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| Behind Main Street Facades, South Boston VA alkyd, 14x11 |
I don't remember playing with blocks as a child but I enjoyed playing with my kids' blocks and Lincoln Logs. I have a trunk filled with blocks in my workshop (and keep buying more); I still play. This scene reminds me of my blocks of all colors, sizes, and shapes.
I've been away from blogging for a while--it was a hot month, a beloved aunt passed away, and I have a few paintings hanging in a group exhibit at MacCallum More Museum and Gardens in Chase City VA. I have kept up with reading your blogs; I'll now get back to leaving my comments.
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Your perspective is always so interesting to me. I am going back to look at your work with a building block perspective. What is alkyd? is it paint?
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the group show... but I am sorry for your loss.
Hi Robin. I have a slightly warped perspective ( and I sort of like it--no measuring; just eyeballing). I don't think I've painted just buildings before.
DeleteAlkyd paint is fast-drying oil paint.
I love this Hallie. The industrial feel, the spot on composition, the just right use of color.
ReplyDeleteEven though I usually refrain from 'seeing' things in paintings, there looks to be a figure jumping in the brick pattern on the wall. And since it's you- I wonder if that is intentional?
What is alkyd? You are a wonder with all mediums.
I have missed your posts- but I assumed you were busy. I'm sorry to hear of your Aunt's passing.
I hope your exhibit is going well.
Hi PAMO. You're not seeing things. On the actual building the crumbling stucco fell off leaving the shape of a running pizza delivery man. I actually tried to make it look less apparent.
DeleteWhen I decided to switch from sculpture to painting I bought alkyds instead of oils so I wouldn't have to wait forever to varnish. I have a slew of them and need to use them before they dry out.
My aunt was married to my mother's youngest brother and just a few years my senior; we were lucky to have had her in the family.
I see the running man, but not sure I see a pizza. Oh wait. You purposefully left the pizza out? I think this painting is fabulous..I really like that you painted the backs of the building instead of the front. That's our Hallie! It's a very unique batch of shapes. That you refer to your Aunt as "beloved" speaks volumes....I'm sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteHi Celeste. I've seen an ad someplace where a guy is running to deliver a pizza--I didn't want the painting to be about fast delivery (and I got tired of dealing with those crumbling exposed bricks). I believe I got the idea of painting backs of buildings from you several years ago; my photos were from 2010. I'll check out the pizza guy next time I visit South Boston.
DeleteHey there Hallie! The colours are amazing in this new painting! I wonder if we drop all the facades we would get such vibrancy in our own lives?
ReplyDeleteDoes alkyd paint have the same oil paint smell to them? How are the brushes cleaned? How much faster do they dry? Oh, so many questions!
I hope you get a break from the heat soon.
What a great comment about people dropping their facades. I would probably be just gray and boring.
DeleteI haven't used oils in about 50 years so I can't compare odors. They are oils so brushes are cleaned with turpentine--I use a Winsor Newton non-toxic brush cleaner. Alkyds dry in about 8 hours; mine are Griffin alkyds made by W&N.
Hallie, I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your aunt. Congratulations to you on the exhibit. I like this piece with the linear aspects and wonderful perspective.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Crimson Leaves. You've done some buildings with wonderful perspective, too.
DeleteI first saw this yesterday in my smart phone (which is smarter than me) and wondered if it was a photograph.
ReplyDeleteVery nice work. I love old abandoned buildings.
I had heard of alkyds, but had to look them up online to figure out what they are. I am so sorry for the loss of your aunt.
Hi Dan. I go with something I read, "make a painting--not a record." I omitted some things and altered shapes to fit the canvas. There were branches of a tree on the left casting a long shadow but I liked the emptiness and added just a couple of parking lot lines. I used photos from three different angles--it might be hard to find this place using my painting as a guide. When I hold the paintbrush, I'm the decider.
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, I also loved blocks when I was a kid. I like how this painting reminds me of them. All of the negative spaces work so well.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your aunt. One of our good friends died in his sleep a couple of days ago. I'll never get used to dying friends. It might be the worst part of living.
Hi SamArtDog. I remember learning about negative space--it was a wonderful new way of seeing.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your friend. When someone dies, it takes a long time to really sink in--just hard to believe.
Get some blocks and play.
I kept the blocks and Legos -- my kids loved them. This is just the kind of painting I love, showing all the angles on a part of the building. Great perspective, too, Hallie.
ReplyDeleteHave you checked out Chris Beck's art (http://www.chrisbeckstudio.com/Welcome.html)? She uses charming figurines and toys and she is wildly successful. Watch for her soon in Artist Magazine. She's a wonderful person to boot. I can see you doing smashing work using your blocks and Lincoln Logs with that very special twist only Hallie can bring to art.
Thank you, Mary. I thought of you when I began the painting--the way you're able to choose part of a building and make a painting. do enjoy Chis Beck's art--her paintings bring life to the toys.
DeleteHallie,
ReplyDeleteWell done, people like buildings have facades, some pleasant to look at, some not so pleasant to view. Sometimes it is just better to stick to pizza.
Everette
Yes, Anonymous Everette. Such Deep Thoughts--like SNL.
DeleteWhen I was at my parents' house earlier this year I noticed a box behind the couch and pulled it out. Inside were the very blocks that I played with as a child. They have now gone thru my 6 siblings, a bajillion grandkids, and now even great-grandkids. Some of the color is left on them, but not much. They definitely show the love they've experienced over nearly 50 years.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that more of your work is out in the public eye, where it belongs. I'm really sorry to hear about your aunt.
As for not commenting, I've been quite remiss over the past month or so, myself. Like you, I've been stopping by to visit my favorite blogs, but more in stealth mode. Sometimes life takes our words... well, mine, at least.
Your new painting is quite nice. Like Dan said, it does look almost photographic.
-Don
Thanks Don. You're right; I felt like I had no words. This painting has no story, either--unusual for me.
DeleteI'm sorry about your Aunt Hallie, but was so pleased to see your comment this morning. It's been a while since I've seen you on my sidebar and you were missed.
ReplyDeleteThis painting is so reminiscent of small town drive throughs on a blistering hot afternoon when not a soul is out. I can feel heat and abandonment. Wonderful.
Thank you, Linda. I am totally looking forward to your workshop. Life has been off-kilter lately; maybe I need to attend one and find my groove.
ReplyDeletetime to put up an ipad sketch...yeah, yeah...that's right (said in my best Edward G. Robinson imitation).
ReplyDeleteHi Celeste. Unfortunately, I don"t have an iPad painting. I'm close to finishing an oil pastel which I'll post--maybe tomorrow. It could be the beginning of a series, PWTO (Painting While Ticked Off)! Not pretty.
ReplyDelete