The Cycling Artist - In the studio, on the shore

Winding down, closing up

2009-12-24T08:19:00.000Z

Christmas Eve, a bit more progress on those coast paintings has made me happy but it's time to wind down and pack up a bit for a little holiday indulgence. Now, to be fair I'll probably be back in the studio by Sunday but it's still nice to officially declare a day off.

The paintings are stacked against the wall. The sketchbook is in my bike bag to take home (who can resist a bit of sketching after all?). And the paint on my glass palette is covered with clingfilm to save it for a couple days from now.

Busy busy... so some popular posts

2009-12-22T11:24:00.000Z

Image by tina-m via Flickr

Still pootling away on those 3 paintings... so in leiu of any progress pics I thought you might enjoy a round-up of the most popular posts from the blog! So sit down with a nice coffee and have a short break...

Popularity, like "good" art, can be determined in several ways. Do you look at numbers, responses, or something else? I suppose an art comparison is looking at visitors to a museum, or purchases? Number of people attending a show, or how many people leave a comment in the guest book?

So the most popular according to Google analytics are:

haha, I knew putting "porn" in the title would increase hits! I think it's clear that mere numbers of visits can be pretty irrelevent (I've been saying this for years about blogs and websites, not to mention things like views and hearts/favourites on selling websites).

So better are the most popular determined to you, by commenting:

The pages you felt most worth recommending or retweeting or reblogging:

Enjoy!

Three paintings by Christmas?

2009-12-21T11:09:00.003Z

It was a randomly decided goal to aim for, to finish 3 small Essex coast paintings by Christmas.

Will it happen? Maybe, maybe not. But setting the goal has moved them along well. Three different colour palettes too - sort of. They share some base tones but each will end up being a different overall colour. One blue/grey, one green and white, one earth tones.

So even if I don't meet my goal I'm pleased with the progress and the fact that I've focused on something other than the black paintings for a couple weeks.

Flashback Friday - White cliffs

2009-12-18T08:00:00.001Z

Cliffs at Saltdean
Acrylic on board, 7.5"x3.5"
© Tina Mammoser, 2007

Not so old this week, but this was one of my favourite images from my cycle from Chichester to New Haven, this was the last stretch heading from Saltdean towards New Haven with a lovely path along the clifftop and a cafe right down on the beach. A small study on board to try and work out painting the cliffs while staying focused on the sea.

This painting is also still available framed (US$120) or unframed (US$60).

Painting from imagination... or not

2009-12-17T08:52:00.000Z

Something different about the black paintings is that they are not based on actual places I've seen on the coast. They're more imaginative and trying to capture ideas of darkness and storms.

Starting the 3rd painting, badly, made me realise how not based in imagination they are. They're a combination of images I have of nights on Lake Michigan, bad weather on the coast (but not real storms), and old paintings. Particularly old Dutch sea paintings. So really even the bits that are in my head are still based on real memories and real experiences.

Otherwise I end up with messy, not-planned, not-grounded-in-any-reality light and colours. The 3rd painting has not started well, and I realise it's because I really didn't have an image in my head of the type of weather and setting I was going for. Even though the 2nd painting was more abstract I had a definite idea of the composition I wanted in order to create the sense of looming clouds and darkness. So with the 3rd I'm resorting to some research of old oil paintings - not any one in particular but just researching what the skys and horizons look like in real storms at sea.

Which I've never actually seen. (How do you plan to be on the coast in horrible weather when you book trains and accommodation at least a month in advance?)

it's winter!

2009-12-16T08:47:00.000Z

It's been a funny old winter so far. I pulled out my winter cycling jacket only on Sunday (and was too warm on the way to the studio). Our house heating is only on for a couple hours in the morning and again in the evening. It just hasn't been really *really* cold. (I'm a bit of a miser and make my housemates just put on jumpers and slippers, and the heating wasn't allowed on until November anyway - not that we really needed it then.)

But now the studio heater is doing its job fulltime. Yes it's been on a bit because the building is naturally cold. But the last week has meant the shawl around the hips, the wooly jumper under the gilet, and the knitted hat on my head under the retro headphones. And my snazzy retro-style electric radiator on the higher setting.

