Cathyann's Studio

Recognition at Richeson75Landscapes...

2012-02-01T16:07:00.000-05:00

The International Rift 30 x 20 © 2011 C.L.Burgess
Bella Arte Gallery for purchase inquiries

I just learned that while I was not a finalist this go round, this work received meritorious recognition and will be published in the 2012 book of Richeson75 Landscapes Seascapes and Architecture 2012 competition.
It is my studio version of a smaller one done this summer. I worked with palette knife and brush.
It is on display at Bella Arte Gallery at this writing.

The small plein air version of it was posted last August.

As Martha Stewart might say..."it's a good thing".☺

Landscape: Crossover Light

2012-01-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

Crossover Light© 2012 C.L.Burgess 20 x 16 oil on linen

Largely done with the palette knife, this is another medium sized work with which I have been occupied, when not figuring out how to post my cover page on the new FBTimeline!
I noticed that quite a few of my friends out there have already got theirs down and out. Oh, the pressure.

This lighthouse sits on one of the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence Seaway between N.Y. and Canada. The day I took the resource photos was a glorious one in late afternoon near the end of my visit last summer.

ok...back to the computer for a bit.

Riverscape revisited:a Lift in the Fog

2012-01-24T15:54:00.000-05:00

A Lift in the Fog 2012 C.L.Burgess

oil on canvas 8 x 16

There is something so wonderful being able to live near water in all seasons of the year.

I have many photo resources from my numerous walks along the James river. This is looking towards the north 'west end' from the Huguenot Bridge as the sun rises over the fog on an early September morning. It was so very peaceful. These days, the bridge is always noisy as it is being rebuilt.

I have been immersed in reading about George Inness' work later in his life as a painter and I am so in awe of the spirit of the land he was able to convey. His later works are abstract in the sense that place, in my humble opinion, is more psychological than real, causing 'vibrations in the soul' to coin some thought from 20th century artist Kandinsky in his treatise Concerning the Spiritual in Art.

Inness was, in fact, absorbed and influenced by the writing of Emanuel_Swedenborg.

His tonal style of painting, and the absense of or mere suggestion of humans, lends the ethereal quality to his later landscapes.

I must confess that this painting is a redo. The original painting was in my first gallery show back in 2007. While the painting was ok for my intention at that time, it begged additional elements upon a recent self critique. And you know what happens when that happens, if you are a painter, correct?

I am satisfied today with this result and will continue to invoke the spirit of Mr.Inness for the time being. However, I won't totally abandon my palette knife, or a more gregarious use of color because I am having some fun with that and like the bravado it prods from my otherwise inclination to "fuss too much", but I will try to be patient with my search to convey accurately the emotion that moves me to lift the brush at all. Indirect or direct painting, that is always the question to lift out of the fog of information.

Seated Figure DPW challenge

2012-01-22T16:07:00.000-05:00

Reading Morning News©C.L.Burgess 2012 6x6 oil on panel

When I saw my friend Dana's challenge today, I just had to try it. A quick alla prima study with the palette knife instead of brush. To see other interpretations click here.

Wyoming sky landscape

2012-01-13T17:33:00.000-05:00

June at Togwotee Pass©2011C.L. Burgess 9 x 12 oil on wood

Yes, this was the sky in mid June of last year. Only if you are from Wyoming, on the way to Jackson, can you appreciate how the weather changes. We were headed out of Jackson toward Dubois. Beautiful, rugged country. Go visit my friend
Gary Keimig and check out his blog or Facebook for some stunning photography of where he resides and paints.

Landscape: A Soldier's Field

2012-01-11T18:10:00.000-05:00

A Soldier's Field©C.L.Burgess 2012 oil on masonite panel 6x6

Well this dreary day did help me accomplish something small but I am pleased with the result.
I spent much of the day staring out into my backyard and did several paintings of a tree that I like when it rains, but none of it worked...had no feeling, well at least not what I was feeling about it anyway. So out came the rag and I just swept 4 hours off the canvas and jumped head in to this image from a photo a friend sent me. I think this took less than an hour.
What can I say? Guess the time staring out the window worked afterall. And I love painting skies.

Kitchenware Still Life and a studio visit #2

2012-01-07T14:56:00.002-05:00

8x6 oil on canvas panel

I recently had a visit from a former student of mine, who brought a friend over to meet me, and spend an evening drawing with me.

It is so good to see the young men I used to teach all grown up and making their way into the world as adults. This particular evening he wanted to "just hang out" drawing with me and his friend revisiting the "old days" with Mrs. B.

I had fun teaching again since his friend wasn't an artist, and asked good questions. This is the set up I used.

I kept it simple in form and color. I got to draw ahead of the visit, then while they drew and I "observed", I painted this small work above and then we "played with pastels" and redrew larger what they began in pencil. I think we all had some quality time together.

What a fun beginning to 2012 in my studio. It was an "A+" experience.

Mountain Snow:Ringing in the New Year #1

2012-01-01T00:00:00.006-05:00

Mountain Snow Day ©2011C.L.Burgess oil on paper 4x11

There is something strong and hopeful about the following excerpt from the poem by Tennyson that speaks to me at each celebration of a New Year. Long ago, I loved singing in my high school chorus and it was one of my favorites.
This little painting was completed while enjoying the snow from inside, painting side by side with my grandchildren in Colorado,this past Christmas.

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Cheers! And good wishes to you all this 2012.

Happy Christmas to all.....

2011-12-08T15:39:00.000-05:00

My christmas greetings to all my friends near and far and my blogger buddies around the country and world.
I am taking a short break from posting for the rest of December. But Stay with me please?
I have posted, about the storm here in Richmond, on my personal Facebook wall but also
for a good sense of spirit and humor see my other facebook post:

December 4, 2011 Intercepted flight...

See you again for New Year's....cheers!

Maggie: portrait of Dog

2011-12-04T17:58:00.000-05:00

Maggie ©2011C.L.Burgess 8x8 oil on linen panelcommission/private collection

Another memorial painting of a good friend to man.
This is the last of the three promised dog paintings posted this week.

Beloved Friend

2011-12-01T08:37:00.000-05:00

Scooter©2011 C.L.Burgess oil on linen 6x8 private collection

To remember a playful and loving pet that graced my nephew's life.

Dog has his day

2011-11-29T10:01:00.000-05:00

Dog©2011 C.L.Burgess 6x8 oil on linen

Recently, I visited a gallery in Charleston SC and what caught and held my attention were some very beautiful paintings of course, but mostly a dog named Dog. We became instant friends. He invited me to scratch his belly as he lay upon an oriental rug. And he gave me a big smile for the photo op, so I just had to paint him.

I am a person whose company dogs seem to enjoy.
Even BIG dogs. Mostly BIG dogs. I am only 5 feet tall, so when approached by dogs that appear horse like, I am immediately concerned.
And they always want tongue kisses!!! Yikes.

