Form and Content: Artmaking and Studio Practice

2011 Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition

2011-08-08T14:39:00.000-05:00

My work entitled, Red Chair Portrait: Gerry, was selected for this year's Minnesota State Fair Fine Art Exhibition. Thousands of Minnesota's artists enter only a few make it in each year. It is an honor to be included. Look for it when you stop by the fair this year.

Calhoun Art Crawl

2011-04-29T20:50:00.001-05:00

I will be participating in the inaugural Calhoun Art Crawl. Saturday May 14, 2011. My studio will be open and I will be showing examples of my recent work. The event is from noon to five. There will be dance and music performances in throughout the day and over 25 artists will have their studios and galleries open to the public.

www.calhounartcrawl.com

More progress on recent works

2011-04-28T20:44:00.002-05:00

Works in progess

2011-04-03T14:35:00.000-05:00

Current works in progress

2011-02-11T07:32:00.003-06:00

The following oil paintings are 24 inches square. They are part of a commission I am working on. These pictures are for the waiting room of an occupational therapy clinic for children.

Working with the client has been very rewarding. Together we are discovering what images and techniques will be appropriate for her clients. The first image is a little farther along than the other two. All three will be handled in the same way when finished. They will be painterly, realistic, and colorful.

Stone Carving Video

2011-02-10T09:26:00.003-06:00

I made this video with the Division of Learning and Innovation at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. In it I try to describe and demonstrate the basic tools required to shape stone.

Treden Wagoner - Artist and Portrait Painter on Facebook

2011-01-14T07:00:00.001-06:00

I now have a page for my studio work on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Treden-Wagoner-Artist-and-Portrait-Painter/125675007500226

Custom Fine Art Panels by Rodney Thompson

2011-01-13T09:06:00.004-06:00

I just starting working on a new commission.

Artist and encaustic painter/printmaker, Debra Blair told me about Rodney Thompson's cradled panels.

His panels are made of maple, solid on the sides and veneer on the panel surface (which has a mdf core). Each panel has a system of braces on the back. I am convinced that they are built to last. The design and construction is of the best quality.

I emailed him for more information before ordering and he was quick to respond. He answered all my questions directly. The turn around was very quick. I ordered at the end of one week and within 9 days I had the four panels I needed for the commission.

The panels were very carefully packed and arrived in pristine condition. The boxes are a work of engineering all on their own.

I am going to purchase panels from Rodney for all of my future works.

Check out his site for more information.

Work in Progress - Up Against the Wall: Greg

2010-11-05T07:13:00.001-05:00

This painting is still in the "underpainting" stage. I started with a charcoal drawing, blocked in basic colors, and then began to model form-dark to light. Once I have the form where I want it I will begin glazing.

The foreground will have some additional detail including plants and stones. I have worked that out entirely.

Up Against the Wall: Patrick

2010-11-04T07:09:00.000-05:00

This painting is complete and waiting for varnish. I might add a few more layers of glaze. I want to wait to see what the varnish does to the colors. This might also be an occasion to work with matte varnish in certain areas.

I create my own matte varnish by adding dissolved beeswax to my picture varnish or painting medium.

Red Chair Portrait: Gerry

2010-11-03T07:08:00.003-05:00

This painting is complete and waiting for varnish.

New images in current project slide show

2010-05-21T09:28:00.002-05:00

http://treden.com/current.html

Treden.com Updates

2010-04-14T09:56:00.003-05:00

I updated www.treden.com this morning.

The home page has a slightly new look and the Current Projects page now features a slide show of a work in progress. Soon the Current Projects page will feature a gallery of slide shows, each showing the progress of recently completed works (or those that are nearly complete).

The slide show includes captions which are initially hidden. Click on "captions" underneath the toolbar beneath the slides to read my comments on each slide.

I welcome your comments on the changes and would appreciate it if you would post them here.

Foot in the Door web site is now live

2010-02-22T17:38:00.001-06:00

Check out the MIA's Web site for the Foot in the Door show. Look for your favorite work of art, artist or just browse the creative endeavors of your neighbors.

Thank you MIA.

http://artsmia.org/foot-in-the-door-4/

My painting on the wall at the MIA's Foot in the Door exhibition

2010-02-21T19:02:00.002-06:00

Treden makes it into Art Forum (kind of...)

2010-02-18T12:45:00.001-06:00

Art Forum Online reposted the Foot in the Door video.

http://www.artforum.com/video/id=24922&mode=large&page_id=0

Foot in the Door 4

2010-02-15T16:07:00.002-06:00

The show at Minneapolis Institute of Arts opens on Thursday, February 18. Check out the promotional video on YouTube. It goes by quick but I and my painting appear early on.

