Dana Brown

subjects

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:31:02 -0400

I think I know what I don’t want in an image as much as what I do. Maybe what I want is actually an absence of things. We walked in a California convenience store in a tiny town — and I went to the bathroom only because I HAD to. And this is what I found. Absolutely wonderful. It is what it is. No pretense. No accepted standard of beauty. No rearranging or composing required. Just an honest moment. I think it matters to be alert to our responses. What nudges our mood up or down? What alters the direction of our thoughts? What pulls us forward or makes us turn our back? Looking for visual clues to my inner responses comes naturally to me. Discovering where my sensitivity is centered and tuning in is a part of my journey.

Getting away...

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:55:36 -0400

Sitting in Bandon, Oregon at 4:45 in the morning — and pondering what distance does. Like everybody else, I think I deliberately keep myself tangled up when I’m at home. Having a sense of purpose is wonderful but creating a schedule with no space to think or explore is counterproductive. I think being focused and busy is my way of tethering for security. Driving up the gorgeous California coast has been a breather and a reminder to open myself to new ideas, new images, and new challenges. And the biggest challenge will be taking this clear understanding back east with me.

Slow and steady

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:28:04 -0400

I only worked on this painting for a couple of hours today. I worked this wash from the top down and when I was finished, there was nowhere else to go until it was very dry. I want this to dry overnight so there is no chance of muddy areas. Mud is created when a wash “picks up” from the previous washes and the layers mingle. At least, that is what mud is to me!

I know this large shadow shape will be as big a compositional component as the mechanical shapes, so I wanted to get it in there early. More shadows will be defined along the way but this shape is major and helps me decide what to do with the other areas. I want a painting to be interesting at each step of the way — I don’t know exactly where I going with this but if it intrigues me at each punctuation point along the way then it will probably arrive at a good place in the end. That’s the hope.

Beginnings

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:52:18 -0400

I fin

I finished the fire escape today and switched to machinery. I actually began this drawing a few days ago and started painting today. Carmela insisted on walking all over my painting for the first thirty minutes and finally went to sleep. Thank Goodness. This type of subject develops slowly — this wash only took 30 minutes or so to do but it needs to dry overnight. So I may work on two pieces at the same time so I’ll have less wait time. If both subjects are in the same series then it doesn’t feel like two paintings to me - there’s continuity of thought.

I plan to do a lot of layering and I want each layer totally dry before continuing. I may pull the shadows over the whole composition before adding any more local color — or maybe a few more hoses in warm colors before the shadows. Not sure yet.

Finding the spark again

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:20:19 -0400

I’ve never been very good at rereading a book. I love books about creativity and healthy thinking — and try to internalize as much of the good stuff as I can. I also read a lot of artist biographies because understanding how creative minds work is fascinating. But going back and reviewing has never been a priority, no matter how special the book.

Twitter has really sparked me to enjoy my most meaningful books all over again. I’m pulling a couple of books at a time and leaving them on my drawing table. Before I start to work, or during a break, I read a page or two and post a quote on Twitter. It is a little like journaling but the 140 character limit helps me deliver one clean, uncomplicated sentence.

A lot of wisdom can be contained in 140 characters and a good bit of sharing as well. No rambling or elaborating — just a simple statement that expresses what matters to me today. I like it.

The studio and Gallery Tour

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 09:35:46 -0400

I had such a nice experience with Gallery Tour this year. I enjoyed the evening with friends and supporters but I also enjoyed the preparations! Cleaning the studio, rearranging, and watching the studio cats explore as I shoved furniture around was actually fun. Our work spaces are so important — it is one place in my world that is completely devoted to my thought process and inclinations. I feel so lucky. And I’ve been thinking about my very first studio space — it was in the corner of a guest bedroom. I had a tiny cassette player with a short stack of cassettes, a small drawing table, and a palette. And the occasional “Mom, can I get a cookie?” echoing up from the kitchen. When I sold a painting I put the money in a tin can by the table and bought more paint and brushes the next time I went to the art store.

Studios are such a simple thing. Or should be. And maybe making art should be that simple too.

