Lately my family has been involved with funeral preparations for my mom. We did not know how long the wait would be for her internment at Arlington National Cemetery, where she will be joined with my father and paternal grandparents. They rightfully prioritize the active duty personnel. It is a great comfort to be a part of the ceremony that the Honor Guard bestows to their veterans. So we are fortunate that we received a September 6 date. (more…)
Spring Into Art exceeded all expectations. I’m still floating with good feelings remembering some of the highlights of art lovers flocking to the event. It is a major joy to witness 34 artworks leaving with happy collectors. I wish I had taken a picture of the free art table before the event started. That was the secondary surprise, you sort of had to be there! (more…)
This is the last in the series Summer Atlas. It’s only been four weeks since the Equinox when we said goodby to summer. Do you notice time accelerating at this time of year? Summer now lives on in these paintings. I intended to extend some summer spaciousness to you in this art. (more…)
There is no right or wrong answer, but it will help my curiosity.
Anyone who contacts me with their answer will be eligible to win this collage, “Love Letter to Henry Miler, 6”, a $120 value.
The random drawing will be during ARTTOUR!
“Love Letter to Henry Miller, 6”. watercolor, drawing, stamp, forsythia, collage by Kathleen O’Brien, 8×8″
I look forward to hearing from you!
In July I had a vivid dream about the frescoes we saw from Pompeii at the National Gallery of Art in 2008, especially Garden Scene, at the House of the Golden Bracelet. Just the fact that they were able to transport whole walls of the fragile ancient artwork was impressive. What stayed with my memory (more…)
Our summer was mild, not so humid and not so hot. That meant I could paint outside on the north porch more often. My knees were bothering me, so it was more comfortable to sit rather than stand as I usually do. I was out of ideas, so I began these three pieces by moving the brush in a continuous line until there was no more paint. Then like a child (more…)
On this last day of summer I write about the “Summer Atlas” series of 29 artworks, which began in early June with the purchase of a new brush. I decided to challenge myself to use only that one brush, and my Holbein “Irodori” Antique Watercolors (does anyone know why a Japanese company would use a Dutch name, Holbein?). First I made squares, like pixel marks. Then I swerved the brush moving it until no paint was left in the brush. While painting this outside I heard a Wood Thrush sing for the first time in our lower forest. (more…)
Summer is almost over, we’ll be celebrating the Equinox in a few days. I start this blog series of “Summer Atlas” with the last of the 29 artworks completed this summer, “Things That Fly, Like Summer”. This is the only collage of the series that is a Golden Rectangle, (more…)
“Lux Aeternum”, from Mozart Requiem for 9/11, collage by Kathleen O’Brien, 2002
All month I’ve been allowing myself to explore new directions using new materials. Sometimes I judge myself for having scattered imagery. The analyzer in me likes to know what I’m doing, like, why choose these shapes, these colors, does it follow the track I’ve been on, should it follow? When I see a consistency, even if subtle and might not have an overall appearance of being related, I confirm to myself that I in fact do know what I’m doing. I need visual proof.
I was rather stunned to see right before my eyes this triptych oil from 1990 that has what I call ribbons coming down from above. It is a recurring image that is freighted with meaning, and so almost automatic in my mark scribing that I take it for granted. They represent a celebratory sense of opportunity, of party, of constant available energy, of prayers answered.
Boulder Valley From Haystack Mt.,, oil Triptych 1990, ribbon detail by Kathleen O’Brien
After finding this small detail of the triptych mate, “Long Path to Peace”, I sectioned off areas of my latest watercolor landscapes that illustrate this point.
