Tucson Artist Melinda: Windy Point...And, I Do Have One

Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza But, that doesn't mean a screed of unusually complex meanderings will follow. No, it's been really windy around here, and I've heard it's been extremely windy nearly everywhere around the states, globally, too. How windy was it? Why it was so windy on Saturday that the furled umbrella six feet from our house became unfurled and landed on our roof! Really. This 8" x 8," oil on artists' board, painted in a hurry, is in response to that gale. As I was blown around the internet recently, I laughed and laughed at Kathryn Law's pie chart (her work is brilliant--have a look), read that the heat is back on at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House (been worrying about New Mexico), read a great post about art collector, Roy Neuberger at Art in the Studio, watched some "Who Do You Think You Are?" with Gwyneth Paltrow, which sent me back into the seductive world of genealogy research, updating some family tree data, and pondered the poignant question posed by art tourists in Miami: "How do you get important?" at The Madness of Art. Now. Back to work. In the studio, not 'random web surfing.' Hope you are all painting as much as you want.

Tucson Artist, Melinda, and the Quick Plein Air Study

Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza It may seem like a subtle change here, as most of my links are the same and only the template design has changed. However, I do have some fun things to share today. And, I've got a new and improved attitude...See?! Bright colors again! 

This painting, from a day of plein air work next to the Rillito River and a few miles north of midtown Tucson, is of a popular site, Thimble Peak. Most of the work was done on site, but I did paint a layer today over the foreground, darkening it to enhance the drama of the peak. Last night, we drove across town to buy a large (48" x 48") canvas that was on sale. It was so inexpensive that I thought it might be good to check online to see what else is available. I went to ASW Express, and couldn't believe the deals. No, I don't get paid to hype this art supplier. Wish I did, though, 'cuz this week should get them a lot of sales. Their canvases are greatly discounted (check out The Edge 1 1/2"). 

Wait! There's more! I found an online coupon for an additional discount that resulted in free shipping. Not everything is included in the extra discount, but it's worth a try if you're looking for more supplies. I've also been doing some online research. I've got a great new link to Joanne Mattera's blog. She's the artist who wrote the book, The Art of Encaustic Painting. Be careful. It's a great book. It might get you hooked on another medium. Her blog will keep you interested for a long time too. Then, I've got a link to the Google Art Project. Wowza. If you haven't seen this yet, take a tour of the MoMA, or travel virtually to some of the best museums in the world. 

There is also a new link to ARTINFO. There are some very interesting things to see and read at this site. Here is a great link to the only way to see Guerrillas In Our Midst. I recommend this to all artists, but especially women artists. 

Finally, if you get discouraged with your art and the isolation that we artists often endure, this link to Carol Diehl's blog, Art Vent, features a quote of Alberto Giacometti's that I find meaningful. A snippet follows: "....It becomes always more painful,” Alberto (Giacometti) said, “for me to finish my works. The older I grow, the more I find myself alone. I foresee that at the last I shall be entirely alone. Even if, after all, what I’ve done till now counts for nothing (and it is nothing by comparison with what I would like to create), fully aware of having failed till now, and knowing from experience that everything I undertake slips through my fingers, I enjoy my work more than ever. Is there any understanding in that?..." Read on. Paint on.

Tucson, Art, Trouble, Artist Takes a Breath, Paints

Winter Observe Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza 12" x 16," oil on artists' board January is a month I'd like to forget. But that would be unwise and unproductive. We had to euthanize our dog, Kate, on Wednesday the 5th of January. 

On Friday, my college boy left for college and on Saturday, the horror that traumatized Tucson, sent me reeling along with the rest of our country. 

Monday, the 10th of January is an anniversary of my first child's death. Most of my grief was wrapped up in my sympathy for the mother of the child shot to death at "Congress on Your Corner" on the northwest side of town. We're still not 100% here. As one Tucsonan pointed out, most everyone in this town knew someone there that day (that's true of me, too). Each time I drive to the market, I drive by the shrine of candles, cards, balloons and people standing around Gabrielle Giffords' office. So, when I noticed Monday evening that someone had plagiarized work from this blog, I felt done in. Let me make clear my thoughts on this issue. All work and images here, if not attributed to someone else, are mine. That means, if there is a photo here that I am posting, viewers can expect that I composed the photo, using all of my university training and years of experience. In addition, I often continue to work on the photo in Photoshop to enhance, edit and refine the image to express my personal experience with the moment. There are those who think that images and words and even music should be free, and that the very act of uploading them to be viewed by a global audience is an implicit agreement with this belief in "free" use. It. Is. Not. 

All work here is mine and it means a lot to me. I publish it here because there are many wonderful patrons, collectors and enthusiasts who really appreciate my art as much as I am in sharing it. Blogging my thoughts, along with posting my artwork, has kept me going forward for more than two years. The self imposed deadlines to talk with you, the viewer, has meant all the world to me. It is, in reality, an adjunct to my website--a way for collectors to get to know me and my approach to the work. My focus is on being the best professional artist I can be. Therefore, after being plagiarized for the second time (!) in a year, I am going to change how I do things. I know you'll understand. I'll probably change the look and the settings in the near future. While this is an unpleasant bit of business, I hope it may help other bloggers in the future. For those of you who do not understand what plagiarism is, I would like to direct you to Arty Fice's blog. Here you'll get to read a great post on the subject, plus, brilliant and thoughtful comments. I'm not sure about this winter storm (painting and reality), but I'm getting my art mojo back. I hope you never lose yours.

