As usual, we forgot the camera on Saturday night for the gallery opening, so no pics. We also forgot business cards...oh, well. Other than those things, the opening reception went wonderfully well. All the artists had friends and supporters attend on their behalf. It was great to see such a cross section of art and a variety of friends. The one constant was that no one was there who didn't want to be there, so everyone had a great time.
After the last show in November at Baquero Gallery, I went out and got a new pair of glasses. They are soooo much more comfortable than my old pair. Even so, at times I take them off and leave them places, especially if people are taking my picture. Someone was taking photos Saturday night. Because there is always a glare when I leave my glasses on for a photo, and because I'm vain, I took them off. Eventually, as Reese was walking by, I slipped them into his top jacket pocket....only Reese didn't know that I had put them there.
As we were getting ready to leave at the very end of the evening, I patted Reese's blazer pocket to make sure my glasses were there. They weren't. So I asked him if he put them somewhere else (?) thinking,
"No biggie."
But they were no where to be found, and Reese was adamant that I had NOT put them in his pocket. We couldn't find them anywhere. It was too late and we were much too tired so we went home.
After church on Sunday, and after The Chinese New Years celebration, we headed back to the gallery to look for my glasses. There they were, twisted, lens popped out, and smushed in the dirt outside the back door of the gallery. Reese had helped Mandy take out the garbage the night before and they must have slipped out of his pocket. And since he wasn't aware that he needed to keep a watchful eye out for them being that he was totally unaware that they were in his jacket pocket, they had disappeared into the blackness of the night.
One of today's chores is to get them re-adjusted.
All's well that ends well.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Chinese Lasagna
The most curious thing happened today.... We went to a neighbor's house for a Chinese New Year celebration. That's not the whole story.
Walking in, Wayne (our neighbor) put the dot on our forehead, you know, the third eye. Groovy.
Then we visited with a Chinese guy named Reno something....a Chinese Italian, that is. His son Nikko had two different colored eyes, one brown, and one green. I think Reno must have been the one who brought the Chinese lasagna. Have you ever had Chinese lasagna? I think not.
Then I met Jack, Wayne's older-by-18-years brother. Jack is an old salt who has lived on a boat for the last 20 years in the Florida Keys. He is here on an extended stay with his brother while undergoing treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Even after his latest, almost final chemotherapy treatment, he still has a full head of long grey hair and a full grizzly beard.
Making my way back indoors after eating my Chinese lasagna, I ran into a woman I instantly recognized. I said,
"I know you! You're Martha!"
Martha was our model in Friday's life drawing lab. Martha was our model in Friday's life drawing lab!!!! (just in case you didn't catch that the first time)
I was delighted, stunned, flabbergasted, thrilled...all of the above. I went back outside and told Reese that MarthawasatthesamepartyandIdrewheronFridayandshewasanudemodelinourlastclass. This drew an immediate, albeit small crowd as I started explaining the beauty of Martha; her regal poses, how much I enjoyed drawing her, the fun of drawing that line from where a woman's arm connects to her body and the curve as it flows around her breast, then gliding along the curve of her waist and hips....the small crowd was spellbound, perhaps as stunned as I had been, that I was talking in flowing language (with hand gestures) about the nude curves of another woman's body.
The first question Jack asked when people stopped blinking at me and my nude model illustration was,
"Well, do you think she'll give us a demonstration right here in the back yard?"
When Martha posed for us, she was awesome. Her voice is husky, and she has an easy smoker's laugh. She was quick to put us at ease by making small random comments. But when it came time, she was all business. She struck a pose and that was it. All of the sudden there were this beauty....absolutely beautiful pose. She looked like a Roman statue, only she was flesh and blood. My sketches don't do justice to her form. Maybe by the next time she poses I'll do a better job of capturing the essence of all things Martha.
Walking in, Wayne (our neighbor) put the dot on our forehead, you know, the third eye. Groovy.
Then we visited with a Chinese guy named Reno something....a Chinese Italian, that is. His son Nikko had two different colored eyes, one brown, and one green. I think Reno must have been the one who brought the Chinese lasagna. Have you ever had Chinese lasagna? I think not.
Then I met Jack, Wayne's older-by-18-years brother. Jack is an old salt who has lived on a boat for the last 20 years in the Florida Keys. He is here on an extended stay with his brother while undergoing treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Even after his latest, almost final chemotherapy treatment, he still has a full head of long grey hair and a full grizzly beard.
Making my way back indoors after eating my Chinese lasagna, I ran into a woman I instantly recognized. I said,
"I know you! You're Martha!"
Martha was our model in Friday's life drawing lab. Martha was our model in Friday's life drawing lab!!!! (just in case you didn't catch that the first time)
I was delighted, stunned, flabbergasted, thrilled...all of the above. I went back outside and told Reese that MarthawasatthesamepartyandIdrewheronFridayandshewasanudemodelinourlastclass. This drew an immediate, albeit small crowd as I started explaining the beauty of Martha; her regal poses, how much I enjoyed drawing her, the fun of drawing that line from where a woman's arm connects to her body and the curve as it flows around her breast, then gliding along the curve of her waist and hips....the small crowd was spellbound, perhaps as stunned as I had been, that I was talking in flowing language (with hand gestures) about the nude curves of another woman's body.
