Sketching

Spectacular Sky

Have you been outside after 10pm tonight? It's simply spectacular out there! The clouds are moving incredibly fast, zooming across the midnight blue sky, revealing minute sparkles of stars in a wink and then they're gone. Amazing. Everyone needs to go out. Just go. I love it.

The half moon has that glow around it, creating a hole in the space with more depth than the surface of the whole. Sigh.

Work in progress

Player Possibilities

Tuesday Ponderings

Why do we paint? Is it to capture images that surround us, whether within or without ourselves? Or is it simply a method of communication, another venue to express ourselves when words fail? Does there really need to be a purpose.

There must be though, a reasoning of sorts, whether or not it is describable in terms relative to a common understanding because I need to paint. I feel a bit lost as I sit and wonder at where to go with my canvases. Do I keep the lines, or let them go. Are the lines there for me, or as part of something relayed to others.

New Studio

Still working out the quirks of having a new studio surroundings. The carpet is quite undesirable. At least Georgie likes it, so there is that. I've just been working in graphite and ink at the moment, foresaking paint for the coming week. The easel's still not agreeable. Managed to strain my back badly again, so between the two of us we're a pair. Poor George can barely move as well, and is in fact far worse off, so I won't be seen complaining. Sigh.

Still Adjusting

Noted its been over a month and haven't posted anything. So I've moved locations now, and am still adjusting. Probably take months to unpack and find everything. Miss my old home terribly. Found several new willow trees behind the other building, so it's a little better. Will post some little sketchings this weekend. Nothing too dramatic though, as have been wrapped up in mundane life-related-to-moving things all month. Really depressing stuff, with the exception of getting to see and spend time with my family and friends. That part was great.

Quick pic of my Painting at the ARTA Gallery, Distillery District Toronto

Painting Weekend

Celebrated Anne's birthday on Saturday (yay!) which was great. Spent today painting the walls in the new apartment with Anne's help. Must say, its hard work; those rollers are nasty. Some idiot (that would be me) decided to paint simple things, like different colours up against one another ... much harder when on walls. And while whole concept of taping off sections one has decided to paint is understandly necessary (now), it sure takes a whole lot of time.

Ok, I'm exhausted. My hand hurts. Next time I'm bringing smirnoff and snacks ... since we never did get the bedroom walls done, that would be next weekend.

Todays Moment of Despair

I've run out of Oreos.

First layer sketch for new chessboard

Leaking Ceiling

So the apartment two floors above me has burst some sort of pipe in the radiator, and consequently both my bedroom and my bathroom ceilings are leaking all over the apartment. Like a running tap, I might add. It's been a long night, highlighted with the constant sound of dripping water. The buckets are all lined up in little rows in a vain attempt to contain the flow. Fun, fun, fun.

I managed to save the paintings in the bedroom from the actual water. Dampness, however, is rampant in my home today.

Was working on several little things this week, including the backside of my chess blocks. Decided to keep them simple with clean linework, as opposed to the oil detail on the primary side. Now that I have a few days I have more time to work on them and a few other things. Georgie isn't feeling well again so we have been up since 3:10am; don't know what he's gotten into this time. Sigh.

Second Side of Blocks

Week End

Was a really busy week, but I did get the chance to see the Canadian Tenors in an exclusive concert on Wednesday evening. Very exciting! These boys are great. Highly recommended. They even handed out their cds to everyone at the concert and then signed them all later. This is quite classy, and the guys themselves are not only personable but great interacting with their audiences. Just thought I'd pass this along.

Clowning Around Chess Set

Finished my happy little set of chess pieces. They're going to have their own board, which is started on the ease, but for now I figured they'd look best on a quiet board. Would let them shine brighter. While working on these pieces, I couldn't help thinking about the 'Surreal Things' Exhibit I'd just seen, and how the surrealists were influenced by the cirus and theatre. Last year I treated myself to the Cirque du Soliel, and must admit the fantasy is fantastic. I loved it. If I could ever afford it again, I would absolutely go again and again. Of course, problem is I want best seats in the house. Anyway, I can understand the world and the dream. No problem working towards this either.