For more information on the exhibition visit the MIA's Web site.

The Star Tribune newspaper did a story on the show and my piece is included in the third picture in the online slide show. Look for the top of the red chair.
My Foot in the Door painting is in the Star Tribune

Photos coming soon.

What am I working on?

2010-01-05T09:26:00.002-06:00

I will have pictures soon of the pieces I am working on for the Foot in the Door show.

The plan is to create as many 12 inch square pictures as possible by the deadline and then choose the best one to enter.

My current favorite is a portrait of the red chair. There is no sitter. The chair sits in the corner facing the viewer. It will be a nice capstone or intro to my red chair portrait series.

Any Minneapolis readers out there want to sit for a red chair portrait? Use comments to let me know.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T06:51:00.002-06:00

and Happy New Year.

Look for more posts and more updates on art making and art education in 2010.

Thank you for reading.

2010 Foot in the Door

2009-12-07T07:02:00.004-06:00

Foot in the Door is an open exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for all Minnesota artists.

Works of art must be in any visual media that can fit intoe a 12 inch square box. A/V submissions will be considered.

Drop off dates for works are Thursday, February 4 through Sunday February 7, 2010.

http://www.artsmia.org/maep

Here is the Web site for exhibition in 2000. It only comes around once every 10 years.

http://artsmia.org/foot-in-the-door/

Van Gogh's Letters

2009-11-25T21:30:00.002-06:00

Just heard about this Web site today, vangoghletters.org.

The site design is fantastic. The letter viewer allows one to switch from the original text in Dutch or a translation. There are scholar's notes that can be viewed if one chooses. In another pane, on the opposite side of the screen from the text of the letter, once can choose to view a scan of the letter or referenced works of art.

I plan to spend some time each week reading the letters. There are over 900 of them. I will write here when I find something interesting to write about.

Latest progess on red chair portrait of Carmen

2009-10-29T21:46:00.003-05:00

This is not the best digital image of this painting. It was taken in low light and I had to push it a bit in Photoshop to come close to the colors of the original. I will post better images soon.

The next steps I will take will be to heighten the shadows with glazes on both the figure and the chair. I really want to push the back of the chair into space with some deep shadow behind the figure. Carmen was wearing glasses when she sat for this. Those will be the last detail I add.

Be on the look out for a new feature on treden.com. I will soon be adding a gallery of works in progress. You will be able to follow several of my recent paintings from the initial drawing through to the varnished (completed) piece.

Latest red chair portrait - June 16, 2009

2009-07-27T19:38:00.002-05:00

Brian Setzer Album Cover Concept

2009-07-23T07:00:00.004-05:00

Brian Setzer's record label held a contest to find the designer for the cover of his new album. This is my submission. Unfortunately, the contest only gave you ten days to come up with the design and I missed the deadline. I sent in my entry anyways. I haven't heard anything from Surf Dog Records. I don't expect to.

If I had more time I spend it on the guitar. I am going to work on it and post the updated version here.

Recent work: Red Chair Portrait, Donna

2009-04-11T19:03:00.000-05:00

Recent work in progress

2009-04-11T18:55:00.002-05:00

Inspired by a photo of the daughter of a friend in her christening gown, this painting builds upon my interest in 19th century American painters of the Ash Can School. It will also reminiscent of the work of Minnesota painter I admire greatly, Malcolm "Skip" Lipke.

New website: Dutch Lake farm Guest House

2008-12-04T07:08:00.002-06:00

I recently completed the web design for the site for the Dutch Lake Farm Guest House. I used some techniques that are new to me. Using CSS I was able to create some interesting roll-overs without using Java. The result is an elegant light weight site that meets the needs of my clients.

Check it out.

http://www.dutchlakeguesthouse.com

Fine art fans: more paintings are coming soon. I have been in the studio working. Not as often as I would like but I am behind in posting pictures of the works in progress. Check back soon.

Yesterday's progress

2008-07-18T07:54:00.003-05:00

I took some vacation time this week to work in the studio. Here are the two portraits I am working on as of yesterday afternoon.

Updated Red Chair Portrait

2008-07-15T22:49:00.002-05:00

Another Red Chair Painting

2008-06-30T07:01:00.003-05:00

Here is another portrait I am working on. This one started with the two hour session from life but as it is a commission piece I will finish the painting from photographs. I will post additional pictures as it progresses. I hope to have the painting completed by the end of July with delivery in August.

