Odd Ducks . . .. . .. . .....

“Something The Birds Told Me” is a series started over five years ago, that as many of my series do continues as inspiration hits. These “Odd Ducks” have been in the works for awhile and one even was shown in a previous state early in 2020, but alas they are ready for their group unveiling.

Buffle

Head

Something The Birds Told Me - Odd Ducks

Usually these birds are isolated, alone, and appear to be contemplating something more than is apparent in the frame. For most they are stranded on an island of their own with rising water surrounding them- At least that is how I see them.

The Odd Ducks are a little different in that they sit closer to shore. They also, at least in my minds eye, resemble birds in a natural history museum, specimens if you will.

Eider

Something The Birds Told Me - Odd Ducks

My friend Earle makes all of my wood panels for me and with these new ones he includes hardwood frames which at first I was unsure about, but I do LOVE having the piece framed from the start! I may have him make paint grade ones next but the wood works great for these pieces I think. Always a process- Making, finishing, framing, and exhibiting works. . . . ..

Wood Duck

Something The Birds Told Me - Odd Ducks

Little fish with BIG personality . . .. ...

The 8’ Salmons for the Bucksport, Maine mural inspired this quick dimension mural study that I may or may not use for the Monmouth mural next year. I find that when ideas pop into my head I NEED to make them real quickly, usually in one day, as to not get distracted or overthink my first thought. This has been an important growth in my studio practice over the past 10 years or so and has allowed for some great explorations of ideas!

I had already started a watercolor sketch for little fish and quickly constructed his dimensional self in one long studio day. .. . .. cut, prime, construct, and base coat. This allowed me to get right at painting the next morning and boy was it fun to make that watercolor sketch come to life!

Later that week I finessed the colors in the tail(s) and continue to fine tune the waves. This is where I try to NOT overwork as one could paint and change the color forever . .. . .. …. Know when to say STOP and enjoy the fruits of your labor- One can always make another to try another play on colors.

Cut it OUT already . . .. . ............

So just as in the last post about the Evocations Series I continue to CUT out the excess leaving only the necessary- This time for some public mural projects. I am fascinated by this process and how to use it as a language of its own as I look to escape the square canvas.

Becoming more of a visual storyteller and being able to alter or change the story as I build the piece is important and bring some back to my printmaking and sculpture training where process leads in the dance of creating. This piece has been uplifting and reteaching me processes of old- To “draw” and make visible with saw and brush.

Mostly I strive to have FUN and hope it shows in the new work no matter how serious the subject or story may be. ESPECIALLY in 2020 and looking towards 202(FUN) !

The Shape of Water and Land. . . . .....

So not much has really changed since the early Pandemic days this year. Still looking at the landscape but focusing on Play now and physically carving the landscape into the work. . . . . …. This has allowed me to force the gaze onto only what I want you to experience, to see, to feel- Form and color are my language.

Color is always rooted in reality for me, but is still an abstract and personal thing- memory- experience. One must exaggerate to be heard or risk being stepped over and I am shouting not in brute scale, but with pinpoint accuracy of thought / idea. At least I tell myself that.

Just recently I have heavily considered presentation other than “stuck” to a wall. I imagine these as floating on a screen, hovering mid air and forcing themselves on a viewer or huddling together to protect themselves.

EVOCATIONS - Hunter’s Brook I

EVOCATIONS “huddling” for safety

M

Covid-19 SUMMER

The events of 2020 stopped us all in our tracks, but the silver lining of such events was for me to regroup and retool for the new world ahead of us all. I have always used watercolors for mural presentations and “sketches” but never took the time to explore this incredble medium. Daily excersices (meditations) have given me necessary moments of internal peace and also allows me to Play! A luxery for a mid career working Artist. For now this is just an image gallery of these explorations with the goal of an online gallery-store fully functioning by mid July. Enjoy-

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

How I work. . . . .. .

In describing how I make Art the other day I realized that I did not remember when it was I gave myself permission to create the way I do, but at some point I did let my printmaking past (lithography) seep into my paintings. I work flat much of the time laying out washes and dispersing pigments. Work constantly goes from table to wall and back again until it “works” - Whatever that means ;-) It is all good.

To Frame or Not to Frame. . .. . ...... Hmmmmmmm

This piece has been underway for quite some time now and think sometimes I have the end vision “too much” in mind and that causes a stall for whatever reason- I really do not know. I have spent a lifetime teaching myself to allow for the unexpected and to set myself to find the unexpected in each work. After many decades I find I am still surprised if I let myself be. . . …

This cormorant piece started on a 18” x 36” wood panel as I have been trying to break from the square format for whatever reason- Not that I did not enjoy the direction of the piece, the composition, nor the mark making but a gut feeling kept me pushing this work to the back of the studio as I started countless new one. Then by chance a new paintings, through a series of “small studio/stacked pantings” situations, made the Cormorant piece whole and yes, a square again ;-) A bit more work and the screwing of the panels together then also brought me the dreaded question: To Frame or Not to Frame. . .. . .. . .

And Frame it was.

ArtMaine 2020 Juried Selection!!!!

Thrilled to be juried in for the second straight time to ArtMaine 2020 - Most collectable Artists in MAINE! Yes, even we Artists like our 15 minutes or so. . . . . … Well, I suppose everyone likes a little attention for doing what they LOVE and I LOVE what I do.

ArtMaine 2020

I Look forward to an exciting and prosperus 2020 gallery season and hope to hear from any and all of you! Please come visit the studio if you wish- Contact ahead to set up an apppointment as I am often on the road.

All hail the King. . . .. .

King Eider that is!

As I continue this series, “What the Birtds Told Me”, I am more and more becoming fascinated with the landscape,or lack of, that the solitary birds inhabit. I paint every morning starting at 3am and my winter studio is upstairs in the house where I use the kitchen sink to wash brushes and prepare coffee and tea. The window over the sink faces East and during the winter I can see the water from this perch high above Stockton Springs. the quality of light and the ever changing hues are insanely beautiful . . .. …… Our world is a beautiful one and even as we watch mankinds destruction of it, we should take time to look and listen to it, listen to what the birds are telling us- What they are warning us of.

Studio Friday and shaped panels. . . . ......

Playing with a new shaped panel this week to break out of the box as they say while revisiting a night heron sketch from this last summer’s Bangor mural on a 18”x18” panel. I was unsure about the 18” panel size, BUT I am loving it! More from “what the birds told me” series continue to take a look at the beauty of our natural world with climates changing and seas rising.- Nature speaks to us and we listen or we do not.

Happy Friday!