Creative Musings

I just taught a workshop on Creating a Signature Series, in which a group of artists worked out their concepts for a new body of work. Part of my motivation for the class was selfish: I'm honing my own idea for a series, and I wanted to see what would come out of a group workshop. It was a powerful, inspiring class. Everybody came away with a new series that they're excited to work on. Some even found the perfect title. I was blown away by their courage, inventiveness, and generosity of...

I usually read several books at once. I consume them like red vines -- I can never get enough. Once in a while, a book sets off little explosions in my mind, opening new doors, making connections that course electricity through the wires. The current winner is "Creativity" by Matthew Fox. It's about the spiritual nature of creativity and its importance in today's world. When things are falling apart, it's easy to let art fall by the wayside. After all, what's the use of painting when bombs...

Before I begin this fascinating study of blue, I want to remind you about three workshops I'm teaching this month. The first is another "Uncovering Your Purpose" online workshop for ArtSpan (use the code ARTFAM25 to register). The second is titled "Create a Signature Series," which you can learn about here. Now let's jump in. Like red, blue has its own troubled history. For thousands of years, the only way to achieve this pigment was to mine lapis lazuli from remote caves in Afghanistan’s...

Happy Pride Month! In honor of my community's flag, I'm going to celebrate color all month. Plus, I'm gearing up to teach a class on color! Also, I'll be teaching two workshops later this month, both in-person and online. The first is another "Uncovering Your Purpose" workshop in San Francisco for ArtSpan. The second is titled "Create a Signature Series," which you can learn about here. "My Children Are Transformed" from the "Destiny" comic in "TransAmerican Heroes" series, oil and digital...

One of my favorite series is titled "Dangerous Angels." It started with a burst of images when I was in grad school in 2012. It was the first and only time I combined oil and digital painting. "The Father" As with all my series, the story grabbed hold of me and wouldn't let go until it was done. The characters in these paintings were aggressive. I was going through a tough time, and I needed these beings. They announced their names as they tumbled into being. The Father, The Mother, The...

I live in a creative neighborhood. No, it's not a warehouse district full of converted lofts and hip galleries. It's an eclectic collection of residential streets in Petaluma, California called "mid town." The houses are pretty ordinary. But the people are, I think, more creative than average. Take this guy, for instance. He displays a giant skeleton that he decorates every holiday. He calls her "Sally Skelly." Recently, she was decked out in curlers and holding babies to honor Mother's Day....

Someone once said that I use too much red in my art. Not everyone likes this color. Studies show that it makes our pulse and breath speed up. It’s heated, bold, and in my paintings, confrontational. It’s one of my favorite colors to paint with. The pigment has a troubled history. Hematite mixed with ochre created the red hues in Neanderthal cave paintings. But to push this dull, earthy hue into more vibrant realms, humans had to get creative. And toxic. "Beyond the Skin 1", oil on wood, 2001...

“An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.” James McNeill Whistler Or her vision, in my case. I just finished week one of a two-week training program to become certified as a peer support specialist in the state of California. Not exactly art-related. Or is it? "The Father," part of "Dangerous Angels" series, oil and digital painting Actually, the course is absolutely about my art--as much as the portrait painting workshop I took last fall with Joseph Q. Daily. I have several...

An exhibition and a signing This week, I'll share info about two events I'm participating in--and I'll tell you a story about each. First, about the piece I shared last week, "Renaissance Rabbit"... I painted this for the 35th annual Celebration of the Arts exhibition to raise money for the Ryman Arts Foundation. Herb Ryman was one of the first artists to work with Walt Disney on the design of Disneyland, and the non-profit art school named after him serves 1,500 students annually throughout...