Corona August Summer Slump

To live in this world

you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it

against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.

“In Blackwater Woods” by Mary Oliver, 

Been having a hard time concentrating, staying focused and the summer heat hasn't helped much! Lots of new stuff but can't remember how they got started and really what is going on. Guess I will just have to move on and what is there is there.  Really doesn't matter how I got there.

Isolation

19.5" x 19.5"

Acrylic on 240 gm bristol

Sometimes We Need a Push

We are now experiencing a second outbreak which has really got me down. Not a complete lockdown but they closed our small community pool, which was a sort of lifeline. Diving into the cool water, swimming my 16 laps, resting, and reading for another half-hour really helped me get through the day, it was almost a ritual. And then they closed the pools except for hotel pools which really p....d me off! I felt safer there than when  I do my weekly shopping at the supermarket!

Well after lots of discussions and shouting higher up they are opening again at 14:00 TODAY!

Some more good news is that I have an AC unit in my small computer/studio YAY!

I ordered some new paper through the Printing place where my daughter works. I was getting down to the last heavy cardboard substrates that I got from when they emptied Archie's studio. The new paper is not as heavy but quite sturdy, 250gm. Bought 10 sheets in offwhite and 10 sheets in dark brown. These sheets are 28.5" x 40" so had them cut in half.  Have a great supply!

Main colors where Ultramarine blue and chrome green. Collage pieces from dried palettes. Added some pale gold and lots of mark making with graphite, colored pencils, and oil pastels

Just Wanted A Touch of Orange

28.5" x 20"

Brown paper 250 gm 

Acrylics and Collage

The start!

Project Motherhood

“Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you're not sure what the right thing is...and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.”   Donna Ball, At Home on Ladybug Farm

Last weekly workshop for the season. Crit on last project "motherhood" a subject that has been used for creativity since the beginning of human existence. After doing some basic research of how others dealt with this subject and collecting images from the Renaissance and more modern painters such as Chagall and Cecily Brown, statues and photographs as well, especially Dorothy Lange's famous photo journal of the migrant workers in the 30's I decided on two icon images. Matteo Giovanni Madona and Migrant Mother photograph by Dorothy Lange.

Matteo Giovanni

Dorothy Lange

Migrant Mother

Photo Montage 

In photoshop I was amazed by how the two faces merged together and I used this as my "inspiration"
A play of negative and positive. Went a bit over on the metallic gold!

Migrant Madonna

17.5" x 20.5"

Graphite and acrylic on heavy beige paper

What is more interesting was the discarded piece on the back that I am thinking of pulling out.

       Inspired by Cecily Brown and a bit of Chagall. Think it will be a good push and pull exercise!

Mothers WIP

20.5" x 17.5"