Studio!!! Indoor rooftop, Philadelphia

New painting....in progress

Wedding art

So, for the last couple months I have not been making as much art as I wish, because I have been working too much and planning a very DIY wedding (mine!), which I am handling in a very similar way that I have almost any art show.....give myself an ambitious goal, go a bit crazy and pull it together somehow in the end (often at the expense of sanity and sleep.) These are some things I have been making......

Work In Progress...

So...I have gotten to work on the new paintings. So far, I am not so thrilled with the actual surface quality (a new technique that I was excited about), but am trying to not obsess. I got frustrated earlier today, and decided to play with backgrounds. I then decided to take a break and read a novel, Just Kids by Patti Smith. It provided some perspective and inspiration, and I am now back in the studio. In progress shots below, and the snowy scene out my studio window...there was a whiteout today!

Vermont Studio Center Residency

I recently arrived in Vermont, for my first one month art residency. For the last several weeks, I have been priming canvas (with oil primer) and sanding between layers. This is a new style of canvas preparation for me, but so far I love it. I also spent the last couple months creating several detailed watercolor and gouache "sketches" that have become a whole new beast on their own. As usual, I was impressed by how expediently I completed the first one, which was a feeling I did not have for long. I find that with each new "sketch" my work time practically doubles from the last one, as I become increasingly obsessed with detail, style and technique. Out of these new works, I have chosen to paint three of my favorites, as oils on 36" X 48" Canvas. In the past, I have used mostly photos and drawings as references for my oil paintings. For my new work, I hope to use only my own gouache studies, and allow myself room to adapt and change my painting style. So far I find it very liberating. You can see the progress of these studies below...