A Year Old

This blog is now one year old, and a new appearance is appropriate, with a colorful header and a white background, to make reading easier. To celebrate the new appearance is my latest oil painting, something a little different for me, in which I got away from my usual rendering mode:

New Town Mazatlan, 2010, oil 16" x 20" Did you ever have a picture you couldn't stop working on, no matter how hard you tried? I tried several times to stop on this, but it was just too intriguing, all those little related spots of color, the doodler's delight. There was some perspective, but I only used it to make depth.I learned from this that you can only quit a painting by finishing it.
Now I've already had to revise my SW Collection, that I revealed last post:
Both Old Town and New Town Mazatlan were begun together, and my scheme was to have two Mazatlan paintings to present together. My objective was to make an orange oil painting that would complement the red one of old town. I needed to work on my oil palette, and I got a half dozen new orange oils to play with, so I now have 11 different oranges, as many oils as I have in each of my other colors:
I was working from the top down, so as to avoid getting oils on my wrists and cuffs, since I was using my new small brushes. And this painting simply was not done until I reached the bottom. This is the type of painting that can't be left alone, whenever it's near I'll be compelled to play on it some more. I can not at all guarantee that what is presented now will be exactly the same as it will look a year from now.
I'm glad to tell you about these paintings, as I actually got them on a trip to Mazatlan in 2008, my retirement cruise to the Mexican Pacific Riviera, the only cruise we've taken. Now I get to show you some drawings from my notebook:
The MS Oosterdam was our ship, and the week-long trip was a sketcher's delight. We had a great little stateroom with veranda, and I just spent my time out there.
Here's our view of Cabo San Lucas, the second night's destination:
Both views of Mazatlan were presented to us from our veranda on our third morning, with the new town of Mazatlan to the east, aglow in orange morning sunlight, and the old town of Mazatlan to the north, which I painted shining red in evening sunlight. Here's the sketch I made of the old cathedral:
At this time last year, leading into the summer, my blog had a lot of content. With my art show in August at the Old Colorado City History Center, this summer is already looking busy. I'll keep you posted.
A Personal Note
I've rarely allowed myself to add anything personal in my blog, prefering to stick to the journalistic standard of making it as brief and comprehensive as possible. My favorite blog is Judy Wise, who encouraged me to start my blog. She is such a complete art teacher in everything that she does, that I can only hope to emulate her in some way. She is professionaly brief and to the point, but she always includes personal insights and feelings that leave one astounded.
Just for instance, she currently mentioned and illustrated the potent symbolism of images from world religions, and also she shows a drawing of a kalakus tapping her on the shoulder. Both of those produced strong responses in me. I love how her artwork reflects what's truly within her and what she's experiencing.
When I saw her last she enthusiastically asked me, "Don't you just want to engage?"
I love engaging, we need other people very much, but I don't seek to engage the way Judy does. She always amazes me.
Anyhow, this is to let Judy know that her inspirational blog teaches me a lot, including how to see, and I thank her and encourage her.
Both Judy E and I will love her forever, as sung by Leon Russell.
Here's Judy planting tomatoes today: Here's our first Iris, Immortality, it just keeps on going on: And here's what the crabapple in our backyard just looked like: