One Square Foot Studio

Please update your bookmarks!

2008-11-13T16:08:00.004-05:00

Hello All:

I'm moving my blog and website over to Wordpress (for the flexibility of the format and to concentrate my presence on the web.)

You can now find my blog postings as well as my portfolios for fine art and illustration, contact information and a short bio over at: www.kurtankeny.com. (The other web addresses, www.1sqft.net and www.onesquarefootstudio.com will all lead you to the same place.)

If you read this blog through an RSS feed, you can update your feed here: New RSS Feed. Be sure to erase the old feed, or you'll wonder why I went silent.

Also, no need to worry, although I've erased all of the blog posts here, they can all be found over at the new site.

Thanks for following along with me! It should be an interesting year in 2009, so stay tuned.

Kurt

Moon at Sunset

2008-11-11T09:02:00.004-05:00

Moon at Sunset, 5x7", oil on panel. Inquire.

Yesterday I had a chance to go out and do a little plein air work. This little study is the result. This is from the same vantage point as Junior Regatta, which I did back in the summer from Granite Pier in Rockport.

The bicycles painting continues, but very slowly. More progress updates soon...

Shutting Down Sound

2008-11-07T17:14:00.007-05:00

Bicycles, 24x18", oil on board. Work in progress.

I often work with music playing (either on headphones or in the background.) However, when concentration is required, silence is necessary. When I compose a painting, or when I work on a passage that requires just the right strokes, I have to have silence. I find that if I don't, my thought processes aren't as deep or involved: clearly part of my neural system is occupied elsewhere.

Another interesting item: the more "realistic" the painting technique, the less concentration it requires. The portrait I just completed (see previous post) I did with headphones in almost the entire time. In fact, it almost required music, since the rendering itself is a somewhat mechanical and tedious undertaking. However, on the piece above, I'm relying much more heavily on the bits left unsaid. This style is the jazz of art. It's in the interstices that the viewer fills in information. Think of it like a sentence written in such a way that the reader only gets a few of the words, but the blanks suggest something much more powerful. Jenny Saville is a master of this type of jazz-art. Richard Schmid also does it very well, and there are students of his (or students who emulate elements of his style) like Jeremy Lipking, Tony Pro and Casey Baugh who also attempt that balancing act in certain pieces.

Make no mistake: it is a balancing act. A damned difficult one.

By the way, this is the direction I'm heading in: an attempt to leave the spaces in between for the viewer to fill in, to produce emotion while leaving the raw power of brush-driven paint on the canvas as unmodified as possible.

Portrait Almost Done

2008-11-06T16:16:00.002-05:00

Dominique, 12x18, oil on canvas.

Well, here it is, almost done. At this point I just have to finish mounting it in the frame, and then I'll be all set. I'll post another photo and some detail shots at that point. By the way, I've done my best to color correct the photo, but if she looks grey and dead, you should probably adjust your monitor. But nothing I can show you on the screen compares to the way that the flesh looks in person. I'm proud of this one.

Go and Vote!

2008-11-04T16:34:00.002-05:00

I'm for Obama, but if you're for McCain, Paul, Nader, Barr, McKinney, or even Baldwin, I want your voice heard too!

Visual Ideas 1

2008-10-24T17:06:00.002-04:00

Pictures have been a mode of spreading ideas for a long time. Much is made of the fact that Biblical stories were disseminated to the populous through symbol vignettes representing the main points. While this is a good reminder of the story, the story would not be communicated solely through this method. Rather, these symbol vignettes would serve as storage of the knowledge, much as words do in a literate society.

Art is a visual language, a descendant of the symbolic vignette that served as storage for medieval religious stories. However, our current society is very literate. There are few instances of visual messages without an accompanying text or audible message outside of the art museum. Thus, museums are traditionally quiet places.

With so few interactions with visual linguistics on their own, it is perhaps no surprise that our modern artists struggle to use art without "cheating" by either using an elaborate text as a means of explaining their intent or lacing their art with symbols which may or may not contain universal meaning. Therefore, art becomes more esoteric, and many people feel disconnected from modern art.

This post marks the beginning of my attempts to reconnect with that visual language. I know this sounds like an explanatory text, but think of it more as me thinking "out loud" as I try to disentangle my thoughts from word language and reacquaint my brain with visual ideas.

