Charcoal Outing

Trunks And Vines I, vine charcoal on 12 x 9 watercolor paper Summer was nearly over. My time in the classroom was soon be upon me. My friend Joe Tonnar talked me into making the most of my remaining time. With some of his vine charcoal in hand, I set up my easel beneath the sprawling oak canopy of the Sillin acreage. There I found green clumps scaling tall trunks, plenty to work from. Up the hill from me, Tonnar was planted in the sunlight, going after cloud banks and waving tree tops. Me, I prefer the shade.

It's been a while since I have tried this.The vine charcoal crumbled as I pressed it against the page. Frustrations rose inside me. Impressions could only be made with the lightest of strokes.

Trunks And Vines II, vine charcoal on 12 x 9 watercolor paper That outing was an exercise in limitation. In my opinion, acrylic paint was more direct and immediate. My efforts that day were more of a caricature of nature...it was daunting. I was not ready for something so wispy and fragile. After applying patience and several deep breaths, I settled on suggestive marks. There was a wider range of values to work with, from a midnight dark to a whisper of gray.

An hour and a half later both workers were ready to move on. We loaded equipment up in the pickup and drove a back road through the countryside, looking for a place to set up.

Gibson's Horizon, vine charcoal on 9 x12 watercolor paper
We ended up on the edge of Jim Gibson's property. From that location one could view a stretch of rolling pastures and a blue sky dotted with white fluffy clouds.Grand shadows gazed over contoured beanfields, and slipped over the horizon beyond my line of sight. From our crest one could see a reeded pond and the groves beyond to the east, and the illuminated cut of the Country Club greens to the west. I wondered how Thomas Hart Benton described his skies. Did he make the blue areas a value of gray or did leave it white? Those limits in gray made me curious.

Gibson's Horizon II vine charcoal on 9 x 12
watercolor paper Right at the end I was starting to enjoy doing clouds. When 4 o'clock arrived I called it a day. We packed up our equipment and we went our separate ways.

Four Days Before School Starts

Loose vine charcoal clouds above tree tops
out Saturday at Walnut Hills, west of Carrollton.

Base of Tree on 18" x 24" sketch pad

School begins a new year four days from now.

Vines Over Blue -sold

acrylic on watercolor
paper, 12" x 9", framed
SOLD
The Stanley Creek runs north to south through the east side of town. During the winter months creeping vines remain green along its bank. As you can guess, the blue snow kept my interest. The opposite bank was simplified to draw attention to the giant shape of the vines.Another exercise in lights and darks. The concept and its execution came together rather quickly. Usually a painting can take a number of days. This came together in a day's time. I was thrilled. All three pieces were sold while Missouri Views was on display at the Burkholder Project in Lincoln.

Pair Of Trees - sold

acrylic on watercolor paper, 12" x 9", framed
SOLD
On the south side of the Waverly bridge, along the Missouri river, there are rolling hills and a gorge with trees. Last spring I spent an afternoon adding the emergence of new leaves to my photo file. Here I found plenty of light surfaces on dark. There is the constant process of eliminating most details and keeping a select few. When it came time to pick pieces for the Kansas City exhibit in July, I initially passed over this one, thinking it was not complete. My spouse assured me it was. The curator of that exhibit said the same thing. I face this course most often. My aspirations to take a piece further is halted by another who declares it is done. (sigh) Sometimes, as in this piece, I will set it aside, to give it space, to give me time to let it be, and let it grow on me. In the process of describing with blotches and tiny strokes of color--what it looks like altogether side-by-side needs to be taken in--like small sips of lemonade.

Ice In Field - sold

acrylic on water
color paper,
9"x 12", framed
SOLD

In January I pulled up a photo
I had taken of snow and ice in the South Bottoms. This work was about using lavender and blue for snow shadows. Not only did I like the result, but others have been taken by it as well.