Black Velvet

I'm tired so, a quick post for a Friday evening. A drawing.

Martha Miller, whose work I do admire, is involved in an exhibit that deals with painting on velvet and I thought I would post a video for her.

Have a lovely Friday evening.

Brad

Bits and Pieces

I was going through some of my work and sorting it when I ran across these two drawings of the same model. One is on kraft paper and the other is on newsprint. I like drawing on kraft and this is executed in charcoal and pastel.

This drawing is charcoal or conte on newsprint. I like the way tones are easily invoked on both papers. I'm also a nut for defining the space my subject occupies. I like to push the perspective even though it isn't evident in this drawing but can be seen in the drawing I posted last week of buildings on the Dahlonega square. Comes from my drafting side. I read somewhere that it is 'good to exagerate, better to exagerate too much than not enough,' I've taken that to heart.

I'm feeling a little nostalgic for the 1960's so, here are a couple of pieces of music from that decade. The first from 1962.

Then a little country music from 1967.

Have a good Wednesday, er-r-r Earth Day?

Brad

Favorite Artists

Today, four artists whose work I admire and influence me. First Cheryl Goldsleger subtle work based on architectural design drawings. They are a combination of encaustic and parts formed by computer aided machining devices. Combining one of the oldest techniques and one of the newest she has executed a composition that bridges the gap between sculpture and painting and softens the technicality of the medium and the subject.

Cheryl Goldsleger   Higher Secondary School II for Girls, Chandigarh, India   Encaustic and CNC formed resin

Next Tamara de Limpicka, the epitome of Art Deco. Enough said.

Tamara de Limpicka   Saint Moritz   Oil on canvas

Tamara de Limpicka   Portrait of Arlette Boucard   Oil on canvas

Audrey Flack's airbrushed works on canvas are some of the finest examples of photo-realistic work from the 1970's.

Audrey Flack   Golden Banana Split Sundae  Acrylic on canvas

Finally a detail from a work by Marilyn Minter.

A detail of a painting by Marilyn Minter.

Have a lovely Tuesday evening.

Brad

Details

As I stated in a recent post, I am trying to find some focus in my work, trying to narrow what I am doing to raise my output and not be all over the place. I consider what is best about my work is my brushwork and my color selection. To this end I am planning work that will let me explore these affects. I have assembled some details from work that I have posted for this reason.

The brushwork in the pepper executed in the tempera painting above is a style that I find quite natural. It is a more sculptural style in that I push the paint around and shape it like clay. This suites my A.D.D. more than a more considered style.

 

Oils I treat a bit differently in that there is an under-painting but the fat is laid on in a more sculptural manner.

The tempera painting here is another example of defining the volume by pushing the paint around, mixing it on the canvas.

And again an oil with a lean under-painting then, laying the paint over to add a sculptural sensibility to the garment. Over all else the beauty of the paint itself.

I would like to know how you focus your work, writers and artists. How do you decide what is valuable to focus on? How do you go about discovering the aspects of your work that is exceptional but maybe you don't realize yourself. 

I imagine that working in a community of artists that you can consult on a continual basis helps greatly with this, but until I can surround myself with such I will have to struggle on and beg your indulgences my friends.

Have a fruitful and happy Monday.

Brad  

Friday Afternoon

Odds and ends for a Friday afternoon. First a drawing so there is some artwork.

Then a photograph. This is the ruin of a house on Jekyll Island. The construction is a local variety of construction called 'Tabby.' It is a type of concrete made of shells and lime made from burning shells. Oh, how I would like to be at Jekyll this weekend.

The movie State of Play opens this weekend and seems from the trailers to be a run of the mill conspiracy thriller and then they up the ante with Helen Mirren. What are you going to do? A little clip from 1980. No tittering or reading something into it.

Julita was kind enough to mention my blog in her writing so, for her I am adding a piece by sculptor David smith that inspired me to paint with spray paint.

Have a good Friday evening.

Brad

My Little Town.

