Small Works

Where the County Road Ends

Northport

Platte River
Ice Shanties

Its been some time since I've posted anything. A thundery morning seems like a good time to do a little blogging before I get into the space of the studio. It was my intention to be a much better blogger but.....well life gets busy you know?

Over the winter I started teaching Yoga at Expressions of Grace Yoga Studio. Its been such a great experience - I love our students and we have a really great community of teachers. The practice of Yoga is such a complement to making art. For me, it helps to get me "out of my head" so to speak and move past any judgement of the work while its in progress. The whole negative self-talk, second-guessing, doubt thing really puts a damper on things when you trying to make any kind of art (yoga or painting for that matter!).

Have also been spending time out in the world painting. Eleven days in Glen Arbor in May without TV, radio and Craig yielded
21 small studies, 1 med painting, a small painting, a novel read, and the entire back of a sweater knitted. Thanks to my friend Cre for getting me right with that sweater. I now know that just because something has a lot of holes in it, that it won't be a fast or easy knit.

Last but not least, just returned from 6 days in Harbor Springs/Cross Village where I spent 3 days with the man who I've really come to regard as my painting teacher/mentor, Stuart Shils. The best way to describe a workshop with Stuart is that its a boot camp for painters. Its full-on. Its really an immersion in making art, looking at art, talking about art. Long days that begin around 8ish for breakfast/discussion of the day ahead, paintings, demo, more discussion, dinner and slide lectures. I come back exhausted, head spinning, but somehow recharged. More on the workshop later.

The works I'm posting this morning are all little plein aire pieces. All were completed in a half an hour or less. Just little studies that help to develop visual musculature, color sensibility, and accurate drawing. All foundation work for larger paintings.