The first question Jack asked when people stopped blinking at me and my nude model illustration was,
"Well, do you think she'll give us a demonstration right here in the back yard?"
When Martha posed for us, she was awesome. Her voice is husky, and she has an easy smoker's laugh. She was quick to put us at ease by making small random comments. But when it came time, she was all business. She struck a pose and that was it. All of the sudden there were this beauty....absolutely beautiful pose. She looked like a Roman statue, only she was flesh and blood. My sketches don't do justice to her form. Maybe by the next time she poses I'll do a better job of capturing the essence of all things Martha.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
My Funny Valentine
Since yesterday was Anna's Valentine birthday, and there was a place available, I sat next to her in our life drawing class. During one of the model breaks, the teacher, Patrick Palmer came over and asked,
"So, how are you two related?"
"Mother--daughter."
Anna has been an artist for almost all of her life. When she was almost three she drew a picture for me that I still have on the refrigerator. It has faded a bit and the edges are browned, but for a three year old, it's an incredible piece of art. Her interest in art continued as she grew. Anna's determination, sense of perspective, and patience with details has yielded some delightful artwork over the years. She still possesses all of those qualities and she still produces wonderful art.
In class, at some point, Patrick has us walk around and look at what our fellow classmates are drawing. Even though we are all sketching the same model, we all bring a unique take on the pose; plus we are standing in a circle around the model, so we all have a unique view. Often my favorite pose of the whole class is on Anna's easel. Maybe someday she'll let me share some of her sketches on this blog. In the meantime, you can see her house portraits by clicking the Anna Hazel Art link on the right.
It's been a tremendous blessing to be her mother, and an extra treat to be her friend.
"So, how are you two related?"
"Mother--daughter."
Anna has been an artist for almost all of her life. When she was almost three she drew a picture for me that I still have on the refrigerator. It has faded a bit and the edges are browned, but for a three year old, it's an incredible piece of art. Her interest in art continued as she grew. Anna's determination, sense of perspective, and patience with details has yielded some delightful artwork over the years. She still possesses all of those qualities and she still produces wonderful art.
In class, at some point, Patrick has us walk around and look at what our fellow classmates are drawing. Even though we are all sketching the same model, we all bring a unique take on the pose; plus we are standing in a circle around the model, so we all have a unique view. Often my favorite pose of the whole class is on Anna's easel. Maybe someday she'll let me share some of her sketches on this blog. In the meantime, you can see her house portraits by clicking the Anna Hazel Art link on the right.
It's been a tremendous blessing to be her mother, and an extra treat to be her friend.
Friday, February 09, 2007
The Trouble With Harry
Part of what we paid for in the life drawing class was the model fee. And part of what is included in the model fee is the opportunity to practice with the models in one or two labs offered later in the week. In today's lab, Harry was our model. I won't even tell you the first thing I noticed.In the first class our model was Susan. Even though Susan was a thin woman, she was still nothing but curves and squiggles. Harry, on the other hand, was all lines and angles. It took me a while to intellectualize this.
Duh. I had been trying to draw Harry the same way that I had drawn Susan. When I looked at and sketched Susan two days ago, my eyes would sweep over her entire body as I tried to capture the wholeness and beauty of her curves. It was almost a religious experience. But sketching Harry was different. Harry had no curves. It seemed more like an exercise, like doing pages and pages of math homework. It wasn't until the twelfth pose that I realized that this was why it wasn't clicking for me. 
The four poses after that were much better because I started thinking about how to draw Harry with lines and angles instead of squiggles and curves. Even math can be beautiful. Remember that we have 5 to 10, and sometimes 20 minutes to sketch each pose. Also, remember that this is only my second time to do this...the first time being two days ago. Go easy on me.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Butter Up
All the easels were set up when we got to class. Everyone else got there before me, even though I was on time. So, there were only two easels left. You know how sometimes when you are at a fundraising dinner, and the dinner guests around you don't seem to remember which butter plate belongs to them, and you end up not getting one? Well, there were two easels left, but no table to go with one of them, because someone had taken the other person's butter plate, so to speak. Therefore, I got the easel by the door as you walk in, which generally meant that for all the poses, I got Susan's (our model) back. Susan is a very thin woman.
We started out by doing scribble "gestures." Apparently, a gesture is a quick summary drawing reserving territory (on paper) in which the subject will sit. It's not designed to be accurate, per se, but rather give one a general idea how to build a painting or drawing around a "gesture." I'm still not sure that I completely understand it myself...but it has something to do with "positive and negative" space. All of this art terminology is new to me. Back to scribbles....we scribbled the space of the model, then drew an outline of her body based on our scribbles.
The second gesture we did was ball and oval. Some guy back in the day, invented this concept of drawing a human figure based on balls and ovals. The head would be an oval, the neck a ball, the torso an oval, the shoulder a ball, arm an oval, elbow a ball....you get the idea. So we sketched the model in balls and ovals, then drew an outline around that.
The third type of gesture we learned today was the value gesture. A value gesture is basically coloring in the shape of the model, and then outlining that. Value gesture drawing was my favorite of the three types of gestures we learned today. I could see the shape more clearly, rather than drawing random lines in space on paper. I could see where to put the lines based on the shape or value of what I had sketched.
