"The Gathering" Figurative Painting 16 x 12 Acylic on Canvas Panel

I've been distracted lately, so I haven't done much painting. Sales are definitely off, too, and although I don't paint just to sell, it certainly makes my work more meaningful. My daydream is that one day I will own a small gallery, and invite other struggling artists to exhibit with me. It would be a co-op, of course, and everyone would benefit. No one will get rich, but our lives would be.

I came across a blog comment that made me uncomfortable. Although I am a self-taught artist, I paint to the very highest standard I'm capable of and I am learning all the time, even at my considerable age. But this blogger pointed out that it seems buyers, on the whole, are looking for purely decorative paintings, and hardly interested in detail, or finesse. They want impact, not work that demands close scrutiny or analyses.

The paintings that most dominate the market do seem more targeted to decor, rather than for the discriminating eye, but I'm never going to paint rapidly and casually to produce great canvases of flowers and abstract shapes. So I scrunch over my work, peering with strained eyes, trying to get the light just so, the shadows credible, the tiny faces of my figures filled with some sort of character and expression. I think the results are decorative, of course - who wants ugly on the wall? - but the pictures are more than that. They represent my love of the work, my need to convey a story. And that's all I can do.

Anyway, this is my latest offering.

"The Gathering"

Unless I suddenly decide to go back to my writing - and it's calling me - I'll talk to you soon.

To All My Lovely Artists - I'm sorry.

For some strange reason, probably because I was messing about with Google+, I lost ALL the images from ALL of my blogs posted since 2008. This is a very serious thing. An art blog without art is no blog at all.

I am painstakingly rescuing each image, but so far only got to the end of 2012. Prior to that, the site was more or less dedicated to other artists, because I was deeply involved in my writing. And those are the guys whose work is now missing from my posts.

Bear with me folks. The links to the artists still work, but the images will be slow to return. I can only manage a few a day. And I'm not getting any painting done.

Along with Hotmail going to Outlook, and Google adding that scary plus sign, I've had my hands full for a while, trying to recover or understand things.

Perhaps you know what I'm talking about. I hardly do.

Mother's Day Tribute - Latest Acrylic Naive Folk Painting

Something a little different today, after weeks of painting busy crowds, Colonial people and ships. I was thinking of all the mums out there...and how their skills are so taken for granted.

Now that my kids are grown, I only experience scenes like this when I visit grandchildren. It always amazes me how much a mum can accomplish in a short amount of time. And this from a woman who had twin boys and a daughter! I had to work fulltime, and now only vaguely recall how frenzied it got at times. It's all - thankfully - a blurry memory.

But we manage it all. We are superbly capable, yet it's the one area of expertise that we do without formal instruction (other than suggestions from our own mothers, or mothers-in-law, who were, let's face it, also self-taught).

"After Breakfast"
16 x 12



So Bravo mums! You are a wonder. I am a wonder. We are all wonders.

Until next time. 



"The Clipper" 19th Century Sailing Ship - Naive Seascape Folk Art

I know - who really cares about 19th Century painting reproductions? I do. I would paint them all the time, but it's a tiny market. In fact, I willed this one not to sell because I take that as a sign that I should keep it. I know just where I'll hang it.




 

24 x 18
Acrylic on Stretched Canvas

If any of you have ever tried to paint a tall ship, you know how difficult it was getting the rigging right (or as 'right' as I could manage). There must have been miles of rope on those vessels. I was almost cross-eyed by the end.

"The Simple Life" Figurative Seascape Window and Woman Acrylic Folk Art Painting

Here is the latest one. I can picture myself living here, probably without the cellphone, or a TV, or the laptop. I don't know how long I could last, but I'd be willing to give it a try.

Have a lovely, relaxing Easter.

"Cafe" - New Figurative City Interior Painting

I enjoyed doing the larger figures in this painting, with the extra detail involved. I haven't been out for a lunch for a while, and the subject matter appealed to me. You will note that no one is eating. Hmm... Wonder what that says about me.



16 x 12 inches

See you next time.

"The Commander" Faux-Colonial Naval Officer Portrait

I had a need to paint something Colonial-looking. Since I cannot afford to buy originals from that Early-America itinerate-artist School, I always make my own. Sometimes I keep them to decorate my own walls, and sometimes I offer them for sale. It's a very specific taste, so I don't expect a rush of interest, but I absolutely love doing them.

My "Commander" goes well with "M'Lady", painted a few months ago, so I've included her here.





"Market Day" - Latest Figurative Naive City Folk Art

Acrylic on 16 x 12 Stretched Canvas

There is no market day in my area, as far as I know. Of course, it could be so well-hidden that I've yet to discover it, but I think someone would have mentioned it. In Britain - in fact all of Europe - whole town squares become markets with dozens of stalls, and I've bought some incredible collectibles from such places. Canada has its share, and I'm guessing the States does, too. Being in the Antipodes, which entails doing a lot of things which are opposite to the rest of the world, Sydney has permanent markets, in dim, vaguely stale, buildings, where you can buy just about anything, but which lack the spontaneity of the outdoor versions, and certainly the fresh air. Paddington has an outdoor one, but it's too far for me to travel. No doubt, out of town, there are some great country markets, but I haven't found one yet.

This painting represents my memory of good city markets. I miss them.


Don't even ask how long this one took me to paint. I couldn't stop.