Red Chair Portrait No. 1

2008-06-30T06:57:00.003-05:00

I posted earlier about wanting to loosen up and that I am planning an exercise to work quickly on small portraits painted from life. Here is the first one. This was painted in 2 hours and is approximately 18 x 24. I would like to have more of the face finished so the sitter is coming back for another session.

Changing - our 48 Hour Film Project film

2008-06-27T08:20:00.000-05:00

48 Hour Film Festival

2008-06-17T13:31:00.003-05:00

I am part of a team, The Other End Productions, that submitted an entry in this year's 48 Hour Film contest. Our film "Changing" will be screened on Monday, June 23 at the Riverview Theater.

We had a blast making the film this year and we finished on time.

I will post more about the film after the screening.

Self Portrait

2008-05-05T11:41:00.003-05:00

This is a self-portrait in oil that I have been working on for some time. I started it in my old studio space. I am still trying to loosen up. The technique, the way the paint is handled, is close to what I am trying to accomplish. I am happy with the right side of the face (your left). The background appears lighter on the right in the photo. This is largely due to the lighting I used to photograph the work. In the painting the background is more uniform.

The hair really bothers me in the image but not so much when I am at the easel. I am not sure what the camera sees that I don't. Photographing your work is a good way to get a second pair of eyes. I also use a mirror for this. When I look at my works in progress in a mirror I can see where the drawing went wrong.

This piece is about 18 x 24.

Recent painting: Portrait study of Greg

2008-05-05T11:33:00.002-05:00

Lately, I am working on several things at once in the studio. This is a study of the face from my portrait of Greg in the Up Against the Wall series. This image is in oil painted on canvas paper and is approximately 9 x 12.

In the study I am trying to work out the features and technique I will use in the final painting. I want the brush strokes to show. The likeness is a starting to show but it is not quite there yet. My hope is that the familiarity with the image that the study will give me will free up my hand in the final piece.

Watch this space for more on this series and this painting.

Debra Blair's work in exhibition in Colorado

2008-04-29T13:47:00.002-05:00

My friend Debra Blair, a painter who works primarily in encaustic, will have work in an upcoming show at Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts in Colorado.

Any readers close to Pagosa Springs, go and check it out.

Visit the site to learn more. Hopefully they will soon have pictures of the installation online.

Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts

Recent illustration: Giraffe

2008-04-28T09:42:00.004-05:00

This is illustration of a giraffe was done for a colleague's birthday card. It is approximately 6 x 9 inches. It is a combination of media including graphite, watercolor, and colored pencil.

Painting experiments

2008-04-25T10:31:00.002-05:00

I am working on developing some exercises or experiments that will help me loosen up. I tend to get focused on details and this tightens up my technique. This tightening results in surface that is too smooth and an absence of brush strokes.

Here is one that I have come up with. Readers please feel free to comment with exercises that have worked for you.

Paint directly from life within a specific time limit, such as 45 minutes. When the time is up the painting is complete.

I am planning on trying this with seated models. I think most of my friends could sit for 45 minutes. Especially if cocktails were involved. Working from a still life would work too.

I plan to set up the palette in advance by mixing some of the colors that I will need. For an exercise like this the panel (painting surface) will need to be relatively small 18 x 24.

A friend's request for help with an art project

2008-04-24T09:54:00.002-05:00

Patrick Kinne is looking for help on a new project. Take some time to share your ideas with him.

http://rustytrains.wordpress.com/2008/04/24/new-project

Online Community for Artists

2008-04-23T16:01:00.000-05:00

In Minnesota we have MNArtists.org and it is great but I find that the online discussions aren't as rich as they could be.

Please comment on your favorite online community for artists. Where do you go to post questions about techniques, about the art market, about art history, or to tell stories about yourself and your work. Have you visited other such sites? What makes one stand out?

I would like to have an active, open, and safe dialog about art making. I look forward to any suggestions and will post more about those I have tried.

Mexico

2008-04-16T09:19:00.003-05:00

In March I had the opportunity to visit Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I became fascinated by the work of an artist who was represented by several of the galleries I visited. His name is Sergio Garval.
His drawings are full of gesture and iconic imagery. The narrative of his work runs from folklore to scenes of contemporary life set in a post disaster landscape. The surfaces are alive with his process. This is painting. The paint lives on the surface in a way that reminds me of Pearlstein and Freud.

