Paintings on the Wall, Pink Abstract. Oil Paintings

This canvas began as a solid pinkish ground in 2015. The cast was more coral than I like so it sat in a 'to be re-worked' stack until early 2016. 

Dusty Trails, 2016, oil on canvas, 36"x44"

I work on unstretched canvas stapled to the wall. When small to medium works are dry I find it is easier to flip through and move stacks or piles. If there is interest or an exhibition I will stretch it up. Until then, stacks of paintings make sense.

One day while flipping though paintings I realized the pink ground was the problem. Actually in summer 2015 my Rhode Island Gallerist,  Cade Tompkins visited the studio and she delicately pointed out that it wasn't one of my better pinks. She was right of course, I knew it. So finally I stapled it up and thinking of a particular painting that sold rather quickly, I got to work. 

Oil Paintings from the Archive, World Series, Group 1

In 2013 I made a group of five paintings that were titled World Series. For their small scale, 22"x19" each, they felt grand so the title seemed fitting. Also, a nod to baseball coming from a family that loved the game. 

World Series, Group 1, No. 1, 2013, oil on canvas, 22"x19" 

There was a thread running through the group, common in my work of a swirling circular motion.  This positive, circular feeling appeals to me on many levels, leaving the door wide open. The freshness and immediacy of this group reminds me that good things can happen when I listen to my inner child. 

In 2014 I revisited the idea which will be featured in a future post. Thanks for stopping by! 

Paintings on the Wall, Up the Garden Trail. Oil Paintings

Shown here is a cropped image of "Up the Garden Trail". A large format painting that came to completion in mid 2015. Many emotions went into this light and airy canvas which is common but always feels like the first time. My roller coaster ride.

Up the Garden Trail, 2015, cropped, oil on canvas, 94"x86" 

The goal was to use full weighted, clean color. Aproaching the canvas with purpose, picking up the color, putting it down, stand back, observe and repeat. 

For me, it is easy to push the paint around, draw on the canvas, risking dirty color. Here I wished to achieve clean, pure color....accept where I did not...of course in the moment, all bets are off. 

Paintings on the wall, Cosmos. oil paintings

This post edited on 11/10/20. This very large painting 95”x86” was placed with a client on Long Island by the Architect, Louis Garcia. We both met there and hired an Installer to help stretch and hang the beast. The couple were very happy. As it should be…the alternative is inconvenient.

Shown here cropped, a large format oil on canvas painting, from early 2015. With the paint dry for eight months and the surface recently sanded, soon I will apply varnish. 

Cosmos, 2015, cropped, oil on canvas, 94"x86" 

During the process I've had a troubled relationship with this painting. I have embraced its size but for a period considered cutting it down to four smaller works. I find with large works there is the possibility of some areas being stronger than others. One focus while working is to strive to make all passages interesting or hopefully beautiful. Color has that ability, it's not magic except it is. This painting made me nervous. But I've learned that if I am nervous I'm involved and I have to trust and let go...or cut it up.