The Red Dot Conversation and Panned at 37, 000 Feet

Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza The Notch, 9" x 12," oil on artists' board (not finished) I have so many stories I'd like to tell. Maybe I can get to some of them. Mr Artyfice is working on something that I hope he'll be able to post soon. He'll tell you an interesting one, too. But first, let me backtrack for a moment. If you will, go to The Madness of Art and watch Jim's conversation with Dru about the use of the red dot--hilarious! Then, come on back.......................... Okay. Two days before our open studio tour, one of my paintings sold online. Smart move by the buyer, because it has happened in the past that people have jockeyed to get here first to buy a particular piece. Of course, I had just seen The Madness of Art's piece on this and later that evening, Edgar and I had the "red dot conversation." We had to mark the title card paid, but...we laughed ironically that we were now making some kind of art statement-----and we didn't know which one! Yeah, yeah, I know. The main one was: Sold. However, you know as an artist that money is secondary to the work and you just hope people enjoy it. Hey, this painting doesn't look like Tucson! You are correct, dear artist. We had the privilege of traveling back East a few weeks ago and found the most exotic lands. We saw no evil there. Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Anyone know where this is? Confession: I've always admired the work of my fellow artist bloggers and famous artists such as Wolf Kahn and Russell Chatham, and often thought they were puffing/enhancing the landscape to express their emotional connections. What I did not quite understand, until October, was that they were telling the truth about a magical land, the Northeast! I thought it would be hard for me to find subject matter with strong graphical elements. Sheesh, was I wrong. My apologies for such naiveté and apologies to the famous women landscape artists of the Northeast, whom I could not find today as I researched. My eyes were full of color: Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza I sat on marble steps: Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza One more hint: Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza And, I was panned at 37,000 feet. Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza To while away the hours flying, I used my neocolours to paint the sky and clouds as we flew over the Midwest. I'm working diligently with my cup of water, Q-tips and small container of water soluble crayons on hand, when the flight attendant (one of the most solicitous I've ever had the pleasure of knowing) kept coming by and glancing at my work. When I was done, she stopped and took a longer look. I posited, sky? She replied, "No. I see an ocean with the waves hitting the shoreline. Sorry!" Aha. I see. Well, I replied, that's good that you interpret it personally. Edgar whispered that he thought she should not quit her day job. More soon! Should I offer a prize to the first one who guesses where we were? Now, Barbara....you already know, so I hope you'll sit this one out.

Artist Melinda: Off into the Weeds, Back with Saddle Burrs

Update: I finally fixed this painting and might even like it!

  Yes, it's true. The open studio tour left me dazed and confused. I spent several days staring at mud, a few days asking what kind of weed is a actually a weed, and where are the hidden treasures in all of the brush. I came back with some stickery but healing aloe, something shiny I still can't figure out, and two paintings. Wished I'd had a saddle. Here's the thing, the stickery thing. If women artists are the most prevalent artists in any generation since 1850 (okay, kinda guessing on the year, but I'm close), why aren't we studying them more, quoting them more, experimenting more with their processes? Even male artists are quoting and emulating male artists of the 1800s instead of artists more recent than that. And, the ones who are mentioned most often shouldn't necessarily hog all of the notoriety. Even if one wanted to stick with the 1800s, there are: Julia Margaret Cameron, Elizabeth Adela Armstrong Forbes, Lilla Cabot Perry, Suzanne Valadon and Berthe Morisot. These artists are worthy of more looking! Then, there is the 20th century, and, oh yes, the last decade of the 21st century. You'd think we didn't have access to more sources. That's the bur. Well, at least one of them. Grace Hartigan's, The Persian Jacket, 1952.

Grace Hartigan (included in the New York School of Abstract Expressionists): "Well, what we get down to finally is the ultimate point. What in the world is the reason for painting? Life is complete in itself. What can the painter add to it aside from presenting formal problems of my trade--space, projection, surface, contour and all those things. Rather, I think art comes out of an inability to understand the life that you are living and the hopeful desire that out of the chaos that is given to you, you try for a brief period of time to make some sense and order." Couldn't have said it better. One of the paintings I've sold recently is quite abstracted. This got me to thinking how right it felt to paint that way--and that someone responded positively to it. Here are two more experiments. The first is a landscape in which paint is for paint and image is a close second (oil on panel 5" x 7").

  The second one might be a bit of channeling Grace as I think about our better angels of art or more graces (oil on artist's board, 12" x 12"). I'm gonna keep asking you, kindly and with gentle prodding (sans burrs), to seek out women artists, support them, talk about them, examine their process and dig a bit into the weeds once in awhile. And, those guys? Gotta love 'em. Gotta make 'em share the canvas...