General Update

My not posting as often should not be considered that I am losing interest in either of my blogs or for lack of something to say. Rather I have been preoccupied as to the direction my art is taking me, along with another reevaluation of both my blogs.

Since blogging these past five months, I have come across numerous incredible creative artists and their amazing artwork. This has had a profound impact and influence as how I view my own solitary art but also the roll of my blogs and the purpose they are to serve.

When I started painting in 2000, I had two views; and two directions I wanted to go, traditional and abstract. After attending several college courses in 2008 and a contemporary art history class in the spring of 2009, my creative perspective was shaken up and since then, it has been in a continuous state of transition. During this evolutionary period, it appears I am languishing motionless, adrift without wind to move me ahead, when in fact this period is being spent reflecting inward about my current state and my art.

Progress on the distressed canvases has been slow. One, the largest of the set, 20 x 20” (50.80 x 50.80 cm) finally saw movement with the addition of two beer ads. When I originally came across the German beer ad from Spaten and the American Ale from Budweiser, I thought I would have some fun. The idea was to cover over the Spaten glass of beer and then rip off portion of the American Ale, revealing the Spaten underneath. Now that this has been accomplished, the collage can be considered finished, though deep down I feel one element is still needed to truly consider this painting finished and ready for my signature.

Untitled

Newsprint on canvas, 20 x 20” (50.80 x 50.80 cm)

Stage 4, layer eight

Untitled

Newsprint on canvas, 20 x 20” (50.80 x 50.80 cm)

Stage 5, layer nine

Close-up of the beer ads

Stage 5, layer eight and nine

On the other hand the smallest of the canvases, 12 x 12” (30.48 x 30.48 cm) has seen progress that is fraught with mixed emotions. I see the drawing being successful, I also see technical failure, and now I come to a crossroad, having to decide if I let it go or make the corrections.

Untitled — in progress, 12 x 12” (30.48 x 30.48 cm)

Stage 6, watercolour pencil over graphite pencil drawing

I view failure as success if one learns from the error. What I am referring to is the illustration of the acorn squash, which should have had a white under painting in order to cover the newsprint from showing through and influencing the illustration and its spectrum of colours. As I keep finding it a visual distraction and the fact that the colours appear not pure, I must now decide if I shall go ahead and carefully cover up the drawing and redo all the pencil and watercolour work.

On a more positive note, it was ten days or so I started two small canvases, both 8x8 inches (20.32 x 20.32 cm) and instead of going for a distressed background, I opted for a typographical composition. As for the next step or layer, well that to is like being the ancient mariner adrift on a still ocean with an albatross for company.

Untitled — in progress, 8 x 8” (20.32 x 20.32 cm)

Stage 1, 4-5 layers of newsprint

Untitled — in progress, 8 x 8” (20.32 x 20.32 cm)

Stage 1, 4-5 layers of newsprint

In less than one week it is time to celebrate the day that brings friends and families together, around a table decked with decorations and packed with wonderful dishes, while at its center is a roasted bird, a turkey.

There were well made plans in the works, that in a few days I would go on my last photographic expedition for the year and accompanying me would be Bruce and his son Kevin, both of whom I had not seen in almost a year. I would share with them my previous explorations by returning to two of my favorite finds, discoveries made after taking my daughter back to Santa Cruz, then traveling the long way back home along the Pacific coast on the Cabrillo Highway, Highway One. However the day we choose was simple too close to the American holiday Thanksgiving Day and after some contemplation, we decided to postpone the trip for another day.

Until my next post I wish you my dear reader and fellow follower all the very best,

Egmont

When is a work in progress finished?

More than six months ago I started with an idea by adding modeling paste in the form of vertical textures to represent a build up of drips and when I completed this stage, the surface was painted over with acrylic and fine tuned with a number of glazes in oil. Since then it remained tucked away with the other unfinished canvases, along with the blue painters tape still attached to the sides, despite considering it was a finished painting. Still I could not shake the feeling that there was more that needed to be said, even though having followed through on the original concept on all points.

Three weeks ago while working in the garden, I came across a number of very delicate roots from a birch tree that had invaded a flowerbed I was preparing for spring. Upon closer inspection of these roots, I noticed there fragile structure and felt they resembled arteries and veins and could be used in a painting, considering I still had not dealt with the open-heart surgery in artistic terms. While I continued gardening, the mind was actively involved figuring out ways to work with these wonderful roots, when the painting from months ago came to mind.