Would bringing hot-cocoa to the studio be over the top?

The challenge of grey days

2009-12-15T08:37:00.000Z

Chatting to an internet acquaintance, Mr Seb the photographer, he was complaining about a grey day and not being able to go out and photograph. I said a photographer should be able to get good images even on a grey day. He pointed out that it was different with paint. Rather missing the point that success is in the skill of the artist (which includes photographers) and not a reliance on the subject matter. This comes from years of reading and being told that you can sketch anything - the most mundane awful set can have something worth drawing even if it's just a contour or shading.

So I pootled out as a non-photographer to the river wall at the studio and took a set of grey photographs to prove a point. What do you think?

With a touch of irony Mr Seb responded on Flickr that I might have a little advantage with my industrial setting. I had been out on the river wall wishing I had a natural setting because I thought it would give me much more interesting grey photos. Next grey day (well, that's every day at the moment I suppose) I might repeat the challenge in Greenwich Park.

Black II - the last few layers

2009-12-14T08:05:00.001Z

Catching up on Black II ("Where I spend the vast majority of my time"). Unfortunately I didn't take many photos - sorry! But here's a penultimate stage and then the final painting hanging next to Black I to the right. With the winter light going around 3pm I'm working right up to dusk and then for a bit with the daylight spot bulbs, which means photos at the end of the day's progress are impossible. Then I forget to photograph before I start the next day! Ah well. The solstice is next Monday and days will start getting lighter again!

Here were the first posts of layers on this painting:
The start of Black II
Then more glazes on Black II

And now the last couple shots:

Selling week: Making friends

2009-12-11T10:09:00.004Z

(we interrupt the Flashback Friday series because I have one more thing to say about the selling world)

Artists are attached to their work - even if not the end product, the process has been an integral part of their time and mind. The image may also be something they're emotionally attached to. There's a deep connection between an artist and their work - it comes from creative processes and their distinct way of seeing and interpretting the world around them.

When you buy a painting there's another branch of that connection. The painting has drawn in another entirely different person into this private world, validating the image (or the sculpture, performance, music, etc). Someone else can see what the artist has seen or, if we're not so literal, they find meaning in the same source the artist did. Sometimes buyers become collectors and become very close friends with the artists whose work they love. It's wonderful to have people genuinely excited to see your new work!

Even if you don't develop a friendship with an artist, remember that simply by buying (or even saying you like!) their work you are sharing a sense of kinship. You're letting them know someone sees things like they do, someone likes the things that they do. Yes our art is a product, a commodity like many others, but the source of it comes from something more than facts, figures, numbers, materials. There's a bit of us in it. So when we sell and show our work, we're sharing ourselves with you. It's wonderful when you connect with it.

The same goes with all those stages of the selling side - the peers who review our work, the galleries or agents who want to represent it. These are people who along with the artist and their studio make up a creative and human network. It becomes about more than the selling, it sustains the art and encourages growth. Sometimes the branches are short and might not last long, other become the supportive branches, but they're all important and you never know where a new bit of leaf will bud!

Oh dear, I'm digressing into cheesy metaphor so it's time to stop. :)

Selling week: Eggs and Baskets

2009-12-10T09:31:00.005Z

Image by Dystopos via Flickr

So you've decided you'd like some art? You go looking for it... but where?

Here's another important side for us artists: diversity in venues. Don't put all your eggs in one basket, really. (The exception really being when an artist is established enough that they have a sole representative for their work - usually exclusivity with a gallery - if they choose that route.)

So there's the obvious:
GALLERIES
You can visit big city galleries, a local gallery, maybe an artist run co-operative gallery. There are also city galleries and public run spaces. In the US it seems some museums have juried selling exhibitions (I've not heard of this happening in the UK). There are big galleries, small galleries... galleries that focus on their stable of artists, galleries who represent a wide range of artists in changing shows.