But....I do have affection for these God-given spirits to people. How can I not?
How many people actually jump for joy when you enter a room? Squeal with delight to see you? Take you for walks on even the dreariest of days?

So this week will be my tribute to dogs week.
Got a few small paintings to "bark about", hee hee.
There will be about 3 finished paintings to share. Then back to the easel.

I will gladly accept commissions for your dog's portrait. 6x8 and larger.

Some other thoughts on the canine crowd:

"You can say any fool thing to a dog, and the dog will give you this look that says, `My God, you're RIGHT! I NEVER would've thought of that!'"
- Dave Barry
"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive."
- Gilda Radner
for more dog sayings go to this site I found :http://www.dogquotes.com/

Autumn Landscape en plein air

2011-11-14T10:31:00.001-05:00

oil 6x8 on linen panel

Clear skies and brilliant color are treats for the plein air painter's eye.

www.cathyannstudio113.com/

11-11-11 For the men and women who serve us....

2011-11-11T15:57:00.000-05:00

.....in all branches of our Armed forces today and those who have served in the past, to those who gave the ultimate and for those who came home broken in body and spirit:
Your brave and selfless sacrifice on our behalf will never be forgotten. Among the too many of recent past, my uncles, cousins and friends, and their families: my profound and deepest gratitude.

Salvaged: Some thoughts on a Still Life

2011-10-26T18:42:00.001-04:00

Bella Arte Gallery

When I thought of the title it was so very appropriate. To salvage is to rescue.

We artists, and most especially former art teachers make good use of things disposed, forgotten, unwanted, worn out, the flotsam and jetsam of life. I used to so admire the artist Louise Nevelson for that. She, taking the tossed out and about; breathing new life into the found object.

Maybe too, the symbolism herein could also be read differently, as we all bring something to the pieces as we look at art objects. What could the spent spider flower mean in this context? And the the weathered wood; was it used to support perhaps a porch roof? Or did the painter put those words there? Why are these objects precious enough to arrange and paint?

What story do these things hold for you?
Art tells stories. It really doesn't matter what that story is sometimes, once the artist gives it birth. The experience has already been had once. It is generously given now for others to ruminate over, write poems for, remember someone or something or somewhere; giving still, new birth to yet more art, perhaps.
Thank you, Louise.

p.s. I sold "the culprit" at the Mill show. Yay! you can stop holding your breath,:-).

Red Striped Camellia Still Life

2011-10-10T11:23:00.000-04:00

Red Striped Camellia©2011 C.L.Burgess16 x 12 oil on linen

The camellias in my yard are getting ready to bloom again. These were painted from my spring blossoms and hopefully gaining attention and a new home from the show Art at the Mill which ends this weekend.

I am especially looking forward to seeing the blooms this season, in stark contrast to the tree that was felled form Irene, not two feet away from it. Photos will follow. And of course, more paintings of camellias.

Still Life: A Sunny Disposition

2011-10-06T10:26:00.000-04:00

A Sunny Disposition©2011 C.L.Burgess oil 6x6 oil on board

After returning from seeing my best girlfriend, who lives in State College, PA I feel a rush of warmth. So what better way to express days well spent in the sunshine of friendship, in spite of the gray weather of the mountains that surrounded us during my stay.

On the way to lunch, we saw a field of sunflowers, boldly presenting their sunny faces against the steel blue, cold sky. A Cheers to us! from nature.
We made our own sunshine. This is my impression.

Child's Portrait: Fair of Face

2011-09-27T00:00:00.002-04:00

Fair of Face©2011 C.L.Burgess nfs 8x8

Well, it has been a while since I have posted a portrait. So here is one that has been in the wings. I am accepting commissions for these small sizes. Thinking of the perfect gift? This might be it! Holiday season approaching quickly..... get on the list before time runs out.
See my website for details.

Backbay Fishermen: Landscape oil painting

2011-09-20T00:00:00.002-04:00

Backbay Fishermen©2011 C.L.Burgess 20x20 canvas at Bella Arte Gallery

This a large painting based on a small plein air I did a while back. It is at the gallery and for sale. I love how the subject changes when it becomes larger. There is a freedom of brushstroke that is so much fun to employ.

Beach Cottage Moon

2011-09-15T09:08:00.000-04:00

Beach Cottage Moon©2011 C.L.Burgess 20 x 16 oil canvas

Dropped off new work at Bella Arte Gallery this month; mostly landscapes this time. This is one of them; a memory of an early morning walk over the east coast dunes at Hilton Head. The dawn came slowly because of some haze and in turning away from the sun, I was delighted by the moon in the pink sky behind the grayness of the landscape in the dunes.

Landscape:At Road's End

2011-09-11T07:48:00.000-04:00

At Road's End©2011 C.L.Burgess oil on panel 8x10

Letting in the light. It was morning like this ten years ago that will forever change our landscape. Be mindful of the cost of a peaceful walk in the park. Be thankful we can still have that freedom. Remembering.

Before the storms: The Culprit

2011-09-08T12:00:00.001-04:00

The Culprit©2011 C.LBurgess 6x8 oil on wood
Art at the Mill Fall Oct 1- 16 2011
Clarke County Historical Association
Millwod, Va

I began enjoying the fruits of my labor in the small flower garden I keep, this end of summer, before the earthquake and hurricanes came. One day I had beautiful hosta, iris and daisies and then one morning, I found stubs of everything! I guessed it was the foraging deer family, which inhabits our bamboo forest at the other side of the creek that runs through the backyard.
Proof positive came at about 4 o'clock one sultry Sunday afternoon. A fawn was mosying along under my dining room window. He looked up as I was snapping him which resulted in the stare down. I had the culprit, guilty as suspected!
This painting and two others were juried into a show called Art at the Mill in Berryville Va.

Aftershock: a Not so "Still" life with Orange

2011-08-24T14:19:00.000-04:00

Orange with Palette and Glass©2011 C.L.Burgess 12 x 16 oil on linen

"Orange is red brought nearer to humanity by yellow." --Kandinsky

What an exciting day it was yesterday!
Well, the rock n' roll of yesterday's earthquake has passed. My easel and I are still standing, no drips or spill of oms on the floor. So, I thought that a segue from nature's geology lesson to a nature morte might be in order. In need of some semblance of control, what could be better than organizing a still life?
Art is good for the soul and the nerves. This is the stuff of my days as a painter. I painted an orange for the first time in college and my mom still has it. Next to red, orange is a most challenging color to articulate. Of course, when painting orange you so need some blue to relieve your eyes and also enhance the orange. The glass provided yet another interpretation of the color orange in its reflection.
Not to forget the fiesta ware and its complexity.
Orange: big delight in a little tube.

