Jeff Hayes: Contemporary Still Life Paintings

Kaleidoscope: Magnifying Glass No. 2

2009-06-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

"Kaleidoscope: Magnifying Glass No. 2"
Oil on panel, 5 x 5 inches
Purchase Information

Kaleidoscope.
From the Greek: καλός (kalos), "beautiful" + είδος (eidos), "shape" +
σκοπέω (scopeο), "to look at, to examine".
Roughly, “looking at beautiful forms”

This is the next painting from my Kaleidoscope series. I decided to challenge myself to push the realism a little further here, and spent some time working on the bubbles and deformities in the glass, as well as the knots on the oriental rug. Although I did not aim to paint each individual knot, I was definitely going for the feeling of individual knots, and the richness of the surface texture. It certainly gave me a new appreciation for the skill and patience of the original weaver.

Facebook Page
After putting it off for a long, long time, I've finally set up a facebook page. Please take a look at it here.

Double Lemon

"Double Lemon"
Oil on linen, 12 x 6 inches
Sold

I've also been working on a slightly larger painting of a pair of lemons trapped in an old jar. It's been slow going, but I finally finished it yesterday.

Happy Fourth
Finally, to my U.S. readers, I want to wish you all a safe and happy Fourth of July. For my part, I will be heading up to the Maine coast for a couple days of rest, sightseeing, and - most importantly - cookouts. I'll be back with new work next week.

Three Fragments

2009-06-26T07:43:00.001-07:00

"Fragment: Reliquary No. 1"
Oil on panel with gold paint, 3.5 x 2.5 inches
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"Fragment: Reliquary No. 2"
Oil on panel with gold paint, 3.5 x 2.5 inches
Purchase Information

"Fragment: Reliquary No. 3"
Oil on panel with gold paint, 3.5 x 2.5 inches
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These fragments are just a little bit of fun; I wanted to combine what I've been doing with the Kaleidoscope paintings and the moorish arches I'd painted into the borders of a few of the fragments a while back.

I also recently saw a book about medieval reliquaries, and was really taken by the beauty of those small, exquisite objects.

iPhone Art

2009-06-24T22:10:00.000-07:00

It's not all about paints and brushes and harsh solvents... my friend Chris Howard (who is among other things a noted author) is doing some neat digital artwork... on his iPhone. Check it out here.

The iPhone is just one of those things that make you divide your life into Before and After.

Kaleidoscope: Magnifying Glass No. 1

2009-06-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

"Kaleidoscope: Magnifying Glass No. 1"
Oil on panel, 5 x 5 inches
Purchase Information

Kaleidoscope.
From the Greek: καλός (kalos), "beautiful" + είδος (eidos), "shape" +
σκοπέω (scopeο), "to look at, to examine".
Roughly, “looking at beautiful forms”

Although a lot of work is involved in a painting like this, I really enjoy the fact that this series allows me to produce work that has a more spontaneous, unstudied feel.

For years, random groupings of objects sitting around my studio have caught my eye, leading me to admire some particular aspect of the combination. I've spent a good deal of time and energy trying to recreate those aspects in the confines of traditional still-life arrangements, but the results were almost always disappointing. Forcing a pre-conceived notion into a tightly controlled composition usually destroyed the element that drew me to it in the first place.

Turns out the answer was simple: Paint what you see.

In progress video: Kaleidoscope

2009-06-22T18:51:00.000-07:00

This is an in-progress video of the next of my Kaleidoscope series. It's not the whole painting, but I did think it would be fun to show the magnifying glass come alive.

I'll post the finished painting tomorrow.

June Guest Artist: Karin Jurick

2009-06-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

"Karin is an observer par excellence of people – at work, at play, at rest, and all points in between."

Karin Jurick
“Casts of Characters”
Oil, 7 x 17 inches; 3 panels mounted on black

Since starting this project at the beginning of the year, I’ve been thrilled at the caliber of artists who have agreed – enthusiastically – to participate. Today’s guest is yet another artist who I’m very proud to interview; Karin Jurick.

Although I love seeking out and discovering new artists to look at, Karin is one of the handful of painters that I keep coming back to again and again, and it’s been like that that for years. Her work is fresh, vital, and spontaneous, with a spot-on and imaginative color sense, and brushwork that is a marvel in and of itself. Above all, she has an absolute genius eye for observing detail and situation. I’m always interested and frequently surprised to see what she’s doing next.

