#96 & #97 "Women of the Maasai Mara"

"Women of the Maasai Mara" 12x24

This is the second and the largest so far of the, "Women of the Maasai Mara." paintings. This 12x24 oil on canvas depicts a group of eleven Maasai women from a photograph taken while on the Women Like Us Foundation trip last June of 2014. I'm not sure which of the women on the trip actually took the photo but when  I find out I would like to add her name to this post. It was that photo that certainly got my attention as I looked at it over and over, visualizing exactly how I wanted this subject to be portrayed. My goal was  to "pop" the colorful dress against a dark background to display not only that color but also the design. 

I think there is a second trip back to Kenya being planned and who knows, maybe I can go along!

If you would like a brief glimpse into the Women Like Us Foundation's trip to Kenya,  

                                                 

                                                                     Click here -->  http://youtu.be/a8oQgfNzdXE

"Women of the Maasai Mara" 5x7

9/14 Every since my wife Linda returned from her humanitarian mission to Kenya with the Women Like Us Foundation, I've been fascinated by the very colorful dress of the women in many of their photos. I've decided to experiment a bit and see if I can capture some of that vividness. I really hope to do more of these women and do them in various sizes. This 5x7 was my first attempt.  The boat in the foreground was built and given to Linda by some of the students in one of the schools they in which supplies delivered. I thought it added to the overall ambience of the small painting.

#95 " On the Turnagain Arm" 8x10 oil on linen panel

"On the Turnagain Arm"

My sister Deb Carlson and her husband Jim live in Alaska. I've visited many times. Each time I'm blown away by the beauty. No other place I've ever been compares. Deb and Jim have 5 acres in the woods outside of Cooper Landing, which is about 100 miles south of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula. They have a great log home they built in the 80s along with several other buildings that serve different purposes. My favorite is the green house which sits in the garden. Jim and Deb prepare salads from the garden while salmon sizzles on the griddle. Complete with fine wine... It just doesn't get better!!!

This particular painting, "On the Turnagain Arm" is a spot between Hope and Sunrise, Alaska. They are situated on the Kenai side of the Turneagain Arm. They were both boom towns during the gold rush. Now, only Hope, a town of 180 survives. It was a cool, cloudy day with occasional light rain. The Turnagain Arm was so filled with atmosphere. We stopped and I caught this particular view looking up the Turnagain Arm. The next day I set up my paints. As I was painting, I noticed a large painting leaning against the wall. I walked over and saw that it was painted by my Grandma Clara (Neupert) Schuyler in 1914! exactly 100 years ago when she was studying art and music at Valparaiso, University. Got a big smile on my face...

I am extremely happy with this painting on many levels! 

Here's a brief video of some of the highlights of my recent trip to visit my sister Deb and her husband Jim in Cooper Landing Alaska, June 2014

Fresh Sockeye Salmon on the griddle!

Sockeye Salmon at Russian River Falls

Grandma Schuyler's painting from 1914

Sister Deb slaps on the paint in the green house!

The greenhouse and raised bed gardens.

Grandma Schuyler's Bell at the entrance to the garden.

Painting at Thumb Cove

#93 and #94 "Three Pieces of Fruit" cont. 5x7 oil on linen panel

#93 "Three Pieces of Fruit" 5x7 oil

#94 "Three Pieces of Fruit" 5x7 oil

This is a continuation of my, 

"Three Pieces of Fruit"

 project. 

The quest continues...

#90, #91 and #92 A study using, "Three Pieces of Fruit"

#1 5x7 on oil linen panel

Well I'm getting real tired of looking at fruit and the right brain, left brain battle continues! The transition from painter to artist remains illusive but it's attainable and I get an occasional glimpse...

#2 5x7 on oil linen panel

That said, this is an experiment for me. I've decided to do a series of small paintings that consists of three pieces of fruit. The idea here is to  mess with value, chroma, design, paint manipulation and the play between light and shadow to see how they all influence each other. It's VERY challenging but fun. These are the first four in the series of still life paintings that I've done attempting to address the above. I'm going to change the palette for the next series of three pieces of fruit.

#3 8x10 oil on linen panel

My post after painting #1 in April of 2014

After a couple of days on the sidelines at an amazing art workshop in New Harmony, Indiana earlier this month, I've been motivated to "experiment." I get caught up in the same old trap time after time, allowing my left brain to dictate when I KNOW it's my right brain I need to pay more attention to. It's a constant battle! With this little 5x7, I attempted a couple of things. One of my goals was to demonstrate 3 different values with various degrees of chroma. To this, I partially succeeded. Another goal was to breakaway from too many edges and allow the edges that I do allow to have meaning. Again, I partially succeeded. Finally, how to use chroma effectively. As with the values, degrees of the use of chroma is very important. If all of your subjects have the same value and same degree of chroma, then there is nothing to draw attention to the part of the painting that you're trying to draw attention to. This painting was a real attempt at doing all of the above. It's a first step! So much room for improvement!