Mid-October

2008-10-16T09:43:00.007-04:00

Forgotten Industry, 12x16", oil on canvas panel. Inquire.

Today I set out to do some plein air painting, but was stymied by the fact that the view I wanted to paint was right at the edge of a busy road with no shoulder. So, having to settle for a photo, I meandered around taking reference shots. I decided to go down to the old paint factory on the eastern tip of Gloucester's Inner Harbor, and just as I was about to leave, Jeff Weaver pulled up to do a sketch of his own. We chatted and I took some reference shots, and Jeff was kind enough to let me stand there and watch him paint. He claimed I was going to get to know all of his secrets, but the only secret I saw was a master draughtsman taking the time to get the drawing right first and correcting anything he noticed was off as he started intermediary steps. While it's not really a secret, it is the key to good realism painting and something that so few people take the time to do.

In the afternoon, I still had a hankering to get a painting in, so I went to the Cape Ann Tool building, which stands slowly rusting on Pigeon Cove. The painting is above. I would love for that building to be an art space/studio, but I don't have the funds to make it a reality right now. Maybe I can spearhead an effort to get the building repurposed...although it's supposed to be converted into condos and a storefront, even though the project proposal claims a completion date of 2006.

Oh, and finally, a shout to Joey Ciaramitaro of Good Morning Gloucester, who posted the show opening notice on his blog today. Thanks Joey! Hopefully your broad reach will help people find our little shindig this Friday night. Come one, come all! Details are here at the Cove Gallery site.

Just Before October Starts

2008-09-30T13:08:00.004-04:00

Little Blue Riding Hood, watercolor and ink on paper.

Random sketchbook page, pencil and charcoal on paper.

Take a look at the finished site for the gallery showing my work, Cove Gallery.

Jen and I just got back from New York City where we went on a whirlwind anniversary trip that involved four art museums, dozens of train and subway rides, a nice conversation with a Newark cabbie, two bowls of miso ramen, two tickets to Chicago,(featuring Luke Duke!) and many many books.

Nearing the End of September

2008-09-24T16:06:00.005-04:00

The blog has been kind of quiet lately, hasn't it? I apologize for those of you who look forward to reading it on a (semi) regular basis. It's been very busy here, and like I said, a lot of the pieces I'm working on haven't been ones I can show just yet.

I worked with the owner to the gallery I'm showing at, and we've put together a nifty little website there. Take a look, browse around, join the mailing list. There will be a very nice shot of the front and inside of the gallery on the front page as soon as her husband gets around to taking it. In other words, please excuse the dust, we're not quite finished with it yet.

Also, I think I might look to phasing out the Etsy site. I've never had a sale there, and with my items starting to go into galleries, the logical thing would seem to be to end that site and direct people here or to the gallery. So, from now on, you'll see an "inquire" link after paintings that are for sale. E-mail me if you're interested in a purchase.

Meanwhile, I took our puppy to get her first haircut at the groomer today, and she looks great. While I was there, I painted this piece, Kettle Island and Great Egg Rock, oil on panel, 9x12". Inquire.

I also have been working on a couple of studio pieces. Here are the work-in-progress shots:

Two Fishermen, work in progress.

Lane House, work in progress.

Good Morning Gloucester

2008-09-10T14:46:00.003-04:00

I just saw this posted on a local blog, Good Morning Gloucester. This is the door to my painting studio.

Sorry the blog has been silent lately. I've been working on a bunch of pieces that won't be for sale until the person who commissioned one gets to choose. As soon as that happens, I'll have a big update with a bunch of paintings. Meanwhile, I've also joined a gallery: Cove Gallery on 21 Walnut Street in Annisquam (part of Gloucester.) Much thanks to Pia Juhl for thinking my work was worthy of the gallery. I'll be hanging my stuff there this weekend (if the frames arrive in time!)

I've also constructed and primed a series of very large canvases for some really big quarry paintings. I can't wait to get started. Oh, and I drew this in preparation for another painting I have in the works. Thanks to my model Dominique. She's never been an art model before, and she was great.

Dominique Study, charcoal and chalk on paper.

Weekend News

2008-08-19T14:16:00.005-04:00

Quarry Wall, version two, 5x7", oil on panel.