From the beginning, I knew this would be a difficult feature to write – because of the sheer volume of her output. She’s been close enough to a daily painter for several years, and the number and range of pieces to choose from is staggering.

While I enjoy nearly all the themes and subjects she touches on (I especially appreciate some of her recent landscapes), it’s the human element that truly distinguishes her as a painter in my mind. Karin is an observer par excellence of people – at work, at play, at rest, and all points in between.

She always carries a camera with her to document these moments for future paintings, and it shows. There’s a simple intimacy in these scenes that only comes from direct and constant interaction with daily life.

Karin Jurick
“Puttin”
Oil, 7 x 5 inches

Although they’re often paintings of people in action, they simultaneously have a near Zen-like absorption in the moment. I haven’t embarrassed myself on a golf course since I was a teenager, but her fine eye for detail brought me back to the instant – and visceral gut feeling – of making just this kind of shot.

Karin Jurick
“Eavesdropping”
Oil, 8 x 8 inches

Even more valuable to me, though, is her understated wit, and ability to wrap a touching moment in gentle amusement. There’s something poignant about these two people, together contemplating the expanse of the bay and all that lies beyond – and so obviously blocked off from it. The eavesdropping pigeon provides just the right touch to lighten it a little; but not too much. It’s a profound painting… with a punch line. It’s tough to go for a tone like this without seeming smarmy, but Karin does it over and over again. It’s the kind of art that only an honest and sympathetic person can make.

In fact, frequently it recalls the spirit – though not the style – of Norman Rockwell, who was another extraordinarily keen and compassionate observer of people. (As an aside, I just have to slip in my opinion that Rockwell is grossly misunderstood and underestimated. He was never an illustrator. Instead his work falls squarely in the long and venerable tradition of genre painting, and as such he was one of it’s real masters).

Museum-Goers Series

Within her prolific output, however, there’s one group of paintings that really stands out for me, and that is the museum-goers series. I’m actually not a huge fan of museums (crowded and noisy – not the best environment for absorbing art), but Karin’s paintings capture the best and most interesting aspects of museum culture.

To people who like looking at art (and that is presumably everybody who’s reading this), the very idea of painting people looking at art is delicious, and these pieces work on so many levels. They’re usually not just simple depictions of people looking at pictures. There’s generally some kind of thoughtful commentary on the painting itself, and often enough the action is seen to spill out from the canvas to the surrounding museum space.

Karin Jurick
“Slouchers”
Oil, 12 x 8 inches

People come to museums (and art in general) with a wide range of motives and expectations, and they have a wide range of experiences as a result. She captures the spectrum of reactions and emotions people have when interacting with art, from an intense absorption, to nearly complete indifference – sometimes in the same scene.

Karin Jurick
“Luncheon Date”
Oil, 8 x 16 inches

The noise and laughter of Renoir’s scene is met with the stony silence of contemplation from the foreground crowd, yet it feels like a completely natural encounter. Furthermore, it’s a little difficult to distinguish the boundary - the central woman in white is painted in just such a way that she could almost be part of either group. Very clever stuff.

There is something deeply compelling about recording people’s interaction with art in this way. Karin seems to be thinking about nothing less than why we find art fascinating – and especially that magic, spellbinding moment when good artwork really has us in it’s grip.

Karin Jurick
“Little People”
Oil, 12 x 9 inches

Another great aspect of this series is the interpretation of the painting itself; it must be truly rewarding to essentially be copying masterpieces like this Sargent double portrait on a regular basis (apparently Sargent himself routinely copied throughout his career).

I found it interesting how she plays up the chilling quality of the sitters. The girl in the foreground seems to be having an appropriately ambivalent reaction – look at her twisting posture – it’s like she really wants to get away from that painting but can’t quite tear herself from it.

Having seen the original in person, that is exactly the right response. It’s repellant and spellbinding at the same time. There’s a real dark side to Sargent that doesn’t show up all that often, but these kids must have been the perfect foil for expressing it; they could be right out of The Shining.

Because I think it’s interesting to see next to Karin’s painting, here is the original Sargent:

John Singer Sargent
Portrait of Edouard and Marie-Loise Pailleron
Oil, 60 x 69 inches

brushwork

Karin Jurick
“Georgia Grown”
Oil, 6 ¾ x 12 inches

I’d be remiss if I wrote about Karin without making at least some mention of her brushwork. Actually, it’s one of the most intriguing aspects of her painting. In a way it reminds me of watching basketball; it’s vigorous and athletic, but at the same time full of graceful and fluid movement… genuine poise.