A few days later I pulled the canvas, dusted off the sides and experimented with a few strands of roots to see how they would interact with the textures. Once satisfied that this would be the path to take, I proceeded with my usual cautionary attitude, covered the surface with regular gel medium and strategically placed the roots onto the medium. That evening I studied the results, analyzing every aspect of the progress, only to decide to wait until morning, when under natural light I could best judge the next step to be taken.

With a fresh perspective I concluded a few more roots would need to be added, especially one that would rise off the surface and so appear three-dimensional, now that I had planned to introduce tissue paper into the mix and did not wish for it to be just a cover. Once the new pieces of roots had adhered and dried to the surface, it was time to add the buff coloured mulberry tissue paper.

I had used tissue paper before as a top layer in which I tore numerous small openings, allowing the textured surface beneath to poke through; it was this approach I was now embarking upon for this canvas. After covering the surface the artwork was set aside, in order to contemplate on the current process and instead of overnight, the canvas remained set aside for almost two weeks.

Though there were still some technical issues to be resolved the art work in progress finally had achieved a level of completion in which it could be considered finished, now that the relationship of surface texture and the roots all interacted with their new skin. All that needed to be resolved was making the suspended tissue paper stronger, then protecting the entire surface and settling upon a title.

Well that was yesterday . . .

After further serious contemplation I decided one more layer of mulberry tissue was required since too much of the roots dominated the surface visually and I still had not achieved the desired effect.

The process of the second tissue paper layer needed to be applied with greater control since there were areas that did have the desired look and were not to be covered. This would mean tearing up larger sections of tissue paper and adding them as if composing a puzzle until a homogenous look was achieved so that it did not resemble having been patched.

Now that I consider this canvas a finished piece of artwork, I view it not as a success nor a failure, but rather a study in the process of materials and their relationship with one another. For it has spawned numerous ideas on how to improve upon the relationship of the materials used in this artwork when considering another canvas that deals directly with my heart and the surgery I underwent.

Art is a process, nothing more. A process of adding, subtracting, subtracting and adding until the artists hand stops, pulls away and the artist takes a step back.

Now I just need to settle on a title; any suggestions?

Painting 101: Creating a distressed background — part three

The work progresses with my usual slow steadiness, methodically analyzing a variety of possibilities and after careful consideration, cautiously progressing to stage three. The canvases have started to reveal a direction in which each one desires to be taken and what is to happen next. From this point on, no canvas will receive the same treatment, especially the 16 x 16 inch canvas, since it saw only one new addition, a single tree. An image I immediately fell in love with and when one considers some of the concepts that were being previously contemplated, this illustration of a tree was perfect for a pastoral scene. The use of this print also would mean the canvases fate was being sealed early on and any additional layers of newsprint for a deeper distressed look was no longer possible.

The elements that are retained so far help bring together the direction this painting is heading, not only because of the solitary tree, but also because of the title ‘Pepper Spray Times’ and the word that has been mostly sanded down, but still visible ‘Community’. The placement of these three elements has been most deliberate, allowing for what is to be painted and where to balance out the composition, considering the painting when finished will be placed behind an old wooden window frame.

Untitled

Newsprint on canvas, 16 x 16” (40.64 x 40.64 cm)

Stage 3, layer five of newsprint after sanding

The idea of combining an image with a window frame is nothing new. When visiting Santa Cruz, we stopped in at a local gallery where we saw a photographer using an old window frames to place his photographic images onto the glass of a distressed window. However I did not care for the image to be placed upon the glass, rather I would want it to be behind and not even against the glass, rather give the illusion of looking to the outside onto something of interest.

My first inclination had been to create an abstract but what can a derelict window have in common with an abstract? The two seemed foreign, considering what I desired to visually express. In the end I settled on the idea of a pastoral scene with a songbird resting on a branch, especially after finding a wooden window frame, which had all the right qualities and reflected the passages of time.

Untitled

Newsprint on canvas, 16 x 16” (40.64 x 40.64 cm)

Close Up

Originally I had planned to stain portions of the newsprint surface with Kusmi tea from Kousmichoff to achieve the antique parchment look, but because the newsprint was adhered to the canvas with a thinned solution of medium gel, this was no longer possible. The use of the medium gel had also sealed the surface and though I could sand away the layer with very fine grit sandpaper, I would run the risk of altering the current look. After having achieved the desired distressed effect, I will just have to do without the Kousmichoff stain and so the surface was permanently sealed with gloss medium varnish.