One thing "relearned" was always solve all of your problems before that first brush stroke. I thought this little painting out, prepared and then painted. Now, with that said, that doesn't always mean you're going to get a Monet! What it does mean is that IF you do it over and over, your chances of a successful painting increase tremendously. I want to thank my good friend CW Mundy for allowing me to observe a couple of days at the workshop. It was very, very rewarding. I hope that next year I can attend full time!

* Side note... I was so excited over the "relative" success of this little painting that I couldn't wait to get back to the studio. The following day I did just that. The results..... I scraped it! Why? Because I really didn't take the time to solve all of the problems. I got sloppy. It was a total mess...

#89 "Palos Verdes Bluffs" 5x7 oil on linen panel

Palos Verdes Bluffs

Quick little 5x7 study from a photo I took a couple of days ago while on my walk.  

#88 "Cheers" 11x14 oil on linen panel

Patrick James Cahill

"Where Everybody Knows Your Name, and They're Always Glad You Came"

This is my Grandpa Patrick James Cahill. He was my dad's father. He died when I was pretty young but I have a couple memories of him. One  day when I was probably 11 or 12, he stopped by the house to see us. I was a hot shot little league pitcher and Grandpa Pat being a huge baseball fan, wanted to play catch with me in the backyard. He said show me what you've got! To me he was my grandpa but he was still an old man, probably in his 50's or early 60s at the time. I was a little concerned that he wasn't up to the task. He assured me that he was so I leaned back and fired one at him. Much to my surprise, he caught it just fine!!! Mostly I know that he was a drummer during the vaudeville years. He played  drums in the pit at the Terrace Theatre (101-05 E North Street) in Danville, Illinois. Built in 1907, this was Danville's largest theatre for nearly 20 years. In fact, it was too large to be profitable; it was torn down in the early '30s to make way for a supermarket. The site is now a parking lot. Whenever the big acts would come through Danville on their way to and from Chicago, that's where you would find Pat and my dad whenever he could sneak in to watch. Grandpa Pat was known to have a drink or two. Perhaps that was the Irish in him. In his later years, sometime during the1940s  he was a bartender at the grand ol" Claypool Hotel at the corner of Washington Street and Illinois Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. This painting is from a photo of my Grandpa Pat tending bar at the Claypool. (101-05 E North Street)

Claypool Hotel

Contract signed in 1934 by Grandpa Pat to play double drums with the Barnett Brothers Circus...

#87 "Turn, Turn, Turn" 9x12 oil on linen panel

Pete Seeger, (May 3, 1919 - January 27, 2014) had a profound influence on my generation.  During the 60s, it was his music that many of of listened to. We played and sang his songs and were inspired by his wisdom and conviction. He was a "giver" and for that I am thankful. The world lost a great man, but his songs  will always be with us.

"Cheers"  

I went to the studio yesterday, turned on Pete Seeger songs and painted this. What a great day... listening to his music and painting his image. A very good day indeed....

#86 "Greg at the Roxy" 8x10 oil on linen panel

Not sure what to think about this. First of all.... I loved painting it. For me, this was about light, shadow and color. Not sure exactly how all that works from a technical aspect but this is what I painted. I'm finally trying to paint what I see and feel instead of approaching everything from a technical/science aspect. Sometimes I lose me in that process of painting how and what I'm supposed to paint. I guess at 67 I'm going through my terrible twos! Having never been formally trained as an artist, much of what I do is by the seat of my pants with the addition of support and critiques from a couple close friends and fellow artists. So here's the risk. Paint by feel or proven technique? I'm sticking my neck out here and going by instinct. I can then evaluate what I've done by the science of painting that I've been trying learn. Have I mastered that science? By no means BUT I've certainly gotten better. So it's time to throw in a few "experiments" for better or worse. I'm hoping that throwing caution to the wind and combining feel, and inspiration with the technical/science, my personal style can evolve. I think when, as an artist you can combine all of those elements... Bingo!! Not there yet but I can see it coming! I'm determined to get there.

Since I was at the performance that night, this is especially significant. Greg is currently playing with a band called Illumination Road. They are an excellent rock band and we all hope they have a bright future! Here's a sample of their music and a video of photos from that night!

#85 " Sail Away" 9x12 oil on linen panel

"Sail Away"

Just wondering where these people came from and where they were going? One of the things that fascinates me about living on the coast are boats. We have such a variety that pass by. Nothing is more intriguing to me than the large sailboats. I always wonder, just who are these people?

I was particularly struck by the light passing thru the sails on this  two masted sailboat. Were they headed down the coast to Mexico, Central or South America? Maybe just to  Catalina for the weekend or perhaps a journey around the world....