In my own painting, brushwork is simply not important – it’s a means to an end. In Karin’s work, though, the brushwork is absolutely central. Sometimes, it seems like it IS the painting. Take for instance the above still life (which, by the way, I’d love to see more of). The long, broad strokes in the outer composition form a powerful vortex driving the action into the center of the painting, where the objects are defined by crisp, staccato marks. It’s not merely stylistic – it’s structural. The wide range of brushwork helps develop and reinforce the composition itself.

Different Strokes

I also want to quickly mention an interesting project she started last year; Different Strokes From Different Folks. This is a separate blog where every other week or so she provides a source image and invites other artists to send in their interpretations of that image. She then publishes all of the contributions, along with her own version; in excess of 100 artists regularly participate. It’s fascinating to see this theme and variations played out on such a large scale.

The Interview

So, enough from me, let’s here from Karin herself. I sent a list of several questions, and she sent back some very thorough and thoughtful responses.

JH: You went for a period of many years without painting; do you feel you were somehow developing as an artist during that time, even if you weren't actively picking up a brush?

KJ: Looking back, I know I was buried in work and nothing else for about 13 of the 15ish years. Being a picture framer, I found it discouraging that the artwork that was popular and sold was not what I wanted to paint anyway. I couldn't see myself painting trendy subjects or portraits - so I really gave up the thought of making a living as an artist. It was around then that I got online and discovered artists who painted what I was interested in - street scenes, real people in real places, food, etc - and it was HOW they painted that drew me in immediately. And this longing to paint emerged out of me. I spent hours, days, weeks, and a couple of years studying dozens of painters, just soaking it in like a sponge.

JH: Now that you're painting full-time, what's the best way that you've found to keep learning and educating yourself?

KJ: Even after 5 years, every painting is a learning experience with respect to how to handle the paint. With subject matter, I may get to the point of feeling like I get it now and I want to move on to a subject matter that I haven't tried - to keep learning. Different subjects require different approaches - which means I work at finding the most efficient technique to get the job done with the subject at hand. Additionally - and most important to learning and developing - is to work on smaller, quicker paintings constantly - when I try out different methods, subjects, colors, etc - which often carry over to more realized, larger work. And on the occasion when I feel stuck, I always take time to study other artists' works online - it provides clues to what I think I may be missing.

JH: Your "different strokes" project is a really interesting experiment in a type of group collaboration. How do you think this kind of technology-enabled interaction will change the way participants paint?

KJ: A plus is we're not in a time-crunch, like we would be in a workshop - we can all take our time to absorb the subject at hand and tackle it at our own pace. I try to provide a variety of subjects for the same reason I described above - to not get too comfortable with what we know - to challenge our ability, to find different approaches depending on the image. Painting or drawing in the comfort of your own environment makes for a more relaxed learning experience - less intimidation. I would hope that makes the process more enjoyable.

JH: Can you describe a typical workday in the studio?

KJ: There is no typical in my life. The goal is to get obligations done and out of the way early and retreat to my studio as soon as possible. I still own & operate a retail business - so I try to schedule my work time to a couple of days devoted to that and the other 5 days freed up. When I have a show coming up, I commit to doing very little else other than paint - for weeks, until I get the job done. Those days are more typical - I'm up around 7:30, walk Petey, read the paper, drink too much coffee and get out to the studio around 10. The first couple of hours are devoted to admin stuff, blog & web updates, emails then finally getting to work - looking through photos, picking one I'm interested in for that day, playing with it on Photoshop and start painting around 11 or 12. Almost always, I don't quit until the painting is done - it doesn't matter what time that is.

JH: Technical Lightning Round: Natural or synthetic brushes? Do you prepare your own supports? How did you stumble upon using a black gesso ground? What kind of lighting do you use in your studio? What's the most recent color you added to your palette?

KJ: I use inexpensive, synthetic, flat brushes by American Painter - mostly 1/2" wide. I made a desktop support, nothing fancy, that adjusts from straight up to about a 45 degree slant.

Painting on black, either gesso or latex paint, goes back to when I started painting with acrylics 5 years ago. I would paint these blocks of black on a heavy watercolor paper, then paint on top of that to get a richer, bolder, more opaque result. When I started learning how to paint with oils, I tried it on white or a medium tone ground color because I thought that was what I was supposed to do - but I realized I didn't get the same impact as I wanted - and I couldn't judge the colors from my palette to the painting as accurately. So I tried what I knew from experience, to paint on black. It took a while to really get how to apply the paint, how much to use, what mediums work for me, etc - but I know it's the only way for me.