A Necessary Evil

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:57:39 -0400

I’m not sure when it became evil. I think it was the day I let a cat move in my studio! Now there is more than one cat and that’s all I’m going to confess. A lady never counts her cats. Framing used to be a continual process — there was always something on the frame table and I’d bounce between painting and framing. While a wash dried, I’d cut a mat or assemble a piece. It was all about efficiency.

Now I’ve complicated things with cat hair and tiny paw prints. Nothing can lay on the table - it must be completed in one session. Also, our one local frame distributor closed so I’m getting my frames and supplies from out of state. It’s smarter to place large orders so I have an excellent excuse to procrastinate.

Change can always work to an advantage. I may have a mountain of framing to do but I’m able to focus on painting for longer periods. And I’m framing at the end of a series which is a good punctuation point. Work flow matters to me because I want to always be rolling forward so I think about this stuff.

Encouragement and Windex

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:24:32 -0400

I spent most of yesterday cleaning the studio — one of the main reasons I do Gallery Tour every year is the preparation. I get freaked enough to straighten up my yard and clean the studio. Yes, it requires terror to make me clean.

As I was finishing, a friend congratulated me on the American Artist article — and I told her she must be looking at an old magazine. She convinced me she really had BOUGHT a new magazine with my work in it and she is right! An interview I did with Mr. Doherty is in the current “Best of Watercolor” issue. It was a nice surprise after a day of dusting and sweeping.

Now back to cleaning. My ego got a little boost last night but today….back to shoving the mop. Thanks, Heike, for the heads up.

Bad varnish leads to painting....

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 22:43:30 -0400

I was all set to varnish caseins today —- air compressor ready, sprayer hooked up, paintings laid out — and I discovered TWO containers of varnish were discolored. So, back to the computer to order some more. It’s on the way so I returned to this watercolor. More frustrating than the varnish fiasco was the baby kittens who wouldn’t stay off the painting! Sophia Loren and Raquel Welch are my pixie twins. They’re living in the studio and must be in the middle of EVERYTHING. And by everything I mean the palette, my drawing table, a wet painting. I’m discovering patience I didn’t know I had.

Mats, glass, and cat hair

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 07:03:43 -0400

I’ll be framing for the next few days. I’ve tried lots of different approaches over the years — framing a piece as soon as I’m satisfied with it or piling the paintings up and tackling it all at once. I haven’t found the perfect way to get the job done. Even hiring a framer isn’t perfect — I’m impatient as a deadline approaches and I like keeping framing cost low. I kind of like finishing a piece, putting it on the wall for a few days till I feel sure it is finished, then sliding it into the flat file, out of sight. Then when several are ready, I order supplies in bulk (cheaper) and dive in. It is the dive that can be the problem. I’ve become a Class A Procrastinator.

If I didn't live in Huntsville...

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 23:22:09 -0400

….I’d live here. This could be a lot of places — San Francisco, Chicago, or even Asheville. In this case, it is New York. I’ve been asked why I paint these images when I live in Alabama. Well, I just want to. Dirty windows, fire escapes, door latches that I can almost hear the key turning in. I love warm brick that is soaking up the sun — I want to walk up and press the flat of my hand to the rough surface. And shadows that create intricate designs that are more interesting than the building itself. I stood in front of this building for a few secomds to take the snapshot and when I’m painting, I feel like I’m in the warm sun in front of this building for hours. Living in the moment is the goal but why not drag the moment out as long as possible.

I started this drawing today and will begin painting in a couple of days.

When I'm good enough...

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:58:27 -0400

Since Miller was assisting today, I had some time to think while I was painting. I was thinking about the big question. AM I GOOD ENOUGH? For so long I made plans for “when I’m good enough” — keep painting and learning and eventually I’ll be “good enough”. For what, I’m not sure but there was a goal in there somewhere. It was a moving target that kept me in pursuit.

Then the truth settled upon me. I’m not good enough. For what I’m not sure, but I’m pretty sure I’m not. I’ve fallen short of what might have been. Since I don’t know what might have been, I don’t know how short I am. I’ve only failed if I failed to try comes to mind but that’s the propaganda that got me where I am today. Still painting even though I’m not good enough, whatever enough is — which leads me to what I now know.