Through the Rift

2011-08-18T11:16:00.000-04:00

There is a very narrow passage of water on the St. Lawrence River that separates two of the Thousand Islands, Wellesley in the United States and Hill Island in Canada. As you pass through it very slowly, the water gets shallow and rocky, and there is such a quiet loveliness before it empties into the Lake of the Isles. It felt to me like entering a cathedral, with the trees rising up like spires on either side of our boat.

Plein Air: Lake of the Isles,Thousand Islands,NY

2011-08-15T09:47:00.000-04:00

Noon at Lake of the Isles©2011 C.L.Burgess 6x8 oil on linen

So there was I, when all else slept, fished or read in the noonday sun, painting the scene before me bobbing away on the pontoon. Plein air is challenging enough, but add the movement of the water from the wake of speedboats and it becomes a whole other experience!

A Child's Portrait in Graphite

2011-08-10T10:20:00.012-04:00

I recently had the pleasure of delivering this portrait commission to the mom of the little boy. She was thrilled with it. But the ultimate compliment came when she held up the image and asked her son" Who is this?" and he gleefully responded " That's Parker!"

I love satisfied clients.

Figurative Friday: "In His Corner"

2011-07-29T10:33:00.000-04:00

In His Corner©2011 C.L.Burgess 10 x 10 oil on linen private collection

In his corner all is well. A man content with his small piece of paradise, on the banks of a mighty river, quietly gazes at the early morning traffic on the shipping channel.
Life is good.

Ideas for portrait/figures come at the most ordinary moments that somehow reveal the profound yet commonplace. I visit with Bill, my brother in law, and his family each summer in upstate NY and for years this image has etched its way into my painterly database. I asked his permission to take his photo while we both sat with our cups of coffee just enjoying the early peaceful morning together on his porch. He was generous enough, knowing that I wanted him for a portrait study and humored me when I abruptly said"...wait wait...please hold still, this is a painter's moment. Let me get the camera!"

I often wonder if similar moments took place in the lives of my favorite painters Sorolla, Vermeer, Sargent and Zorn. Except for the camera, of course.

Rural Landscape: Road to Eden

2011-07-26T17:43:00.003-04:00

Road to Eden©2011 C.L.Burgess 10 x 12 oil oil on linen

There is an interesting article on the NPR blog today about the sky, specifically the stars and it poses the question "Where is now?" How about that for a conundrum? There are days when our brains can grapple with these large scientific/physics, astronomy/metaphysics questions and there those days when you just want to "be", live in the now, not having to worry about where it is. I leave those questions with the "where is that other sock?" in the dryer, if you are with me on this.
So take a trip with me.

When driving out west, one can go for too many miles before you see what looks like civilization. At least that is what this former Brooklyn gal has observed on her recent sojourns. It was my turn to drive, so after I cranked up the Eagles on my ipod, I set out along highway 287North in the general direction of the Grand Tetons.

I was enjoying my low wide horizon, barren of vegetation and people (this is Wyoming) belting out the tunes, at the top of my lungs, with THE band. All of a sudden( it seemed to me anyway), my plein air sensiblities were alerted to two farms that appeared on either side of the road. It was one of those perfect setups, but I only had time to stop and take photos, while my sidekick of 40 years was snoring away oblivious to the grandeur around us. I found a wide enough driveway in which to pull the truck and take some panoramas. He thought it was lunchtime, natch. Well...it almost was, this small diversion. I still had about 2 hours to go..
or 11/2 CD worth of Long Road from Eden, (my quirky way of marking the hours on a long car trip. Or to quote another notable band, "does anyone really care about time?")

There is a town along the route called Eden just before you get to Pinedale which is the town before you go through the mountains to get to Jackson, WYO) So, reminiscing as I finished the last strokes of this farmland painting the other day, I christened it with that in mind and the Eagles still strumming in the background.

Western USA Landscape: From A Distance

2011-07-20T19:07:00.001-04:00

From a Distance©2011C.L.Burgess 8x10 oil on linen panel

In this land there is a goodness in spite of all the nonsense around us. When out West, I am always left in awe of the vast space and the quiet power it yields.
I am exploring palette knife studies to address scale and texture and atmosphere before moving on up to the larger canvas.
While working at close detail with a pencil portrait comission today, I needed a break. So, I took a small canvas out and revisited my trip out west. This small rendering still took a long time to do with all the scraping down and replenishing I had to do to convey a big idea on a small space with as little detail as possible. But the paint play relieved the tedium of graphite.

Seagulls at shore: Just wadin'

2011-07-18T07:28:00.000-04:00

$250

Just a quiet day at the shore with the gullfriends.

http://www.cathyannstudio113.com/

White Poppy Flower: The Visitor

2011-07-11T07:46:00.000-04:00

The Visitor©2011 C.L.Burgess oil on paper 6x8

I know bees are necessary but since I am a magnet for them, and when they find me tasty enough, it results in a hyper allergic reaction. So, I usually try to keep my distance. The bee was preoccupied with this marvelous flower so I was able to capture the visit and not pay dearly for it.

Cyclamen: "the Gathering"

2011-06-30T11:41:00.000-04:00

The Gathering©C.L.Burgess oil on linen 6x6

Did you ever notice how sometimes objects take on human peculiarities? That is what I painted here. The blossoms of my cyclamen plant looked like a conspiracy of heads witnessing something..

see more of my work:

http://www.cathyannstudio113.com/

Landscape in oil: A Teton June

2011-06-20T18:06:00.000-04:00

A Teton June©2011 C.L.Burgess 6x8 oil on paper

I have been wanting to see Jackson, Wyoming for some time and finally did this June. This small sketch is of a view of the Grand Teton Range from a boat on Jenny Lake. Yes, the mountains do just rise like that from a plain. The lake is glacial water. The snow is still on the mountain in June! This year I think they had about 720 inches. The water is about 38 degrees F rarely reaching 65 on a sunny summer day, and that only at the top level of the water.
There will be more paintings based on this trip. No doubt about that. The challenge will be to create some larger pieces.
I got to see some more western art by artists I've admired and some new to me. I visited Museums and galleries with just the best fine art of the Western genre. I will write more on that, too.
Oh, yes, I also met my blogger friend Gary Keimig, his wife Vicki and his gallery partner, Tom Lucas as I passed through his town of Dubois, Wyoming. Two most very charming men and skillful, prolific painters among the work on display at their Silver Sage Gallery are with me in the photo below.

Till next time....