Visit his web site at http://www.sergiogarval.com/

Patrick Kinne - Featured Artist - Intermedia Arts - Minneapolis 55408 Show

2008-03-13T11:18:00.002-05:00

My studio-mate, Patrick Kinne, is one of the featured artists at the 55408 show at Intermedia Arts. Check it out.

New Studio

2007-12-18T11:35:00.001-06:00

Another part of my renewed focus on portraiture and commissioned work is renting a more professional studio space. I have done so. I am sharing a space in the historic Calhoun Building on Lake Street with artist Patrick Kinne.

I will post photos of the new space soon.

New Site Design

2007-12-18T11:32:00.000-06:00

treden.com has now been completely redesigned. I have decided to focus on my art work. This includes changing my web site from an omnibus of things I do to a portfolio of my art.

I want to focus on portraiture and commissioned work. The design of the new site is meant to communicate that. I hope to get many new clients.

Check it out. I welcome your comments here.

http://www.treden.com

Art Educators of Minnesota 2007 Awards

2007-11-14T10:43:00.000-06:00

At the 2007 annual meeting if the Art Educators of Minnesota on November 2. Susan Rotilie and I were awarded the Museum Educator of the Year award. We joined a group of dedicated art educators who also received awards and recognition (seen here). It was a wonderful honor. Thanks go out to all art educators for their support.

Portrait of Aneka

2007-10-31T20:55:00.001-05:00

This is a portrait of my wife, Aneka, that I am working on. I experimented with the ground preparation. While the last coat of gesso was still wet I broadcast into it glass microbeads, similar to the type used to make white highway lines reflective. The concept behind this was that the reflective ground would give the paint layers an added brilliance. I think it was successful.

The negative aspects of this technique are that initially the beads absorbed a lot of paint. This might be avoided by varnishing the beads layer before beginning painting. The texture of the beads was hard on my brushes and gives the finished piece a specific look, like it was painted on sand. I am not sure, yet, if that is a bad thing.

North Star Roller Girls Proposed Halloween Poster

2007-10-12T14:39:00.000-05:00

My friend Greg asked for my assistance with bringing his design to life for this Halloween's bout poster for the North Star Roller Girls.

Greg designed the layout and the character. I inked his drawing adding some of my own ideas. Together we colored the image using Photoshop. Below is the poster we submitted to the team. We haven't yet heard if they will use our design.

New show at Flanders Contemporary Art

2007-10-11T14:10:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I visited Flanders Contemporary Art, primarily to see the work of Luke Hillestad.

Hillestad is a follower of the Kitsch movement. Kitsch is championed by the Norwegian artist Odd Nerdrum. To learn more about what Kitsch is take this quiz. The painter, writer, and thinker Jan Ove Tuv wrote about Kitsch:

"THE KITSCH PAINTER SHOULD NOT BE JUDGED ON NATIONAL, RACIAL OR
RELIGIOUS GROUNDS IN HIS DEPICTION OF LIFE - BUT ON THE BASIS OF
TIMELESS QUALITIES. THE KITSCH PAINTER IS NOT PROTECTED BY THE TIME IN WHICH HE LIVES. HE STRIVES TO REPRESENT HISTORY´S MOST SUBLIME QUALITIES, AND SHOULD BE JUDGED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE. A WORK OF KITSCH IS EITHER GOOD OR BAD, AND GOOD KITSCH MUST NOT BE CLASSIFIED AS ART. THIS WOULD BE AN ERROR OF JUDGEMENT. KITSCH IS NOT ART. KITSCH REFERS TO THE SENSUAL AND THE TIMELESS. THE KITSCH PAINTER IS COMMITTED TO THE ETERNAL: LOVE, DEATH AND THE SUNRISE. INNOVATION IS OF NO IMPORTANCE, NOR IS ORIGINALITY. GOING IN DEPTH IS THE GOAL, FOR IN THE DEPICTION OF NATURE ITSELF LIES THE INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSION. BECAUSE MODERNISM AND ART ARE THE SAME, KITSCH IS THE SAVIOR OF TALENT AND DEVOTION." (all caps and spelling are from the original by Jan Ove Tuv)

Hillestad is working on large format canvases and on panels of a much smaller more intimate size. Many of his works explore the freedom to emulate the work of other artists that Kitsch provides. The influence of Nerdrum can be see on every wall in the gallery.

I reacted emotionally and critically to this work. The intellectual challenge presented by this work and Kitsch was brought to the fore during this experience. I am still wrestling with it.

