Emerging Art

It is interesting to document progress on a painting, taking photographs which I call "Emerging".

It seems that I have to make a lot more effort in the peripheral parts of a painting, than on the focal point. I painted Mount Timpanogos in Central Utah from photographs and had the mountain itself done in one painting step. The snow, light and shadows of the contours was a veritable "piece of cake" compared to my struggle over the rest of the painting. Trees and bushes, rocks and stream were painted over and over and over with still some question as to whether it was truly finished.
The painting called "Rhino Meditation" was interesting in the "emerging" stages. The rhino had to be painted with a mirror image before adding the water around it. Turned to its vertical direction and without the blurring of water, there is a startling, haunting and alien look about it - like something out of Star Wars.





Emerging photographs of "The Birthday Party, 1969" -When our first child, Brian was having his first birthday, I thought I had to do all of the firsts which included throwing a birthday party for the little guy in spite of the fact that he was totally oblivious to the spirit of the occasion.

We lived in an apartment complex of young married students so I invited children and their parents among our close neighbors. Dan snapped photos with a state-of-the-art camera of the era and got some very nice black and white photos.

I had the parents make party hats with paper plates, doilies, ribbon and balloons and served cupcakes. These 3 charmers were captured, photographically speaking in a wonderful kodak moment, looking like they were bored and waiting for something better to happen.

"When can we go play in the sand box?"

I loved the photo and wanted to paint it to suspend the moment. I have lost track of neighbors and would very much like to be in contact with them. These children would now be 40 years old and their parents in their 60's. It would be a fun reunion. Heidi Baker on the left, lived on the third floor above us. Allison and Shawn, brother and sister lived in the closest building; their parents were English or Canadian.

I love the condition of their knees and legs with scabs and scrapes which are enhanced by kid fashion of 40 years ago and of course, those grand and festive homemade party hats.