Conspicuously Absent - Composing a Still Life
Landlocked: Still Life with Sushi, acrylic on canvas, 8 x 8 inches, 2011 by Sarah Atlee. Some rights reserved.
Composition is about choices
When composing an image, the artists chooses where each element is placed in order to produce certain effects. The desired effect could be motion, tension, calm, strength, quiet, noise, and so on.
Lately I'm revisiting Richard Diebenkorn's Ocean Park paintings and studying his compositions. I'm wild about the way he pushes those divisions of space almost to the edges of the canvas in a conscious step away from the traditional Western pyramid. As my former painting teacher Martin Facey (himself a student of Diebenkorn's) would say, the middle of this painting is full of "nothing," as in no thing.
Painting no thing
In exploring still life painting, I find that composition is queen. A solid composition is complemented, not overshadowed, by color and paint handling. I enjoy playing on the notion that the most important business of a painting happens in the middle.
For Landlocked, above, I wanted to try pushing all the action to the first half of the hour, so to speak. I frequently employ the circle-within-a-square layout, and I like how the oddish placement of the sushi plays against the static underpinnings of the image.
My original photos of these leftovers included a teacup with soy sauce in it, a very dark element dominating the upper left quadrant of the composition. I decided against including it in the painting, choosing instead to fill that half of the plate with no thing. I also changed the color of the plate from green to a more neutral grey to turn its personality down a few notches, letting the sushi pop (better than putting it in the frying pan, no?).
Landlocked was created for the 2012 Small Works exhibit at JRB Art Gallery at the Elms.
And We're Back
My studio, featuring Submerge and Anonymous Niece.
How have you been? Glad to hear it.
I've enrolled in the Blog Triage online class taught by Alyson Stanfield and Cynthia Morris in an effort to spruce this place up. These smart ladies have started the course by asking participants to think about what goals they want their blogs to accomplish, and who they're writing for.
In other words, why do I have this blog? What do I hope you'll get out of it?
Interesting, interested people
I read a log of blogs. Like a ton, every day. My favorite posts on other people's blogs are the ones where I learn something new. About anything, not just art. This is my mission here - share what I've learned with you.
I post about painting techniques, sketches and experimental work, artists whose work I admire, art events happening in my area, and thoughts and ideas that roll across my landscape. If I think it's interesting, someone out there will be interested. I'll share with you; I hope you'll continue to share with me too.
What's interested me lately
David Rees sharpens pencils. I just love it when people find the thing they love to do.
I've been grooving to the beats of Kinshasa One Two for several weeks.
A cardboard arcade made by 9-year old Caine inspires me to build what I want using what I've got.
Ze Frank reminds us that we can begin anywhere. Like here.
Iron - Abstract Sketch Inspired by Billboards
Iron, mixed media on cardboard, 6 x 8 inches, 2007 by Sarah Atlee. Some rights reserved.
I made this collage sketch in preparation for the Signs portion of the Normal, OK exhibit in 2008. See more of these collages in this Flickr set.
Pulling out the albums
Revisiting my older works is a great way for me to take a look at the journey I've taken over the years. I'd like to share some works from the archives here that might not be featured in the Images section of this site. Watch for these in the coming weeks.
Try Not to Think About Hats
Try Not to Think About Hats, acrylic and graphite on found wood, 7 x 14 inches, 2011. Some rights reserved.
Some paintings just come out right the first time. This was done in a day.
Sarah Atlee at the Girlie Show! 2010.11.05-06
It's Girlie Show time! Friday and Saturday, November 5th and 6th, 2010, at the Farmer's Public Market in the heart of Oklahoma City. (map link) I'll be doing live portrait drawing, folks. Get your own 1-minute portrait for just five bucks!
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5 7 P.M. TO 11 P.M.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6 NOON TO 5 P.M.
FARMER’S PUBLIC MARKET BUILDING 311 S. KLEIN, OKC
What’s The Girlie Show?
The Girlie Show is art, creativity, craftsmanship and funk. Hand-designed … sometimes refined … and all by chicks. It’s not stuffy like an art show or fluffy like a craft show. Think less haute, more hot. Guys, girls, good times. And this year is rockin’ number seven.
See you there!