Pretty in Pink by Cathyann Burgess

2011-06-12T00:00:00.003-04:00

Pretty in Pink©C.L.Burgess 8x6 oil on paper nfs

More experiments with my water based oils in alla prima technique.

to see more portraits, visit my website at htttp://www.cathyannstudio113.com/

Landscape in oil: Garden of the Gods 2

2011-06-08T18:53:00.002-04:00

Leaving Garden of the Gods©2011C.L.Burgess 4 x 6 oil on paper

Here is another small study of the park as you depart. Pike's Peak in rear. I am liking the water soluble oil paint...but just for travel purposes, I think.
For info on the park: GardenOfGods

Garden of the Gods Landscape in oil

2011-06-06T00:00:00.001-04:00

Blue Sky and Red Rocks©2011C.L.Burgess 4 x 6 oil on paper

While traveling I have found that water miscible oils are way easier to work with on a small format. They kind of dry fast like acrylic though not quite and they have pretty good body. There is also the fact that cleanup is way easier. This is a postcard size painting of one of the places I have been to: Garden of The Gods in Colorado Springs.

Landscape in oil: Rocky Mt High

2011-05-31T00:00:00.001-04:00

A Rocky Mtn High©2011C.L.Burgess 6x6 oil on paper

There is a breathtaking view as one turns off of Rte 470 after Golden, Colorado heading west. After closing my gaping mouth, I took a quick photo reference shot upon which this little study was made. I used brush and pallette knife. This will be large painting later on.

Shell Game

2011-05-28T00:00:00.001-04:00

Food: Still life with Sausage

2011-05-26T00:00:00.001-04:00

Sausage, Pepper and Onion©2011C.L.Burgess 10 x 10 oil on linen

The sausage was the challenge. Before I began to cook this delicious dinner, it occurred to me that I had never painted "sausage", ah, another excuse to explore a new red. I was reading about the introduction of the still life as genre in the 1600 by the Dutch. The French artist Chardin first influenced my exploration of this subject matter long ago, but clearly the Dutch painters were responsible for the growth and interest in the still life. Often containing symbolism about the transience nature of existence, later the genre really just spoke to commonplace everyday existence and the artist's interest in the shapes, color and forms of the objects in a given household.
I tried to mimic the realist style of the masters, directing the emergence of these forms from the subtle toned background. It is a painting that exalts the humble kitchen and meal still prepared in the 21st century much as it did in Chardin's time. This took more time to render than a usual daily painting that I do. This is indirect painting, building form from successive glazing over a tonal under painting.
Ok.... time to eat.

An Encore: Peonies and a Rose

2011-05-19T10:51:00.001-04:00

Getting closer looks at these peonies and a little wild rose from my friend. I like the challenge of the texture of these blooms. All my own peonies were short lived thanks to an incredible deluge over three days. Such is nature.
And the rain continues.

Peony Pinks

2011-05-15T10:47:00.002-04:00

My neighbor is a physician and an avid gardener. He brought me this lovely flower from his garden before the deluge last night that would surely have pummeled it to pieces. A lovely surprise on an otherwise dismal afternoon lifted my spirits. Flowers can do that, as acts of pure generosity. Had to paint it. A fun filled alla prima hour for me.

Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed. ~Walt Whitman

A profusion of pink roses bending ragged in the rain speaks to me of all gentleness and its enduring. ~The Collected Later Poems of William Carlos Williams

Portrait of a Teen Boy

2011-05-10T09:40:00.001-04:00

It is a loss of sorts, to let go of things that were once so precious to one's existence. These things might be stuff, or memories, or relationships. In my case, yesterday, it was a little of both. We artists are so acutely aware of relationships, by the nature of what we do I suppose. For a figure or portrait artist, more so, I think.

Yesterday, I did a cursory review of my shelves in the studio, and the surrounding space.

Being of a creative mind and soul, I am normally used to clutter, inside and out.

But having been cooped up with the nasty pnuemonia made me more aggressive in cleaning house. When one sits around alot, one gets philosophical, then practical. So there I sat, itching to DO something other than think. So with the energy bestowed upon me, I began to remove old artwork from shelves and take a good look at what was there. Then proceeded to tear up and dispose of any offense. I would say about 25 pieces or so. Man, that felt good. There is something so freeing to the spirit when one makes choices to dispose of clutter! Even if it was my own artwork. That critical look at where I had been and what I had made that no longer represented what I was capable of, was severe in its execution, but kind enough to say fare well at last.

It was an epiphany of sorts.

The portrait today does illustrate with better execution, an idea that I had.

I took this photo of my godson a few years ago at his home in upstate NY. (I fully intended it to become a painting. It will be a full size one at some point in time.) At the time, I thought, how carefree it is to be a teen, such promise lies ahead and yet this one seems to carry some weight. Which is of course the attraction in the expression and hence the title. All teens carry a weight, you remember don't you?

Yet from this side of the couch, now, I think....well, y'all know that too.

So, I thought of the relationships thing. Letting go. In one's teens is when it really starts to sink in, this part of life. Both to the child and the parent. The young man is now getting ready to begin the next chapter of his life by going to college in the fall. He has shed his long hair, excelled to scholarship and is looking forward to the life before him.

Being a mom of son's, I thought of my sis in law and how bittersweet a time this is for her, since Nick is her youngest and only son. So as I painted it, I thought, she must have this. She has given me permission to share it with you.

Oh, yes...and good luck to you Nick, my godson, the graduate. Smile. You did well.

Postscript to Dirty Aching Hands...and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2011-05-08T07:09:00.000-04:00

Unconditional@2010 16 x 20 oil on linen

Well, I thought the exhaustion and aching was because of playing in the dirt. Turns out however, that I have walking pneumonia. A misnomer, as one cannot walk very well with it, all one wants to do is sleep! Back to bed for me for a few days.

This is an image from my show at Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts last year. Thought it conveyed a peaceful image for today's honoring of Mom's everywhere.
Happy Mother's Day to my blogger friends who are moms, caretakers of moms and relatives who are moms..I hope to be back on my feet at the easel soon and breathing like me again instead of Darth Vader.

Playing in the dirt again and A Woman's Portrait

2011-05-04T18:31:00.000-04:00

Another Side of Emily©2011 C.L. Burgess 20 x 16 oil on linen

I know it has been a week since I posted. I have been painting...big things and little things. But I also have been out playing in the dirt again, this time to remove invasive vinca vine that has been strangling everything else in my little garden. I am in desperate need of those guys in HGTV's Curb Appeal. Really. I am way too old for the bend and stoop thing anymore. I had to rub down with asper creme and have a stiff drink and retire before nine after working in the yard yesterday. I have to wear a brace now when I overdo it with my hands and take a break from even painting it seems. Sheesh.
But the aspercreme worked and I was rewarded with a day to paint today since it has been raining buckets. Good for my flowers. :-)
Joan, my blogger friend in Long Island, said it looks like I paint with ease yesterday, on her comments to my grandson's portrait. I gotta say painting for me at this point in life is much easier than gardening, which I also love. But it is not easy really...just passion and repetition and an intense desire to learn.
This is Emily again. The third time she has ever sat for us. She is amazing. Never tires or falls asleep, which I have seen happen( have you?).
I began her in group, live, for four hours and then completed her today after another four.
People are my favorite subject to paint..did I repeat myself?