"Hell Holes" Stone Sentry, Left View, 12x16", Oil on Linen

Spent a wonderful day in the studio with George, just painting. Finished but not finished, you know how it is. I need it to dry for a bit before playing with the sunbeams some more, but the idea is there. Some practical limitations of the media must be knelt too sometimes.

Life or Something Like It

So I'm still not quite finished my little side view of pillar rock, but have an eye to complete tomorrow. Might not get some of the glazing (for lack of a better explanation) to where I want it to be though. Have kept it to a limited palette.

Took a break for a bit and created a new little rook for the latest set. Was doing some reading on the classic game, and the rook was based on the homes for the other player, or safe places of rest. So in keeping with tradition, this little rook is a mock igloo, very classic Canadian. Will play again with some more pieces after the little oil is completed.

Chatted today with a friend who is off to Paris. He was relaying to me that in effect, historic artists carved beautiful works of art in marble for patrons homes. These fabulous works are art were created as the garden gnomes of their generation, and our generation glorifies these in museums. Sometimes I wonder what the future will view my artwork as.

Labour Day Painting

Got 'Def Leppard Greatest Hits' playing in the background and working away on a new oil painting, small one this time. Just wanted to look at the stone sentry from the left side, as we had walked up on it originally. For anyone that claims oil paints are the same as acrylic (as I might have done in past), there really is a difference. Try painting sun beams for arguements sake. Totally different experience.

I guess not better or worse, but definitely different. Hmm. Which is better? Will decide later, when more complete. Am sitting back taking a look for the moment. Was just reminded by a phone call that I'm supposed to spend this afternoon visiting a friend in the hospital. Of course, if I was the one a horse fell on, I'd want visitors in the doom and gloom room too. But I admit that I am loathe to leave my painting just as we're having interesting conversations.

If that makes me a bad person, I guess perhaps there it is. I've separated the colours, compartmentalizing the spaces by ideas, with the sunbeams providing unity to the scene. Tentative plan. Not sure yet if the ideas are moving towards the sunrays or if the light is bringing relief to the ideas already stagnating. Is this place solid, or pliable?

3pm Update: Off to the hospital to see Christine and give her some inspiration. And perhaps meet those male nurses she mentioned. Painting is looking ... looking ... haven't decided yet. I don't think I'm a mood person though. That part is not working in the traditional sense. Then again, the only thing traditional about me is the one the rest of the world let go of a generation ago.

Pillar Rock Sketch/Drawing

Yeah, I know, another sketch/drawing that I think I'm just going to leave the way it is for now. No messin' with it. Another basis for a painting, methinks. Pillar Rock is also in the Hell Holes ravine. Very cool.

Ravine Sketch (20x24"ish)

Have decided to leave this as a simple sketch, and will most likely move on now to a painting. May or may not be this particular scene, but I'm sorta working in a series again all on this "Hell Holes" ravine area outside of Kingston, Ontario. I'll probably play a bit with this one here and there. Hmm.

Finished: "Hell Holes Stone Sentry", 16x26"

Last Day of August

So its the last day of August. Can you believe how quickly the summer has escaped, much less the year 2009? Time just marches along quickly when you're not looking. There was so much I wanted to do this year, and now there's hardly any year left.

The AGO was lovely yesterday. I personally would have preferred a larger contemporary artwork area, but that would be my preference for art created by the living. Something about spending my time with the thoughts and ideas of predominantly dead people gets to be a little unnerving after a while. But the displays are great; I'm sure that's just me.