It's been a good weekend for me. I had five paintings in a local show, and according to rumor, they all sold! (I haven't gotten official word from the organizer yet.) My wife and I drove down to DC to pick up the cutest little Bedlington Terrier puppy you ever saw. Her name is Whiskey. And, to top it all off, one of my paintings was just featured on an Etsy Treasury.

So it's been a pretty good weekend for me. I hope I have more like that!

Today's painting is one of a series of quarry paintings I'm doing at Halibut Point State Park.

Junior Regatta

2008-08-13T14:52:00.003-04:00

Junior Regatta, 5x7", oil on panel.

Sorry to have been MIA for so long. I've been working on a commission for some friends and I know they read this blog so I couldn't post any progress pictures. Anyway, this little number was done in about 30 minutes, with some heavy-handed bristle brush action that I think really captures the feeling of wind. I'm pretty happy with the study.

A Couple of Things

2008-08-01T15:53:00.003-04:00

Low Tide, Lane's Cove, 9x12", chalk on paper.

Lane's Cove Fish Shack, 9x12", oil on panel.

A beautiful day down at the cove today. Children playing in the water, enjoying summer vacation as only kids that live a couple of blocks from the ocean can. And how's this Mr. & Ms. Child Safety: not a one of them were under parental supervision. That's right, water way over their heads, motorboats coming in and out of the cove, and not one suit of kevlar-plated swim-armor anywhere. Who would have thought that possible in this day and age of filial overprotection? I'm very glad to live among real people again.

Halibut Point House

2008-07-30T14:01:00.005-04:00

Halibut Point House, 8x10:, oil on linen panel.

I'm told that there are wild berries that grow on this rocky escarpment. With all of that sun, you know that they'll be good.

Jones River Salt Marsh

2008-07-28T16:40:00.004-04:00

Jones River Salt Marsh, 8x10", oil on linen panel.

This landscape was painted from a viewpoint 180 degrees from this older piece.

Queen Anne's Lace

2008-07-24T12:30:00.003-04:00

Queen Anne's Lace, 8x10", oil on linen panel.

Today it supposed to storm something nasty, so I got this one in quick before it hits. It's breezy and humid out there, certainly feels like a storm brewing...

Sailboat at Mooring

2008-07-18T15:53:00.003-04:00

Sailboat at Mooring, 8x10", oil on panel.

Distant Wake

2008-07-16T11:03:00.004-04:00

Distant Wake, 8x10", oil on canvas panel.

Outfield Fence

2008-07-11T11:36:00.003-04:00

Outfield Fence, 5x7", oil on panel.

Stage Fort Haze

2008-07-09T14:58:00.003-04:00

Stage Fort Haze, 5x7:, oil on panel.

Motif #1

2008-07-08T11:49:00.006-04:00

Motif #1, 5x7", oil on panel. Sold.

This is a famous landmark in Rockport, Massachusetts and has been painted many, many times by people over the years. I tried to come up with a composition that was a little more interesting than just the snapshot of the shack in Rockport Harbor. The name of the building is evidently a nickname given by a French artist who summered in Rockport and taught students there. After seeing the billionth student sketch of this little fish house, he exclaimed, "What? Motif #1 again?" According to legend, the name stuck.

Distant Sailboat

2008-07-07T13:16:00.005-04:00

Sailboat across Ipswich Bay, 11x14", oil on canvas panel.

I can't believe it's been over a week since I posted here, but it has been hectic. I was working on a project for a friend, a map of New Hampshire that is going in a trade show display. Should be pretty cool.

Today's painting tried to capture that haze that results in the middle of summer. The air gets very warm and holds a ton of moisture. This painting is a view from Lane's Cove across Ipswich Bay, similar to this painting and this one.

Tug in Gloucester Harbor

2008-06-27T11:22:00.002-04:00

Tug in Gloucester Harbor, 5x7", oil on panel.

It promises to be a warm steamy day here in Gloucester, and I tried to capture some of that haze in this busy harbor scene.

Featured on an Etsy treasury

2008-06-25T13:52:00.002-04:00

The fabulous Sarah Burns has managed to put together another Etsy treasury and featured one of my paintings again! Thanks a billion, Sarah.

