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Home Sweet Studio

05 Sunday Feb 2012

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Back in the studio. photo by me

In the middle of a painting, it's good to be back to the studio. Photo by me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is so good to be back in the studio again, especially when a painting I started before escaping for a weeks holiday looked just as good to me now as I remembered.

It is always enlightening to work on a piece, and then remove yourself totally from it for a time…sometimes overnight, but a week is even more telling.  It just helps to look at it fresh.

Luckily with this painting of the winter garden bird’s nest I had started the week before, it looks just as interesting to me now as when I left it mid-stroke. It should be a fun week getting back in to it.

 

 

 

 

 

The art of making art

21 Saturday Jan 2012

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I spent the week in my studio trying to explore a new direction in my painting, and it was a struggle. But finally I felt I had some success, and was happy with the new results.

The studio, my photo, my painting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the questions I’m often asked is “Where do you get your inspiration? How do you decide what to paint?”

I can’t really explain it.  I know I have a particular stroke and rhythm to my painting, and it seems to work well with the distinct rhythms of the natural world. I am always trying to interpret that flow and change of nature in my work. And I also love color.

But it can also come from a group of people engaged in conversation or an interaction of many individuals. I like to tell a story, or create a memory as I play with color and texture. Sometimes I’ll be out and a scene or visual will intrigue me and I want to explore it in art. I honestly am never quite sure where it will come from, and often I am thunderstruck.

Inspiration on my studio wall. Photos by me

I took a photo of this birds nest showing the wear of time outside my studio. I think there is art here somewhere.

But sometimes when I am trying to work out a new technique or direction, I look to other artists. Throughout the history of art, if you look at photos of artists’ studios, you will very often see images of other art on the wall, or laying on a table.  Think of Van Gogh with Japanese prints. Or Degas with the Rembrandt etchings.

So I thought it might be interesting to look at what was open on my studio table as I struggled with this new painting.

From an art magazine, and an architectural page.

Joan Mitchell is a constant companion in my studio. The freedom of movement in her strokes has always inspired me.

One of my favorite artists, for his layering and interesting use of color, is Peter Doig. Sometimes I'll take color inspiration from another painting or source, but this was just a happy accident.

This particular painting started in a totally different direction and although I thought I knew where I wanted to go with it, it just wasn’t working.  So I kept layering and changing and at times I thought it was trash.  But somehow it morphed into something I loved, and now I have a whole series in my head to work on.

This started in a very different way.

This is fairly normal for me. The rich color underneath is hidden in layers of strokes.

A lot of the original color disappeared under new layers.

And then some of it went back in. This can go on for days. With much angst.

And then finally a breakthrough. Somehow I got so frustrated with the earlier direction, I painted these large bands of blue over it. Then I started adding strokes over it. The rhythm of the woods came in clear view.

Again, when I look around my studio as I get stuck, there are things that just jog something in my brain and I go back to work.

On my wall, a favorite David Hockney tear sheet from an art magazine.

A couple of postcards on my wall, a reminder of my visit to the Cy Twombly exhibit at the Tate Modern in London.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But somehow, it all goes in and gets mixed around, and in the end I hope it is something that is very personal and truly original.

A studio by any other name is still sweet

12 Monday Dec 2011

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In my life, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a “studio”.  It may have been a box of art supplies that moved around a tiny dorm room or apartment – wherever I could find a corner to work – but it was still a studio nonetheless.

a corner of a very small guest bedroom/den/office/studio

Doesn’t really matter where it was, as long as I could paint. Notice that the furniture is covered with sheets in the photo below.  I wasn’t always very neat.  But I also often had a vase of flowers nearby.  Just for the mood.

corner of the dining room

I often went out to my screened porch to paint. Lovely. This was one of my favorite places to paint…

porch

…sometimes, even in the snow.  There is something about working on a summer beach scene with snow on the ground outside.  Art can transport you anywhere, and any season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was another one of my favorite painting spots…a third floor room that was away from everything.  It was a converted attic that was perfect for painting. I loved looking down on the world from this space, the true artist’s garret. Now if it had only been in Paris.

The attic studio. I loved looking down from the window.

When we moved to the caribbean, it was often hard to find space, but I managed.  If I didn’t use a corner of the dining room area, I would take over the guest bedroom.

Ready for visitors...a guest bedroom in the caribbean.

It converted quite easily, and the sea breezes were great when they weren’t blowing my canvas over.

Bed one day, workspace the next

any spare corner will do

The only problem was moving everything when guests would arrive. But that was an easy solution. A small price to pay for having great space.

Finally back in the states, I had a room all my own, and the work started in earnest.  I was now a full time painter and the space reflected that.  Age has its advantages.

The clutter of many ideas

I loved being able to put things that sparked my creativity everywhere in the room. What a luxury.  This was very special space, and it looked out over a perfect garden.