Untitled

Newsprint on canvas, 12 x 12” (30.48 x 30.48 cm)

Stage 3, layers four-five of newsprint after sanding

After sanding the last application of newsprint, the smallest of the three canvases required a specific newsprint that we only receive once a week, when the supermarkets release their grocery advertisements. Since the first layer of newsprint had contained the store header, the direction this canvas would take was set early on.

The week before I had seen a pumpkin patch and the idyllic scene had started to influence my thoughts, but I am keeping my options open. I have considered the possibility of painting a cluster of walnut on a tree or a beautiful Bartlett pear with a touch of autumn colour. But first I will have to add one to two layers of newsprint featuring produce items and only after distressing the new layers could I determining what occurs next.

Untitled

Newsprint on canvas, 12 x 12” (30.48 x 30.48 cm)

Stage 4, layers six of newsprint before sanding

Previously I mentioned one would need to cover the entire surface with gel medium after one had glued into place the desired pieces of newsprint, but as I quickly discovered, this also meant one would have to first remove this layer with coarse sandpaper in order to reach the newsprint one was trying to distress and blend. Therefore the recommendation was to thin the gel medium with water so that it would still have ample adherence strength, but one would gain greater control in the sanding process.

After a selection of carefully chosen new images of seasonal produce which were cut to size and temporarily placed on the canvas to make sure the items would enhance the over all composition and appearance of the canvas. For it was important to distribute not only the right image but also a bit of colour.

When it became time to glue down the pieces of newsprint, I noted that by giving the paper a slight mist of water on its backside had added in the adhesion process. The paper became also more delicate to handle and if not careful could rip, however this could be turned into an advantage as another way to distress. Remember different grades of sandpaper is not your only option of distressing, using a small sponge, ones finger or a small tool to work the paper when it is wet allows for different kinds of damage and sandpaper is really the tool that blends the multiple layers.

Untitled

Newsprint on canvas, 12 x 12” (30.48 x 30.48 cm)

Stage 4, layers six of newsprint after sanding

Though sanding is a key component in the distressing process, keep looking for other ways to emulate surfaces you have seen and contemplate how you might go about achieving that particular look. What I am representing here should only be considered a starting point and that you should experiment, beginning with the different kinds of paper materials that are available to us.

There are shopping bag, cardboard boxes, corrugated paper, rice paper, recycled hand made paper, tissue paper made from mulberry fibers, and the list goes on and on. What matters is what you the artist are trying to achieve and express with the finished artwork. What you have so far seen is that each canvas started out the same way but after a few layers, each one began revealing a direction it would like me to venture.

Untitled

Newsprint on canvas with tissue paper, 12 x 12” (30.48 x 30.48 cm)

Stage 5, layer one of tissue paper before sanding

In order to tone down the various grocery newsprint advertisements and still permit it to be part of the painting, I decided to add a single layer of white mulberry tissue paper. This single layer would also provide a unified appearance to the entire surface of the canvas, but after the application of tissue paper had dried, I felt it did not have enough of a transparency that I was after. Therefore I decided to begin sanding the tissue paper with 150 fine grit sandpaper, carefully working the surface as to only reveal the subsurface textures, all the time keeping in mind what I might be painting.

Untitled

Newsprint on canvas with tissue paper, 12 x 12” (30.48 x 30.48 cm)

Stage 5, layer one of tissue paper after sanding

As you can see a compromised transparency was achieved but I also had lost the mulberry fibers that laced the tissue paper throughout and though this unplanned segment ended up being a compromise, I also discovered that tissue paper was far more durable than newsprint. By having sanded the paper considerable down with even pressure, the surface ended up being extremely smooth and because this was a single solid layer of paper, it provided an even surface which also strengthening all the layers beneath it into a solid bond.

Untitled

Newsprint on canvas with tissue paper, 12 x 12” (30.48 x 30.48 cm)

Close-Up

Sanding is only a portion of achieving the desired results that one is after. The selection and placement of the newsprint or different kinds of paper determines the look and direction of your distressed surface. You are ultimately in control of every aspect of the process; so let you imagination take on wings so it may soar.

While being engaged on these three canvases, I also discovered that there is an advantage to working multiple canvases. I was now able to try out different ideas between them and have the results be immediate, with the possibility to having an effect applied to another canvas while the canvas is still at the foundation building stage.