A Candle for Those Who Have Suffered and Died

No art right now. Because of the tragic shooting of 20 people on the northwest side of Tucson yesterday, I want to join my prayers and thoughts for recovery and restoration and comfort for the families and victims of this horrific event. There is optimism concerning Representative Giffords' prognosis. She is in a medically induced coma for her benefit. There are others who are doing better as well. I am thankful she is alive, and for the survival of the other victims. It was sickening, both physically and emotionally, to have had such a reprehensible act take place in our community. My hope is that those who visit Tucson and read about this tragedy will consider that this event does not represent the people of Arizona, or Tucson. May all those families affected be comforted by the heartfelt support and love being sent forth from all of us. Thank you for remembering these victims with me. 

Update: A woman, who had been standing in line (update: she was not shot), bravely approached the shooter and grabbed the gun magazine away from him as he reloaded, thereby preventing further injuries. My kind of woman/human being. Update #2: A profound sense of healing covered Tucson yesterday as citizens gathered to memorialize those who died and those who are trying to recover. President Obama's words were good medicine for all of us. We could see in his eyes and in First Lady Michelle's eyes, all the sorrow, empathy and hope, that we are all feeling as a community and nation.

Tucson Artist Melinda: Snowblind Under Cloud Cover: Happy New Year!

Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza

Young, hesitant flakes of white
fell silently on black fur--

I walked bundled, lured by the beauty to the north of us, in rhythmic steps,
Quieted
Embellished with a leash--

Loki, chaos of dogness,
eyeing the flight of pigeons grounded to drink the pooled water with gasoline rainbows, moved apace
(eager to stay warm)
Eager to complete his neighborhood perimeter check.

Snow blind, with a countenance like a child with a powdered sugar smile, my head was full of brown mountains dusted with snow.
If the clouds would keep their cover, black fur might turn to white--

This sight was dessert for our city, a Mt. Lemmon mousse atop a chocolate base,
meant to celebrate the end and the start of a another year.
And, like candles on a cake--
in a call and response from the desert floor,
prefiguring new beginnings.
Poem © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza

Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza

Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous new year. Hoping, perhaps insanely so, that 2011 will be a great year, a better year for everyone--filled with good health, better work situations, good times with friends, and lots of studio time.Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza

Artist Melinda's Saga Continues: Notched Up!

Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza The Bershires Notch #4 To take a cue from Linny's comment, I've notched up this painting several times and will be adding notches to my portfolio again, I'm sure. Here, I'm slathering on paint with my trusty cake decorator, using scraping tools, and pouring paint. .....So, the next day of our trip back east, we visited the The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. I remember on our first visit there, that I was completely dazzled by William-Adolphe Bouguereau's Nymphes et Satyre (Nymphs and Satyr). Notice that this painting is 5 feet 9" by 8. 53' tall! It was imposing. I think that Mr. Bouguereau, the Academic traditional painter, must have been so as well. Being a member of the Academy during the rise of Impressionism must have irritated the heck out of him. Still, his work is stunning: I was swept away by John Singer Sargent's, Fumee D'Ambris Gris. (3' 1" x 4' 6 3/4") We were allowed to take photos of anything in the museum. That was a thrill, too. Sargent's: Fumee D'Ambris Gris Two closeups of Fumee D'Ambris Gris Then this--A Bad Monet, I'm Sorry, But It's True and I Don't Even Remember the Title: Not to fret, there was Monet's The Cliffs at Etretat and everyone's favorite, Claude Monet, Rouen Cathedral, The Façade in Sunlight: And, Oh My Gosh! There were women artists in the 19th Century AND in the museum. Look! A Mary Cassatt and a Berthe Morisot! There were several wonderful Winslow Homers and fabulous Fredrick Remingtons. Here are two: Don't you think these two painters really got the power of photographs and their high drama and high contrast elements? I'm tired now after all that walking. Maybe you need some comic relief too. Here's a link to The Madness of Art's most recent video and a link to Mr. Bean vs Whistler's Mother from a comment made at Madness. Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Happy holidays everyone!