For fairs and artists directly there are also:
ART FAIRS
Again, these run the gamut! Big swish fairs where only galleries show (you got a peek at that in Tuesday's "Seasonality" post). City fair, national fairs, international fairs. Different fairs tend to focus on different career-stages of artists (living, emerging; dead and famous; comtemporary investment art) so you can find all ranges of work depending on what you want. There are also artist fairs, fairs where the artists themselves represent their work. Again, there's big or small fairs, juried or open. Some artists exclusively represent their own work and do fairs like these, others do them for a period of time while they start-up their career and are looking for exhibition opportunities and representation. (the latter was the route I took)

Of course just having work out there is important so there are:
RETAIL/BUSINESS SPACES
We can put work into local businesses or have small shows in non-art spaces like cafes, restaurants, libraries, etc. Sometimes a local non-art space can actually be very well known for its art on display! I used to show in a hotel in Brighton that had a different artist in each room (including the public rooms) and even had an opening event each month! Very fun to tour around the rooms to see what gems were in each room. So if you're out and about and see some art you like in a shop or when you're having your coffee, don't be afraid to ask about it. Often it is for sale and the artist would be thrilled to know you've noticed!

Representation can also be with:
AGENTS
Slightly different than galleries, agents aren't necessarily associated with a gallery or outlet. There's all different kinds of agents too - corporate, private, just one person promoting artists they like, or a team of people who work with companies, builders, interior designers, or estate agents. So when you see art in a business or even model homes, it's come from somewhere too! (and if you work in these areas, it'd be great to know you're also showing original artwork)

Sort of related to the last two, not a place, but a selling option:
RENTING
Yes! Did you know art can be rented? Corporate, hotels and restaurants in particular often rent artwork from agents or designers. A common set-up is the rent is something like 5% monthly of the retail price of the artwork. Artwork can be swapped. The renter will have the option to purchase the work with the rent applied to the purchase price. This is a great way to support artists and have real original work about the place without breaking the bank, or without the worry of committing if you're just not quite sure if you'll like something or your clientelle will take to it. And this can be arranged through an agent or design agency, or a lot of artists themselves are happy to make arrangements like this.

As a main method or in combination with the above:
SELF-REPRESENTATION
There are obviously a lot more artists out there than galleries and agents can show. Many artists decide, for a variety of reasons, to represent themselves directly to customers. Sometimes in addition to their galleries, sometimes in leiu of galleries. These artists can be found pretty much in all the same places as above! They might rent gallery spaces themselves, represent themselves at art fairs, arrange shows in all kinds of venues. This is when you can find some quirky shows too - Urban Art is along the street railings in Brixton. Artists show at genre events like manga and sci-fi conventions. Linda Blondheim in Florida takes part in a "paint out" at Disney's Epcot Centre each year. There are shows on a boat at East India Dock in London.

And all artists, or most, like contact with their collectors too:
STUDIOS
Most artists have visitors to their studios in some way. It might be very exclusive private visits, or it could be an annual open studio event. They might do an open on their own or with a group or bigger local arts event (like an art walk, whole community open studio, or the like). Some, like me, do the inbetween too and are happy to have visitors anytime (arranged of course, you don't want to show up when I'm not there) in addition to the annual open days. I love my annual open studio, and this year will be a biggie with the new Second Floor Studios inaugural event. I used to do the Lee Green Open studios near Christmas and we had mulled wine and fairy lights. Linda Blondheim (again!) puts her own twist on her open studio days with hot dog parties! These are great ways to get to know an artist and their work, and get a chance to chat to them a bit more than at a show. It's also fun to see work in progress and just get an idea of their process and newest projects. So if you like an artist's work, why not email them to see if they welcome visitors?

The internet!
Yes, ONLINE
All the above categories can be found online too. Galleries showing and selling our work online. Virtual exhibitions and fairs. Competitions. Artist websites. General selling sites like eBay or Amazon (yes, there are artists selling on Amazon!). Niche sites like Etsy.com or Folksy.co.uk. And specifically online galleries that have no brick-and-mortar location. As you know my work is on Etsy.com, because it's a way to reach a different audience than my galleries, and selling a different range of work.