My current studio is the the best ever, although I tend to say that about each new space. But this one is very special. It was even designed as an art studio, and the north light floods the room.  I spend most of my days in this creative space without any regret.

all materials at hand

and the perfect natural light

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It really doesn’t matter where I work.  Once I start painting, I get lost in the creation process anyway, and most of the time I am totally unaware of my surroundings.  I call it going in to the zone, and from what I gather most artist’s experience it.  There is a moment when you lose yourself totally in the work and the world disappears.

But this studio is sure nice to return to when I put the brush down.

My 4 favorite art materials

14 Monday Nov 2011

Posted by in Art, England, Grasmere, paintings, sketching, Uncategorized

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Of course you should know by now, if you have been following this blog, that I love to make “pictures”.  I am driven.  Put a pencil in my hand and somehow I start drawing wobbly lines.

I have always thought it is curious that people who don’t think they can create art say “I can’t draw a straight line”. Neither can I.  My lines swirl and gash and streak, but very rarely go straight.  Every once in awhile I do a piece featuring architecture and have to concentrate on edges and angles,

Metropolitan Spring, oil on canvas, private collection

…but more often than not, the lines move in waves and swirl around the paper or canvas in organized abandon.

Wave #9, oil on canvas, artist's collection.

Finding my inspiration in England is perfect for my style of movement and emotion.  The whole countryside seems to swirl with energy.  I am never more pleased than walking in the country with a breeze blowing and a faint mist in the air.  Of course those days of pure sunshine in England are also nice, and I have experienced my fair share of those.

An early morning walk in the Lake District near Grasmere

I have created art for more years than I can count, and I thought it might be of interest to talk about why I chose the mediums I do to work with.  We fine artists all have our personal favorites, and like old friends we become very comfortable with them knowing their strengths and accepting their weaknesses.

1. Oil Paint – this has to be my all time favorite.  I am sure one of the reasons is that the oil painting studio is where I spent the majority of my artistic time at University.  I must admit I never did well with stretching the canvases, but I loved the glistening, smooth paints gliding over the surface.

My paint box in sweet disarray

The variety of color is inspirational, and if I add a touch of linseed oil, I can layer the pigment in a way that bits of color from each layer shimmer through.  It dries slowly so at different stages I can either mix other colors through the layer if it is still wet, or put a sheer layer over the dry so it comes through. It is such a forgiving process.  I can change my mind a thousand times, I can stroke it or scrape it or pile it on. (See my post Art on the Move to see how that works)

Metropolitan Spring in the studio

Everytime I look at a display of those tubes of paint in a store or catalogue or online, I am like a child in a candy store with too many choices.  One of my favorite parts of beginning a painting is choosing the colors. Sometimes wanting to try a unique color palette will drive my subject choice.

2. Pastels  – I was in Yosemite National Park in California on holiday by myself many years ago (before MBB) and I decided this was just too good to pass up, art-wise.  I had no art materials with me (I have since learned and never go on holiday without at least a good sketch pen) so I went in to the art supply store in the center of this gorgeous valley.  How considerate of them to sell art supplies right in the park! There on the shelf, right next to the Ansel Adams calendars, was a set of pastels and a small sketch book which I thought would be easy to put in my pack.

My current pastel box. The choices of color are limitless with blending!

I spent the entire vacation trying to figure out how to use the things, and finally realized if I layered the colors like I did the oils and blended it with finger, eraser or other tool, it had a wonderful effect. Pastels have become a true friend.

A wild color study of a flamboyant tree done in pastels, collection of the artist

3. Conté – this is a intriguing mixture of compressed charcoal or graphite mixed with a wax base. Conté crayons are most commonly found in black, white, and sanguine tones ( a blood red that is perfect for accenting areas).

It is harder than chalk (almost like a soft pencil), but can blend like pastel.  I remembered using it in school when quite young, and when I noticed it on a shelf of an art supply store, I thought this would be fun.

Pineapple, private collection

It works, again, with the same layering and blending technique I use with oils and pastels. I can build up my layers, blend them on the paper with the edge of my eraser, and then easily add sharper detail on top.

a conte drawing on colored paper

4. Pen & Ink: If you read my post, The Art of Sailing, you can understand why I love pen & ink.  With a small sketch book in my pocket and a pen, I can capture the world as I walk through the countryside. It is perfect for those English days when a camera is best kept in your pocket.

I have always used pen & ink as a sketching tool, a way to recall what I have seen rather than a finished medium, but I keep thinking I will explore it more one day.  It recalls Rembrandt and Durer, and I am always surprised how one small innocent tool can create such a variety of effects with marks and cross hatches and swooshes (a technical term for letting your hand go wild with pen on paper).

