Beginning sketch . . .

oil on panel

9 x 12 inches

The beginning sketch changing as the painting heads toward finish.

William F. Reese

Bill's pochade box, brushes and painting

- this photo by Darrell Anderson -

Earlier this week many of us gathered to pay our respects to a dear friend, William F. Reese. I think perhaps Darrell Anderson said it best.

"A fierce wind must have howled in off the plains the day Bill left us, trying in vain to fill the huge artistic vacuum he left behind. Oil painter, watercolorist, pastelist, etcher, sculptor........outstanding in all, Bill approached his craft with an intense dedication."

Last year Bill was to be the inspirational speaker at the Alpha-1 Association national education conference in San Francisco. Due to illness he was unable to attend. This link will take you to his presentation, which was put together by Bill on his home computer and delivered via DVD. It shows some of his works as he tells how having Alpha-1 inspired him to "live life to the fullest."

Bill and his wife Fran remain two of the finest people I have ever known.

"In Preparation"

oil on panel

7.75 x 8 inches

The monks are getting ready for the opening ceremonies for the weeklong making of a sand mandala.

Painting in process . . .

Tibetan monks preparing for the opening ceremony, which begins the five day process of making a sand mandala. I will post the painting again when it is finished.

Creating A Sacred Sand Mandala

The colored sand to be used.

Early the first day, laying out the design.

Laying in the center of the mandala with colored sand.

This week a group of Tibetan monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery in India came to Bastyr University, where they spent five days creating and, ultimately, destroying a sacred sand mandala. The tradition honors impermanence of life.

Since this is near my home, I was able to stop by for a while on three days. My visits included the traditional opening and closing ceremonies, where the monks chanted and played instruments filling the air with rich sounds.

For five days the monks painstakingly laid millions of grains of sand into place in geometric shapes, containing a multitude of ancient spiritual symbols. Shortly after completion, the mandala was destroyed in a sacred ceremony as all the sand was swept into the center. Half went into an urn, and the remainder was distributed to the audience.

Then chanting, monks left the hall. They carried the urn to the lake. Once at the water's edge, the chanting began again and the sand was offered to the water in a ceremony with prayers for peace and healing the earth.

N.A.W.A. 121st Annual Exhibition

All Dressed Up is on its way to the National Arts Club in NYC, where it will hang in the National Associan of Women Artists 121st Annual Exhibition. The exhibition opens June 9th and runs through the 27th. Please stop by if you are in the area.

National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South, NYC. Phone 212 475-3424

"April Flowers"

Most of the petals have now fallen and I decided the painting is finished. I did managed to capture some of the rich and subtle color changes I wanted.

This is one of those paintings where I really needed more time. Perhaps a better way to say that is that I would like to be able to get it right the first time. Then I am sure the flowers would last long enough.

Flowers, a work in progress

This is the beginning of a new painting. The flowers are from a friend's garden. She came with three armloads of them! After they all went into warm water in the sink for several hours, they became three large bouquets. This is the first. I hope to finish the painting before the petals start to fall.

I am delighted to announce I have just become a juried member of the prestigious National Association of Women Artists. Founded in 1889 and based in New York City, N.A.W.A. is the oldest professional women's fine art organization in the United States.

"Dreaming"

oil on canvas

24 x 12 inches

Every now and then I set a painting aside. Months or years later, I pull it out, have a fresh look and decide if I will add it to the burn pile or paint a little more.

Dreaming is from several 2003 sketches. I liked the idea and started the painting several years later. The model was long gone, same for the costume and set (Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan's Gondoliers).

This week I pulled the painting out and set it where I could easily see for several days. Then I began painting again.

While it is much better than it was, it can't compare with working from life, where one can observe contrasts and ask: warmer/cooler, lighter/darker, stronger or more subtle? When working from life, all the information needed is in front of you just waiting to be captured in paint.

"Grandma's Rocking Chair"

10 x 8 oil on panel

This is a small studio painting. She sat so still and was a joy to paint! And, yes, her hair is brilliant. The subtle color changes are lost here. The painting has many shades of soft rose, lavender, and brown and is much richer than shown.

"Slow Ride"

12 x 16 inches

oil on panel

Reflections on the surface of water always catch my attention. When a kayak comes down the waterway, I pause. Time stops. Everything changes before my eyes. The experience is always magical. This was just one of those days along our favorite walking trail.

Great Fun . . .

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

One afternoon this last week a quartet from the Seattle Dickens Carolers came by to serenade us. They are Wonderful! I highly recommend them.

painting a little more . . .

A little more paint has been added to the figures. I am standing on a box so I can reach the top hat on the tallest figure. I hope to post the rest of the images in a day or two.

Painting the Dickens Carolers

Several months ago I sketched four figures on 4 x 8' sheets of plywood. (Parts of two panels are shown in "A fun project . . . " posted on December 17, 2009)

When the figures were finished, they became part of a display used by the Seattle Dickens Carolers in late October and mid November this year. When I receive a photo of their final use, I will post it. I have put together a series of images showing the figures in the shop during the painting process and will post after they are turned into a short video.