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.

Gender issues

I receive updates from Alyson Stanfield at her Art Biz blog and today's topic is about all women art shows. She asks the question and many people offered thoughtful responses in her comments section.

Also go here where she asks about the role of gender in art success. Again many thoughtful responses about a rather hot topic for many people.

What are your views?

Georgia O'Keeffe: Abstraction show

Georgia O'Keeffe: Abstraction is at the Phillips Collection in Washington DC until May 9th and then travels to Santa Fe to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum from May 28th to September 12th. It looks like a great show and I wish I could see it. If you scroll down to the end of the museum piece about the show be sure to click on all three of the reviews. ArtInfo lists the show as a power exhibition. The New Yorker lists the show as one of the best museum shows of 2009.

Making lists

This is a photo of an installation at the Tate Britain in October 2009.Now on to making lists. I have a to do list on my desk top which I update about three times a week. I love making lists and always think about the friend who made a list starting with get up, shower and eat breakfast, just so she would have something to cross off her list each day. I'm not quite that bad.

Go to Robert Genn's newsletter and read his letter about making lists. But even better go to the remarks and read what his readers said. Scroll down to nearly the bottom and read more remarks. Always something thought provoking and interesting in this newsletter.

New paintings

Here are four new paintings. The first one (Gilded History) has some gilding near the top but it's very hard to photograph and the only real way to see it is in person.

The bottom painting "Muse I" is the first of three similar paintings. The first background is a very bright yellow and the top or darkest color is the background of the second painting "Muse II"-which looks very orange in the photo. The third painting's background "Muse III" (which looks more red in the photo) is the darkest color on the second painting. Still with me? The third painting ends in dark blue.

All four can be seen at Art on the Boulevard in Vancouver WA.

Gilded History

Muse III

Muse II

Muse I

What to do when stalled?

When the only paintings in the studio turn out to be problems, what is an artist to do? It's time to tidy the room. Not a total overhaul where you can't find anything after cleaning but a good dusting and mopping.

I almost didn't want to mess it up and didn't for a a couple of days but I also had company part of the time. So before I go back to work I took a few pictures.

Remember, this is the cleaner room!

How long does it take to paint a painting?

I've had two 36x36 paintings sitting around the studio facing the wall for many weeks now. So I figure what have I got to lose if I work on them and they are wrecked? I've been taking pictures right along as my ideas developed and I'll decide whether I want to share them on the blog when I'm finished with the paintings. The stages I go through on the way to finishing can be seriously ugly! I either use alcohol to cut through paint to see what is underneath or cover parts with diluted white gesso and then sit and re-evaluate for long periods of time. I also make notes and do drawings of the painting. I've never really wanted to know how long it takes me to paint a painting. People who look at paintings want to know how long it takes an artist to do a painting and I never have a pat answer for this. It takes much too long. Not the actual painting time but developing an idea and then the evaluations along the way take the most time for me. Then the non-artistic part starts with thinking of a title, taking to the photographer, signing, putting on the hanging wire, putting into my inventory and finally taking to the gallery.

Not complaining here just figuring out an answer to how long does it take an artist to paint something from start to finish. I don't know and don't care to know at this point! It just takes the time it takes to do it right and to do it to my satisfaction. I have many paintings that didn't make it out into the world. I gesso over them and start again.

The photo above has nothing to do with painting, I just thought it was wonderful.

Is Art Broken?

I've just finished four new paintings and will post them after they are photographed. Below is an earlier painting that I've always liked called "Latent Potential".

Go here to read about if art is broken or not.

Artbiz blog has a good list of books about art.