Approaching-Storm in Paradise

Approaching-Storm in Paradise
Originally uploaded by FreeRangeBob

This was my entry for the February invitation To Paint on Wetcanvas.
Watercolor on Yupo paper 8.5x11
I tried to represent a tranquil sunlit warm scene in paradise with an soon to arrive dark, turbulent maelstrom .
Perhaps, because I am buried in 2 feet of snow and -15 below zero degrees wind chill here, it is a sadistic metaphor to those living in paradise and my current mood.

Les Thomas, homesteader, Pie Town, New Mexico (LOC)

Les Thomas, homesteader, Pie Town, New Mexico (LOC)
Originally uploaded by The Library of Congress

Lee came to Pie Town as part of an FSA project to document how the Depression had ravaged rural America. Or as the Magdalena News put it in its issue of June 6, 1940: “Mr. Lee of Dallas, Texas, is staying in Pietown, taking pictures of most anything he can find. Mr. Lee is a photographer for the United States department of agriculture. Most of the farmers are planting beans this week.”

I stumbled on photos taken by Lee in Pie Town,NM in 1940...mostly of homesteaders during the deprression. I find that perusing through the various photo from the Library of Congress ( access via Flickr) to be really addicting.....

Voom

I attended a terrific exhibit this weekend at the University Art Museum. The picture is from the exhibit and is Isabella Rossellii. The exhibit was the work of Robert Wilson who presented more that 30 celebrities and animals on over 50 high-definition plasma screens. A musical score accompanied each image. The museum had removed nearly all of the permanent collection to accomodate this exhibit.

Although each portrait is "moving pictures" most of the subjects are nearly immobile (breathing,eyes closing etc). Wilson limits his subjects' movements to one or two gestures in very controlled motion. The final products have undergone meticulous editing, and are looped so there is no discernable beginning or ending, creating an endless framed work of art. The effect is a riveting contrast between the still life and the real life. Initially, the final result may look like a still photograph. But then, the sitters perform a simple act — a small movement, a blink, a tap of the foot — and the experience of watching them changes entirely.

Many were based on historical works of art or movies. Wilson works closely with his human subjects to develop settings that recall iconic works of art, history, and popular culture. For example, Princess Caroline of Monaco strikes a starkly elegant pose reminiscent both of her mother, Grace Kelly, in the film “Rear Window,” and of John Singer Sargent’s portrait of “Madame X”; Winona Ryder is the main character, “Winnie,” in Samuel Beckett’s play “Happy Days”; and dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov is posed as St. Sebastian pierced by arrows. In addition, each work feature and individual soundtrack from musicians including Lou Reed, Tom Waits, Bernard Hermann, Michael Galasso, Big Black, and Bach as interpreted by Glenn Gould, Hans Peter Kuhn and Ethel Merman.

You can view the portrait of Brad Pitt here: http://www.voom.tv/robert_wilson/brad_pitt/

winter-in Austria

winter-
Originally uploaded by FreeRangeBob

This was my submission to Wetcanvas monthly watercolor forum
It is painted on Yupo paper 8x10

Too Damn Cold again!

What is he thinking?

What is he thinking?
Originally uploaded by Tim Zim

I have nothing to say about this

some more monotypes

mono7
Originally uploaded by FreeRangeBob

Another monotype using a plexiglass plate 3x5 and watercolor. I painted the watercolor onto the plate and let it dry. I soaked some arches cover paper and when the sheen was off I pressed it on to the paper using some c-clamps I had in the work shop. I ran across a picture of this guy is a magazine and was struck by his white hair and dark mustache.

The mono below was made the same way.


I am experimenting with another monotype...I am going to put a coat of either gesso or molding paste on a piece of mat board and cut lines into the gesso ala etching and then ink the piece and wipe some of the ink off and see if That will print.....

