More pine cones

For reasons described in an earlier post, I have a thing for pine cones. Readers will also know that I have a similar sort of affection for sea shells, loose feathers and odd rocks.

Here is a larger painting, 30 x 36 inches, oil on Belgian linen. I did this a year ago looking at pine cones and the shadows they cast in the sunlight through a nearby window. I liked the way the pine cones and thier shadows seemed to dance in a line against the sunlight.

The painting is titled, "Bear Mountain Boogie Woogie."

Re-evaluation

Above is a painting I did almost three years ago. Oil on linen, 9 x 12 inches. I didn't think much of it at the time but came across it recently and, looking at it fresh, felt better about it. My wife, Renee, does not care for the odd assemblage of subject matter, but when I did it I was thinking about how much I admired the work of mid-20th century artist and art director Walter Murch.

Murch did some wonderful paintings that one might call industrial still-life. As an illustrator he did covers for magazines like Fortune. In his fine art, Murch was not afraid to combine disparate objects into a painting that left people wondering what the odd combination meant. His seemed to be a representational artist's response in the conversation about surrealism.

By the light which defines them

My father used to pick up pine cones while he hiked looking for birds. I don't know what recommended certain pine cones for transport back to our house. Among the thousands along his path a few came back and tended to end up on dresser tops and mantle pieces. I will admit to being partial to them in the same way.

He also picked up the odd bird feather, stone or seashell. All that looking at the ground for things to pick up, it's a wonder he ever saw the birds he claimed to be looking for. Maybe his neck hurt from looking up in the sky so much and scanning the ground below was a nice change of pace.

Carnival in Web World

Alan Taylor, a web developer for Boston.com, has assembled a really beautiful collection of 39 photos from around the world, centered on the theme of Carnival. The costumes are astounding, the exuberance is contagious and the photography is mesmerizing. And, no, they're not all from Rio. See the photos in large format, here.

Quiz

How much art history do you know? Can you recognize and correctly identify 25 self-portraits by famous artists of the past? Here's a fun quiz created by Artists Online. Click the link, here. On the site you can roll your mouse over the image of an individual painting for an identification. (Full disclosure: I got 22 of 25 correct.)

I'm never sure whether our model, Cathy, is dozing or just peering through those squinty eyes. If I were her, holding a pose like this all afternoon, I know I'd be dozing.

She is the daughter of one of the original Disney animators and grew up in California. At a fairly young age she was posing for the animators doing the sequential poses they required to put together first generations of cartoons.

She's also done voice-over work for animation as well. She joins a long list of notable models at the Art Students League in New York. Models that reportedly included, at various times, Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston and Madonna. I believe Kevin Bacon modeled here as well at one point.

Most, however, are not famous. But, New York being New York, the job has attracted a great many actors and dancers who could use an income between jobs.

Work in progress

This is a bit larger than I have been working. It's 24 x 20 inches and it's a gallery wrap canvas. I don't know why I got that kind of canvas. While I do like the thickness and substantial heft of the gallery wrap, it's a pain in the butt to frame.

The subject is my 26 year old son, a sergeant, crew chief and flight instructor in the Army. He joined the Army in July of 2001, just months before 9/11.

He has served in South Korea and Iraq as well as Fairbanks, Alaska. He's escorted Condoleezza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld and various other generals and dignitaries at various times. He lives and breathes Blackhawk helicopters.

I am grateful that Peter returned in one piece from 15 months in one of Iraq's deadliest cities. I think he is grateful for that as well.

Over Christmas my wife and I visited him and our daughter-in-law in Virgina where he is now stationed. After postings in Kirkuk, Iraq and Fairbanks, Alaska, it's nice to have him a little closer to home. This summer he and Amanda are planning a trip to Niagara Falls during which they'll spend some time with us here on Long Island.