On the train to New York enjoying the old factory buildings along the way. Here is one with some graffitti that blends in rather nicely with the old worn colors. There are some others in this series of railroad paintings in the links below.
There is an ominous grey purple under this pink cloud. Like so much in life that appears sweet and inocent on the surface there is a dark side waiting in the wings. In this case it's just a little rain.
On the highway again on a fog filled, rainy day. The gentle greys created by fog are interesting to paint. Each different surface has its own very subtle shade.
Just 5 days left to see Paintings from the Cyndwyd Trail at the Townhall Coffee Co. This painting was sold and carried off to Washington but has been replaced by another. Drop in and have a steaming cup of coffee or hot chocolate and see what Bill Ternay and I have created from our experience of the trail. Click link for particulars. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XtEhZ24ob0&list=UU0kTuj7G2coHnSXm8-pg-4g&index=4
This composition in many greys and yellow was challenging. What kept me going was that I increasingly felt that I was in a mysterious place in the rainy fog suspended in the moment two cars pass.
The warm sun lit stone with the cool greys of the fire escape and the blue shadows of the window frames chant a winter poem to ordinary things. A small vignette from St. Joe's campus.
While I'm waiting for a painting to dry I thought I would post my latest translation of music to color. I chose this Chopin Prelude because it is short, fairly slow (so I can hear all the notes) and dissonant. I want to see if the dissonance I hear actually looks dissonant when translated to color. This is a very sombre peice with several key changes. Very often there are two notes adjacent to each other. The colors make me uncomfortable. What do you think? Check it out one minute and 56 sconds.
“a third of the nation's 800 bird species are endangered, threatened or in significant decline.” This report highlights how climate change will further imperil bird species already under stress from habitat loss, invasive species and other environmental threats." The State of the Birds: 2010 Report on Climate Change. Birds are also hit by planes, fly into tall glass buildings and are victims of oil spills.
One of these birds from a manhole cover in Japan seems to be howling in distress at the death of this beautiful little bird while the other seems to be checking for life signs.
In the winter I follow the sun around my house to see what compositions it will create. In the afternoon it favors this shade and its pull. I like the way the whites in this composition make a nice counterpoint to the shadow play.
We are in the greyest part of winter with no snow to speak of to create those beautiful blue shadows. There are lovely combinations of browns and dark greens out there, but it is too cold to go out and really absorb them properly and for some reason photos don't seem to do them justice. So it is time to enjoy the light inside.
About 40 years ago I lugged this big old rocking chair from an apartment on the third floor of an old friend of my mother's who was moving. I had it covered in dark red plushy fabric and have been enjoying it ever since. It sits in my office-dressing-computer room now and is always there if I just need to sit down and rock a bit. The sun is in this room all morning and keeps me happy as it creates patterns of light on everything it touches.
This month I am showing paintings of the Cynwyd Trail with my friend Bill Ternay at the Townhall Coffee Shop in Merion. The opening is this Friday. Watch this video for details. Here is one of the paintings on exhibit. It is a view of Manyunk from the trail.
One day it is 2012 and the next it is 2013. We accept this convention, change calendars, and don't think much about our reliance on our concept of time.
Suppose we did not keep track of time the way we do with clocks and watches. What a different life it would be.
"I'll meet you when the sun is half way accross the western sky. If the sun isn't out we will meet when it is." "When the sun sets at the bottom of the street we will have our annual dance of the neighbors. This has been going on for 100 sunsets and we have celebrated for 42 of those." "We will have our party when the next half moon occurs ...or planning ahead, after we have had 4 full moons."
We would always be outside looking up to see what our lives would hold instead of being inside checking the clock. Or perhaps we would be guided by the condition of the earth.."when the dew is dry we will have coffee...or when the larkspur blooms we will meet again". Who knows what it would be like or what it was like before "time".
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