Sometimes Nothing Works

I had a student tell me that when he starts a new work he freezes up. "Me too", was my reply to him and, "Get used to it". I went on to explain that I try to see it as excitement rather than a fear. He nodded to let me know he understood and that he believed what I said.
Even though I've been doing this for a long time now, each painting is different. I go through the same steps, in general, that I have always gone with. But, each painting has it's own personality. Just like people, some are good, some bad, some funny, etc, etc. The painting I just finished would not be someone I would call a friend. It did everything it could to work me over. Anything I achived of any artistic merit I had to work hard for. It, like people, didn't want me to tell it what to do. It turned out the way it wanted to and not at all the way I intended. I start another studio day in the morning and will stand like a deer in the head lights that is a blank canvas, too dumb to be scared.

Works in Progress

I've got to get a couple graphite portraits done in the next week. I also have a couple paintings to get done before the end of the month. I thought I would let people follow along while I do them. So far it seems that almost nobody sees this blog but maybe someday it will be of intrest to someone.

Studio and Head Space

I get to a point where I need to move everything in the studio. All is deep and I can't find a thing. There is a tightness that I get to feeling that brings all work to a stop. The work space closes in on me. I begin by moving an easel, then a stool or a light. This takes a day or two because my space is small and moving one thing is keyed to something else being move out of the way first. In the end I have move everything to a new position. I have moved a table, a chair, my easel and my thoughts to new positions.

Emotion is the glue that makes it work

I have a stack of unfinished paintings in the studio. They are the ones that had good compositions, subject matter, color that would knock your socks off, everything going for them but the emotional connection that gives the painting power. With out the emotion the elements simply do not come together. So, they sit waiting for me to connect to them. I have some that have been waiting for years. They are like old relationships that went nowhere and drifted off somewhere else. Maybe some day we will cross paths again.

Selling Art

Last week was a good week. I sold two large pieces, one up here and one down in FL. It's got the juices flowing again and I'm giving the studio a good work out. God I do like to throw paint.
I am now showing at the Lookout Mountain Gallery at the base of Lookout Mt. and it looks like it is going to be a good experience for me. Back to work, more later

Painting

I got a chance to paint the last few days and got two finished. I'll frame them and send the images to the agent and get them into the gallery. These are much smaller than the work I've been doing the last ten or so years but, the times demand smaller and less expensive pieces.

Art in Chattanooga

I have been a resident of Signal Mountain, just outside of Chattanooga for almost three years now. Having moved here from southwestern Florida it has been quite a change in the art market. In Florida, I was selling very well but have seen some difficulty here. I feel there is a market here but, I just haven't found it yet. This is a strange market. In the past I could tell when an economic down turn was coming about a year before it arrived. The first thing people stop buying is art. Oddly enough, the gallery that represents me here is selling more each year. The price range of the work sold is not in the high range but the volume is good. So, it looks like the middle class is still buying art.

Welcome to my blog

I have started this blog to display my work and invite your comments. Good or bad, I want to hear what your impressions are.