My Love Hate Relationship with Gesso

Yes I love gesso. It is an awesome base that acrylic paint loves to stick to. I like to tint my gesso and put in on with a foam roller.  At first it rolls out really juicy with great coverage and then I go over it very lightly to flatten off any texture. In that way I get a lovely smooth finish and a even color base for  my painting.  Looks awesome, gives the painting a cohesion of color and holds paint really well.

Yes I hate gesso. It has such a stickiness to it that it is seemingly impossible for me to gesso without it spreading out over every surface. It has a fiendish desire to attach to everything it can.  A blop here, a splat there, a smear and dab just there....and of course because it is valued for its stick-to-it ability....what it gets on it stays on and only comes off with focused scrubbing.  I am not a messy person...REALLY!

So there is my annual gesso rant, as you can tell, today was gesso day. Prepped a bunch of canvases in light blue tinted gesso......all good now.........tools all clean .... just have to get the remaining gesso off work desk,  my hands, right toe and some on upper right cheekbone.....computer mouse and studio door knob......might leave the door knob as it looks kind of cool.

Testing New Canvas - "Watching" - Cougar Painting

Testing canvas was the reason for this painting (any excuse to paint a cat , big or small.) I have a big project coming up and wanted to check out a different canvas than I have used before...15 ounce from a different supplier.  Here is a study of a cougar that I did for the test canvas.

This heavier than usual canvas had a fair bit more texture to it....good for where I want texture but requiring at least a couple of extra brush strokes where a clean edge is needed.  Now you definitely could sand down the texture level on it if needed while doing the gessoing.  But for this test I wanted to see what it would give me without altering it.

 I am pleased with it and will order up some more.

GOABC Artist of the Year 2014

 I have participated in two Artist of the Year competitions already this year.

The first one was due to a friend who purchased my painting "Seek Solitude"  to support his Guide Outfitters Association of BC and made sure that it was also entered into their  GOABC Artist of the Year Competition at their annual convention.

It was awesome to hear that it took the top spot making me the GOABC Artist of the Year 2014.  This is coming full circle for this painting as Mike was also the person who supplied me with the perfect title for this painting. His knowledge of Mt goats is incredible and I appreciate him sharing some of that with me.

My "Down by the River" grizzly painting was one of the top three finalists for BC Wildlife Federation of BC Artist of the Year program for 2015. This grizzly and I had the perfect meeting.......each on our own side of the river we evenly paced down river for a time.  It was a stress free way to enjoy being fairly close to a grizzly.

It is great to have my artwork recognized by these outdoors organizations. Thank you!

A Little Slice of Life Painted into a Little Slice of Art.

From the wet stones of a mountain creek straight up to the blue sky above. The long narrow format of a 12 x 36 canvas has caught my imagination. My last painting of a sun kissed raven was in this size but in a horizontal format but this one is vertical.  With painted gallery wrapped canvas edges it fits in the smallest of spaces .......well literally 12 inches, perhaps between doors, on a small angle of the wall. It is just a little slice of life painted into a little slice of art...love it.

Here it is from start to finish...well at least I think it is finished. Some painting take a while before I am sure. Title could be "Up a Creek" but mmmmmmmm....maybe you have some suggestions. Acrylic on Canvas 12x36 inches

Pine Needles....What Brush to Use???

There is a multitude of paint brushes in my studio. They are arranged in category; rounds together, flats together, varnish brushes together, etc.  But I  have to admit that there are more than a few that have never really been used. They were purchased because they were unique or a friend recommended them or I imagined a use for them that did not work out.

Really most days I grab 3 or 4  sizes of rounds and work most of my work with either a 6 or an 8 round depending which my hand landed on first. Partly this is because I become focused on my work and forget to change but mostly it is because a good round with a great point will hold enough paint and do a wide range of work. From broad strokes to the detail work that I love.

One of my brushes that have not seen allot of use is a long rigger or script liner. It just never gave me the control that I wanted, too long floppy bristles .....but on my current painting I have discovered what to use it for.....pine needles, many many pine needles. It works great! 

Sharing Artistic Process

Thanks to Opus Art Store I recently had an opportunity to teach a lecture demo on painting. It was a pleasure to be asked as Opus is my FAVORITE store; where I have been know to wander happily up and down the rows for hours with my arms full of supplies.

On the day of the demo there was a great group of  30 painters who like myself are interested in creating the appearance of texture in our nature paintings. It was my very first lecture demo and it was both very interesting and kinda of stressful .

I would like to extend a huge thank you first to Opus for the chance to do this and to the group of artists that came out to listen. As my first public speaking art event I know that it was not perfect and already have a list of things to do differently next time but it brings me to  my point.

While my presentation was lacking the polish of a more experienced speaker, we did go over a lot of information and at the end it became a lively question and answer event. This group of artists was happy to inquire as to my thoughts while sharing their own.

That is the point! Artist sharing is the birthplace of awesome creativity for everyone. Each of those artists brought something unique to the room and those that shared opened all of our eyes to a new way of thinking about art.

The new artists asked basic questions about tools or mediums, making not only me but all the more experienced artists in the room re-look at why we do what we do. The more experienced artists asked complex questions about not only technique but thought processes and artistic direction as well.

We are very fortunate to have such a wealth of artists and creative thinkers. Most of you are in that group and hopefully that you take time to share your ideas, creative process and artistic adventure with the people around you.

Rocks and Water Paintings

I love rocks. At any given time my pockets are full of small collections of rocks. The shelf above the drier has a corner full of stones and pebbles that have been retrieved from the laundry.

 I have partially completed the study needed to become a gemologist but in truth the rocks I like best aren't diamonds or pearls but the interesting and wonderful ones I can find. The smooth rocks that are to be found tumbled in the rough river, the lichen covered ones on top of the mountain. I might pick up a special one to remember a place or event. Or simply because it is so very black or such a perfect shape that fits my hand.  I have found that I am not alone in this love for rocks and stones.

 Many people share it.

Here are some of my paintings that feature rocks and stones often with water running over them to highlight their colours.