Was perusing and catching up on TED.com just recently (I really like this site/blog) about this 'engineer/artist' that was lamenting rather loudly that his efforts were not being recognized by ArtForum and other established art circles, and he felt truly irrated by this 'oversight'. He couldn't fathom a recourse to sound reasoning on the part of the artworld, other than perhaps their ignorance of electronic media. (Oh, I should note that he created a program that allows people to record the positive and negatives shapes produced as their bodies moved.)

Wandering around the art gallery, it is obvious that an art museum/institution is focussed on people and their inate reactions - in this case, within the artistic community - on the culture and community they live within, just as a tradition museum is focussed on the the history of man and culture itself. This is where the difference lies between the two. The historic museum is more the math, the unconscious reaction of man on his environment: this happened when, this is the tangible evidence, here is the record. The other, the art institution, is the conscious reaction of man on his environment: this is what people thought about what was happening at this point in time, this is what they created and then attempt to understand why.

Its a major difference, and probably the most obvious answer to this poor sod. What he has created is a marvellous piece of ingenuity, a tool to facilitate interaction between man and machine. The reason he's not being recognized in major art institutions would lean more towards the fact that he has no particular purpose, no thoughts or ambition towards artistic merits of this tool. What he needs is an artist to show him what it could be used for.

This, of course, by no means lessens the interest in this lovely little piece of code he's written. Perhaps I should comment directly on the site, but decided not too. But I do think artists could do much with the harnessing of engineers sometimes.

Anyway, it crossed my mind whilst wandering through the AGO. My favourite piece? "Dancing Peasants" by Adriaen Pietersz Van de Verme. Done in the 1635, believe it or not. Its simply a marvel to behold. Have never heard of him before, but this piece just sang out from the wall.

From the AGO Today

Enjoying a Limonata and pastry at the Cafe in the Level 5 AGO this afternoon. Very nice. Saw the remainder of the 'Surreal Things' Exhibit and have been spending some time in the Canadiana Galleries. Recommended to anyone. Lots of thinking; will have to contemplate some before noting specifics.

Work in Progress

This is what I'm working on now, and although its not finished I do think its potential still exists. Just taking a moment to ourselves right now, to collect thoughts on where its going. Georgie thinks we should take time for a walk and think, instead of sitting staring it the work under the lights. Funny that. Sometimes I believe he is the only one that truly could put up with an artists strange working habits, even though he couldn't fathom why.

I'm contemplating the textures actually. Can't really explain this, so I won't.

Working in Oil on Paper

Just playing this weekend with oils on paper. Kinda sketching and painting at the same time, playing with the brushes really. Very relaxing. The oppressive humidity seems to have backed off for now, making the air breathable again.

Friday in the City

Just returned home from a languishing day off from regular life, rather past my bedtime I might add. Was out and about during the afternoon, having been raped by the government yet again at the Ministry of Transportation for fees unknown, so perused my favourite art store in preparation for some much needed time in front of a canvas. Or perhaps handmade paper, as I found some fabulous ones that did follow me home.

My wonderful friend Anna-Banana decided to get me a membership to the AGO in celebration of my birthday this week - yippee! - so we ended up there late in day for a quick walk through. It’s the first time I’ve been there since they officially re-opened. Very posh. Cute guy at the front, all dashing in his little uniform. Very friendly. Was a great experience except for the ridiculous closing time of 5:30pm. What’s with that? What else in the world ends at 5:30pm? It’s Friday night. I had hours to spend and they were tossing people out before the day even ended.

Saw much of the ‘Surreal Things’ exhibit. It could have been so much more really. But interesting. Not enough paintings, obviously, for my taste. Angelika Hoerle passed me like a comet all right, and Seiwert-Hoerle-Arntz were generally intriguing. Ok, I liked the oils. There is something about just looking at a painting, for me, that makes the world slow and intensify. I don’t know why. They involve me like nothing else. Just being there made me long for my brushes and the smells of my studio.

