Owls and Ibises

Acrylic painting on canvas. 3 feet square. I had been posting photos of progress for this one in an online community and it sold before it was finished.

These are like a dialog, where I put marks and shapes on the surface and then the painting speaks back and suggests things. Once I’ve acted on those suggestions the painting will stall out, stand still, if I don’t make another proactive contribution. Often I let my non-dominant hand draw over the surface with a charcoal pencil. Sometimes I even did this with my eyes closed. The shapes that happen that way are more spontaneous, unexpected, and lively. I have no explanation for the bear. Bears, as you can see from prior posts, had been showing up a lot. Who am I to stand in their way?

The colors and design were partially inspired and guided by carpets, as Gauguin suggested to his friends.

Owls and Ibises