Some progress, some thinking

I finished last week's library book (one of them) and downloaded another on my iPad. These books, by Helen Dunmore, were set in Russia and dealt with the Siege of Leningrad and the early fifties until the death of Stalin. They were well-written, butit was heart wrenching, to read of man's inhumanity to man. I had checked out another book, a piece of fluff, that I couldn't even read after finishing the others. I will read it later, as I have nothing against fluff from time to time.

Perhaps it was what I had been reading, but when I began to work on this painting again I saw an airplane or a helicopter in the upper left (the pour is the header for this post) and thought of the last flight out of Saigon. I won't change this one, but I might paint something about that day and something about that siege. I have not been one to feel that my paintings had to be social commentaries, but maybe  for a painting or two I will. I don't think that I will need to make statements or deal with history or wars in all I do. but these two are now important to me and what is important to you should show up on your work. It would be wonderful to do work that makes the viewer think or feel as they study it. That is a goal for the artist in me. I hope that it is reachable. 

Don't know why the following paragraph is underlined. Can't fix it. 

So here is the coffee shop in the library and our cute barriste. We each have a skinny dirty Chai.. the dirty part is that there is a shot of espresso in it. It is a very good once a week treat. I sometimes also have a blueberry scone. The scone has been frozen and is not the best in the world, but I am not that picky and justify it by saying that blueberries are good for you. 

And here is Vicki waiting for me to get my act together. We talk and draw. (I posted my drawing of myself on Facebook. Getting kinda brave, aren't I?)After eating and talking and drawing we select books and go home.  This week I decided to try a book on CD and checked out Ken Follett's Fall of Giants along with another novel by Tana French whose first offering I enjoyed. This one is Faithful Place. I will let you know if it is as good as the first one. 
 Dean planted grass last week and it has come up very well. New grass is alluring. It feels like velvet and is so tender it seems almost edible. Last year when he seeded I called it bird feed because flocks of robins came and found it a quite tasty snack. Hardly any was left to grow. Now there is something to cut. My theory is that if is green and grows in the yard, cut it and pretend it is a lawn, but Dean really wants to have a nice lawn.  I think he got that from his father who spent a lot of time on his yard and shrubbery and found great pleasure in having them look good.



Here is the progress on the" girl on the moor" painting. I have no name for it yet, and please don't ask me what those "flowers" are because I have never seen any quite like them. Since this photo was made I have added some shading and a little high-lighting but not much else. We didn't have art class today, but I will take it next week for critique and suggestions from Sandy, our teacher. Sometimes there are things in a painting that glare to someone else but that you, the artist, miss because you are too close and it is too personal. By the way, the orange-ish place at the bottom is part of the easel, not the painting.
Thanks for reading. Let me hear from you when you can.
XOXOXO
Caroline

Comments

Unknown said…
Caroline, I know what you mean about books putting you in that frame of mind for a time. I just finished Ken Follett's latest, the second in the trilogy, "Winter of the World". It was really sobering. However, the book that most affected me the most was "John Adams" by David McCullough. It was wonderful and I happened to be reading it over the 4th of July and I felt so patriotic. Love the paintings and we call those flowers stargazer lilies. I could see a helicopter in the pour. Enjoy all your posts and maybe we can go to the library when I visit again. Joanna
Vicki Styons said…
I suppose I should read some more serious books like those that you and Joanna read. This is the one week in which I have already the two books you chose. However I doubt that will happen again!

I see many things/people in your painting; unfortunately, for me, I keep wanting to rotate it a quarter turn. I am not exactly sure why. I am looking forward to seeing what you create before we return to art class.

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