Can your familiar be new?

30 years ago I was schooled in technique. And the still life was at the epicenter of that learning. Drawing followed by paint, exacting proportions and meticulous color. Since then, the focus has shifted toward expression. I’ve gone full circle, and my return to still life feels like looking at an old friend with fresh eyes.

“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” – T.S. Eliot

Art school still lives were intended as exercises. Devoid of anything personal, without narrative, they taught me to observe shapes and colors impartially. I love that about them. It’s an ability that has helped me immensely.

This round of still lifes illuminated something new. An invisible history. A quietness and a radiance that comes from living with time.

It’s funny how the act of revisiting something so familiar can feel unsteady. The subject hasn’t changed, but I have. What started as a test of accuracy has evolved into a reflection of my love for the aesthetic and my infatuation with the beauty of life itself. The shadows, the color, the light—they reveal a story I wasn’t capable of seeing before.

Come enjoy the Southern Oregon Open Studios After Party with me on the19th! 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM!

Building this new show around the still life reminded me that every idea is still fair game. Inspiration circles back, allowing us to rediscover what was always there, and to see it again. It won’t look the same.

Join me this Saturday (tomorrow)! For the Southern Oregon Open Studios After Party hosted by Enclave Studios. 

Artists! Bring your sketchbooks!
I’ll be doing some live painting and drawing from a model and you are welcome to draw too! Instead of staring at a screen, you can enjoy looking at real art on the walls!  We will even have live music by Jeff Pevar and Inger Nova and delicious refreshments provided by Grandeur wines!

Enclave Studios
1661 Siskiyou Blvd, suite 3, Ashland OR 97520

Describe something familiar in a new way.

How has your work changed?

What has stayed the same?

Can your familiar be new?