close to the last one.....

Here is the finished work from the last post. It's not the last painting of the year because I finished another one yesterday and will probably do the same today, but close to the last piece of 2010. It feels very much like a farewell to the past year. It's a full meal deal with familiar shapes, colors and textures swirling in all that was 2010. The good, the bad and the ugly. All the parts represented and waving goodbye as the clock ticks down.



I give a sigh and a smile as I look at this painting. It's a map of my life this past year and leaves me with remnants to fall into the new year. See you all on the other side of 2010!

baby stepping....

That's what I'm doing. Baby Stepping my way back into the studio. Like so many of you, I'm sure, studio time has been limited. The holidays were wonderful and I wouldn't trade a single day, but the desire to work has been put on a back shelf until the last couple of days. Yesterday I was able to work for a little while. Grabbed a painting on paper that no longer resonated with me and started that deconstruction process that lets me find my place again. The work was not tentative by any means. Layer after layer after layer........enjoying the transformations taking place - this, no that, yes much more of this, and that, and here just a bit, banish that section, shape this corner, more red under the brown, oil pastel very heavy, scrape the center out, define the new shape, layer, more red and then the time was up..........below are pics of details in the work.........nothing permanent yet - flexing my muscles - mapping my time - looking for the edge to push......









hope you are finding life good as we head into the new year.

thank you....

I wish to say THANK YOU to all of YOU out in cyberspace who have continued to support and encourage me and my work. 2010 has been a year of amazing opportunities for me. As I mentally scan back over the past 12 months, I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite. Each experience pushed me ahead to another level in my art practice. Two very wonderful group shows, a three week residency and teaching opportunity at Southampton Art School in Ontario Canada, my work at the Seattle Design Center at the Catherine Person Gallery and the continued support and encouragement from all of you in the blogesphere! I count myself lucky. As 2011 approaches I will start the new year with my art represented by the Barfoot Fine Arts Consulting Service in Ontario Canada. This is a new enterprise and I'm happy to be on the ground floor so to speak. I am looking forward to everything new in 2011. A whole year ahead with new adventures and opportunities. The mosaic below is a peek back at some of my favorite pieces. Click here if you would like to see them in their entirety.



Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Will be back here after the holiday.

pushing paint.......

It's the way I breath in the world - pushing paint - the following photos show what I've been working on the last few days - this is a nice size, 38x48, though a bit difficult to maneuver in my small space - it's like dancing very close but trying not to mess up my dress - the first photo shows what I did about 6 months ago, set aside and just now picked up again....



this was the first phase - finding and defining more shapes....



this photo shows the underpainting and a pretty good idea of where I'm going...



this is the final, or at least how I left it this afternoon - I'm loving the greens and yellows and the blood red underneath - this is not the best photo, but it gives you and idea.....you can see more of the purple/red in person.....




hope you are all having the very best weekend!

in case you haven't noticed......

Just in case you haven't noticed, I have had less of a presence in 'blogland'. My life right now is fully loaded and the time I spend here has become less and less. I am spending more and more time in my studio working and that is where I want to be. When I get here I wander about in the background checking your sites, so even if I don't leave a comment, I have probably visited. Now that so many of you are on facebook, I can catch up there also. And then of course there is Tumblr! I know alot of you have gone there too. I'm keeping my spot here, but posting and commenting less. I appreciate everyone who comes by and leaves a comment! Who doesn't love a comment. I will leave you with a piece I just finished.



this is mixed media on paper on board 10x10 - "She Hesitated"

See you in cyberspace somewhere! xxo