My lighting situation is overhead halogen track lights - 10 of them beaming down at different angles. Makes for a warm day of painting.

I am always trying new paints, new colors, different brands. For some dumb reason, I never used Phthalo green or blue and recently added that to my pizza pan of colors. To explain that - I use a large pizza pan for my palette, daub about 50 paints around the rim with white and black in the center. I don't have a firm set of selected colors - I use about 5 different tints of browns, blues, greens, reds, yellows, purples and greys.

JH: A couple of years ago, a lot of people were making predictions that online sales would kill off galleries. Since you're active in both spheres, I assume you don't think that's the case, at least not currently. How do you see the two venues complimenting, supporting, or even detracting from each other?

KJ: I think there are and will always be two separate types of art buyers/collectors out there - those who wouldn't think of buying art from anyone but a dealer and those who don't have an interest in going into or feel intimidated going into an art gallery or even resent paying the dealer rather than the artist. There needs to be both worlds to accommodate all kinds of customers. What has changed is the dealers realizing they're not the only means of selling fine art - and they have had to accept that and create their own web presence to keep up with the current times.

In my case, I try to always respect one not competing with the other. The smaller paintings, the quick studies are vital to learning and still sellable, so I limit those to online auctions. A lot of those are experimental and give me a better idea of what people are drawn to - which carries over to larger, more realized paintings that are framed and hung in the galleries. Ultimately, the dealers benefit from the exposure, often selling the larger paintings to customers who saw or bought the smaller pieces - which makes everyone happy.

JH: How do you see your painting evolving over the next few years?

KJ: I only think of it in terms of evolving in subject matter - exploring different locations, seeing new things. I want to maintain a style which is not too tight and not too loose - which is my greatest challenge. It's tempting to be a perfectionist and it's just as easy to get lazy, even with a paintbrush. I work at that discipline every day.

JH: If you could go back to the beginning of your career and give yourself one piece of good advice, what would it be?

KJ: To choose a dealer/rep carefully. I was with a gallery in San Francisco for a couple of years - the owner treated me well until his sales dropped off, followed by nothing short of disrespect and insults. And I put up with it. I eventually pulled out and was stiffed out of my commission on a sale. The most profound advice would be to maintain a very business-like relationship with your dealers and your customers and act on your instincts when it feels wrong - or right for that matter. There are two of me - the personal and the professional - and I've learned all decisions regarding my art, my job, my living must be a business decision.

Looking back, I'd also advise carving out time to get my butt off the chair to stretch and get some exercise. My body's got a lot of repairing to do.

JH: Lastly, can you pick a painting of yours that you particularly like, and perhaps say a few words about it?

[see above: "Casts of Characters"]

KJ: This fairly-new painting is one of my personal favorites - for a lot of reasons. It's 3 separate panels which makes it a little unique, which lends itself to the widespread sidewalk and..... and it separates each group of characters. The shadows are almost a separate painting in itself - I marvel over shadows and love to include them in my paintings. I love that each individual is unrecognizable - I think we see ourselves more in a painting when the faces aren't visible. I love the strong light, as if I could feel myself there.

Well, that wraps it up for this month’s feature. Karin, thank you so much for participating and putting so much effort into your responses!

Karin’s work can be seen on her blog, A Painting Today, her website, and in person at a number of galleries. Please go have a look.

I also want to wish everybody a warm first day of summer… enjoy!

A New Direction

2009-06-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

"Kaleidoscope: Silver Bowl"
Oil on panel, 5 x 5 inches
Purchase Information

Kaleidoscope.
From the Greek: καλός (kalos), "beautiful" + είδος (eidos), "shape" +
σκοπέω (scopeο), "to look at, to examine".
Roughly, “looking at beautiful forms”

This painting represents a big step for me, one that I'm very excited to take.

For some time, I've been taking a fairly standard approach to my still lifes; classically balanced compositions, clearly recognizable objects, unidirectional lighting, etc. Not that there isn't a lot of merit to that approach, but I feel like it's run it's course. For the better part of a year, I've been struggling to find the way forward... to make paintings that are truly my own.