By the time we were making our way to the Canadiana galleries they were chiming the little bells and ushering us out. Damn. So I’ll go back next Saturday, because now I just feel like working. Since I’m back in the studio now, I had planned to go off to sleep and up early in the morning to work, but now that I’m here, think I’ll just work for a bit. My eyes are a little fuzzy. Perhaps a nap on the sofa in the studio, then work straight after. I try not to sleep in the studio during weeknights, cause it makes getting to work a little strenuous, but I have days left before I’m back to corporate sensibility (oxymoron? Hmmm).

I felt mood this afternoon. Saw it. Tasted it. But it wasn’t mine. I have to find my own now.

Rough Draft of Landscape Chessboard

Gonna have to paint this on board; this is just the paper draft.

Cheap Text Editor in Blogging

I have decided that I really, really hate the text editor associated with blogging. Have had two blogs deleted this week while trying to change the font to arial and then post, only to have no option to “undo”. What kind of cheap software does not allow undo in this century? I’m really mad. My happiness with this medium is gone.

Busy Working Again

A fast note that I'm busy working again in the studio. Love it when the sun shines outside, but it just hasn't been happening enough here in Toronto this summer. Finishing off the several chess boards but have already started in on a couple of paintings. Since I was unable to firmly decide which one to paint, I decided to work on several at once. This is actually quite effective, especially when working in oils. I need new canvases though. And there is this lovely little sketchbook from Montreal that was just tantilizing me from the art store last weekend when I was in. Need versus want ... I left it there. Hoping that when my birthday arrives in a few weeks I will have less willpower.

Great Photos by SM

Just sharing some great pics from a friend SM. Don't know if he wants photo credits, but his pics are terrific. They make my little chessmen look even more cool ....

ARTA Gallery

Just a quick update that I'm my work is now part of Artists Toronto, and can be seen on their website at www.artiststoronto.net. Very cool group.

I'll be participating with the collective in juried Group Show at the ARTA Gallery (http://www.artagallery.ca/), located in the Distillery District, Toronto. The show runs from October 1 to 15, which includes Nuit Blanche (an all night art premier event in Toronto once a year). This is very exciting! I'll have one piece hanging, sized 24"x24". I'll be creating a new piece for the show and the ideas have already started.

Wistful Weekend

Another quiet weekend of working, although it is great to spend time with some friends. It will be quite lonely once S heads south this week. Suddenly I will have no one to play chess with, and even though I'm prone to losing lately, it is wonderful to get the chance to play against someone. Of course, it's even better when I can sneak a player back onto the board occasionally. Perhaps I shall have to get more persistant about teaching Georgie to play. But he just has difficulty with the digits. Been sculpting again the last few days. Really truly want to go big. And I want to paint again.

Probably for the first time since Harley left us, I feel like holding a brush in my hands again. Even been sitting at the easel in the evenings this past week. I miss the paint, even though the clay feels good in my hands. It's like a pervasive loneliness in the shadows that tugs at me. Perhaps my little baby would not mind if I painted without him.

Thunderstorms and Vacation

There's another thunderstorm angrily protesting outside the window right now, just starting it's complaints about a half hour ago. The light is very exciting. For some reason, my doggie just doesn't think so.

Personally, I'm not too certain while I pack to go camping that this is the right day for an outdoor adventure. At least not one without a solid roof over our heads but perhaps advance worrying doesn't add too much value. This would explain the creases in my forehead and those 14 grey hairs. Really quite disasterous in the age of beauty and youth of plastic extensions. Natural is not publicly recommended. Oh well. Better take the makeup, just in case.

Acrylic or oil, acrylic or oil. Or both. Or just crayons and paper. I really don't like travelling because i want to take everything with me. Sigh. I'm too obsessive, of course, but there's little to prevent that.

8:00pm July

Ok, the light outside is just perfect right now. Everyone should go outside and just revel in it. Very warm and inviting. In the south of France, the light was like this. It reminded me of home while I was there. And I did so enjoy La Muse Inn.

