Obsessions

Let's face it, we all obsess at some time or another about something. It is easy to obsess, but not so easy to avoid the trap of replaying tapes in our head over and over again. Eventually, enough is enough, and we move on.

I frequently have obsessions in subject matter for my art. Seems I fall in love with something, and paint it over and over again, changing the size, the palette, or the composition. I don't fight this obsession; I just go with the flow, until something else catches my attention.

For a while, it was beaches - beaches in the day, at dusk, with people, with dogs, natural beaches, grassy beaches, Hawaiian beaches, beaches with palm trees, and beaches from different perspectives. Then it was river grass - in pastel, in acrylic, big format, small format, long paintings, small paintings, multiple panel paintings.

I have "moved on" to forsythia, and I can feel it developing to other colors besides yellow - small panels, big panels....you get the idea.

I don't dwell on why this happens, and why I succumb to these "obsessions". Perhaps they are not obsessions as much as explorations. The more I paint, the more I want to explore the subject matter in different ways, until I tire of it and move on. It is not that I think I have mastered anything, or caught the essence - usually, something else just catches my psyche, and I find myself going down a different road.

Life is about taking winding roads, and roads that sometimes seem to go nowhere. But usually a road goes somewhere. And just maybe that pot of gold is down that road. Usually though, I just find cool stuff, stay for a while, pack my bags, and drive on.

Life is a journey, and the more roads we explore, the richer our lives can be. Perhaps that explains why I have so may art supplies for ideas on roads not yet traveled. Thank goodness in life journeys, there are no rising gas prices, no expensive cars, no traffic lights, and no accidents. But there is also no insurance that we make the "right" choices, because there are no right or wrong choices. There are only the choices we make.

Happy traveling,
Cathy

Surface protection

Lately, I feel like I have been inhaling a lot of chemicals - fixative and varnish, mostly. My daughter painted a huge oil about two years ago, and I am just getting around to varnishing it. Her thin layers of paint needed protection against the ravages of time, handling, and framing. While spraying is the easiest approach, I can tell I am a novice at this stage of a painting's life.

This is truly a labor of love. While oil paintings endure for years, conservators know that protection of the surface is vital for insuring a lasting treasure.

As I apply the sixth coat, I think about what humans need to do to protect our environment. We seem to be able to protect our valuables - we insure them, we make sure we lock our doors, we clean them regularly (well, not so much, maybe). Some of us try to take care of our bodies and souls. Then why is it so difficult for us to take care of our natural resources? Why do we continue to practice destructive behaviors, by driving gas hogs, by not carpooling, by leaving lights on, by eating lots of red meat, or by applying more fertilizer than we really need? Is it that we think our world is so vast and unlimited that mother nature can clean up after us forever? Or perhaps we are simply at a loss - we got ourselves into a lifestyle that is at odds with nature, and we don't know how to get out of it.

As I varnish this gem that my daughter created, I think about how we can protect the gem we live on. My art work tries to capture the beauty that we now have. But the very act of making artwork also creates pollution. So ironic. I am glad I don't think about this stuff too frequently, or I would be crazier than I already am. But I do my best - turn off lights, shop at nearby locations, buy local produce, hire local repair and service companies, and keep my thermostat at uncomfortable levels. And I reuse frames, glass, canvases, and recycle paper and plastic.

This is what happens when an artist works in solitude for too long! Back to varnishing, and preserving a part of my daughter's legacy. Hopefully, her descendants will have an earth to enjoy as much as we do.

Peace.
Cathy

Photographing Artwork

Although I am on sabbatical for a few weeks, I could not stay away from my computer! So, I thought I would share some not-so-novel revelations about photographing artwork.

While working in watercolor and pastels, I was able to take reasonable photos of my work, for note cards, small prints, and show submissions. Then came the acrylics - what a different ball of wax!

One of the things I like about acrylics is the juicy, glossy texture that is easily created. That very property makes photographing acrylic paintings a challenge. Since the work is often too large for me to scan, (which doesn't seem to work well either), I have tried to photograph my work in a variety of conditions and settings. The result is that the glossy areas are glaring, almost daring me to capture their likeness.

Now I understand why photographers and giglee printers make the big bucks! Since my acrylics are still in the experimental stage, I am reluctant to spend a lot of money on professional photography of my pieces. So, while explaining the shortcomings of my own expertise behind the camera, I humbly post new work with the warning - "you just have to see it in person". Lame, yes. But it will have to do for a while.

Any advice will be embraced. I have considered a mat finish, which will make the task enormously easier, but I just can't bring myself to tone down my work. Eventually, I will have to find another way.

Enjoy another beautiful day in paradise! Cathy