Fair Warning

"Guardian" 5"x 7" oil on "Gessobord" c.2012 TMW

"Guardian" is the title for the fourth painting of the swan series. I love this painting because it represents a concept that I have struggled with my whole life, mainly that it is ok to protect some time and space for myself to create.

I has become very clear to me since we turned our lives upside down last fall that I really have a "people pleasing" problem. When people ask me what I am doing while Jeff is in school, I say "I am working on my painting skills." Many people can't understand that I am perfectly happy being in the apartment and doing this, they want to suggest other activities because I "must be bored".

I feel like I finally have to stand up and guard my decision and my time from my own guilt and from others. After years of working for other people, this is a lifetime opportunity for me. It is hard for me to tell people "no". I want to feel approval, not judgment, but that is one thing about being an older, grayer goose...I know I don't have all the time in the world to do the things that matter to me.

Turn That Frown Upside Down

"Inversion" 7"x 5" oil on "Gessobord" c. 2012

In order to get our German residency permit, we had to get another set of passport photos taken. They conveniently have booths everywhere in the subway stations in Munich so you can do this, but not all booths are created equal.

The photo booth in our U-bahn station had a broken chair, so we had to hover in mid-air to be at the right height for the photo. I had been sick and was still pretty culture shocked in October, but we needed that photo for the next day. The result was an awful photo. It was such a bad photo that the Germans rejected it and I still had to pay for another one.

  Yes, I felt the way I looked that day!

A few weeks later, in the act of tearing it up and throwing it away, I started to look at the pieces and thought they might be interesting for a collage. I kept them, and then when "Professional Artist" magazine announced a self-portrait contest I decided to use them for a painting.

The result was "Inversion". I didn't win the contest. But I did challenge myself. I haven't painted a portrait in years and it took several tries to get it right. I do like the result and I am glad I could change that ugly photo into something interesting and meaningful to me.

Soft Light

"Lift" 7"x 5" oil on "Gessobord" c. 2012

I have decided to do a series of at least six swan paintings. I had several good reference photos and I was enjoying the subject. I haven't attempted a "series" before, so I thought it would be interesting to try. This painting is the third swan.

The reference photos were taken on a grey day and I wondered if there would be enough contrast to make a good painting. It was exciting getting the photos because the swan came out of the water, walked towards me looking for a hand-out. When I didn't have anything, he flapped his wings in disgust and went back into the water.

The "English Garden" on a sunny day.

I think the overall shape of the swan is beautiful, the colors are a bit subdued because of the overcast day. Even if it doesn't capture all the excitement of that moment, I do like this painting.

Re-Do

Back in November I finished a painting called "Swan Brocade". If you remember my entry back then, I wasn't very happy with the finished painting. After looking at it for a whole month, I decided to paint it closer to reality and forget the fanciful swirls and abstract roses.

My original intent was to have a pattern like a brocade that was intricate and included the swans and roses, to represent the English Garden in Munich.

I liked the second painting results better, but I was unsure of keeping the same title for the painting. I looked up "brocade" in the dictionary, and the description said: "n. a rich fabric woven with a raised pattern, typically with gold or silver thread," I was so thrilled since the painting has gold and silver reflections in the water. I could keep the name! Hurrah for do-overs and happy accidents.

Focus

Canals at Schloss Nymphenburg with all the ducks.

When we had a chance to visit the grounds of Schloss Nymphenburg this fall, I took several pictures of the ducks in the canals. The water was lower for the fall season and the reflections of the trees along the canals in the water was as interesting to me as the ducks.

It was a bit of a challenge to paint, since there was so much detail in the water, and I still wanted to be able to see the duck. I finished it, but I was not happy with the balance between the duck and the tree reflections. I let it sit, then worked on it again two weeks later.

"Ripples With Duck" Detail  5" x 7" oil on gessobord, © 2012

 When I took photos of the finished painting, I thought the close-up detail was better because it focused only on the duck. After letting the painting sit where I can just see it as is, I have gone back to liking the duck a little bit lost in the tree reflections.

"Ripples With Duck" 5" x 7" oil on gessobord, © 2012

 It is a question of focus, and that is something I have to ask myself when I am choosing what to paint. Am I communicating what I intend to say? The painting is split between the tree reflections and the duck because I liked them both equally. I suppose in that respect, it is a success. I probably should have chosen one or the other, but I am leaving it as it is for now.

Swans Revisited

"Duet" 7" x 5" oil on gessobord, ©2011  

When I wrote about trying to find my "style" , I had a success doing an under-painting for the painting I called "Duo".  I hesitated doing the final colors because the water in the photo I took was so muddy and dull looking. I didn't know how I could make it look attractive.

Finally, I just started with the swans because I could just see what colors they needed. Usually in oil paintings, you start with the background first so that the foreground looks like it is over the background, but I did it backwards.

The funny thing is that once I had the swans finished, I could tell what colors I needed to mix for the water. It was a funny, muddy color, but with the right highlights and shadows I think it worked really well and I am very happy with this painting. I think it would make a lovely greeting card. I am renaming it "Duet".

Is it Good or Bad?

photo by Jeff Welter © 2011

When we were hiking through Garmishpartenkirchen in November, Jeff spotted a pair of cats on a balcony of one of the houses. He took the picture for me since my camera was low on power. I was hopeful that I might get a good painting subject.

When he shared the photos with me, I thought the grey cat was particularly interesting and I wanted to do something as a Christmas card.

I didn't use any drawings or underpaintings, I just went straight to work. I had just read a great article by Eric Maisel in the latest "Professional Artist" magazine about developing your own voice. He encouraged artists to take risks and to wait to judge a painting as good or bad. My favorite thing he said was that "if you have never heard your voice, you may not recognize it."

"Bah Humbug" 7" x 5" oil on gessobord, © 2011

 When I finished the painting, I thought it was pretty ugly. Jeff on the other hand thought the cat had personality and was interesting like an illustration from a story. On his advice, I didn't try to change anything on the painting. The cat did remind me of an irritated old man, so I thought of calling the painting "Bah, Humbug."

Good or bad, Happy New Year everyone!