Birth of a Tree (drawing...)

So here is a drawing process for you. I have been experimenting in the studio with drawing effects and have come up with a mixed-media approach that is making me very happy. The final surface is rich with process and almost patina-like effects. I have been very inspired by the work of Larry Thomas in California; he has a series of monumental drawings that are amazing. Johanna and Shirley at Akamai Art here in Port Townsend were instrumental in helping me figure this out.

The first three images are straight up charcoal on watercolor paper. At this point I realize I have made a critical compositional error in the diagonal branch at the top right hand side of the piece, which detracted from the overall movement. Image 4 shows how much I was able to erase but, by image 5, I have employed a layer of Acryla Gouache (Holbein) to cover the mistake. Aaah, gouache. The artist's whiteout.

Next I fixed the holy living hell out of it so that I could apply a layer of clear gesso without lifting the charcoal. Clear gesso has tooth to it that colored gesso does not, a perfect layer to seal in the first layers of charcoal and be able to work more layers on top. This is fundamental as the next multitude of layers include more vine charcoal and oil washes. I used about 10 layers of oil washes, which involve a little tiny bit of paint in a ton of pale drying oil and mineral spirits. This serves to encase the charcoal and gives the drawing that luster I mentioned.

This process is very happy-making. It feels like encaustic as you are sealing in various layers; both watercolor and oil painting; and drawing.

The last image is a detail, in which you can kind of see what a cool surface this is.

"The Grove" is 25"x38" in size, available unframed for $125.

Dawn

Drawings

New work, done as part of my graduate studies. I have been thinking about trees a lot, easy to do when you live up here.

When I was finding myself again last summer, I went to visit my friends in Novato, CA. I spent hours walking the dry California hills above their house, delighting in the isolation, the views, nature above giant tracts of humanity. I also delighted in the trees. Weird, oddly shaped trees, trees I was not familiar with. These trees make me think of European myths and about dryads and tree entities, beings being trapped in trees or becoming trees, trees becoming people. Some of their forms are so surreal they look like mythical beings. Some of them just Feel powerful.

Inspired greatly by Larry Thomas, I began some larger drawings on good paper. It feels great to be drawing “seriously” again.

This first image “Lost and Found” (top) is supposed to be non-representational, though I began with source photography. I fought the image of the bird that kept reemerging until, finally, I realized it needed to be there. This piece is charcoal and pastel on Stonehenge paper, 22x30" in size.

The second piece, “California Trees” (middle) is from a very complicated image, vast patterns of branches. I remember at the time thinking about the patterns of light and shadow as a language spoken by nature. Also charcoal and pastel on Stonehenge, 22x30" in size.

“Offering” (bottom) is a looser quicker image, influenced by the joy of a new paintbrush (Liquitex Freestyle Paddle brush = too cool!) The immediacy of ink and concentrated watercolor and a springy brush gave me freedom. I did not draw this out ahead of time. The focal point of the lighter branch resembles a dryad, she and her tree. This was not intentional but fits. "Offering" is on Rives BFK, 22x30" in size.

Each of these drawings are available unframed for $100 each.

Dawn