In the Details

My painting in the exhibition at the Denver Botanic Gardens. It is installed rather high so the title- an homage to Mies, now has another meaning!

join me at the opening at the Botanic Gardens

please resvp to exhibits@botanicgardens.org

Mid Century architecture at the Denver Botanic Gardens

two charcoal drawings I did of the mid century architecture at the Denver Botanic Gardens. As Mies van der Rohe is reported to have said, " God is in the details". Looking closely at these structures revealed extraordinary complexity and finesse in the detailing.

Botanic Gardens collage

October painting

A 15" x 30" painting I completed today. I took a workshop this weekend with Melanie Authier, a painter from Canada. It gave me some new thoughts and I have a new direction to explore that uses my photos in more experimental ways.

September painting

Here is the new painting, Lawrence acrylic on canvas 30" x24"
below are 2 studies- one a watercolor and one a charcoal drawing.

Fan page on Facebook

Just started a new fan page on Facebook- I will be adding more material soon.

summer paintings

A Pink Door 20" x20"
Where Are you Going? 24" x 12"
Incline 20" x16"
Seraglio 15" x30"

what I've been doing

A few new paintings completed in june and July with 2 earlier ones. I wasn't too sure of how it was all working but seeing them together made sense.

don't miss this film

Collectors fulfill the loop- artists make art, sometimes someone sells it and the collector buys it. Without collectors where would artists be? A new film fondly portrays two of the more unusual collectors- Herb and Dorothy Vogel in Herb and Dorothy, playing this week at Startz in Denver. I had the pleasure to meet them years ago and took them to galleries in Denver. And yes, they did buy something. Here is a good review.

http://denersteinunleashed.blogspot.com/2009/07/unparalled-passion-for-collecting.html

Show Opening at Spark Friday July 17th

January Morning 15" x30"
In the City 36" x24"

DIA Beacon

from one of my favorite blogs, Tyler Green's Modern Art Notes: 2.) The only two places in America that are whiter and more male than the National Gallery of Art's American galleries are Tom Tancredo's imagination and Dia Beacon. There is a temporary Zoe Leonard exhibition on view, an inexplicable Antoni Tapies mini-show (a Dia curator has an appointment at the Reina Sofia...) and Louise Bourgeois is in the attic. As I Tweeted on Friday: Anne Truitt belongs in Beacon.
see list of blogs on the side for a link.

DeKooning American Master

I finished this 600 + page book this week and have been participating in a Twitter book club reading it. The Twitter experience was novel- the 160 character limit to posts certainly kept long winded discourse to a minimum.
The book is extraordinary and I recommend it to anyone. For artists, it is an insightful look into the art and life of a seminal painter written by two critics who offer penetrating analysis of his painting. For others, it provides a wonderful introduction to the development of abstract expressionism which brought the US to the forefront of painting. It reads like a novel. I expected it to be a slog but I tore through it in a week. If you want to read some of the comments on Twitter check out #dekooning on the subject line.

Summer art market

I did my first outdoor art market this weekend and loved the experience, except the tornado. Actually, a funnel cloud sighting shut the market down 1 hour early, but luckily no tornado.
It was fun to meet people and many artists stopped by to look at and comment on my work. I love the feedback and love the fact that some people bought paintings. the whole experience is so much friendlier than galleries. Some new collectors purchased work and a second piece from a collector who bought one 2 years ago. It sure makes you feel good- I have one more event this week and we have another houseguest at the end of the week, but I will get back to the studio and painting pronto, I hope...

invitation

Carol Diehl's Art Vent: Younger than Jesus at the New Museum

Carol Diehl's Art Vent: Younger than Jesus at the New Museum

Rome

 

Rome to me is a place of neighborhoods where monuments are part of the background.

Rome, Mexico and painting

My painting reflect an important time in my life; one year of study at the Academy of Fine Arts, Rome and the University of Rome. The development of perspective during the Renaissance in Italy, particularly the work of the Quattrocento artists, Brunelleschi and Masaccio has always interested me. I find that the imperfections of the perspective in early Renaissance work compelling because it reflects the humanity in the work, the touch of the hand as opposed to the rigid formality of linear perspective that can drain the life from a painting. My paintings also reflect my interest in the geometry I see in indigenous architecture, particularly in small villages in Mexico and Italy.

Since that early experience in Rome, four decades ago, I have been immersed in contemporary art. Only in the past few years have I found a way to merge both interests into my paintings. By eliminating most natural forms, nature and the human figure, I have tried to humanize architecture and allow color and perspective to create dynamic compositions. I believe they have a life of their own.

The future of arts journalism

Read an excellent overview of the prospects for the future of arts writing at
http://www.artworldsalon.com/blog/2009/05/after-the-dead-tree/
The Internet offers great opportunities for arts coverage but the central issue of how to pay writers and critics remains. I spent 5 years struggling to make a living as an itinerant critic/writer and it wasn't easy. I was paid as little as $25 an article at some places. Magazines paid better and adding adjunct teaching gigs and other things barely brought in an income of below poverty level. However, artists need arts writers, not just to publicize exhibitions but to offer discussion, analysis and commentary. We don't always like what they write, but imagine the echoing silence of no arts commentary...

Intracoastal 12" x24"

 

still working on the 12" x24" size. This is a view of the Intracoastal waterway in Florida where we spent Easter.

Duo

 

New dimension- 12" x 24" for each painting. I couldn't resist trying 2 together.

In scale

 
Here is an image from the opening of the Rocky Mountain Womens Institute exhibit at Redline. You can get a better idea of the scale of 9 parts of Journey. Hoping to show all 20 this summer. Stay tuned...

Small paintings

 

 

Early morning Rome is 12" square and Red is 12" x24"

January Morning

 

Chalk and acrylic on canvas 15" x30"

Aerie

 

A March painting- larger still. I am using thin white chalk lines to define the perspective- not too easy to see in the photo.

On exhibit at RedLine in April

 

This painting, 9, was selected by Sally Perisho and Inez Pharo, co curators of the Rocky Mountain Womens Institute retrospective that opens at RedLine April 5th and will be on view through April 15th.

In the City

 
Is larger better? This is 36" x24".

Journey

 

The complete piece, is 7' X 8' 8"
A better photo with a slightly different configuration is coming soon.... Now i need to find a place that can show the entire piece- takes up a lot of wall space..

Red Curtain

 

Leaving the square format after finishing the 20 parts of Journey. A bit larger too, this is 24" x30"

Friday Afternoon

 

My newest 2009 painting. The 20 part piece is finished- waiting to receive the photograph of the completed piece so I can post it.
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