artist of the day--daniel garber

I generally dont like impressionism as a whole but some of the American regional impressionists weren't so bad. One of my favorite painters from that era is a guy named daniel garber. I have a connection to him as a girl I once dated lived on the former property of his. I used to spend time in his old studio where most of these paintings were made. As the saying goes "the best laid plans of mice and men..."

http://store.encore-editions.com/Daniel_Garber.html

artist of the day---delacroix

Eugene was a great artist and one of my all time favorites. He was a fiery passionate artist---I like an artist with some fire in their guts. Most artists are very calculating and sober and boring and follow some misguided path or method they picked up along the way like a bug that wont leave them. The point of being an artist is not to be a follower of anyone or anything-- Strike your own path for better or for worse and try to keep a smile on your face during the battle. Delacroix was rival to all the stiff and lifeless Neoclassical painters of the day. He was interested in action and color and movement and life. He looked to Rubens for inspiration which is one of my other favorite artists. The difference between delacroix and his rivals --ingres etc is the difference between willie nelson and garth brooks. I can forgive some technical errors if there is enough fire in a person or a work...I cannot forgive a render of lifeless fruits that are dead before they are even painted.

update

I am starting a self portrait in oils ..It has been many moons since I painted a self-portrait in oils..I bought a great board to paint it on today...I am going to be very careful not to get sloppy and rush it. This will not be fast food but a banquet of art to be chewed slowly and digested over time. I will try for a Gardega masterpiece but will probably just settle for a Gardega. It is hard to face ones self in a portrait, I would rather paint puppies and go through life in a blind dash for the cash but I have to look in a mirror and I am a harsh judge of myself.

color of the day

today I bought a 35 dollar tube of paint--a small tube of paint the size of a small travel toothpaste tube. why did I pay so much? Because the color is Cerulean Blue. Cerulean blue is the color that is harvested from angel 's wings. Hers is the color of ancient skies and childhood dreams. When next to ultramarine blue there is no finer sky to be found in all the kingdom! There are fake cerulean blues but I would sooner drink salt water or eat tofu....

Aliens.

I have always wondered if UFO's exist. Whenever I hear a UFO report, I immediately look to see who is the person reporting the UFO. I tend to think that pilots and and scientists are generally people that can be trusted when they report such issues. Finally, I read a report by a person who has a very high level of believability. Namely because he is the person who holds the record for the longest moon walk. Generally Astronauts are people you tend to not think of as flakes (except for the one lady who snapped...) anyways I found this article and interview to be very interesting...\\\

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,,24069817-5001021,00.html

illustration---1948

Here is an illustration from a 1948 American rifleman magazine...I want to use some of these as inspiration down the road but I am not sure how yet..

old magazine

I found a person selling old magazines on the street. A nicely dressed lady was selling jewelry and American Rifleman magazines. The magazines are from the 30's to the 60's. For some reason I find them very interesting, the old illustrations are great and the articles and photos as well. You can really see how magazines changed as you go from the thirties to the later 50's and 60's. There is more great refernce and ideas to be had out of the ten magazines I bought than I care to mention. I never owned a gun, I should never own a gun. I should barely own scissors. I think people should have the right to own guns to protect themselves from crime but I would just wind up shooting my own foot off. I will scan some of the drawings from inside soon...

Here is my new Bronx cover that I picked up today...My indfluence for this piece was art nouveau and also maxfield parrish. Purple and yellow go together like tonto and lone ranger. You will do well in art if you learn how to use purple and yellow and then a little white and green to round out the picture.

butler yeats

http://www.nli.ie/yeats/main.html


here is a great website to explore the works of the poet Yeats.

knock knock

The postman knocked twice today with a gift that made my day and my week. A fan and collector of my work sent me a huge book about maxfield Parrish. I have never owned a book by him and I am excited to read every page about a top talent and genius. Mucho Thanks, Gene.

today I deliver my staten island painting--hopefully there will be no changes. Here is a great painting by an artist named Thomas Moran. He is one of the great colorists and landscape painters. google him and loearn more about a great artist.

update--stateno islando

Here is the latest version...

staten island update

Getting closer. My AC is in long island so I have been painting a cool, windy beach from a 100F apt. I think it is helping because I am motivated by escapism.

staten island

getting closer to home

staten island--unfinished

I am working away on my staten island book cover...Here is what I have so far..scanned in two parts (that explains the line in middle of piece)