Another way to have artwork in your work or life...
LICENSING
Yup, fine artists do this too. Rights can be sold to produce posters (my friend Anji Allen had work in IKEA), book covers, mass market prints (giclee or otherwise), advertising, wine labels, almost anything really! And some artists produce side-products themselves - I myself made my Blurb books as a little publishing project.
A little side note: it's worth mentioning here that licensing isn't really an alternative to purchase - buying an original artwork does not mean buying the copyright, so you can't use artwork in products just because you're purchased the original. It's a completely different sort of usage and income.

All in all, we artists like to have lots of eggs, in lots of baskets. The idea is not to cut out one potential venue but to have different venues that reach completely different audiences. People who buy online might never go in a gallery. People in offices can enjoy original art instead of cubicle walls. The public can discover a new local artist one day while walking through a park!

Hopefully this makes it easier for people to find us and find something they like and can access, whether that access is financial or geographic.

Selling week: um, a wee break...

2009-12-09T08:58:00.003Z

I haven't drafted today's post and am being stolen away by the nice and clever Snapdragonbeads (http://www.snapdragonbeads.com/) (and her toddler) for an escape to the British Museum and Wagamama noodles. It wasn't entirely unplanned, but unfortunately my blog was. Sorry!

So I will still post this evening UK time, which will mean a post about mid-day if you're in the USA somewhere.

Selling week: It's Seasonal

2009-12-08T09:49:00.003Z

An unexpected aspect of selling art - seasonality. This surprises a lot of people when I tell them, how seasonal business can be.

A big seasonal aspect is art fairs. The big ones tend to "clump" - happening mainly in early spring (Feb/Mar) and again in autumn (Oct/Nov). I have a gallery owner friend who's main income is from the fair circuit. We hardly speak to him in November! A gallery doing the whole round can be at Art London 8-12 Oct, Edinburgh Art Fair 20-22 Oct, London Affordable Art Fair 22-25 Oct (Sydney AAF is at the same time), then Amsterdam AAF 29 Oct - 1 Nov, Art Ireland 13-15 Nov or maybe the Northern Art Show 12-14 Nov. The Frieze and Zoo art fairs are also mid-October. If you're an artist you might be providing work to your galleries for these shows and be doing artist fairs as well, for example the Brighton Art Fair 1-4 Oct.

The pattern repeats in spring. London Art hits a little earlier in January, starting the season. Then Glasgow Art Fair is in March, as is the spring London AAF and the Brussells AAF.

If you're a commercial artist represented by galleries these two seasons can be exhausting. They can also be potentially all your income for the year.

To top it off we artists do like having Open Studios! And hopefully you like those too. An opportunity to meet each other in person and have a genuine one-on-one opportunity with buyers and fans that usually only talk to the gallery staff. And guess when those tend to be? You guessed it: spring and autumn.

Now, there is a reason for these seasons. At a basic marketing level we, like any business, want to be sure to reach the most people, and the most appropriate people, at the best time.

Winter/Christmas isn't on the whole a big art buying time - by which I mean larger gallery pieces. Yes people buy small works and popular works as gifts but art can be a very personal choice so understandably it may not be a good gift choice if you're not certain. Collectors feel a little guilty buying for themselves at this time when they maybe should be buying presents for others! Hence the new "season" starting about late-January into early spring: January payday has hit and people are recovered from Christmas spending.
(Painting: "Cold Water", acrylic on canvas, 24"x36" © Tina Mammoser 2009, £900 - painted from winter days of ice and snow gathering on the Lake Michigan shoreline, in Chicago.)

Summer, at least in Europe, is when half the population disappears. Most people here take at least 2 weeks off and go on holiday, many take longer (we get a lot more vacation days than folk in the USA; I used to get 30 days back when I worked in the city, which could be topped up to 34). Kids are out of school so would need to be brought along to events. Artists themselves are of course home with kids or on holiday. (Unless you're like me and take the opportunity to hide from the direct sun in your studio for 2 months.)
(Painting: "Splash (Starboard)", acrylic on canvas, 100x80cm © Tina Mammoser 2009, £900 - painted this summer on Lake Michigan in Chicago, splashing waves on the beach wall at Oak Street Beach)

So that leaves us spring and autumn. Add this seasonality to the usual unpredictable income any self-employed person has. So when we're in the studios nonstop spare a thought for us - we probably have a bunch of shows coming up at once, or are trying to paint madly before the crazy season hits!

