And if your heart has the capacity to love more (safely, of course) then spread some love around. Because if Pelican and Panda can figure it out, so can we. Now, I'm heading out to sea in The Malarkey. Want to join me? About the art: This painting is the first in a series inspired by Lear's poem. Beginning with an old acrylic abstract painting on paper covered with a thin coat of gesso (the underpainting adds a lovely texture to this piece), then roughing in the central figures with thinned paint and a wide brush. Working next from the outside in, using the background paint to refine the figure shapes. A long drying time. Then the details of the faces, boat shape and sail. Many subsequent thinned layers to create shadows and dimension. Another coat for the background, using a rubber wedge to create motion in the sea by draaaaaagging the paint around. Alternating darks and lights until the saturation reached my satisfaction, then another long drying time followed by a coat of varnish.
The November Reader Giveaway continues the social experiment of a Questions Exchange - five questions each (thee and me!) asked and answered. Leave a comment on any blog post this. month to be automatically entered (and thanks to reader Trina T. for this suggestion!) The first winner is artist/photographer/teacher/podcaster/blogger and friend Carl Stoveland. And WOW did we ever have FUN! I'll publish segments of our hour-long interview over the next several weeks, as there are many treasures to be revealed! But first off, here's a little introduction from each of us, just to give a little taste of what's coming.
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About the art: I recently had the opportunity to demonstrate oil painting to an up-and-coming young artist who was moving from acrylics to oils. Over the course of several hours, we built layers of oil paint on abstracted landscapes while pondering the trajectory of our creative lives. These pieces were started during that paint session, and completed over the weeks following. Intuitive landscapes built rapidly and then refined, with a focus on lean-to-fat paint building, color and texture. They are small but impactful, and the process reminded me of the value of just diving in and letting the paint lead where it wants to. The November Reader Giveaway is here! Leave a comment on any blog post in November to win a Question Exchange with me! Five questions each, asked and answered. We're building connections in the world, moving closer in small steps. Ready? Set? GO!
About the art: I have not had a playdate with the AI bot in a bit, and I do believe it is missing me (if AI bots can be trusted, which, trust me, they cannot) so off I went on a malarkey caper in imaginging mashups of things and characters. And OH-HO do I ever have an inspiration folder now! The point of which is launching myself out of my art box and onto the playground. And so, beginning with a gesso'd wood panel, I covered it in a wash of hot pink. An underpainting which only survived in snippets, but inspired me to run off the deep end of the jungle gym and put a tiger and some donuts on it. A lightly drawn form, a few circles, then the first layer of background paint. Once dry, I worked from the mouth outward, adding successively thicker layers until the I reached the desired intensity of color. More layers for the background, more layers for donuts. The "sprinkles" achieved with the end of a chopstick dipped in various colors and pressed into the paint. Finally, a layer of varnish to gloss up the place. This guy makes me chuckle every time I walk past him. :)
I admit to being curious, dear readers! If you were a monster, which one would you be?
About the art: beginning with a piece of oil paper gesso'd in white, I roughed in the central figures with a wet brush and thinned oil paint. A coat of loose background paint followed, cutting in to the figures to further refine the shapes. A long drying time. Armed with inspiration images by Robert McGinness to inform the color palette and style, I worked from the inside-out and top-down on the figures. Many layers of thinned paint, resisting the urge to make things realistic, embracing the abstraction of background and merging forms. Ending with the red tie and another layer on the background. And voila! A mod werewolf and his damsel, who are great company in the studio. It's the final week for the October Reader Giveaway! You could win a "Question Exchange" with me - five questions of your choice (some from me, some from you) in whatever format you wish - email, text, voice message, Zoom, whatever! Let's get to know each other a little better. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on any blog post this month. And as always, thanks so much for participating. :)
About the art: beginning with an old acrylic painting, I slathered on some gesso and then carved through it with a rubber wedge to expose parts of the underpainting and to create texture. Then, inspired by a sunset photo and the idea of a city hidden in the distance on the horizon, I began laying in swathes of color with a brush and thinned oil paint. I built the layers on this piece over a number of weeks, seeking dark darks and vibrant color. Butcher paper blotting to create sky texture and the trailing path on the lower left. A tiny brush and RESISTING over-definition for hints of a city. Chopsticks through paint for more texture. There are just two more weeks to enter the October Reader Giveaway! Leave a comment on any blog post this month to be entered. And please do leave your suggestions for future Reader Giveaways - I take each and every one of them to heart. Thank you!
There is a sense of growing cameraderie and collaboration in the world; a rising tide of raised voices and elevated engagement which is building community and connection. From this tide hope hops and dances the jig! So I will unleash my unruly rabbits upon the world and let them insert a bit of "uh oh" in all who ought to be wary. Pretty sure I have a rabbit outfit that will be perfect for the next protest. About the art: beginning with a sheet of watercolor paper gesso'd in white, I sketched a rough outline of the rabbit with a small brush laden with thinned oil paint. As I had several pieces going at once, I next painting the first layer of the background color, cutting into the figure to refine its proportions. Then a nice long drying time. I worked the figure from the details outward - eyes, ears, nose and mouth, then body and feet and the unexplainable platform he sits upon. Another coat of paint on the background and then the ear fluffs - wet into wet to leave them trailing off into the wind. Something new is happening for the Reader Giveaway this month! One lucky commentor will win a "Question Exchange" - five questions each (the winner and me) asked an answered via email, text, phone or Zoom! To enter, simply subscribe, read and comment. The winner will be announced right here in the blog on November 3.
