Night Tangle 12x12x1.5 oil on canvas ©2008 Nanci Erskine

Purple Morning Glory 12x12x1.5 oil on canvas ©2009 Nanci Erskine

Years ago, in another career path, I entered juried shows quite regularly. Although there was a selection process occurring on my end as well. I looked for shows that were well established, in great venues, with jurors of substance, and where I could see previous participants work to get a feel for the quality. Of course a lot of this activity was generated by the academic necessity of “professional activity”. Never mind that for my former chairperson, showing in local churches and restaurants also filled the bill for some coworkers.

After a long absence from having any presence in Denver, I decided to pop a couple pieces in to be juried by William Biety.
He used to work at the Sandy Carson Gallery on SantaFe, and has a great eye. More importantly, he knows how to curate shows- put interesting work together cohesively. Maybe he’ll have something to say about how the show is hung.
These two little paintings will be appearing at Spark Gallery, 900 Santa Fe, Denver…..from Feb 2 – through Feb 26.

1. more drawings but about generally tangled environments (perhaps not specifically vines?)

2. keep researching and contacting new potential gallery prospects… thought I was done with this avenue, but I might want to reconsider if the fit is right, and it’s closer to me than Seattle was.

3. not get involved in activities that don’t in some way directly feed the studio work (sorry- no more birdhouses for charity, or decorated transformer cabinets)

4.maintain and increase contacts with art consultants who might help me find a niche- I’m thinking medical / hospitality…

5. do the, now 2nd,  annual studio tour in Fort Collins.  Since giving up my more public studio space downtown, there are probably some folks who are curious about what I’ve been up to- plus who doesn’t love a deadline to get cranking on new pieces? More on that later.

6. cook more with bacon-man! have you tasted that Black Forest variety at Whole Foods?

OK, maybe this comes from last night’s bacon-wrapped blue cheese filled dates at Cafe Vino, with Barb Gilhoolyand Ayn Hanna- stellar Fort Collins artists.  Check them out!

I have been working quite a lot with taking things away, trying to find a balance between the tangled elements and an atmospheric, poetic space that envelopes them.

This also marks the end point of these paintings in some way that I probably don’t yet understand. I can imagine that my palette will become darker. I much prefer richer deeper colors,colors that you can’t quite name- and it’s winter, so airy bright atmospheres feel a bit odd.

But there will now ensue lots of drawing, hopefully some monotypes, and some serious ruminating on all sorts of ideas that will lead to the next batch of work. Whether that’s going to be painting or not- I am open to find out.

Blue Winter Vine 30x32 oil ©2012 Nanci Erskine - finished? yes! (color is also more accurate in this shot)

…it’s happened again, another piece that I felt was wrapped up has been up on the painting wall again.

earlier version - with annoying leaf at top and other things I eliminated.... can you find them?

I know how this happens now. Aside from the fact that revision and editing is one of the pleasures of the working process for me.

It seems that I can’t get enough distance on things when working on them- either because I don’t allow myself enough time for simple garden variety rumination, or physical space (until recently,  my studio was about 12 feet long on a good day).

But there is also the space and distance of time- being able to look with fresh eyes at something that hasn’t quite revealed itself.

When I used to teach beginning drawing, and wanted people to really see what they had done, while we talked about the work, I would usually take them out into the hallway.   We’d lean the thing up against a wall, and then walk back about 20 feet to look at an 18 x 24″ drawing.  Now, that is some distance, but it almost takes on another identity. Something glimpsed… all the parts of the whole more visible…. formal qualities and elements standing at attention.

Hard for me to do that now- but, it seems to happen once I photograph a piece and then see it in a much smaller scale on the laptop screen.  Then the faults that are working against what I intended are more blatant.  This doesn’t happen every time, but it’s my version of looking at the painting backwards in a mirror. Flipping it on it’s side or upside down, whatever you employ to hit the refresh button.

So, now I am happy with the painting, and also with the other two – one finished, one almost revised- that are still living on the painting wall.

Authors often talk about the revision process- how many drafts they need to burn through before the prose is clear and the flow of the narrative works.  To me this is the same thing- not being complacently satisfied with what I’ve made, just because it’s a picture.  But not letting it be anything less than a successful painting.

