The Evolution of a Painting

This painting is a part of a recent pair of large pieces (3 feet by 4 feet) I completed for a local Designer and her client. The creative exchange in commissioned pieces is such a give-and-take, and throughout the process I was continuously emailing pics of the works in progress to the Designer and then working from her feedback to ensure the finished paintings' colors met --and hopefully surpassed-- her client's expectations. 

Here is a little glimpse into that process, and how the painting evolved:

Client requested the addition of blues and yellows...

Client requested less contrast...

We explored some gray-blues and warming up the  general feeling of the piece.

People often ask, "How do you know when a painting is finished?". I can understand why, especially with an abstract composition that is so non-objective, this is such a common question.  The best answer I can give is that I know I'm finished when I look at the painting and it doesn't bug me anymore. I look at it and am at peace.  

Finished.


Peace. :)

New Painting: The Springtime Inside the Winter

16" x 20"

Oil and Mixed Media on Canvas

Currently on Display at Vino 100 Dallas

Available for online purchase here.

This painting was a study for a larger commissioned piece. 
It was inspired by one of my favorite passages from Albert Camus:


My dear,

In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.

In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.

In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.

I realized, through it all, that…

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.

And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.

Truly yours,
Albert Camus

Newly Commissioned Painting, "Creating a Sacred Space"

25" x 58"

Acrylic and mixed Media on Canvas

Private Collection of Nancy Rabe

Fine Art Giclee Prints available here

When Nancy came to the art studio to pick up this painting, she jokingly said, "Thank you for my baby!", but she actually hit the nail on the head with her remark.  Parting with my pieces reminds me of the feeling of giving birth, in a sense that you are sending a piece of you out into the world, off to live a life of its own after you have so lovingly worked on its development.  But it is absolutely a labor of love. 

A shot of the painting in progress, which I stretched on the wall of my art studio. 

The title of this painting comes from an infusion of a few elements that came together.  When Nancy approached me to create a piece, she was looking for something to fit the entryway of her newly built home, one she and her husband had designed and watched go up over the past year. Nancy already had an image in mind of this beautiful landscape, majestic in its serenity. As I explained my process to her and in an attempt to make the painting more personable and meaningful, I asked her to provide me with building plans of the house, which I made multiple copies of and used in the background to build depth and texture.  The plans are almost completely covered up, but there are places in which these are barely visible, like on the tree trunks toward the center/right here:

In addition to being a woman who is dedicated to her family and career, Nancy is an advanced yoga practitioner and teacher who I have had the pleasure of getting to know at Exhale through our mutual love of yoga. In fact, we both realized we were twins in class one day when we showed up wearing the same pink t-shirt that said the words, "sacred space" on them. Our friendship has unfolded into a beautiful and natural appreciation and respect for one another and the joy that comes from our spirited family of yoga practitioners. 


The notion of a sacred space is complex, encompassing a range of aspects: architecture, geography, core beliefs, community stories, and not least of all the receptivity of one’s soul. When several of these elements come together, the results are breathtaking. I felt that through the loving and thoughtful construction of their home, Nancy was creating this space, a sacred space, for her family and the legacy they will leave.


Sacred truths require faith. G. K. Chesterton has described the phenomenon of faith as being like the sun: one cannot look at it directly, but everything else is seen more clearly because of it. And it is in this domain of knowing and yet not knowing, of understanding more than we can explain, of mystery, that sacredness resides.

Newly Commissioned Painting, "Root Your Feet in the Ground; Scatter Your thoughts in the Wild Air""

52" x 52"

Oil and Mixed Media on Canvas

Private Collection of Melissa and Mark Margolin, Dallas TX

"The creative mind plays with the objects it loves."

Carl Jung

I was commissioned to do this piece for a couple who was drawn to my painting, below, after seeing it in Origin Magazine's September/October issue: 

They needed more earthy tones and wanted a large square size to compliment the color scheme in their entryway and this piece was born.  

The title comes loosely from something my yoga teacher emphasizes frequently. It is so beautiful to realize how much the physical practice of the asanas, or poses, translates to life off the mat.

Colors of Fall - in progress

Today, in my mind at least, was the first real day of Fall in Dallas--at least, the first day that it felt like Fall. I sent the kids to preschool in their jackets, their chubby cheeks rosy from playing outside in the backyard.


The leaves swirled around in the wind outside the studio as I worked and sipped on my green tea.  It is always amazing to me to feel things outside, inside and then through my brushes.  The invigorating weather today was no exception as it manifested itself in a brand new color palette of spick pumpkins, cranberry, burnt umbers and deep charcoals.


I am stepping outside of the comfort zone and working bigger.  That square painting is 62" x 62".  It and the tree painting are commissions, the one on the right is just for fun. We'll see where they end up.