Captain John James Woodbury House

2008-06-25T12:15:00.004-04:00

Captain John James Woodbury House, 5x7", oil on panel.

Since Jen and I moved to Gloucester, we've kind of suspected that this was a vacation home or abandoned or something. We would never see any lights on and no one was ever in the yard. Well, today, as I was painting the house, the owner, Edmond, came over to see what I was doing. He was tickled that his house was being "immortalized by art" and we had a nice chat about the neighborhood and why I made this or that decision in the painting. Hmm, I just realized that I intended to put the bootscrapers that are anchored in the front step into the painting, but after my talk with Edmond, I forgot. Oops.

Ship on Calm Water

2008-06-24T10:56:00.004-04:00

Ship on Calm Water, 5x7", oil on panel.

Back from the Illustration Master Class and getting back into the swing of things. It's a lovely calm summer morning here at Plum Cove.

Illustration Master Class

2008-06-24T10:37:00.005-04:00

Amelia Earhart of the Future, 16.5x25.5", oil on panel.

I'm back from the Illustration Master Class, and it was an exciting time for everyone involved. Not only were we all pushed to accomplish a ton in one week, but the kindness and generosity of the faculty showed what wonderful people work in the industry.

I learned great lessons about the business, and on top of that I made connections and friendships that will last me a long time if I just continue to push forward, work hard, and don't tread too recklessly on people's kindness.

I have to give an extra special word of thanks to Greg Manchess and Irene Gallo, who were very kind and friendly and who I was able to get to know a little better than the rest of the faculty. Scott Fischer was definitely the life of the party, and his energy and enthusiasm were inspiring. Donato Giancola's sheer drive to push his craft and talent as far as it can go is something I definitely aspire to. Boris Vallejo was the old master that I thought he would be and I hear that he painted the nude figure in his painting from his head and a rough drawing because he "forgot his reference photo at home." I hope to be as good as that some day. Julie Bell was kind, warm and stunningly talented. Watching her paint was a treat. Dan Dos Santos introduced us to his wife and son, who is a little charmer, and his lecture on using reference was a real eye-opener. Finally, Rebecca Guay was the mastermind behind the Master Class, and made everything happen. Not only did she forge this even from nothing (with help from her fabulous assistant Sara) but she's a great person and can draw and paint like nobody's business.

Thanks to everyone. It was a great (and exhausting!) week.

Folly Cove

2008-06-13T11:55:00.004-04:00

Folly Cove, 8x10", oil on linen panel. Sold.

I won't be around next week as I'll be attending the Illustration Master Class. Learning and networking with such heavy hitters as Gregory Manchess, Donato Giancola, Boris Vallejo, and Irene Gallo was an opportunity not to be missed.

Tall Grass

2008-06-12T10:59:00.003-04:00

Tall Grass, 8x10", oil on linen panel.

Smokestack

2008-06-11T16:47:00.002-04:00

Smokestack, 8x10", oil on linen panel.

I think this would make a good companion piece to Black-tipped Chimney. I could see them hanging as a pair.

Etsy Treasury

2008-06-11T08:00:00.003-04:00

Iris Schwarz was kind enough to include one of my paintings in a treasury she made on Etsy. Check it out while it lasts. Thanks, Iris!

Red Truck

2008-06-10T15:16:00.003-04:00

Red Truck, 5x7", oil on panel.

A little piece today. This is a view of Gloucester Harbor, with one of the fisherman's pick-ups on the dock. I was pleased with the haze effect I got in the background. (It's about 90F (32C) here today.) However, the foreground needs some sharper edges and some more detail to make it work. I'll doctor it up and post the results once it's dry.

Lisa

2008-06-10T15:06:00.002-04:00

Lisa, 18x24", oil on canvas.

Here's a little piece I did yesterday while visiting Rob's Art Bootcamp. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out. Thanks to Lisa, an artist herself, for posing for us.

Ben Fenske

2008-06-06T09:03:00.005-04:00

Ben Fenske is an American painter (fellow Minnesotan, actually!) whose work is carrying on in the tradition of American realism and impressionism. I can see a lot of Van Gogh influence in his self-portraits as well. He's represented by the Grenning Gallery in Sag Harbor, New York. Thanks for the heads up, Sarah.