I have no desire to move away from a realist aesthetic - if anything, the opposite is true. At the same time, I have wanted to move away from conventional compositions, and also introduce a random element into the work. Rather than the traditional approach of painstakingly arranging a few items into simple compositions, this new series will go in the exact opposite direction. Large numbers of objects will be placed on the surface, more or less at random. From this field, tightly cropped compositions will be developed, happily relying on chance rather than control.

The title of the series says it all - looking into these fields of randomly arranged objects brilliantly reflecting and refracting the light instantly reminded me of looking into a kaleidoscope. I was further delighted when I discovered the meaning of the Greek roots of the word: "looking at beautiful forms". Perfect.

So this is my way forward. I still have a few in-progress paintings reflecting a more conservative approach. I'll probably show them here, but for the most part, this is how I'll paint for the foreseeable future.

After that... who knows. Change, development, and discovery... that is the best part of being an artist.

New Video

2009-06-18T00:22:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted any videos for a while, so I thought it might be fun. The way I work (slow, painstaking, deliberate... and slow) makes it tough to do any kind of real-time demonstration. I sped a working session way up, here, and I think it gives a pretty good sense of how my paintings generally unfold.

This is obviously the same painting as the in-progress image from yesterday.

In progress + Darwin and the arts

2009-06-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

In Progress: Double Lemon Jar
oil on linen, 12x6 inches

I've been a little remiss about posting in general lately, and about in-progress shots in particular, so I thought I'd remedy that today. This is commission piece I've had in front of me for quite a while, and I'm finally making some good headway on it.

I have a new group of paintings that I'll be showing over the next few days (several of which are finished). These are a real departure for me, and I'm thrilled about how they've turned out. Stay tuned...

I found an interesting feature on the BBC today about Darwin's impact on artists who were his contemporaries. Actually, it was a disappointingly thin feature; I wish it would have gone into much more depth, but the premise is really interesting. The slideshow starts off with one of Martin Johnson Heade's great South American paintings, which I saw in person a couple years ago.

NOTE: Reader John Hawks let me know about a site that gives a more thorough overview of the exhibition: http://www.darwinendlessforms.org/
Thanks John!

Update and Southern Vermont Arts Center

2009-06-11T22:15:00.000-07:00

Hi All - My posts here have been a little sparse recently, but that should all change next week. I've been working on a new series of paintings that is quite different from what I've been doing lately. I'm very excited about them, and can't wait to start putting them up here.

Meanwhile, I'm also excited that I'm showing some work at the Southern Vermont Arts Center. This is a fantastic arts organization and gallery in Manchester, Vermont. If you're in the area, please stop in and have a look.

Two Shotglasses No. 3

2009-06-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Two Shotglasses No. 3"
Oil on panel, 3.5 x 3.5 inches

Two Shotglasses No. 2

2009-05-31T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Two Shotglasses No. 2"
Oil on panel, 3.5 x 3.5 inches
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Two Shotglasses No. 1

2009-05-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Two Shotglasses No. 1"
Oil on panel, 3.5 x 3.5 inches
Sold

The first painting of the third series.

(Please note that I am out of town for the week, and will respond to all bids/questions on Sunday).

Teacup and Lemon No. 3

2009-05-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Teacup and Lemon No. 3"
Oil on panel, 5 x 6 inches

And this is the final painting for the second series.

Teacup and Lemon No. 2

2009-05-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Teacup and Lemon No. 2"
Oil on panel, 5 x 6 inches
Sold

Teacup and Lemon No. 1

2009-05-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

"Teacup and Lemon No. 1"
Oil on panel, 5 x 6 inches
Sold

The first painting in the next series.

Pear and Wineglass No. 3

2009-05-18T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Pear and Wineglass No. 3"
Oil on panel, 4 x 4 inches
Sold

"Pear and Wineglass No. 2"
Oil on panel, 4 x 4 inches
Sold

"Pear and Wineglass No. 1"
Oil on panel, 4 x 4 inches
Sold

So this is the final painting of the first series, along with the other two members so they can be seen together. I've played it pretty conservatively in this first set, but I'm ok with that. This is the first time I've worked in a formal series, and I was focused on feeling my way through the process and mechanics of a tightly bound group of paintings. At this point I'm already working on several other series, and I'm concentrating on incorporating more variety within the constraints I've set for myself.

May Guest Artist: Todd Ford

2009-05-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

"As I was trying to sum this all up, I took another look over his paintings, and one word leapt to mind: elegant."

Todd Ford
“Stink Eye”
Oil on Canvas, 30 x 30 inches

In terms of pure visual pleasure, Todd Ford’s paintings rank among my personal favorites.

