Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Crow Man--new painting

 


So I finally made it out to the studio to actually paint, not to clean, not to look for diversions. I approached the paint and paper with ideas I brought back from Taos. It is also all from my own imagination, based on a memory from a trip to Astoria this spring.

* Don't be tied to all the rules.
* Use plenty of paint.
* Try for lots of patterns.
* Feel free to be whimsical.
* Try to have one word in mind for the painting.

Here is what I had by the end of the day.

I'm pondering my own reaction to the piece. I'm happy that I could paint so freely and with a sense of fun and freedom, but the picture is so unlike what I've painted in the past. It's surely full of activity and things to look at and think about.

I hope you all will have some helpful remarks.

P.S. If you want to enlarge an image, just click on it.
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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a crow man who lives on my street...this painting reminds me of him and he creeps me out.....so, "i'm not sure about anything technical with the painting, but it sure gets an emotional response out of me!

Anonymous said...

Hello Margaret,

Because I only wish I had the time and discipline to be a painter, I relish your blogs. Almost makes me cry, the color, creativity, honesty. Your ability to explain your process, too, impresses me: succinct and generous simultaneously.

The man interacting with crows, wonderfully active. The patterns fun, familiar, embracing. Felt the need for one more crow by his left buttock :-)

The umbrellas. The second is more inviting to me, perhaps because the lines are softer, they don't keep me out.

The man and his wine. To me, the second one, the golden one, speaks to "alone" more, but the first one engages me with its dimensions and depth.



Hug,
Kaethlyn

Anonymous said...

I really get a sense of sadness and loneliness here. I think the colors are very unusual for your normally vibrant self. These take me to lonely at dusk or day break. The patterns are wonderful. I enlarged the picture and they popped right out. You are very brave and bold in your exploration of new things. Have fun. Petie

Anonymous said...

LOVE IT! It reminds me of a Rae Munoz' painting. Keep it up! Marline

Anonymous said...

Hi Margaret, Crow man is indeed a departure! There seems to be a story here, but not sure what. I don't find it creepy or sad, but it makes me think of winter or bleak times. I like the palette a lot..blues and burnt sienna? and I like the use of pattern in several different places...crows shirt buildings. Makes it lively.

Interesting that you're equating "alone" with "sad". The man and the wine glass does say that, but the wine also produces a bit of an edge..is he drinking because he's alone? is he a wino? is he savoring a good italian wine at his favorite cafe? I like the colors in the second painting (very golden), but it seems very busy..everything seems at one plane and importance.

And yes the blogs are marvelous. it's super to see how you handle the same theme differently with different effects and hearing how you're thinking about it is fascinating.

Cheers, Julie

Anonymous said...

You are definitely moving in the right direction. Keep it up.
LiDona

Anonymous said...

As I was there that morning, I think that you captured what I wasn't able to with a camera. The man was such an odd duck. You are moving in the right direction I think. I'm really impressed with how your impression of that morning really speaks to me.

Anonymous said...

Dear Sue, It makes me happy and I want to hang it on my wall. That is how I judge. It is fun and yes whimsical but not foolish. It is very different but not so much that it doesn't belong to you. I would like to see more like this but not leaving what you do so well. Just another station on the journey.

Just home from the family reunion to revisit my computer and rejoin the summer fun in Oregon. Hope to get to Eugene and up the river to see you....soon I hope, Toni