The "Torn Paper" Family is now the "Philodendron" Family

Purple Philo Post Card

Fond as I was of the two small "Torn Paper" post cards that I painted a few weeks ago, their name never quite fit. I thought for a time that they were inspired by Hawaiian Applique Quilts, and research -- actual research -- proved me wrong.

Huzzah! While on a four-day-three-school Pass the Baton Alternative Careers trip to Florida, I realized that the true inspiration for these paintings are Philodendron leaves.  Small ones. Large ones. Really large ones like the ones in the Conservatory at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Those are worth the trip. I was speechless and confused when I first saw five-and-seven-foot leaves, but a helpful Conservatory horticulturist explained that the plant in my living room would look like this if it were to live for 100 years in a greenhouse or a jungle. 

Orange Philo Post Card

Philodendron #1 (below) traveled with me to Florida where I spoke on Alternative Careers at Ave Maria School of Law, Florida Coastal School of Law, and Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law.  A grand shout-out to the excellent and gracious career services staff at each school! 

NOTE TO TRAVELERS:   Flying Delta to Ft. Myers, Jacksonville and Orlando meant four days in Florida and four hours in Atlanta, because I had to fly back to Atlanta to make each of these Florida connections.

Philodendron #1 -- in progress

Created with nanoscapes' Painstaking Exuberance, Philodendron #1 is nearly finished, and this 12x16 watercolor will be for sale on the nanoscapes website on October 31. Original: $400.

A 22x33 Philodendron is in progress.

The 31 Pumpkins of October: Marching Pumpkins 7 to 22

 Some march to their own drummer -- and not in order.

Pumpkin #7

Pumpkin #8

Pumpkin #9

Pumpkin #10

Pumpkin #11

Pumpkin #12

Pumpkin #13

Pumpkin #14

Pumpkin #15

Pumpkin #16

Pumpkin #17

Pumpkin #18

 

Pumpkin #19

Pumpkin #20

Pumpkin 21

Pumpkin 22

The 31 Pumpkins of October: Three, Four and Five (and creative control)

With many parts of our lives outside of our personal control, I have long recommended that everyone have something to do "by hand"  that can be picked up and put down at will. These activities give you some control because you can select and discard colors, sizes, and other elements.  Many are portable (knitting, stitching, beading) and some require infrastructure (gardening, glass or metal work with torches). One of the few activities that falls out of this category is carving fresh vegetables. While it is "portable," you cannot take your carving implements through airline security, and a half-carved potato has a distinct and very unpleasant shelf life.

Pumpkin #5

Pumpkin #3

Pumpkin #4

Torn Paper: a new group of nanoscapes

A few weeks ago, I began The Post Card Projects, a return to the small works that were the first nanoscapes. They have gone in two directions: The 31 Pumpkins of October (ongoing) and The Torn Paper Projects.  After the first two Torn Papers (orange at left), I took a detour with the 6" square Red Linked Blocks (right). Torn Papers play up the negative spaces filled by links in Linked Blocks, and I have returned to Torn Paper with a 12x16" new work.  (below, right)

These designs had stirred a memory of Hawaiian applique quilts, and I thought that they were either the source or the inspiration. Having  refreshed my memory of those exquisite works, I admit to completely mis-remembering, and must continue digging in my memory for the  source of these designs.

Check out these beautiful designs by Sharon Balai and you will see how completely unrelated that they are to the Torn Paper designs. 

The 31 Pumpkins of October: a Painstaking Exuberance Project

The 31 Pumpkins of October have returned me to the roots of nanoscapes: tiny spaces, extravagant patterns, and enthusiastic explorations of colors.  Each will be painted on Arches or Canson watercolor post cards, and signed and numbered.

Pumpkin #1

Pumpkin #2

(a tryptych of Pumpkin #2 is available as a matted print from the nanoscapes ETSY shop )