Ira Glass speaks from the pinnacle

2008-06-05T12:02:00.001-04:00

This is such nourishing food for the struggling artist's soul. Just what I needed to hear today.

Downtime

2008-06-03T19:08:00.003-04:00

I've been doing some experiments with watercolors over the last two days, but nothing is quite ready for prime time just yet. I've always known that watercolor takes a great deal more planning to execute than oil, but I still wasn't quite ready for how hard it would be to do an accurate plein air in watercolor, especially without a portable watercolor studio. Anyway, so I'm thinking of doing an oil tomorrow, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, James Gurney had an interesting piece on his blog a few days ago about how he welcomed in a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses to sit for him while he sketched one of them. That was followed up by a brief interview with James over on Simon Owens's Bloggasm. Check it out. I think that this is really one of the nicest ideas I've heard of in a long time.

Black-tipped Chimney

2008-05-30T13:15:00.003-04:00

Black-tipped Chimney, 8x10", oil on canvas panel.

Yesterday was an off day for me, so sorry about the lack of post. Today I have another rooftop piece. By the way, I'm using Real Gesso panels for all of these. This one is a linen panel that they no longer make, but their gesso panels and ABS panels are all top notch. If you're looking for excellent stuff, I can't recommend them enough.

Fiberglass Windows

2008-05-28T11:59:00.003-04:00

Fiberglass Windows, 5x7", oil on panel.

I love this old building in Pigeon Cove. I'd love to turn it into an art studio/complex someday.

Rainshower over Ipswich Bay

2008-05-23T11:15:00.003-04:00

Rainshower over Ipswich Bay, 5x7", oil on panel.

Non-painting day

2008-05-23T11:11:00.004-04:00

No painting for Thursday, but I spent the day revamping my website. You can find me at www.kurtankeny.com.

Don't worry, my old site, www.1sqft.net is still active and contains exactly the same content as all of the other addresses. I also reclaimed www.onesquarefootstudio.com from the squatters who finally realized I wasn't going to pay ransom for a stupid web address.

Cennini on Gurney Journey

2008-05-22T08:35:00.002-04:00

James Gurney has a poll up in his sidebar that asks which brands of paint artists use. I'm happy to report that Cennini products are represented. (But sadly, not very popular.)

Sky Over Waring Field

2008-05-21T15:30:00.003-04:00

Sky over Waring Field, 5x7", oil on panel.

Motorboat

2008-05-20T21:36:00.004-04:00

Motorboat, 5x7", oil on panel.

Bluets

2008-05-19T13:14:00.003-04:00

Bluets, 5x7", oil on panel.

Some tiny spring flowers blooming near the cove this morning.

NYC

2008-05-19T13:10:00.003-04:00

I was in New York Friday through Sunday, visiting a friend and seeing the city. I even tracked down Robert Doak's factory, but no one was home. Evidently they don't have weekend hours. Disappointing, but we were in DUMBO anyway, so it was no big loss. I would have liked to see the 'candy store' for artists but I'll try again some other time.

Bridgewater Street

2008-05-15T12:00:00.004-04:00

Bridgewater Street, 5x7", oil on panel.

Lanesville Cemetery

2008-05-14T11:24:00.004-04:00

Lanesville Cemetery, 5x7", oil on panel.

Nice day out today, and this strong contrast between warm green and cooler grey-blues was irresistible.

Catching Up

2008-05-13T10:20:00.003-04:00

Tide Pools, 11x14", oil on canvas panel.

Red Boat in Lobster Cove, 5x7", oil on panel.

Here are the pieces I did the last two days. Conditions today were very windy and my subject (Red Boat) on the water meant there was no windbreak anywhere nearby. I still think I managed to capture the values and colors though, even if the boat was swinging back and forth on its mooring the whole time.

Tulips

2008-05-09T11:27:00.003-04:00

Tulips, 11x14", oil on canvas panel.

A quick sketch of tulips in the backyard garden.

Strawberry Hill

2008-05-08T10:24:00.004-04:00

Strawberry Hill, 11x14", oil on canvas panel.

In this piece I was attempting to get that weak spring sunlight and the grey-blue reflections in the mud flats.

Buoys

2008-05-06T10:18:00.002-04:00

Buoys, 11x14", oil on canvas panel.

