new work - dancer (resting)

(click to see image large)

dancer, resting
acrylic on panel
18" x 24"
price available upon request

exhibit and blog

I have a few pieces in an exhibit at the beautiful new art gallery at the santa rosa junior college, where I teach.

sonoma county is so beautiful this time of year...if you are up that way, stop in!

recent work by the SRJC faculty
dates: november 5 – december 12
opening reception: thursday, november 5, 4-6 PM
(campus parking is $2.00)
http://www.santarosa.edu/art-gallery/

for those on my regular mailing list, who don't receive daily paintings, you can see new work at my blog,
www.clairebcotts.blogspot.com

untitled (victorian lady)

(click to see image large)

untitled (victorian lady)
acrylic on panel
11" x 14"
price available upon request

two day painting
I repainted a one day painting I did last month.
I've included a "before" picture as well.

from a victorian "carte de visite", a calling card.

girl (madeleine)

click to see image large)

girl (madeleine)
acrylic on panel
11" x 14"
price available upon request

two day painting
I started this last month as a one day painting, but it wasn't quite getting at what I wanted.
Original, it was black and white, a harder expression, and flatter application of paint.
Picked it up and repainted it last night, I'm happy with the diaphanous quality of light.

Often, I completely destroy a painting when I try to work on it "just a little bit more".
I'm pleased when I take the leap of faith and risk of painting over a piece that's kind-of sort-of working, and it does turn out better.

mourning dove

(click to see image large)

mourning dove (profile)
acrylic on panel
5" x 7" x 1 3/4"

woman with loose hair

click to see image large

untitled (woman with hair loose)
acrylic on panel
11" x 14"
price upon request

this started as a 20 minute figure study, at a life drawing session.
finished it off in the studio tonight.

rosalie (2)

I wasn't happy with the way the portrait came out yesterday...
it was nagging at me.

painted it out, and began again -
it's much closer to the beautiful expression in the original photograph.

rosalie crutchley

click to see image large

rosalie
acrylic on panel
9" x 12"
price upon request

I'm a sucker for masterpiece theatre/bbc/costume-y and english mystery channel 9 type fare. I was watching a corny agatha christie type mystery (the kind with a manor house, where everyone has a motive and is a suspect for five minutes).
There was an older actress, in her late 70's, I was noticing how beautiful her face was.

Sometimes, I like to look at the faces of old people, and try to see in their face what they looked like when young.
I found a picture of the actress, rosalie crutchley, as a young woman, a very beautiful image -
unfortunately, the painting didn't turn out very well, the eyes are too close set, I didn't quite capture the expression. Still, it's always interesting to spend several hours studying a face, really looking at it, and trying to capture something about it.

winter jay

(click to see image large)

winter jay
acrylic on panel
8" x 10"

pug

(click to see image large)

safe to say, the freakiest painting I have ever done.

I'm not sure why, but I had been hankering to do a painting of a pug dog.
Originally, I had wanted to do a black pug dog against a black background.

I started it, and a little bit in, it occurred to me it would be really interesting, as an exercise, to set a limit on brushstrokes - to allow myself only 300 brushstrokes, no blending, glazing, smudging, mudgy-ing, as I usually do.

I was really fascinated it, until toward the end, when I realized the drawing was very bad - the eyes too close together, the nose too low...to my horror, i realized it looked exactly like an evil little gnome. In order to save the patient, I had to let go of the idea of the 300 brushstrokes.

It still looks weird to me, but at least not gnome freaky weird.

pug
acrylic on panel
6" x 8" x 1 3/4"

goldfinch with teasel

(click to see image large)

goldfinch with teasel
acrylic on panel
5" x 7" x 1 3/4"
sold

woodpecker (profile)

(click to see image large)

woodpecker (profile)
acrylic on panel
5" x 7" x 1 3/4"
sold

warbler and persimmons

(click to see image large)

warbler and persimmons
acrylic on panel
5" x 7"

painting of the day - oriole

(click to see image large)

oriole (#2)
acrylic on panel
6" x 8" x 1 3/4"

painting a day - bluejay

I'm starting back my painting-a-day (more or less).
I also have a backlog of paintings to post...I'll try and get those up on the blog.

starting off with a little jay.
(click to see images large)





jay (#2)
acrylic on panel
6" x 8" x 1 3/4"
sold

SFMOMA artist gallery warehouse sale - collage

santa rosa

I've been absorbed making collage paintings for the annual SFMOMA artist
gallery warehouse sale.
It's a big huge event, with all work %50 percent off of the gallery price.

sfmoma annual artists warehouse sale
sfmoma artist's gallery warehouse sale

click images to see large


my studio at the moment...

exhibit at MOCHA

from manuela's gift

chronicle books

Once Upon a Time: Children's Book Illustrators Then and Now

I have 2 pieces in an upcoming exhibit at MOCHA,
the Museum of Children's Art, in Oakland.

Each year, they have an exhibit of work by children's book illustrators -
each artist has one illustration from a book, and a one piece done as a child.
It's always a very fun show.
I have a piece I did when I was 5, a trick or treat bag - I'm STILL using the same motifs, a little teardrop shape.

There will be a reception May 9, 2–4pm
MOCHA

landscapes

dumpster, behind the grocery outlet (petaluma)
click to see large
I've always wanted to paint this building.
It was a strange day, vivid sun, and a terrible wind blowing around.
I was crouching on a median in the road, by a dirt parking lot.
There was a lot of grit swirling around, sticking in my paint.
The sad thing, over the course of the several hours I was there,
I saw one homeless person after another coming to search though the dumpster.

port-o-let (sebastopol)
acrylic on panel
click to see large

behind my favorite cafe.
I don't know why, but I really like painting port-o-lets.
Go figure.

santa fe steet

click to see large

Beautiful quiet little street.
I love plein-air painting; every summer, I try to
do several landscapes, usually up in sonoma county.
Places that are quiet, humble, and a
little down at the heel are what appeal to me the most.