Matera, Abstraction, and How Long Does It Take

In the book "Art Students League Of New York On Painting," painter Mary Beth McKenzie offers a couple of interesting quotes.  Concerning how long it takes to learn how to paint, she quotes painter Robert Philipp, who "often said, 'The first fifty years are the hardest.'"  I can only wholeheartedly agree.

She also writes "Every good representational painting has to be a good abstract painting."  I've often said myself to anybody who would listen that all painting is abstract.

The accompanying painting is another view of Matera, Italy.  11x14 oil on panel.

Town of Stone

Matera, Italy, called the town of stone.  11x14 Oil on panel.

Matera

A view of Matera, a town in the south of Italy. 11x14 oil on panel.

City Nature

A city is more human nature than mother nature.  But cities can be cold and alien just like nature.  Still there's something very appealing about them, just like nature.  Here's an evening view of Montparnasse in Paris, where the trees and the buildings seem to live together.  I started this painting three and a half years ago and decided to push it further in the last week, since I've noticed that most of my recent paintings have been about older European towns and cities.  14x18 oil on canvas.

Joyeux Noel!

Harmony

St. Emilion, 11x14 oil on canvas.

I've been examining a recent book titled "Landscape Painting Now: From Pop Abstraction to New Romanticism."  In the main essay, Barry Schwabsky writes about man's relation to nature today and how it can affect current landscape painting.  He states that we no longer think that man is outside nature, the attitude that has brought us to where we are today, a planet on the brink.  Nor can we accept the other end of the continuum, that man is just a bunch of chemicals reacting blindly within nature.  He cites the example of Jackson Pollack engaged in painting, a "pure harmony, an easy give-and-take" dance which taps into and exposes something "quickened by a spirit" beyond painting, as a guide to how landscape painting may offer the opportunity to "reset" the relationship between man and nature.  Ironically, the example of Pollack demonstrates how precarious man's search for harmony can be.

Yesterday I finished reading Jean Renoir's biography of his father.  He quotes from some papers left by his father in which Renoir father wrote: "I believe that I am closer to God when I am humbly in front of the splendor of nature, accepting the role which I have been given to play, honoring this majestic splendor without self-interest and certainly without demands, persuaded that the Creator has forgotten nothing" [my translation].  It seems to me that Renoir, though writing at an earlier time, says about the same thing, but in less fashionable language.

Though landscape painting keeps re-inventing itself, the problem of man and nature and its reflection in landscape painting is not new.  Except today the urgency is much greater for re-establishing a harmonious relationship between man and nature because our survival depends upon it.  I think artists have always been aware of the man/nature conundrum.  Landscape painting, one way or another, has always expressed the latent desire to return to a Garden of Eden, the idyllic time and place before time, when man was in harmony with nature.  This is the archetypal myth which seems to underlie all poetry and painting, and keeps re-appearing in one form or another.

Schwabsky sees landscape painting as a means to pursue this harmony between man and nature, or make us more conscious of the need for it.  He writes "...it has become more and more common for painters to use landscape--the image of nature, displayed in all its artifice--as, in essence, a metaphor for painting itself, because they intuit that painting in turn can be a metaphor for our relation to nature."

A Concentration Related to St. Emilion

Another view of St. Emilion, 11x14 oil on canvas.

In a thoughtful New Yorker article called "The Art of Dying," art critic Peter Schjeldahl, contemplating his own death, writes that "snobbery [is] a necessary stage for the insecure until we acquire taste that admits and reflects the variety of experience.  To limber your sensibility, stalk the aesthetic everywhere: cracks in a sidewalk, people's ways of walking.  The aesthetic isn't bounded by art, which merely concentrates it for efficient consumption.  If you can't put a mental frame around, and relish, the accidental aspect of a street or a person, or really of anything, you will respond to art only sluggishly."

Because of this open attitude to the world, he can write the words that follow:

"I like to say that contemporary art consists of all art works, five thousand years or five minutes old, that physically exist in the present.  We look at them with contemporary eyes, the only kinds of eyes that there ever are."

St. Emilion

St. Emilion.  Funny how cubism was invented in France.  12x16 oil on canvas.

It Was All Gold

Late in the day yesterday I went walking up the road into the hay field.  The sun was just on the edge of the mountains behind me when I sketched this row of hay bales.  The front circle of hay was lit up like a cigarette end.   On the way up the field I met a person coming down who was walking his dog.  He had a camera around his neck.  I asked if he took any good pictures.  He said that it was "all gold."  9x12, pencil on paper.

Old World Urban Geometry

You can easily tell you aren't in Brooklyn.  It's a different kind of urban geometry in the old world.  What you see here is Rue Rossetti approaching Place Rossetti in Nice old town where the cathedral is located.  It's a cubist space with overlapping verticals, light coming from different sources, and surprising shadow shapes.  9x12 oil on panel.

