Nana

Our family has lost our matriarch, Nana. She lived to the old age of 99 and enjoyed a wonderful life. I miss her already and am reminded everyday to enjoy what I have now so I can look back at almost 100...should I live that long...and say as she did to my brother, "I've had a wonderful life. I married the man I love and got everything I wanted." This is from a woman who lived through the Great Depression and many other of lifes' trials but as I am sure with a positive mindset through it all. We love you Nana and are so glad you can rest in piece with PopPop!

Updated Portrait

I have added some detailing and deeper values. Still have some tweaking to do but see what you think. The first image is taken with no flash under yellow light. The second is with no flash outside at dusk. I really need to focus on my photography for a bit I think!

FINISHING OLD PROJECTS

I have been neglectful in posting as I have been busy in finishing up some older projects that got left by the wayside for one reason or another. this is an oil painting I started of my niece but two years later I am just finishing! It has an acrylic under painting and oil washes on top. So far I am pleased but I definitely have to tweak places and do final touch-ups.

Jen, 12"x36", oil on canvas, 2008

detail of "Jen", dress

detail of "Jen", head

Nothing Completed

If you keep track of this blog you have probably already realized I hardly ever seem to have anything completed. That fact is not true but what is true is that I ALWAYS have many projects in progress and hardly ever get enough time to work on them! Here is one that will be the beginning of an installation I hope to install in a gallery that will have me. this is called the Karma Sutra quilt....for obvious reasons. It is made in the traditional wedding ring style of quilting yet I have added text and figures derived from the Karma Sutra. This piece is only a part of a whole. The concept behind the installation is, What is Pure? I am questioning traditional assumptions about "purity", the use of white in this context and also the medias representation of purity through the use of the color white. I am always interested in creating juxtapositions in my work to create a kind of tension. I think this piece illustrates that.

Karma Sutra wedding quilt, cotton and silk, २००८

detail from Karma Sutra quilt illustrating text within a circle

detail of embroidered figures