Happy Harvest Moon

The past few days have yielded much fruit for me - spiritually, emotionally, and in the richness of the love of my friends. I feel a shift in my expression, the hard lines of precision and the need to conform to realism are fading, and my art is beginning to take a new direction. Going back to the title of this blog, I have been reminded that art is not imitation, it is expression. At my best, a realistic copy of something is just that, a copy, and it will be imperfect at best. My friend Bill encouraged me to "loosen up," and use paint - cover my canvas, don't paint so "thin."
And my friend, Johny encouraged me by saying, "When most artists think about this (still life), they think of the word 'still." And the real artists think about 'life'." I had an inspiration last night to paint from a sketch I did in the late afternoon, right before sunset. I sat in the grass and sketched a pumpkin in the early evening light. I took the image in my head and finished it last night in the studio. I don't do a lot of still life paintings, but I see things all the time I think would make a cool painting. I see this as a harvest of what I have been tending all year. And the Harvest Moon last few days has been an awesome sight.

"Harvest Moon Calabasa" Oil on canvas, 6" x 9"

"Paint-Out" in Boerne Friday

I'll be taking part in one of the events this weekend for the Boerne Professional Artists 10th Annual Texas Hill Country Invitational "Paint Out" on Friday. There will be artists along Main Street and the Creek, and on different locations in Boerne from 9-1 pm. The objective will be to complete a painting from a blank canvas during that time allotment, and have it framed and ready for auction that evening. Paintings will go on display after 2:00 p.m.

You'll be able to tell the participants by their easels, paints, brushes, and a bright balloon tied to their easel. Come out and watch the Plein-Aire artists working. I'll be on the deck of Texas Treasures Fine Art. (link is in the sidebar). Come have a cup of coffee with me, enjoy the morning and watch me and other artists paint. Bring me a taco. Bring me wine. Bring me bourbon....but come on out.

I'll post some pictures later.

Influence

In order to influence people we must first influence ourselves.

That's a quote I heard today that had an impact on me. To create, to express, to paint, is to influence. Art is influence in its pure expression.

These are a couple of things I worked on today.

Oaks in the hills. Pencil on Bristol, 3.5" x 5"

Oak on a hill, 8" x 10" Oil on Canvas

More trees

It's getting closer to the 19th, and I will be participating in a "Paint Out" for the Hill Country Council for the Arts. There will be a number of artists throughout Boerne painting different scenes during the morning, from start to finish, and in the evening they will auction off the paintings. The artists agree to give 10% of their proceeds to the HCCA, and get to keep the rest.

It's a challenge, so I'll be practicing all week, although I think I already know what I will paint.

I spent some time around a lot of artists this weekend. I also got a chance do display some of my paintings at the 2nd Saturday Wine and Art at Texas Treasures Fine Art. I sold a small painting (the tiny one on top) to Aaron, one of the art consultants for the gallery. Thanks, Aaron.

This was my display

 I got to spend some one-on-one time with Bill Zaner at his studio today. Bill has been an artist all his life - all he has ever done professionally is paint since the age of 16. Watching him paint, listening to his understanding and point of view, and picking his brain has done more to help me grow as an artist than anything else I have ever done. I am so glad to know him and have him as a friend.

SO this afternoon, I took a few minute to create this little guy. I bought some frames at a garage sale that I reconditioned and painted, but I had to cut some board to fit. I'll be creating more of these this week, and will post them as I can.

I'm looking forward to painting under pressure on Friday. It will be a good experience. Here's what I completed today. It took me about 45 minutes, start to finish.

Oaks, 5" x 7". Oil on canvas board.

Random thoughts from the weekend

• Weekends are too short - the hardest part is the 5 days that follow.
• After a hard week, and a very stressful Friday, it's always good to get a 6-pack, and drink it with my buds on the deck of Texas Treasures Fine Art. Except when they close early because they are going to an art event in Fredericksburg.
• Octoberfest beer tastes better when you have buddies to drink it with. Saturday was good.
• When the stress builds up, take your dog to the park and paint.
• The dog on a paint outing is a distraction when your dog wants to eat little kids.
• Painting still reduces stress, especially outdoors.
• Talking about real things with a couple of other artists is therapeutic.
• For a long time, I was very opinionated, even when my opinions weren't thought out or made no sense. The rest of the world calls it "being a dick."
• It's OK to be a dick. It's not OK when you're the only one who doesn't know it yet.
• I like most people. Now.
• When I mess up a painting, I can always start another one.
• When ordering the fried chicken with a baked potato and brocolli at PoPo's, it's really not necessary to eat the brocolli. But it looks good on the plate, and assuages any guilt.
• It's good with a glass of Cab.
• Menudo, tamales, pan dulce, and family on Sunday are a really good mix.
• Babies are really cool.
• I hate the term, "Have a nice day." It sounds like a command or a brush-off. Even worse is, "Have a good one." Um, a good what?
• I would prefer people think about what they say - maybe say, "I hope you have a great day" instead.
• Monday comes too soon. Friday is so far away.
• One day at a time. Really.



