Daily Painting - Untitled 3

Untitled 3 (Joyful-Joyful Project)
8" x 10"
mixed media/acrylic on paper

I am really questioning my good sense tonight - this is a HORRIBLE photo of this painting. "The Dog Stealer" got home from about 10 days of travel today, and I burned up all the daylight hanging out with him. I did this painting early this morning before he got home and I promised myself I'd get it posted today, so I used my flash (horrors!) to take this and get it posted. I will re-shoot and replace it later. So I kept my promised to myself, and that is good I guess. It also does help me to "see" my paintings in a different light - and now I am not so sure this is finished. But I do have to say it is a bit closer to that "Joyful" thing I am going for.

Today - 4/1/09 - I replaced the really horrible photo with the better one. I don't know if this will republish and be sent out or not - we will see.


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Today's Painting

Untitled (Joyful Joyful Project)
8" x 10"
mixed media/acrylic on paper

Here is another in the Joyful Project. I guess I can stop saying that as that is pretty much all I am working on now. While I like this piece, and in general I mostly like the abstract work I have been making - it is still not anywhere near what I want it to be. I am trying to express a feeling - that is pretty personal, and when I look at these I do not see what I am trying to express. I will not be happy or feel successful until I get much closer. One of my biggest barriers is that I am not an emotional person. I am definitively a joyful person, just not emotionally expressive - so working on a painting project which is all about expressing a feeling is a difficult challenge. There seems to be a huge gap and disconnect between my head/intellect and my emotions. These painting are one thing in my head and when I start applying paint they become something entirely different. On one level that is OK - great in fact - but on another level it is very frustrating.


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I May Not Be A Genius, But...
Nathalie Davis web site
Nathalie S Davis Blog

Painting again

Untitled Joy
10" x 8"
mixed media/acrylic on paper

Here is another in my Joyful-Joyful Project. Again, I am not sure if this is the final format - I am still flipping it around and upside down and studying it. Right now I am leaning toward this format, also I am waiting until I feel the Project is near completion before I give them final titles. Tentatively this might be Encroaching Joy - or something like that - who knows? I don't have too much to say today really - busy trying to get re-focused, caught up and back on track - I am totally out of clean laundry!

Thank you again for all of the emails and support for my daughters. If you haven't yet read about my daughter in Los Angeles - check out her story here.

Also DO NOT MISS the videos on my blog too - of Bob Basso as Thomas Paine.





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Taking a few days off and falling behind-

I just wanted to update you and let you know I am not ignoring you - my daughter is in the hospital (she is getting better - thank you, probably going home tomorrow) and I am falling behind.

I am thankful for all of the email and comments, and look forward to responding soon.
Don't forget me- I am coming back soon





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Sushi

Sushi
6" x 4"
Acrylic on hardboard

I did this along with about 5 others for the Different Strokes From Different Folks challenge. Will post more later - right now I am so tired I can barely keep my eyes open - heading for a nap.

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Steal this Photo and My New Blog

Steal this Photo! Really - go ahead and take it -

If you don't have clue what that is about visit my NEW blog I May Not Be A Genius, But...

Ok, Ok, I'll explain. This blog is about art, mostly my art. But on occasion I have a hard time not expressing my social and political thoughts and views. I lost a few people over my recent Obama comments. It is not my intention to offend or irritate people, so there is no point in subjecting people to my views and thoughts here when all people want to do is look at, and think about art.

There are a few artists whose work I like and enjoy, but I don't like to visit their blogs because of their anti-American or other political activism that drives me nuts, so I don't visit very often.

I don't want that to happen here. I know that a lot of you - well probably most of you -don't agree with or want to hear what I have to say unless it's about art, and I want to honor that.

Therefore - my new blog- for those of you that are interested.

Back to painting tomorrow - see you then.

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The Dog Stealer is Finished!

