getting into a groove

I think I'm finally getting into an art groove.
On thursday, friday and yesterday, I have been working on art projects.
I worked on an old painting about my salvation story which I hadn't worked on in 10 years, I think, and you can see the progress to the right. It's on wood, nothing fancy or special. It's a square, but it's warping a bit. It's not a great photo but you get the picture.
then, when this needed a break, or rather, I needed a break, I gessoed a couple canvases, added texture, and tried to glue stuff to them, and waited for them to dry.
The texture to one of the canvases worked, but the glued/collagey stuff didn't and I had to remove it, and do something slightly different to the canvas.
While this tried and I figured out what to do next on these surfaces, I worked on the boys' costumes for Halloween. They had the Autumn Festival at Graffiti church, on saturday, so I worked into the night on friday to finish the costumes. They are pirates, and you can see their pictures here.
When I came back to the canvases on monday, I knew how to approach one, so I began by doing a quick sketch of the figure, and then I blocked in 3 shades of blue in acrylics as under painting for tone and contrast.
Then this needed to dry, so I set up the next canvas on the easel.
I felt a need to use orange, and so I started brushing it on to the canvas. I was originally planning on making this a big head, somewhat distorted and comic book-like, but as I got orange over the whole thing, and played around with wiing off some paint, and letting the texture show thru, I realized it was not to be a face, but a cityscape of sorts. It was weird, because I've read and heard many times of artists being "spoken to" by their paintings, as to what it wants to be, and I believed it, though can't say I remember haveing those experiences, so it felt strangely odd and exciting to be so in tune with the painting. It made me feel like a real artist.
of course, these are in their beginning stages, so there's not much to see here, but I thought it would be good for me to record my progress and keep myself accountable.
After the blue figure set aside and I looked at it enough, I decided it will be my modern version homage to St. Francis, since he loved animals, especially birds.
Any thoughts or comments always encourages me.
Thanks for reading.

Planetary

This past weekend, we had a retreat here at home. It was fun to get away from the city and get to spend a bit more time with some of the church family. Sunday mornings are so rushed!

Anyway, one of the things I was in charge of, was having a little art workshop during the free time on saturday. I was glad to do it, though I had so much to prepare for between the workshop and the games I was in charge of, it was just a lot of stuff to pack and bring, all for a one night away.

I decided that I would teach a bit about collage. It's what I've been doing alot of lately. We got off to a slow start, with only 2 people joining me at first. Then one more, and then a whole family of 5 joined us at the very end, with only 20 minutes left. Things got a little nuts there at the end, and I'm not sure anyone learned great things but I think everyone had fun, and got to play with some things they might not have come up with on their on.

The little painting above is what I did during the workshop. I was just playing with shapes, and textures, and when my boys and Fabio came to see if I was done, they declared that it looked "planetary" or like-saturn" or "from outer-space." I did a little finishing touch to it when I got home, but though it wasn't my intention, I think they are right. I like how it came out.
Any one have any thoughts?

sketching on the subway

I used to ride the subway everyday, throughout high school, then college. That's 8 years of riding the subway every week day. All the time, I was going to art school. I could have been drawing on the subway everyday. I don't know if it's the combination of rush hour in the subway, or having too many other things going on, or just not being a good journaler back then, but I spent most of my subway rides either talking with friends, or sleeping. Never really drawing. Now I'm rarely on the subway. I spent most days driving the boys to and from school, and I spend time at home trying to make art, or trying to keep up with my house, so being on the subway, much less drawing on the subway is just not in the realm of possibility. But an opportunity for a meeting in the city prompted me to ride the subway, precisely so I could draw. After all, if you want to draw people, there isn't a better chance around, with the millions of riders in NYC everyday! Sure, it presents it's own challenges, being as you're moving and there's no real steady surface, and there are lots of people around you, looking or trying to look over your shoulder to see what you're doing. It takes some courage to draw the person in front of you without drawing too much attention to yourself. But in the end, it's an awesome drawing session, and it's great practice. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it makes you notice alot of stuff. So, that's what these 2 drawings are all about. I spent time making art on the train and that brings me alot of satisfaction!