A quick post today of a perspective drawing of the north side of the Dahlonega Square. Dahlonega is a tourist town with a great deal of history, primarily the gold rush of the eighteen thirties. There is also minor history such as Bill Miner, the old west train robber portrayed in the movie The Grey Fox was captured here in the Dahlonega Hotel.

The following is from the Dahlonega Bluegrass Festival. The musicians are playing on the square.

Have a lovely Thursday.

Brad

Counting the Cars

From the Simon and Garfunkel song, America, comes the phrase 'Counting the cars on the New Jersey turnpike.' I use phrases such as this on which to base my work. I usually react to very visual phrases. The title of the piece is Looked Out Over an Open Field, I liked the paradoxical nature of the phrases. 

The work is a collage of inkjet prints with acrylic brushwork. I don't have a group of artists that I can spend time with and get and give feedback about my work on an ongoing basis but, from time to time I do have access to a talented artist that I can learn from and be inspired by. My lovely model, Hannah, is a fine artist and an incredible painter and printmaker. This is an example of her printmaking talent.

Have a lovely Wednesday.

Brad

Linocut Print

This is a Linocut print I produced using a photo of my Pop and three of his friends just before leaving for France during WWII. Pop would be the second from right.

I hope all had a good Holiday. We had stormy weather on Monday with many instances of power otages, especially in Atlanta.

Brad

A quick post for a Saturday. This is an image that I made utilizing a piece from a magazine ad. It seem to be a bit from a photo of Van Halen's 5150 album. The piece was pasted to a support and the remainder finished with water color pencils.

Have a good holiday.

Brad

PShop Painting Update

Here is an update to my Photoshop painting that I have been posting. So far I have about two and a half hours in it. The lines are perspective line in an upper layer that will be discarded.

Have a lovely (it's really storming here) Good Friday.

Brad

Dancing

A drawing for a Wednesday, then out to mow the lawn. The part of living in the south that's not great, air conditioning and lawn mowing are from March to November.

Have fun and do a little dance on a Wednesday afternoon.

Brad

Snow at the Gulf

A charcoal drawing for a Monday of mixed weather. A scene with snow on the Gulf Coast palmettos. 

Have a lovely Monday, whatever the weather is today.

Brad

The Cavalier

A shot post for a Sunday morning, Scooter is a little under the weather and has been up a good bit of the night with an upset stomach. Here is another of the small format oils I have executed. I was drawn to the lace at the wrists.

I was six years old when I heard Bill Haley and the Comets play Rock Around the Clock on  AM radio and I've been hooked on Rock and Roll ever since.

Get out and Rock n' Roll Today.

Brad

A Little Quiz

I picked up this little fun quiz from Marianne at Mandalas & More, but it originated with Soulbrush at http://soulbrush.blogspot.com/.

1. Do you like blue cheese? Yes, in a green salad with cabbage.

2. Have you ever been drunk? Yes

3. Do you own a gun? Yes, I grew up rabbit and quail hunting.

4. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite? None.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? No.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? I love hot dogs, with mustard, ketchup and slaw. 

7. Favorite Christmas movie? Miracle on 34th Street after all my name is Fred Gailey (see the list of characters.)

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Coffee (black).

9. Can you do push ups? A few.

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? Wedding band, I really don't like to wear even a watch.

11. Favorite hobby? Astronomy.

12. Do you have A.D.D.? Yes, in a big way.

13. What's your favorite shoe? My Birkenstocks

14. Middle Name? Bradley, first name Fred after my grandfather, Fred Watson Gailey.

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment?  'I don't have three thoughts,' 'Where's my coffee,' 'Why am I doing this?'

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Ice tea (I'm southern), coffee, Coke (I'm from Georgia).

17. Current worry? After having embarked on making a new life as an artist, I don't have have enough time left to finish the job. That's depressing! 

