| Grandpa Donn's Roses | |
I started this oil painting in the summer after getting an idea to transform a painting I had stored away for a long time. It was an unfinished painting by my fiancé's grandfather that I wanted to preserve. It was off the stretchers and slowly falling apart. He loved roses and I’m grateful to have beautiful flowers from one of his rose bushes every year. The background is of his painting that I weaved together and stretched over 3 boards. It formed a trellis-like texture for me to paint the roses and pollinating bees on. The frame loudly repeats the nature inspired theme with real tree bark assembled like a puzzle. Again, I was experimenting with texture and color.I really enjoyed working on this piece, especially while remembering summer as I was finishing it up in December. :P Grandpa Donn’s Roses is on display (as well as my student’s and colleague’s artwork) at the Rochester-Finger Lakes Regional Exhibition at RIT’s Bevier Gallery from January 30 – February 25, 2009. Reception is Friday January 30 from 5-7pm. 
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| Topic(s): oil painting mixed media 2008 exhibit | |
| By Gogh on January 28, 2009 at 9:20am EST | Add/View Comments (1) |
| Alicia | |
I did this small oil painting (about 16x12 I think :P) of Alicia, my fiance’s cousin’s cute little girl, over my 2008 winter break. I experimented with the canvas by painting on an antique looking floral fabric that I thought suited her sweetness. I loved playing with color and tried not to over think anything. My goal is to start doing more experimental studies like this.For fun, I used this for a family Santa Swap and remarkably her parents went first and picked this gift. No stealing needed! |
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| Topic(s): oil painting 2008 portrait | |
| By Gogh on January 25, 2009 at 4:08pm EST | Add Comment |
| Drake and Rascal | |
This was a wedding gift to some good friends. It is of their rambunctious dogs that they love very much. I had a lot of fun painting their unique features, especially Drakes droopy eyes and flops of skin (foreground). I made the time of year in the painting early fall, just like their wedding. My only complaint is that I wish I would have pushed the fall colors a little more, especially after the beautiful drive through Pennsylvania on the way there. I think I was in denial of fall.But what a perfect fall day for a wedding, no denying that! Oil on 48x24 canvas October 2008 
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| Topic(s): oil painting 2008 | |
| By Gogh on November 5, 2008 at 11:38am EST | Add/View Comments (1) |
| New Meaning from Local Yums | |
What's for breakfast?What's for lunch? What's for dinner? I love good food! Who doesn't? Pale and I just went to the Rochester Public Market and bought some beautiful local produce. We bought organic green beans from a little boy so cute that it just made the whole trip more meaningful. It felt strange at first, throwing cash and coins in every direction, but now we have blueberry, raspberry, and HUGE blackberry gems in my fridge and golden apricots, tiny tart yellow plums, and juicy tomatoes on the counter. We are definitely going back! I just finished Harvest for Hope by Jane Goodall and I can't seem to get her "eat local" and "do you best to take care of this earth" messages out of my head. We also recycled computers and other junk at the Seneca Park Zoo rally in Rochester this weekend. It's part of my nature to reuse or maybe it's because I'm frugal, but I see art in trash sometimes. These pans were destined for the garbage but remade into soul-searching art. That's why I'm posting these pieces. I looked at them yesterday and smiled. They mean something totally different to me now than when I made them in 2004, which had somewhat of a negative subject. The titles were supposed to act as a nag because sometimes ones ego can suck all the fun out of food, something my family still struggles with while juggling hectic lives. But food can be fun if you can let go of your expectations and really savor simple flavors. I look at these differently now and they proudly hang in my kitchen, reminding to have fun! I giggle at the surrealism because it's less serious now. I know now if I mess up and make something dreadful... it's ok, no need to go coo coo! Furthermore, I don't always have the time to paint but I can get my creative fix by cooking. 
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| Topic(s): oil painting recycled food 2004 | |
| By Gogh on August 10, 2008 at 4:59pm EDT | Add Comment |
| Bug Collection | |
I think we’ve all, as children, caught fireflies or a caterpillar out of fascination. We place some grass clippings, leaves, and branches in our pickle jar believing we created an ideal environment for our creature. I even caught tadpoles and watched them change into frogs. Unfortunately, our experiments do not always work out but it’s a learning experience no less. This mixed media “Bug Collection” (2003) preceded “Entrapment” and repeats the idea of catching/keeping something fascinating while having the heart to let it go, knowing that the atmosphere you made may not have been suitable. This theme can also translate to our own human experiences as well, to ensure growth.The materials used to make this piece include: acrylic and oil paint, paper, crackle medium, dirt, and organic matter. Each bug is contained in two ways, the old canning jar and the paper circle, except the escaped firefly. For some reason, I have always been captivated by jars. I know it seems silly, but I find them beautiful...old and new jars, colored and clear, from sauce to jellies and the history of canning to preserve our gardens. The jars are a good way to create symbolism in my work and it causes me to constantly wash and store different jars, especially if they have interesting shapes. It pains me to think about them sitting in a landfill, so even if I don’t keep them, I make sure to recycle them. Hopefully, I’ll explore this avenue again someday and use some of them I’ve collected! |
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| Topic(s): mixed media painting 2003 | |
| By Gogh on March 8, 2008 at 6:07pm EST | Add Comment |
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