Untitled — in progress

Newsprint on canvas, 20 x 20” (50.80 x 50.80 cm)

Stage 2, layer four-five of newsprint after sanding

As each canvas began revealing a direction, this one was no different. Though it was clear more layers of newsprint were necessary, there were a few areas I felt were finished, particularly the upper right hand area and the large red lettering announcing a ‘sale’. These areas and the portrait of an African American man would need to be protected while working on adding a couple more layers and distressing between each application. We must also not forget that after the new pieces of newsprint had been added and sanded to their desired effect, it needs to be sealed before the next application of newsprint with gloss medium varnish. This would ensure that what had been accomplished previously would not be at risk of being lost while sanding around the area and blending the new layers with the previous one.

Untitled — in progress

Newsprint on canvas, 20 x 20” (50.80 x 50.80 cm)

Close-Up

It is important to keep an open mind and though something is working for you, try finding other ways to accomplish the same thing and see if the results are similar or different, and are the new effects desirable. For example, I was concerned about smaller sections of the canvas, which needed to be protected, but immediately around the area I needed to apply more layers of newsprint for distressing. So I asked myself what can I do to protect this very small section and still have all layers blend naturally with the rest of the canvas.

Untitled — in progress

Newsprint on canvas, 20 x 20” (50.80 x 50.80 cm)

Stage 3, layer six-seven of newsprint before sanding

What I tried was using two different pieces of newsprint, both cut to the same size and after gluing down the first pieces the other newsprint was also adhered immediately afterwards on top of the first. The idea is that once the sanding begins, more pressure would be applied to the area where just beneath was the image one wanted to preserve, thereby removing most of the two layers one had just attached to the canvas.

By applying moderate to less pressure on the remaining area of the two pieces of newsprint, varying degree of layered distressing is achieved and allowed to carefully blend in with the surrounding pieces. This is a critical point, making sure that regardless of the layer one is working on, to make sure each additional piece of paper is carefully blended in with the previously layer for a seamless appearance.

Untitled — in progress

Newsprint on canvas, 20 x 20” (50.80 x 50.80 cm)

Stage 3, layer six-seven of newsprint after sanding

Even though I consider this canvas ready for painting, there has been a debate with myself over the addition of one single, large piece of newsprint that would be lightly distressed and afterwards the canvas would be considered finished. It would be simply a collage with no further additions or manipulations, but for now I will sink into the multiple layers and extract segments, creating another level of view.

The photographs I will share in another posting, are to be a visual essay, taking you on a journey within the distressed collage and the many facets that are pieced together as a puzzle into one image. It is then we will learn this canvases final outcome.

Painting 101: Creating a distressed background — part two

The evening had been spent studying all three canvases when I decided to see how many different words I could come up with to describe not only the creative process but also the visual interpretation of creating a distressed surface that would be part of an intended painting. By the time I seemed to have exhausted all my possibilities, I noticed a number of words conveyed an element of rationalizing the intellectual elements of such a painting, including a handful reflecting my own mythology.

Untitled — in progress

Newsprint on canvas, 20 x 20” (50.80 x 50.80 cm)

Stage 2, layer four-five of newsprint before sanding

The words are in the order as I wrote them down on a piece of paper and though a few may seem redundant or have too much similarity with another word or phrase, each line represents an idea, a thought and as such should not be dismissed.

Textural environment
Remnants
Recasting found ephemeral
Decay
Timeless iconic treasures
Intimate
Time weathered environment
Recycling- reinventing reality
Evolution
Random
Exposed to natural elements
Deconstructive- reassembled
Synthesis
Dynamic syntax
Emotionally driven on a visual and intellectual level
Reinterpreting
Ambiguous metaphors
Metamorphosis
Juxtapositions is instinctual
Playground
Iconography
A conversation with memory
Fertile landscape
Authenticity
Reexamining fundamental social mythology
Organic qualities
Paradigm
Journey
Vernacular
Social and environmental consciousness
Cultural heritage
Concealment
Believability
Day-to-day observations
Obliterate subtle chances
Aesthetics
Manipulation
Ornate tapestry
Eloquently
Dissolve
Topography of landscape
Multitude of experiences
Influential encounters
Pilfered assemblage
Intuitive limitations
Repurposed
Collaboration of materials
Paradoxical
Alchemy
Story telling
Cross-pollination
Found objects
Esoteric assemblage
Artistic carnage
Worn, tattered debris

Untitled — in progress

Newsprint on canvas, 16 x 16” (40.64 x 40.64 cm)

Stage 2, layer four of newsprint before sanding

My two favorites from the list are ‘pilfered assemblage’ and ‘artistic carnage’; the first describes the general collection process like removing bits and pieces from telephone poles in Berkeley for when I created ‘Orderly Confusion’ to ‘Pangaea’, material gathered from billboards and eight foot walls around a construction site in San Francisco after a rain, while ‘artistic carnage’ reflects the destructive and assemblage nature of this style of art. The word symbiosis cannot be defined as having absolute meaning simple because each painting or artwork that makes use of the destructive and assemblage defines its own meaning of symbiosis.

