Saturday, December 31, 2011

Pastel Gingko Leaves

24" h x 30" w oil on canvas
 This might be my last gingko leaves painting for a while. This one is different from my usual darker contrasting background paintings. It has a little kimono design influence in it.
I'm moving on to painting trees next.
detail

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Colorful Sparrows Play in the Bamboo Shawl



This flat crepe de chine, light as air silk shawl is a large 22" x 90" work. Colorful sparrows fly playfully amongst the bamboo stalks while a full moon is in the distance. The background is a midnight blueish-purple with little golden-ish spots which might be fireflies.

Something this large is time consuming to draw and paint and a little difficult to handle putting it into the steamer, washing and rinsing. On my height of under 5' it overwhelms me, and can probably be an entire garment if belted and with the proper under clothing! But on a tall person, it'll make a stunning shawl.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Gingko Leaves Obsession

A while back my goal was to cover the walls of one room with gingko leaves paintings. I'm pretty close to achieving that and have been wondering why I have this obsession. Is it the memory of gingko trees, especially those very ancient ones growing on Buddhist temple grounds in Japan, or is it the shape of the leaves that compel me to keep painting over and over not just with oils on canvas, but on silk with dyes?

The gingko leaf shape differs from leaf to leaf and from tree to tree, some triangular versus some that flare out into a more graceful fan shape. Some have a deep slit and others a mere hint of a slit in the center.

But when start appearing across my canvases and silks, I see them moving, falling, blowing across the surface at times moving beyond the canvas edges. And why do I prefer them in motion, forever in flux even though at their final landing spot they will eventually disintegrate and dissolve back into the earth?

Tuesday, December 20, 2011