Apple Dreaming

I really have nothing serious to post, but just felt like rambling a bit. Seriously almost bought an MacBook today. Or something pink. Lets face it, if the macbook was pink it would be here at home with me now. Because I need it? Who knows. Perhaps I'm just feeling a little lost and lonely. The phone keeps ringing, but it's that same 1-888-go-fu#%-yourselves salemen that have been calling all week. Very tired of it so now have turned the thing off for the weekend.

I know: not subtle, but effective. Probably won't help with the lonely problem either. Been seriously pondering a change this week, and the bigger the better seems to be the concensus, but then why am I still unhappy?

View of Little Chess Players

Final Weekend of 2 Shows, 1 more to conclude next Thursday

I'm just exhausted; been a long week at the dayjob. So Saturday is the final day of the Muskoka Chair Auction for NPCC, and I'll be manning the bid desk all Sat morning. So far every chair has a bid on it, yay!

And on Sunday my show at Sherway Gardens "Gallery in the Gardens" is finished and I'll be taking down all 10 pieces. The interview on Rogers Cable TV aired last Friday, and even I missed it! Oh well. I don't think television and I are really suited to each other.

Other than that, I have one last piece on show until next Thursday 18 June at the Assembly Hall Art Gallery in Lakeshore Arts Juried Show. And then the spring show season is over for another year.

Country Life

Yep, its the country life for us. Very quiet with big bugs. I miss having the internet at my fingertips and the little niceties like street lights (out here they're called stars). Difficult to draw in starlight, though.

Georgie's happy and the sun is shining now. The air is fresh, perhaps cold is another word but definitely fresh, and the light breeze manages to blow around just about anything you don't want it to. But we'll go out and enjoy the light in a bit with a sketch book and pen. The mosquitoes hopefully will be sleeping now.

AJ

Long Weekend Painting

So we've planned a weekend of painting the small chess board blocks, one muskoka chair and several drawings. Looking good so far. Georgie has started the day nicely by lying right smack on top of my handmade paper pile with a somewhat triumphant look on his little face. I hope its not a sign of things to come. Obviously I'm just not giving him enough attention (ha!).

I'll post more photos on Monday, of the small set of blocks when finished. This is a pic from last week; this set is all blocked in now and just waiting for finishing touches. Unfortunately, can't work on it this weekend.

AJ

Thunderstorms

Oh, the light outside is fabulous right now. Just incredible, and also the lack thereof of light. Its on that precipice of a thunderstorm here, and everything just went from light to dark; fantastic. Just little highlights, spots of filtered light splattered about on the coloured trees. Lovely, lovely. Very cool.

My doggie didn't think so, and so we've gone inside where the loud rolls of thunder won't get him. Nothing a cookie here and there won't fix. Ah, the life of a dog. I'll watch from inside, I guess. Gotta go get the crayons now and sit by the window.

AJ

Wednesday Evening

So, yesterday I did block in all the colours on the first side of the blocks, and I'm pretty happy with the final result. Still not finished, of course, but cursory view is satisfying. Pretty much decided to finish the sides of each block in the dominant tone of the block plan (black or white) to make it easier on the player. This is akin to bowing to sympathy, but there it is.

Have sent some prliminary photos to friends to see what they think. Now tonight is for drying, finding the correct blocker paint for those sides, and another P90X workout. (groan)

Then I'm finsihing a drawing afterwards before bed. Georgie won't mind.

AJ

Finally spring & I'm inside painting

It's the first beautiful day of spring: light warm breeze, fabulous sunshine and birds chirping madly. I know this as I watch it through the open window, much to the dismay of my dog, and enjoy a day of painting solitude. Ah, it's marvelous. I'm aware that others will think me mad for 'wasting' such a wonderful day, but the light is perfect and there are no bugs indoors.

Of course, I will venture out soonish. Right after I finish my discussions with yellow and red.

AJ