In between the fourth or fifth pose, students would walk aound and look at each other's sketches. These were my two favorite gestures of the day.
We started out by doing scribble "gestures." Apparently, a gesture is a quick summary drawing reserving territory (on paper) in which the subject will sit. It's not designed to be accurate, per se, but rather give one a general idea how to build a painting or drawing around a "gesture." I'm still not sure that I completely understand it myself...but it has something to do with "positive and negative" space. All of this art terminology is new to me. Back to scribbles....we scribbled the space of the model, then drew an outline of her body based on our scribbles.
The second gesture we did was ball and oval. Some guy back in the day, invented this concept of drawing a human figure based on balls and ovals. The head would be an oval, the neck a ball, the torso an oval, the shoulder a ball, arm an oval, elbow a ball....you get the idea. So we sketched the model in balls and ovals, then drew an outline around that.
The third type of gesture we learned today was the value gesture. A value gesture is basically coloring in the shape of the model, and then outlining that. Value gesture drawing was my favorite of the three types of gestures we learned today. I could see the shape more clearly, rather than drawing random lines in space on paper. I could see where to put the lines based on the shape or value of what I had sketched.
In between the fourth or fifth pose, students would walk aound and look at each other's sketches. These were my two favorite gestures of the day.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Small Gesture
It's always a treat to have the house full. As you may or may not know, my studio doubles as Erin's bedroom and the guest room. With Grace staying with us, I moved out of the studio for the week. This is a mixed blessing. For one thing, it has postponed likely frustration with the background of a painting in the works. The painting in question is something that I sketched months ago, started painting last week, and then cleared out of the studio. Just as well. Even looking at it now, I have no idea how to complete this painting.
Another thing...it has given me some time to catch up on art reading, though not enough. As a largely heretofore self trained artist, I absolutely rely on art magazines, art how-to books, and art coffee table books. I have my favorites, and these are always good refreshers for looking at technique.
And lastly, I've begun a life drawing class. The first class was just preliminary introductions and supply list stuff....next week the *nude model* comes to pose. It's called gesture poses. The model holds a pose for 30 minutes or so while we draw. Good grief. I just hope it's not one of my neighbors. Awkward. And I also hope that I don't get the business end of the male model. Ew. I don't want a sketchbook full of that. This will be my gesture if I do get that pose.....
Oh, dear.
Did I mention that I'm taking this class with my 20 year old (on Valentines day) daughter? That part was an accident, honestly. She had signed up for the same class at a different time, and then changed her schedule. I just hope it's not too weird for either one of us.
Another thing...it has given me some time to catch up on art reading, though not enough. As a largely heretofore self trained artist, I absolutely rely on art magazines, art how-to books, and art coffee table books. I have my favorites, and these are always good refreshers for looking at technique.
And lastly, I've begun a life drawing class. The first class was just preliminary introductions and supply list stuff....next week the *nude model* comes to pose. It's called gesture poses. The model holds a pose for 30 minutes or so while we draw. Good grief. I just hope it's not one of my neighbors. Awkward. And I also hope that I don't get the business end of the male model. Ew. I don't want a sketchbook full of that. This will be my gesture if I do get that pose.....
Oh, dear.
Did I mention that I'm taking this class with my 20 year old (on Valentines day) daughter? That part was an accident, honestly. She had signed up for the same class at a different time, and then changed her schedule. I just hope it's not too weird for either one of us.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Chinese Grace
For the next week, we are hosting a Chinese student as part of an exchange program between Lamar High School (where two of our daughters go) and Dalian, China. When Grace (her American name) first came home with us, we asked her what she wanted to do or see while she was in Houston. She said,
"Museums."
How absolutely perfect....I immediately started taking a mental inventory of some favorite museum collections here in town. Time is not an abundant commodity while Grace is here. If at all possible, several stops should be on a list for all Houstonians and visitors alike.
Our first stop on Saturday was the The Byzantine Chapel at the The Menil Collection. This is probably my favorite place in all of Houston, besides my own home. The Menils redeemed fragile frescos from the black market and designed a small museum around their preservation. The chapel is stunning in it's simple beauty and is always a place of peace and calm.
And then a most amazing thing happened at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston(MFAH) on Sunday. It just so happened to be family day, and the focus of the event was celebrating the Chinese New Year! We walked in to the beating of enormous Chinese drums chasing out demons of last year (presumably.) One drum had to be at least six feet in diameter and eight or nine feet deep---huge. I can't even describe the booming sound it made. There were also Chinese crafts for the kids to do, such as Chinese character writing. It was sweet to watch Grace; she was so excited to see something familiar.
After making our way through the museum's collections, we ended our jaunt strolling through the Sculpture Garden. The weather couldn't have been more perfect; crisp, cool, and clear.
"Museums."
How absolutely perfect....I immediately started taking a mental inventory of some favorite museum collections here in town. Time is not an abundant commodity while Grace is here. If at all possible, several stops should be on a list for all Houstonians and visitors alike.
Our first stop on Saturday was the The Byzantine Chapel at the The Menil Collection. This is probably my favorite place in all of Houston, besides my own home. The Menils redeemed fragile frescos from the black market and designed a small museum around their preservation. The chapel is stunning in it's simple beauty and is always a place of peace and calm.
