Busy Art Viewing Week

Last night was Hillsboro's first Tuesday art openings and the shows at G&V Walters Art Center were good to look at and the music was a treat too. The Sequoia Gallery had a fine show and it is always good talk with the artists exhibiting and in their studios. This is developing into a good scene with local arts supporters and artists mingling with fine art, craft and music.

First Thursday in Portland is always a mob scene and has many offerings their is a special show in Lake Oswego by the critique group Splash,

Opening Art Show Reception, Thurs., February 4, 6:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M., Graham’s Book and Stationery, 460 Second St. Thirteen artists from the talented Splash! group and five invited artists have created images that came to them as they read The Whistling Season,by Ivan Doig.

I got that information from Ruth Armitage's blog post.

Last but not lest another fine artist Carolyn Cole is being featured on OPB's Art Beat seen locally on Thursdays at 8pm and repeats Sunday at 6pm, congratulations Carolyn.

The week of art openings ends withe the Patrons preview on Friday and Opening on Saturday evening of the annual Beaverton Showcase, featuring many fine local artists.

If you are in the area I encourage you get out and support your local hard working artists.

Thanks for looking, and tell me what you think about any of these shows.

Bruce

What to Send

I've been working on paper on and off over the last two weeks trying out various ideas; so I could have something to submit to the juror of the Spring show of the Watercolor Society of Oregon (WSO). This is a water media show so it allows certain collage elements and opaque media to be used. The fall WSO show is transparent watercolor only, which is less and less what I do. Even working on paper is much less the way I work now days. I enjoy the organization, the friends I've met, and skills Ive learned through their workshops, but my current interests and art making is less in-sync with the group.

My evolution began with the quest for more physical textures in the paint surface, either through stiff paint or substances added to the paint or adhered to the surface. That sentence does not describe watercolor.
Here is a current effort that is passing my first week of review.

Sunrise Willamette Valley 10x10

This is another possibility from last springs explorations in texturing.

Terroir 3 10x10

I sent these two images off for the jurors consideration, maybe one will be selected for the show.
Let me know which one you like best.
Thanks for looking.

What's It All About

Alfie??? no I won't burst into song, that would sound scary. I've been looking at art around town, Portland, and thinking about where what I do fits in (or not). What do I want to paint, what images, ideas inspire me, how can I paint landscape without detailing the things, just abstract the essence. The show at Laura Russo up this month of Michael Dailey's work is one very powerful solution to that question. He offers a possible starting point for my own explorations.

Then there are the fun mixed media pieces about wine and food that I think of as color and design problems to be worked out to hopefully delight the eye. They are fun to do and many seem to enjoy them.

These thoughts are bound up in the question What is Art? I think of it as an expression of awe or wonder about the world. Here is what Aristotle had to say "Art completes what nature cannot bring to finish. The artist gives us knowledge of nature's unrealized ends."

Or this from Cezanne "An art which isn't based on feeling isn't an art at all... feeling is the principle, the beginning and the end; craft, objective, technique - all these are in the middle."

Yet another view: I once had the nerve to ask Picasso the question "What is art?" He answered, "Art is a lie which makes us see the truth." (James Dickey)

Finally from the philosopher (Alfred North Whitehead) Art is the imposing of a pattern on experience, and our aesthetic enjoyment is recognition of the pattern.

My thanks to The Painters Keys for these quotes.

What's your definition of Art? Let me know and thanks for looking and allowing me to ramble.

Bruce

The Year in Books

Looking back on 09, I thought I'd share some of the books that inspired or informed me about art and its creation. In mid year the book "A Visual Palette" by Kevin Weckbach was a big eye opener for me. Kevin credits Quang Ho, one of his teachers in Denver's Art Students League School, with the basis of his philosophical principles of the visual dialogue in painting. It is a concise 60+page treatise dense with information. At the end of the year I purchased the DVD "Nuts and Bolts" from Quang Ho. A 6 hour set with lots of Quang talking about these principles and many examples from his work. About 50% of the dvd is of Quang doing demo paintings of these principles. The dvd is a condensation of more than 30 years worth of making, looking and thinking about art summed up in 6 hours, both are excellent resources for artist or collector alike.

