Big to small and back Again

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Big to Small and back Again

We go to a few outdoor festivals each year

and more often than not I hear Greg say to someone
"Now you might not believe it but-

the original painting was 5" by 6"......!

Scale is one of my favorite elements.

For the past year or so I've found myself working on the small side.

And now as if to accentuate that point and to celebrate

an end to small and a new beginning to big
these 4 mini paintings on my easel.

Have you ever played that drawing game where someone draws a squiggle

and then the next person makes something out of it?

Well my brain seems to naturally work in that direction.

I never know where the swish of my brush will take me.

And these little paintings are good examples.

Making the squiggle playing the game.

"Paw Vase Johnny "

5" by 5"

oil on canvas

I've been painting variations of this fish vase for over 15 years....

Still one of my favorite symbols.

Fish startled, swirl upward.

A world topsy turvy.

Even the Love Birds wonder what is up.

"The Eggen Moon"

5" by 5"

oil on canvas

Orange faced dog sketched with the hint of a hat

or is it a nest?

Birds appeared, moon in sky above.

Near the end I add an egg

and looked again to see the moon in a nest of blue.

I love it when that happens.

One page after another till the story unfolds.

"Beyond Me"
5" by 7"

oil on canvas

Horse and rider leaping

On the heels of sunrise.

Over earth with moon and stars

Little Pal, Earth bound below.

"Welcome"

7" by 5"

oil on canvas

The little dog at his doorstep

becomes a whimsical "Welcome!"

Another greeter inside on stage appears.

Curtain back to all creation.

One thing leads to another.

Letting Go

The Treasure

40" by 52"

oil on canvas

Beginning the sketch with the main characters

Starting with them and building

experimenting with the idea.

Like settling into a chair

adjusting to the space.

And now

wondering--what's going on here?

A feeling of stillness and simplicity.

Moving forward, testing the color, design--

the character's facial expressions are the inspiration for it all.

Faces, hands, and feet

are the most essential parts of the painting for me.

Everything else is detail.

One day a design or color is very emotional.

I'm in love with it.

And then the next day--

Let's try something new.

The faces remain the theme of the story.

The eyes.

The expression.

And again color----

To the conclusion.

Someone asked me once----

How do you know when a painting is finished?

"When there is nothing else I can do, but start over."

That's the time to let go.

The Treasure

oil on canvas

40" by 52"