Works in progress, where I share what I'm working on and what I'm thinking about, and also show my Instagram feed.
Some of my Southwest-inspired oil paintings on display in the lounge area
Sixteen of my paintings are on display at the Josie Harper Hospice House through January. Art displayed in the lounge area is available for sale, but is shared primarily to offer some comfort and creative contemplation for patients, visitors and staff.
"San Jose Barrio," six 8x8" cold wax and oil paintings on birch panels at the Nicholas Street Gallery, Hot Shops Art Center, Omaha, Neb.
Tapping nails into the walls, stepping back to look and sipping coffee, making slight adjustments in arranging pieces, five artists quietly worked side by side yesterday morning to install artworks for the show "Pure Vida: Impressions of Costa Rica" in the Nicholas Street Gallery at Hot Shops Art Center, 1301 Nicholas Street in Omaha. Traveling with Linda Hatfield, Judith Anthony Johnston, Katrina Methot-Swanson, Cheri Ginsburg and Elisa Morera was great fun. Showing artwork with them has been great fun, too.
Linda Hatfield hangs her pieces between Katrina's and mine.
Now we're looking forward to sharing the vibrant colors and interesting back stories with visitors. Please join us for the opening reception 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, Sept. 9. We'll also conduct demonstrations from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on two Sundays: Sept. 11 and 18. We've got a map of Costa Rica hanging at the gallery entrance and will be delighted to tell you about all the places we experienced.
And I'll be working in my studio upstairs most weekdays, so please pop in!
Most people imagine adding layers of color when you tell them you paint. My work on this piece recently was all about scraping and scratching into the surface to reveal colors underneath. The idea of reduction -- taking away -- is one I learned in printmaking. In that medium, one approach is to carve away sections of block after each color layer until the last lines are darkest outlines or shadow.
In current paintings where I use wax mixed with oil colors, I can build up layers, scrape down and build up again until I'm satisfied with the results. I've been working on this 20x20" panel as a way to avoid attention to pieces destined for the CostaRica-themed show I'm doing in September. At the same time, working on this piece allows me to experiment with colors, shapes and techniques that will likely appear in those paintings, too.
Work in progress, oil and cold wax on 20x20" panel
Getting into the studio has been a challenge with our summer commitments, but I was able to spend a few hours today working on paintings intended for a show in September. I'm still unsure how they'll all develop, but here's one of the 8x8" panels I'm working on today. It may change a lot before it gets to the gallery.
Painting in progress; 8x8" panel
I'm so excited to show 25 recent paintings in my first solo exhibit: "A Prairie Perspective". The paintings, which range from 30x30" panels to small framed paintings on paper, are abstracted views that explore color, texture and line, inspired by landscape. The ESO Gallery is curated by artist Rachel Mindrup. The gallery is in a physician office, located in a strip mall just west of 78th Street on the north side of Davenport. The VFW is on the south side of the street. Brazenhead Pub is across 78th. Look for ESO or Eye Specialists of Omaha signs, and you'll know you've found it. The space offers large walls and intimate hallways to show artwork. We'll have a reception 1pm to 4pm Sunday. Details about the event are posted on Facebook here. I'm very proud of the work and would like more people to see it!
