news, sketchcrawl

here are a few articles on my work in the SFMOMA artist gallery blog

telling tales

tenuously balanced blocks.

Sketchcrawl!

SketchCrawl a global drawing marathon: taking a day to journal and draw all that is around you. It was started by artist Enrico Casarosa in the SF Bay area, and has spread all around the world. This sketchcrawl was a special fund raiser for Japan.


In addition to the big contingent meeting to draw in san francisco -I rounded up some of my students to draw at the annual petaluma butter and egg day parade!
Find out how I came to be up on a parade float and waving to the crowd here....

petaluma sketchcrawl

You can see more results of the global day of drawing here.

Petaluma Sketchcrawl 31st World Wide SketchCrawl

new work - everything that rises, untitled (moth/spade)

untitled
(moth/spade)

acrylic on canvas over panel
60" x 80"
click to see large


untitled
(moth/spade)

(detail)
click to see large

everything that rises

acrylic on canvas
72" x 48"
click to see large

everything that rises

(detail)
click to see large

everything that rises

(detail)
click to see large

exhibit and claire in print

There is a beautifully written piece about my work in this month's Nashville Arts Magazine, in a feature they have called "My Favorite Painting". The collector Keith Glanz wrote about my painting "Summer (Sebastopol)", it's a really wonderful piece of writing

Below is a link to the feature in digital format:

Nashille Arts Magazine



I'll have three of my small pieces based on daguerreotypes in an invitational show at the Graton Gallery, just north of sebastopol.
If you've never been, Graton is a really charming little town, one of my favorite places.

http://www.gratongallery.com
The 5th Annual Invitational Art Exhibition
January 18 - February 27, 2011
Opening Reception: Saturday, January 22 | 2-5pm

tiger, tiger

tiger, tiger
collage on paper, mixed media
click to see large

untitled (woman in a polka dot dress)

untitled
(woman in a polka dot dress)
acrylic on panel
click to see large

new work

sebastopol (summer)
acrylic on canvas
diptych 48" x 72"
click to see large

the impetus for this came this summer, taking walks up in sebastapol. There was a field of queen anne's lace and teasel that I walked past every day - that was the beginning seed of the painting, though those images have submerged a bit. Still, I like that it still contains the feeling of warm summer nights, the pulse of night in the country, stars, the sound of frogs and crickets.

untitled (daffodil)

acrylic on canvas
diptych 48" x 72"
click to see large


untitled (woman on a suzani)
acrylic on panel
12" x 16"
click to see large

from a figure drawing session. The model was on a scarlet colored cloth that threw up vivid warm light on her face. I made up an imaginary suzani (an embroidered cloth from central asia) later in my studio

untitled (woman on a suzani) - detail
acrylic on panel

night pond

untitled (night pond)

acrylic on canvas (diptych)
48" x 72"
click to see large

untitled (night pond)

acrylic on canvas (diptych)
48" x 72"
click to see large

inspiration -
pond weeds, lotus, salamander eggs, volvux

nanna

Nanna
acrylic on panel
click to see large

inspired by a detail from an old victorian 'carte de viste',
beautiful woman with a broad face, wearing black silk.

I just re-read (as books on tape) all of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, I loved them growing up, and my mind has been in that era.

I have always been drawn to daguerreotypes of this period, that strange flash and glimpse into another time. I love the weird crinkle and shimmer of the heavy silk, and the sheen on the carefully arranged hair. Especially, I like the posture and bearing of the subject, holding so still, so as not to blur the image.

insomnia

insomnia (night crossword)
acrylic on panel
12 x 16
click to see large


insomnia (night crossword)
detail
acrylic on panel
click to see large

re-painting a day - done

painted the face out, and started over, but now, I'm finally pleased with it.

a portrait from victorian 'carte de visite'

5 x 7 x 1.5
acrylic on panel
click to see large

painting a day - swedish woman

painting a day
a portrait from victorian 'carte de visite'

swedish woman (with slightly crossed eyes)

5 x 7 x 1.5
acrylic on panel
click to see large

new website, painting a day, woman in a brown poplin dress

painting a day

I'll be doing a painting a day (more or less) from now until open studio.
a portrait from victorian 'carte de visite'

woman in a brown poplin dress

5 x 7 x 1.5
click to see large

woman in a brown poplin dress -detail
5 x 7 x 1.5
click to see large

website
ok, finally, it's up -
my brand new website.
I'm still uploading and tweaking, but you can see it in it's rough state, there lot more details of the paintings.
I'll be uploading a bunch of new work in the coming weeks
clairebcotts.com

claire is in the new yorker!

woo hoo!

This is the third year the New Yorker has invited artists to submit their own takes on the magazine's iconic mascot, Eustace Tilley, originally drawn by Rea Irvin for the magazine's first cover in 1925.

12 winners were chosen from over 350 submissions.
One of my entries won, and was one of four to be featured in the Febuary edition of the magazine.



You can see a slideshow of all 12 on the New Yorker's website here.

gary also won, with a very funny take on grand central.

(if you aren't familiar with it, it's a play on the painting "madame x" by john singer sargent, you
can see the original painting here)

portrait of madame x

one interesting note - originally, he painted it with the strap to her
dress hanging down - there was so much scandal he was forced to
repaint it (which is a shame...it was much better before).
No-one knew this until 100 years later, when a black and white photo
of the original was discovered)

madame x, original state

new work - full fathom five

full fathom five
acrylic on canvas (diptych)
48" x 72"
click to see large

here are some process pics, showing some of the stages this piece went through.

stage 1

stage 2

stage 3

stage 4

stage 5

stage 6

stage 7

stage 8

stage 9

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.