I'm one of those people who likes rules - especially when it comes to making art. I have found that I am able to work best when there are rules - or rather, boundaries - set up that give me a clear space within which I can create. My boundaries usually show up as assignments, or series. I will choose a topic and stick to it for a set time period. Often times, I pick a number and complete that quantity of work before moving on to another topic.

Given this tendency, and my need to stick to the plan, it is strange to me that I started a lunch on Thursday and lost my will to continue it. This would be lunch #16 of 30 - and it is a lunch I have been wanting to work on for a while, but I just didn't care to finish it. Here's as far as I got before stepping away...

I needed a break from the smallish canvases of the lunch series (12x16") and from the (mostly) healthy images I had been working with. In scrolling through my phone, I found a photo of a gloriously gooey slice of blueberry pie I had baked last summer. That pie was delicious - and it was the first pie I ever baked. In my head I heard the voice of Kathleen Eastwood saying "paint what you love"... I decided this would be my lunch break and grabbed the biggest canvas I had on hand (24x36") to get started. Painting crumb topping and a dark and formless goo is challenging. There is still a ton to handle on this but I'm happy with the direction and progress so far. 

Portraits aren't really my thing...

7th grade female, middle school, free lunch

Im starting a series based on what a very different set of individuals eat for lunch much. Each will be 12x16" and my goal is to produce 30. Here are the first two:

Sherry, a recreational therapist, leftovers during the week of Passover

Rose, a farmer in her late 20s

The Tyler class has been extended and I couldn't be happier! Here's what I'm working on at home based on our in-class explorations.

a few observations:
1. Painting yourself is harder than painting others
2. Painting with a knife rocks because you don't have to clean the brushes
​3. Not smoothing everything out is hard to adjust to

Due to NAEA Convention, I will miss the final week of my class at Tyler.  I am truly devastated by this - I loved every minute of this painting class and feel truly lucky to have had the opportunity to work alongside such awesome people and with such an extraordinary instructor.  Here's where each painting stood when I left class yesterday:  

In week four, we began out contemporary piece - our suggested subject matter was to create a figurative piece.  I didn't bring images so it was suggested I work from observation - self portrait time!  I was only permitted to have the mirror for about 15 minutes - forcing me to loosen up, work conceptually and, well, play.

Last night, I couldn't stop looking at her - a total Narcissus moment.  I decided she needed a partner and after our delicious brunch, went to Jerry's to fetch up another canvas and the magical colors I had borrowed to begin this work.  
Gary was a dear and "posed" for me - "how long is this gonna take, babe?" - 5 minutes, promise.  I didn't take many "in process" photos for this one but here's what I have: 

And here they are together - finished maybe.  I have a third in mind - us together on one canvas.  Not sure when that will happen since I should be doing about 100 things other than painting and blogging...

This is the painting that I began in class at Tyler.  When I started it - and the home set up - I was really loving the change of pace and style.  However, as I was finishing this, I lost interest and don't know that I love it (or its buddy) quite as much now...