We put up my show this morning. It was crazy seeing all my paintings somewhere besides in a pile in the corner of my bedroom.
I’m very excited and nervous for the opening tomorrow. Wish me luck…
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I’m still working on a few portraits, but I decided it was high time to start on a new body of work, as well. So I’ve started on a series of cityscape paintings. The first ones were inspired by the canals of Milan’s Navigli neighborhood. Here’s one of the works in progress.
I will be painting furiously for the next month, as I have an exhibit opening in Zurich in November. So much to do!
3 commentsSmall Collectors – wealthy kids buy fancy art
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Unfortunately I have way too many ‘unfinished’ ones lying around.
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I have taken much too long of a hiatus from my painting. I have four canvases in progress, all of which were started months ago. This one, Tomoko, which I was most afraid of ruining, is finally coming along. I basically destroyed the face and started it again, but without changing the layout. I am happy with the progress I’m making on it. I think it’s time to leave it for a bit and move onto one of the other works in progress.
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I often reach a point in a painting where I really love something about it, even though I don’t love it as a whole and I know it’s not finished. I get kind of panicky at this point, because I’m afraid that if I work on the painting too much more, I’ll ruin whatever it is that I love about it.
Take this demo done by another artist, for example. I like several of the early drafts of his work – how did he know to keep going? Perhaps because he had a clear image of the goal, perhaps because he was following a certain technique. I’m still experimenting with my techniques, and don’t know what my finished paintings will look like when I start them. This painting has gone through many iterations already to get to where it is now.
Realism isn’t the goal, although I do strive to make my subjects recognizable. I like it when paintings are a little rough around the edges, and I try to resist over-polishing my works. But I also don’t want to quit before they’re really done.
What I probably need to do is learn to get over it. Just plow ahead, and not be so afraid of ruining a half-finished painting. I can learn from mistakes. To take away this feeling of ‘preciousness’ that I start to associate with my works, I should start making more of them. Work on multiple canvases simultaneously, and hold myself to more of a schedule. It’s too easy to put painting on the back burner when things get busy around here.
I’m going to be traveling for most of the next two weeks, but when I come back I will start a new painting schedule. Start at least one new painting each week. Also, at least one new art blog post per week, to help me reflect on my progress.
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30 x 30 cm, acrylic on canvas, 2007.
SOLD
My dad asked if this was based on an actual escape attempt that occurred in my kitchen. Answer: nope, this scene is totally staged. Sorry to disappoint.
I am donating this painting to the silent auction that will be held as part of the Hands On Switzerland Valentine’s Day Gala.
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30 x 45 cm, oil on canvas, 1992.
In high school I took two years of AP Art. One year my theme was portraits, and the other year it was fruit. I can’t remember exactly why I chose fruit. Probably as much for its ease as anything. You don’t need much space to set up a still life. Fruit offers an array of colors, textures, and shapes for the artist to play with. And except for the inevitable decomposition that occurs if you drag out the work too long, fruit proves to be a rather static and obedient subject matter.
This particular painting is the only piece of my early work that I have here in Zurich. For some reason it traveled here with me, stowed away in my portfolio case full of otherwise blank and unused art supplies. I’m not really sure why – this isn’t my best painting from that time, or even my favorite.
I have started on another portrait, but I have also been looking around for another subject matter to try out. This painting reminded me of my earlier fruit period, and once again drawn in by the ease and simplicity of this subject matter, I decided to set up a new still life. I’ll let you know if it proves fruitful. 
40 x 50 cm, acrylic on canvas, 2006-2007.
I’m not sure this one is finished (which is how I feel about most of my paintings when I post them here). I do at least need a break from it – I’ve stared at it too much. I’m looking forward to starting something new. Perhaps this time I’ll get several canvases going at once.
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