I’m using a touch of a new medium today–Grove’s Cole’s varnish. It’s a copal-based varnish, which makes it close–first cousin–to my normal medium. I plan, after more work, to write a review, so I won’t linger over it today. Phone Call on Main Street is close; almost finished.
I worked on Booth at the Fair these past two days. It’s starting to move my way. I can struggle with paintings for a variety of reasons, sometimes technical, sometimes who knows what. This painting hit a groove straightaway and began to slide into place, except I didn’t want it to go that direction. Now, like…
My homemade palette has provided good service for several years. It has enough room to muck about in, but it’s not so large that it’s difficult to move or clean. I converted the glass-framed reproduction I found at a secondhand shop into an everyday palette by removing the print and then painting the backing a middle…
One day in the park at Playhouse Square, I saw a young lady sitting alone and eating her lunch. As usual, I was taking photos and I wanted to take some of her but I didn’t want her to freeze as people sometimes do when they see a camera. So I asked if she would…
At the Whitney Biennal last spring, protestors made headlines when they demanded that the museum destroy an artwork they found offensive. The protesters didn’t want the painting removed from the Biennial, they wanted it destroyed. The painting by Dana Schutz, Open Casket, is based on a well-known photograph of Emmett Till in his coffin. Till was an African American…
I feel like Sisyphus. The batch of paintings that are working me over are all in mid-flight. I keep rolling the rock uphill but I haven’t reached or even seen the crest of the hill. Not only that, I’ve fallen backward with some of them–bah. The Press is 40″ x 50.” Studio corner with The Offensive in the…
After flavoring my medium with additions for several days, today I used my normal medium. I worked on this painting during both of today’s sessions. When the painting surface is right, as with this painting, my normal medium is unbeatable. What is a good surface? I like smooth surfaces. ‘Smooth’ means the canvas weave is…
Yesterday’s Thanksgiving holiday was wonderful at our house. We had three of our children here to share my wife’s delicious turkey and stuffing. Daughter Jane baked an apple pie, and son Keith made deep-fried mac and cheese. The latter was something I’d never eaten. Everything was excellent and, for once, I didn’t eat too much. This morning…