And then a most amazing thing happened at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston(MFAH) on Sunday. It just so happened to be family day, and the focus of the event was celebrating the Chinese New Year! We walked in to the beating of enormous Chinese drums chasing out demons of last year (presumably.) One drum had to be at least six feet in diameter and eight or nine feet deep---huge. I can't even describe the booming sound it made. There were also Chinese crafts for the kids to do, such as Chinese character writing. It was sweet to watch Grace; she was so excited to see something familiar.
After making our way through the museum's collections, we ended our jaunt strolling through the Sculpture Garden. The weather couldn't have been more perfect; crisp, cool, and clear.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Martha
Martha asked,
"Are you painting anything new, and can I come see?"
"Of course!" I answered.
We walked through the house to the studio and I showed my sweet friend Martha the newest painting. When most people come over to see the paintings, we spend a few minutes looking around, and then move to other topics of conversation. Assuming this was the drill, I pointed to the newest painting, then quickly moved to another painting when Martha said,
"Wait....I'm not finished looking at this one, yet."
She paused, thoughtfully considered the painting in front of her, and then proceeded to discuss the choice and use of color, the brushstrokes, the emotion of the painting, the style as compared to other paintings, the influence and growth.....it was amazing. There I was listening to a small lecture on my own painting(s), and I wasn't even the guest lecturer! She then moved on to talk about other paintings of mine and their similarities and differences. She had some specific theories concerning my use of color that I confirmed were basically true. What is so curious now looking back on it was that Martha was analyzing me through my paintings! Not that there's anything wrong with that, it was just a different and new experience.
"Are you painting anything new, and can I come see?"
"Of course!" I answered.
We walked through the house to the studio and I showed my sweet friend Martha the newest painting. When most people come over to see the paintings, we spend a few minutes looking around, and then move to other topics of conversation. Assuming this was the drill, I pointed to the newest painting, then quickly moved to another painting when Martha said,
"Wait....I'm not finished looking at this one, yet."
She paused, thoughtfully considered the painting in front of her, and then proceeded to discuss the choice and use of color, the brushstrokes, the emotion of the painting, the style as compared to other paintings, the influence and growth.....it was amazing. There I was listening to a small lecture on my own painting(s), and I wasn't even the guest lecturer! She then moved on to talk about other paintings of mine and their similarities and differences. She had some specific theories concerning my use of color that I confirmed were basically true. What is so curious now looking back on it was that Martha was analyzing me through my paintings! Not that there's anything wrong with that, it was just a different and new experience.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
The Tribe Report
Martin de Vore's column in Art Valet has the first mention of the group show at Earth Gallery of which I am a part. Click on the title to see the whole page. His preview below:
Sacred Spaces and Beauty of the Everyday
Aren't those kind of the same? Well, at least to a landscape painter. But maybe not to you. Judge for yourself. Come to Earth Gallery and check out their February Group Show on Saturday, February 17, from 6-9 p.m. Phillip Tague and Mandy Tague describe it this way: "When we can appreciate and see beauty in the everyday, we are making the most of the possibilities around us. When we create sacred spaces, we are healing and nurturing ... making the most of ourselves. This shows artist motivation and works are about Sacred Spaces and the Beauty of Everyday Life." Featuring the work of Sarah Hazel, Shirley Bianchi, Leslie Entsminger, Monique Weston and critically acclaimed Russian artist, Yaver Sultanov, the festivities concide with the new moon and eve of the Chinese New Year! Earth Gallery is located at 365 W. 19th Street in The Heights. For more information about Sacred Spaces and Beauty of the Everyday visit the Web site at http://www.earthgalleryonline.com or call (713) 880-2121.
Sacred Spaces and Beauty of the Everyday
Aren't those kind of the same? Well, at least to a landscape painter. But maybe not to you. Judge for yourself. Come to Earth Gallery and check out their February Group Show on Saturday, February 17, from 6-9 p.m. Phillip Tague and Mandy Tague describe it this way: "When we can appreciate and see beauty in the everyday, we are making the most of the possibilities around us. When we create sacred spaces, we are healing and nurturing ... making the most of ourselves. This shows artist motivation and works are about Sacred Spaces and the Beauty of Everyday Life." Featuring the work of Sarah Hazel, Shirley Bianchi, Leslie Entsminger, Monique Weston and critically acclaimed Russian artist, Yaver Sultanov, the festivities concide with the new moon and eve of the Chinese New Year! Earth Gallery is located at 365 W. 19th Street in The Heights. For more information about Sacred Spaces and Beauty of the Everyday visit the Web site at http://www.earthgalleryonline.com or call (713) 880-2121.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Monday, January 08, 2007
Down-to-Earth
The newest news is that Earth Gallery in the Heights is now representing me. The owners, Mandy and Phillip Tague, are very personable, and it's a delight to work with them both. Though the gallery is young, the owners have a history on the Houston art scene. Phillip was the manager/curator for October Gallery before making the move to open his own place. The space is filled with a cohesive variety of art, from Chinese Silk Scrolls to a Norman Rockwell sketch to Murano Glass and French lithographs. One of the artists they represent recently gained international attention when he was named Russia's artist of the year, Yaber Sultanov.....I think that's the story. The gallery is in a great location, and Phillip is held in high regard within the Houston art community.