So Much Geometry

Urban subjects are appealing to paint, whether it's Brooklyn or Nice,  because there's so much variety, color, and contrast. Not to mention the geometry.  Oops!  I said it.  This is a view of Atlantic Avenue near Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn.  9x12 oil on panel.

Posing With A Smart Phone

A quick oil sketch of the model from the last figure painting/drawing session, proving once and for all, that one can look at a smart phone even without clothes.  16x12 oil on panel.

Flying, Jumping and Bouncing in Nice

A view in Nice old town where I painted on site earlier this year.  This painting depicts the intersection of Rue de la Croix with Rue de la Loge which becomes Rue Saint-Joseph.  The streets are narrow, and when a car or small truck comes flying up, one has to jump out of the way.  The sunlight bounces off everything.  9x12 oil on panel.

Slowly Emerging

I continue to work on this slowly emerging view of Nice old town from Chateau Hill.  9x12 oil on panel.

A Paradox

Distant views intrigue me because one can see a lot, and at the same time see very little.  This paradox gets amplified in painted distant views.  One sees a lot but it's all paint.  I especially like the distant views from Chateau Hill in Nice.  I'm reminded of Cezanne's paintings of l'Estaque.  9x12 oil on panel.

One More Nice Painting

One more Nice painting, another view from the top of the steps at the end of Rue Rossetti, this time including the building at the top. It contains a niche with a statue of the Madonna and Child.  When I was painting there,  I learned that the stairs are used by many visitors to reach the Chateau Hill.  People would ask me for directions in hesitant French.  I replied in more hesitant French, unless I heard English on the way up.  12x16 oil on panel.

Up In Nice

In Nice, at the end of Rue Rossetti, in old town, there are steps with a name, Escalier Jules Eynaudi, that have several large landings from which one can paint.  This is a view from the top landing.  I painted there several times earlier this year.  The steps lead to a walled pedestrian street, Montee du Chateau, which takes you up higher.  12x16 oil on panel.

An Oddball in Nice

A view down the short Rue Sainte-Claire in Nice old town.   The paintings on my easel are changing fast.  This studio painting depicts a view I painted a couple times on site last March.  There was a torn and indecipherable banner hanging high across the narrow street.  At this corner I encountered a man who would stop every few feet, cross himself and pray.  Everybody ignored him.  I saw him again later acting normally, and he nodded to me in recognition.  I may have seemed like the oddball to him with my easel, painting in a corner against the convent wall.  12x16 oil on panel.

A Nice Try

Here's what's currently on my easel, a painting of Nice old town.  I painted this view on site several times last year.  What you see here are five or six story (or higher) apartment buildings on the side of a hill that slopes down to the tourist area where all the shops and restaurants are located.  You also can see across the entire city to the hills and mountains beyond.  If you turn around, you can take the stairs to climb higher to the Chateau Hill.  This view is from a little plaza next to the Chapelle de la Visitation Sainte-Claire. 14x18 oil on canvas.

Details Vanish

A view of Nevins Street approaching Douglass Street in Brooklyn.  Looking towards the lowering winter sun, one has to cover the light to see any details.  Details vanish into the shadows. 12x16 oil on panel.

Eye-Appealing Grit

This one's been on the easel for a week, so today I "finished" it: a view of Bond near President in Brooklyn.  This neighborhood is transitioning fast but still has eye-appealing grit.  12x16 oil on panel.

Drawing What's Around You

Even when babysitting one's grandson, there are opportunities to draw if you remembered to bring along a sketchpad or two.  You can just draw what is around you.

The Ever Changing Temporary Fence

A painting of a fence, a sidewalk, and a building on Carroll Street in Brooklyn, near Fourth Avenue.  This is actually a view of what it looked like over six years ago, even though I completed the painting today.  Google Street View of this spot goes back to June, 2009, with several iterations since then.  A plywood fence was present from at least 2011 to at least 2014.  The most interesting thing for me is how the temporary plywood fence changed over this several year period, going through several paint colors, graffiti, and different signage. This view is from April, 2013.  It's not just the buildings that change over time, but even the temporary structures.   9x12 oil on linen panel.

"NOPE"

A view on Bergen Street approaching Classon Avenue in Brooklyn.  Somebody found the graffiti on the left not to their liking so they painted it out and wrote "NOPE" underneath.  Anti-graffiti graffiti.  I'd like to think that I give the word "NOPE" a larger meaning, but I'm not sure what that is.  12x16 oil on panel.

Used and New

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the number of paintings I have, so I've been selecting unfavorites and painting over them.  There's something nice about working on a used surface.  I scrape it down a bit first.  Here's a new, freshly painted view of Sackett Street from Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn.  It's a late afternoon winter painting.  12x16 oil on panel.