Originality is an over-valued commodity that has led to a lot of over-valued art (in my opinion). An authentic artistic personality is a far more enduring and worthy asset, and Todd is an artist who has that in spades. He speaks with a genuine, confident, and highly competent voice.

One of the things I’ve come to enjoy most about watching artists who blog is the way that a very clear and thorough history of their work is laid out – at least for the duration of the blog. Even retrospective shows can’t provide that, as there’s so much selection involved. It’s always fascinating to look at the earliest posts, and then compare them with the most recent. With the artists I’m most interested in, it seems there’s either strong growth, or remarkable consistency.

Todd definitely falls in the latter category; in fact, that consistency is one of the things I admire the most about his work. He achieves it in two ways; he works with an extremely narrow range of motifs and subjects, and he paints in a very stable, well-defined style.

Looking through the last two year’s worth of painting, there seem to be fewer than half a dozen motifs (with a few outliers). These, though, are carefully crafted into a wealth of vibrant paintings. I’m intrigued that he manages to get so much great art out of such a restricted number of subjects. It’s all about picking a number of elements and exploring them at almost obsessive length and depth – series work at it’s very best.

Stylistically, I think Todd has one of the most interesting takes on still life. It’s clearly not pure photorealism in the traditional sense, as he himself points out. Yet that’s also clearly the major source of the inspiration. It’s all there; the high degree of detail, faithfulness to the lighting, even some of the typical photographic distortions.

His work is also infused with a minimalist spirit – he seems to be working hard to peel away all superfluous elements, and gets to the bare essentials of the still life. The brilliant light and objects placed on reflective white surfaces remove the sense of place and context that so much traditional still life seems to thrive on. Even shadow is often underplayed, yet surprisingly that doesn’t diminish the full, warm sense of the light.

Frequently (but not always), the textures of objects are stripped away and replaced with a feeling of metal, say like stainless steel. This is often visible in the cloth; which, since it’s satin, has a pronounced metallic luster to begin with. Even this is exaggerated with heightened highlights and contrasts, often producing the sense of a hard, uniform surface.

It’s also interesting that such obviously realistic work can have such a strong element of abstract design to it. He mentions that Jackson Pollock is the artist he feels most inspired by (and he even named his son Jack in his honor). Although I’d personally be hard-pressed to spot the direct connection with Pollock in particular, to me there’s no doubt that there’s a figurative spirit of abstraction running through these paintings, if not a literal one.

Todd Ford
“A New Grip No. 3”
Oil on Canvas, 18 x 24 inches

Here he shows himself to be the master of the tightly cropped subject. I think this painting is just about compositionally perfect. There’s a beautiful sense of variety to the shapes and lines, and I love the way the forms twist like a helix through the space. It’s just completely satisfying; the negative spaces all work well together, the main focus – the rivet – lies nearly spot-on the Golden Mean, and it’s even vaguely suggestive of the human figure. A lot of people could accurately render the details of this object, but it takes some real and imaginative artistic thinking to produce this kind of painting.

Todd Ford
“Blue Bottle”
Oil on Canvas, 36 x 18 inches

To me, one of the surest signs of an inventive artist is the ability to take common items and combine them in surprising, novel ways. Todd certainly does that with the series of bottle and cloth paintings. I never get the sense that these arrangements are forced, but rather they take on a natural, organic feel. He seems to very comfortably transform these simple objects into a dramatic, billowing smokestack.

This piece also shows off some elements of his style at it’s very best: crisp, clean lines, bold, luminous colors, and objects set in a nearly abstract space devoid of any suggestion of clutter.

Todd Ford
“Broken Pieces”
Oil on Canvas, 24 x 18 inches

The broken bottle series is actually my favorite set of his paintings. He neatly summarized the process of working with these defunct beer bottles as follows: “Open. Drink. Smash. Arrange. Paint.” (personally, I generally stop at step 3).

I’d have to say I like this one the best of all. It boils down all the elements to their pure essence; powerfully abstract, and still reassuringly concrete. Somewhat surprisingly considering the actual scale of the objects, it generates a strong sense of 3-dimensional depth, and a true monumental presence. The lines impart a vital, vigorous sense of rhythm, and they also furnish a neat Escher-like twist where the edges of the fragments are actually exchanged (near the top). This is a painting I’d love to see in person. Every Day. In my living room.