A few of my pieces will be a part of a group show on February 17th.
A few of my pieces will be a part of a group show on February 17th.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Sweetness
When I was a little girl, Miss Dortha gave me a giant coloring book, probably as a Christmas gift. It was filled with the outlines of young ladies in elaborate dresses. There was a lot of detail to color in, and for a while I was content. But to my recollection, I never finished even one of the pages in the coloring book. There was just too much detail, and I wasn't satisfied to color with a solid where a flower pattern was indicated.
Fast forward to today. There just isn't a lot of precise detail in my paintings. Instead of painting what I know is there, I paint what I see. So even if I know that something is physically there, if I can't see it, it doesn't get included in the painting. Also, I tend to leave out excessive patterns. My brain can't handle pattern overload.
An instance of painting what I see, and leaving out detail is evident in one of my newer paintings, Young Girl with Fan. Intellectually, I know that this young girl has blond hair. But when the sun light was shining in her hair, it looked like golden honey. And maybe her eyes aren't exactly that shade in real life, but the look in her eyes is just as sweet and true. What I really like, though, is the precious smile, most likely caused by the fact that she was the undivided center of attention of two teenage young ladies. How sweet and wonderful life is when we are priviledged enough to see true delight in the eyes of a child.
Fast forward to today. There just isn't a lot of precise detail in my paintings. Instead of painting what I know is there, I paint what I see. So even if I know that something is physically there, if I can't see it, it doesn't get included in the painting. Also, I tend to leave out excessive patterns. My brain can't handle pattern overload.
An instance of painting what I see, and leaving out detail is evident in one of my newer paintings, Young Girl with Fan. Intellectually, I know that this young girl has blond hair. But when the sun light was shining in her hair, it looked like golden honey. And maybe her eyes aren't exactly that shade in real life, but the look in her eyes is just as sweet and true. What I really like, though, is the precious smile, most likely caused by the fact that she was the undivided center of attention of two teenage young ladies. How sweet and wonderful life is when we are priviledged enough to see true delight in the eyes of a child.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Fiesta Forever
Mexicans are very enthusiastic about life. Celebrations and festivals start with booming cannon fire way too early in the morning, and continue long into the night with sporadic, yet continuous fireworks. By the end of our week in Mexico this past summer, I was yelling, "Viva la revolución!" at each thunderous bang. (Though corrected for my ignorance of the actual date of the Mexican revolution, the loud booms naturally prompted my visceral response, especially considering that we were in Mexico, and my "command" of the Spanish language is limited to various, easy-to-learn phrases.)Several charming evenings were spent on the rooftop terrace of our rented casa in San Miguel this past summer; telling stories, laughing, and watching the sun set. Just to the south, the view included the tree in the above painting. Maybe it was the cerveza, or the combination of loud and continuous fireworks with a cerveza, but this tree looks as if it celebrates all that is wonderful about Mexico. Hearty and firmly rooted in Mexican soil, it trembles in excitement as if a Mexican fiesta has exploded in it's branches.
Which is true....we also used the same tree for Joy's birthday piñata.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Harlequin Romance
The latest addition to my evening wardrobe are my very own harlequin designed Gap pajama pants. Only because of a conformity to societal norms am I choosing not to wear them all day every day.
Though clownish by nature, harlequin is and always has been one of my favorite designs. It is perhaps for this reason that Picasso remains in my top twenty artists. Picasso used the harlequin design in several of his paintings. In Harlequin with Glass, Picasso put himself in a harlequin costume surrounded by friends, or at least acquaintances at a cafe. It looks like he was heavily influenced by Toulouse-Lautrec with the rather cartoonish figures in the background. The painting is a departure from his more somber blue period with his addition of reds, yellows and greens with warmer tones of brown for a background.
Another painting of his with a harlequin design is Family of Saltimbanques. Even though the family members seem distant emotionally, the physical proximity of the figures, especially with the father holding his young daughter's hand, is altogether charming. Much has been written about the melancholy nature of the figures, but to me they seem content in each other's company. 
Perhaps my favorite Picasso painting of all is Paul in a Clown Suit. The absolute command of his portrait abilities is reflected in the subtle expression on Paul's face. Masterfully drawn, the sketch like quality of the rest of the painting further emphasizes our focus on his son's face. We aren't distracted by frivolous lace or an ornate chair. We only see a father's love for his young son. Given Picasso's well-documented narcissism, it's pleasant to see a painting that demonstrates a love for someone besides himself.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Anchors Away
More often than not, we have dinner together as a family every night at 6:30. Reese and I started as a young family, and as we added daughters, the habit carried forward. This supper schedule kept us as sane as one can be in the middle of all the changes that happen as a family grows. It has been our anchor of courtesy and community as the Reese Hazel family.
The main thing we do for every meal, besides pray and hold hands before we begin, is everyone tells their favorite thing of the day. This way, everyone gets an opportunity to talk and be heard, and the conversation is kept positive.
As our daughters are growing up, and keep schedules of their own, a very small dilemma is taking place. Sometimes only one somebody is home. But to me it's important to keep on keeping on. So two or three of us sit together and share a story and a meal.