Selling week: Red Dots!

2009-12-07T13:32:00.006Z

This week I'm going to let you in on that little secret artists don't like to talk about - we SELL our work! Oh yes. And we like to. And we need to. And it seems oh so forward, but we are businesses too. We just happen to love our business. So here's a week of blog posts about that secret we-can't-afford-to-be-quiet side to being an artist.

First a bit of trivia for those of you who don't go into galleries and the like. The Red Dot.

"Spring View", acrylic on board, sold last week, © Tina Mammoser 2009

Ah, the bright shining light for any artist! We have shows and look for the red dots. At art fairs galleries will put a little line up of tags for sold work, with red dots on them. Big shows, like the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, may have little red dots on label stickers all over the place. They're even starting to appear on websites. But, you say, what is this red dot thing?

Simply put: red dot stickers are a simple way of showing a piece of art has sold, but where the art stays on the wall for the duration of the show. Sometimes you'll see multiple red dots for things like photography or printmaking editions (so 3 dots will mean they've sold 3 prints from the limited edition). You might see an orange dot! or other non-red colour. Generally this means something is reserved. And here's another little secret - sometimes we put red dots out as a marketing ploy. Success breeds success, so the impression of sales generates interest and can draw people in.

The symbol is becoming trendy even outside the gallery itself - the term being appropriated in other ways by art organisations. There's now the Red Dot Art Fair (giving an ever hopeful impression of the sales they'll generate) and the Tate Modern used to sell a red dot tote bag.

So if you ever go to a fair or gallery and see red dots, you'll know there are probably happy artists behind the scenes!

"Blackgang, Below", acrylic, 120x150cm, sold last week, © Tina Mammoser 2009

Flashback Friday

2009-12-04T08:07:00.000Z

Crest X and Crest XI
Oil on loose canvas
Approx. 5"x4" each, circa. 2000
© Tina Mammoser, 2009

Tiny oil paintings from my period of transitioning from figurative to abstract work - when I was concentrating on texture and patterns of water in my paintings.

Art for Christmas!

2009-12-03T08:55:00.000Z

It's December - I can use the "C" word now! (or "x" word if you more a xmas kind of person)

I've been working on more small paintings like ACEOs (2.5"x3.5" miniature paintings) and my 5" horizons to take to this Saturday's WeMake Christmas fair. (The ACEOs are mounted on cards too, all ready to send as a gift!) It's in Chelsea Town Hall, London, and I'm looking forward to meeting more fellow Etsy craftspeople there. While you wouldn't usually find me at a craft fair I'm making an exception - because of both the community and the quality. So I'm nearly packed, and I'll be making my way on the tube to Sloan Square - the joys of not driving!

A mini-interview with me on the WeMake Blog is here!

WeMake Christmas
Chelsea Town Hall
Kings Road, London, SW3 5EE
SATURDAY 5TH December
11.00am- 5pm
(Nearest station: Sloane Square)
Entrance: £2 per person, children free

Research and development

2009-12-02T08:43:00.001Z

Today is my weekly R&D day. Alongside a computer task day I give myself 2-4 hours purely to read, look things up, ponder, and just generally absorb information. Used to be I felt guilty about that time so just fit it in as and when. I recently realised that when I did set aside some solid time for this, say an afternoon, my actual painting time was more inspired and productive.

So today I'm in the comfy red chair and here's my little pile of things to read or browse through:

Turmoil and Tranquility (looking at dark stormy seas)
Art for the Nation (ditto)
Interviews with American Artists, by David Sylvester (going to pick 2 artists at random to read)
latest Coast magazine
Creative Authenticity, by Ian Roberts (going to read principles 10 and 11)
Amnesty International catalogue (a bit of xmas shopping to break up the reading!)
An Introduction to Astrobiology (brushing up on some geology background)

Artist writing

2009-12-01T08:18:00.000Z

I recently spent a week writing a new artist statement, following Alyson Stanfield's The Relatively Pain-Free Artist Statement (and that is an affiliate link).

