in one day, yesterday, the range was great. From a hilltop party, overlooking all of LA, high above Highland Park,the family had a reunion and sang mariachi songs. then it was a quick rush over to West hollywood for an exhibit of Franklyn’s students great new work; and then we were in time to meet our movie group at the Nuart for Sleepwalk with Me. How much fun can i have?
student with final project for summer!
materials: oil paint, encaustic paint, encaustic wax, silk organza with ink-jet print, collage papers on panels and plexiglass over panel. each panel 8 x10.
encaustics: barriers, even if imagined
on a sunday afternoon in our yard the grapes have taken over
NEW STUDENT AND HER GORGEOUS COLLAGE SELF PORTRAIT ( WELL SHE CALLS IT JULIA)
billboard near studio
some stuff in my art and life
the real “whole paycheck”. I literally paid exactly my two weeks pay for my editor job, for my encaustic supplies. (happily) and my cat gets canned cat food so I can use the tins to mix paints.
some recent stuff:
things I like . a woman at work, a child’s art, and the view going to my studio
I am not really ready for lots of people coming in to see my work in progress, so I also put up some old stuff. which mostly everyone likes. the new stuff is raw and thick and even I am not so fond of, but surprisingly I learn alot from the comments:
from young and old alike: why do you paint the policemen?
from astute viewers: its more an evolution of ourselves and our perceptions of the police than of the subjecct. (hmm)
from CC Pounder: “so, you’re fascinated by men in blue and handcuffs.” (no handcuffs. but then she has been in The Shield awhile.)
a nice couple ask a lot of questions about why I painted the cops. The man tells me the term cop stood for “constable on patrol” in England, as he hands me his card ( LAPD internal affairs), and his wife asks if I would paint them. I would never have guessed they were police.
I smile pose for pictures and genuinely enjoy meeting lots of intriquing, smart, local people from my wonderful West Adams area.
I knew when I found this studio, almost ONE year ago, this was a great place.
Our teacher at Otis, Franklyn Liegel, died suddenly last February 28th. It was the second week of class and he didn’t show up. That is not like Franklyn, he was always early- ready to help anyone who came early for his sage advice-this is one time that phrase is perfectly apt…
Natasha and Douglas met the next day, as they had already planned, for lunch. Knowing something was not right, they found where he lived ( in a loft downtown, he told me, he lived alone and worked on his art 13 or so hours a day, when not teaching). They got a maintenance person to check and indeed, he was there, he had died apparently of a heart attack.
It’s taken me weeks to absorb and believe the truth.
Every phrase I carry with me (“I believe in the versatility of processes”) and when I squeeze a gorgeous Williamsburg King’s blue from my tube, eager to swirl it on, I stop, recalling his advice: “No paint straight from the tube.”
That weekend I went to see the Diebenkorn show in Orange County. I stood in front of a large canvas with pastel colors melting into each other, physically crushed by the memory of Franklyn. All the layers, the scrubbing and erasing, yet leaving traces—the LA Times calls it “pentimento”, I am overwhelmed by all that I want to see, to learn , to create.
i have an email from Franklyn, he said, “I have some ideas for your collages”…and I still can replay his voicemail, on my iphone, “I will call you, I have some ideas you may like. The last thing he said on that message was, “it’s all a mystery.”
working is the best way to keep my teacher alive in the heart
you’ve got to pick up everystitch
the rabbits running in the ditch
beatniks out to make it rich
oh no…
must be the season of the witch
my student, Cathy, at work. for the last 15 minutes of class, late on a dark day, she wants to play (barbies!) instead I have her draw a self portrait on the freezer paper i use as palette on my table. I tell her “because this wont be saved, it will turn out real good.” she gets it. here she is at work, and my sketch and her two drawings. she labeled them and took the photos.
My collage “Stella Reclining” is in this juried show. Come to the reception— some of my friends have work in here, too. fun!
My student at work: I have her take a photo of her dad (in my studio), then in a few hour sessions here is the finished painting. (10 x 20 “). Though we get about 40 minutes of work done each time, we have to break for silliness. she is talented but she is 7!
one of the paintings i just did in class. class ended last night (for a brief spell). taking a nap today.
i go to class, it stretches to almost 11, no one wants to leave.
I come home and Steve has beans and tortillas waiting for me,
ah, the artist’s life.