Heron Rainbow

 

I am creating some paintings based on the New Vision Heron Mural.  You may recognize it from my Facebook cover photo...These new artworks will accompany the hanging of the new mural.  They allow people to own a beautiful original painting, unmistakably related to the new public image and downtown marker;  clearly made by the same artist.

These new works are paintings on paper, both multiples and singles.  There are about two dozen pieces in the series so far, with several more on the way; made between sessions of working on the mural. 

I like these: they are fun, intuitive, and straight forward.  The color scheme is the same as the mural, the subject matter too; but the unpredictable qualities of spray paint keep things fresh!  Spatters and skips from the spray can, and using the stencil to create prints keeps surprise as a key part of the process.  One of my favorite quotes is from “Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads”, by Roy H. Williams, (1999)  “Surprise is the beginning of delight.”

I have enjoyed making these new paintings!  There’s a production aspect to these works (I did work as a cabinet maker for decades).  As such, I tend towards streamlined processes, uniformity, and how time and speed relate to cost.  I want to be realistic in my pricing, creating interesting and fun artworks for a price that is both affordable and fair to me. 

Now is the time for success!

 

"Towards Disappearing" A Painting by Sam Francis, 1957, Los Angeles County Museum of Art

 I really love this painting!  I’ve never seen it before, and figured it was by Helen Frankenthaler.  The wash that was under the opaque brushwork looked like stains seeping out from the heavier paint.  I only associate that effect with Frankenthaler, but all that open space…the brushwork relative to the size of the painting was underscaled, but the composition—its critical groupings of shapes, brushwork, and spatters was so unusual! 

 

What does it take for a painting to strike you as weird? “Towards Disappearing” by Sam Francis is very pleasing in its sparseness, but perhaps the placement of its parts is not entirely precise—everything is roughed in by the transparent blue wash, then brushed over with heavier paint; but the unusual balance, particularly from top to bottom wins. 

The blobs on either edge of the canvas are perhaps too obvious in stretching the image to its full margin, but I refuse to belabor this point because of the sweetness of the main body. 

I find it easy to simply report the basics:  to look at the technique and process, believing that this tells about the painting.  "Towards Disappearing" illustrates the concept of a work being greater than the sum of its parts. 

This painting is more than the brushstrokes and qualities of the material.  It is more than Francis’ colors--they seem to be swallowed up by white canvas and then appear upon closer inspection; it is more than the many fine spatters of thrown liquid paint.  Technique doesn’t define this curious imagery.

The museum notes mention the artist’s travels to Paris and his encounter with Japanese art, and point out the simplicity of expression, the asymmetrical division of the space, the calligraphic quality of the brushwork and identity of the image.  This begins to open a door onto the work, but it is a genuinely weird painting. 

In Francis' painting the asymmetry, paint handling, the liquidity of the paint are its subject.  Its wash, drips/runs and fine splatters speak so to liquid characteristics—no impasto or thick film, no structure. 

And it doesn’t look like water lilies, birds, or anything--It's just a painting, not a painting of something.  Success!

For more on Sam Francis:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Francis

 

 

 

 

 



Scale and Measurement: Creating a Mural from a Sketch

I just finished 2 ½ hours with a reporter doing an article about the New Vision Heron Mural.  A surprising amount of our conversation had to do with preserving the characteristics of the preliminary artwork in the mural.  How do you scale up drawings?  

For this project I began by overlaying a grid of ½” squares onto a copy of the sketch, and then drew 12 inch squares on the mural.  This creates a      ½” scale      (½” = 1’).

On the sketch I found where the edge of the heron intersected a grid line, and put a dot on that spot, on the mural’s grid.  Going to the next place where that edge crossed a grid line, I transferred another point to the mural grid.  As I worked around the drawing, marking the mural and then connecting the dots, the tiny drawing was faithfully rendered.

My pet peeve about many murals is that they don’t look like paintings.  Accurately rendering the sketch is my best attempt to make the mural look like art, so I’m taking pains to get the lines, marks and distortion in the right spots.

 

 I continue the same procedure for the distortion speckles in the background.  On a mural it may not be visible to drive by viewers, but it is a part of the approved design…it also creates a texture in the background, rather than simply having flat planes of color.

 

This drawing was approved by the town’s Historic District Commission. All the contributions were given to see this drawing made into a mural.  There is accountability to the community and all the donors to render the sketch accurately!

I also want to improve on the drawing by making the steps in background colors smoother and cleaner:  I’ve spent 12 hours mixing colors to achieve that. 

