After what seems like a very short time away from the studio, although it actually was not such a quick break, it feels so good to be painting again. Started in the Fall but finished this morning, a rather anxious trout. Acrylic on canvas. 12 x 24"
Spring Green
Looking ahead to Spring. Amaryllis and Green. Acrylic on canvas. 24 x 24". In desperate need of some color.
Gorgeous Color
Gorgeous, much needed color. A series of abstract paintings from a class I taught last night at the Garden Education Center.
More Foam Plate Printing
More foam plate printing. The March Hare tries to steal the annual egg before the Easter Bunny can get to it.
Founder's Day Parade
Just about a week ago, right before the Socchi trip, the Design Studio was in San Francisco for the annual Founder's Day Parade. Lancelot was honored to be chosen as the parade's Grand Marshal. In keeping with Lancelot's new position as "Creative Lifestyle Ambassador" for the well known grocery chain "Kale and Hearty", Lancelot chooses the theme of tropical goodness for the 2014 carnival.
Persimmon and Crows
Too much snow, too many cancelled classes. The only thing to do is to paint and draw and remember how wonderful Japan was. Sketch book page showing part of a temple roof and a gang of crows greedily eying the last persimmon.
Agile and Lancelot at Sochi
As good will ambassador for the natural food chain "Kale and Hearty" Lancelot naturally carries their bags while enjoying the Sochi Winter games.
Stuck Inside
Yet another snow day. The longest Winter. Having spent part of the day shoveling I decided it was time to a quick, summery landscape to remind myself that sometime soon I will be back walking on the beach..... Acrylic. 12 x 12.
Chinese Landscape Painting
I had planned to be done with snow but this winter had other plans.....A landscape based on a painting, " Calm Snowy World, White Sky" by Hong Yuzi, 1753, which in turn was based on a painting in the seminal work, "The Mustard Seed Garden", A treatise on Chinese landscape painting, from 1679. Double page journal spread, watercolor, depicting our home in the Mianus river valley. Meanwhile we are in the midst of what looks to be the worst snow storm of the entire winter.
Wistfully Thinking of Warmer Climes
It's about this time in the New Year that I start to plan our annual visit to the SouthWest. Time to switch color palettes too. View of the rocks near Ghost Ranch.
Disgraced Ground Hog
Having accurately predicted 6 more weeks of winter the Ground Hog has few friends left. Lancelot feels P Phil totally reneged on their understanding .Print from a "Presto Foam" printing plate. Acrylic ink
Hoping for Leftovers
Hawks at the seaside, hoping for leftovers. Once a tidal island but now connected to the mainland, Enoshima is rather like a tiny Mont St Michel, complete with its own pilgrimage sites. Popular as a fishing destination, it attracts more than its fair share of hawks who hover optimistically, hoping for scraps. Walking along the causeway one can often see Mt Fuji rising into the clouds.
Mount Fuji
On a clear, cold day, if you are very lucky and you happen to be in the right spot you can sometimes catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji. Of course it is very lucky if you do.
Same Idea, Different Finish
Another possibility from last week's class. Starry sky and a thoughtful owl. 12 x 12. Acrylic
More important than Davos...
More important than Davos. Lancelot is called upon to be chief negotiator with Punxsutawney Phil regarding the Ground hog's appearance on February 2nd. Marshaling his strongest arguments Lancelot tries to persuade P. Phil to call an early end to winter....
Winter Sky
And now a brief break from Japan. Last week I taught a " Start to Finish in 2 hours "painting class at the Garden Education Center of Greenwich. Not one of my regular classes but a special one off, primarily for beginners. We did a starry sky with lots of open ended possibilities for the finish. One possibility was a constellation so here is the Lepus. ( favorite animal naturally.). acrylic on canvas, 12 x 12 "
Another Good Luck Cat
Another hopefully lucky cat. With Winter trying to squeeze all life and warmth out of us, we need everything life affirming that we can get. Tiny collage, 5 x 7", acrylic on antique Japanese paper.
The Lucky Cat
According to Japanese tradition, every business should have a Beckoning Cat to welcome in good fortune. Such a creature is especially welcome in the New Year. Here is a friendly cat, already to welcome in health and prosperity. Ink and collage. At the beginning of my 2013/2014 Japan Sketch book. It was much too cold to sketch outside at the time and part of the pleasure of any trip is the remembering afterwards.
Camellias
Camellia studies on Japanese paper and a little pile of fabric scraps calling to be sewn into something .
Somewhat belated - New Year's cards for the Year of the Horse
The Year Of The Horse.