If you’ve ever thought you’d like to experience making art, just try it.  There are so many materials to explore.  And, who knows, you just may find a new way to express yourself and make friends with your own favorite material.

Look at my website for more of my art.

 

Cheering the sailors on, Burnham-on-Crouch

01 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by in Art, Burnham-on-Crouch, England, paintings, Sailing

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The first time I was introduced to racing in Burnham-on-Crouch on the east coast of England, it was a wonderful experience. My Beloved Brit was up early in the morning and down to the sailboat to join the rest of his crew. I packed up my camera and sketch book, and went out to watch.

I was told how to get the best vantage point to see the races.  It meant a walk (remember that means hike it Brit speak) down the shore of the Crouch River along the high grassy banks.

I made my way to the end of the seawall in town…

and headed out along the walkway to where the town ends and the fields begin.

This is how it looks on a quiet day.

And this is race day.

The people gather by the river.  They bring binoculars and snacks for the duration of the day of racing.  This is serious business.  There is much yelling and cheering for a favorite boat.

And across the water, you can hear the sailors screaming at each other and at other boats.  They have no voices left by the end of the day.

At one heated moment a boat trying to position itself for the start of the race got stuck in the mud. You are not allowed to motor off.  Everything is wind or man power.  One of the young men stripped off his clothes and jumped over the side to push the boat free. The cheers went up from the crowd on the shore. “Well done! Give ‘er a push then!” Within minutes the boat was free. the young crew member was back on he boat and dressed in his dry clothes, and they were off. Such drama. Such fun.

I spent the day out on the banks with the crowds of fans…

then slowly, end of day, walked back to Burnham.

The pastel I made of the day hangs in our bedroom.  I wake up to it every morning. Of course, MBB says his boat is first in the picture.  I keep reminding him he was actually in 3rd place at that moment. But I’m sure he won the race.

When do the leaves turn red?

17 Monday Oct 2011

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Our first sign that autumn has really arrived is the local pumpkin patch, already selling all shapes and sizes of those beautiful orange signs of pre-Halloween.

On a trip to England I asked My Beloved Brit when the leaves change in England in the fall.  We were walking through the village of Grasmere in the beautiful Lake District in late summer, and lo and behold I spied a few leaves already changing. I could smell the gingerbread in the air, as the first few leaves drifted down.

He explained to me that England didn’t really have those fall colors that I had grown up seeing in New York.  In England, one day they turn, and the next they are on the ground.  Or so it seemed to him.

I still was able to find enough color for reference for “Autumn Branches”, and every fall when I see the leaves just start to change I think of that afternoon in Grasmere, walking down the lane.

"Autumn Branches", oil painting, the artist's collection

Art on the move

10 Monday Oct 2011

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I am getting ready to transport some paintings down to the Admiralty Gallery (www.admiraltygallery.com) in Vero Beach Florida for the start of their season.  This beautiful space facing the Atlantic on Ocean Drive has graciously represented me for several years now, and it is always exciting to start a new season with them.

This year I have tried a new form of expression in oils – abstraction.  But the essence of all of my paintings…nature based, energy and motion, color play…is still evident in these works. It has been liberating to do a less “realistic” color palette, but, I must admit, I miss the more immediate connection to actual representative art from nature.

We’ll see where it goes.

Dusk, 28 x 22, oil painting

As usual, all the new pieces are based on my travels.  In the wave series, which I have explored for over 7 years now, I found the inspiration at various locations from the coast of Great Britain, to Portugal and Spain, the Caribbean Islands, and Maine.  (You can see more of these works on www.patwhitehead.com) This particular piece, Wave #26, was based on waves I had seen in Florida on a reference expedition.

Wave #26, 36 x 24" oil

 

When I decided to take on abstract painting this past summer, I found that the technique that I had used on the wave series was the same here. I first decided on a composition based on something I had seen, then started to explore color and motion within that framework.

In Horizon, I had initially done a small pastel sketch of wave motion, always looking at the underlying tones of highlights and shadow.

pastel sketch reference

Horizon, 12" x 16", oil painting

 

 

It is interesting to see the underpainting steps that lead up to a more realistic “wave” painting and compare it to one of the abstract paintings.  I still struggle more with the abstracts.  There are so many more options for color. You’ll see what I mean:

Step 1, “Wave #27” – I wanted a bright undertone to these waves, and to immediately establish the motion of the surf.

Step #2 – I rough in the color palette on top of the underpainting. Because I use a mixture oil paint and linseed oil on the top layers, they can be transparent and show hints of the layers beneath.  Also, I often scratch the surface to reveal these different layers.

Step #3 – I begin to add highlights and detail–more layers.

Final – notice the strokes blending the different layers, and other colors being added to put emphasis on certain areas. At the very end I add spray detail.

