I started working on these about six months ago. The first few looked like a five year old painted them. I mostly did studies and didn't try to finish anything right away. I had to completely re-learn how to paint because I couldn't do a dark line drawing like I do in my still-life work...I have been taking process photos so those will be coming soon!
I am also working on much larger paintings. I figured I would stay small until I got used to painting them.
These two are headed off to Scottsdale Fine Art in AZ.
I love Baseball. It is the only sport left I actually watch once in a while. I like it because it seems to be the only "big" sport that doesn't involve running back and forth for three hours. Football (American and European) - running back and forth. Basketball - running back and forth, Hockey - skating back and forth, Tennis - running side to side, Lacrosse - Running back and forth while carrying a stick...you get the idea...But not Baseball - If you are lucky enough to hit the ball then you run for about three seconds and then stop for a few minutes. If someone else manages to hit it you run again for another three seconds and even if you get home and score, you probably won't have to do it again for at least forty five minutes...It's much more my kind of game.
I haven't painted one of these in about a year. I really enjoy doing them. I'll describe the point again so anyone new to this blog doesn't have to go searching through old posts to get the point.
The first two apples in the painting are just the drawing stage. The two apples in the middle have one day of painting. That is how they would look if I didn't glaze them with richer color. The last two apples are completely finished. It's a painting about the progression of a painting.
Those of you who were in one of my figure drawing classes might notice the use of the "High Focus Drawing" in the Apples. I always try to get as much rhythm into them as I can.
When I am painting, the music I choose is VERY important to my work. It is probably the only area of my life where I come close to being superstitious. If a song comes on and I paint well to it, it becomes part of my playlist, If I paint badly when the song is on, it will never get played again! I really think the music I have on affects my work greatly. Sarah McLachlan is the most important musician to my work. It's to the
point that when I get into a jam in a painting, and things aren't going
well, I put one of her CD's on and like magic, I paint well again. I
once listened to one of her cd's for six straight months while I was
trying to finish "Almost", a difficult mask painting. By the last month of my working on it people visiting my studio were saying "Will you finish that damn painting so we can turn that CD off!"
A Link to VOX Live by Sarah McLachlan:
I have different playlists depending on the painting I am working on. When I painted "Reels" I listened to Music from the 1930's to 1950's. Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, and Perry Como, who I think is underrated in comparison to the others mentioned. I would say half of the music I listen to everyday is music from this time period.
Perry Como - Magic Moments: The happiest song I have ever heard...
When I am working on the "Wave" paintings I listen to alot of Jimmy Buffett. His songs are fun and it's hard to be in a bad mood when he is on. I think it comes through in the waves. He is hard to avoid hearing anyway if you live in Florida. Actually I like any song that has a beach sound to it...
I do try to listen to music that fits the mood of the painting I am working on. If I were painting a box of rocks, I would listen to Madonna.
Knee Deep - Zack Brown & Jimmy Bufffett
One of my other favorites is someone most people have never heard of. Her name is Shannon Worrell. Her first album, Three Wishes, was released in 1994 and was recorded in a basement studio in Northern Virginia. Both Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds worked on the first album with her and Dave actually sings on a song or two. I think it is one of the best records ever made and I have no idea why she is not more famous. Below is a link to her work on Amazon and a clip from youtube, I encourage everyone to listen for yourself.
I also find that Sting keeps getting better and better the more I
listen to him. I heard Ozzy once say that he wakes up and sometimes
thinks to himself "At least I'm not Sting" ...I might wake up and think
"At least I'm not Ozzy" who I don't listen to while working.
Which reminds me of a few other types of music I don't listen too. I never listen to any music that "yells" at me. If I want to hear screaming, I'll go home...just kidding, but I don't like any song that creates anxiety while I am trying to paint. No Rap, or Heavy Metal. Not that those genres don't have merit, I just don't like listening to them while I am working. I can't listen to Classic Rock anymore. Done - never again. I've reached my limit. I have friends who only listen to Classic Rock. I don't get that either. If I hear the Eagles, Skynard, Led Zep, ACDC, etc one more freakin time...500 times is enough times to hear any one single song...and every Memorial Day some station plays "The Greatest 500 Songs of All Time" and people listen like the list is going to change. "Well Johnny, Stairway was number two last year, and Lola was number one, maybe it will be number one again this year." - yeah, tell me tomorrow, I won't be listening.
NEVER with headphones. I see pictures all the time of painters working with headphones on. I never understood how that isn't a complete distraction.
I tried listening to audio books for a while and found that I was listening to the book and not concentrating fully on painting so I had to stop. I still listen to them in the car though to balance it out.
I also love listening to music I have never heard of. Feel free to post a comment of some of your favorites!!
I'm sure there is a bunch of stuff I am leaving out but that will have to do for now...
I received this email this morning. I had a feeling it was from the scammer, but I played along for the first email just in case...
Date: Tue, 14 May 2013 09:34:53 +0100 From: ca_grantrow@yahoo.com Subject: Am interested in buying your painting "A Box of Tarnished Silver" 40 x 32 Oil on Linen, 2009 To: info@clintonhobart.com
Hello,
These particular artwork of yours that you have for sale, is it still available,if yes let me have the detailed price.