It's still longer than it probably should be. This is meant to be a short "draw them in" kind of statement and not the typical long rambling artsy essay.

A lot of the things I wrote were already in my sketchbook thoughts in one form or another, but the worksheets and Alyson's questions made me think about them more and distill them down into the really essential points. And there were ideas in there that keep coming up in my jottings and I think are very important - but not for my artist statement. They're issues and ideas relevent to my development and conceptual side of the work. Basically, studio writing not public writing.

At some point I'll have to whittle it down more - a lot of applications and websites want 150 characters for example. But until then here is my new statement. Enough to tell you a bit about me and the work and make you want to go look at the paintings, not sit and read more words.

"The vastness and power of the sea is a constant source of inspiration. In my paintings I simplify real seascapes into tranquil spaces of line, colour and light. The sea is one of the few places we can experience total isolation and become absorbed in its overwhelming space and force. We cannot master or humanise the sea, so I capture mere moments of its lifespan.

Though the paintings are specific places from my cycling along the British coast, many people are reminded of places from their childhood or a favourite seaside spot. Simple abstraction connects with real landscape. The depth and luminosity come from many very transparent layers of colour built up slowly, an effect rarely achieved with acrylic paint. The longer you look the more of the colour and variety you see in the paintings"

Black I - I think it's finished

2009-11-30T08:16:00.000Z

The story behind the black paintings...

I've been saying for a long time, several years possibly, that I could just paint grey forever. I love it! In fact I do have to try and control my tendency to grey down everything because otherwise I worry I would never sell any paintings.

So one day I was chatting to Veta over coffee and mentioned this again. At the time I had a giant canvas sent to me by mistake (right size, wrong brand) from Jacksons and it was cheaper for them to just let me keep it while they sent the replacement than return it. So one thought was to chop it up and do a bunch of grey paintings, just for me. Alas, the perfectionist in me couldn't bear to use the canvas (too thin and cheap) for anything.

But then a few other people in a rather short period of time responded to my idea of black and grey paintings very positively. This took me totally by surprise.

So I felt a certain justification in doing something reckless. And so began a very quick dive into the abyss! I admit the so-called "recession" was another factor - this is my year to really focus on production. An opportunity to focus on the studio side and create work so it can develop and progress without pressures the the commercial side, which is starting to falter anyway. Part of my 09/10 business plan is to pursue purely experimental projects. (the result being that in time the economy will recover and I'll be ready and already present with strong new sets of work)

It started with Black I ("Oh What a World"), which was a rescued failed sky painting as you know. Then I realised I needed to go bigger. Pulled out the 120x150cm canvas. A 120x120 canvas is aside for the Black III. And I know I want to go even bigger, so I'm hoping a sale will come my way to buy a bespoke 2x2 metre canvas (which can't be purchased 'off the rack' as it were, even in the good Italian brand I use).

Black I, finished, has had only positive responses. Everyone seems to like it. Veta seems to think it's even art-fair worthy (art fair work, for very commercial fairs, tends to need bold colour impact), an opinion I take seriously. Veta knows her stuff when it comes to selling. The business side feels some vindication.

And the creative side of me is extremely happy, working on these is just a joyous process!

Painting image: Oh What a World (Black I), acrylic on canvas, 120x100cm © Tina Mammoser, 2009 (better photo to come after it's varnished)

Flashback Friday - black painting

2009-11-27T08:25:00.000Z

A combination of an earlier horizon and a dark "black" painting. This is from the first Lake Michigan set of paintings, which were technically the first set of all-horizons paintings - before the English Coast series began.

The goal was to create a deep dark nighttime feel with imposing weather, a crash of lightning on the lakefront in Chicago. Like my current black paintings the dark tones were created entirely with colour - in this case deep crimson reds and ultramarine blues combine for the darkest area of water in the middle.