Yet, here I am tonight, it's 6:25, and I've fixed so much turkey tetrazini that it had to go in two different casserole dishes. And I'm the only one at home. It's not quite the same to tell my favorite thing of the day to the empty chairs around the table. Oh wait, I hear voices...someone unlocking the front door! They're home for dinner!
The main thing we do for every meal, besides pray and hold hands before we begin, is everyone tells their favorite thing of the day. This way, everyone gets an opportunity to talk and be heard, and the conversation is kept positive.
As our daughters are growing up, and keep schedules of their own, a very small dilemma is taking place. Sometimes only one somebody is home. But to me it's important to keep on keeping on. So two or three of us sit together and share a story and a meal.
Yet, here I am tonight, it's 6:25, and I've fixed so much turkey tetrazini that it had to go in two different casserole dishes. And I'm the only one at home. It's not quite the same to tell my favorite thing of the day to the empty chairs around the table. Oh wait, I hear voices...someone unlocking the front door! They're home for dinner!
Monday, December 18, 2006
Mrs. Claus
One of the things that I like about my studio is that there are usually several paintings going at once. Leading up to the show, I spent a lot of the last month or so re-working around 20 paintings. Then I was so busy with preparing for Via Colori, and Thanksgiving...that it took me a little time to get settled back in the studio (which is our downstairs/guest/daughter Erin's bedroom.)
Now that I'm getting settled again, it's Christmas holiday, and time to paint gets squeezed around other family activities. Not that there's anything wrong with that....I love my family.
The point is that in the last two weeks, I have made tremendous strides toward several painting projects, though I'm still miles away from the finish line. OK, maybe yards instead of miles, but still several paintings are in the works. And with this busy season, there is conflict with the desire to paint versus the desire to be a good mom. But what does it mean to be a good mom? In this instance, part of it involves the whole Santa conundrum.
So with five, maybe six canvases ready to be worked on, I still need to remember the priority of being the Mrs. Santa Claus.
Now that I'm getting settled again, it's Christmas holiday, and time to paint gets squeezed around other family activities. Not that there's anything wrong with that....I love my family.
The point is that in the last two weeks, I have made tremendous strides toward several painting projects, though I'm still miles away from the finish line. OK, maybe yards instead of miles, but still several paintings are in the works. And with this busy season, there is conflict with the desire to paint versus the desire to be a good mom. But what does it mean to be a good mom? In this instance, part of it involves the whole Santa conundrum. So with five, maybe six canvases ready to be worked on, I still need to remember the priority of being the Mrs. Santa Claus.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Red, White, and Blondie
Our alpha male white toy poodle, Skipper is head over heals in love with the at least four times his size Blondie, the Xoloitzquintle, or Mexican hairless dog who lives a few doors down. When Blondie's owner, Fran drops in, she usually brings Blondie with her, which absolutely thrills our little poodle. Skipper spends most of his time trying to become intimately acquainted with Blondie, which is endlessly annoying to my friend's pet. Skipper is completely undaunted with his one-sided devotion and admiration of the large mostly hairless Latin lady dog. While painting yesterday, Fran and Blondie, so named for the few tufts of blond hair on her forehead, came over for a visit. A few minutes later, my friend, Deb also stopped by, but that's another story....We were all outside in the backyard enjoying the sunny weather and light refreshments when I noticed two big globs of red paint on my khaki trousers. No problem. People (and their pets) are more important than things, so I ignored the paint; there would be time to clean it later. That is, until Blondie, in a valiant effort to escape Skipper's advances, rubbed against my trouser leg. She ended up with red paint smeared all over the skin of her back. Fran sent me inside to change clothes before the mess spread to other random dog or body parts. Had the paint been on Skipper, it would have been a major ordeal to clean, but the paint on Blondie's skin cleaned right up with Dawn dish soap, water, and a little light scrubbing. Not too worse for wear, with more scrubbing and Dawn dish soap (Dawn takes grease "and oil based paint" out of your way), the khakis cleaned up, too.
Skipper is on pins and needles waiting for the next social call from Blondie. As I enjoy my companionship with Blondie's owner, Fran, I'm also looking forward to their next visit.
Monday, December 11, 2006
It's All Relative
Over the weekend, The Amazing Reese and I went to Austin to watch sweet daughter Erin graduate from UT.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Two Weeks Before Christmas....
'Twas two weeks before Christmas
and life was sure busy
with regular chores such as
feeding our Lizzy.
The stockings aren't hung
they are in a big box
with the other decorations
in the attic, perhaps?
The daughters were asked
to write a wish list
of which I've seen one,
the other three missed.
A nap would be lovely
this time of the year
maybe restoring
that lost Christmas cheer.
I look out the window
see the delivery truck
take presents to others
And I say, Oh,....look,
They remembered to order
their presents online,
It's all coming early
for those who plan fine.
But how can I shop
when there's painting to do
three canvases full
of red, green, and blue?
And yellow, and lavender
and orange in the sky
the mountain all swirly
and foreground sublime?
As I paint and I think
of house decorating
and shopping and cooking
and endless list making....
and laundry and sweeping
and all the leaf raking
and shopping again
and more Christmas baking...
The question I struggle
with everyday,
"Will this bring God glory
in any small way?"