Once we’d schussed around for an hour or so and stopped for a handful of almonds I looked over and saw this pair of aspen trees and was immediately struck by the contrast in how they had grown-one so straight and conventional-the other going here and there as it reached a similar height… Like it couldn’t quite decide which direction or perhaps got distracted several times along the way.
I had to have a picture to remind me that we all have our own individual path and mine is what it should be.
I might sometimes think I’ve been derailed or distracted by other events, but there is still a direction.

It’s been interesting to hear from other artists how much they are looking forward to this new year as a time to refocus and renew their practice. Me too.

the "before" shot

= how big my 91 yr. old mom’s new life is- a cozy studio apartment in an assisted living building. Just spent the last four days moving her in, unpacking, sorting, hanging pictures, making it wheelchair accessible and making sure all is going smoothly.

300 square feet = how big my studio area is in our basement. At least I’m not trying to sleep in mine too! I look forward to getting out more paper, and working on drawings/prints and other things that are flat and not stretched canvas.

Anyone want to buy some larger stretcher frames and canvas?

loaded up on seed for the birds

Seems like my other tasks are winding down- and now I’m moving back into my “art-self”.

Finally.

I am looking forward to what some quality hours in the studio bring,

after getting my mom settled in her assisted living apartment, hearing about my daughter’s trip to Israel, holiday festivities, baking fruitcake and cookies, and snow!

(What a treat to see the WordPress snow falling again- love it!)

"Thistle" © Penelope Sartori, 2011

My friend, Penelope Sartori makes beautiful dream-like photographs but that’s the short version of the story.

I was happy to have several of her images in the benefit show I just hung, and even happier that they all sold.  I think more people need to see the quality of what some people in my small city are up to in their studios.  Sure, there are the local over-exposed “art stars”- but,  then there are what I would call the quieter, more modest, hidden practitioners.

Trying to carve out  time to make what feels like work with true integrity, depth and poetry to it.  Pen is such a person.  Does she have a website? no.  Does she blog? no.

She cleans houses for a living and has for many years. She will jump at the opportunity to help almost anyone.  She has a heart as big as a Colorado Blue Spruce.  Give this woman a break I say!

She uses film, and then paints on the images after they are printed. She sees the incredible beauty in her garden and patches of growing things.   Did I tell you she uses film?   No computers, no giclee on freaking canvas wraps… the real deal.

Thank you Pen.

part of the 126 pieces that I was trying to make "cohere"- early in the process

I’ve hung other shows before, even did a majority of the work hanging this one….. but it is daunting to have a specific space, and way more work than optimal to fill it.

Such is the nature of fundraising/silent auction-type shows.   You are not truly curating, not jurying, so it can be a very mixed bag in terms of subject matter/framing/ you name it.

So the task is to make something that looks attractive, while putting it all on the walls.

For some reason, certain themes started to emerge in this group- there were the bird people, the aspen people, the cow/steer/wildlife people, the more abstract subjective landscape people, the traditional realist people…. hmmm am I missing anyone?

Anyway, I managed to find several affinity groups of styles/subjects.  This was handy, since the show spreads through a large main gallery and two small off-shoot spaces.

did I mention it is to benefit a local non-profit land trust?  I also only had two days to hang the work.  Phew.

In a way- it’s tiring, but easier to go at it alone.  With no interruptions (good luck there) and eventually, you find your way.  And… the whole process from sending out the first info to artists to promoting to designing ads and a gallery guide catalog to making sure the wine is poured is all important.

Coordinating other artists gave me new appreciation for people who do this all the time, and also makes me want to stay organized, dependable and professional when on the other side of the picture.

Looking forward to getting my own studio life back in a couple of weeks!

a few weeks of CSA beets waiting for attention

me, I’m actually looking forward to fewer little tasks that need attention-

like harvesting the last of the garden, remodeling the bathroom, and the end of an interesting but time-consuming contract job. Gives me itchy fingers just thinking about it.

In other words… more time in the studio ahead. Why do I get myself involved in so many other things that distract and dilute me?  Can I not say “no” to an opportunity to replenish the bank account, gain satisfaction from doing things myself….hmmm…I like a challenge and being handed a big project.

But the down side is that I’m uber organized, and that translates into sleepless nights occasionally.  The curse of being able to look ahead  I did just read that the optimum amount of sleep women need to live the longest is 6 hours a night- just anecdotal I’m sure, but it gives me some bizarre comfort!  My pledge for the year starting November 10 and thereafter is to only do things that help my art, help my physical health, and help my happiness quota!

(by the way- baked them, and shredded them, made borscht, and might even pickle some!)