Thursday, July 29, 2010

Life Goes On

      I have been getting  emails from so many of you these past few months and I just want to express how much I appreciate the support from each and every one of you. It means a lot to to me to know that there are so many people sending me good mojo! I am doing really well.  This divorce has been coming on for a long time and I am in that place now where I am n ot even looking back. No regrets, no sorrow.  I don't feel anything anymore. It is not numb. Already went there. Not anger. Already did that. I am not.....well.......anything. I believe the word I am looking for is apathetic. Let me put on my Google fingers and look that up.... yup ...indifference. The opposite of love... for me.. would be indifference.  It is a great place for me to be with this. I am happy and I have an incredible sense of relief and freedom.
    My little boy is having a harder time of it lately and he so anxious to move to our new place. So keep sending him those virtual hugs.

Our moving date is coming up quickly and I am still looking for other sources of income. My art is selling well but I can't live soley on my art income yet. "Yet" being the operative word.  I'll get there! I do have a few really good possibilities in the works. I think I would also like to teach some riding lessons again. So all of my horsey friends..if you know of anything...Please, send it my way!  But I am open to any and all offers of any kind either locally or online. If you know of anything email me deborah@deborahosullivan.com  I want to be able to completely support myself and my son asap.

So what does this have to do with art, horses or dogs? Well, my state of being has everything to do with what I create My art is becoming more spontaneous. I am having having fun painting again. My art is one of the ways I express myself and in that way my art helps define who I am.  You can always tell what kind of mood Deborah is in by what flies off the brush! I am increasing drawn to just working in watercolors now and painting the light. That elusive search for the light! It is so beautiful when you get it right.


This quick, little sketch is titled Pat's Rooster. Watercolor, 5 x 5 on Arches 30 lb Hot Press paper. This painting is heading off tomorrow to it's new home. Til next time ..have a great one!

Deborah

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Bear Mountain and Framed Prints

A view from the tower

    It has been a couple of days since my last post so I thought I'd post a quick update before I go to bed. It is 1:30 a.m. and I am tired. I need to shift my days around and see if I can actually paint early in the morning. I have so much on my plate these days- between being a mom, painting, marketing, networking, packing for my move....there just does not seem to be enough hours in the day. 

     I headed out with my dog, Tess, to Bear Mountain today thinking it would be a fine day for plein air painting.  Boy, was I wrong. I need to pay closer attention to the weather forecast. What was I thinking? My brushstrokes were drying as fast as I layed them down. I did take some nice photos so I may try a studio painting. Thankfully, I had brought a picnic, a blanket, lots of water and a good book and I just settled myself under a tree and had a  really nice few hours! Even Tess wanted to just chill out. I did climb the tower and the views were just incredible. Plus, it was nice and cool in there.

Bear Mountain Tower

    I have two framed prints that are looking for walls to hang on! The first print image is a reproduction of a Bullmastiff watercolor titled - Waiting. The original is sold.  This image  measures
5 x 7 and is matted and framed with a black enameled metal frame. $30 includes shipping to the US.
If you would to purchase or see more photos email me!


Waiting


    The second reproduction is one of my best selling giclee dog reproductions. The unframed watercolor original is available here. The painting is titled A Matter of Trust. This is an archival 10 x 8 reproduction printed on acid free paper with archival inks and is framed, matted and signed. $50 includes shipping.  For more photos or to purchase drop me an email,

A Matter of Trust
 
   I am really off to bed now. Very sleepy! Good night!

All the best,
Deborah

www.DeborahOSullivan.com
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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Leaving Things Incomplete

 Today's post is from Robert Genn's Twice A Week Newsletter. If you don't already subscribe, I highly recommend that you do. Click To Subscribe . I love what he has to say about leaving paintings incomplete. Enjoy!!


Leaving Things Incomplete

July 13, 2010

Dear Deborah,

These days I've been rededicating myself to less overworking and more understatement. In other words, trying to leave my work fresher, even at the expense of being incomplete. I believe it's an idea that a lot of us could profit by.

We all know the danger of keeping on going--adding detail or complexity when the idea we started out with is well enough expressed without the fiddling. In our innate human desire for perfection we can forget the hand of the artist, even the struggling hand, and the poetic justice of paucity. These elements have value for the second half of the creative partnership--the eyes of the viewer.

