Working spring 2012



working outside

Inside trying to form an image



paint peels

panels ready to go



first version over adhered photo and pattern paper

second version with paint and changes

Six years ago I traded a painting with a contractor friend.  The trade was a painting of mine(of his choice) for a beautiful porch over the back of my studio.  I didn't realize it at the time, but this outdoor studio has allowed me to go absolutely wild with my paint:  dripping, pouring, throwing, smooshing, whatever enters my four year old brain that has to do with putting paint on a surface.  No matter how free I thought I was when I painted inside, it's nothing compared to what I do now, and because of this freedom, I paint almost exclusively outside.  When I've finished painting, I move inside, where I take my photographs and any other material I have at hand (paint peels for example)and start to try and form an image.  I follow the leads of the painted panels and the story of the photographs, whatever that may be, trying hard to listen for the subtle suggestions percolating up from my unconscious. 

In the bottom two images, I started with a large panel which had a photo on it of a good friend and his daughter which I had prepared over six years ago. It had lain idle all those years, waiting to be called out.  Two months ago, I covered the photograph with pattern paper and started this image of the horse on top of the panel.  I liked the horse, but the panel wasn't really working with the image.  I removed the horse (only temporarily adhered at this point) and repainted the panel.  This time, when I dropped the horse and birds back on it looked right.  I made some minor changes, knowing I would come back in and tweak it before I glued it down.  It's now sitting on a shelf, waiting to be glued, with some slight additions made before it's ready for a final varnish coat.