An Artist Walks Into A Museum and Other Studies

Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza So, where were we?! Oh, yes, I was going to tell you more stories! Before I do, let me write about the two studies I did today. After the first study of The Notch, I decided that I wanted to explore the image a bit more. I liked the painting, didn't want to scrape it, but felt that I needed another approach. Here is The Notch #2, on a small 8" x 8" artists' board: Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza But, I hated this! Went back and wrestled the darn thing for another long while, and painted differently: The Notch #3, on the same artists' board: Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Ah, that's better. I'm still going to deconstruct this image (it's so much fun), and I'll post more as I push it further. It's still not where I want it to be. Our trip last month was one of those incredible journeys that has left me with a bazillion ideas, memories and photographs for further inspiration. A cloud had something to say and a young man was bursting with ideas-- Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Spending time with such brilliance kept me on my toes and wanting to go everywhere and see everything I could. Of course, an artist, wherever she travels, will be drawn to the local museums. The day we visited Mass MoCa was very cold and rainy. Inside, the place was teeming with irony, surrealism, postmodern and post-post modern intrigue, retrospectives and introspectives everywhere! If you haven't gone to Mr. Artyfice's blog lately and read his (Untitled) Art Blog Post, well, please do. He tells our story better than I could have. Really. Last night, I had to watch (Untitled) Movie again....I just don't have the words for all that I'm thinking. Mass MoCa was more than I expected, let's say. There was the Petah Coyne exhibit, which left my brain frazzled. I thought it beautiful, important, unimportant, tragic, funny, disturbing, and so labor intensive that I marveled at the artist's work ethic. The Sol LeWitt Retrospective and Wall Drawings came next. Oh, I mean after the Leonard Nimoy gallery of digital portraits (stunning, high resolution of nearly life sized portraits of people who posed as their inner selves). Back to LeWitt...Oh, how about just some photos: They came with instructions. College students recreated his work from those instructions. Their process was mesmerizing. Then there was the installation work of Tobias Putrih: Are you getting the idea that Mass MoCa was stimulating, while it painfully excluded painting? Yes, me, too. I didn't want to go, at first, because I knew if they had any painting, it would be somewhere obscure. I was right. On the other hand...this was so much better than viewing the same old, same old, work by the same old guys of the last century and beyond. Eeks. I'm in trouble now. Even looking out of the window at Mass MoCa was aesthetically pleasing. Hey! They have the Airstream I've always wanted! This is a wonderful installation by Michael Oatman: "All Utopias Fell."

Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza And, while I felt really silly doing this, I had to take a photo (or two) of the women's restroom.Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza As I exited the room, there was an exhibit by a woman artist who had photographed the same thing, along with the rest of the basement area of Mass MoCa. There was only one glitch in our day trip to the museum...I could not play the guitar. The place was closed.Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza It's probably just as well. We were players in a play, actors/artists with an 'eye' for things, and not a bucket in sight.

Happy Thanksgiving

Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza I am thankful for you. I am thankful that Kate is still with us. Thank you for your good thoughts and wishes for her. More on this later. I am thankful for painting supplies. I am thankful. What are you thankful for?! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! A quick study from a photo I took of Thompson Memorial Hall. 9" x 12," on artists' board.

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.

Weekend Report: Good times

What a weekend! I thought it was going to be pretty quiet in the Old Pueblo, just because the entire town seems quieter since last year. Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza However, we had a great turnout at the open studio tour. I want to thank everyone who visited, especially my dear artist blogger buddies who held good thoughts for us as we welcomed people in to see the art. On Sunday, our family friend, and my music mentor, Ruben, came by and we had a brief jam session. It was great fun. Many wonderful people came by. A few enthusiasts bought some of my favorite pieces. As usual, I didn't take photos of the visitors because I was running my mouth or concerned about legendary Tucson shyness. I'm ready to get back to work. I'll bet you're ready to see some new work. What have I got? Well, I've got four sketches from my journal, a teaser really and a motivation for a future story about a recent journey. I'm hoping to have more developed work soon. Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Stories to tell! Hope you all are painting up good storms.

Tucson Open Studio: Artists, Good Weather, Good Music, Good Food

Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Update: If you'd like to read the Zocalo Magazine that has nearly dedicated its entire November issue to the Open Studio Tour, please click on this Zocalo link. It will take you to the online version. Well. This is it. I've been posting the Tucson Artists' Open Studio Tours link for weeks and we are only a few days away. I'd like to give credit to one of the sponsors here in town that I love to visit and buy from--Sarnoff Art & Writing. The weather is pretty swell. I've tested my recipe for mesquite flour, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, and I have some of the finest prickly pear cactus syrup ever (no modesty on this one) for the green tea. I've finally got it just right. Here are three more paintings that will be exhibited the weekend of November 13th and 14th. Two of them are 8" x 8," and one (Gray Day on the Rillito) is 5" x 7." Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Motorcoach Moticos August 2010

  Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza After the Storm 2010

  Image © 2010 Melinda S. Esparza Gray Day on the Rillito As an opening of welcome, I've consulted with my music mentor, R. P. Esparza, and he has given me permission to play one of his songs as a treat and to share it with my artist blogger buddies who cannot attend, but will be here in spirit--and for those whom I'd like to welcome. Imagine, if you will, that you're out in the desert, only dirt roads to drive, a sunset that makes a dramatic composition of hills, ocotillos and cactus, a moment in which you are transported to this dry and gentle environment, listening to this contemplative tune. 

Martay Blue © 2009 R. P. Esparza

Enjoy! (desert photos from one of my day trips © 2010 Melinda Esparza)