The Party is Over 2014-W04

The holidays and other winterly celebrations are mostly behind me now — which means getting back to my workouts and making resolutions this week, to name two necessary evils.  Why not go out with a bang?, I thought to myself...  so I had a huge brunch/breakfast of duck sausage, eggs and red hash.  Mmmm mmm bad.  But good.  And there's pizza yet to come.

I started today's painting before (the first) gorging, and finished up in the afternoon before heading out to an art show opening.  The show is at the Ten Cat bar and billiard hall and features the work of friend & fellow artist Ken Schadt.  If you live in Chicago, the venue is just south of Irving Park Rd on Ashland. Check it out if you can.  Maybe I might have my (first ever) show there soon; stay tuned as that story develops.

So, instead of enjoying my usual Saturday afternoon nap, here's what I did instead.  Hope you enjoy it enough to validate my choice!

Moonweed

Clunkers 2014-W03

After reflection, I decided that in order to restore balance after the lashings of self-praise in my "best of" posting, I should probably own up to the worst of 2013.  The runner up for the dubious honor is this color study (to the right) for the sketch that I posted last week. 

But the clear winner appears below; it resulted from a directed exercise from a propuesta in Acuarela Creativa.  Thus, I can duck the blame for the original concept.  Nevertheless, when it comes to the resulting "painting" I can't find much to recommend it.



I did not enjoy one iota of its making, save for one of the white daisies.  Undeterred, I later made a second exploration of wet-in-wet poppies (Pavement Poppies in Ravenswood, at left), the result of which was also wanting... although it looks much better when when displayed near 2013's clunker of the year.

Terrible as they may be, these painting help me remember a useful motto:  keep up the bad work.  Eventually, something good will come of it.

Field Poppies

The Vortex 2014-W02

What a week or so this has been.  I flew back from the east coast the afternoon of New Year's Eve and landed during the beginning of a snow storm that seemed to last continually until sunset on January 5th.  That day alone saw us get close to a foot of snow, followed by the plunging temperatures of the infamous Polar Vortex.

Our all time low in Chicago (not windchill but actual low temperature) is I think -25, which occurred on a Saturday night in January 1985 as I recall.  I was out and about in that, and probably not entirely sober.  So on Monday morning, I pulled on several layers of clothing and ventured out for a walk around the block in the sunny -16 air just to say I had been out in it.  It was beyond refreshing.  Needless to say, I completed said walk as efficiently and promptly as I ever have done, and once back inside I remained so for the next 48 hours.

Today is rainy and in the mid-30's.  While walking to the corner for some milk, I felt odd...  as if I were bundled up in June.  Such is the difference that 50 degrees makes.  I suppose now we are concerned about flash flooding and everything is soggy, but as I like to observe:  no one has to shovel rain!

As I said previously, I'm not fond of cats, domestic on up, but I do have a certain admiration for cheetahs and jaguars.   I meant to paint today's offering last month but I neglected to bring the reference photo to Salon (and besides there was a lot of gab that day) so I made a color study from my recollections and now today another, better sketch.  And now I can move on.

Cheetah Study II

SOLVED! Plus, "And the Other 335?" 2014-W01

A + Barren + (Coat - Cot) + Hat

First, I am happy to report that a certain rebus puzzle that has been the topic of several past blog postings is finally solved.  So SPOILER ALERT...  the answer now appears as the title of the image in my gallery and to the right.

The prize for solving was a stuffed bear wearing a hat.  "A bear in a hat".  Get it?  An awesome Chicago Bears hat, even though the Bears did not finish out the season in an awesome way.  Oh well.

With that out of the way, we can get to the posting I had planned for December 14th but which painting I only just finished today.  So pretend you're still caught up in the excitement of Christmas instead of the hangover that is early January while you read on...

Now that over-the-top holiday themed sweaters are a thing, I first have to comment that intentionally gaudy renderings of same simply cannot be appreciated in the same way as the sincere, accidentally vulgar creations that started the whole ball rolling.  Get real or get out.  And with that said...

Move over garish sweaters, there's a new sheriff in town!  Christmas tattoos.  Talk about commitment, I thought to myself while I read an article that presented a glittering array of lurid noëlesque body art.  I suppose by their very nature tattoos are not meant to be tame.  Still, outside of the roughly 30 days from Thanksgiving to Christmas, why would you want such a tattoo?  They must look awfully odd with sweaty dew causing them to glisten in the dog days of summer.

They sure are compelling images though.  Without further ado, may I present this anonymous bicep adorned with a charming Yoda-Santa mashup.  I'm sure many of you who saw last week's post thought it was going to be the Grinch.  Gotcha.  On the off chance that Fox News personality Megyn Kelly reads my blog (hah) she will be comforted to see that, although this Santa is green, at least it's on the arm of a white person.  Please enjoy the painting with one eye as you roll the other eye (for whatever reason pleases you)!

The Force of Christmas Spirit Tattoo Always With You Be