Here in Japan it's the principle of "Mujo" (moo-joh). It stems from the ancient Zen concept of transience and uncertainty. A related Japanese word is Mikansei (me-kahn-say-ee) which means "the state of being incomplete." In many ways, the western convention of abstract art fills this bill. In abstraction, you can't always tell exactly what it is you are looking at, and there lies its charm. Mystery builds viewer interest.

The Japanese are not always prepared to go that far. The suggestion of a waterfall or a few cursory brushstrokes indicating a tree or a flower may suffice to communicate a motif.

Here's how to put Mujo to work for yourself: Before starting in with the "busyness" of working, stop to think of the simplest and freshest way a passage might be conceived and executed. Very often a move up to a larger brush, together with a careful mixing of the desired colour, and an elegant, well-contemplated stroke or two can carry the day. Leaving a little primer showing through, or a slight error, a slub or a bump--so what. Even an inadvertent dribble-down or an indecisive painterly scrabble gives life where dullness might otherwise prevail.

We sometimes hear the argument that this sort of incompleteness or roughness only appeals to other artists. I don't think so. I find our world to be loaded and cocked with creator wannabees. We artists represent the last bastion of the hand of man. For others to see art in its freshness, failings and incompleteness may be the greater part of our winning hand.

Best regards,

Robert

PS: "The power of the mujo principle lies in quietly, serenely letting the viewer participate in the representation." (Boye Lafayette De Mente, from his excellent overview "Elements of Japanese Design")

Esoterica: Today I attended a show that included traditional flower arrangement (ikebana). Unlike the western burst of saturated colour and riots of variety--the whole garden in your face--Japanese floral designs tend to be sparse, subtle and simple. A single, tall orchid of an incredible, delicate colour set off by a few dry sticks that twist and struggle alongside, all set, off center, in a delicate and unobtrusive earthen vase. Such is the nature of understatement--an opportunity for the viewer to slow down, take part in, and love.
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Posted painting for the day. A super quick "incomplete" sketch from my Alvaro Castagnet workshop. This a watercolor using 3 colors...Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Alizarin Crimson.






Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Rapture.. The Latest Painting by Deborah O'Sullivan

     This gorgeous weather has found me outside the studio working on my plein air skills. It has become quite an addiction! I adore getting out there with the watercolors and seeking out great painting spots.
     I always have two or three pieces going in the studio and I thoroughly enjoy working late into night with my music and Border Collie to keep me company. I have always been a bit of a night owl and find it easier to just get in the zone at night.
     I started  on this latest painting a while back and just hit a wall as to where I was going with it. So I let it sit in a spot where I could constantly just look at it to see what I could come up with. A few nights ago I just popped it onto the easel and literally with no plan just started throwing paint at it.  Literally!  I LOVE the drips on the bottom right and the way the rider just fades away. The horse is my focal point and I just wanted her to pop and not compete with the rider.
     This is much larger than I usually work. Almost a full sheet of Arches Hot Press 140lb paper. Available for sale unframed. The price will go up when I have it framed. MUCH more affordable to ship unframed! $850 includes shipping and insurance.  If you would like to give Rapture a home or would like more photos drop me an email! email  I will be happy to give you the details.Or click here to purchase

 Rapture





All the best,

Deborah

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

100 Degrees and Reworking Paintings

     Here in the NorthEast we are experiencing the mother of all heat waves.To borrow a line fro the movie Biloxie Blues..this is like Africa hot! One hundred degrees is just...well... unnecessary. What do people do down south who have to endure this kind of weather on a more regular basis?

I am definitely a cool weather person. Love my sweaters.

So what are all of you doing to keep cool? I took my son to a movie, went to a support group meeting and am planning to pull an all nighter in the studio. Okay..maybe a half nighter. I have an acrylic painting of a horse in half pass that I have been staring at for the past few weeks trying to decide what to do with it. I love the horse but the backgrounds just irks me. So I am planning on reworking this one. I like the arena but the rest has to go.  I will post the results as soon as I finish it! Oh , that is if I can figure out how to post photos from my iphone! :)




Now for my question of the day. Does anyone know if you can post photos to Blogger from your iphone? I can't seem to find any info online on how to do this. Anyone?


Now I know I said I would be posting details from the Alvaro Castagnet workshop but I have lots of images that I would like to include.  makes for a more interesting blog post. Don't you agree?

Stay cool!   :)
Deborah


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