Or is life just too busy
to slow down a bit
and visit the neighbor
who's kid just got sick?
and life was sure busy
with regular chores such as
feeding our Lizzy.
The stockings aren't hung
they are in a big box
with the other decorations
in the attic, perhaps?
The daughters were asked
to write a wish list
of which I've seen one,
the other three missed.
A nap would be lovely
this time of the year
maybe restoring
that lost Christmas cheer.
I look out the window
see the delivery truck
take presents to others
And I say, Oh,....look,
They remembered to order
their presents online,
It's all coming early
for those who plan fine.
But how can I shop
when there's painting to do
three canvases full
of red, green, and blue?
And yellow, and lavender
and orange in the sky
the mountain all swirly
and foreground sublime?
As I paint and I think
of house decorating
and shopping and cooking
and endless list making....
and laundry and sweeping
and all the leaf raking
and shopping again
and more Christmas baking...
The question I struggle
with everyday,
"Will this bring God glory
in any small way?"
Or is life just too busy
to slow down a bit
and visit the neighbor
who's kid just got sick?
Cottage Industry
My daughter, Anna added photos of her two latest house commissions to her website. Click on the title of this piece, or Anna Hazel Art at right to view her work.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Complimentary Complements
The American Heritage Dictionary says: "Complement and compliment, though quite distinct in meaning, are sometimes confused because of the context. Complement means 'something that completes or brings to perfection' : The antique silver was a complement to the beautifully set table. Compliment means 'an expression of courtesy or praise' : He gave his hostess a compliment on her beautifully set table.
I would say that a perfectly thoughtful compliment is the unparalleled complement to any conversation.
In the case of art, what this blog is about, there is such a thing as complementary colors. These colors are exact opposites on the color wheel. For instance, the opposite of red is green, therefore they are complementary colors.
In the newest painting in the works, I decided to paint the entire background basics in complementary colors. So far, the sky is a pale orange, the shrubbery is deep red, the tree is dark yellow, and the rest is a cross between tan and pale yellow. It looks pretty cool, and my daughter, Anna suggested that I work in solids for the whole piece. Maybe. When it dries, I can start working in the complementary colors to create the piece/painting that's already in my head. The complement of the sky will be a pale blue. There will be a variety of greens in the shrubbery. The tree's basic color scheme will be lavender, with violet blues (or blue violets) in the background. Some of the background colors will peek through on the finished piece.
But I just so happen to think that these colors will also be excessively polite to one another. "Oh, aren't your color variations stunning today?" "Oh no, not me, I insist that it's you who has the lovely hue."
I would say that a perfectly thoughtful compliment is the unparalleled complement to any conversation.
In the case of art, what this blog is about, there is such a thing as complementary colors. These colors are exact opposites on the color wheel. For instance, the opposite of red is green, therefore they are complementary colors.
In the newest painting in the works, I decided to paint the entire background basics in complementary colors. So far, the sky is a pale orange, the shrubbery is deep red, the tree is dark yellow, and the rest is a cross between tan and pale yellow. It looks pretty cool, and my daughter, Anna suggested that I work in solids for the whole piece. Maybe. When it dries, I can start working in the complementary colors to create the piece/painting that's already in my head. The complement of the sky will be a pale blue. There will be a variety of greens in the shrubbery. The tree's basic color scheme will be lavender, with violet blues (or blue violets) in the background. Some of the background colors will peek through on the finished piece.But I just so happen to think that these colors will also be excessively polite to one another. "Oh, aren't your color variations stunning today?" "Oh no, not me, I insist that it's you who has the lovely hue."
Sunday, November 26, 2006
The Art of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving, what a concept. Gather friends and/or family for a mighty feast, and remember events from the past year for which we are grateful. No pressure, no stress....just thanks.
To paint pours vitality into my soul, and I am thankful.
Time is an amazing gift. May we all use it well.
And it's pretty wonderful to have dear ones in my life.
For what are you thankful?
To paint pours vitality into my soul, and I am thankful.
Time is an amazing gift. May we all use it well.
And it's pretty wonderful to have dear ones in my life.
For what are you thankful?
Saturday, November 18, 2006
A Square to Spare
Today's Via Colori sidewalk painting extravaganza was magical....and exhausting. Because it was such a public event, there was time to chat while painting. The most common questions were: 1. Have you ever done this before? answer--"no." 2. Would you do it again?...to which I answered, "Like having a baby, not any time soon." 3. Does your back hurt? answer--"I feel like Cro-Magnon man every time I try to stand upright." Ouch.
For inspiration, I copied my own painting, Arches at San Jose Mission-2, and worked almost non-stop from 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening. (Several people walking by recognized the mission!) Reese was my everlasting support.
Again, the event was to raise money for the Center for Hearing and Speech here in Houston. Over 100 local artists participated, with at least two "ringers" flown in from California.
100 square feet sponsored by Simmons and Company International!
For inspiration, I copied my own painting, Arches at San Jose Mission-2, and worked almost non-stop from 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening. (Several people walking by recognized the mission!) Reese was my everlasting support.
Again, the event was to raise money for the Center for Hearing and Speech here in Houston. Over 100 local artists participated, with at least two "ringers" flown in from California.
