A Rainy September Day in New York

A gray Monday, nearing the end of September.

A good day for indulging in the joys of life, like some fresh homemade lunch and working on some visual satisfaction.

Today's lunch started with an overflow of veggies in the fridge.  One of the bonuses of living with others who's schedules are as full as mine, is buying the same things from the market.  This gives me another opportunity to use one of my favorite skills, improvising; more specifically, working with what is available.

Ingredients:
Homemade Pesto, made with Basil grown in the front yard, fresh Broccoli, Zucchini, Cucumber and Bow Tie pasta.
I like to chop everything into small pieces so I can just barely cook the veggies.  Say 'no' to mushy veggies. 
Yum.

There's a small forest just outside of my bedroom window and door to the make-shift studio (also called, garage) below the bedroom.  I love walking out of or down to the garage when working on my art.  Today's rain and gray sky makes for a perfect autumn day in the forest.

I do my painting in the garage.

This paper is the coolest!

Hopefully, tonight I'll get some time to work on the details with my awesome set of prismacolor pencils.

Volatile Organic Compound's in 2-D

 Another series that started with some simple designs using Adobe Illustrator.  The designs were printed on matte paper then altered with watercolor, and pencil.  Then comes the naming, or assigning of meaning, hence VOC: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_organic_compound

 I don't know where my imagry comes from... but these pieces affect the environment and human health like VOC's (at least I like to think so.)  I like how Robert Motherwell talks about painting, starting with a pure surface, messing it up, then bringing it back to that pure feeling. 

Check out www.scottgarrette.etsy.com to see more

RSVP - Today's Creations - from July 2010

A while back, I started drawing on whatever I could get my hands on, that had a nice clean surface. I needed something readily available, with consistent qualities as well as accepting of multiple mediums... I guess those $4.00 plus boxes of cereal have another use beyond holding the puffed wheat pieces (gold) in a nicely transportable shape for mass consumption, and the aftermath, when the little pieces of gold are gone and all that remains goes to the garbage, or the more politically correct, re-cycling bin.
Then the work begins. With vigor the scissor cuts off the excess fiberboard material, a vision is seen, add pencil and let sit for Days... stacked upon and underneath other like drawings.
When time becomes available, after several weeks of tiring work at the Day Job/s, apply the paint, dry and add colored pencil. Then return to before mentioned stack for complete saturation of desire. This step infers a future maturity of the work and of the individual, but there's a lot to be said for good-intention!
Next.
Cut wood to different sizes to fit... apply fiberboard to wood, determine orientation and return to stack, or possibly paint and seal.
Then.
Cut prints from my design work and photography into strips, squares, circles, or any other shape necessary. Other materials may be gathered and cut as available.
Next.
Apply strips of color (cut prints,...) using LOTS of glue, to the board to finish the space and texture it up. It's OKAY to get sloppy or a little OCD for this step. Be sure to have several pieces-in-progress available for this part, as it's fun and hard to stop.

Paint and varnish may be applied anytime during the process.
Is this the end?...............

New work 2010

The new year began with some much needed time off and time on. I took a week off from each of my jobs to focus on some new creations. Painting is my passion and is too often neglected for quicker and cleaner creations. Art is art, and I'm happy anytime I can create, but there is a difference in satisfaction from medium to medium.

I got out the watercolor paints and after cutting apart several fiberboard boxes from Christmas, the painting began. It's been cold, very cold, and my work space is in the unheated garage. Out comes the portable heater... and the stocking hat.

Back in the Game

It's been six months since I've been able to write anything. I took on another job beginning in June of 09, and have only had time to create. Finally, after six months of working long hours for others, I've found the time and energy to create and write to you about it.
This series of stripes was created in the month of May 09, just before my responsibilities increased dramatically. Starting with a pencil line sketch and adding color with watercolor paint to help bring my visions to life. I see these works as meditative pleasures... maybe more pleasure for myself, but hopefully for others. When you look at them, and let your eyes and mind begin to evaluate the arrangement of color, line and texture, you'll see certain shapes jump forward, others move back and around to front again. A whole universe within simple lines and color emerge.
There is plenty of room for interpretation, but it is left to you to make the connections, follow the lines and determine the outcome within yourself. Each piece is 'finished' by each viewer... in a different way.
Look at these lines. Is this unfinished, or 'in progress'?... maybe the empty space is there for a reason. Now focus on the green area. Moving up from the bottom, are the colored shapes (lines) pushing forward, or in front of the green? Is there any implied movement? Where are the defined shapes? Are they shapes joining together, or falling apart? Where does your eye take you?

There may not be anything profound about these pieces, nothing revolutionary... but when I take the time to gaze onto the paper with these lines and color, I feel a peace that is necessary for happiness and sanity.

Roll with it

A good morning for painting.

Started out with the struggle of not knowing what to do. Sat down to draw on the computer, nah. Maybe I'll do some work and research, nah. Watch a show online, browse FB or Twitter... NO!

I'm beginning to appreciate the portability and spontaneity of watercolor. No need to squeeze paint out that will inevitably dry when the days responsibilities awake. Such a simple setup and cleanup. It's great to have options.

I've been working to control my color impulse, the desire to add more and more different colors. It's good to have control, even when I'm preventing a desired action. It's a good example of living life on arts terms.

Stories Without Words

Tell the Story

These are my stories
without words
only lines, then color (sometimes.)