Blog

This blog traces my influences, studio practice, learning, and teaching of art.

"Paths To The Water"

This and another new painting can be seen at Kendall Art Gallery, Wellfleet, MA.
The plein air landscape was done in one 3 hour session last summer, on Cape Cod at Fort Hill, overlooking Nauset Marsh. The objets d'art were added in my studio back in Ohio. There are many of those oil lamp ceramics at flea markets.

"Harvest Is Great"

This one was begun last fall at Beckwith's Orchard. The plein air painting was finished in the studio. I added the stone and four varieties of apples, left to right: Jonahgold, Rome, Ambrosia, and McIntosh. The title is painted at the top. I'm thinking about concrete poetry. The Greeks were the first to do it: letters of words arranged in a shape.

"The Goddess Of Wisdom"

This view of ancient Athens was painted from an old German engraving. I added the dawn/ sunset atmosphere with Pegasus, and Athena. She holds a vase of olive oil and an olive branch. I will be showing it along with a few others at C.W.R.U. My design class will also be showing some Aeneid themed works. The classics department is hosting an all day, 12 hour reading of Virgil's Aeneid: April 2nd 8:30 AM-8:30 PM, Sages Cafe, Crawford Hall.


"Truth And Healing"

I decided to paint three angel paintings with three different color harmonies based on each of the primaries. This is the yellow one. The pose is based on an ancient Byzantine icon. I think the blue painting needs some more work. The head is too small and I want to change the pose. The great thing about a painting is that you can easily change it.

"The Double Twist Of Death"


I painted this at the Edward Albee Foundation, in Montauk, N.Y. in 1979. It was quite an experience being there. It is a summer workshop in a barn. I had a huge studio. There were two painters, and three writers there. One of the writers was James Lapine, who has come to great success: "Sunday In The Park With George" was written by him. Nogouchi dropped by one day wearing shorts and flip-flops...and I had dinner in Mr. Albee's famous mirrored dinning room. Excuse me for the poor quality of the picture: It's from an old slide.

"Wanderlust"


This still life was painted in MCMXCVII. An ancient vessel with an image of a chariot and warrior is contrasted with a contemporary travel mug bearing the image of a space shuttle vehicle. Thoughts about love, the past & future, the Challenger disaster and a Dave Mathews lyric ran through my head: "hike up your skirt a little more and show the world to me". The painting is titled "Wanderlust".

"Gypsy"

Everything except the horn was painted from life. That is the old Bendix radio from Grandmother's house.
Some of my father's old sheet music was the inspiration for this painting. He wanted to sing professionally but met my mother and became an optometrist.

Vessels


All of the perfume bottles and other vases were painted from life in my studio. The Greek amphora was painted from a photograph. The Greeks drew the images on their vases in orthographic projection. This system of drawing naturally happens when the sun at dusk projects a shadow on a wall. The shadow is a direct and undistorted representation.
The tops and bottoms of the cylinders are flat. It is as if the viewer of the scene is at an infinity away.

Time Stop Your Flight


This recent painting explores a new idea for me. A glass shelf on a rectangular format.
I once asked a psychic friend if I should rework some paintings and change the dates, or even not date my paintings at all. She said, "Of course, you could have thought of those ideas centuries ago. Do whatever you want." Are ideas just floating around in the ether? (Pat Barriuso where are you? Email me.)