Morandi

Bath Bottles

10 x 8 pastel on La Carte paper

Yesterday my husband and I went to the Phillips Gallery to see the show of still lifes by Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964). These paintings are REALLY still. For years, he painted the same bottles over and over, getting more and more simplified in his use of shapes and values. I have to admit that we both preferred his earlier work where there were more values differences and use of color.

Interestingly, my mentor had compared my painting "Antietam Barns" with Morandi's still life. So I was particularly interested in the show. Several years ago I did this still life, which I'm calling "Bath Bottles" as these are some of the many bottles that line my tub that I look at every day. I find that this painting reminds me more of Morandi.

Morandi was a very quiet, reclusive man who rarely went anywhere. This quietness is so evident in his paintings. (I was interested to note that Janet Napolitano also visited the exhibit yesterday, according to the Post. I guess she needs some of this quiet.) Today I looked at the still life paintings of oil painter Nancy Switzer . Her paintings of butter bars really reminded me of Morandi, but with more life and verve. I love her rich application of paint. Her work also reminds me of Wayne Thiebaud's wonderful cakes, where he has virtually frosted them with paint.

What all of this says to me is how personal still life can be and how much it reflects us as individuals. Will this be true of me? I don't know, but it will be fun to explore.

Another still life

The Red Pot
12 x 16
pastel on board









Here is the second still life that I painted recently. This one is a pot by Liz Lescault (also in my gallery), which normally sits on my living room table.

In doing these still life paintings, I've asked myself why it is that I'm usually not very interesting in the genre, while these have been so much fun. I think what I dislike is the obviously arranged groupings of pots and vegetables and who knows what else (skulls seem to be in fashion). They seem articifial and dull to me. Thus, I prefer to paint a single object, perhaps as one might come across it. By limiting the objects, I can also think about the background in terms of design elements.

I also have no desire to paint it perfectly, but instead want it to be painterly and exciting. Perhaps I want my still life to be less still? Using my textured boards and the acrylic underpainting allows for more depth and vibrancy.

For me, the master of still life (and painting in general) has always been Richard Schmid (http://www.richardschmid.com/). Yes, his objects and flowers are arranged on a table top, but they tend to be haphazardly placed with objects and flower petals moving every which way. Many artists have followed his example and there are now many examples of this form of still life. So I don't want to copy them (nor do I have Schmid's skill, needless to say). But I love his approach to beautifully crafted form, mixed with loose brush strokes and disappearing edges.

Among pastel artists, I really admire the work of Deborah Beys (www.abendgallery.com/html_artists/bays_deborah/bays.htm) who uses rich darks and lights in her work.

I want my pieces to have excitement and interesting color and design. Aside from that, I'm not sure. But it will be fun to explore.

Scenes From a Life

Bowl With Lemons

12 x 16

Pastel on board

Welcome to my blog, something I've thought about for a long time and finally decided to act on. I took a workshop last week with the inspiring figurative pastelist, Margaret Dyer, and I credit her for getting me going.

I want this blog to be something that is fun for me and for my viewers. Several years ago, I went into a gallery in Aspen, CO and showed my website to the owner. He loved my landscapes, but told me "you're no still life painter." I believed him. Now, however, I want to end those foolish restrictions on what I paint. Last week, I realized that I can still draw a decent figure, and recently I have been exploring still life. Thus, my blog is a way of giving myself permission to paint whatever I want. My principal interest is in creating pictures with strong compositions, interesting shapes and great color.

It's also a way of celebrating the joys of everyday life and trying to hold on a little to the days and years that seem to be speeding by. I believe that we are all here to make the most of our lives, in whatever way we are most able. For me, it is painting, teaching, and playing the piano. And I do love to give the occasional dinner party. So, who knows what might end up in this blog as it develops over time.

To begin, I'm posting a still life I did recently of a favorite bowl with lemons. The bowl was created by Scottie Allen, a member of my Bethesda gallery and good friend.

For those interested in the technical details: my current methods involve using gatorfoam with two coats of Art Spectrum colourfix liquid primer. I begin with a charcoal drawing, which I make into a wash with an old brush. Then I apply washes of liquid acrylic to provide interesting tones of warms and cools, darks and lights. I work then with nothing but soft pastels, leaving some areas of the underpainting showing, as I wish.

I hope you enjoy.