Chasing The Summer Sun

I have begun doing a painting a day.

I did this painting this morning, Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011.

One reason I want to paint daily is because I know that I will not be able to paint as much as I am now when I go back to school in the fall--ironically for a degree in Fine Art!

(However, I am looking forward--after a summer break-- to going back to Lane Community College and learning more from the great painter and Instructor Adam Grosowski.)

I like painting the sunrise because no matter what happens during the rest of the day I know that I have done at least one painting.

I like the painting that I did this morning, which I call Pink Champagne Sunrise.

I don't always like what I do and occasionally scrape the paint off my painting surfaces. At times like this I wonder why I am crazy enough to try and be an artist. 

I like Pink Champagne Sunrise  because of its strong value contrasts, abstracted simplified forms, and it's impasto texture. I got the texture by applying the paint with a palette knife.

I started using the palette knife because I am trying to use bolder simplified forms and trying not to overwork my paintings. When I get down there, close to the painting surface, with a small brush, I tend to move the paint around and around and add too much detail: I get lost in the forest for the trees.

I am looking forward to doing many more paintings before school starts, but I know that I am also going to want to paint the fall with its varied colors: cadmium yellow, cadmium red medium,  alizarin crimson, moss green, ochres, and orange--as well as other colors.

Now, I need to get out there while I can and chase the summer sun!