Well, after a very nice class this weekend at The Art Bootcamp, I'm back painting, and getting some work done.

And, I sold some paintings to a very kind woman who was attending the bootcamp. That felt good. For those of you keeping track, Walnut and Penny, Soap Bottle and Forty Cents are no longer available for purchase.

New Things

2008-04-30T12:03:00.004-04:00

Imagined Portrait, 18.75x24", oil on MDF.

Well, today I wanted to do something slightly different, and after seeing this piece by Casey Baugh, had the desire to paint a nice head. No models being on hand, I just made one up out of my head. I think that it turned out alright. I was trying to use very light shadows to give a certain effect without losing too much form, and I think I got that ok...

As for the tree piece, these are two stages of the painting. (I didn't get a shot of the first day, where it was all just reddish lines indicating the forms.) I still have some work to do on the main tree and the secondary tree, and some of the foreground elements need to be resolved. (Or left as is, I haven't decided yet.) Anyway, this is the last you'll hear from me until next week Tuesday. Have a great weekend.

Rained Out

2008-04-29T14:19:00.003-04:00

Today the weather was uncooperative. It was raining and foggy and while that might make for a really lovely painting, unfortunately I'm not outfitted for full downpour painting sessions. So I'm inside working on a piece. The end of this week, I'll be teaching at The Art Bootcamp, with Rob Howard. So there'll be nothing from me after tomorrow until next Tuesday.

See you then.

Waring Field

2008-04-28T10:21:00.003-04:00

Waring Field, 11x14", oil on canvas panel.

Spring Leaves

2008-04-25T11:37:00.004-04:00

Spring Leaves, 11x14", oil on canvas panel.

Well, today is another gorgeous spring day, and I'm lucky enough to be outside painting. I tried to capture the look of the sunlight coming through the young spring leaves on the small trees and bushes in this sketch. I think it worked rather well.

By the way, please feel free to leave critiques in the comments section. Much as I love to watch myself type, I'd like to see your thoughts too. I can take whatever cruel inhumane things you might have to say, so don't worry about my feelings, I've got a thick skin. And what's more, I'll use your comment to make myself faster, stronger...a better painter all around.

Pier House Roof

2008-04-24T11:26:00.004-04:00

Pier House Roof, 11x14", oil on canvas panel.

Ted, 11x14", oil on canvas panel, NFS.

Well, we have two paintings today, one a study of a great old building which was just sagging on its pier out into Gloucester Harbor. I liked the look of it so much, I think I might go back and paint it again, to try and get the whole thing in, instead of just a section of the roof. One of the things I liked so much about it was the haphazard collection of windows on the side, and the slight sag to the roof. I had to move my easel a couple of times, because the sun kept climbing over the building I was using for shade.

The other painting is a portrait study of one of my neighbors, who was asked to sit for the Rockport Art Association's portrait sketch session as a substitute last night. He is either naturally very ruddy or got a lot of sun yesterday, when it was near 80 and just perfect, weather-wise.

Along High Street

2008-04-23T12:17:00.005-04:00

Along High Street, 5x7", oil on panel.

Another bit of painting, this time a couple of blocks from my house. There are little ponds everywhere around here from rainwater collecting in pits that were dug out by the people quarrying granite.

Salt Marsh, Essex

2008-04-22T11:24:00.004-04:00

Salt Marsh, Essex, 5x7", oil on panel.

Thought I would get back to painting some landscapes today. This is a lovely area of salt water marsh at the Essex River delta. The fields of wild reeds and grass are still brown and flattened.

Wave Study

2008-04-21T11:47:00.003-04:00

Wave Study, 5x7", oil on panel.

I'm attempting to get a better handle on what makes water look the way it does. Therefore, this is a small study of a tiny section of sloshing waves. Water is much more difficult to paint correctly than I realized.

Crash!

2008-04-18T11:20:00.002-04:00

Today's piece was an utter failure. Therefore no pics and no new item on Etsy.

I did manage to refrain from burning my brushes, though.

Movin' On Up

2008-04-17T15:15:00.002-04:00

Prices at my Etsy shop will be going up across the board at the end of Friday, so if you were interested in one of the pieces at the ridiculously low price of $50 for an original oil painting, better get on over there...

Quarry Wall

2008-04-17T11:13:00.001-04:00

Quarry Wall, 5x7", oil on panel.