18. Current hate right now?  I hate that in a time when people are stressed to the limit, marketers are trying to play on the situation by callously exhorting virtues of thrift and pulling together just to try to foist a product no one even needs off on them or even worse one of the big players in the creation of the mess trying to do the same while begging for relief yet never changing their ways.

19. pepsi or coke? COKE (See above).

20. How did you bring in the New Year? Sitting, propped up in bed, watching TV.

21. Where would you like to go? Great Britain, China, Australia, Mars.

22. Which friends will complete this? No Clue.

23. Do you own slippers? Yes, and I am desiring new slippers, I also wear Crocs as slippers.

24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? A really odd ochre yellow sweatshirt.

26. Can you whistle? Yes, I am a talented whistler and can whistle really loudly.

27. Favorite color? Greens.

28. Would you be a good pirate? Absolutely.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Whatever is stuck in my mind and playing over and over.

30. Favorite Girl's Names? Georgia, Kate.

31. Favorite boy's names? Fred, Bradley.

32. What's in your pocket right now? Handkerchief.

33. Last thing that made you laugh?  The Daily Show.

34. Best bed sheets as a child? The sheets that were just about worn out.

35. Worst injury you've ever had as a child? . I've lived an unusually injury free life, that includes thirteen years as an Ironworker. I do remember one cut when I was about ten that I could see the bits and pieces wiggling around. 

36. Do you love where you live? I love where I live except the days that I hate it. I can drive, in my Jeep, an hour and be fifteen miles from human habitation. That's in mountain jungle but, we can drive ten minutes and my wife can purchase Prada bags and Jimmy Choo shoes.

37. What did you want to be when you grew up? A farmer.

38. Who is your loudest friend? I have no loud friends!

39. How many dogs do you have? Scooter.

40. Does someone have a crush on you? I don't know, it's a secret.

41. What is your favorite book? Secret Life of Bees

42. What is your favorite candy? Kisses.

43. Favorite Sports Team? The Ramblin' Wrecks from Georgia Tech.

44. What song do you want played at your funeral? Traveling Man/Beautiful Loser

Have a lovely Saturday.
Brad

Barn and Stars

I'm posting a couple of sprayed works for a Saturday. I greatly admire the work of Charles Sheeler and thus when I saw this beautiful barn, I decided to do a little piece based on it.

I also admire the work of sculptor David Smith, especially the pieces wherein he uses an object as a mask to create a negative effect.

Milky Way is an airbrushed composition that includes negative masking and pen work.

Good Saturday.

Brad

Drawings

A couple of drawings for a Friday. First a synthesis of cubism.

Then a drawing on ground.

Today is Laura's last day with her students before a week of respite from one hundred seventh graders during spring break. 

To celebrate a little happy music for a Friday.

Have a creative and productive Friday.

Brad

Mixed Media

I'm posting a mixed media painting that is transfer, acrylic, oil and collage. The background is an acrylic medium transfer of the Martian landscape courtesy the Mars rovers. The Jeep also is an acrylic medium transfer. These were made by coating a photocopy image with acrylic medium; then affixing it to the support. After the medium dries, the paper is wet and rubbed away, leaving the image in the medium. I tint the medium before coating the photocopy. Even though the painting is only months old it is already show signs that the surface is suspect.

Also, an update of one of my current Photoshop paintings. I'm starting to work on the space around the figure. I've been looking at Klimt and want to do something patterned or decorative.

Have a good, good Thursday.

Brad

Small Format Oils

This is a small oil painting that I executed as a possible cash item, for sale on Etsy or Ebay. The format is 6 inches by 6 inches. The support is BFK mounted on chipboard and then gessoed. The composition is a copy of a portion of a painting by Rembrandt. The intention was not as a replication but rather a short cut for composition. The purpose is rather to display the beauty of the paint in the glazing and impasto.

I make up six supports at a time and paint them as a group after selecting subjects and doing a quick sketch of each on a support. I can paint them in about fourteen hours time. I have painted one set and have put the project aside for a time as I consider the merits of the project. Have a lovely Wednesday.

Brad