Van Horn Park Peninsula

The ice is melting and forming puddles on the surface. I tried an experiment with this, putting blue washes top and bottom fading into a rosy wash in the middle, before doing any painting. It had the effect of muting the greens, which is usually a good thing. 

Progress shot. Washes are partially visible.

Shed Roof

I love how the wind blowing snow off the roof reveals all the vortices and eddies created by the edge. The swirls and curlicues propagate out into 3-D space and each flake gets a wild roller coaster ride down to the ground. Judy took a photo of me at work, with my pochade box protected by ArtisticInTent, and a video from the kitchen window showing the snow blowing.

Landfill with snow and bulldozer

Ink wash and white ink on toned paper, inaugurating my new sketchbook. This appears to be a John Deere 550 model circa 1978.

Scabbet

I am mostly very happy with my David Sorg easel, but from time to time I have a problem with the support system and panels. The easel uses coarse grit sandpaper attached to flat boards top and bottom to hold the canvas, which is nice because you don't have flanges covering the art or overhangs casting annoying shadows. However, with 1/8" panels, there is less surface area to grip, and sometimes when I am getting enthusiastic with the palette knife it will come loose with an alarming crash.

This seems to be more of an issue with the top bracket, and with a larger panel, probably because it creates a long lever amplifying the force against it, and because the weight pulls it away from the sandpaper.

My solution is the Scabbet (scab + rabbet), a temporary backstop attached with Velcro. It makes a significant difference to the way it feels to paint, much more solid and dependable.

David Sorg's solution is simpler: http://www.studioeasel.com/tune.html

 In the interest of upping my masking game, I shaved off my beard. Inspired by seeing the bottom half of my face for the first time after twenty years, I attempted a self-portrait.

Pencil and ink wash  on toned paper  

Gateway City Arts show

"Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair" was in the recent 4th Annual Small Works Show at Gateway City Arts in Holyoke, MA. Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it there to see it in person, but Gateway has posted a video walk through of the show along with more photos here: www.gatewaycityarts.com/small-works-gallery/the-4th-annual-small-works-exhibit/

New year, new sketchbook

 Made a new Montanapolitancroptic sketchbook, with white, grey toned, tan toned, and watercolor paper. Here are some favorites from last year's book.