I'm beginning to work more seriously with photography. I will have some work in an upcoming show at Kibbee Gallery
http://www.kibbeegallery.com/ in October.   I took this photo with my (fun little) Canon Elph 300 hs on a recent trip to Kelleys Island in Ohio.  

I've been challenging myself recently reproduce my own work. I have a series of watercolor illustrations that I'm making for a children's book, and while I've mostly finished, I'm being picky and repainting each image onto a higher quality paper. It's been an exercise to see how close I can come to duplicating the original, and that idea has been working its way into my doodles. (I kind of suspect that my interest in replicating line and form may also have something to do with my interest in working with other people's handwriting in some of my other pieces.) 

Kelleys Island, 2012. 

I like this little person. He/she  show up quite a bit in my doodles. I'm working on a couple of oil paintings for the upcoming  Swan Coach House "Little Things Mean Alot" show that involve this character, who up until now has been only ink. I'll post them once they are presentable.... http://www.swancoachhouse.com/

"Jay", 3"x 4", colored pencil and ink on toned paper

finally- this is unrelated and has nothing to do with me, but it's great and like I said, I wanted to put up a variety. . .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFl72-5IVHA&feature=youtu.be

"Love" 24"x 24" oil

"Hard" 24"x 24" oil

"Mom and the murdered cousin" 81/2"x 11", chalk, graphite and collage
Some more from my family album series.

"I want to tell you her name" 8 1/2"x 11" chalk, graphite and collage

"Greatmother and Mom", 8 1/2" x 11", chalk, graphite and collage

These drawings are  from a recent show I was part of at Kibbee Gallery in Atlanta. http://www.kibbeegallery.com/   They are based on a series of old family photos I inherited when my great aunt passed away. I was fascinated not only by the pictures, but the stories that came with the collection.  This is an image of my mom and her mother. The paper I used in the collage is the paper that the photos were originally glued onto. The paper albums were created by an eccentric family member, who apparently didn't go out much but had many hobbies, including teaching herself Braille- despite the fact no one in our family was blind.   I have masses of this crumbling old paper that came with the photos, and it is all covered in Braille. I'll let you know when I find out what it all says. Right now it's still a mystery to me.

"Nancy Sue and Frances", 8 1/2" x 11",  chalk, graphite and collage

With this series I wanted to integrate the handwriting of the past along with the imagery. The writing and "stamp" on this drawing are  reproduced from what was on the back of the photograph. I projected and then traced the handwriting directly onto my drawing in order to have as exact of a copy as possible. I don't know who originally labeled the photograph of these two sisters (one is my grandmother), or when, but I like the idea that their mark remains present. 

"Good Luck, Cat" oil and epoxy, 12"x 12"

"Good Luck, Cat" detail.

The original title of this painting was something like "Miss Pitty Pat's courageous foray into the field of narcissistic bliss" (or something like that) but...I shortened it.  This piece is from when I had just begun using epoxy in my work (any one seeing this who has used epoxy before will notice the telltale air bubbles of a novice.) I like the depth and texture epoxy lends to the work, but after doing a series with it, (including one that was six feet tall) I concluded it is too poisonous and too much of a pain in the butt to work with regularly.

From sketchbook: "Octopus" ballpoint and colored pencil

"Nude 2", 48' x 36", oil on masonite

"Just Married", detail, pencil

"Just Married", 24"x 18", pencil

"Necessary Ersatz", 24"x 26", chalk, graphite,  and india ink

 I tend to go through spiritual cycles: sometimes feeling closer to balance and reflection, sometimes further away. This drawing is from a time when I was doing a lot of meditating as well as studying Eastern philosophy. There is a term in Sanskrit called "citta vritti," which translates literally to "monkey mind." It stands for all of the unnecessary thoughts and constant fluctuations that stand between ourselves and and spiritual realization. For me, the markings in the upper left hand corner of this image, sort of birdlike, sort of a confused Sanskrit, represent citta vritti,  and the perfect circle on the right enlightenment. This is a pattern I tend to include in a lot of my work. Of course my explanation of all this is a huge over simplification! If you are interested here is a link to a page that discusses this topic in much more depth.
http://www.omalpha.com/pat.html

"All that Stirs up the Lees of things" 12"x 12", oil/masonite



I've been reading Moby Dick, which is an amazing book, and there are more whale paintings to come, I assure you. In the process of painting this I came to love the word "schooner." It's fun to say!

Nude 7, 36"x 24" , oil/masonite

"Somewhere Near Eden", 34"x 48", oil on masonite

"Ben Goldman Says Yes", 18"x 18", oil and epoxy

"You Hold My Drippy Heart In Your Hands", 36"x 24", oil on masonite

"Butterskull" 24"x 48", oil on masonite

Ok, so there is a story behind the photograph of this painting. When I made this piece, I was working closely from a photograph that I took of an ancient Olmec skull while visiting Monte Alban in Oaxaca, Mexico. (The skull was behind glass in a museum at the site.) I made the somewhat large painting over a period of three days and (creepy) nights, hung it in a show, sold it, and called it done. Not too long after the sale, my friend and I were going through some photos of my work, and we came across this one. She mentioned to me that putting the eyes in was a particularly spooky detail. The thing is, I never painted any eyes. Not even close. Now that you've read this, take another look at this picture in the larger window. See them??