Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Jack


An oil study of my partner Jack from several years ago. This March we will have been together 16 years!!....wow
I've been working away on the large clam painting. Also two commissions...both birthday presents, so I won't post them here until after they get to where they're going.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Happy Birthday Chuck Law's Art Pages


One year ago today I started this blog...it's been great fun and such a learning experience. A warm thank you to all who have taken the time to look and/or add a comment. Here is the original painting posted ...the 5x7 Gumby and Pokey painting. It now resides in the artist's collection.

Process


sorry about the greens.

A nod to Keiser for the title. This large painting started out at the end of December my initial inspiration was two rectangles of light with an arrangement of clams dancing over top of them. I thought I had left that style behind when I started...and now time has shown that perhaps I have. I was pretty unhappy when I posted what I thought was the final work at Wet Canvas last week. I realized in viewing the work digitally, that the background was not at all what I envisioned at the outset. After much consideration and meditaion and yes even some prayer, I felt directed to change the rectangles into something concrete. And so I have. I struggled with this because, quite frankly I'm lazy and didn't really want to invest so much more time into the piece....and then I asked myself, do I want this to be a good painting...or do I want to go the extra mile and try to create something exceptional...may never know the answer, but at least I know I'm giving it my best. One other change that has occured in the process of this piece.... I've been doing small direct paintings almost daily for the last several months and I was hoping to execute this huge Work in the same manner...I began with really big brushes and broad strokes, but soon the desire for subtle detail kicked in. Perhaps I yet lack the abilty to match the vision with the craft....I am back to hard edge realism and glazing. Not a bad thing for me since I'm starting to feel that satisfaction that comes when a painting matches my expectations. I was thinking of Sargent when I started , now I've got Wyeth-ey feelings as the Burlap takes shape. As I complete the burlap it will be pretty close to the blue background in tone...I think that will really give the dance of the clams their rightful due.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Pretty Mermaids all in a Row













I'm going to be doing prints of these, will post availability and prices when I do. I thought it would be nice to see the best of the best all together.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

From the Vault


I've been working over-time at the part-time floral job ...Valentine's Day...or as I like to call it ; "Rose Hell"! No painting for the last 4 days, so I thought I'd post one "from the vaults".


This one was created in the summer of 1987, although it is signed and dated later...after some minor adjustments in 93'. While it is certainly not the best of my work it has importance to me because it was the first piece with which I felt obsessed by a flat over-all pattern of surface. The idea of scattering objects would follow 5 years later. Someone had given me a set of cork placemats, I found the odd looking piece of coral on the beach in Brigantine....the island north of Atlantic City. Hence the title "Brigantine Coral". It is painted with Acrylics, ten years before I began working in oils. The size is 18x24

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Eucalyptus Pods in Front of Snowy Window


Gee the title seems bigger then the painting. Did this little 5x5" study rather quickly this morning.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Six Paintings on Display in Millville

Formal Orchids 11x14 oil/canvas
Six of my paintings will be on display from now through May at the Susquehanna Bank in Millville on the corner of Second and G. Streets.