I spent four years in a studio of white walls. Slowly, inxorably ruining the walls with tape, paint, nail holes, bumps and scuffles until the walls pulled my eyes away from the art and chastized me. What are you doing with these white walls, they demanded to know. And I had no answer. What color do you paint walls when you live in a wonderland of color? But knowledge is vast and the internet is astounding and I came across this article which was a lightbulb moment: there are specific colors best suited for studio walls. Who knew? Not me. And now, after the crew has departed, the walls are nodding and high-fiving me and waiting for me to start painting with them as the backdrop. Ok, challenge accepted About the art: this piece began as an intuitive response to color - a dash of leftover red-orange on a piece of Yupo, a need to put teal nearby. And before I knew it there was full immersion and a palette full of paint, a palette knife and time passing without my knowledge. A landscape of sorts, a place to rest from the world, vertical tree-ness and flowing water-ness and a deep sigh of contentment. If only all paintings flowed this way! Thanks to Trina T. for the idea she placed in the "suggestion box" last week! For the month of October, the Reader Giveaway winner will have the opportunity to participate in a Question Exchange - five questions asked and answered between the reader and myself, via email, phone call or Zoom. Trina's idea to foster connection during tumultuous times is a grand one, I think, and I am looking forward to seeing how this experiement resonates with all of you, dear readers. XO
To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on any blog post this month - even if it is another idea for the "suggestion box" for reader giveaways! And thanks to all who read, comment and share this blog. You make me smile!
About the art: Beginning with a gesso'd canvas board and a rough idea of composition, I sketched the basics with a brush laden with thinned oil paint. Slowly building the sections - working back and forth between colors and shapes, not lingering in any one place too long. Coming back into the wet paint with chopsticks, rubber wedge, fingers and an edge of cardboard to rough up the smooth sections and add texture and veiny lines. Stepping away before any section became too precious to me.
Thanks heaps and bunches to everyone who has participated in several years of Reader Giveaways! What a wild ride - over 75 pieces of art given away to lovely humans around the world. I am just beside myself thinking about that! WOWEE!
The inner muse says it is time to do something different in the giveaway space...I am not sure what it is yet, but I am very excited to see what happens! The suggestion box is open! What would YOU like to see replace the monthly Reader Giveaway? Leave a comment below!
These things are exquisite on their own, each a treasure to be gently held and admired, but also reminders of the places we've been to find them, the beauty our eyes have beheld, the sweat and seawater and poison oak and bug bites and scrapes and falls and tangled hair and sunburned shoulders and frozen fingers and toes. Sometimes recalling those times with awe - wait, did we really go there and do that? WHOA! So off we go on another adventure (while we can, while the world allows it, while our bodies are strong) to return with treasures outside and inside, laden yet lightened of world and worry. Blog and blogger will return in October! Just in time for the spooky season....muwahahahahahaha. About the art: taking the idea of grounding a painting against a bit of black (which I have been playing with on the pen and ink drawings) and adding both color and a bit of negative space play, I used a mask to place the form of this piece onto a piece of artboard gessoed in white by using black gesso around it. I then sketched in the details with a pencil to deliniate color blocks and shape changes. Over several weeks, loading the color in layers and layers with small brushes and a bit of precision (similar to pen and ink work). Then layers of mixed darks to deepen the parts deliniated with black gesso, and warmer white for the left side of the background. A wet brush for background swirls and paint drips from the black wing, followed by a final layer of Gamvar to seal the piece and add a little shine. Voila! She's brave and flamboyant all at once. Congratulations to Marta and Dotty! Wonder Mike chose your names as winners of the August Reader Giveaway! Send your mailing address to [email protected] and your prizes will be in the mail pronto!
Thank you to all who subscribe, read, comment and share this blog. Your participation brings this space to life! Hooray!
About the art: another piece inspired by a Bluesky human and her description of her inner warrior woman, which sits there in my creative craw and nags at me to paint more of her fierceness. Beginning with a gessoed canvas I roughed in the figure with thinned oil paint and a long brush. Just loosely, knowing initially only that I wanted two sides grounded (i.e. hair and clothing leaving the composition's edges) and that the figure herself should appear to be off the ground. Next up a very light neutral background, painting in toward the figure to refine the proportions. Then layers and layers of paint in a very limited color palette, resisting the urge to add other colors. Working alternately between small brushes for details and large brushes to soften and partially erase them. Finally using a rubber wedge to drag the wet paint at the lower end of the figure downward and also to drag the hair movement up and out in loose shadows. Walking away before any part of her became too precious. It is the final week to enter the August Reader Giveaway! Leave a comment on one or more blog posts this month to be automatically entered to win a piece of original art - FREE! The winners will be announced right here in the blog on September 1. Woohoo!
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AuthorLola Jovan 
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