Happy Birthday, Franz and Phil

With our weather here in central Maryland having turned to what the forecasters in the area are calling, 'finally, winter', I have begun a work today that will reflect our frosty weather of late. With the thermometer reading just 22 degrees at 1:30 in the afternoon, this one is going to be quite . . . 'wooly'!

Also, today being the birth date of both Franz Schubert and Philip Glass, I thought I would celebrate by listening to Schubert's Unfinished Symphony (which is actually playing as I type this) and later on this afternoon, one of Philip's Symphonies will come off the shelf for a listening. It's a shame that many see Schubert's music as rather uninteresting and bland (I can not imagine why anyone would not wish to hear the Trout quintet!) and an equal number see Philip's in almost the same light. Well, to each his own.

'Not So Gruff'

The new work, finished up a few minutes ago; image size 7 1/4" x 11 1/4".

Burned the midnight oil, as they say, yesterday and put in some long hours on this one.

The start of a new work, a not so gruff billy goat!

The opening announcement/invitation for the Troika Gallery show in March has been approved and here it is! Again, the opening will be on Friday evening, March 2nd from 5 PM till 9 PM with a brief artist talk at around 7 by both Paula and I. If on the eastern shore of Maryland or close at hand, stop in and say hello. The gallery has its own web site to check for directions and additional information, http://troikagallery.com.

'Concentration'

The new work, finished up this morning, matted and ready to go in its frame a bit later today. I like this sort of 'floaty' effect in mounting works like this, vignettes as I call them. Now, on to the next work for the March showing!

Yesterday's work. The piece is going to finish out at about 10" x 14".

And so today I move on to the next work, a blue heron portrait from reference gathered at Chincoteague last fall. This should be fun!

'Rolling In'

The completed work, image size 5" x 20" and ready to be added to the collection going to the March 2 opening at Troika Gallery in Easton, Maryland.

Yesterday's work. The 'subjects' appear!

Getting darker!

Storm's a brewin'

Not really as a result of all the unfortunate bad, icy, snowy weather that many have been experiencing in the central part of this country, I have begun a work with a dark and brooding sky. Even though the temperatures have dropped substantially here in central Maryland, we are still enjoying a very mild winter, weather-wise, so maybe working on this piece will bring me some strong winter moodiness? Remains to be seen, I guess!

The new work, completed this morning.

The weekend's work . . .

Continuing on . . . a visitor has flown in!

Work shuffles along today on the current piece. As I have been working, I have also been listening to a wonderful CD of Les Ballets Africains, the National Dance Company of the Republic of Guinea. This group, formed in 1952 (as the liner notes say) by 'distinguished Guinean choreographer, Keita Fodeba' has toured internationally almost since its inception with the mission to 'foster a greater understanding of Africa with a view to creating favourable conditions for the healthy and fruitful cooperation between Africa and the rest of the world'. In times like those that surround us all nowadays, their mission could not be of greater import, in my humble opinion. As I have listened to the unique and inspirational beat of their drums and the hypnotic chants of their singing, I have not only felt the heartache of wanting desperately to go back to that wonderful continent (I have not been in nearly six years now) but also the desire to see this group in person the very next time they are performing anywhere near me! This particular disc is called 'Heritage' and can be purchased through the group's web site. This music really puts me in the absolute right mood for this particular drawing!

And now, for something completely different! Moving to the continent south and very much east of us, Africa comes to the fore once again with this new work. Today, just sketching in tonal values and 'cues' as I build up ever darker layers of grey and define the shape, roundness and shadowing of the animal. This one is going to finish out at 11" x 15" and will be earmarked for the March showing at Troika Gallery.

'After a Summer Cloudburst'

Complete and ready for framing, image size 10 1/2" x 14 1/2".

In the home stretch now, should be completed tomorrow.

The work continues.

And, a bit more work.

Ahh, may not look like much in the way of change, but a lot of subtle stuff in the background accomplished yesterday.

A couple more hours of work on it. The grass is beginning to grow!

The New Year Begins

As this new year begins, so too does work in the studio. This will be the first of the new pieces earmarked for my upcoming shared (two person) showing at the Troika Gallery in Easton, Maryland, opening March 2nd. Pretty basic stuff today, just sketching in tonal aspects and delineating separation points between lights and darks.