Untitled — in progress

Newsprint on canvas, 12 x 12” (30.48 x 30.48 cm)

Stage 2, layers four-five of newsprint before sanding

Some of the other words like ‘tapestry’ reflect the process weaving of the various pieces of material into a ‘topographical landscape’ that is based upon a ‘multitude of experiences’ and these ‘influential encounters’ are entrusted into the hands of the artist. Who like the ‘alchemist’ of the Middle Ages performs ‘cross-pollination’ in the hope of achieving ‘believability’ while understanding his own ‘intuitive limitations’.

It is a ‘journey’ through a ‘fertile landscape’ of the ‘vernacular’ that continues to undergo a ’random’ ‘evolution’; ‘recycling- reinventing reality’ with each new work of art. In the end, it is ‘manipulating our ‘cultural heritage’ by ‘reexamining [the] fundamental social mythology’ until a new ‘dynamic syntax’ becomes the new ‘authenticity’.

In part three we will see stage two having been distressed and I will detail further my thoughts on each canvas and what I might be planning next, as I carefully thread forward exploring my own potential and overcoming doubt by chipping away at the limitations of fear that I have imposed upon myself.

Painting 101: Creating a distressed background — part one

A few days ago my daughter asked if I would create a small painting that she could take to hang in her dorm room and since I have had this itch to try out an idea of mine on distressing a surface to paint on, I am most happy to comply. In the meantime my other recently started painting is on hold until I can resolve a technical issue and this iversion will actually assist me in resolving that problem. In part it is new territory I am venturing into, because I am building multiple layers of newsprint, distressing each new layer before adding the next pieces of paper, and after having a suitable visual texture, will I be painting what I have contemplated.

Untitled — in progress

Newsprint on canvas, 20 x 20” (50.80 x 50.80 cm)

Stage 1, two layers of newsprint after sanding

What is different from any of my previous paintings is that I am deliberately building several distressed layers upon which I shall paint, as opposed to incorporating the process painting and distressing on equal terms, and instead of using a ridged surface as hardwood panel, which is preferred, I am employing canvases that I have on hand. Also instead of just starting one new painting, I decided on three. The largest is 20 x 20 (50.80 cm), followed by 16 x 16 (40.64 x 40.64 cm) and 12 x 12 inches (30.48 x 30.48 cm).

There are a few ideas for a subject matter I am considering, while I also believe that it is best to remain open minded and see what the layering reveals. I am being deliberate with my individual pieces of newsprint, not only where it is placed on the canvas, but what is printed on the paper. Keeping in mind that the chances are good it will be covered in later stages, while there is equally a good chance of being uncovered during the sanding process.

Untitled — in progress

Newsprint on canvas, 20 x 20” (50.80 x 50.80 cm)

Close-up

The day before each canvas had received two heavy layers of gesso, filling in the dimples of the cotton weave and thereby creating a more even surface, afterwards I had gathered all my supplies to be ready for the next day.

With my breakfast cup of tea in hand, I started to select pages of newsprint which would have something in common with the subject matter to be painted and setting side the best ones for last stage. In the meantime the entire canvas is covered with regular gel medium and a single uncut page is placed down after having been dampened with water using a spray bottle. Any pieces extending beyond the canvas edge can be cut with either a scissor or a sharp knife before a thin layer of medium gel is added covering the entire surface area.

Untitled — in progress

Newsprint on canvas, 16 x 16” (40.64 x 40.64 cm)

Stage 1, two-three layers of newsprint after sanding

While the surface is still moist with gel medium, smaller pieces of torn and cut newsprint are added over those areas where visual interest is lacking. Once this is accomplished to ones satisfaction, the new area is covered with gel medium and the canvas is set aside to dry overnight or for at least six to eight hours. This now concludes stage one with layers one and two of newsprint.