Child's Portrait in oil

2011-04-28T11:43:00.000-04:00

Pensive©2011C.L.Burgess oil on linen 8x6 nfs

Accepting commissions.
see my website for more info on portraits: www.cathyannstudio113.com/

Most of the time I prefer to work from life but with children, a photo will do. It is also possible to get really wonderful candids to work from, since kids can be very wary of the invasive camera when asked to "sit".
I created this oil painting from a photo that I used for a watercolor study last year. See left. It took a year of looking and more practice with color and children's faces to get to this stage. This little piece took way longer than I would invest in an alla prima but the subtlety required it and the layers of glazing as well.

I love painting people.

A Green Landscape

2011-04-25T00:00:00.001-04:00

A Green Peace©2011C.L.Burgess 10x10 oil on linen gallery wrap

Open road, lush and serene. Breathe the peace.

I have so many memories of driving cross country and this is one of them brought to life.
It is a gift to the painter to be able to escape the cares of the world and dive into a timeless existence if only for a short while.

A Farm Landscape

2011-04-21T18:39:00.000-04:00

On the Road to Clayton©2011C.L.Burgess 8x10 oil on raymar panel

I spend many summer days in upstate New York to beat the heat of Richmond. This is a scene I pass frequently which never bores me. Clayton is a charming little town on the St Lawrence River.

Floral Still Life: small oil painting

2011-04-19T18:52:00.001-04:00

Petal Pinks©2011 C.L.Burgess oil on wood 8x6

I saved this camellia before a rainstorm and put it into the nearest container and almost forgot it, as I got distracted with something else in my studio, which is the bane of my existence of late. As the afternoon wore on and I was starting to get ready to cook dinner I noticed the light hitting the fading bloom in its little pitcher. Opportunity presented itself ...or was it just a distraction from making dinner?

Spring Landscape in Oil: Garden Art

2011-04-14T11:09:00.002-04:00

A Time to Plant©2011 C.L.Burgess oil on wood 8x6
$250 +s/h

Few of the things that take me out of my studio are my walks with the Yorkie along the James River and our garden. My wheelbarrow is awaiting me as I write this. The next few days I will bask in the loveliness of spring in Richmond VA before its brutal summer inflicts the humid air upon us. My Iris are about to bloom, so I am sure there will be flower images posted soon again.

A Child's Pose-figurative oil painting

2011-04-11T10:35:00.000-04:00

The Philosopher©2011C.L.Burgess10x10 oil on gallery wrap linen

What's he thinking?

Figurative Friday- Portrait of a Young Woman

2011-04-08T00:00:00.006-04:00

Morgan's Hair©2011C.L.Burgess

I cannot say enough what a pleasure it is to paint this young woman. This week I got an unusual view; almost a profile but not quite a 3/4. What happened was a slight rim light along the edge of her face. Her hair was what was most prominent. It is very dark and was illuminated very slightly, mostly again by reflections bouncing off of her shirt. This is one of those times that I search out, study and admire Velasquez and Sargent for....bringing form with minimum information out of a dark passage.
I only had a little more than three hours of the live sitting to get enough info to work towards finish at home. I did not have a camera...so I had to rely on memory this time.

A German Landscape:DPW Challenge

2011-04-03T11:02:00.001-04:00

A New Slant©2011C.L.Burgess 6x8 oil on masonite
$150+s/h

Since I have been in a landscape mode this week I thought it would be fun to do the DPW challenge. I have never been to Germany, so I thank Carol Marine for a glimpse of its countryside. So distant, yet familiar.

Landscape in Spring

2011-04-01T16:52:00.001-04:00

After the Rain©2011C.L.Burgess 16x12oil on linen

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
Langston Hughes

I see this out my window every day and I am never bored. I think I have painted it at least 6 times now. After the rain has washed the dust off of things, they live painted with clarity and contrast in vivid colors.

Landscape in Moonlight

2011-03-31T12:10:00.001-04:00

Navigation©2011C.L.Burgess 5x7 oil on masonite

These small painted ideas give me some respite from still life objects and inform my larger landscape pieces. Prompted by a move inward today, the ideas painted are contemplative. I find that I always revert to water images to relieve stress or sadness when it invades my otherwise positive nature. There is peace in the stillness of the water and hope in the light.

Still life: Red Roses in Blue Jar

2011-03-28T17:59:00.000-04:00

Left Out©2011 6x6 oil on masonite panel
$150+s/h

Camellias:Floral Still life

2011-03-25T00:00:00.002-04:00

Overflow of Camellias©2011C.L.Burgess 7x5 oil on masonite panel
$150 plus s/h
It is amazing what a few days of warmth and rain can do to the garden. I have an abundance of these beautiful camellias! What a visual feast!

Blue Orchids-Still life painting

2011-03-21T13:12:00.001-04:00

$150 + s/h

Was I ever awed by the display of these unusual orchids last week! I caved in and bought some to add to my meager collection. I think there will be a series of paintings coming out of this. This is a small study for my daily workout.

Plein air Landscape:Creekview

2011-03-18T16:27:00.000-04:00

A departure from the faces and flowers today. It was 80 degrees today and I spent most of it gardening. As I looked up from the ground I was invigorated by the patterns surrounding me.

I ran up to get my paints and easel and brought them down to the creek running through my property. I spent an incredibly peaceful 2 hours, intently watching the water pass over rockbed and brach shadows from the escarpment on the far side. I threw cares to the wind and just began furiously mixing paint to try and match values before me and lay them down with vigor and deliberance. Warm, cool, dark, light, just one stroke, I kept saying to myself. How much information is necessary to convey this?

Swatting the gnats from my face, I stepped aside and said ..it is done. Packing my gear and walking up to the house, I felt satisfied and so happy to be able to do this today. It has been way to long since I have painted outside.

The colors are quite saturated as the light around me and my easel was not covered with much shade, so that is why one tends to do dark studies, I found. But I still am happy with the effort.

I will have to try it again. And bring a sun umbrella. And some bug spray.

Have a great weekend.

Still life with Fiestaware

2011-03-17T09:18:00.001-04:00

Spring is about to burst forward. This little still life is in a floral motif exhibit at Bella Arte Gallery in Richmond Va. called Everlasting Bouquets for the month of March.

This is a revisit of an older still life set, I love the original fiestaware pieces mostly for their color. But the form of this little pitcher was intriguing enough of a challenge to paint, so I did.