The Shadows

The shadows created by buildings blocking the sunlight contrasting with sunlit areas have been appealing to me lately.  Here also the dark flag and diamond sign stand out against the bright sky.  The shapes of urban settings become exciting formal elements.  The view is Grand Avenue facing north towards Bergen Street in Brooklyn.  12x16 oil on panel.

Studio Sinks

Last summer I conducted a plein air class for the IS183 art school on the grounds of the Daniel Chester French studio.  On a very rainy day, we had to settle for painting indoors in the main IS183 painting studio.  During the length of the session, between visits to every student, I painted the studio sinks, which were already covered with plenty of paint.  9x12 oil on linen mounted to panel.

Though, Though

Today the sun was shining.  It was chilly.  And I thought I'll just go out and make a quick, little painting.  This simple thing took a while though, though I like it's... ah... simplicity.  Sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to do.  I was on the North path at Field Farm in Williamstown, MA, facing south.  9x12 oil on panel.

A Favorite Street in Brooklyn

Atlantic Avenue is one of my favorite streets in Brooklyn.  This view shows the Shuttle bridge near Franklin Avenue.  I used only three colors: ultramarine blue, raw umber, and yellow ochre for this one.  12x16 oil on panel.

Fourth Avenue and President

A painting of the intersection of Fourth Avenue and President Street in Brooklyn facing east.   12x16 oil on panel.

Halloween Under The Gowanus Expressway

Today I visited the Southern Vermont Arts Center to see the current exhibition.  I missed the opening so I wanted to see where my large painting "Beneath the Gowanus Expressway" was hanging.  The SVAC just held a "Halloween on the Hill" day, so the decoration was still there and fit in with my painting.  I don't know how intentional it was, but the bottles and the underpass seem to go together.  The bottles have labels such as "Wing of Bat," "Arsenic," "Witches Brew," "Red Blood," and "Poison."  I should have received the best background painting award.

The Fragility of Things Beautiful

A painting about the fragility of things beautiful.  9x12 oil on linen panel.

A Great Advantage in Vermont

This afternoon I went to Pownal, Vermont to paint.  It was a bit windy but my gear stayed in place without my having to hold it while I painted, a great advantage.  You can see that it was a beautiful day.  12x16 oil on linen panel.

Hanging On

The sun was bright, the wind was blowing, and the clouds were scudding...  I've always liked that word.  Here's a slightly different view of the top of Sloan Road and the distant Hopper, with some brilliant leaves hanging on, from this afternoon.   12x12 oil on panel.

A Different View

The previously posted painting is the typical view, so to get something different I moved my easel down the hill to where a group of bright leaves was hanging on in front of the mountain.   The Hopper is no longer visible but Mount Greylock looms in the back.  12x9 oil on linen panel.

A Good Day To Be Out Painting

Late this morning I did indeed return to the view of Mount Greylock from Sloan Road in Williamstown, MA.   Not a cloud in the sky for the entire day.  It was like heaven.  One wishes it could last forever, or at least for a while.   Several people driving by stopped to tell me it was a good day to be out painting!  I guess they meant for me to be out painting.  9x12 oil on linen panel.

An Affront

If the weather is agreeable, I'll spend more time at this location this week: the top of Sloan Road looking east towards the Hopper and Mount Greylock.  A well-situated telephone pole seems to "affront" the majestic mountain.  9x12 oil on linen.

Cezanne at Mauserts Pond

Fall is a great season in which to paint outdoors.  I visited Mauserts Pond again this morning.  The sky was cloudless and blue.  The pond reminded me of Cezanne's paintings of l'Estaque.  9x12 oil on linen.

A Canal in Amsterdam

A canal in Amsterdam.  9x12 oil on canvas.

Figure Painting

A recent figure painting. 16x12 oil on linen panel.

Just A Bit

On Thursday after completing the first painting, I turned to the right just a bit, and painted a second one.  I would have turned more to the right again after that, since another painting presented itself, but I didn't have any more panels.  The scene awaits the next opportunity, if only the leaves would last a little longer.  This week has seen the peak of the fall foliage, the best for a few years.  9x12 oil on linen.

Not A Tree

A drawing from a couple weeks ago.  Not all my drawings depict trees. 12x9 pencil on paper.

The Brilliant Sunshine

The weather forecast originally called for clouds and possible rain, but the brilliant sunshine lured me to Sheep Hill again.  I went to a small, flat, out-of-the-way spot that I painted from several years ago.  It's easy to get to, but more difficult to climb out of afterwards.  I was huffing and puffing when I finally reached my car, after completing my two paintings.  I should have brought more panels.  This is the first painting. 9x12 oil on linen.

Edges

Another drawing from last week when I was scouting out the farm at the end of Hopper Road for painting the next day.  This tree resides at the edge between the pasture and the hay field.  I went under the barbed wire to stand in the pasture.  This pasture is interesting because it's located right at the edge of the woods, partly in and partly out.  Edges in drawings and edges in reality.  12x9 pencil on paper.