As I was trying to sum this all up, I took another look over his paintings, and one word leapt to mind: elegant. He’s working with objects that are themselves pedestrian, but he paints them with such obvious care and stylistic refinement that the final result is… well… pure and individual elegance. Still life painting at it’s very best.

So, enough from me, let’s hear from the artist himself. I sent Todd a series of questions, and he very graciously took time from his busy schedule to answer them in depth. Without further ado:

JH: Can you tell me a little about your working process?
TF: First of all Jeff, let me say Thank You for choosing to interview me. It really is an honor, especially considering the caliber of previously interviewed artists.
Well, I start by shooting reference photos with a digital camera. I use the word reference because I am not necessarily interested in a literal translation of the photo. I like to pick and choose what stays and what goes. After I get a photo that works, I then draw it on the canvas. I am a firm believer in good drawing skills. If the drawing doesn’t work, the painting doesn’t work (for me anyway). After the drawing is complete, I do something that seems to be less and less common: I paint…without an under painting. Typically I avoid all mediums too, but I do use small amounts of walnut oil. More often than not, my finished canvas has but one fairly thin layer of paint. I realize that my methods are far from conventional, but for what and how I paint, they work for me. In any case, how boring would it be if we all painted the same way?

JH: I’m really curious about the lighting you use to illuminate the still lifes; can you say a bit about that?
TF: I use a basic Fotolite unit and a single 250w Eiko Photoflood bulb with a color temperature of 4800K. It’s a very short life bulb (2-3 hours), and gets very hot. Even with the limited lifespan of the bulbs, this setup works well for me.

JH: How long does it typically take to finalize one of your still-life setups?
TF: Well, it depends. I normally have a good idea of what I want to set up and the general composition before I even step into the studio. Sometimes it all comes together with little effort and I can get what I want in less than an hour. That would include a minimum of 20 or so “good” shots that include subtle variations. Other times, I can spend an entire day in the studio and end up with nothing that works.

JH: One of the things that really strikes me about your painting is the stylistic consistency – working in a very individual style. Can you say a little bit about how you arrived at this style, and how long it took you to master it?
TF: After all of those “painting in the style of” assignments in college and then the phases of emulating artists I looked up too, I guess I just eventually found my own style. I don’t think it was ever a deliberate choice to paint how I do. Maybe it’s a combination of past experiences and a desire to achieve a certain aesthetic. I do know that I choose not to embrace the ever popular painterly brushstroke….not that there’s anything wrong with that! I do admire and enjoy the work of artists who paint in that style and occasionally wish I could paint that way! I know that many artists strive to loosen up in their approach, but not me. I’m happy with not a trace (or very little) of my brush on a finished canvas. Now with that being said, I most certainly am not a true photorealist either. As far as mastering my style…it just hasn’t happened. I would say that I have improved over time, but mastery is a strong word.

JH: How would you like to see your art develop over the next several years?
TF: That’s a good question. Since I started painting seriously a few years ago, my work has seemed to evolve naturally. I like to think that it’s better now. So over the next few years, all I can hope for is the desire to push myself to be a better painter. Oh, and to work larger.

JH: I understand you’re a full-time teacher as well; do you find that your teaching activities have an impact on your painting? Vice versa?
TF: I try to keep a separation between teaching and painting. It’s difficult some days to come home and be excited to paint when all I want to do is hold the couch down. But that’s all part of it. We all have those days. Thankfully they are few and far between. Also, there’s that little dilemma of never enough hours in the day! A more positive impact is seeing the young, talented students grow as artists throughout the year(s). Their excitement about art is not generated by selling a painting or having work accepted in a show or gallery...it’s much more basic than that and quite inspiring and humbling to me at times.

JH: What is the best working habit that you could recommend to other artists?
TF: Be diligent.

JH: And finally, can you pick one of your paintings that you’re particularly fond of?
TF: Wow. This question should be the easiest one, but it’s not. I love them all, I hate them all. If I had to pick, I would probably say the piece I’m working on right now, or the piece I haven’t started yet.

Well, that’s about it for this month’s guest feature. I want to thank Todd many times over for agreeing to participate, and for taking the time to write his responses. Please visit his blog and his website. If you’re in or near Tulsa, Boston, or Dallas, please visit his galleries to see his work in person.

Before going, I just want to say something about this guest artist series. Each time I sit down to write one of these articles, I find I don’t really want to do it; it’s actually a lot of work. And each time I finish one of these articles, I’m incredibly glad that I did.

