Lots of paintings have left my studio bound for galleries and the summer season. There`s a bit more to do but for the first time in quite a while, I`m not busy! This is what I strive for, a slow simple life. What a luxury not having a pressing daily agenda! I love it and this ease is conducive to painting. My best days have a puttering quality as I work on several things throughout the day.
Just for the change, I did a couple of watercolors after concentrating on oil painting for months.
Browsing my archives, I found these 12x9 watermedia 'Spillover' studies of Sauvie Island as the winter floods were receding;
These were mostly more successful than the larger oil paintings they were preparations for, though #4 translated well;
An exhibition of Rick Bartow`s work opened last Friday at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon through Aug. 9.
This terrific painter is Native American though I rarely think of it. His work is teeming with totemic animals but somehow it`s just the animal personalities that come through, not human involvement with them. He is very adept with color and is inventive in his painting methods. I can`t wait to see it. Look at this;
Are you sad? Emotionally conflicted? Worried about our world? Listen to 'Lacrimosa' by film composer Zbigniew Preisner. It is a section of his 'Requiem for my Friend'. This piece was featured in Terrence Malick`s visually stunning but odd 'The Tree of Life' during the birth of the cosmos sequence. This is sung by Elzbieta Towarnicka and she`ll break your heart open if you give her some volume.
Isn`t this a wonderful painting? She conveys the vast spaces, heat and aridity of her native Australia through dense, monochromatic, agitated marks. I couldn't find the dimensions but because it`s a diptych, I imagine it`s huge and easy to wander through. In nearly all her work she uses a very warm palette that seems inspired by India.
Locals will remember the levy we passed a couple of years ago authorizing Metro to purchase open space for it`s preservation and our recreation. We visited a new one yesterday, Cooper Mountain Nature Park. Unlike other preserves, this one wasn't mostly forested but had lots of meadows, gravel [dry] trails, enough shade to survive the return uphill, and beautiful views. We thought with its southern exposure, this would be a great destination in winter. When a big blast of light would be especially welcome.
The park is in southwest Beaverton and knowing that mysterious city is known for its great ethnic hole-in-the-wall restaurants, we went looking for one. Yelp showed us a five out of five stars Mexican-Italian place near my art supply store so off we went. We had maps and GPS and circled the suburban parking lot over and over without any luck. Then I seemed to see signs indicating a mall behind Powell`s Books. We set off on foot and found a completely hidden, tiny mall with Paradiso Encantador in the food court. Its name is more than ironic as it looks exactly like a fast food joint. It wasn`t quick but smelled so good it was an exciting wait. Now I`m always really relieved when I see an actual Hispanic person in the kitchen. If it`s a woman, even better. God knows this isn`t fool proof but seeing people who look like me making my tacos is very discouraging. As a native of California, I am bestowed with ultimate authority on the quality of Mexican food in Oregon. Need I recount the years of disappointment? This was fresh, delicious and served with kindness and charm. Also inexpensive. We had to have dessert! Switching countries, we ordered the Tiramisu and it was outrageous with a coffee intensity I`ve never experienced in other versions. We were so happy when we finished! Why oh why can`t Lake Oswego attract this kind of talent?
work for sale in my studio
4 comments:
Love Rick Bartow's work. I first came to know of him through his prints. Oregon Art Beat produced a feature on him that's worth a look.
There is a ton of fun in this post!
I enjoyed looking at the work-the final oil with the tree is pretty great-it's all great-but the presence of that tree... They are always places that I'd like to visit.
I enjoyed Rick's work and had also seen the work of Elizabeth Cummings (which I liked) via Pinterest.
Oregon always sounds so wonderful and varied when you write about it. I Have to admit that I am envious of the natural areas that you get to visit. And the food. I could do with any food right now that was good, honestly. It's like you walked into the pages of Sunset magazine or something. Anything fresh. Can you write about that next time please too? LOL:)
It all sounds good to me. Thanks!
Libby
Oh I love Rick Bartow's work; gets me all excited. And your watermedia studies are lovely.
Had to laugh about the food. We have lots of great Mexican restaurants here, all owned by Mexicans. It's such a nice change from seafood.
Must say, when I'm down, or up for that matter, it's always Van Morrison for me. And maybe some Bonnie Raitt and Joni Mitchell. I always have music playing in the house.
Your post is so timely, as I'm just now attempting seascapes - really love your "Stream to Sea" study! Also, I'm adding Paradiso Encantador to my dining map.... '-) Lissa
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