There are some wonderful passages in the current work of this young artist. There are as many, and perhaps more, passages that left me wondering what the artist was thinking. I would love to have the opportunity to question some of the decisions he made when painting these pieces. For example, a single piece would exhibit a command of the language of light, some brilliant brush work, and some haphazard, almost clumsy knife work. The palette knife was used often and not always with success. What source was he responding to that led to the use of the knife in such a way?

While some of the work drew me in emotionally, the strongest emotional reaction was that of envy. This artist is responding to many of the same things that I excite me to paint. He is young and has an exhibition of his work in a reputable gallery. I was inspired to action. If nothing else to renew my efforts to get into the studio an work. It made me think about where I was in my career and with my own art when I was 24.

Minnesota State Fair 2007 Fine Arts Competition

2007-08-10T11:24:00.000-05:00

From the State Fair Fine Arts Division:

Dear Treden Wagoner,

This message is to inform you that your piece titled Up Against the Wall: Wes
entered in Class 1 - Oil/Acrylic/Mixed Media was not accepted into the 2007 Fine
Arts Exhibition.

Please pick up your piece at the Fine Arts Center.


Oh well, maybe next year....

Relatively new drawing - November 2006

2007-03-05T13:43:00.000-06:00

This is an illustration that I did for the baby show invitation for my good friend's Anthony and Diana.

Portrait of Max: background

2007-02-20T07:42:00.000-06:00

I worked on the background. The wall behind Max is from a New Mexican Pueblo. It adobe and stucco. Rocks suspended in the adobe can be seen where the stucco has fallen away. I painted in the brightest colors that will appear in the rocks. I began to build in the color and values in the mortar and stucco. The next step will be to work on details in the rocks. The bright colors will be toned down and each rock will have veins, fissures, and texture. As with the figure these colors will show through successive layers.

There are different colors of mortar and stucco. Throughout the wall. It is not as uniform as it appears here. That will need to be adjusted. I will add color with glazes over the existing painting. The stucco is full of aggregate. I need to figure out how I will render the texture created by all the little bits of rock and sand.

Max: Next stage (close-up)

2007-02-20T07:41:00.000-06:00

Here is a close-up of Max's face. There are still some drawing problems I need to sort out. Something is not right with the left side (our left) of the face. The cheek is flat. It doesn't have the roundness of the other side. Is it the drawing or the use of color? I will work on that soon.

Portrait of Max: Next Stage

2007-02-20T07:40:00.000-06:00

The painting at this stage has the background colors blocked in. I have also started to paint the figure. I have used more saturated colors at this stage. These colors will show though successive stages. The final skin tone will be made up of both physically and visually mixed colors and will be less dark. The shirt has a monochromatic under painting. I will add a plaid pattern to the shirt at a later stage.

I like to work on the whole image at the same time as much as possible. A former teacher's mantra was "Draw as a Whole." I have never forgotten this and it works for me. The next stage will be to treat the background in the same way the figure has been treated. Before moving on to the next level of detail and color the entire panel will need to be covered with the same amount of paint and the imagery brought up to the same level. In this way the entire painting evolves rather than one section at a time.

Portrait of Max with more underpainting completed

2007-02-09T14:24:00.000-06:00

In this image you can see that I have blocked in all of the colors. This covers the white of the panel and gives me a colored base to work upon.

I paint in thin layers. This allows the white of the panel to show through the paint layer creating a unique luminosity.

The next step will be to tone down the background with a umber glaze and to begin painting the figure in colors more true to life.

Portrait of Max

2007-02-09T14:20:00.000-06:00

Here is the beginning of the underpainting for a portrait of Max. This is the next painting in my "Up Against the Wall" series.
The drawing is done freehand in charcoal directly on the gessoed panel. Once I had the drawing the way I wanted it I painted in the major lines of the composition. The background will be a ruined wall from a New Mexican pueblo. I started blocking in the color of the adobe and mortar of the wall. The next step will be to add more color to complete the underpainting.

Portrait of Wes is nearly done

2007-02-09T14:16:00.000-06:00

The portrait of Wes is nearly done. It is at that point where I am not sure what else to do. I have decided to let it dry completely, varnish it, and then evaluate any further additions. This painting is done entirely in oils. It is on a wood panel. It is about 40 inches high.

Portrait of Frank Zappa

2007-02-09T14:12:00.000-06:00

I painted this portrait of Frank Zappa for my father's Christmas present. It is about 10 inches by 8 inches. It was painted in acrylics and oils on illustration board. The background includes the set list for the Minneapolis Zappa Plays Zappa concert from October 20, 2006. Tickets to the show were my gift to Dad on his 60th birthday. It was a fantastic performance.