Painting St. Peter's Catholic Church across the street in Veterans Plaza, Boerne, TX



Recharging

I could do this all day...I just finished both of these - I had to rework the roots on the cypress, and finish the sky on the other, but they are now finished - I promise....I won't touch them again...well, maybe....

Time to start some new works. Spending my Saturday for 5 hours painting takes away all the stress of the 45 hours or so I spend at work during the week. My desire is to one day be able to do this full time. I can think of nothing I would want to do more...

Summer's Refuge, Oil on Canvas, 16" x 20"

"Quiet Day's End" - Oil on Canvas, 14" x 18" This is a view of the hill country looking south from the Old Number 9 Tunnel, Comfort, TX at sunset

Refuge

There is a peace that comes with painting. When I am feeling stressed, insecure, or when the world is coming against me, I seek refuge in the peace of a brush in my hand, and placing paint on a canvas. There are places I go where I can get away from the cares of the day, from the hectic pace of life.

I started this painting on the Cibolo Creek, at the Cibolo Nature Center just a couple of miles from Interstate 10, yet away from all of the noise and clamor of the city nearby. It's one of my favorite places in the world, and it's only minutes from my house. The picture of me painting  in one of the posts below is the beginning of this painting. It was finished in the quiet of my studio at home.

I was feeling especially insecure today for a number of reasons. I was to the point of being angry and frustrated at a situation I have no control of. All I could think of was my problem, and all of a sudden I said, "I need to paint." And I did. For an hour and a half I worked to complete this. (It's still not signed, but I'll do that when it dries.) I lost the entire hour and a half - completely engrossed in the music and the flow of paint being applied by my hand on the canvas. I thought about nothing - not my problems, not my stomach, or anything else - all I could think about was how the color was going to go on, where it was going to go, and what I would look like. Color... space... shape....

Perfect peace. I left my thoughts and frustrations for a while, and did what I knew would take me into another space, a perfect place - my perfect refuge. I am glad to share this with you. I hope you enjoy my expression of peace.

Summer's Refuge, Oil on canvas, 16" x 20" from the banks of the Cibolo Creek, Boerne TX September 2012

My first show

Cibolo Creek Cypress, Oil on Canvas Board, 11" x 14", This is the painting I have in the show

THE   BOERNE  ART  LEAGUE  FALL  SHOW
                               2012

You are invited to a reception presenting the BAL Fall Show at the Boerne Visitor’s Center 1407 South Main on Saturday, September 22 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm  
 The show includes works by  members in pastels, oils, acrylic and photography.
 The dates and times are September 17 through October 17 Monday- Friday 9-5 & Saturday 10-2.

Art is Art

Sometimes when I show something I have drawn or painted,  people tell me, "I can't draw a straight line with a ruler."

That's art, I always think. That's art.

A straight line is just a straight line. We all have art in us, and it doesn't always start with straight lines or realistic renderings. Art is art. It comes from within, and it's different for every person. Art is pure expression, and it's not right or wrong.

Yes, art can be very technical or very free. Art can be pleasing as well as shocking. It is expression, feeling, and passion. It's just art.

I like landscapes, dogs, and impressionism. I practice that in my painting. Sometimes I get frustrated at how something comes out, but always, always, I am totally at ease when I have a brush and paint in my hands. I love to express, and I love doing it with passion. I escape completely, and I am at rest. It's what I was born to do.

I haven't always liked my art. But now I do....I realize whatever comes out of me is what the Creator placed in me, and part of my self  - my essence - gets recorded and imprinted on a canvas or paper. And it's real - it's my art.

So I won't be drawing straight lines with a ruler. That's tracing.

I like art.

Painting out at Cibolo Nature Center

Old # 9 Tunnel

There is an old railroad tunnel between Comfort and Fredericksburg, in the beautiful hills of Texas. It is home to 3.5 million Mexican Freetail bats, and every day before sunset, they emerge in clouds of swirling black mass, to go feed for the night. The sight is both calm and chaotic, and one can witness the sound and wind the emergence creates. It's truly an awesome sight. After they are all out, there is an eerie peace over the hills as the sun sets, and night starts to fall. It is at that moment that I tried to capture the calm and the beauty of the hills. From the top of the hill, one can see for miles, and capture the beauty and stillness of the essence of Texas - the very reason we chose to move here. There is peace, there is time for reflection, and there is a space to get lost in all that the creator, the great Spirit of our land and being, has sculpted and colored for us to enjoy.

Bats' view of the hills. Watercolor on Vellum, 3" x 5"