In the evening I kept studying the results of stage one and not wanting to wait, proceeded sanding the surface of all three canvases. Since I had covered the top layer of newsprint with gel medium, I needed to use a coarser grade of sandpaper than the 80 grit I had planned on working with. Using 60 grit removed the coat of gel medium that had sealed the surface, then begin distressing the newsprint, when I realized that with stage two, I would need to thin down the gel medium with some water. This would permit me to remove the layer more quickly while also protecting the areas that are to be left untouched.

Untitled — in progress

Newsprint on canvas, 12 x 12” (30.48 x 30.48 cm)

Stage 1, two-three layers of newsprint after sanding

Once I had achieved the desired distressed look using 60 grit sandpaper, the next step is to smooth the entire surface area with 150 grit fine sandpaper, finishing the area using a soft cloth to wipe remove any paper dust remaining from the sanding. When you are at this point I suggest that you set aside the canvas in a location that you pass frequently, so that when you come upon and glance at it, your mind registers only the essential information needed to identify any problem areas or those you wish to keep before moving on to stage.

The next blog entrée will show stage two, when I start adding the next few layers of newsprint, covering areas which need further work while holding back where I have achieved the desired appearance. Until then, enjoy each day and try to realize your full potential.

Painting 101 — Priming a canvas

One of the plans I had for this blog was not only share an artist’s daily routine and challenges, but the knowledge and experience in the field of painting and photography that I gained over the years. With summer pretty much over and school back in session, I figured it is time to begin conducting classes and start by discussing what I do to prepare a canvas for painting. Though one may think it is rather an elementary process, I have found it to be most important.

You might be asking yourself that I should start with how to stretch a canvas onto the stretcher bars, to this I reply that most individuals purchase ready-made canvases. I also believe, most consumers are convinced that since these canvases have received a factory spray of two coats of Gesso, that no further treatment is necessary and that this is adequate as a base for their painting. I on the other hand feel it is most insufficient as a foundation for ones painting and will go as far as to say, that by not undergoing the ritual of preparing ones canvas, the artist loses out on an important psychological benefit, which binds the artist with the canvas on a spiritual level.

The process of priming a canvas takes a couple of days and with each careful application of Gesso I have found the mind engages in a thought process that is linked to what I am planning to paint. So by approaching the method of priming as if painting, we begin to reap numerous advantages and before one can begin to describe the procedure of these ceremonial steps, I should tell you we need to take into account the style and surface of ones intended painting, as each method employs a different approach and technique.

Before uncapping my bottle of Gesso, I seal off the sides of my canvas with Scotch-Blue painter’s tape so that the sides remain free of any Gesso or paint when working on the canvas. Using painter’s tape is not necessary when working with traditional canvases, only those whose sides are 1¾ inches wide and are not going to be framed.

There are three main surfaces, canvas, linen, and hardwood panels. Linen is the only one whose approach greatly differs, since classical artist mostly uses it with classical subject matters in mind and though hardwood panels have increased in popularity and availability, linen is still considered ‘king’ for the time being.

Linen comes in various grades of weave and so far I have only used ‘fine’. Though it is rather smooth from the start, I discovered that after each application of Gesso, I use either 100 or 150 grit fine grade sandpaper to smooth out any brush stroke marks. When it comes to linen and the traditional subject matter, especially portraiture, the desire is to achieve a glass smooth surface upon which one can lay down thin layers of oil paint and this is only achieved with sanding between each application of Gesso.

Searching for longitude along the coast of the Red Sea,O/C 36 x 36 inches (91.44 X 91.44 cm), 2002

Regardless of the surface, each application of Gesso is applied in the opposite direction of the previous and since there are five layers applied to the surface, the first one is always in the horizontal direction of the paintings final position. Yes, I said five layers of Gesso, especially for cotton canvas and hardwood panels! In regards to linen, I discovered that three appears to be the minimum; four is even better, while five coats gives linen a real sumptuous baby skin feel and good rigidity.

Since I primarily paint abstract subject matter, I find this process of applying Gesso critical just as with classical themes, especially since a number of my paintings consist of multiple thin layers of oil paint mixed with Winsor & Newton's Liquin. This technique has a habit of revealing the surface texture beneath and because oil paint mixed with Liquin removes any traces of brush stokes, the five layers of Gesso allow me to create brush patters that are visible in the final stage, while the paintings surface remains mostly smooth.

