Long Series #996.

#996.

This is #996. in a Long Series of 1000, 12×12 inch mixed media paintings. Today I completed the series, and it’s a strange feeling to be done. I started the project in January 2009, and completed it at 10:45 am June,16, 2011.

I will post the final painting soon.

Long Series #995.

#995.

#995 in a Long Series of 12×12 inch mixed media paintings. I have 5 paintings to go. Many of the painting incorporate irregular edges as part of the design. Accidents that happened as I painted often added to the texture and pattern of each painting.

An Artist’s Bookshelf Review. Viva Picasso.

Bookshelf.

I’ve had a long love of books, and some of my most prized books are art books. This is a review of books from my collection that can be found on shelves in my studio. I will provide links when possible.

Picasso's studio.

Viva Picasso is another used-bookstore-find that I was familiar with, having borrowed the book from the Holland College library many years ago, and I was happy to be able to purchase a copy of my own. It was published in1980 as a centennial celebration of the life of Picasso, and the photographs and text are by David Douglas Duncan. The text is fairly simple and mostly describes the photographs with a bit of information about the photographer’s relationship with Picasso. The black and white photos are what the book is all about and they are beautiful. They show Picasso at home and working in his studio, and they are surprisingly personal, more like private snapshots rather than staged or formal portraits.

Picasso.

When I look at these photographs of Picasso in his studio what I’m most impressed with is the huge amount of work he kept around him. At first the images of his studio seem to show a completely unordered and chaotic environment. Yet when I look closer I see a lifetime of work and memories feeding the creative process, and everything has its place; nothing is really forgotten or uncared for. We see a man driven to work and painting wonderful things. I love this book and if you are a fan of Picasso you might love it too.

Picasso's studio.

Viva Picasso.