Regards, Carol
My First Response:
Hi Carol,
Thank you for your interest. "A Box Of Tarnished Silver" is valued at $14,000. It needs to be framed.
Feel free to call if you have any further questions Clinton
The Scammer:
Hello,
Thanks for your prompt reply.
I tried calling your phone# but didnt get through. sure i'll make a try later when im free.
Unfortunately,
Im on my way to Mexico on an official trip(I'm a marketing Executive)
and wont be back for another two weeks, I would have come to inspect the
piece personally. Im taking your word for true on It though.
I'm okay with the price $14,000,
I think it worth it anyway. If you'd like to know, Im relocating
to the South Africa soon and I'm trying to gather some good stuff for
my new abode. Im buying yours amongst others,quickly! before someone
else grabs it.So, I'll arrange to send you payment ASAP.
However,
I'll have to notify my shipper who's helping me move my stuff to get
set for the pickup of the piece from your place as I MIGHT be delayed
depending on how things goes.
Thanks,
PS:
In the mean time, kindly get back to me with your Full Name,Contact
Address so I can get a check prepared and have it sent out to you ASAP.
Regards, Carol
At this point I have completely lost my patience with these people. I put a curse on the Chinese who ripped me off and got called a racist so I figured I would make it my signature so everyone knows I am all for equality...
Hi Carol,
Let me guess, you are going to send me a cashiers check! And then pay me more then I asked for if I send you a grand. Ask my friend Peter Glendover how that went.
You are a criminal. You should be exterminated like the insect you are. You steal from people. Go get a job you lazy piece of garbage. I make something. I work hard, and you want to steal from me?! Why don't you try to help people instead of hurting them.
I put a curse on you. Every time you send this email to someone, three of the hairs on your body, starting with your head, will fall out and never grow back. After that your eyebrows, until you get to your feet. If I see a completely bald asshole walking around I'll know it's you.
Best, Clint
Part of me hopes they try again so I can see how creative I can get with the curses... I hope I don't need to mention this but I actually have no special powers what so ever...nothing, not psychic, no voodoo, no magic, zero, zip, nada, none - I'm just screwing with them.
Hello Folks! We all know there is more to life then just painting, although some days it's hard to prove. I often find myself painting for twelve to fourteen hours a day which doesn't leave alot of time to stay in shape. I don't like being fat either so working out is just something that has to get done. I had found that when I plan to workout for an hour, it always seems to turn into a three hour workout. I find myself checking emails watching a youtube video, etc...everything besides the darn workout. What I realized was that many days I was actually only working out for ten minutes so I figured why not just workout for ten straight minutes without stopping? How hard can that be? It's ten minutes! I actually have a stopwatch so that I can time certain exercises and then not let the workout go beyond 10 minutes. Because I get bored so easily, and I wanted the time to pass I decided to do a bunch of exercises all in a row, all really fast, and hold them for ten seconds or ten reps. Sometimes I do different things. What is important is to do as many as you can in ten minutes and then you are done. I have a book on Yoga poses, sometimes I do some of those. There are some exercises I change and some I do every day. For some that change I might Google "Yoga Poses". I have some books and do some things I remember from somewhere. Some of the exercises I always include are: Push-ups and sit-ups! They are a must even if I only do ten of each. Sometimes I just hold the position on the right for ten seconds. It's great if you can't do a push-up yet. If you need me to post a picture of a sit-up, you are already in a bit of trouble... To the left is a pose I like to hold for 30 seconds...nah, I'm just screwing with you...I don't even think that is a real photo, no one can do that, well, at least I can't anyway. What I do looks a bit like the photo below. It's called "Crow Pose" When you get good at it they upgrade the name to "Crane Pose" - I have no idea why. I can hold it for about ten seconds before I fall on my ass, which is a good day considering the other way you can fall doing this.
I try to do at least three stomach exercises. Many people don't realize that if you get lower back pain it is often not a sign of a bad back, but rather a weak stomach. I try to always include "lunges". They are really good for getting the blood flowing in the legs. To the left is a picture of a "lunge". I do them without the weights, and
without the butterfly tattoo on my ankle, neither are really necessary to doing the exercise. Speaking of unnecessary, I don't go to yoga classes either. I don't like sweating in a crowd and the last time I went to one, it was just an old white guy with a beard, wearing some sheets and a funny hat, telling stories about the week he spent in India...I thought, I can do this at home.
To the right is a standard "plank pose". It's kind of a repeat of the push-up
pose but part of this is to help prevent getting bored so I like to add
as many as I can If you need more ideas here is a link to Esther Ekhart's youtube site. Out of all that I have watched she is my favorite... She has many videos on youtube for all different workouts...
I have different playlists depending on the painting I am working on. When I painted "Reels" I listened to Music from the 1930's to 1950's. Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, and Perry Como, who I think is underrated in comparison to the others mentioned. I would say half of the music I listen to everyday is music from this time period.
Push-ups and sit-ups! They are a must even if I only do ten of each. Sometimes I just hold the position on the right for ten seconds. It's great if you can't do a push-up yet.
To the left is a picture of a "lunge". I do them without the weights, and
without the butterfly tattoo on my ankle, neither are really necessary to doing the exercise.