I generally look at art quickly and somewhat carelessly. Our borderline-ADD culture and technological enabling makes it far too easy to look at paintings almost like we view commercials. Take a quick glance, then click on to the next painting… and on and on and on.

Writing these features forces me to sit down with a handful of paintings by one artist, and spend an entire afternoon looking, thinking, writing, re-looking, re-thinking, and re-writing… trying to delve into the essence and marrow of the artwork. It’s by far one of the most satisfying, broadening, and informative things I do for myself, and I firmly believe it makes me a more open-minded and well-rounded artist. Of course it also helps that I’m writing about some terrifically gifted painters.

I can’t say enough about this approach. It may not work for everybody, but I consider it to be the best form of self-education. In fact, I’d like to suggest you try it. Grab a painting you connect with – doesn’t even matter which one, really - and just start to write about it. Write about what you find compelling, details you notice, things you like, even things you don’t like. Write about structure, light, line, color, brushwork, aesthetics... anything. Observe, and write.

You don’t have to publish the results, or even show anybody else (I’ve written dozens of these essays that I’ll never share). The real point of doing them is to grow a little. I've always been pleased with what happens... you might be too.

Pear and Wineglass No. 2

2009-05-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

"Pear and Wineglass No. 2"
Oil on panel, 4 x 4 inches
Sold

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been thinking about series lately. When doing individual paintings, I often have the feeling that there are a lot of possibilities left unexplored

For the next month or so, I'm going to be painting a group of tightly bound series of paintings. Each set will have three paintings each, and I've set myself the challenge of using exactly the same objects in each of the three. I'm well aware that this runs the risk of monotony, but it also gives me the opportunity to work with multiple combinations and arrangements that would be left undone with single paintings.

Pear and Wineglass No. 1

2009-05-14T20:16:00.000-07:00

"Pear and Wineglass No. 1"
Oil on panel, 4 x 4 inches
Sold

That was something of an unintentional break - I've actually been really busy the last few weeks, with everything except blogging. Apologies for the silence, but I'll have a steady stream of new paintings rolling out over the next few weeks.

I've been thinking about small series lately, and this painting is the first of those... well... actually, maybe I'll say more on Saturday, when I post the second painting of the series.

Also - on Sunday I'll be having the next of my guest artist features.

Bottle and Blue Plate No. 2

2009-04-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

"Bottle and Blue Plate No. 2"
Oil on panel, 10 x 5 inches

With this painting I'm coming back to a theme I've painted before, that of a bottle in front of a plate, both set up against gold cloth. There's just something about these old bottles that I keep coming back to...

Special Charity Auction

2009-04-26T20:26:00.001-07:00

"Glass Creamer and Red Book"
Oil on linen on panel, 5 x 6 inches
Sold

While there's no doubt that these are difficult times we're in, I think it's good to remember that there are plenty of people in the world who are in much worse shape than we are. I was fortunate to have enough to eat today, but certainly not everybody can say that.

To that end, I've set up the above painting as an eBay Giving Works auction. 100% of the proceeds from this sale will be donated to Action Against Hunger, an international relief and development organization committed to saving the lives of malnourished children and families while seeking long-term, sustainable solutions to hunger. Furthermore, this painting will be shipped for free, and I will put it in a gilded frame, also at no charge (unless the purchaser specifically requests that it not be framed).

You can learn more about the eBay Giving Works program here, and more about Action Against Hunger here. You can view a CharityNavigator evaluation of Action Against Hunger here. Based on my research, I believe this to be an extremely reliable and effective charity.

Again, all of the proceeds from this sale will benefit Action Against Hunger; it's a great chance to buy some fine art and benefit a fine cause. Please consider bidding very generously.

Thank you!

Fragment: 3 Marbles

2009-04-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Fragment: 3 Marbles"
Oil on panel, 3.5 x 2.5 inches
Sold

I don't have a whole lot to say about this simple painting, so I will simply let it speak for itself.

Fragment: Bottleneck No. 5

2009-04-18T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Fragment: Bottleneck No. 5"
Oil on panel, 2.5 x 3.5 inches
Sold

I seem to have a series within a series going with these bottleneck fragments. It was a lot of fun to try to paint the effect of corrosion on the right-hand bottle.

Twittering

2009-04-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

I've finally gotten with the times and set up a Twitter account. You can follow me here.

This will basically just be to announce newly-finished paintings or other studio news; I promise not to bother you with updates about what I'm having for lunch or what I'm watching on TV!

Next up... Facebook (I know, I know...)