Lost At Sea...

I never thought I would ever paint things like landscapes or seascapes. It was never appealing to me. Visiting museums I have seen some of the finest land and seascapes ever painted. To me they were always quite boring. I would admire the skill taken to create the works but quickly moved on to other things.

I had tried at times over the years to paint a landscape or two, just to stretch my mind and expand my skills. They always got painted over in the end. I never liked them.

Last January, 2007, I painted what I consider to be, my first seascape. It was the trip to Jamaica. It changed me. After years of living on the California coast, all of the sudden I was seeing the ocean differently. It became something else. It meant something else. I don't think I will ever look at the ocean the same way again.

Over the last thirteen months I have painted more than 50 seascapes. Even managed to sell a good number of them.

I'm pretty sure I will never make seascapes the focus of my work, but I will continue to paint them.

These three were stated and are dated 2007 but not finished until this month.

Untitled No 5, 12 x 16 inches, oil on canvas

Untitled triptych No 6, 12 x 36 inches each, oil on canvas.

Untitled triptych No 7, 10 x 30 inches each, oil on canvas.

On The Easel...12 Update

I forgot to photograph this one.

Chadette No 60, 18 x 24 inches, oil on canvas.

On The Easel...12

Chadette No 59, 18 x 24 inches, oil on canvas.

The Empire Spikes Back...

That is the name of our Fall Volleyball Team. Lame.

Last week we played a few practice games to meet the other teams and practice with our team mates.

Most of last year I spent bitching and complaining that my team mates didn't try and didn't care.

I spent many years playing competitive sports at an advanced level. I learned to win and I learned to lose. No matter what, I was taught to do my best. Playing hard and doing your best was what mattered.

It drove me mental that my team mates were so lackadaisical.

Anywho...

This year we have a few different players. The practice session went better than I expected. We won a couple of the games. We played some what as a team. I was feeling better about this year.

Until tonight. Tonight was our first regulation game. I want to pull my friggin hair out!
For some reason they all seem to think the ball has go back over the net on the first touch. No team work. No effort. No enthusiasm. I left the court with blood running down my leg into my shoe.

We lost all three games. After the match I mentioned to the team that we are allowed to hit the ball three times before it goes over the net. One girl spit water through her nose. The others just gave me a blank look.

On the drive home Precious suggested that I stop playing. I apparently take it way too seriously. She reminded me that no matter what I do they are not going to change the way they play. They don't take it seriously.

I'm torn. I can't stand playing with people that don't care. I can take the loosing as long as they give a good honest effort, but they don't, and I'm not sure I can take eight weeks of this.

I was taught not to quit. How do I let this go? How do I show up and play and not get upset at their attitudes? This is totally my problem, not theirs. They are fine with the way things go.

Maybe vodka in my water bottle would help.

On The Easel...11

Todays entry...

Chadette No 58, 16 x 20 oil on canvas. I'm thinking "Joan"

"Claire", the update. I changed her hair.

Seven more in the works at this point. Four 8 x 10 and three 18 x 24.

Names...Update

The following un-named Chadettes will from this point forward be known as:

No 54: Florence

No 55: Marketa

No 56: Claire

No 57: Mikelle

My thanks to Eclectic and Iron Fist for their suggestions.

No new paintings today...yet.

Honor The Muse...

Every so often I find a zone. Like a hitting streak. Things just work right. They flow. For what ever reason. They are all too infrequent.

Chadette No 57, 16 x 20 inches on canvas.

Honor the muse when she comes for a visit. Listen to her. Do not question. Just paint. Not everything that comes will be great and it doest matter. Soon she will be gone.

I have great admiration for the artists that can force them selves to create. I can't. I do at times try but it never seems to works.

It's times like these that I give thanks for my insomnia. More time to paint.

Guest Painter In My Studio...

This afternoon after pre-school Mr. Man informed me that he wanted to do some painting.