Still life: Pared Pears

2011-03-11T15:43:00.000-05:00

$250 +s/h

There is just something about this fruit with its modulating form that holds interest for painters. I have painted peeled pears and apples a few times and it seems to offer equal appeal to me as the raw fruit in its skin.

Still Life with Dried Flowers and Fruit

2011-03-09T13:14:00.001-05:00

Dried Quince Blossoms with Fruit

12 x 16 oil on linen

Bella Arte Gallery

So the show went well last Friday. More people came during the day than in the evening. But the wine and company were good! The still life above is one of the seven of mine behind me and the gallery owner and another artist who works in ceramics.

I had fourteen in the Everlasting Bouquets show this month. The work is

hung 'salon style' andthe place looks alive and beautiful. With gallery is in bloom, these dreary rainy days ahead may find some people searching for that perfect lift to the mood.

Figurative Friday- Woman's Portrait

2011-03-04T00:00:00.030-05:00

Portrait of Emily©2011C.L.Burgess oil on canvas 14 x 11

This week our model was Emily who was outstanding. In order to arrive at a more finished image in 3 hours or less, I have reduced to 14 x11 from 16 x 20 canvas. I really am pleased with this one. I used as much of a glazing technique as I could during a one 3 hr session attempt. Started and remained thin and blended smoothly one color phase into the other, so much so, that one of my colleagues said it looked almost like a watercolor. I think the canvas texture had something to do with the effect. Sorry about the glare...wet paint.
When in classical class, I was told that one of the aims of classical drawing and painting was to NOT be able to identify the hand of the maker. Hmmm. What do you think about that?

Tonight is the "Everlasting Bouquets" show. Got to go spiff up and show up for cocktails and chats with prospective buyers and friends.
Have a wonderful weekend.

Still life with Rose and Pomegranates

2011-03-02T16:08:00.000-05:00

Rose and Pomegranates©2011 C.L.Burgess 16 x 12 oil on linen

First Friday I will have this among my other florals of late, in a show at Bella Arte Gallery called "Everlasting Bouquets".

Bird oil painting:sparrow singing

2011-02-28T00:00:00.004-05:00

$150 + s/h

What is sweeter than the sound of spring at our door? Caught this little guy belting out his song.

Night Light: DPW Challenge:Zippo

2011-02-24T16:39:00.000-05:00

Night Light©2011C.L.Burgess watercolor on paper 6"x4"
$75.00 + s/h

This was fun to do; change my medium of choice and abstract the original image a bit.
Thanks to the DPW challenge by Michael Naples.

Child's Portrait in graphite

2011-02-22T17:32:00.000-05:00

This is the accompanying portrait to the little girl in the last post.

Figurative Friday- Portrait Drawing- Children's Museum of Richmond Benefit

2011-02-18T10:26:00.000-05:00

I was asked to provide a donation for a benefit to raise funds for the Children's Museum of Richmond. The gala is tomorrow night. This is one of two images I will provide to present my skills for auction. The attendees will bid on an 8x10 drawing I will provide of their child in graphite or charcoal. My grandchildren have enjoyed that museum and I thought it would be only fitting to support this initiative to keep it up and running. It also is a gentle way to market one's work.

Every time I sit and draw I wonder why I don't do it more often. I enjoy it so much.

This is graphite on Strathmore 400 drawing paper. It is a good rag quality but does not suffer moisture well. A little sweaty hand can really wreck your efforts, so if you try it out put a piece of paper under your hands and work from top down.

Have a great weekend.

Still Coming Up Roses

2011-02-16T17:00:00.002-05:00

Four Roses©2011 C.L.Burgess 8x24 oil on gallery wrap canvas
Bella Arte Gallery

Another rose piece finished for the gallery. I had a post that showed the detail of the upper left rose not long ago. The unusual format of the canvas lent itself to a contemporary set up. The black and white fabric presented an entry into the field and the length of the canvas allowed me to me keep the long stems. A good fit.

Still life with Roses and Pomegranate

2011-02-14T11:32:00.001-05:00

Night Roses©2011C.L.Burgess 12 x 12 oil on linen

Valentine special....I dropped these off at the gallery last week along with a few other rose themed paintings for this month. I got some more mileage out of the store bought roses than I thought I would, along with a borrowed vase from a friend. More roses to come as I have received some red beauties today! Hope cupid was good to you!

Roses

2011-02-11T15:01:00.001-05:00

Richeson75 Smallworks Competition 2011:Yorkshire Terrier oil painting: Punchinello

2011-02-08T06:00:00.003-05:00

My small oil painting of THE yorkie was accepted into the Richeson75 Smallworks online show. It would have gone into jurying in person had I not been distracted with tending to my husband's broken foot.(he is mending well) Missed the mail in deadline for that. But I am glad that I was juried in with the other artists..some of whom I visit online and have personally met. So, congrats to them for making the grade on this show. I feel quite honored to be showing with them.

Bird oil painting:Chickadee

2011-02-07T00:00:00.006-05:00

Western Chickadee©2011 C.L.Burgess 4.5x8.5" oil on paper

A wildlife challenge for February presented by Gary Keimig, who not only paints but takes wonderful photos of our western terrain and wildlife. Thanks Gary! I love painting birds as much as watching them.

Figurative Friday- Portrait of a Young Woman

2011-02-04T00:00:00.005-05:00

Morgan©2011 C.L.Burgess 16x12 oil on linen nfs

It was another good 2 1/2 hour session with Morgan this week. While this is not "finished" in a way, I like it like this. So does Morgan. When she came over to my easel she all but jumped up and down, saying I love it...can I have it? How is that for feedback? She, a sculpture student, loves our group, saying that she learns so much from watching how we paint her. She paints some and also is majoring in chemistry. I hope to paint her many more times.

Peony

2011-02-02T12:59:00.000-05:00

Pink Peony©2011C.L.Burgess 10x10 oil on linen

Photo resources from my flower garden for winter day studio painting come in handy now and then. I always get a lift during the dreary season with images like this. This is one flower that always takes my breath away. It is so complex and always in need of those tiny little ants to keep it going....

Dog portrait: wolfdog

2011-02-01T02:13:00.001-05:00

$150 plus s/h

Before my grand dog, the yorkie came into our lives, we used to go visit the rescued dogs on Saturday near the pet shop for fun. This is a painting of a dog that I thought was just the most handsome blue eyed creature. He belonged to one of the volunteers. I called him ole blue eyes. He was a big fluffy, friendly guy, not at all bothered by the photo op.

Still Life with Plum and Orchid

2011-01-29T16:16:00.000-05:00

Another older painting revisited and made new again. After sanding away the parts I didn't like,I retouched with varnish and painted into the old area to bring this back to life.

It is a very traditional setup based on the golden mean.