...speaks for itself, I think.

Essex Watertower

2008-04-16T09:48:00.002-04:00

Essex Watertower, 5x7", oil on panel.

Today I tried to capture some of that dewy fresh morning feel in the landscape.

This afternoon, I will be working on a larger piece and trying some new approaches as well as trying to get a really satisfyingly finished piece. I need scintillation in the colors and some depth to the paint, and plein air alla prima painting doesn't allow much of that, at least not at the size I'm painting at.

Tonight I'm going to check out a portrait paint sketch session at the Rockport Art Association. Should be a good time. Let's hope they have an interesting face for us.

New One Square Foot Studio

2008-04-15T17:02:00.003-04:00

This is the new look of One Square Foot Studio. Check it out when you get a chance.

Jones River Landing

2008-04-15T12:46:00.004-04:00

Jones River Landing, 5x7", oil on panel.

Well, this painting is a cautionary tale about not letting the sunlight hit your palette and canvas. While this painting looks great in the bright morning sun on an early spring day, it looks miserable under the studio lights used to photograph it. All of the depth and color is sucked out of the blue, and generally it looks poor. Lesson learned.

Tomorrow is another day.

Atlantic Path

2008-04-14T10:29:00.006-04:00

Atlantic Path, 5x7", oil on panel.

It's really turning into spring rapidly around here, and the greens are getting a little brighter and more vivid.

This painting was made on a footpath that runs along the coastline rocks. It's a great little feature of Rockport. Although this is technically private land, there is a long public footpath that stretches along the coast, allowing everyone and not only the people who can afford it, access to the natural beauty of the area. The paths are marked with small signs, but you kind of have to know that they exist, and in that way they're a great local secret. As my wife and I get to know the area, the more we love it.

I've also been having a conversation with Jerry Sumpter over at Überart about the need for opinion in art criticism and the ways to dissect the aspects of painting in order to evaluate the artist's achievement on each in turn. Morgan Meis at The Smart Set recently wrote about how art criticism has lost its ability to make proclamations on whether art is Good or Bad and he seems to be implying that currently the art critic's role is more as anthropologist in the mind-world of the artist. I tend to agree with him, and certainly the proliferation of different styles and avenues for visual art have made the dividing line between Good and Bad art increasingly fluid or at least difficult to define. The appeal of the art critic as interpreter is obviously strong, but it edges dangerously close to becoming a way to invalidate any criticism: any art is good art if understood on its own terms.

However, if one dismantles the artist's vehicle: message from form, technique from stylistic choices, one can evaluate each on its own terms and then reassemble them to form a critique that is not only takes the artist's point of view into account, but is also objective on each facet of the whole work. Do you agree?

Mud Flats, Annisquam River

2008-04-11T10:56:00.005-04:00

Mud Flats, Annisquam River, 5x7", oil on panel.

Well it was a crisp morning today, and the colors were very clean, so that was a nice challenge. These colors looked incredibly garish when I was painting this, mainly because everything looks brighter and more vivid in the direct sunlight, so I was really worried about the piece being a disaster, but I trusted the colors that I mixed in the shade, and it looks pretty nice indoors, under artificial light, which is where it would be seen most often anyway.

One thing I find is that I very rarely use more than one or two brushes when I'm out doing these little pieces. I guess one, there just doesn't seem to be time to switch brushes constantly, and two, if you find the right size brush, you should be able to make it do all of the rough little shapes you need it to do anyway.

Does anyone else find this to be true?

Oh, and I'm reading John F. Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting, which very good reading so far. It was mentioned in a video by Richard Schmid, and it is really an excellent primer on landscape painting.

Old Granite Pier

2008-04-10T09:27:00.003-04:00

Old Granite Pier, 5x7", oil on panel.

Another painting of the sea this morning, that's Straitsmouth Island in the distance. I was trying to capture that glow and painfully bright light of the morning sun, and that green line was actually there when I stared right at the area, so I'm pleased that it looked good on the painting.

This afternoon, I'm off to scout around for material for more complex and adventurous studio paintings. I'm looking forward to that. A little walk through the woods and some walking along the seaside trails is in order, I think. I also want to see if I can find some buildings that sit in the land just so, because I have a craving to paint something like that as well.