I started with a drawing, completed a monchromatic underpainting in acrylic and finished the painting in oils.

Study for Greg

2006-11-13T11:27:00.000-06:00

Here is the charcoal drawing of Greg.

Update: Wes

2006-11-13T11:19:00.000-06:00

I have been working on the face during my last few studio sessions. I am pretty happy with the results. The painting is getting to a stage where a lot of the hard work is done and the fun part is beginning. Adjusting the drawing and getting the colors just right is the main focus of this work.

Here is a close-up of the face.

I need to work on his body and hands next. This past Saturday I worked on his blue cardigan. I worked to get a sense of volume and form, that there was a body underneath fabric.

Some of the feedback I have gotten on this image is that there needs to be more of the stucco in the background, not just at the top of the image. Some pieces should still be stuck to the bricks below. I am going to experiment with this later.

Next step, the hands. Stay tuned.

study for Up Against the Wall painting of Max

2006-05-15T07:05:00.000-05:00

Small preparatory drawing for latest Up Against the Wall painting

2006-03-30T08:23:00.000-06:00

I started the drawing in pencil and then began to work over the pencil in pen and ink. I have not finished the ink work. This is the pose for the next Up Against the Wall Painting.

Latest work on the Up Against the Wall paintings

2006-03-30T08:18:00.000-06:00

I have been working on the background. I want to have the wall behind to look like a block wall that has lost some of its colored stucco. This is based on a wall I saw in New Mexico. The wall had been patched with different colored stucco over the years and what was left was a mottled quilt of red, gray, and white. I am beginning to put the finishing work on the figure. I will have new pictures of the progress soon.

I am starting two new paintings in the series as well. I have a preparatory drawing of one completed and hope to have the model for the second in the studio soon.

New Studio

2006-03-30T08:13:00.000-06:00

I moved into a new studio space in February. I have been very busy teaching and taking classes that I haven't spent as much time in it as I would like.

Here are some shots of the new studio.

Reference Image Archive

2005-11-04T10:37:00.000-06:00

An Image Bank for Everyday Revolutionary Life

An Image Bank for Everyday Revolutionary Life is a multi-phase project that begins as an online photographic archive, produced and presented by e-flux, and makes publicly available for the first time over five thousand images from the 20th century. The source for this material is the collection of Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros, who compiled the photographs over the course of his own extraordinary life.

Household Hazardous Waste: Hennepin County

2005-08-12T15:48:00.000-05:00

Hennepin County, Minnesota offers several Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events throughout the year. Here is their web address.

There is also a drop off facility in Bloomington. Click here for more information.

Artist materials may be considered Household Hazardous Waste. I plan to bring my collection of lead based paints and aeresols to the drop off facility soon.

I will let you know how it goes.

More great books

2005-08-12T15:19:00.000-05:00

I am reading a few books on the technique of painting (mostly oil painting). One is a collection of essays by a professor of painting. It was originally published in 1934. This book is filled with rich content on the materials and techniques of the masters from preparing grounds. The book is The Materials of the Artist and their Use in Painting by Max Dörner (or Doerner). It is still in print and available from Amazon. There is a Doerner Institute in Munich that continues the authors work, studying and conserving paintings, artist materials and techniques. The institute is at the Neue Pinakothek (new painting museum) in Munich.

The other book I am reading on technique is Sir Charles Eastlake's Methods and Materials of the Great Schools and Masters. Also still in print even though it was originally published in the middle of the 19th century. This is a history of oil painting. I have only read up to the early renaissance but what I have covered so far has been captivating. If you are interested in painting and its history this is a great read.

I am interested in pursuing this research in the hopes that in my own studies I missed a material or technique that will be useful to me. So far I have found that I have a good studio practice. I have discovered a few things that I want to experiment with. I will post more on those later (increasing the amount of oil in final paint layers ala fat over lean, mediums/dilutents, and the use of a reflective material in my light colors to increase luminosity).

It is scary to read about all of the chemicals that were once considered safe to use: barium, strongtium, lead, cadmium, cobalt, arsenic, etc. Many of these are still used today to make artists colors for all media. While I have worked to eliminate my studio of obvious carcinogens and poisons, I still use cadmium and cobalt colors. I plan to post about what to do when you decide to no longer use the toxic or poisonous materials you have purchased.

I will post more about the techniques and materials that I find useful or extra interesting as I come across them.