Of course I said alright. He's a natural. The bold strokes. The color selection. The reckless abandon. It's inspiring.

May I present...

Manette No 3, 12 x 16 inches, water color on paper.
(he even took the photo, although I did photoshop it)

At the same time, I was able to get this far on my next work. She's almost finished.

Chadette No 56, 16 x 20 inches, oil on canvas.

On The Easel...10

Chadette No 55, 16 x 20 inches on canvas.

Lasting Basic Values...

J. Paul Getty, who was once named "the richest man in the world" by Fortune magazine, called fine art "the finest investment." As one of America's great art collectors, he said, "The dollars and cents value of paintings, sculpture, tapestries and virtually all forms of art have shown a marked tendency to rise, even soar over the years. Much of this, of course, is due to the increased and still increasing awareness that art represents basic values that are not only lasting, but that become more valued as time goes on."   *from joseph sukowski's The Value of Art*

Why is it, I never see or hear quotes like this from anyone out of Getty's tax bracket?

Presenting...

Chadette No 54, 16 x 20 inches, oil on canvas board.

There are nine more of the Chadettes on the easel. Jessica, and everyone else, get your thinking caps on, they will all need names. Including this one.

Tragedy...

Why does God hate the Green Bay Packers? Or is it just Brett?

Every year they find a new way to lose. This year, it was again Brett, that threw the game away at the last possible second.

Why oh why must you torment me so?

Have I not been a loyal fan since 1969? I wear a team jersey to bed. I sing the Packer theme song in my head. I live to be a Cheddar Head.

Oh it is a sad day and shall remain sad through out the year until next fall brings us new hope of what might be for the Pack, next season...

Pain...

Have any of you every done Tae-bo?

This week we started doing an hour a day.

I hurt in places I didn't realize I had places.

Names...

I was asked the other day what the names for the new Chadettes were. Jessica had given some great suggestions and I have used five out of the six so far.

The names can be found in the comments section of the previous posts but I will tell you anyway.




"Sara"






"Mona"








"Elise"











"Rachel"










"Lisette" This one was named by Eclectic. Thank you.











"Colette"

On The Easel...9

Here we have Chadette No 53, 8 x10 inches, oil on canvas board. I feel I may have to call this one, "...who's the fairest...". (it's a working title)


Many continued thanks to Jessica. She is on the spot with the names for my girls, and well on her way to becoming the official "Chadette name giver outer". (that is of course the technical term)

On The Easel...8

The last few days have been most productive. Here are the newest members to the Chadette family.

Jessica was kind enough to give me some great names for the last four. Thank you very much. I am going to use all four of them. Let me know about these two.

Chadette No 52 8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas board.

Chadette no 51 8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas board.

On The Easel...7-update

This is where I left off at 2:30 this morning. I think they are finished. If I do anything it will be to the back ground areas.

As always, feel free to give me suggestions for names. After three years of Chadettes, I'm having a really hard time naming them.

Chadette No. 50 5 x7 inches, oil on canvas board.

Chadette No. 49 5x7 inches, oil on canvas board.

Chadette No. 48 5 x 7 inches, oil on canvas board.

Chadette No. 47 8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas board.

On The Easel...7

I really need to work on my art photography skills. These stink.
However, I am pleased with the out come to this point. These are the first two of nine Chadettes on the easel. They're not quite finished yet, but close.
Back to painting, it's only midnight.

8 x 10 inch

5 x 7 inch.

On The Easel...6

Spending a lot of time painting. This is the last of the 2007 work, they just need to be glazed and have the edges finished. All of these are as of yet untitled. One of these four will most likely get painted over. It's just not working for me.

3 Panels, 12 x 36 inches each.

3 Panels, 10 x 30 inches each.

16 x 20 inches. Soon to be something else.

11 x 14 inches.

On The Easel...5

Sessions one and two have lead me to this point. About three hours. So far so good. 24 x 36 inches. She needs a lot more work. I'm thinking she looks like a "Jade".