How matters more than how long

Here is an article by Clint Watson from FineArtViews. Very good advice from today's newsletter. Near the bottom he talks about two rules so you'll know you're on the right track. And boy, am I on the right track right now! I do feel less confident over time and I do know there is still so much to learn. And number two I really am embarrassed about some of my older paintings. I'm thankful for white gesso so I can start over time and time again.

Now, as Clint says, go change the world.

New paintings

I'm off in a new direction recently and lots more I want to explore. I'm working on Ampersand boards which are two inches deep. I'm applying more gilding of various kinds because it's time to break the rules. I'm also applying copper, brass and aluminum sheet metal. I glue and nail the metals to the board. The nails match the metal. Then I rub on various kinds of metal patinas. The metals can also be painted over. Once I've created the right finish I spray the gilding or metals with an acrylic fixative. The metal will not degrade or change.

I'm starting small. The first two above are 16x20 and the third one is 12x12.

Quote for today

”The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on or blame. The gift is yours – it is an amazing journey – and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.” ~Bob Moawad

The live oak tree is from Middleton Plantation in South Carolina.

Art events in Vancouver WA

Vancouver has a monthly Art Walk on the first Friday of each month. The June Art Walk is Friday the 4th from 5 PM to 9 PM.

Several events are happening this month that don't occur every month. For example the people who do Art Beat on our local PBS station will be in Vancouver to interview and film at several of the galleries.

Windows into Art runs from June 4th to July 5th. Once on their site be sure to click on some of the artist's links. Very interesting "untraditional" art will be available for viewing. I can't define the art, you'll just have to do it for yourselves!

The very complete article from the Columbian newspaper will explain more about Windows into Art as well as the new galleries. The newspaper says Vancouver has 14 galleries now participating in the First Friday events.

Another nearby event is the Vancouver Farmer's Market which is now open Fridays from 5 to 9 PM as well as Saturday and Sunday. It's two blocks south of Art on the Boulevard.

Parking is easy and once parked you can walk to all the galleries. I enjoy walking around downtown Vancouver and seeing the art on a warm evening. Surely we'll have some pleasant warm evening very soon!

From time to time various businesses or groups hold a special First Friday reception for the Art Walk. This month the business is the Arc of Clark County which helps children and families with intellectual and developmental difficulties. The reception will be held right next to Art on the Boulevard gallery where my paintings can be seen. The same building houses a coffee shop, a deli, a florist and several other businesses and the reception area is a large space with lots of tables and chairs.

I'll be there and I'm looking forward to seeing all the new galleries.

Liquitex demo

Recently I attended a Liquitex demo at Art Media. I do use their products and paints but had no idea how many products or interesting mediums they had available.

Here is a good place to start learning and exploring what they have. I think this introductory set of six mediums would be a good start on my explorations. I spent way too much time exploring their Youtube site.

They gave us a nice hand out of materials to read including a catalog, The Acrylic Book as well as many project cards. There was also a bottle of soft body paint, gloss medium and varnish and slow-dri blending medium. Liquitex has a new line of acrylic inks that look very promising too.

So here are the products I want to try: Inks, pouring medium, flow aid, clear gesso, lava gel, ceramic stucco, glazing medium, blending medium, blended fibers, glass beads, Liquithick thickening gel and the list goes on.

Here are a few tips from my notes. Use airbrush medium rather than water. If using water don't use more than 30% on a gessoed canvas. They have just come out with a transparent raw sienna which is hard to imagine but might be interesting. Use Winsor and Newton brush cleaner and restorer to remove paint from clothing.

A paintings progress

Below is a recently finished painting. At least, I think it's finished now! It spent weeks and months facing a wall before I came back to it. It's a 36X36 acrylic on canvas. Some where along the way I decided there was nothing I could do that might make it worse. So with a sense of freedom and confidence I attacked. I was going to give it one last chance. I removed paint, I added paint, I plastered white all over it and slashed away at it with brushes and hands. I had a good time too. So scroll on down and see the stages with the beginning at the bottom.

I'm liking it better now.

Orchids and a quote

Here is a photo of orchids from the Atlanta Botanical Gardens April 13th.

A quote from Robert Genn's newsletter by Dennis Alter : We each have many people inside us, don't we? I take comfort in knowing that Wallace Stevens was an insurance executive during daylight hours and a sublime poet after work. Some of us can live both of our lives simultaneously and others must choose. It's more heroic to choose.

A reality show worth watching

Finally, a reality show that sounds worth watching! Sarah Jessica Parker is the star of Work of Art starting June 9th. Should be interesting.

New paintings & Paris

Here are four new paintings. I took the photographs rather than taking them to the photographer who is 45 minutes to an hour away and requires two round trips. I can always take them later if I change my mind.

My critique group is having several shows this year and I'll post more about this closer to the first one which takes place in May. So I'm busy thinking about what I want to paint or have available for each show.

"Breaking Through" 30x30 Acrylic on canvas
"Out of the Mist" 24x24 Acrylic on canvas
"Clearing" 24x24 Acrylic/gilding on canvas
"Signature" 24x24 Acrylic on canvas

All images copyright of Jan Heigh.

The top painting "Break Through" has my usual bright colors and I think of it as sort of a spring like painting. The other three were experiments in starting paintings using more neutral or earth colors. I thought I should just make some changes and challenge myself to do something totally new and difficult for myself. What was I thinking? As you can see they all morphed into my usual bright colors with a tiny bit of neutral left. Lesson learned. Use the colors I love.

Now on to Paris. I've been looking at blogs written in or about Paris and have found some new ones. Once I find a blog I like I check out the blogs they recommend and nearly always find some new treasures. So try out some of these wonderful blogs.

Arm Chair Parisian.

A taste of garlic.

Paris Apartment for eye candy.

Little Brown Pen.