"When dawn spreads its paintbrush on the plain, spilling purple... ," Sons of the Pioneers theme for TV show "Wagon Train." Dawn on the mythic Santa Fe Trail, New Mexico, looking toward Raton from Cimarron. -- Clarkphoto. A curmudgeon artist's musings melding metaphors and journalism, for readers in more than 150 countries.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Artist's compost--Seeking small frames -- I

Gate to High Lonesome, the largest of these random watercolors at 8 1/2" by 9"
My "compost" file
Many of my paintings are smaller, and of random sizes on left over paper from bigger paintings. Usually, they're experiments, and never framed. Many are rejects, with flaws. But I rarely throw them away, as they suggest something I'd like to do again someday in a larger format.
That produces quite a portfolio of work--large and small--that I keep in a rack in the closet and from time to time I go though it, cleaning it out, discarding the worse work and reorganizing. It also serves as almost a compost pile as an inspiration to pick up the brushes again. They also mark how much more looser I work, and thus better, when I'm piddling, rather than "painting." Such were the two small paintings of Redbuds in the previous post.
Most recently I noticed several small works that I think should be framed. I'm looking for some small read-made frames  for some of these--relatively cheap ones. It's harder since most of these paintings don't fit standard sizes. In other words, these would be nice small works whenever I get back into a gallery.
Cottonwood--about 4 1/2" square

Tree in Paseo, about 7" by 8"




2 comments:

  1. I just love it when you start posting your work. You have eye and talent.

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  2. Painting and writing. So challenging yet so rewarding. Enjoying the posts, professor.

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