A painting to which this technique of Gesso painting has been applied, displays not only a greater amount of brush work then was actually painted in oil or acrylic, but also has a visual depth, especially when the Gesso brush stroke goes in one direction and the paint layer in the opposite direction.

By taking into account the subject matter, the artist is able to control how much of their brush marks will show through the painting, as well as to the pattern and the width of the brush marks. The first layer of Gesso is a little thicker than the others, in order to establish a bond for all other applications. Once this has been accomplished it is time to begin making a spiritual connection with the canvas, if one has not do so already.

Symphony Nr. One — Red DawnO/C 36 x 36 inches (91.44 X 91.44 cm), 2007

Select a brush whose width you feel is appropriate for the results you’re aiming for, then work the arm and hand as if actually painting. Though I have used the very same brush the intended painting is being done in later, I have mostly used a cheap bristle brush purchased from a hardware store, because it leaves a more defined brush trail than a refined artist painting brush.

Painting in Gesso while building up the layers is what connects one to the canvas, it is the sanding, and careful layering of Gesso for a smooth surface that has the same effect in bonding as painting the undercoats.

The reason for my building up several layers of Gesso is all about establishing a surface that is worthy to paint on, regardless of the material. It was only a few years later when I began exploring creating subtle brush marks to compliment the artwork because of my extended use of multiple coats of oil with Liquin and it was during this time when I also noticed a spiritual bonding with the art work taking place. I strongly believe that by approaching the canvas with greater reverence, more of the artist personality becomes imbedded into the artwork.

A favorite place of mine

At one point or another we all have a favorite place, it can be one that we have all to our own or a place we share with others. Since childhood I always had always a place I called mine, from the one under the staircase I claimed as a child, to the 120 square foot cottage that I had build in the backyard of our first house and which served as my graphic design studio. When we sold our home and I lost my cottage, we had moved into a larger house, one with a downstairs guest bedroom and its private bathroom became my new office space, the one the wife refers to as the dungeon because it is located at the lower level of our house.

Yet there is also place I feel in love with when I took a drive to discover what was there on the back roads where we now live. The location is less then two miles away and in these past eleven years I have watched closely the changing seasons upon this geographical location.

There is really nothing special about this section of land that is surrounded by rolling hills and where a two-way road cuts through its right side and runs along the base of several hills, a road that is traveled by those seeking a short cut to Martinez or Pleasant Hill.

Spring 2009

Earlier this year I drove by this magical field every Friday in order to attend my history of modern art class and depending on when I left the house, I would usually stop off, park the car, and take a number of photographs to record the weekly progress of the land reacting to the changing months and the weather.

In the previous years the field would be covered by the end of May in a sea of tall rich golden yellow muster flowers but this year, due to an unusual heat wave in January and February, along with a sever case of a drought, the plants rose to no more than two feet and never really matured into that ocean of yellow.

My Favorite Field in Spring

O/C, March 2002, 11 x 14 (27.94 x 35.56 cm)

Throughout the years I have painted this spot from various viewpoints. Either in early spring just as the ground broke open with the year’s new growth, to when the area was covered in full-grown muster flower, as well as when the plants were cut down and only dried bleach yellow stubbles remained.

Even when the land revealed its darker side after it had been plowed under; there was a beauty I found just as irresistible when the muster plants in all there flowering glory, stood tall.

My Favorite Field Turned to Gold by the Summers Sun

O/C, August 2008, 8 x 10 (20.32 x 25.40 cm)

However anytime I wish to cover another vantage point of this field I must locate an entrée area, since all the land along the road is sealed off with barbwire. When I do jump over a fence at a firebreak line, I need to keep my eyes open for any roaming cattle grazing, which includes possible snakes and depending upon the season, the blood sucking ticks.

Still I will return when ever the mood strikes and the light is right for more photographs from which I can draw upon for another painting, considering I can never stay long enough as I am trespassing on land owned by the water department and leased to the local cattlemen. It is rather a sad statement because I remove nothing from the land and I leave nothing behind, all I wish to do is enjoy its beauty and paint what I am experiencing so that others might enjoy what I have seen when they look at my paintings.

August 2009

As we near the end of summer and are closing in on late autumn, when the land will have been scorched brutally by the sun, I can only hope that with mid winter and the coming of spring, the clouds will return to darken the sky and unleash the angel’s tears upon the soil so that we can see once more the earth covered in an ocean of yellow.