I’m painting because it is the best way I know to be who I am. I paint because I’m at home with myself in those moments. I paint because it is my unique journey with no comparisons. And doing my own work is good enough for me.

No matter how good it is.

An excuse for color

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:06:39 -0400

I start some paintings so I can play with color — and I don’t realize it until I”m in to the third or fourth wash. This subject is actually quite drab and the composition is simple. The challenge for me is to make it interesting without a lot of “this and that” in the drawing to lure the viewer in. I’m not sure that is a great reason to do a painting….but it is the truth! I have already pushed the color in this piece beyond reason but I think the shadows will bring it down a notch — and anchor it. We’ll see….

Meanwhile, Carmela has taken a liking to this painting and won’t GET OFF OF IT. I’m painting around and under her fat white body. It’s really insane how much I tolerate with her. She does love me in her warped way, though. And make no mistake, Carm is warped.

Inspiration...

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:57:18 -0400

I really don’t believe all things happen for a reason but our recent experience in Montreal made me rethink my position! We chose a hotel online — simply because we liked the online photos (dangerous…) and it was in Old Montreal. We walked into the lobby to check in and, OH MY GOSH. I’m looking at original art that I recognize and love on their walls! Lots of it!

The clerk confirmed that the owner has an extensive collection - all five floors of this hotel double as gallery space for Warhol, Stella, Lichtenstein, Rauschenburg, Johns, Dine, Indiana — all artists that I love from a period I adore.

It was an experience I’ll never forget. The sheer serendipity of it, the joy of it, and the thoughtfulness of it. Here is a private collection that was obviously built with love - being shared on a daily basis.

And we just walked into the place like it was Holiday Inn Express. Oh man!

Finding the base

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 08:38:31 -0400

I’m back in the studio! With so many distractions over the last few weeks…months…actually, a couple of years….I’m trying to create a new studio schedule. Schedule isn’t a happy word for most people but for me it is insurance. I need the promise that there will be time in every day for making art. I’m not sure about most things in this world but that one I’ve figured out.

When I’m painting I can actually feel myself recentering. In my chair with the palette to the right and an opportunity to push colors around on paper in front of me. The window to my left that faces the sheetmetal shop and the tiny store across Oakwood. I’m aware of my studio cats around me and Jelly is below my feet. Misty is usually right behind my chair. My studio had begun to feel like a selfish place — a space dedicated to my gratification only. With my animal family around me I’m reminded daily that this is their home — a safe and comfortable place for them. They really complete the feeling and my sense of purpose.

Scheduled studio time is a promise to myself that I’ll have time to be creative every day. Some days are creative and on others, I’m simply painting — it isn’t always a glorious experience! The promise is important though — the glorious moments certainly won’t happen if I’m not in position.

So I’m thankful that I can once again structure my days around my studio. I hope everything else continues to fall into place around it. Of course, I KNOW that is my decision. I’m the one that builds each of my days — like stacking blocks with a strong base — and that is exactly what feels good. Having my base back.

This painting interrupted by....

Thu, 20 May 2010 23:57:42 -0400

Atticus, Emerson, a Possom, and a Thrift Store!

Yes, real life continues to hijack my schedule — and I’m totally okay with it. I painted today and got completely in the zone. It felt wonderful and I was lucky to squeeze in the studio time. Atticus and Emerson are my two little grandsons — one and three years old. They are visiting with us for the next couple of weeks and I’m DELIGHTED to have them.

The Possom is a half pound siamese kitten — she’s demanding, loud, always hungry, and has decided I AM her Mama. She was turned in to a local vet clinic and they asked me to help her get started in life. She’s being hand fed - literally. The only way she’ll eat is to “nurse” out of the palm of my hand. I make a “nipple” of soft cat food and she suckles until it is gone. Messy, smelly, time consuming, and totally adorable :)

And lastly, the new thrift store benefiting our animal rescue group is now open and requires a lot of attention right now. Again, totally worth it. All our profits pay the vet bills for homeless animals in our community. It is good work that alleviates suffering and helps rescuers continue their work.