Hint hint: if you find yourself wondering what sort of gift to give me on an appropriate gift giving occasion either of these books would be wonderful (I borrowed them from MCAD's library).

Great book: Velazquez: the Technique of Genius

2005-08-03T09:50:00.000-05:00

By Jonathan Brown and Carmen Garrido

This book is a scientific look at the painting technique of one of history's greatest painters. The text is written in accessible language and is illustrated with color pictures. 15 of the masters works are investigated. The resulting narrative includes information as to what support was used, how it was prepared, and the pigments and carriers used in his paint.

I was fascinated to learn that he mixed ground calcium carbonate into his paints to increase optical luminosity. I have read that Rembrandt added ground glass into his paints to achieve a similar result. I had a teacher in art school who used the glass beads that make highway signs reflective in his paint. This is something I want to experiment with.

I will post further research soon.

Small watercolor

2005-07-01T14:34:00.000-05:00

Here is a small water color that I did in March. This is a memorial portrait of my wife's cat, Lena. It is about 5 x 7 inches.

Study Complete

2005-07-01T14:29:00.000-05:00

I have finished the study. This is in acrylic and is approximately 8 by 10 inches. I will work from this, drawings, and phot reference to create a large painitng in oils.

Less toxic and environmentally-friendly art supplies

2005-06-22T14:14:00.000-05:00

About 6 years ago I realized tht I was suffering some health problems form the use of turpentine and turpentine-based oil painting supplies. I have tried many turpentine replacement systems and found most lacking.

Without sounding too much like an infomercial I want to share a great resource with you, Eco-House. Eco-House makes a solvent system that works with the painting supplies I already use. I don't have to change my materials just the solvent. Eco-House offers their solvent in a variety of strengths. I use the strong solvent to disolve varnish crystals and wax and the extra mild to thin paints and clean brushes. I have used the products for these 6 years without a problem either with my health or with the paint surfaces.

For more information visit Eco-House at:

http://www.eco-house.com/art_supplies.html

Artist Material of the Week: Cobalt Drier

2005-06-22T13:47:00.000-05:00

Cobalt Drier is used with oil paints to reduce the time it takes for the surface of the paint film to dry.

Driers are best used with techniques that call for thin applications of paint, as in glazes. If your technique includes a thick impasto then cobalt driers are not for you. There are other driers that will work with thick bodied paint surfaces.

Pros:

Reduce the handling time.
Ease of use.

Cons:

Not to be used in water based paints or varnishes.
Can cause wrinkling and cracking when used in excess.

How does it work?

Using a paint drier with a drying oil, such as linseed, accelerates the absorption of oxygen. Drying oils dry through a process called oxidation. The oil molecule has one or two sites on it that bond with oxygen forming a new molecule. As this process occurs, these new molecules bond together in a process called polymerization. A solid film is left when the process is complete. This process will take place without the addition of a drier but will take significantly more time.

How much should you use?

The amount depends on the percentage of active ingredient in the Cobalt Drier solution you purchase. You will need to experiement with the painting medium and oils that you use. Begin by adding just a few drops to the oil and medium as you mix your paints on the pallette.

Warning:

Cobalt is a very toxix substance. In large concentrations it has been shown to be very harmful to one's health. Keep this and all painting materials out of reach of children and use sparingly and with caution. For more information on art materials and safe studio practices watch this site or visit:

The Art and Creative Materials Institute

The Informed Creator

2005-06-20T15:37:00.000-05:00

In Ben Shahn's The Shape of Content, there is an essay called the "Biography of a Painting." In this essay Shahn writes about his personal pilgrimage toward expressing his true inner self in his paintings. He wrote of finding his early "academic" work (landscapes, portraits, and studies) competent but devoid of self. He realized that he must discover who he truly was before he could make the kind of art that coincides with that type of person. Part of this process of discovery is developing a working relationship with one's inner critic:

"An artist at work upon a painting must be two people, not one. He must function and act as two people all the time and in several ways. On the one hand, the artist is the imaginer and the producer. But he is also the critic, and here is a critic of such inexorable standards as to have made McBride [a conservative anti-communist art critic] seem liberal even in his most illiberal moment."

Shahn continues, describing the role of the inner critic as one of the obstruction to the creative progress but also as a governor of content:
"So the inner critic has stopped the painting before it has even begun. Then, when the artist strips his idea down to emotional images alone and begins, slowly, falteringly, moving toward some realization, that critic is constantly objecting, constantly chiding, holding the hand back to the image alone, so that the painting remains only that, so that it does not split into two things, one the image, and another, the meaning."

