Bright Afternoon, 2007, Oil on Panel, 48x60Well, Doug left this morning with the large paintings I have been working on for the last week or so. And I am left with gaping holes, not to mention a big mess in my studio. I will spend today and tomorrow cleaning up and preparing panels for the next round of paintings. I have the flower show on deck, plus I need to have a few more paintings on hand. My inventory is at exactly zero right now.
I also really felt as if I made a breakthrough with this batch of paintings. There was a bit of urgency involved as the gallery in NYC wanted some new work quickly and I had to coordinate delivery with a day that Doug had to drive into the city rather than take the train. Most of the time, deadlines really help me along. I don't have as much time to think when I am inundated and that is generally a big plus for me. heh. Anyway, I was able to loosen up with this work because I literally had to just jump in and start them. And while it may not be so visible in the photographs (I should have taken some close up shots), these paintings have more of the painterliness that I have previously had trouble catching due to my fear of large scale panels. The other thing that really helped me here was to actually use my regular large sized brushes. Before, with the large scale paintings I kept trying to scale up on the brushes as well and was using 2, 3 and even 4 inch brushes. But I felt I had less control with those and they didn't have the same softness as my favorite sables have. So this time, even on the 48x60 painting, the largest brush I used this time was an Old Holland flat sable, size 24 (about 1 1/4" wide) with much better results.
And that painting (pictured above) is the "sort of" commission, you know, the one where I copy my previous self. I have painted this scene a number of times, which you can see below. The one on the bottom, Cadmium Yellow Field is the first one I did, in 2005 (and as I recall, at 16x20, that seemed HUGE to me then). I always intend to make significant changes in the colors, but somehow I keep coming back to the basic blue, yellow, and green combo. I have been varying the colors in the tress a bit though, so that's something!
I will post the rest of the large pieces over the next few days.
Just a Field, 2007, Oil on Panel, 9x12
June Field, 2007, Oil on Panel, 36x48
Cadmium Yellow Field, 2005, Oil on Panel, 16x20
12 comments:
Beautiful work Tracy.......congratulations on your "breakthrough"
You seem to be slowly moving towards bigger pieces... I liked your five foot tall piece even if it is a repitition...
Thanks, Melody. I am a bit relieved. Struggling with the larger ones was really starting to bug me. Hope the breakthrough sticks though!
Sunil, I definitely am, but not entirely willingly! A few of my galleries are requesting them, and then they are selling, so it's hard to say no. It's a good challenge for me though, although I look forward to having a larger space to work in someday. Which I could afford if I were to sell 18 more 48x60's:)
I was wondering...you mentioned that you needed to get some paintings done quickly to get to a gallery. Are your oils completely dry before they are sent to the gallery? Also, do you ever varnish them?
Your gardens are gorgeous. Can't wait to see some florals from you!
gorgeous, adding the red tree in the middle
As I wandered around the Denver art museum last week I noticed there weren't very many small pieces.
So maybe you are headed in the right direction :)
A powerful series, I would love to walk into a room with all of these (or preferable more!) hanging in it. The same subject, but yet so different, a sort of homage to changing lights and especially changing moods. Minimalistic(?) in subject and yet so powerful.
Jayne, you have asked a good question and I started to write an answer, which turned into a very long answer. So I think I'll write a post about it. Thanks, always nice to come up with a new post topic!
Thanks Gary, purple actually, but it does look red in the photo and in a certain light. Kinda like your blue/purple!
Lisa, HA! Pretend you can hear me snort when I read your comment:)
Thanks Bart, it is lovely to hear that about my repetitious paintings. It is nice to know that others see the differences in these pieces, I tend to get caught up in the similarities.
Tracy - We LOVE the painting! It is even more dramatic and beautiful in person and the colors are spectacular - just gorgeous! Thanks so much!!
Hi!
I've been looking and lurking for a while - I really enjoy your painting and their sense of space and togetherness. Am curious to see your series of flower painting...
I wondered if your dimensions were cm or inches, but from reading these commets it seems to be cm?
Gesa
Hi Gesa, Glad you have shown yourself! I actually bookmarked your blog and so I guess I have come across you as well. I just posted a flower image today, the first of several.
Oh, and my measurements are in inches.
Yes - I'd seen the first of the flowers earlier.., and also, yes, had initially thought it was inches. Will come back for more flowers...
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