Mulled Wine & Mince Pies

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A funny thing about living in a country I didn't grow up in, is the unexpected onset of nostalgia. I've never been patriotic, or even that enthusiastic about Britain, especially Wales - but now I'm away... wow there's so many silly little things I miss, and I find myself increasingly drawn to seek out all things British. I listen to BBC Radio over the internet all day while I'm painting, and recently heard a live session with a very talented young singer called Duffy. I was even more drawn in when she said she was from Nefyn, quite near where I come from, and her lilting Welsh accent just hypnotised me. I watched the video to her new song on Youtube, my new favourite place to watch British TV shows, and it just captures so well the Wales I remember:



Dark, and kind of depressing really - but very beautiful in its way too. There's something very earthy and authentic about Wales, and it's just steeped in ancient history the way America isn't.

Anyway, Mulled wine & mince pies remind me of Christmas in Wales. Forgetting the fact that I usually eat so many of these that I'm sick of them by December 25th, I do love them. I made my own this year for the first time, and I'm surprised to report that they came out completely edible and really quite nice.

Christmas Tangerines (ii)

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Tangerine Still Life

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I love these colours! I have a Tibetan prayer flag in the same warm colours, and it has travelled with me for many years. I have it draped over a window now, and the effect is similar to a stained glass window - orangey morning light fills the room (our 'office') and it feels very peaceful. Helpful if the computer is being infuriating!

The Ring & The Chalice

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Ah..this feels like such an indulgent piece for me - romance, mythology, chivalry...they say a picture can speak a thousand words, and I think you should invent your own story for this one. That's my wedding ring in the painting; I got married just this year so I'm still on cloud nine most of the time. I've painted my husband Taylor many times, and am in the process of painting a huge abstract piece which is a kind of euphoric celebration of love and passion - so you could say this little painting is just part of what is in the air, creatively speaking.

Chalice & Tangerine - A Still Life

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This little oil study is inspired by the book I'm reading at the moment - 'Pillars of the Earth' by Ken Follet. It's set in Medieval England, and is so visual in it's portrayal of life then, that it is influencing my ideas as I'm painting. It's a hefty book - all the better to draw you in on chilly days, and absorb you into another world!

I went to the local thrift store searching for props, and found this little silver 'Chalice' which I imagine was gracing somebody's mantlepiece for years. It was all dusty and scuffed, and I knew it would be perfect. I love the colour of the tangerines and red cloth reflected in the chalice - I'm a big fan of warm colours. I'm working on the next one already, I think they'll they'll make a beautiful series.

I suppose I'm aiming for something quite Baroque in tone, but modern in style. I'm trying to keep my brushwork looser, which is hard for me at this scale. I keep having the urge to overwork these pieces, to 'finish' them off. I don't want them to become laboured, and I think with practice I'll know better when they're done. My friend Melissa Gregory quoted recently that a good painting is one that's stopped in an interesting place. I like that, and it gives me a chance to tell a groanworthy art joke "....if it ain't Baroque, don't try and fix it!"

Tahoe & Mt.Tallac Watercolour

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So I had the somewhat rare desire to use watercolours today (yes, I know how to spell) It was quite liberating - no thinners, oils, rags and mess - just water and a little Cotman set which fits right in your hand like a mini palette. Oil painting seems to involve such an entourage of stuff. Maybe it's just the way I like working that doesn't lend itself to portability. It's OK, I like my studio. So I set myself up rather easily by the window today and produced this little painting.

Towards Mount Tallac

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You know how frustrating it is when you see the most amazing thing and reach for your camera and...damnit! I forgot it, again! Well I've been having a lot of those moments recently, especially because the light is so atmospheric right now. This little oil is part memory and part photograph because of just that. I don't really mind though, visualisation and memory are powerful tools, and I think some intuitive 'interpretation' of a landscape is a good thing - I think it enriches the painting with more character than a literal translation of 'reality' onto the canvas.