The Dog Stealer and The Traitor
48" x 60"
oil on canvas

Whew! I am finished, except for varnishing. I am so very grateful for digital cameras. I have such a hard time photographing these larger pieces, I would have spent a fortune in film if it weren't for digital. I carried this thing all over the house and out in the back yard - It is just hard to find a spot big enough with even lighting to get a good photo. This will have to do. Over all I am pretty happy with the painting. Glad it is finished. Now I want to really focus and immerse myself in the Joyful Joyful Project for a while.

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New Paintings

I have been busy - busy - busy!!! I believe Dog Stealer is finally finished - I am trying not to look at it for a while after studying it for several hours the other day. Of course there are things I am not happy with - as always - but over all I think I am done. I will get the final photo up in the next few days - providing I don't change my mind and repaint stuff. I am at a place where I either can't see what needs to be fixed or I am not concerned enough to fix the stuff I see - seems like a stopping point to me. This one definitely needs to be varnished - so I have to wait for it to dry enough to do that too.

So here are some abstracts I've been working on in the Joyful-Joyful project. While they might be OK in and of themselves I don't think they are hitting the target as far as what I am trying to express. This is killing me - who would have ever guessed that this abstract business would be so darn challenging?? Certainly not me!


Untitled 2b - vertical
12" x 24"
acrylic on hardboard


Untitled 2a - horizontal
12" x 24"
Acrylic on hardboard

I am showing 2 views of these as I am not certain which way I like them best yet - or even if they are finished.



Untitled 1a - Vertical
16" x 30"
acrylic on canvas


Untitled 1b - Horizontal
16" x 30"
acrylic on canvas


Untitled Abstract
24" x 24"
Acrylic collage on hardboard

I am pretty sure I like this one this way, so no point in boring you with other views. Actually I do this for me too - there is something about seeing my painting online that enables me to view them more objectively. I really get a different feel for them, so it's really helpful for me to look at them this way too.

Comments and votes for which direction you like best are welcome.

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New Painting

Backlit Pear #0901
5" x 5"
Oil on hardboard

I love me a back lit pear - there is just something about the shadows and edges that I love. I wanted to brush up on my "basic" skills, so time to pull my favorite pear back out. This is just plain fun - but so is the experimenting.

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Working on The Dog Stealer

I am having intermittent internet service issues and our phone is totally dead - so I making things as short and fast as I can before it cuts out again -

YAY! I painted almost all day today - most of the day without even one single headache. I chose to rework the face of the dog stealer and while I still see problems it has reached the "good enough" stage for now. As a sicko perfectionist I have been training myself to stop at "good enough". While it really rubs me the wrong way, I will paint the same thing for ever until I think I have it "perfect enough." So I am happier with it now than I was - the photo isn't great because I have to hold the camera above my head, and try to hold it still to take the picture - but it is good enough to get the idea.

I included the photo that I am working from so you can see the problems too - LOL!


After it is all dry I may glaze the whole middle and right side of the face to darken it - the value contrast just isn't there the way it should be...but I will also need to see it in context with the rest of the finished painting too - maybe I can live with it - we will see...


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New Work

Remembering the Wig Head
15" x 19"
Acrylic on canvas

Bursting Forth
16" x 20"
Acrylic on canvas

I am posting these 2 paintings - although I am not so sure I should. They are pretty lame - but it feels pretty good to be working a little bit again.

Remembering The Wig Head is a painting I did for the Different Strokes from Different Folks challenge. Karin Jurick posts a photo and different people do an interpretation of it and she posts them. I did a few digital sketches/paintings but them first, but then I painted totally from memory - and of course I over painted it. But at least I painted - right?

The second painting - Bursting Forth - I am not even sure I will keep. I am not happy with the color at all. So there you have it - I am going to take a nap. My head is pounding again - the doctor visits are helping, and I am moving again so that is good - I hope to paint again this afternoon.

You know - I am beginning to really regret all the snide remarks I have made in my life about abstract art. "My kid could do that" or "looks like a monkey painted it" and "that's stupid - what's it supposed to be" - it's all coming back to haunt me - it is much more difficult than painting a pear or a portrait! Bigger challenge than I ever thought it would be. LOL!


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