5.03.2011

SUM of the Parts - but not ALL

You are familiar with the saying " the whole is greater than the sum of its parts".
Not this time....
Last year I did this 30"x 22" painting of the Great Sand Dunes to replace another oversize piece that sold from the Dunes Show up at Denver International Airport. The first one was fresh and little wacky, but colorful and I thought I could improve on it. Instead, I painted a snoozer - that's artspeak for - boring -.
It has been hanging in my studio for a few months and I could hardly stand to look at it -
so, with nothing to loose, I started cutting it up.
I don't do this often, because it so seldom works compositionaly; your signature ends up right in the middle or some other dumb thing.
Sometimes tho', trimming or resizing a piece can change the focus or bring different elements to life.
In this case - there were areas that I liked but the whole piece was weighed down by a huge chunk of drab middle ground.
I cut the vertical piece, to the right, first to a 2 x 1 format. This is one of my favorites formats and I like verticals. The new piece is 20"x 10". This makes the trees more important, still showed the dunes, and accentuated the distance.
In the smaller 10"x 8", the dunes become the focus, playing up the diagonal shapes.

5.01.2011

ART Supplies at Sell Out Prices - in South Fork

If you live anywhere within 50 miles of the San Luis Valley, South Fork, or Wolf Creek Pass - this could apply to YOU. The Art Emporium in South Fork has closed but there are still great deals on art supplies until the end of May.
If you are interested in picking up Canvas, brushes, paint and frames, in all sizes - and are willing to drive to South Fork, Colorado to get them at absolute rock bottom prices: call Jan Bock, at 719 - 849-9996.
Jan lives on Sioux Trail, off of Hwy 160. It is past Del Norte, but before you get to South Fork. Call first so Jan can meet you; she is very anxious to get rid of as much inventory as possible.