You are owed another update of my studio activities. First, pour yourself a cup of coffee.
The studio is a buzz with framing for my upcoming show in California, the Sausalito Art Festival. I'm a little unsure of the number, but I may have around 35 - 40 originals for my upcoming exhibitions.
Have another cup? Dark roast, I hope. For some unknown reason my statistics at The Colorist have gone ballistic. Almost quadrupled on the best days. Much of this uptick is hits to this page. I cannot figure it out.
Other recent posts include 100 Things I Love About Art, and When Bloggers Meet.
Daily posting of miniature pastels, as well as an occasional medium sized work, is now going on at The Colorist Daily. This is the time to buy a small work under $100.
My search for gallery space and exhibitions may be yielding some fruit soon. I'll keep you posted when dates are firmed up. The Hoquiam River exhibition is penciled in for September 2011.
On the easels, I am developing my voice as a figure artist by studying the masters. Da Vinci and Degas are my current muses. I often post those at Pastel, but you may see some here, soon.
Two books I am reading are: Master Class in Figure Drawing and Degas, By Himself. Hale's classic instruction in Master Class has me drawing various parts of anatomy an area at a time. I am learning more stuff about the rib cage than I ever thought existed. My Nurse Practitioner wife brought home a medical anatomy book as reference material, too.
I continue to thrill at the works of Edgar Degas. His familiarity with proportion and anatomy are only the beginning. I never realized how much he departs from the real before. All because his gestures, forms and movement are so believable. The book - mine is published by Barnes & Noble Books - is richly illustrated, has a woven binding and nice, heavyweight paper. Lovely.
Edgar Degas Dancer
Finally, in the subject of figures, our blogger friend Astrid Volquardsen, has posted one of her recent figure paintings: Eva in the Bath. Well worth your look.
Thanks Casey, for the updates. It is so great to glean bits and scraps of how an artist whose work you admire thinks/operates. You are one of my favorite artists--OK I will say it--you are my favorite artist that I am following. (Not to discount others whom I also admire.) I hope one day I will be able to develop my art even partway to the levels you have. There is a long way to go, and inertia is hard to resist. Thank you for your inspiration! I wish you a great deal of success.
ReplyDeleteWhat a kind and generous comment, Sally. I'd call this success.
ReplyDeleteMy advice to you is draw, draw, draw. Get every drawing tool you can have. I copied Batman on a light box when I was 9, and I estimated once that I had drawn @ 100,000 drawings by the time I graduated from high school. I'm sure that's conservative.
That is my secret, and you can get there, too. Just keep going!
KC
Besides your paintings and posts (which are a lot) your encouragement is the best thing you offer. My list of 100 keeps morphing into 200. I know... pick 100 and post em!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update Casey! You sound very busy....figurative...can't wait to see more!
ReplyDeleteHi Casey,
ReplyDeletethanks so much for the mentioning.
The more I'm back to figure drawing the more I admire Degas. He was really one true artist.
Casey, there`s also a book on Degas landscapes out there. They are mostly monoprints, and amazing.
ReplyDeleteI know the Hale book, but that Degas book looks great, gonna have to get hold of one of those through my library. Degas astounds me too, his figures are incredibly knowledgable.
ReplyDeleteoh I do love a coffee with my art discussion---thanks! That is a great photo of you and Degas is always fun to cast my eyes upon. Thanks for the updates. Say, do you have google analytics? I have never figured out how to get that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping in, Celeste. I am trying G Analytics at The Colorist Daily, but don't like it very well so far. Maybe I haven't discovered the hidden goodies or something - so many recommend it.
ReplyDeleteI use Statcounter, which is fair. I don't feel it gets all the hits, but cannot say for sure. I have met consistent readers who never showed up at Statcounter.
Randall - Degas' landscapes have a spare simplicity (those I have seen) that are right on. They deserve more study.
ReplyDeleteAsti, Loriann, Jala, Sam - thanks for reading.
ReplyDeleteGreat! I'm certain that Sausalito will be a wonderful success!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lisa! I had a young house guest from B.ham and I mentioned you to him.
ReplyDelete