SO, this painting will continue to evolve slowly for the next week or two. I have a new drawing already completed and ready to follow it. And some ideas for the next four watercolors following these.

The goal is to keep painting. Enjoy life and keep moving forward. As long as I continue to sling paint, I’m going to resist the urge to let guilt be my motivator. The number of hours I work aren’t as important as the joy I receiving while in the studio. Do I hear an Amen??

NewYork New....

Thu, 06 May 2010 22:40:05 -0400

This painting is interrupted by a kitten. The smaller the kitten, the bigger the distraction. I took in a .9 lb calico kitten with paralysis of the back legs yesterday — and now I’m syringing formula in to her every two hours. Bleary and obsessed, I’m in no condition to paint.

Again, I think about priorities. I need my studio time and I’m committed to my work — but when I can help a tiny life who is struggling to survive, well, that seems terribly important. And it seems like a simple matter until I see my painting life impacted —- one decision at a time but a pattern of interruption!

I think all creative people have these decisions to make — whether it involves family, community, or a special concern like animal rescue. Caring is always most important but we have to care about ourselves as well. I’d like to hear your thoughts if you are reading this. I have a lot to learn here. I guess we’re talking about balance but I’m convinced it is overrated. Passion is what I’d rather base decisions on.

And at the moment, the tiny kitten is sleeping in my lap warmed by my laptop. And it’s time to feed her — again :)

Painting, cleaning, cleaning some more....

Tue, 04 May 2010 18:18:52 -0400

It’s hard to understand how life can get swept away — but it really can. It’s very like gaining 20 lbs and not knowing how THAT happened either. Well, one day at the studio can set my heart straight. I worked on a new drawing, cleaned, added a watercolor wash, cleaned, straightened out a cabinet, cleaned — you get the drift. My studio foster cats enjoyed the day too and Carmela plopped her big self right on my painting several times. Carmela has never been subtle.

I think I always keep my head straight but it is my heart that gets out of whack. Head control only can be dangerous —- I let my heart lead the way today and it felt right.

Tonight, time with Atticus and Emerson. Again, let the heart lead the way :)

It's all about the shadows

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:09:00 -0400

It was a full day but I managed to start with several hours of painting. There seems to be a lot competing for my time lately but I’m determined to get my studio time in. I’m amazed at how it can slip away — and this is a new problem for me. For years I have worked 8 to 10 hours a day in the studio — often seven days a week. I didn’t think of it as working and it was a joy to have a place to paint uninterrupted. After many years of this schedule though, burn out really did hit me. I denied that it was burn out but with some time and perspective, I figured out I was in a serious funk. A change was due and it was very scary to question my habits and rethink them.

I’ve lightened up my expectations of myself and am concentrating on having a more well rounded life. In order to work so hard all those years I chose to ignore other interests, concerns, and my community. I had a goal and I only saw one way to accomplish it —- work, work, and work. I’m really glad I had the discipline to do it because I think I made measurable progress. And I’m glad I have the discipline now to continue painting while I’m letting my mind wander to other parts of my life.

That was then and my now is much more openminded. I think I can do this now because of the person I was then. That was good and now this is too.

Gentle Values

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:18:18 -0400

Gradual, so gradual! I find that I’m building values much more slowly these days. I don’t know if this is making the paintings better — I don’t really think like that. I’m not thinking about technique or making conscious decisions about it these days. I’m just painting for the pure love of it and whatever happens is the deal. An artist has to paint for a while before releasing this much control - and it is certainly the most enjoyable way to paint. I’m fairly certain a decent piece will emerge, on some level anyway. My main goal is to create something that is uniquely mine and that brings me peace in the process.

The result is this slow building of layers — building values — that I think give the painting depth and unity by the time I’m finished. Yes, I could probably achieve the same thing quicker and more efficiently but who cares? It’s our unique rhythms and priorities that make our paintings sincere. Insuring that they are speak to the viewer is impossible - I don’t have any control over the receiver. Insuring that they are effective for me is definitely important and a goal that I can possibly attain.

Actually, this way of working is a form of meditation. I’m appreciating the brush touching the paper, the pools of paint on the palette, and the sun coming in the window across my painting. The string of moments seems more important than the end product.