Friday, June 26, 2009
where has the time gone?
Monday, June 8, 2009
i'm still working on cleaning out the studio. so far i've cleared out a ton of stuff. yesterday i cleaned out two large boxes of stored artwork and graphic design portfolio samples dating back to college. it felt good to rip up and get rid of a lot of crappy work. LOL
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Cleaning Out the Studio... Supplies for sale
- i'm sick of working in chaos
- i am hoping to move my studio this summer

Tuesday, June 2, 2009
don't fear the title... how i title my paintings
- sometimes it will just come to me in the development stages prior to painting
- during the painting process i will just start talking/referring to the painting by titles i am tossing around and one will just feel right (yes i talk to my paintings)
- or, at any point when i decide i know enough about the painting i will sit down and 'brainstorm' a title

- first i write a list of all the adjectives or descriptive words that immediately come to mind that represent how the painting makes me feel or what i am seeing/taking away from it, i do not edit at this point, whatever comes to mind is written down....even if it seems irrelevant or obscure
- next, i go back through the list and edit, cross out words that don't accurately represent what i am trying to say, rewrite, add a few, change the tense, etc.
- then, i immediately start putting them together, creating little phrases or snippets, i read them out loud over and over, editing, rewriting, changing words around, swapping words out with other ones. listing them one right after the other until one clicks.
and there it is right there at the bottom, the title i just loved that totally described how i felt the day i stepped outside and the sky and air around me was this eerie yellow glow and inspired the above painting... 'tensed: fear as the sky unsettles'Saturday, May 30, 2009
POLL RESULTS_Do Titles Affect How You Feel About a Painting?
The results are in..... Do titles affect how you feel about a painting?

"I can love a painting and then when I see the title I can be completely turned off. I always look at the painting before I read the title." - dody, non-artist commenter
"I like to see a good creative title but I know that coming up wit one isn't easy. The only time a title turns me off is when a painting is called "Untitled 3 or 4, etc.," it's just not memorable." - kim vanderhoek
"Yes, cheesy titles can turn me off to a painting too. I agree that a well thought out title can add a level of understanding to the piece. It would just not affect my choice in a purchase of a piece of art. If the painting needs the title to explain what is going on I feel that maybe the piece was not well executed in the first place. It is visual art. I also dont like when titles are translated. If I title a piece in English, it is because I like how it sounds in English. If I title a painting in Spanish I meant for it to be in Spanish. Lots of times a translation ruins the whole feeling. Somebody else's idea of what I meant to say might totally change the feeling of the viewer toward my painting. That is another curve to your original question. Language translation is not always as clear cut as "Haystack in sun"." - frank gardner
"I am of the opinion that I could care less if a piece even has a title let alone what that title says. I feel like titles are just another crutch for artists to explain to the viewer what they are looking at, or more specifically, how they want the viewer to see the piece. To me it's a form of control over the viewer. I would prefer that when someone looks at my artwork they form their own opinion about it's content and focus on how that visual content is translating in their mind." - maria janosko
"Personally, I don't care what the title of a painting is. Either I like it or I don't. But that's me. I try to wrack my brain to come up with decent titles for my own paintings because I know not everyone feels the way I do." - janelle goodwin
"I love the story (not sure if true) that Magritte would ask friends to send titles, not having seen the painting in mind. Once the painting was done, he would open a suggestion and that would be the title. Thus, a painting with a hat might be called "Pipe." That makes me so happy. I don't know why, but I love that. So in my case, an "appropriate" title is less interesting, but a "good" title might be one someone else would consider inappropriate." - ColorJoy LynnH
"I find 'good' titles helpful. I understand the thought processes about 'not controlling the viewers experience' - and I will almost always look at a painting to form my own opinion before looking at the title. BUT then if it is a clever or multi-layered/dualed meaning or otherwise descriptive title that *adds* to my viewing experience I am unreasonably happy. It has just deepened my whole interaction with the piece, and I have gotten another insight into what the artist was thinking when creating (which I always find fascinating). An unimaginative title adds little, but an inspired title can contribute hugely IMHO. (wish I was better at coming up with inspired titles!)" - tara l chang
"I think it matters if the painting or work of art is abstract, but for representational work the title doesn't typically affect the way I feel about a piece. Every once in a while I'll read a title and think, "Oh, that's clever", or "Oh, I didn't realize that was what it was about", but for the most part the title is just an identifier. Of course, I'm a landscape painter who gives my paintings the most boring titles EVER, so what I have to say should be take with a grain of salt." - stacey peterson
"I can be drawn in by an interesting title or very occasionally put off by something pretentious. This is a really interesting topic to explore. I felt about 4 of your suggestions resonated with me. I do like a picture to have a title if it doesn't, I wonder what it is." - elizabeth
"I am drawn to a painting first and foremost by the scene portrayed, but a clever title will make the experience of enjoying the painting even better. If the title doesn't seem connected to the painting, it might cause me a few moments of puzzling, but then it is a "whatever", and back to enjoying the piece." - joanne
"I had voted "I could care less" and that's true for me as a viewer. Either the visual of the work appeals to me on an emotional or intellectual level or it doesn't and very rarely do I learn more if the appeal is not there. However, a name can add something to my experience if I'm already drawn in. I often think I'm so disconnected to the titles of paintings because painting is such a non-conceptual, non-intellectual thing to me. It's just visual and actually very visceral when it comes down to it. I'm inspired by what I see more than what I think - does that make sense?" - julie gerleman
"I voted "change how I emotionally feel about a painting" because I am drawn in by some of the creative daily painting titles, especially ones I find humorous." - irene rencsi
"I did vote twice, each for a specific reason. What makes a 'good' title is VERY subjective, BUT, if I am looking at a thumbnail of a painting a 'good' title may be the thing that inspires me to click for the larger view that I may otherwise not have done. Having said that, regardless of the title, if I like it, I like it, if I don't, I don't." - ruth jamieson
** should any of the links in this post not work, please send me a message so i can fix them, blogger was behaving badly as i was putting this post together.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Figure Sketch from workshop
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Research for Upcoming Blog Post - Poll Please Vote...
Friday, May 8, 2009
deconstructing my face
so far my mouth is my favorite drawing, i even included the freckles on my bottom lip. genetics are amazing to me, shelby also has these same freckles on her lip too.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Gala Recap
Friday, May 1, 2009
shelby's toes @3 months
Labels: baby toes, pencil drawing, toes


















