December Already

It's all about time and lack of it.  If there were no time would we accomplish more?  What would a world without time be like?  Is it possible?  I can't imagine it.  So yesterday part of my long lost family came to the studio as well as new model, F. I always seem to paint people in transition, from one stage of their lives to another.  I still haven't photographed the portrait, which was painted under reflectors positioned on one side.  That created very strong and dramatic shadows.  The portrait shows exactly how the model was feeling.  That's what happens with my portraits...they tell the truth....will put it up soon!  As far as other events, I did not go to the vernissage at Kafart tonight as I asked a couple of peple last minute and did not feel like going alone.  It is the first time that I am exhibiting small abstracts...very pretty!  It is getting colder here in Montreal at the beginning of December and I am surrounded by Saggitarians with whom I get along with very well, and which means lots of birthday gifts!  Maybe the little abstracts!  They are so beautifully framed, too.

Time Flies

Already ten days have passed since my last entry, and I have a feeling that this will be the rate of input, after the  initial, enthusiastic, daily updates.  The painting of S finished itself...time, visits, comments, all conspired to finish it.  When someone said they wanted to touch it, I was happy.  There is a lot of releif in it even though it is a small canvas.  There are many layers and some nice palette knife work.  I am more and more drawn towards abstract but continue to resist, though I did leave a small 8" x 8" completely abstract for now.  It is more or less a sampling of new colors, strokes and pigmetnts.  The funny thing is that I can rarely remember how an effect was achieved since I use so many different mediums.  So each one really is an original which can't me repeated, like a rare jewel.   I'm looking forward to doing a few more.  The abstracts are really like playing, when I should be doing something more serious, such as the Zouzulas portrait of 13 family members.  That portrait is going really well by the way, but it requires utmost precision and decision.  By putting red curtains on each side of the standing family, as D suggested might work,  made them look like royalty.  They are, in their owm way!  I will emphasize that royal aspect as the work evolves.

New Day

What a beautiful day november 3 was!  I spent the whole day inside and painted in the studio, but those who were in nature today were the luckiest.  Today I spoke to I about "The Brooch" by Munch.  It is either a charcoal drawing or lithograph from what I see.  It's amazing how many sites are offering it as an oil painting.  And I learned something new about copyright laws.  In most parts of the world the copyright belongs to the artist while alive and 70 years after death!  So be careful all who would profit...though, it's hard to believe that the family doesn't have copyright afterwards.  Where are the lawyers to clear this up for us?

Anyways, the only two people that know this blog exists, for now, are the 2 Vs.  I'll call them big V and baby V for the moment.

The painting of S went well today, but it is amazing that a small painting can exact so much.  The challenge is to make it real, but not too real.  

Step by Step

                       This was the studio 3 years ago, as I was choosing paintings to exhibit.

There's lots to learn with these blogs.  I just went to see mel's blog and realise what it means to write a "profy" blog!  This one is really in it's embrionic stage and I don't know if it will ever grow up!:)
For one, I don't know if I can write as much as it seems to be necessary to create a serious blog.  And, so far there are only two photos...anyways, it's fun and no-one is reading it anyway.
Today I painted S again for the second time and the painting is retaining it's luminosity, while becoming more real.  The sun travelled along her arm and leg just as I was painting them, which was perfect!  I will post a photo soon.  It's great to paint on such a sunny day...

Blog Mission

Now that I'm getting the hang of it, I've decided to name this blog's mission (though that's maybe too serious a word).  It will basically be; my thoughts and day to day musings, ideas, and the development of paintings and projects. So it will be my ruminations on an artists creative process, basically....all the ups and downs as well as the in-betweens and simple basic things. 

Studio Photo

Here is the first image of my studio on this blog.  I chose an older image... before the big flood.  The fire painting was abstract for one year before the image of the cosmic firespinner appeared. To see it, one must come to the studio, but in this photo we see another rare piece, just below the fire, called "tragovi".

After viewing my blog for the first time...there are changes that I want to make such as color and letter size, so in case you read this bear with me and be patient....as far as the writing goes, there are lots of things to say.  I have started a new painting with a new model, "S", who is very inspiring.  As soon as I learn how to post photos, I will post one of the painting.  It is very luminous.

This is the first sentence on my blog!  Not a very exciting sentence, though I am excited to finally start a blog.  It all came about because mihajlo and nikola ilic wrote to me and when I checked out nikola's blog I saw how easy it was to start.  Now the hard part is to continue and to learn how to import photos and manage the blog.  The writing is easy, so that is what I will do for now.