What I have taken from this is that it is not enough that an artist have skill with material and technique. It is necessary that the artist be able to develop the image and its meaning simultaneously. The meaning of the painting must be an expression of self or deeply connected to the artist's way of thinking. The image is a physical manifestation of the thought process from idea to the object or work of art.

Shahn continues to describe the connection between personal thoughts and beliefs and the work:
"It became uncomfortably apparent to me that whatever one thinks as well as whatever one paints must be constantly reexamined, torn apart, if that seems to be indicated, and reassembled in the light of new attitudes or new discovery. If one has set for himself the position that his painting shall not misconstru his personal mode of thinking, then he must be rather unusually alert to just what he does think."

In the ideas that I am turning into images I wonder what of them is a reflection of my beliefs? My images need to contain more of my self. To date my images have been mine because I made them. Often they reflect only my skill with tools and materials. I have been content with that but now I want more.

May Stevens

2005-06-14T11:48:00.000-05:00

This morning at work curator, Dennis John, gave a talk on a new exhibition, The Water Remembers Paintings by May Stevens.

May Stevens paints on canvas and paper with acrylic. The color depth is amazing. I hadn't thought acrylics were capable of this. If you are in Minneapolis you should see this show.

In many of her pieces the highlights are words she has written with jel pen. The words are her own or are quotes that compliment the piece.

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, US Bank Galleries, June 11, 2005 through July 31, 2005

The work continues

2005-06-14T11:31:00.000-05:00

I have continued to work on the study. I don't want to work to much on it as it is just a study. I will work on additional studies to audition other backgrounds and textures. A question I have asked myself is should the background texture have a symbolic meaning/connection to the sitter?

I have started to reread Ben Shahn's the Shape of Content. A humanities professor of mine, Stewart Lawler, gave my copy to me when I was a sophomore in art school. I found it useful then and am looking back to see what I can relearn from it now. I have gained so much since 1989. I am I will interpret these writings differently now.

I will share and comment on what I am reading here as I find useful passages.

Update on study for Up Against the Wall No. 2

2005-06-12T15:05:00.000-05:00

I have been working on using color to build form in the face and hands. I will post a better image soon.

New Drawing

2005-06-10T15:10:00.000-05:00

Here is a drawing I have been working on. It is a study for the painting Up Against the Wall No. 2. This was drawn from life. I will use this drawing and photo reference to create the final piece.

Study: Up Against the Wall No. 2

2005-06-08T13:16:00.000-05:00

Here is a study I am working on for a larger painting. The study, in progress, is about 8 x 10 and done in acrylic. The final piece will be approximately 30 x 40 in oil.

I will post a painting, drawing, or images of the works in progress each day.



This is the second piece in a series of works. Each of these represents a portrait of a friend. Each will be shown in a shallow space against a wall. The wall might be decorated with a pattern as in the first piece or with the texture of a distinct architectural wall, as in this example.

Intelligent people make indifferent painters?

2005-06-07T21:37:00.000-05:00

From The draughtsman Contract a film by Peter Greenaway

"I've grown to believe that a really intelligent man makes an indifferent painter. For painting requires a kind of blindness- a partial refusal to be aware of all the options. An intelligent man will know more about what he is drawing than he will see and in the space in between knowing and seeing he will become constrained; unable to pursue an idea strongly; fearing that the discerning, those he is trying to please, will find him wanting if he does not only put in what he knows but also what they know."

While watching this film and hearing this quote it made me think about the reasons behind my hesitation to work. I am still thinking about who I am trying to please. I am certain that I fear failure. I have resolved to change my behavior and work regardless of outcome. If I wait to work only when I am sure that the results will be satisfactory then nothing gets done.

Do I think to much about what it is that I am drawing and painting? Is that a bad thing? Is my lack of productivity/motivation a result of overthinking?

This web log will keep me honest. In order to record my progress I need to post new work daily. I am sure that some of what I create will be good, some bad, and some indifferent.

First Post

2005-06-07T16:06:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my weblog.

I have created this site as a daily journal of my search for creativity and productivity. I am an artist. I make pictures. I have been out of art school for many years. I have spent quite a bit of my energy on a career and livlihood. Much of which did not include artmaking. I need to make artmaking a larger part of my life and career. This is the journey I am on.

Along the way I hope to raise issues related to making art and studio practice. I also want to share some ideas I have formed about the meaning of art and its place in our culture.

Thanks for visiting. Please comment on what you read and see here. Come back often.

Treden