200

This is the 200th post for Orion Art at White Dog Studio!  It's true!

 I've been looking over my blog from when I entered blogland on June 23, 2007 to the present.  At times an art journal and at times a personal journal, either way I've enjoyed sharing my thoughts, ideas and art in this space.  For a while I considered closing this blog, mostly because I couldn't give it the time I felt it deserved.  But, when I realized it was ok; that I don't have to be a daily blogger or even a weekly blogger.  No rules.  I can just blog, whenever...allow for the ebb and flow of life. 

Here's to more posting, paintings and life!

Last week my AP Studio Art Class finished up a unit which incorporated the figure into textural acrylic paintings.  My goal was to utilize some figure drawings they'd done while exploring surface texture on canvas.  We used acrylics, gesso, newspaper, mediums added to the acrylics, pencils.  Individuals added whatever other media they felt inspired to add. They scratched into the paints and added to the paints. While working the students were thoroughly engrossed in the process and I believe they are happy with the results.



Here's a few of the student works:

This last one is what I produced. 

I really had fun playing with the textures, juxtaposing flat areas against raised portions.  The color palette was toned down and limited compared to what I usually use.



Until  # 201, wishing all a season filled with Peace and Love!

An Outpouring

Light Behind

Oil on Canvas

30 x 40

Thanks to a couple of shows this December, a beautiful barn down the road and the incredible Autumn light, I had a painting outburst that from which I  produced four paintings that I'm really happy with.  

Light Behind is just what the title implies.  As the shadows grew longer this fall, the light behind this barn was...well...so many things.  A visual, soulful feast. 

I've been soaking up the views of this barn for many years, but nothing emerged until now.

Glow

Oil on Canvas

30 x 40

Same barn, just zoomed out. 

Red Sunset # 1

Oil on Canvas

22 x 28

The last two aren't of the barn, but instead are landscapes of nowhere in particular.  My focus and goal was to work real loose using the canvas as an exploration in messing around with color and texture.  With Red Sunset #1, I had lots of fun with layering colors, then scratching into the surface, then laying glazes on top, more scratching.

I haven't used glazing much in my paintings, so this was an interesting and different approach for me.  I called it Red Sunset #1, because I enjoyed the process and end result enough that I plan on painting more red paintings. What is it with red lately?  I think our taste or desire for certain colors is like food cravings.  For the last few years, I've been using, loving and craving reds (especially raspberry reds) in my art and life.

Home Fields

Oil on Canvas

22 x 28

The second of the two landscape in my head paintings.  

My apologies, the photo isn't the best.... but I think it relays the essence of the piece.