red pepper flakes, grated cheese

red pepper flakes, 4×6in, acrylic

the pizza slice and pizza cutter studies from last month got me thinking about completing ‘the set’ -

grated cheese, 4×6in, acrylic

italian

half an italian study, 4×6

no big statement here – just the other half of an italian sandwich i had for lunch. (thanks, steven!)

this was sorta a dry run for some larger works i’m planning – the goal: capture the different meats, cheeses and other perishables and still be able to eat the leftover for lunch. (mission accomplished)

summertime rolls.

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.” -English banker and naturalist John Lubbock

i set up my portable easel in the backyard this afternoon thinking i’d get a chance to paint the late afternoon colors but wound up with this study of andy, my ol labrador mix.

i’ve drawn him before, but he’s finally slowing down enough (ie sits still) for me to attempt a limited color sketch as he watched the clouds go by.

stopped before it got bogged down – even left the unpainted spots in the bottom corners where the clips held the panel on. it’s got some rough edges – and he looks a little funny because he’s been shaved down for summer – but it was hardly a waste of time.

Fell into/A sea of grass /And disappeared among/The shady blades…

bread & the power of art

bread III, 4×6in, acrylic

3rd attempt- and i don’t think i’m done with the bread yet.

the works are feeling – well, as a friend put it after looking at the series, “everything has such a lived in look.”

looking to Rembrandt, Caravaggio, & Velazquez, i wonder what the bread look like with a little more room to breathe – a little more darkness to emerge from. we’ll see.

speaking of heroes – there’s a new series on PBS, the Power of Art. each episode features an artist – and a specific work. joining Rembrandt and Caravaggio: Van Gogh, Picasso, Bernini, Rothko, Turner, and David.

series creator Simon Schama sez, “the power of the greatest art is the power to shake us into revelation and rip us from our default mode of seeing.”

not sure i’d apply that to David but the show looks to be fantastic – lines and colors has more info, and a review, here.

eggplant

eggplant II, 4×6in, acrylic

my first stab at an eggplant, one of the earliest studies, is still one of my favorites. the paint seemed to slip around on its own, and the result opened my eyes to the possibilities (and benefits) of a series.

this time, i wasnt as concerned about the negative space or breathing room in the composition – i just wanted to see if i could get the inky richness of the eggplant to feel luminous (almost emerging from the darkness) against the brighter cutting board.

bread

bread II, 8×8in, acrylic

my second attempt at bread.

the first one - and maybe all of these works – was an homage of sorts to this painting of a brick (it’s an awful reproduction) by norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum.

If you’re unfamiliar with his work, critic paul cantor says, “…imagine the result if Rembrandt had painted the sets of The Road Warrior.”

classical realism is making a comeback, and i’d argue he’s a prime reason. 10 or so years ago, when i first stumbled upon a book of his figurative work, it was a revelation to see a contemporary artist so obviously inspired by the 17th century masters.

when asked, “what is lacking in contemporary art?,” nerdrum listed four things: The open, trustful face; The sensual skin; Golden sunsets; and The longing for eternity.

if you’re really interested, someone was kind enough to share odd nerdrum workshop notes here.

hot sauce, revisited

tabsaco II, 4×6in, acrylic -sold-

Our prints raised over $700 to help end childhood hunger at last night’s Share Our Strength event at Gracie’s. fantastic food and a great chance to connect with some great people. many thanks again to everyone involved – esp. the Dryden galleries (more again on them soon) and iolabs for making the artwork look fantastic.

–

risd/works show is wrapping up next week. when i started the studies last summer, i was just hoping to get my chops back – never expecting the work to be received so well – or that the project would continue to grow in surprising ways. (This bottle of hot sauce was one of the first attempts.)

the hot sauce study above is now down at the charlestown gallery, along with a selection of other works, for the summer. gonna be representin’ in providence, too – stay tuned.

Charlestown Gallery
2183 Matunuck Schoolhouse Rd
Charlestown, RI
02813-2426
Phone: (401) 364-0120

pursuit of mustard

mustard II, 4×6in, acrylic

**If you’re in providence tonight, we’re a part of Share Our Strength’s A Tasteful Pursuit dinner series – we’ve donated these 3 images to help raise money to end childhood hunger. Click here for the lowdown.

next:

the mustard jar study above was equal parts availabilty (never thought i had a mustard fetish, but we seem to have 5 or 6 diff. kinds in the pantry) and curiosity – i wanted to see how i’d progressed since i painted this study last fall.

i resisted temptation to look the earlier one up and left it to my eye to rediscover. on the technical side, i’m using bigger brushes & less medium. combined with the 130ish other studies i’ve made, the result seems to be that i’m simplifying colors, getting a better feeling of air in the picture, and have a softer hand. more ‘revisits’ to come-

**2 more PSAs: Lydia Walshin’s the Perfect Pantry blog is terrific resource for cooks of any level and is currently being feted as typepad’s blog-o-the-week. you’ll wonder why you hadn’t stopped by sooner.

finally:

it’s late, and i’m loopy enough to offer this mustard-tangent PSA: if you’re ever in napa valley, mustard’s grill is wonderful. crispy calamari with curried slaw to die for.