this drawing pleases me.  i should track it down.  mixed media with foil on canvas.

it's snowing today.  these Sarto sandals had a lot of fun in the sun.

best,

stay snug.

will be on a posting binge today.

lots of stuff to share!

deb.

big brush, 20 minutes

my friend Kay stopped by yesterday afternoon for a few minutes.  i asked her to sit while i set up a palette.  4 colors:  cad yellow medium, phtalo blue cobalt hue, cad red medium and alizarin (wanted grumbacher red, but i'm out; hence the 2 reds) and white.  twenty minutes a 2 inch brush and this is the result.  i've already started rubbing some of the profiles so that i can work on it some more.  

i have not set up a full palette in a long time, as a lot of the work during the past year or so  required small batches of color, mixed each time i started to work.  it felt good to move my eyes and arms as Kay kept moving around too (she is very animated.).   

the challenge for me is to keep the paint 'fresh' as  the work develops.  

can't remember the last time i worked from a model.  should do this more often, just to keep the motor

skills sharp.  did not reach a 'calgon take me away' moment, but had a blast thinking about nothing except what color is this, what direction is that, how does this relate to that,  and kiss (keep it simple stupid).

best,

deb.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/fatboy-cichlid-debbie-clarke.html

We called him "Fat Boy"

We had a 30 gallon community aquarium for quite a few years where this rare blue faced cichlid  grew to 10 inches or so by eating most of the other fish in the tank.  He consumed tetras, angel fish, silver dollars, guppies, zebras...he left the pleco alone...he ate the 5 inch crayfish too!  The painting of the cichlid known as "Fatboy" to us was completed in 1995, just before I turned my full time attention to glass commissions.  The media:  oil on portrait linen with metal leaf and irridescent mylar.  pentimento from the still life of pears and florals and dishes is evident, along with some crackling issues from scrapedowns.  the crackled layer is very thin, the underpaint is firmly attached to the substrate and in good condition.  the linen came from an endroll, unfortunately there is regular bleed through to the back of the linen.  the bleed is limited to the tack holes where it was attached to the loom.  

Fatboy was on display at The Bookstore of Gloucester for quite a few years.  He is missed; but their walls are full.  Janice has asked for cards.  my good friend K'esty has provided me with the photo.  I will upload it to my FineArtsAmerica site and make it available for sale as cards.

link later 

and

best to you

deb.

New Studio!

A room with a door and a few work walls.  after i remove some furniture, bedding, etc.  It will double as a guest room as needed.  I've been so hungry for space that I cannot wait for full clean up to start working.  I always open new work space with a self portrait.  Just  mixed up some egg paint.  off  to draw.

Happy New Year with beauty and bounty in all that you do.

best,

deb.

Art Blab

Last February we had an engagement party for my daughter Elizabeth and her Joshua.  Towards the end of the evening Elizabeth secretly recorded one of our conversations.  here's a short snippet.  we had a good laugh.

Kitchen Studio Tour

it starts in the dark.  a tour of my very messy work space.  it took 24 hours to
upload 8 minutes.   i really need to learn to hold the camera still.
best,
deb.