Stalemate comes to an end

With Industrial Wall, version #2 painting completed and version #1 a week earlier, I was itching to start another painting but then there was one leaning against the family living room wall that I had hoped to have completed by now, especially this last weekend since the painting is of the American flag and this nation just had celebrated Fourth of July.

For more than a year I thought of doing a series of paintings involving the American flag and what it had become to represent under the former Bushes Administration. Great thought was taken as to the idea of defacing the American flag, for that matter, any sovereign nations flag and how one might feel about. The idea of adding paint, various acrylic mediums, an oil glaze, and eventually text from the American Constitution or other text was all carefully analyze, along with my own personal feelings about America, my host country.


Over time the project began to visually materialize, then in January of this year I had that creative itch which remained persistent over a number of days. Without much planning I proceeded to paint, only to find myself later in a long stalemate that has lasted almost five months.

A number of solutions were contemplated during those months and I even came close to implementing one, but every time I proceeded to try and leave a mark, that long awaited change, I stopped. Though frustrated with myself, I promised myself this painting would not be abandoned!


Sometimes a spontaneous attempt towards a blank canvas can work. In the beginning this painting had everything going for it until I realized that if wanted to add handwritten text, portions of a shredded copy of the American Constitution, and possible some anti war graffiti, the sequence I had so far undertaken, now had a few wrinkles.

This holiday weekend provided a breakthrough, as I took on the attitude of ‘What have I to lose?’ when the first pencil marks were laid the words ‘defending democracy, defending identity’, progress was finally being made and more words were now being written on the painting.


Though there were numerous interruptions this Sunday, work on the painting slowly continued, carefully selecting an area where to leave a word, a thought, or a sentence and though considerable progress had been made, the painting still remained unfinished. Only now did I begin to see that with a few more words or couple of lines the painting would not only be completed, it would reflect the feeling I had so long wished to express.

The industrial wall – part two

One never knows how a painting is going to turn out until it has been completed, especially when it is of an abstract genre and painted over a period of weeks.

No matter how much careful planning one does, there is always the unknown or the voice of intuition that changes the direction of what was originally intended. Of course there is also the unintentional accident that can have a major influence in the direction that one is heading, including the final outcome of the paintings appearance. Another element one must to take into account is the fear of failure for it is a powerful distraction, even with my previous found confidence in which I succeeded in accomplishing what was mentally envisioned.

What I have learned technically from this painting can now be apply towards the next one, with the understanding there are no guarantees that the results will be as before. Painting is not a formula of steps with predictable results and in many ways this makes multi-medium painting a challenge as well as an exciting undertaking.

Each abstract painting I ever painted had its unique challenges and Industrial Wall — Flint Ink, version two, certainly was no different. Mixing a variety of acrylic products in order to achieve certain textures was new territory. When working as a multi-medium artist, I feel like an alchemist of the Middle Ages trying to turn iron into gold and in many ways today’s multi-medium processes are no different from when artists had to grind their own colours.

As the painting Industrial Wall — Flint Ink passed the half way mark, I took a chance of using a household spray paint containing a foreign element that gave it a fine raised surface texture. I was very apprehensive using this product but after spraying a single burst on the canvas, I was delighted, for it had provided the very thing I desired but had not attained until that moment.

The next step was to make sure to apply the spray sparsely and give it the unintentional accident look that gives it the appearance I saw the day I visited the Flint Ink plant. Because of that one burst from a spray can, the painting had taken another turn, allowing further applications of acrylic materials for a greater depth of texture and detail.

Last Wednesday the painting was finished off with a three layers Manganese Blue Nova colour with Liquin glaze, with the last two glazes being only over portions of the painting so that it resembles an external light source.

Industrial Wall — Flint Ink, version #2

Multi-medium combine on canvas, 36 x 48 inch (91.44 x 121.92 cm)

Yesterday I added the final touches, the shipping label, as it was previously tucked in under the wood temporarily and since it was rather fragile, an index card was added to the back with an additional layer of extra heavy gel medium for support and giving it a slight curvature in a permanent hold. The original nail was returned to its previous location and some twine saved from a package was secured to it along with a Sharpie pen.

In the end the painting came into its own, different from the photograph it was based upon, even though numerous elements in its makeup are also found in the photograph, the canvas underwent several evolutions to arrive at its final state. A little planned, a dash of the unexpected, a pinch of the unintentional accident, a twist of fear, and a good dosage of trust in ones own vision and ability.

In the end you have to trust in yourself, your ability and your intuition.