Circles & Stripes

11" x 8" oil on paper, collection of Michael Unhjem

Nick, Reading

11 " x 14" watercolor, collection of Karin Holschuh

Cotswald

11" x 14" watercolor, collection of John & Anna Timmerman

Three On A Beach

11" x 14" Watercolor, collection of Nancy Smemo

Studio Chairs

12 " x 9" watercolor

For the rest of this week I will be uploading old paintings, as I am busy trying to get that Gala piece done. Then next week I must try to get something going for the Red River Watercolor Society (RRWS) show. So painting is happening, just not finishing or posting.

Counterpoint

14" x 10.5 " Watercolor

G.I.P. III

10.5" X 14" Watercolor

Yet another do-over. I decided the others were too large, too much in-your-face. This has become an exercise in recognizing what I DON'T want in a painting, and that is because I am unclear about what I DO want. I just tumbled to this idea, when really it is something that should have been already known and in operation. How else do you make decisions? You don't; instead, you stumble around trying this and that and getting frustrated.

So it's back to the drawing board, to do a real monochromatic value study like I should have done in the first place, instead of relying on my doodles and giving in too soon to that anxious feeling that I should quit screwing around and get painting. A good plan, once prepared.

Also, painting and posting is going to be hit or miss this week, as I am filling as a transcription typist for somebody who is on vacation. If I were a faster typist, this wouldn't be eating up so much of my time this week.

G.I.P. II

This is version 2, and in more trouble than the first one. hated the green and the purple, so I wiped them out. Now what? Already it is starting to get tight and boring. But I'm done for the day, and no time tomorrow, so looks like the backup will have to be sacrificed. And that painting I like and don't want to give away. Crap.

Guitar (in progress)

20" x 14" watercolor

Still not there, but it's a start. Things have been learned, and will not be repeated with the next one, which is already drawn up and on the easel for tomorrow-- but on a hot press, slippery surface which should allow the paint to bead up and drip even more (that's right, MORE). But just in case, I'm not throwing this out yet; good to have a backup plan. And it needs to be framed up and delivered by Monday.

Guitar Doodle II

4" x 4" flair and water

Still messing about with what to paint for the Gala donation. This is a "what if" try, as in what if I leave the background light instead of dark? (See Guitar Doodle I) What if I paint along a path of connected and related forms, instead of filling in larger, simpler shapes? Can I still make it simple and uncomplicated, or is that just not gonna happen? What all this obsessive analyzing REALLY does is get me to the point of just saying WTF and jumping in and see what happens.