Variegated Rose: detail

2011-01-27T18:30:00.000-05:00

I am working on several paintings for my gallery. Lots to get done for February and March. While one is drying another is being started. Most of the paintings are 12 x 12 or larger. This is a detail from one that is almost finished, that presents in a long rectangular format - 8w x 24h. You can see bits of the others in this crop. It is a nice change from the 6x6 dogs and fruit of late, although I may paint a small version and perhaps a larger one, Georgia O' Keefe style. I have never done a really large single flower.
I love the challenge roses present and the more I paint them in any of their states, the more of them I want to paint! But, they die so quickly, especially in winter. I bought myself a dozen on Monday from Fresh Market. There were 4 variations in the bunch.
Many did not open at all but stayed shut and lopped over.
Hmmm. Frozen stiff? Only one opened all the way but not as nice a one as from a garden plant. Gotta make do though with what I have.
If you are interested in learning from a realist master, get your painterly fingers on the flower painting video of Michael Klein.

Still Life: Pomegranate

2011-01-26T18:36:00.000-05:00

Still Life with Plums

2011-01-24T17:47:00.000-05:00

Plums with Bosc Pear©2011C.L.Burgess 8x10 oil on wood

I started this back in October, it got placed in the "take a second look pile". I
finished it today.

Portrait of a Young Woman

2011-01-21T00:00:00.001-05:00

Morgan©2011 C.L.Burgess 16 x 12 oil on linen

It is so wonderful to get back into the portrait studio to do the three hour alla prima. I have been away from it for about three months and have missed it so much.
Morgan is one of my favorite models. She herself is a senior sculpture student. She loves to watch me paint her, she said. And she always likes my renditions of her which gives me great satisfaction. Sometimes, she even lets us know if we need to ratchet up the color etc and since she is knowledgeable we do not mind the advice. That is the fun part of painting people. Getting to know them.
I used a different palette this time. Venetian red, cad red, alizaron crimson, yellow ochre, cobalt blue and viridian, ivory black and titanium white. My under painting was venetian mixed with a little blue and some neo megilp.

Cocker Spaniel portrait

2011-01-19T08:47:00.000-05:00

And So?@2011C.L.Burgess oil 6x6 galley wrap linen
$150.00 plus shipping

What a face! Bored by the conversation obviously. Sometimes you just have to wonder what goes on in a dog's brain when they look at you like this.

"If dogs could talk, it would take a lot of the fun out of owning one."
Andy Rooney

Yorkie: playful dog portrait

2011-01-17T10:56:00.000-05:00

The dog was created specially for children. He is the god of frolic.
Henry Ward Beecher

What more can I say?

Yorkshire Terrier: Dog Portrait

2011-01-14T09:41:00.000-05:00

The energy expended by this little guy is amazing, but it comes only in short bursts of activity, then he needs to rest.

Still life with Apricots

2011-01-13T08:50:00.000-05:00

Apricots with Blue Creamer©2011C.L.Burgess 5x7 oil on gessoboard panel
$150.00 plus shippiing and handling

I have a collection of small creamers to use in my still life paintings and this one was the perfect compliment for the orange tones of the apricots.

Still life : Apricot

2011-01-11T20:19:00.001-05:00

Apricot©2011C.L.Burgess 6x4 oil on paper
$95 plus shipping and handling
Delicate little fruit. Painted on paper dry mounted on foamcore.

Still life : Peeled Pear

2011-01-10T00:00:00.012-05:00

Pared Down Palette©2011C.L.Burgess
5x7 oil on gessoboard panel

$150.00 plus $5 shipping and handling

Can't ever be bored studying pears. Even as this fruit ripens and ages, it is lovely to observe.
It was part of a larger painting set up and just caught my eye in front of an old scraped palette as I was disassembling the set. Funny how that happens.

Yorkie: dog portrait and a winner....

2011-01-06T00:00:00.009-05:00

$150.00 plus $5 shipping and handling

It's a dog's life.

Oh, yes and the winner of the first post of 2011 is Carol King! Thanks for visiting, those of you who took a chance. Husband felt useful today, picking the lotto winner, Carol. Too bad it wasn't the $380 mil :-).

Still Life : Winter Window

2011-01-04T08:18:00.000-05:00

Winter Window©2011 8x10 oil on linen panel
Sometimes that north light beckons quietly. Sometimes that windowsill of idle items waiting for the still life table is already a tableau in wait. The winter whites of this image were the appeal for me. Worn shoe, and a worn urn on a cold white sill against the cold outside.White is rich with color isn't it?

Don't forget to put your name into the previous post to be eligible for the free drawing!

Art Lotto-Late Bloomer-First Post-2011

2011-01-02T14:44:00.000-05:00

gallery wrap

My first sale back in 2006 was a small red christmas cactus painting. That sale fortified my decision to keep posting my art and painting daily.

So, I thought that for my first giveaway and first post of 2011, it would be fitting to have a drawing for another christmas cactus painting. Flowers present a joyful challenge for painters who choose this subject. This one in particular is a flower that holds some fascination for me because it is so odd a form and delicate a bloom; the white ones especially. On this cold rainy day in January, it gave me pleasure to look at and paint, since it was a late bloomer on one of my plants. A pleasant gift for me and one that I hope will please the winner.
So, welcome to 2011, my new followers and old. Put your name in my hat for the drawing by commenting to this post by midnight January 5th. I will have my "recuperating husband"pick a name at random, then I will announce the winner on Little Christmas Jan 6th.

of time and treasures and best laid plans....

2010-12-30T00:00:00.004-05:00

Pull up a chair, sit with me and raise that glass of brandy or eggnog....cheers to the old and new....
Sadly enough, my husband had an accident last week that requires some surgery soon and we couldn't make it out west for a family Christmas as planned. But.....Christmas did come to us through skype technology and brightened the too quiet house in VA with images of our grandchildren opening gifts in Colorado. They, ages 2 and 4, were much more organized and genteel than I can ever remember being on such an awaited morning. Kudos to my son and daughter in law for that.
I remember way back when, at the New York World's Fair in 1964, making a new friend in California on a "visual" telephone call which was quite remarkable to fair goers. This is the future we saw at a glance, at mid 20th century. The world was growing smaller.
Some of us today, take so much for granted, since we are accustomed to all sorts of machines that "connect" us with friends, foes and loved ones in almost a heartbeat, almost continuously. Many of us dinosaurs can remember the days without them and they were not all that horrible, right? I mean, there was time to dream; time to revel in the privacy of one's thoughts, uninterrupted from the distractions of having to check email or text or being tethered to the office by a plug in our ear.
There was the art of letter writing, which one could, with time, give care to the recipient of our thoughts and a piece of ourselves with our handwriting and selection of notepaper. How I would run to the mailbox, I recall, while at college waiting for that love letter, or interesting clipped news article from home in a card from mom and dad. How often does that happen now? What keepsakes of conversations are being created today?
I guess that the image of this post is one, precious "brave new world" memento. One that I wouldn't want to lose. One treasure of time shared. One image that bridged aching hearts and thousands of miles. It also gave me a glimpse of the artist of the future, of my granddaughter, as intense as her grandma, carrying on with a tradition of hand, heart and mind, that humanity can't afford to have become obsolete.
Welcome brave new world technology. Gladly, I will share the pen and ink with the monitor on my desk.

