will be hung and the gesso process will get underway! Crossing my fingers.

Art: Coming Soon to a Studio Near You!

2010-05-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

The electrical is done, yeah! Now I can set up my encaustic station and generally feel safe about the electrical. The leaky wall is complete with a patch work of plywood and gap foam filler. Today is detail cleaning and possibly, just maybe, a coat of white paint of the drywall. I'm excited about getting furniture and supplies in there so I can start painting and making some art.

"Thinking is more interesting than knowing, but less interesting than looking." Goethe

Studio Energy

2010-05-27T07:13:00.000-07:00

Today the electrician will do his "magic" and give me light and more outlets. We can always use more outlets! It's all good. However, the rain is relentless and I worry about the leaky wall. I'm beginning to know where the furniture will go; the easels, drawing table, paints carts, encaustic station, speakers (gotta have music)... The rest is mostly fill.

Art is irrational but we need the irrational to create new perspectives.

The Art of Spray Foam Gap Filler

2010-05-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

Spray foam gap filler is the new duct tape; it fixes everything! So far I've used three cans and I'm off to buy at least two more. I said the studio space was a little quirky. One of the walls has seen better days but since the owner will be doing building repairs, I see no need for anything more than the fun of expandable foam! I'm sure artists are out there making sculpture with expandable foam. I think you might even be able to make a 3D drawing with this stuff. Maybe I'll try it! There's art in everything.

Art On The Horizon

2010-05-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

Art on the horizon. The studio is beginning to take shape and I'm starting to have a clearer vision of making art in the space. The interior door was installed over the weekend which made it seem more official. Who knew that something as simple as a door could door could convey such seriousness?

Breakthrough : Dagaz

2010-05-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

After many years of hard work, I am finally moving into a studio that's not a spare room or a garage! It's a funky space but mine for now and a trial run for my dream space. A couple of months ago an unexpected opportunity presented itself which allowed me to continue the transition from my previous life into the vast world of artistic creativity. I will share my thoughts, creative processes, pictures and whatever else comes to mind. Enjoy!