 

These samples were created using measuring spoons, converting to cups for painting the fields of color in the 30’ x 12’ finished mural.  I also make a sample chart using the mass quantity mixtures to verify accuracy.

Studies often surpass finished artworks in charm and spontaneity— translating that joy to a large scale work is a challenge.  These mathematic functions are only the foundation for accomplishing that.  All of your skill will be called on to fill in the gaps, once your proportions and color are properly translated.

Best wishes, and don’t be afraid to GO LARGE!

Art Forgery and Love

"Graphite Grid, Panel #8"; 2014-17, 16" x 16", Hay Embedded in Latex Paint on Wooden Panel
James Thatcher  ©  2017

I understand.   The wealthy want the best and an investment level artwork is bought to be re-sold at a profit; hence galleries, auction houses and private dealers market the works of grand masters.  Who has time to pursue their own investments, because time constraints, expertise and even fear can come into play in their choices?

Perhaps they hire researchers and then make informed choices.  You’ve got to trust your market analyst, your investment counselors, your interior designer; the galleries, critics, museums…

If investors are quick to research, does this zeal translate to their other interests?

"Hypar with Analytic Function"; 2013-17, 88" x 66", Acrylic & Hay Embedded in Latex Paint on Canvas
James Thatcher   ©  2017

Alas.  Few are passionate enough about visual art to make their own inquiries; but these are the ones who generate movement in the art industry.  And perhaps they send in their people to look, to edit choices and recommend the next purchases…it seems practical, no?

"Hypar Z"; 2015-17, 18" x 24", Acrylic on Canvas
James Thatcher  ©  2017

Buyer beware.  The recent art forgery scandal has made many fools.   Wouldn’t it be better to be surrounded by your own choices, by what you’ve discovered and love; as opposed to being sold a false bill of goods?

Why not come to know the keen disappointment of a day spent going from gallery to gallery, seeing nothing of interest?  Eventually you’ll realize the one place that really does have stimulating work…this is your dealer.  You will know that you are intrigued, you think about that artwork when you’re not there, and you’ll know that you must have it.

"Hyperbolic Paraboloid", 2017, 18", Welded Steel
James Thatcher  ©  2017

 In the end, if your passions change or you were merely infatuated with works that weren’t what you once thought, you can donate them to a hospital, a university, or a charity auction receiving full credit of your purchase price as a tax deduction.  So much the wiser.

Come on out and play ball!  Artists want to do good work; they want to sell it and be able to do what they love.  Every collector who gets their nose dirty by actually collecting broadens our industry and stimulates great activity.  Make jobs, have a great time, and change lives—buy your own art!

Study; 2017, 48", Pine
James Thatcher  ©  2017

http://jtnwdc.wixsite.com/jamesthatcherarts



A Painting of a Painting

When good stuff happens, you've got to pursue it. 

The Damsel March--A Taste of My Family History

My great grandfather, Edwin Damsel (1887-1913) was a professional musician in Columbus, Ohio.  He wrote “The Damsel March” to celebrate the birth of my grandfather, William Damsel, in 1911. 

 

One hundred years after his death in the Great Ohio Flood of 1913, his march was performed for the first time by an orchestra, the Northport (MI) Community Band on the evening of Saturday, August 31, 2013.

The music has passed through 4 generations without ever being written down.  My younger brother, Joe, converted it through the computer program, “Sibelius” into written piano music which found its way into the hands of Mr. Kenneth Bloomquist.

Ken is the retired Department Head of the Michigan State University School of Music and a resident of Northport, MI.  Over the past year he arranged the piece for orchestra as a gift to my aunt, Sharon Hall and presented it during an evening of Sousa marches last week.

It pretty well rocks--Thanks Ken!

Studio Footage: The Funnest Painting Ever!

This is the first painting of the rest of my life--

Stay tuned for future updates...this will be interesting!

###

As of early September, 2013:
The decision has been made to paint the background of this painting red with a transparent glaze of Alizarin Crimson.  Going over these gray-greens will darken the ground considerably and make the figure stand out. 

 

Next, a spin off project:  Create a painting using this painting as subject matter.  I'm going to use a couple of the hay canvases...See the post entitled, "A Painting of a Painting."

 

###

 

Today I attempted to flip the dried hay mat painting--OMG!

 

 SUCCESS!
And the finished product is not very heavy--the grommets embedded along the top edge should be able to hold the suspended work...the next experiment.  I'll let it dry for a few more days with this side up and then see about hoisting it up!

 

I couldn't be more pleased with the success of this project.  More are on the way!