Work in progress...this is an orange one...

I worked on this lovely orange painting at the dining room table while I cooked curried butternut squash thai soup (OMG was that yummy!) on the woodstove...still much to do...I originally started with a delicate wash...then made a mess of it by going too dark too soon with the dark moss brown that I love so much...dang...so I painted over it all with pale umber, stone gray, and a white wash...then I went back at it again, the red gold wash (the color in jar on the table) and played with a pale green and the dark moss color...more to come another day!

And then...I picked this little painting off the wall (I originally worked on it back in August 16th) because I "saw" something that needed to be done...I think this time it's done...

Bones of the Earth, Granite Fieldstone with Lichen, 10/25/09
acrylic monotype on sumi mounted on canvas
10 x 10 inches

Work in progress...

This is the top...

This is the middle...

This is the bottom...well, for now, that's how my mind has this little guy oriented, it's only 6 x18...

Oh, yes, here's some pretty fun...this is the early stages of new work, the sumi paper was mounted on the canvas yesterday morning, and I did the washes last night after everything dried...I'm loving the colors as is...I don't imagine doing too much more...but now is contemplation time...

I didn't paint anything new this week...

I've been concentrating on my novel...but yesterday, I got outside with the sunshine, and went into the barn to explore...it's old...built around 1850 or so...the patina of the wood has always been an interest to me, and the light was bright enough to reach into the darkest corners...

This narrow piece reminds me of an O'Keeffe painting from her early days...or maybe even the Jack-in-the-Pulpit paintings...

I loved the knot, and ya gotta love the cobwebs...there's even a stray pencil line...

There's more, but I need to stop here, dinner is nearly ready...

Black forest stew...mmmmmmm...that's guaranteed to fill in the empty nooks and crannies...stick to the ribs...take the chill off...there might be snow in the air tonight...I can smell it on the wind...I'm not ready for it...

Bones of the Earth series

Bones of the Earth, 9/29/2009, acrylic monotype on sumi paper mounted on canvas, 30 x 12 inches.

I just love the subtleties going on in the top half, it didn't come through so well in the full shot...so here's the close up...there are layers to this...first a wash of the moss brown, and then I started impressing layers of color with various surfaces, glassine, mat board of various shapes and sizes, and the various circles...the texture of the paper and paint surface comes together like a surprise...I had no plan, it just happens...

My little buddy Kennedy Bear helped hold the drawing for the snap shot...I'm still working with it...still lots more to do...