I read some biographies, De Kooning: An American Master by Stevens & Swan and John Sloan: painter and rebel by john Loughery. Both books offer insights into art in America and NYC from the 1900s to the 1970s.

For marketing and the business side of things a good read and resource is "I'd rather be in the Studio" by Alyson Stanfield and "Starving to Successful" by Jason Horejs a guide to getting into galleries.

I just started "The Undressed Art: Why We Draw" by Peter Steinhart, its a wonderful series of essays about drawing and drawing from the figure. This just in: "Inside the Painter's Studio" by Joe Fig a book of photos and interviews with painters, very east coast centric but full of interesting and useful information about studios, work habits and creativity.

The main idea or thread that is common to all of this list is: show up and work at your art/craft regularly; in doing/being-- things will happen. The more organized and regular your work habits the greater the likelihood of having "success".

This list didn't include 3 or 4 catalogs from museum shows or any of my just for fun scifi and thriller/adventure reading.

If you enjoyed some inspirational reading about art or creativity let me know in a comment.

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year.

Bruce

Short Day Long Night

I started the post on the 20th by uploading the images, hence my title in honor of winter solstice. The welter of seasonal parities, get togethers and shopping have me in a whirl and not very focused on painting. Year end brings out the introspection and wondering about directions to go ,avenues to explore, goals for the coming year, and trying to asses my actions for the last year. Today the days are now increasing once again,and the sun is out. I even finished a new self portrait,since I started this missive, It is now at the top of the blog. An annual self-portrait is part of my yearly introspection.

It took several frustratiing hours to put the image of me on line today. It is the all to common story of a new computer with Windows 7 that doesn't recognize the drivers for an older Canon PS G2, or a multi-card reader device and no new drivers from the manufactures. I looked every where online-no joy. I finally downloaded to my older home pc and transfered the files via usb drive, to edit and up load. May all my frustrations be this minor.

Meyer Lemon & Clementine 12x12

Here is another winter still life:

Pomegranate & Clementine 12x12

I've had a good year over all and want to Thank all who became part of my collector clan, and all who read these posts.

I wish each and everyone a Very Merry, Joyful, Peace filled, Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

As always let me know what you think abut the paintings or anything else, and feel free to share this with your friends.

Bruce

Tis the Season

Its been a very busy time since my last post. Thanksgiving weekend in Oregon is a time that the wineries taste their latest bottling and in some venues you can barrel taste this years crop. The first weekend in December always starts the seasons parties. Hillsboro Rotary had their auction fundraiser and I donated a full sheet watercolor that was part of the Oral auction. You can see that painting here. On Sunday evening "The Critique" group had their party and painting exchange. I got a great collage piece by Dee Frank, thanks Dee for another winner.

In between and just prior to Thanksgiving I managed to finish two still life's that I made into cards and will be used this Christmas. If you are not on my list or if you are you can see them below.

Persimmons and Steel 6x6

Persimmon, Vase and Carafe 8x8

There is something about persimmons that reminds me of Christmas.

Thanks for looking; feel free to comment on and share this [post.

Have a safe and Merry Christmas.

Bruce

Thanksgiving

I have much to be thankful for this year, and it's good our national psyche created a day to help us remember to be grateful. I enjoy Thanksgiving the most of all the holidays, because it is about family, friends, food and feasting.

I want to say thank you to my collectors, my art groups and critique group friends; my wife and family for giving me the space and support to pursue creativity through painting. Also thanks to the galleries that show my painting and the other opportunities to place paintings in front of the public. Art is hard to appreciate and rarely sold when it is stored in the studio.

If you live in the Portland area and enjoy Italian food I am the featured artist in the Decarli Restaurant in Beaverton, a fine place to eat. They recently decided to have art work, and i am thankful to be the first artist they invited to show. I was able to feature 4 large abstracts and one mid sized piece. Autumn Reflections is one of the paintings.

48x48 Acrylic on Canvas

A final thank you to those who read and comment.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

B