Thanks for visiting with me this past year, I raise a toast of kindness and good wishes to you all as the new year approaches with yet more hope for treasures of time well spent.

I will begin the New Year postings with a lotto for the respondents to the first post of 2011. Be on the look out. You may be the recipient of one of my small works in oil.
See you then!

Winter Riverscape

2010-12-16T15:39:00.001-05:00

Winter River Moon©2010C.L.Burgess 6x8 oil on wood panel
"It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on..." Joni Mitchell

Listen to the stillness of the season. Warmest regards to all of you, friends and family for a glorious Christmas and a New Year filled with grace.
Taking a blogging break, but I will back later in January.

Classic Figure Study:Male

2010-12-15T13:20:00.002-05:00

Classic Figure Study©2010 16 x 12 oil on canvas board

The good thing about being cooped up in unexpected cold weather here in Richmond is being able to study.
I have found that when I clean out my studio, I organize my paintings in racks of framed works ready to go out in public and works to just paint over and reuse the canvas or discard once and for all. Just let it go. Begin again. But wait...
Then there are the ones that are waiting for a loving hand to continue to completion, or refine, if you will. This post was one of those images waiting for my hand, mind and heart to join forces.
My model sat for 3 hours and at the time I got what I needed down, put him to rest on a rack and went on to other things. I took him out today and after not seeing him for about 2 years, I knew I had to meet the challenge of using what I have learned and finally am coming to understand, about color and light, on the human figure, and give him time with another glazing of color.
He is done. Now off to find other bodies under the debris on my shelves. Maybe I will also take time to visit some other wonderful painters of the human figure, like Rob Liberace, too and the gang from Studio Incamminati.
Keep that snow coming.

Self-Portrait in oil

2010-12-12T20:27:00.002-05:00

Self at 60©2010CLBurgess oil on linen 10x10

Back to figures and portraits.
I was handy, it was raining and so I did this today. Alla Prima. In homage to Rembrandt who used himself all of his life. Brave man. This is not easy to do or to come to grips with for anyone. As Charlie Brown says "AAArgh".

Still Life with Bottles and Vintage blocks

2010-12-06T00:00:00.007-05:00

Half MT©2010 C.L.Burgess
oil on canvas 18 x 14
Half full or half MT?
I liked painting this very much,still like it and contrary to the title did not feel too sad when making it happen. However, I was told that people reacted to the colors and title and since it suggested sadness, would not want to buy it.
What do you think about that?
I told my gallery director that not all images should be bright and cheery. Melancholy in the artist often finds shape on the canvas even without the artist's conscious intent. That is what art does...it helps us with death and morbidity and like Hank Williams...with broken hearts.
I titled this after the making, as it suggested itself to me and then put the blocks in.
But I played around with music that might be played when viewing this and truly, all that fit the image was Cold Cold Heart or the theme to Schindler's list.
Okay, so I can't be up all the time. And I don't paint to match sofas.
Where are you Carol? I need some moxie, chutspah and upbeat comments from NYC!!!

Stil life with Peaches

2010-12-01T09:44:00.000-05:00

Peaches and Green T©2010C.L.Burgess 18 x 24 oil on canvas

My Remnants show is coming down today, but this is still available from Bella Arte Gallery.
Favorites of mine, Maltese handblown glass and a few vases I like from a friend's collection of celadon were included in this leisurely, playful afternoon setting.

A November Rose oil painting

2010-11-29T07:46:00.002-05:00

Grand Finale©2010 C.L.Burgess oil on linen 6x6
I picked this rose for myself from the garden of the school where I formerly taught art and also ate lunch with my colleagues when the weather was glorious enough to get out of the dreary lunchroom and away from boisterous teenage boys.
I just finished an 8 week stint subbing for the young woman whom I hired to take my place, who was on maternity leave. There was laughter again and some groans.
It was a bittersweet experience. But I am glad to have gone back, if only to certify that I made the right decision to take leave when I did. I missed being in the studio doing what
I need to do with the rest of my life. I have noticed that I really get cranky when I can't paint. (as does my husband, on the receiving end of that). I am sure some of you out there who have made the same decision understand, right?
The rose lasted the week unfolding its beauty with the clarity in the message of closing doors and moving ahead. Had to capture that and be mindful.
Bittersweet November. Sounds like a good movie title. Ooops...oh yeah..it was!(Sweet November, a great movie both old and newer one) :-)
Have a great week, all

Thanksgiving : Vintage Block Still life

2010-11-24T19:32:00.000-05:00

I am a Painter©2010C.L.Burgess 8x8 oil on wood
purchase inquiries at Bella Arte Gallery.com

Among the many things for which to be grateful, to the ultimate Creator, is the ability to create the visible. Those of us who carry on the traditions of those visual masters before us, are indeed fortunate in this century and in this country. We have electricity, running water, manufactured goods for the artist to save time and the freedom to get down to work. We have this new world of clients and loyal admirers, and wonderful teachers among us at the stroke of a keypad. How truly marvelous!
In this brave new world of technology, in this world with all its flaws, are the creators. That is us, folks. We, who breathe life into ideas, make extraordinary the mundane, give form to rituals and preserve history, among so many other things.
Quite a gift to be thankful for today and each day. Count your blessings, not your worries.
Best to all of you who visit and encourage me.
Happy Thanksgiving.

Still Life: Whiskey

2010-11-23T19:31:00.001-05:00

Straight UP©C.L.Burgess 16x12 oil on linen

Just one of those days.
Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving!
This painting is available through Bella Arte Gallery. On view through Nov. 30.

Still life Oil Painting: Afternoon on a Sill

2010-11-19T00:00:00.004-05:00

$250.00 plus $5 shipping and handling

I was a bit jealous of my mother's gardening prowess when her quince bush bore some small fruit in this last burst of warm air in early autumn. I noted that her bushes had thorns and mine did not. I love the flowering quince and of course ran home to see if mine had any fruit and had missed it. No. And no thorns either. So while the latin name was similar on the tag and we bought the bushes together, clearly they were different. She kindly let me have one to use for my still life in afternoon light on the windowsill of my studio. Mom's are nice like that.

Still life with Glass of Orange Juice

2010-11-15T00:00:00.007-05:00

Breakfast with OJ©2010C.L.Burgess oil on canvas
Another from the show this month at Bella Arte. The show runs thorugh the 30th.