August 31, 2015

Variations on a theme...

I decided, quite by accident one day, that this ought to be a style I should try to stick with.  It's funny, since I'd deleted the original file already, but just stumbled upon an older jpeg version.

One of the things I struggle with forever is how to define figures - either with line or with just shape.  And if it's line, then what kind of line.  In a complicated way this piece answers a lot of those questions for me.

Here are some of the variations on the theme that I tried before deciding on this:


August 27, 2015

Sometimes an artist forgets the most basic things...


First there was the amusing sketch - which if you examine it in detail it is apparent that one leg has gone missing and an extra leg showed up in the other drawing! Sometimes an artist forgets the most basic things.


But in the final color version everything came out exactly as planned. 

August 17, 2015

Jury duty & really raining


I've spent the last week with 2 days of jury duty in downtown Seattle - and then catching the 'jury duty cold' and spending the next 4 days recovering from it.

All in all it's more fun going to the dentist, where at least you feel like you've accomplished something. Hours of stressful boredom... thank gosh they allow iPads so I could stay in touch with my little online world.

I had to go in front of 2 judges and plea for my 'hardship' - which is namely two illustration projects due on deadline (38 pages of artwork). Many of the other jurors had employers who actually pay for the time they spend doing jury duty.  It was very stressful trying to explain to the judge the odd nature of my employment. The first time I was a rambling mess - but by the second time I wrote down the key points of my defense, so I was more focused.

Anyhow - the whole thing creeped me out - especially spending days with so many homeless people downtown who everyone just ignores, walking past on their cellphones laughing on their way to a $100 lunch. I had two sandwiches so I offered one to 2 different homeless guys - but all they wanted was drugs or money.

I'm glad to be back in my cozy studio - listening to the radio and painting. And it FINALLY rained some significant rain in Seattle! Our 5 month drought broke at last in a dramatic fashion - with inches of gushing rain and thunder. All it needed was a Beethoven soundtrack it so dramatic - and SUCH a relief to find the world once more cool, dark and dripping wet with water.


How amusing to see Donald Trump is going to jury duty this morning - but he's been summoned 5 times before and never once showed up.

August 13, 2015

Newsflash! Rain in Seattle!


Newsflash! Rain in Seattle! Yes, you heard that right - for the first time since last April (5 months ago) there was actually a gush of rain sloshing down along with lots of thunder.

Thunder is a rarity here - it was so loud and close I even unplugged my computer. So that made my day...

August 12, 2015

A little studio painting...


 A little studio painting...


I liked how stacking 3 or 4 similar paintings together creates a 3D effect with the landscape.