Work in Progress: Hoping to Avoid a Second Wave

I started a new painting, and perhaps a new series, Hoping to Avoid a Second Wave. The Covid-19 numbers in Massachusetts have been pretty low for the past month or so, but are now starting to inch up as people grow restless and want to socialize during the summer. My family and I are still being diligent and not taking risks unless we have to, but as I walk around my neighborhood and see big parties, I am filled with a range of feelings about it. This painting is trying to express visually what I'm feeling inside.

These photos show work in progress, the actual painting so far (above), a photo of the painting a few days ago (bottom) that I printed out, cut up and taped together (below) in an experiment for my next steps before I cut it up and reassemble the actual painting and try not to screw it up.

Seasonal Fences - Spring #3 Print

A number of years ago, Crate & Barrel licensed the image of my painting Seasonal Fences - Spring #3 and sold signed giclee prints that measured 60" x 30" framed. The original painting is mixed media on 10" x 22" x 1" cradled board.

A few months ago, I was contacted by someone who wanted to buy a print now that Crate & Barrel isn't selling it anymore. I have the digital imaged that was used, so I was able to get a print made and sent directly to her, with the understanding that she would have to frame it herself.

Above is the print that she purchased directly from me. Her choice of frame is similar to Crate & Barrel's frame as per the print below that was purchased from Crate & Barrel by someone else.

New Work: Trying to Stay Safe from Germs #5

Trying to Stay Safe from Germs #5 is the fifth (and maybe last) piece in this series, and not as overly geometric as my other work. Maybe it's a new direction and maybe not. We shall see.

Monoprinted textures of construction fences are used to represent how we’re trying to stay safe during the pandemic, similar to how construction sites use construction fences as a barrier to keep people out of danger by blocking off the site. Fabric paint on a drop cloth, which can be seen behind the stitched grid of the fence, represents germs we can not see. 

The top whole cloth layer of the fence is stitched to the drop cloth foundation below. The fence “holes” are cut away so drop cloth pattern can be seen through the fence. The two layers of fabric are then stiffened.

Trying to Stay Safe from Germs #5 measures 21.5” x 23.5”.

Fabric Ready

I've got various stamped drop cloth and monoprinted construction fence pieces of fabric ready to use for a new yet named series. I do have some names I'm considering, one of which is "EEE, and Covid, and Lyme, Oh My!" but I have not figured out how the name will correlate to the imagery. I like the name because it's something I think about everyday this summer now as I go out for a walk, water my garden, and sit by the fire, or just sit, in my backyard.

The detail below is a gem of a find as I gathered the pieces from the stash of fabric in my studio. I have many of these on paper towels but none on fabric. I want to think of something special to do with this random stamping pattern.

Work in Progress: Dates in a Life Project 2020

Here is work in progress through July on my Dates in a Life Project 2020, a year-long painting project documenting the number of steps I walked, and the number of flights of stairs I climbed, each day. I'm 7/12 of the way done.

Since I started working from home because of the Pandemic, I have mostly walked 10,000 steps or more (the red shapes), around 4 miles, each day. In July, I walked over 9000 steps (the big black circles) on 7 days, which I think is also an accomplishment since it's been pretty hot and it's hard for me to walk when it is.

For me, walking is great exercise as well as a stress reducer. I'm going to try to keep this pace up, on hot and humid days, as well as when we have less sunlight as we move toward fall.

One set of marks still not reflected on this painting yet is bike riding. I bought a bike on May 26th after not riding since 1984. I'm still trying to decide how to best make marks reflecting the number of miles I'm riding, in addition the number of steps I walk.

This painting is mixed media on stiffened fabric. I keep track of my steps and flights of stairs using the Pedometer app in my iPhone.

National Kidney Foundation of New England's Honors Gala program

I am excited that my artwork is on the cover of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) of New England's Honors Gala program.

Because of Covid-19, the Gala going to be virtual the week of August 17-21, 2020. During the program, Amy Brooks, my friend and neighbor, and a kidney recipient herself, will tell my donation story and show a number of my paintings. I'll share the direct link when it's available.

Thank you very much to the NKF, and Amy, for giving me the opportunity!

More Work in Progress: Trying to Stay Safe from Germs #5

I started working on Trying to Stay Safe from Germs #5 which has unused fabric sections from #4 that are stitched together as one. Like numbers 1 - 4, it has two layers of stitched fabric, a drop cloth underneath a monoprinted construction fence pattern. So far, I’ve cut away the “holes” in the fence pattern. Now to do more stamping. The fabric is not yet stiffened.