Indoor/Outdoor

I worked on another corner of my universe this week-mainly because I needed a space where I could do studio visits that wouldn't be suffocatingly hot, and also because I wanted to play with how the work might be hung for the show in September. And also, as a test to see how Suburban Flatfiles or Suburban Flatfile Exchange would be laid out. At first I was against hanging the work in groupings or clusters- I thought it would be visually chaotic. I also didn't want someone to think it was a holiday art show of "small works." Notice my dismissive tone at the dine and dash baggage that smaller paintings carry. I can't help it. Elaine Mari recently revealed more or less how long she spent on some paintings and it made me want to do the same. I believe starring at a painting should be included in the time spent working on it. In fact, I have willed most of my work into being simply from starring at them. That's right, no hands. All mind work. Telekinetic painting.

This corner is in the Living Room, though we never lived in it. The furniture is formal. We used it at Christmas time. It is the room where as a child, I learned how to remove scotch tape from a wrapped package with technical precision of a bomb squad. I'm certain I have discussed this skill before.

But back to the paintings. The director's cut of the show title is officially:

Fluid: Elusive Chapters from The Passage of Time. Vol. 1. The Lost Months. Vol. 2. Pools and Flowers. 

The gallery will never run with that, because along with my name, the lettering would block out the sunlight on the gallery window, but I'm just letting you know, That's the show title. I don't know why I like long titles. Maybe it's an attempt to pack in more information, you know- like, please, I just need to tell you one more thing.
The wall here at home was already painted red and it will have to do for now, but I kind of like the work on a painted wall too.

Here's a new piece I've been working on. It might be done. I'd like to muck with it a bit more, but it would be dicey. I can tell I've already crossed over from the land of "There are no such things as mistakes," to "Damn, I just ruined the entire painting. Now I will have to kill it." Sometimes, I think I need to drag these inside and hide them for a bit and move on. The part I'd like to tweak is the diamond ring. I want to make it a bit more over the top gooey. I have tried a few times and keep washing it out and redoing it. I'm going to bring it inside for a few days.

The Engagement Party, 20" x 16" oil, spray paint on canvas

(Notice how I'm running with titles all of the sudden. I swore I'd never get behind titling the works again, and I meant it.)

Below is what it looked like last month: 

And this is what it looked like before leaving Los Angeles:

It's hot as hell here. Heat index today well into the hundreds. The motorcycle is all good now and I LOVE riding it here even though my only ride so far was to the mechanic's shop to fix my mirror, after which I took the longest way possible to the grocery store. The garage is a little tricky to maneuver in and out of, but I'll deal. Got a ride scheduled this weekend on The Trace. Woo-hoo.