Endings, Beginnings

Some pretty big projects have come to an end. Others are starting, including this lovely loan that rolled into my house yesterday. Thanks, Cuz!

Who Needs Enemies?

Here are some comments I’ve gotten from well-meaning (and successful) artist friends lately:
1. “You’re a better painter than I am,” said one person. Which, while complimentary and possibly true, doesn’t really compute, because painting “skill” is so undervalued as to be practically meaningless. We live in a town where the “cool”/conceptual sits on the Art throne.
2. “Kloe, you’re not a painter. You’re a performer.” Again true, but I’m also a maker of things. Like to use my hands and eyes, love to paint. So this was disheartening, that maybe my better work is the ephemeral (read: non-saleable).
3. “You need to change your paintings to appeal to the more intellectual crowd. You’re drawing the wrong audience…” See comment #1, one horse town.
4. “I wish I’d thought of that,” said while viewing a recent local exhibition. Is that the right reaction to have? Is envy going to kill us artists?

Beautiful Rainy Weekend

I’m still getting used to my new schedule, which is crazy: five different courses at four locations. I have to look at my calendar each day to remember where I’m supposed to be.
For the first time in a while I have Saturdays off, so I can work in my “studio.” I continued on with my plaster experiments, drawing and sanding.
I also went skating in the rain, which was lovely, and walked in our big park. Everything is turning green.
The only sad thing is how many businesses are vacant, in both ritzy and poorer neighborhoods. The tourists are almost non-existent. What are people doing? Staying home and watching tv? Twittering and Facebooking? Self medicating? Where is everyone?

Trespassing

In my “youth” I drove out to the desert to paint often. Here’s a little plein aire watercolor from that time. I snuck on someone’s property and was too scared to explore the abandoned shack. The painting hung in my grandparent’s house for years. It also faded pretty badly.
So I took it out of the frame and doctored it up with gouache. I’m going give it to a relative I know will appreciate it.
It feels a bit dishonest to paint on an old painting. I never do this type of work now. But as it was I’d have thrown it away.

Works in Progress

I’m still in my downstairs cavern, painting amidst construction dust and noise. My studio may not be ready until March, frustrating but bearable.
I’m going to write an occasional series of posts showing works in progress. Here’s the first.
I thought this Nike painting was done, but, after hanging it with the others in the Greek series, it made me feel uncomfortable. It was unfinished and bottom heavy. Classical sculpture is nothing if not balanced. So today I added a head (of a model friend). I may soften it. But I like the way her down-turned face contrasts with the victorious stance. And that she’s a woman without arms, pretty symbolic.
What do you think?