Scenes from Cumberland Island

After enjoying a day at Cumberland Island, I spent the next day painting with good friends.  I love that I am getting back into color and rougher looking paintings.  Just before I left St. Augustine, where I was staying with friends, I stopped by the Hobby Lobby and picked up more paint.  Can't wait to get to work! 

 

 

 

  

My portfolio

Enchantment

 

This week has been good for painting.  I finished the oranges, Enchantment, inspired by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' Cross Creek:

 

Enchantment lies in different things for each of us. For me, it is in this: to step out of the bright sunlight into the shade of orange trees; to walk under the arched canopy of their jadelike leaves; to see the long aisles of lichened trunks stretch ahead in a geometric rhythm; to feel the mystery of seclusion that yet has shafts of light striking through it. [...] Here is home. An old thread, long tangled, comes straight again.

 

I began this painting in late January after a trip home where picked oranges in the yard.  It is one of those memories I will always have of growing up in west central Florida.  Around that time, an article by Jeff Klinkenberg was in the Tampa Bay Times about the citrus industry of the area.  It just seemed natural to paint them.   I completed most of this painting in a week, but let it sit for a month and then I returned to finished it.  I think that I will still play around with a few of the oranges, but it won't have any major changes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Landscapes

These paintings started out as something I called my Pocket Prairies, but now they have developed into more diverse little pocket landscapes.   I am able to transform the vast landscapes that shaped my youth into mementos that I can carry with me.  The smallest is about 1x1.5in.  Now, I am able to have a bit of west central Florida with me during all of the transitions in my life.

Painting

Often when I find myself painting more, it means that I am running less.  I haven't run in a week and a half because of some pain that I have been experiencing.  It could be related to my various previous hip issues, but it could also be completely new.  Since for the first time in over eight years I'm not training for something specific, I took the time off.  I am going to get better and not drag whatever this is on.  (I learned that lesson the hard way...)  Hopefully a little rest and a visit to my orthopedic will get me back on the trails soon.

Here's what I've been working on in the meantime.  The painting's current state:

Ceramics

I have an unrelenting need to preserve moments of old Florida through imagery.  My most precious moments spent in natural Florida stem from cross country running.  Being a collegiate cross country runner, I seek old Florida by taking to parks and preserves on foot.  Running marries the grand landscapes and ecosystems of the state with the exhilaration and adventure that comes with endurance sports.  My art transfers personal experiences, emotions, and sights of natural Florida into a tangible item, essentially preserving the moment.  I allow firsthand observations, feelings, and recollection to influence the scenery and subjects as opposed to copying directly from nature.  As a whole, my work is a means for me to further connect with the land that I grew up with and capture moments for myself and others.


An artist statement was required within the first few weeks of my ceramic sculpture class.  I think that is important to be able to communicate thought processes and intentions in writing, but I will still nervous about turning in my statement because my process tends to be different.  I had recently written an artist statement for an application, so I made a few tweaks and handed it in.  I wondered if it was appropriate to include running, or if my methods of exploring the outdoors were somehow not appropriate in an formal statement.  I have never seen a statement like mine before, but then again, when it comes to art, I've learned it's best to do what works for me and not worry about what other people are doing.  I got the grade, and even better, my professor loved it.  Hopefully those reading that application will, as well.

Sculpting and carving is a new thing for me, and so far I have enjoyed it. The first two projects of the semester have been the "Slab Shrine" and the still life carving.

The shrine required a container-like form (think shrines from art history) and some sort of conceptual design. I choose to reinterpret the imagery from The Secret River in the three dimensional medium. The slabs of clay were reminiscent of the flat, paper cut-out, 1950s illustrations that I love.

This one looks better in person, but you get the idea

The most recent project was intended to make the class more comfortable with the medium. It required the building of a still life in a box and then carving the objects from life out of a slab of clay the same size.  The night before the still life was due, I still had no idea what I wanted to carve.  I went on a run the next morning and it was clear: palm tree parts, bulbs, a stick, and magnolia cones.  Running fixes just about everything.  My box was 9.5x9.5x3in. Creating the textures and negative space was a lot of fun. I'm happy with the composition as a whole and the cones (which were difficult to solve- glad I only put in two). 

In progress

Finished carving

Summer

I know that I have been away for a while, but now I should be posting regularly.  The spring semester has ended, finals week has drawn to a close, and summer has begun!  Well, I get a week of summer freedom before the summer semester starts, but hopefully it won't be as stressful as the regular school year.  I should have more time to explore parks and update the blog.

Concerning my running- I am starting to feel like a runner again.  About a week ago I ran 7 miles on the treadmill (so happy!), but I felt quite sick, to the point of using the gym mirrors to scout out a trashcan while running.  I didn't sleep, eat, or drink much for a few days, so fitness took a backseat to my health.  I also had final exams, papers, and paintings to tend to.  I am feeling much better now, and if my running continues to go well, I will attempt my first road run within the next few days! 

These are the paintings that I made in my Painting I class that were inspired by my Cross Creek and the work of Lilian Garcia-Roig:

First painting that I made in this style and this size (36x48 in)



Painting two (36x48 inches)



Study of trees (still wet- 18x24)

Instead of waking up at 5:30 or 6 to run in the woods, I would wake up just as early to paint the woods!  Painting I was the perfect class to take this semester when I was dealing with my injury.  The paintings above proved to be quite therapeutic.

Progress and Paintings

Yesterday I ran four miles on the treadmill!  Well, I am still run/ walking, but I covered some ground.  After an eight minute walking warm up, I ran for four minutes at eight minute pace, walked two minutes, ran four, and continued the sequence for just over forty minutes total.  Even though I feel horribly out of running shape, running more than I walked is a great mental boost.

Although I am making progress, my coach still advised me not to run on the trails at home.  I understand completely, but I had to ask so I would not be as tempted to run when I get there.  I do not want to push it.  I will ramble instead. 

On a side note, I was given my next painting assignment today (my major is in the art field), which requires me to abstract some sort of space.  A number of the paintings will be large scale and others will be miniature.  All of the paintings should relate to each other in some way.  I was inspired by the work of Lilan Garcia-Roig.




Garcia-Roig

Take the time to look at her works under the Florida category.  Stunning!  Be sure to check out the images of the details.  How amazing is the texture?  And the color!  I am going to photograph scenes of my Cross Creek so that I can attempt something similar back in the school’s studio. 




Garcia-Roig



In just a few days I will be homebound!  Detours to Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ home and gravesite are a definite possibility for this trip.