More is not always better

After just finishing 2 longer poses I was assessing the month's work. 8 pieces done in a one time effort which amounts to a little less than 2.5 hours per piece, one drawing done in about 25 hours and a painting I restarted and rushed through in about 30 hours. My favorites are the shorter works even though they are less developed. It seems my accuracy was better... didn't have the time to recall all of my old bad habits I suspect. G.A. taking a deep breath and gliding to the finish line.

If at 1st you don't succeed...

Welcome to the multiple model!

I have never been one to do an abundance of preliminary drawings or rough drafts when it comes to art making.

Yet last month I found myself doing 5 color studies of the model. They would start out as poster studies until I would loose sight of the "game plan" and end up with a "not quite right" mini study of the model. Seeing quality in the study I simply began again until I ended up with four 6x5 paintings and one 2.5x3 ATC... what the heck right? I won't mention the 2 composition studies, the value study, the seperate hand study and finally the grisallie. Anyway I think it is a good thing to rethink the revisiting of a subject in frequency when you are really trying to understand your efforts and study something from all angles. G.A.- happy to have a new model... no offense J.

Quality verses quanity

I have recently taken a step backwards in my artwork (in so many ways) and aquired a lesson in which to share. Long ago I was introduced to "better materials" and learned the hard way what an incredible improovement a good paintbrush or quality pencils can make. In many ways, 'You get what you pay for,' is a statement well worth its meaning. The down side to this is "sacred art" and the worthiness of working on better materials which can stiffle creativity but more importantly productivity.

Having said that I have a sketch group that meets 2 nights a week for 3 hours a night. In the course of that 3 hours, after 20 minute model breaks and 5 minutes between 20s, we have 34 poses in about 2 hours 15 minutes using 2 models; in otherwords WORK FAST! This translates to ripping through alot of paper so I invested in a cheap multimedia sketch book and work front and back 1/2 page. Because the 1st session of model pose is ten 2 minute poses, I sought to set up ten 1/2 pages so worked the fronts intending the backs to be the 2 minute poses. I did this with fast ink wash or watercolor sketches found anywhere. Point being made is working fast and cheap seems to have loosened me up to do less tedious work and get back to sketching... the creative process. Included are works from the book of 20 minutes or less. Enjoy! G.A.- back to it.

North

After working half day in studio on a portrait session, I planned 2nd half of day for landscape work and headed out to the lighthouse. It was heaven and a pleasure to be outdoors. I found a great place and managed to do a quick watercolor study onsite. The lamposts were leaning a good way more than I have here but in my haste it looks like everything is wobbly. Auh well that's why they call it a study. G.A. off to work on a still-life.

The natural fashion family

Meet Tangelo, Clementine's Italian cousin. Like his lighter petite relation, the big T is sporting foliage on a contrasting violet background. Just another organic study from a studious artist working every day I can. G.A. easeing towards the easel.

Reaching back

I believe as an "artist in training" there are times that the assimilation of learning hasn't quite caught up with the dexterity of production. Our hearts and minds know how it should look (be rendered) but for some reason our hands (judgement) can't quite bridge the gap and it can be both frustrating and painfull. As I go through those slumps I recollect earlier works and see somehow that "not knowing all the rules" makes it easier to make art. Perhaps I got a good work (or something good about it) but is was more like luck or a good day as where, hopefully with this rigerous training, I will aquire the skills to have a repeatable regiment that allows me to produce more accurately more often. Since I have been working on longer span projects, I leave you with a gentle little half day pose done last month in studio. G.A. preparing for another weekend marathon of art making.

1st thing's first

Despite the challenging week (and involuntary tour of 3 NYPDs) I managed to take in 3 exhibitions and some after class work this week. I found a new sketch group, that meet in the evenings, of which I hope to be able to share some of that work at a later date. Otherwise I had 3 attempts at outdoors work. One was the afternoon after the portrait session in which I spent (sun burn allowing time) painting a church only to have a Harlem resident park less that a foot from my face... totally blocking my view to enable me to finish the work... perhaps it was my frustration that got the best of me? I tried again that evening at another local without luck... the light had faded. This morning my 7 am session became a failure when 10 minutes into the painting again I was parked in front of despite the signs that read "Do not park. Keep Driveway clear." Yes friends I specifically picked this spot because of the signs but in my frustration, I dropped my water only to discover, in haste to catch the light, I had not brought backup! G.A.- wasting a georgous day as I paint indoors stearing clear of the... people that just don't care!!!

Survival and silver linings

So what is worse than getting caught in the rain without an umbrella? Being lost in a part of NYC (that you have never been) for hours, as you are ducking into doorways to dodge the 50 -70 MPH gusts of wind carrying umbrellas (scaffolding, road cones, garbage, small children...) ripped from the clutches of tourists and the weak the same day you learn your wallet is missing. Yes I am a Survivor of Soho (S.O.S.)AND the storm from hell! What is the silver lining? Well all those beautifull umbrellas lining the streets I found this morning in my (desperate) stroll through Harlem to look for my wallet -post aftermath. G.A.- seeing some serious sattire... somewhere???

inspiration vacation

Greetings Art Enthusiasts,

I am returning from a week off of daily intensive studies via the studio with little to share of a visual nature... sorry but my self portraits and "secret squirel projects" are off limits to this blog. Still I did a work (often more than one) every day as not to be too far away from studies as a good artist should! I blame that on the record snowfall (more accumulated in one day that that of record breaking status, over 100 years ago) that began 10 days ago. I will say that I had a lot of inspiring experiences this week which I must pass on through my motto: "variety is the spice of life"

Most people vacation in the exotic dream worlds of the netherlands (cancun, paris, egypt... you know who you are!) but I learned long ago that if you can't find happiness in your own backyard, as an artist you will have a short shelf life. With that in mind I took a 10 day vacation with minimalism in mind. I sought out that which I have never experienced before... a new route I have never traveled (deeper into harlem by almost 100 streets) , a new color of paint I have never tried (king's blue) , a new substrate to paint on( gessoboard) , a new kind of cheese I have never tasted (honey goat) , a new bread I have never made (jalepeno to name just one of many) , a new museum I have never been into (American history) , a new piece of fruit I have never painted- with that I leave you not a terribly successfull study but an honest attempt of "Clementine." Enjoy!- G.A. back to the easel.

Theories in sarcasm

Greetings fellow art enthusiasts,

Thanks for taking time out of your precious lives to share a few artish things here at the gypsyartist blog. (Can you tell I just found my audience?) In light of this new discovery I thought I would share a new genre of my art that some of you may not be privy too... my sarcastic side. Allow me to introduce my graphic/comic side. I do pen and ink cells as a reflection of my life (in most cases) but since this is a public forum I will keep this entry as generic as possible... with that I introduce 2 cells. "Humpty was pushed" and "Humpty on crack". If nothing else I hope it curls those wicked corners of your mouth that allows you to sympathize with the funky logic I so clearly believe needs a devil's advocate. Enjoy! G.A, back out to the driven slush!