By the way, if anyone out there knows about an Etsy team for oil painting, let me know. I'd be interested in joining. And so would Sarah Burns.

Low Tide at Goose Cove

2008-04-09T09:46:00.004-04:00

Low Tide at Goose Cove, 5x7", oil on panel.

A foggy morning greeted me today, and I was looking forward to the challenge of painting the diffused edges and soft grey colors of the fog-covered landscape. This is one of my favorite places on the cape, where Goose Cove empties into Annisquam River. Low tide causes water to rush out of the cove and creates the turbulence you see in the foreground.

My fingers are still thawing, though.

At Cove Avenue

2008-04-08T10:34:00.003-04:00

At Cove Avenue, 5x7", oil on panel.

Here's another small landscape painting. This time, I'm situated on rocks at the end of Cove Avenue. Today I had a nice sunny day, even though the wind was still coming strong off the coast, it livened the colors of the scene dramatically, and I got to play with colors that you wouldn't really consider neutral. That was nice.

Also, last night I went to my first session at the Rockport Art Association's weekly figure drawing group. Unfortunately, the model didn't show up, but on the plus side, it was therefore free and we all took turns sketching each other, so I got to know my classmates' faces, if not their names. These are all 10 minute sketches.

View from Seaside Cemetery

2008-04-07T12:02:00.003-04:00

View from Seaside Cemetery, 5x7", oil on panel.

Well, today I needed a change of pace, so instead of staying in my nice warm studio, I went out and froze my fingers to the marrow in the north wind off the Atlantic Ocean to get this little landscape. I'm pleased with the sky, but the land needs some serious work in my opinion. There are some pleasant things about the rocks in the foreground and I like the sea spray effects I managed to get, but there's a lack of focal point that makes it suffer a bit. I think I'll continue to do these landscapes this week and see if I can't get something more interesting by Friday.

Also, an interesting aside. As I was walking home, a nice lady from the town asked if she could see the painting. I said sure, and set down my easel so she could take a look at it. "Oh, it reminds me of California! I know where that is, I have that exact painting on my living room wall!" I really didn't have anything to say to that, but she finished up with, "But it's not like California today, is it?" And no, it most certainly is not. So I agreed with her and shuffled off. Any ideas on how to respond to the normally inane blather you have to deal with when people stop you when they notice that you're a -gasp- Painter?

Pearl Onion

2008-04-04T09:20:00.004-04:00

Pearl Onion, 5x7", oil on panel. Purchase here.

Well, here it is, Friday's painting. I think this one is pretty nice. Everything turned out on it the way I'd hoped, so that's good. Also, a friend told me that the reason my pictures were so dark was due to the difference in gamma settings between Windows and Mac machines, so I've set the image to use it's own color profile, so let me know if the image looks better then the previous entries (if you're using a Windows machine, that is.)

I've also been reading some nice books on Velázquez and Rubens. The two that I find most interesting and useful to painters are the one on Rubens called Drawn by the Brush, and the one on Velázquez called Technique of Genius. Great books. A little pricey, but you can get them used on Amazon for pretty cheap, and the information inside is well worth adding them to your library.

Hanko

2008-04-03T10:25:00.002-04:00

Hanko, 5x7", oil on panel. Purchase here.

Here's a little piece which I think has a couple of problems. It's a little skewed in the drawing, and the color for the top of the hanko is poorly observed...or just too flat...I'm not exactly sure. I have to think this one over for a while, see what comes to me. I think I'll experiment more with this lighting setup though, as I've obviously gotten used to the two setups I've had until now: a spotlight and the light from the north window. This setup was a pocket LED flashlight on the table.

Dropper Bottle

2008-04-02T09:38:00.003-04:00

Dropper Bottle, 5x7", oil on panel. Purchase here.

Good morning. Today's piece is a little green glass dropper bottle I have in my studio, and honestly it's a pretty subtle piece, with the details being very hard to discern in the photo. I veered a bit from the paintings I've done so far in that I put some of the background in. I think it works ok from a distance, (or in a small photo) but something about it bothers me up close...perhaps to takes too much attention from the main item, which is so subtle to begin with? I'm not sure I can place my finger on it just now, but if I do figure out what's bugging me, I'll post an edit for you.