Cliffs - tackling the nemesis

2009-11-26T08:16:00.000Z

So despite the cliffs being a source of frustration (and challenge, which I rather like), they once again jumped out at me to be painted.

When preparing the canvases for the Essex paintings I realised something: I needed to paint that little sandy cliff. It just spoke to me, even though the photo and the sketch weren't the strongest.

And a realisation struck. Out of the corner of my eye I spied a large pastel drawing from a while ago. Actually inspired by Filey Brigg. You may remember, I decided to re-try that painting. (the original diptych painting of Filey Brigg is in yesterday's post)

Now looking at this pastel drawing I once again saw the strength of a composition. A composition I actually did try to start painting on a large canvas - the 80cm square was also lurking in a corner, faced to the wall.

So down came the little white hut painting and up went the sandy cliff. Out came the little 5" study on canvas with it's oddly bright orange yellow and green.

The charcoal is down on a 1 metre square painting, and I'm quite excited! Wish me luck with attempt number... well, I've lost track.

Cliffs - my nemesis!

2009-11-25T08:46:00.001Z

Cliffs cliffs, everywhere cliffs... white, brown, red. Tall, short, sandy, rocky. My constant challenge is how to paint these verticals in a way that speaks to me.

Photos in order: The Needles (Isle of Wight), Alum Bay (Isle of Wight), near Dover, Yorkshire, Portland Isle.

Various attempts over time. From 2.5" to 5" to 48" wide! Still the perfect composition eludes me. And I'm starting a new painting of a small cliff at Walton on the Naze, inspired by all my previous cliff attempts. More in the next blog post!

Paintings in order: "Golden, Chesil Beach" (Weymouth/Portland), ACEO of the Needles, "Scale Nab" (Yorkshire), Filey Brigg (Yorkshire), study for Chesil Beach.

All images © Tina Mammoser, 2009.

Sketches vs Photographs

2009-11-24T08:45:00.000Z

Last month I had a visitor to my studio who got the chance to see the very start of the Essex coast sketches and photos.

What struck me was how much she enjoyed seeing both the original photographs and the tiny little sketches - and she could pick out the photo that a sketch matched, even though they were just scattered on the table.

So I thought I'd share that with you my blog readers too! You've seen photos, and you've seen the sketches. You've even seen some of the 5" colour studies. So I thought I'd line up a few for you to really see side-by-side how I distill the photo in the first instance.

The similarities are obvious. But in the sketches seen alone you wouldn't necessarily see the "place" or seaside features, though they're easily matched in the photos.

This process is what my studies are about, reducing the image bit by bit to just find the exact elements need to keep a clear reference to landscape but eliminate unnecessary visual clutter. Every painting in the coast series started from a specific photo just like these.

Progress on Black II

2009-11-23T08:16:00.000Z

The second Black painting is coming along nicely - a warmer painting this time. (The finished version of the Black I will be posted later this week.)

It will, of course, become much darker!

Podcast - 3 Shows

2009-11-16T13:43:00.003Z

http://files.me.com/timelady/stzmdt.mp3
Duration: 10min 55 seconds, approx. 10Mb

This month I podcasted live while visiting 3 exhibitions in London: Miroslaw Balka's new installation in the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, Estelle Thompson at Purdy Hicks, and Turner and the Masters at Tate Britain. A cross-London tour! You can hear what I see and how these 3 shows might influence me and my paintings.

Remember you can subscribe to the podcast specifically at
studiowaves.blogspot.com
or through iTunes at
tinyurl.com/studiowaves

Flashback Friday - beginnings of abstraction

2009-11-13T08:06:00.000Z

An early abstract seascape - created from a photo I took of water hitting the side of a barge on the Thames River in London. This was done with the help of an "abstract seascapes" class I was taking at the time at the Blackheath Conservatoire, and my venture into abstraction. You can see that even here I was simplifying my canvas areas, almost creating colour fields but looking back that wasn't really my intention. Paintings that followed were still very impressionist and my abstraction first came from areas of texture rather than areas of colour.