 "Gonna Speak to the Crowd" (2021 No.5, state 19), oil on canvas, 64x57⅜ inches, {"I'm gonna spare the defeated — I'm gonna speak to the crowd. I'm gonna spare the defeated, boys, I'm going to speak to the crowd. I am goin' to teach peace to the conquered. I'm gonna tame the proud." - Bob Dylan, "Lonesome Day Blues" (2001)}  "Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up" (2021 No.10, state 10), oil on canvas, 56x62¼ inches, {"And it is that word 'hummy', my darlings, that marks the first place in 'The House at Pooh Corner' at which Tonstant Weader fwowed up." - Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), in "The New Yorker", 20 October 1928, reviewed by Dorothy Parker as "Constant Reader"}  Drawing 01·16·2022 No.1, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches  Drawing 01·16·2022 No.2, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches  Drawing 01·14·2022 No.2, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches January 16th, I created and/or revised five works; yeah, a lot of work. Coming home is work; it feels good to be here.
0 Comments
 "Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up" (2021 No.10, state 9), oil on canvas, 56x62¼ inches, {"And it is that word 'hummy', my darlings, that marks the first place in 'The House at Pooh Corner' at which Tonstant Weader fwowed up." - Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), in "The New Yorker", 20 October 1928, reviewed by Dorothy Parker as "Constant Reader"}  Drawing 01·06·2022, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches My acceptance quota is going up. It is going up, up with every artistic move I make. I feel good. This process is better, better all the time. This is recent. This is acceptance. This is how acceptance feels. It is true. It allows me to follow instincts. I trust my inner voices. I step back. My gawd, it makes sense from far and from near.
 "Gonna Speak to the Crowd" (2021 No.5, state 18), oil on canvas, 64x57⅜ inches, {"I'm gonna spare the defeated — I'm gonna speak to the crowd. I'm gonna spare the defeated, boys, I'm going to speak to the crowd. I am goin' to teach peace to the conquered. I'm gonna tame the proud." - Bob Dylan, "Lonesome Day Blues" (2001)} I am completing the things I began in 2021. Me, Summarist, moving forward by finishing off loose ends from the recent past. Yesterday I spent the entire studio session on the painting "Gonna Speak to the Crowd" (2021 No.5); this is its 18th revision!
 Drawing 12·10·2021, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches One goal of my journey is to fully comprehend negative space. I want to utilize negative space, make potently emotive. I want this for my drawings, I want this for my paintings. This journey, as long as I breathe, will never end. This particular Fat Lady will never sing for me. Yesterday's drawing is a good step toward understanding the emotive potential of negative space. Dwell on this drawing for a few moments. Do you feel the space between forms? Does it make you emotional? It does me!
 "Gonna Speak to the Crowd" (2021 No.5, state 17), oil on canvas, 64x57⅜ inches, {"I'm gonna spare the defeated — I'm gonna speak to the crowd. I'm gonna spare the defeated, boys, I'm going to speak to the crowd. I am goin' to teach peace to the conquered. I'm gonna tame the proud." - Bob Dylan, "Lonesome Day Blues" (2001)}  Drawing 12·07·2021 No.1, pencil on paper, 16x20 inches  Drawing 12·07·2021 No.2, pencil on paper, 16x20 inches This is what I do. This is my habit. I investigate. I research. I go here, I go there. Am I truly on the path to self-expression? I wish I knew. Today is one of those days I sit in doubt. Perhaps doubt is upon me because of the long distance I have travelled, yet I am still not there. I continue to be dissatisfied with my art. It can be more. I want more self-expression. I will continue my search, my research. I need to live a very long life.
Yesterday I made two drawings, both researching positive form versus negative space. Yesterday the painting, "Gonna Speak to the Crowd", took another step in the long road it is traveling. This painting is getting better, better all the time.  Drawing 12·03·2021, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches  "Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up" (2021 No.10, state 8), oil on canvas, 56x62¼ inches, {"And it is that word 'hummy', my darlings, that marks the first place in 'The House at Pooh Corner' at which Tonstant Weader fwowed up." - Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), in "The New Yorker", 20 October 1928, reviewed by Dorothy Parker as "Constant Reader"} I want to cry over the beauty of my paintings and drawings. I am not there yet. It is my goal. I want myself, and my viewers, to feel so very deeply the sincerity, and the nuanced beauty, of each of my art works, so much so that they are filled with emotion, emotion that spills so hard that they break down and cry. I am taking baby steps in that direction. I am not there yet.
 Drawing 11·24·2021, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches  "Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up" (2021 No.10, state 7), oil on canvas, 56x62¼ inches, {"And it is that word 'hummy', my darlings, that marks the first place in 'The House at Pooh Corner' at which Tonstant Weader fwowed up." - Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), in "The New Yorker", 20 October 1928, reviewed by Dorothy Parker as "Constant Reader"} The painting, "Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up", is pushing the foundation of my art-making. I am shoving it onward, to wherever it insists it wishes to be. This is not easy. I am not reluctant. I am scared. I am in wonderment. Am I the person I believed myself to be? I am not. I am more. I am more complex than I understand. I understand little compared to what I know.
This drawing took me several days to complete. It is in search of a strong, central theme, like "Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up". My insights are becoming real.  "Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up" (2021 No.10, state 6), oil on canvas, 56x62¼ inches, {"And it is that word 'hummy', my darlings, that marks the first place in 'The House at Pooh Corner' at which Tonstant Weader fwowed up." - Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), in "The New Yorker", 20 October 1928, reviewed by Dorothy Parker as "Constant Reader"} I thought I made some progress, now I see it is not enough. Woe is me. Far to go before I sleep.
 "Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up" (2021 No.10, state 5), oil on canvas, 46¾x61¾ inches, {"And it is that word 'hummy', my darlings, that marks the first place in 'The House at Pooh Corner' at which Tonstant Weader fwowed up." - Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), in "The New Yorker", 20 October 1928, reviewed by Dorothy Parker as "Constant Reader"} I am certainly not coming through the front door on this one. A roundabout is happening. I am journeying through mud and muck, yet I am optimistic; the crap will dry on my shoes, the detritus will fall off, I will discover a better, cleaner home to live in.
The painting, "Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up", may have a humorous title, but it is in the midst of a deadly serious journey. My path is not assured. I am working hard. I know I will get to a better place. Today is a brand new day.  Drawing 11·05·2021 (state 2), pencil on paper, 20x16 inches  "Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up" (2021 No.10, state 4), oil on canvas, 46¾x61¾ inches, {"And it is that word 'hummy', my darlings, that marks the first place in 'The House at Pooh Corner' at which Tonstant Weader fwowed up." - Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), in "The New Yorker", 20 October 1928, reviewed by Dorothy Parker as "Constant Reader"} Yesterday's studio work is difficult to brag about because it is agonizingly "not there yet." I am really talking about the painting, not the drawing.
The drawing actually did "get there." I show state 2 of Drawing 11·05·2021 (state 1 reproduced in Blog Post of 11/09/2021). This drawing is excellent. The painting is not excellent. It has much work to go. In yesterday's studio session my great accomplishment is my work toward paring down my message. Yesterday's great insight is this: To make a "I got your attention" Work of Art, a simple, hard nut, big themed, obvious central core of an idea, must be present. To become the potent painting I wish it to be, "Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up" has to take a big step forward toward my realized objective . |
To read my profile go to MEHRBACH.com.
At MEHRBACH.com you may view many of my paintings and drawings, past and present, and see details about my life and work. Archives
January 2022
|
RSS Feed