100 square feet sponsored by Simmons and Company International!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Nick of Time
Last week Monday, we dropped the paintings off at the gallery. I came home to empty walls, and wasn't prepared for the onslaught of raw emotions that assaulted me. What had I done?
By Tuesday, David, the gallery owner had curated the exhibit, and everything looked great. He gave us a small tour, and wall after wall put the paintings in the best possible light, literally and figuratively. Toward the end of the walk through, he said, "I need one more painting for the show. Do you have one more small vertical painting for this wall?", and then he showed us a small wall that indeed could use a small painting. I mentioned a few paintings that I still had at home, and he said, "too big, wrong size, not right....do you have anything else? Can you paint something?"
Dumbly, I said, "Sure, no problem."
So right away, I went to the art supply store, bought an 8" x 10" canvas, stopped at the florist on the way home, bought some tulips, got home, set up a still life in my studio, and started a new painting.
I say still life, but tulips are anything but still. They kept following the sun, and opening and closing, so that I finally had to just paint them in place. Painting that day and the next did wonders for my fragile psyche.
Every painting needs a frame, and bless his heart, when I agreed to paint another image, Reese also agreed to have it framed in time for the show on Thursday. We both got busy; me in the studio, and Reese in the garage with all his tools. Mind you, Reese made at least 50 frames for the show...not one accident. But making this tiny frame, he sliced off the end of his right index finger and fingernail. Lord, have mercy. He almost passed out on the kitchen floor.
We both finished our parts by 2 o'clock on Thursday afternoon, and when we got to the gallery at 6, handed the wet painting (and the haiku description card) to David Baquero, who put it in it's place. The end.
By Tuesday, David, the gallery owner had curated the exhibit, and everything looked great. He gave us a small tour, and wall after wall put the paintings in the best possible light, literally and figuratively. Toward the end of the walk through, he said, "I need one more painting for the show. Do you have one more small vertical painting for this wall?", and then he showed us a small wall that indeed could use a small painting. I mentioned a few paintings that I still had at home, and he said, "too big, wrong size, not right....do you have anything else? Can you paint something?"
Dumbly, I said, "Sure, no problem."
So right away, I went to the art supply store, bought an 8" x 10" canvas, stopped at the florist on the way home, bought some tulips, got home, set up a still life in my studio, and started a new painting.
I say still life, but tulips are anything but still. They kept following the sun, and opening and closing, so that I finally had to just paint them in place. Painting that day and the next did wonders for my fragile psyche. Every painting needs a frame, and bless his heart, when I agreed to paint another image, Reese also agreed to have it framed in time for the show on Thursday. We both got busy; me in the studio, and Reese in the garage with all his tools. Mind you, Reese made at least 50 frames for the show...not one accident. But making this tiny frame, he sliced off the end of his right index finger and fingernail. Lord, have mercy. He almost passed out on the kitchen floor.
We both finished our parts by 2 o'clock on Thursday afternoon, and when we got to the gallery at 6, handed the wet painting (and the haiku description card) to David Baquero, who put it in it's place. The end.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
The Big Event
The gallery show went wonderfully well. There were a few glitches and things that we forgot, but nothing that made the evening less fun.
Starting at 6pm, or slightly before, we had a few people lining up outside the gallery waiting for the keys to arrive. For our part, earlier in the day we mentioned to the gallery owner that we would see him by 5:30, and he said not to worry...just show up at 6, that people don't usually come to galleries before 7. We had already communicated that several people had told us that they were going to stop by between work and supper, so I knew we would have a small crowd there early, and we did.
The crowd kept arriving. It was great to see everyone enjoying themselves. My friend, Michael Coker drove Elli and Erin in from Austin---sweet! Some of my youngest friends came; the Jonsson boys turned the evening into some sort of project to find the paintings in numerical/alphabetical order---very cute. A family who used to live in Jamaica recognized the beach scene before they saw the name of the painting. That was cool. Several people said that when they realized that all the description cards were in haiku, they went back through the exhibit and re-read everything and re-looked at all the paintings based on the haiku descriptions.
The one thing we didn't do was get pictures---bummer. If anyone has any photos of the evening, I would appreciate some copies.
The whole event was a whirlwind. Many thanks to all who attended. It truly made a special evening absolutely wonderful.
Starting at 6pm, or slightly before, we had a few people lining up outside the gallery waiting for the keys to arrive. For our part, earlier in the day we mentioned to the gallery owner that we would see him by 5:30, and he said not to worry...just show up at 6, that people don't usually come to galleries before 7. We had already communicated that several people had told us that they were going to stop by between work and supper, so I knew we would have a small crowd there early, and we did.
The crowd kept arriving. It was great to see everyone enjoying themselves. My friend, Michael Coker drove Elli and Erin in from Austin---sweet! Some of my youngest friends came; the Jonsson boys turned the evening into some sort of project to find the paintings in numerical/alphabetical order---very cute. A family who used to live in Jamaica recognized the beach scene before they saw the name of the painting. That was cool. Several people said that when they realized that all the description cards were in haiku, they went back through the exhibit and re-read everything and re-looked at all the paintings based on the haiku descriptions.
The one thing we didn't do was get pictures---bummer. If anyone has any photos of the evening, I would appreciate some copies.
The whole event was a whirlwind. Many thanks to all who attended. It truly made a special evening absolutely wonderful.
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