Tucson Open Studio: Poem, Painting, Monotype

Thinking about the moon a lot. And, the night sky: 

Ease of Night Light 

O Luna, nightlight for the worried insomniac, 

Your golden shape floating like a banana boat gliding across 

The darkened sea above. 

Why do you sneak out so late? 

To whisper lovely, impossible secrets in the ear of the weary? 

To soothe a restless heart with a thousand questions? 

I think I hear one of your poems in a language of color 

And mist-- The values, a softened gray, layering the plane. 

My head is bowed, but my eyes swim in your neon glow. '

Waking is the dream," you speak,' 

'Fall up into my orbit and let go.' 

'And I, decorated for travel, will melt unruly monsters, like a dollop of honey on a warm, indigo plate.' Poem © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza In a way, this 8" x 8," oil on artists' board painting, reminds me of some of the recent night skies. This monotype is one that I worked on a year ago, but never uploaded here. I thought those of you who've been following my blog would want to see something new as I go through the works for the Tucson Artists' Open Studios Tour. Is she a nighthawk? Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Now, for a bit of shameless self-promotion: One of my favorites! The painting that made it into the Tucson Museum of Art's Arizona Biennial '09 Sabino Hill on a Snowy Day Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Wrangling the warm clothing this week. More soon. Have a great week!

Tucson Artists' Open Studios: Paintings, Drawings, Visiting

Thanks to SamArtDog, I walked myself, with soup pan and tongs in hand, right on over to the San Gabriel "Prak" (okay, they fixed the sign years ago, but that's what it said for the first six months!) on Sunday morning and collected a pan full of juicy, ripe, lovely prickly pear tunas. Sure, the quail were annoyed and the rabbits skittered defensively away from the park, but there are plenty more tunas for them to nibble on. They'll just have to share. Besides, it's a bountiful year. I was in such a hurry that I didn't even wear gloves. I wore jeans and a solid shirt, though, and came home with one side filled with little stickers. Cool. You saw me, didn't you Bonnie?! This is a Caran D'ache (Neocolour) drawing of some that I harvested last year. I haven't worked with these water soluble colors in quite sometime. I don't know why. They really work best, in my humble opinion, on Moleskine paper. Update: It is because of Kathyrn Law's selling of her Neocolours to me in 2008, and her encouragement to try blogging, that started it all for me. I'd say these crayons and one artist's kindness can change a life. Go see her work...and be dazzled. Last year at the Tucson Artists' Open Studios Tour, I had a couple of paintings that were nearly fought over. What a concept!

  Out of curiosity (so typically artist, eh?), I wondered if I could reprise the image. I painted this one about a week ago. Guess I can. It's Two Clouds Over Patagonia II, oil on artists' board, 8" x 8." Are you harvesting in your area, both artistically and gastronomically? Sure hope so.

Tucson Open Studio Tour: More to Share

Even though the Tucson Open Studios Tour is about a month away, I'm pulling out work that has not been on display in the studio for awhile, and thinking about the future guests who'll show up that day. I don't know if I can do as well as Jala Pfaff has done documenting her recent open studio, but I'm inspired to try. Check hers out. This first painting is one of my favorites (Mighty Vole Hunts Ubiquitous Cactus Fruit, 16" x 20," oil on artists' board). It's how I feel when harvesting prickly pear fruit. There are still a few plump, and juicy tunas tempting me to do more harvesting, but I've been told to give it a rest...! But, my anxious heart says, will I have enough to get through the winter??!

  This next image is of a monotype that is another favorite. I did some mark making with oil bar on top of the first pull. It is a Mystery Landscape, monotype, 11" x 15," on BFK Rives paper.

  Hope you're all having a great week and working in the studio!

Tucson Artists' Open Studio Tour: Getting Ready for Showtime!

It's official. Tucson Pima Arts Council's website link to the upcoming Tucson Open Studio Tour is up and clickable. Of course, I'm right there with over two hundred other Tucson artists preparing their studios, looking over work, thinking about the success of last year's event and getting excited to meet people who love art and support the artist community here. It's gonna be a blast. I'll have new work and my favorites from this past year and beyond. It would be great if I could see you all here November 13th and 14th. You'll be welcomed with decaf green tea with my harvest of prickly pear juice and some homemade (okay, a mix from the store, but baked by me!) gluten free chocolate chip cookies that will have some locally harvested mesquite flour tossed as a treat. Yum. I'll do taste tests in the next week or so... For the run up, I'm thinking about some works that I'm happy with, that haven't been seen for awhile.

Ah--Ree-Zoe--Na Ski (8" x 8," oil on artists' board)

Daydream Sabino (8" x 8," oil on artists' board)

  Catalina Palimpsest (5" x 7," oil on artists' board) Hope you are all having a great weekend, painting away, dreaming of beautiful fall days.