This weekend has been a night mare for me .....the temp dropped to 10 below on Friday night. I have a utility room in the basement with a door to the outside. Some time in the night the door blew open! the nest morning I found this catastrophe . the water pipes had frozen and then burst spewing water all over the room which froze as soon as it hit the floor and by the time I got the water turned off the whole room was soaked and a inch of ice on the floor.........Did I mention that this is where I paint? Every tube of watercolor and any other container of fluid was frozen....I can't bare to even talk about it any more....I will leave the rest to one's imagination...

man-in-white-hat

man-in-white-hat
Originally uploaded by FreeRangeBob

Watercolor on Arches cp 11x8. The color gets colder and this winter will never end. This was painted previously but i poosted it today because I have nothing new this week

monoprint1

monoprint1
Originally uploaded by FreeRangeBob

this is a monotype that I first painted in watercolor on a glass plate 8x6 and transferred to dampened watercolor paper by rubbing. I actually did this previously but didn't have anything new for today to blog....I am sitting here looking out the window at the snow and I think I can actually see the COLD....

mono5

mono5
Originally uploaded by FreeRangeBob

I am still playing with these small monotypes, I guess partly because I don't want to get started on anything more ambitious right now, and they are kind of fun. Another reason, I think, is that they make me simplify and think more about design. I seem to be being a theme on "hats" it appears. I keep thinking about doing a linotype block print, but keep changng my mind-unlike these monotypes it takes a little more commitment-also the only plate I have on hand is one that is 6x8....

mono5

mono5
Originally uploaded by FreeRangeBob

I am still experimenting/playing with monotypes.

I haven't got one phone call all week since the presidential candidates moved on to NH. I guess Hillary, Mitt, John,Joe, Rudy, et al have forgotten me.

Spring is still to far away

dos-amigos

dos-amigos
Originally uploaded by FreeRangeBob

Well, I am surprised that Obama carried Iowa and Hilliary ran third. Not surprised that Huckabee won the caucus. It's embarrassing that Iowa chose someone that doesn't believe in evolution and dinosaurs and man roamed the earth together....Interesting that Iowa chose a Black candidate in a predominately white rural state. I think that this signifies that the people want a major change....

This is a mono type that I made using glue on a piece of mat board for the linear element and the colored the plate with watercolor which I let dry. I the printed it on watercolor paper that I first soaked and printed by placing the plate on the paper and standing on the plate for a while.....I had trouble because as the glue dried it spread out some -new a glue that dries quicker.

Goodbye to all the candidates

Tonight is caucus night here in Iowa....all the candidates will be leaving this frigid state as soon as they can..bound for New Hampshire primary. This is the only time that everyone else in the world hears anything about Iowa, and we like it that way. I think that this may be Iowa's last hurrah. {Probably all the other states will be vying to be first next time).We have be under political siege for months....I have to be at the caucus site by 6:30 to be admitted.. This town is overwhelmingly democrat am I can't predict who will be chosen. Huckabee may take the state but not this town which is much to liberal to choose him.
I paint in the basement and it is way too cold tonight to go down there....

mono4

mono4
Originally uploaded by FreeRangeBob

Yup, here is another monotype i worked on.
Still freezing here -2 degrees - forgetaboutit.!!

this is a watercolor monotype on an 4x6 acrylic plate. I first rubbed with a spoon and then in a small homemade plate. I have been playing with these monotypes this week ad it is fun because i never know how it will turn out some results I like but others i have issues with. But it is the unpredictability that I like some result in rreally interesting textures and blend, other kind of squash the paint out . I have never had any experience with print making of any kind-so i hope i will learn to refine this tecnique. I have been using Arches cover sheets that i soak in water and then lelt dry to the sheen is gone befor I place it on the paper. I have seen some other monotypes that the artist later finishes with colored pencil.......I would think that if pure watercolor is used it is a transparent watercolor print. I find i like a simple design or composition that uses high-key complementry color and let the printing add the texture and broken color. This has been purey a fun experiment in media and composition that i wonder will influence my painting approach.

mono3

I worked on this new monotype last night and printed it. here is the small drawing of the subject and the acrylic plate I painted on.

Here is the finished print on the right. I kind of characterized it and elongated the neck some.I am working on another similar print today. If I get some time later.

New Years Day 2008

Brrrrr.It is really cold- minus 10 tonight! Well, thats enough about the weather.

I did another monotype in watercolor, the theme is "Hats", I suspect. The print is about 4"x5" and I used Arches cover paper. burnished it and also put it in a small hand press. I can't decide if I like the monotype or whether I should just paint it directly on the paper. I think I kind of like the unpredictability of the print and the texture it some times produces.