Wave #27, 24 x 18", oil painting

 

When I began on the abstract, First Blush, I was concentrating on a band of pink flowers I had seen.  I made the undertones of the background dark to highlight the brightness of the pink.

Step #2 – I was still torn as to how dark I wanted the background area to be, and I was having some difficulty removing myself from the detail I often paint.

Step #3 – After many days of going back and forth, I decided I wanted to really emphasize the pink with a lighter, fresher background, and show much less detail. The emphasis was to be on the feeling of lightness.

Step #4 – I still wasn’t happy with the contrast although I loved the movement and soft tones. The solution was to go even lighter on the background, add more subtle motion in that area, and really pop the Rose Madder color.

 

Finally, I got it just where I wanted. Sometimes the real beauty is found after much struggle. And sometimes you just trip in to it.

"First Blush", 18 x 24", oil painting

 

The art of sailing

07 Friday Oct 2011

Posted by in Art, England, Sailing, Travel

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When we go to England, we enjoy exploring the country together.  But always during these visits there are those days when My Beloved Brit loves to take off sailing with his mates in one of the many regattas on the east coast of England.  He sailed for years with close friends when he lived in London BP (Before Pat), and relishes the thought of being tossed around on grey seas for hours trying to find the right bit of wind and win the race. Not my cup of tea, so to speak, but it gives me time to explore the local countryside on my own looking for art inspiration.

My Beloved Brit (center) dressed for the chill with his sailing companions.

On just such an occasion a few years ago we went to West Mersea on the east coast of England so he could participate in the Dabchicks Sailing Club’s Sail East Regatta. We had been living in the caribbean, so, as you can see, he avoided shorts (unlike those sturdier souls still living in “the grey country”) in favor of several layers of clothing.

He headed out to sea, and on his advice I searched out Cudmore Grove Country Park on the east end of Mersea Island.  This time I had my sketchbook with me and a #05 pilot V ball pen as I dove into the mist to see what I could find.

Parking the car and heading out across the open fields on foot, it was the wildness of the sky that really caught my attention.  I just tried to capture the energy of the environment with a few quick strokes.

Wandering down towards the edge of the park, I came across this tidal area with posts in odd rows.  I found out later that they were oyster beds.

Sorry the sketch is so faint.  I was working in a sketchbook that had varied colored pages, which was interesting, but is now harder to reproduce.

I continued along the shore…

… and saw these few boats clinging to the mud waiting for the tide to come back in.

Further along, a lone shed watched over the masts.  This is such a typical east coast scene with the inlets and the mud. I never get tired of it.

Back up through the fields, the blackberries filled the hedgerows.

The skies had finally cleared, so I put my sketchbook away and took out my trusted camera for a few shots of the swans heading up stream. I drove back to the west side of the island to meet my sailor, home from the sea, and join the crew for a few pints and to hear the day’s tales of glory.

Art and sailing…we were both totally satisfied with our day.

Back home in my studio, I relived the adventure in a singular painting called “The Clearing”.

 

 

Duchess of Cambridge to become Queen of Arts – Telegraph

05 Wednesday Oct 2011

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Duchess of Cambridge to become Queen of Arts – Telegraph.

It looks like the Duchess of Cambridge may become a champion for the arts as was suspected last week (see my earlier post about her gallery visit  “Kate Middleton Visits National Portrait Gallery”).

Click on the link above to read the entire new article from the Telegraph’s October 2nd issue.

The Duchess is expected to become the official patron of several national museums and galleries and may also act as an “ambassador” for institutions that have existing Royal links, such as the V&A where Princess Alexandra is a patron.

She is also understood to be considering lending her support to a number of smaller, lesser-known arts organisations.

Great Britain explained–and that flag in front of our house

03 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by in Art, England, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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One of the first things that goes up after we’ve moved in to a new house, is the flag of England. It often gives the neighbors pause.  Of course everyone thinks My Beloved Brit’s only flag is the flag of the UK…the union jack.

But if you’ve ever watched an English football match (soccer to us yanks) you know that this red cross on white background flies proudly in the hearts of Englishmen.

Now, for fair play, I put my American flag up any excuse I get and we fly both proudly in their own special place.  It is sort of like our marriage…different cultures but very compatible. Notice how the colors of the two flags coordinate.

 

When I struggled with creating a logo for accentBritain, I did some research on British flags before I did the oil painting interpretation you see at the top of this blog. I did several small oil sketches working out the layout, and finally worked from the variation that seemed to have the most energy.

 

As I worked on my flag research, I came across some fascinating facts.

This is a fun easy way to understand the two British flags from youtube: England and the UK explained.

And if you really want to get in to the whole British Empire thing, this is one of the most fun presentations I’ve found to try and make it all clear: The difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain and England explained

Cheers!