Inspiration | Beverly Shipko, Artist

The Elusive Lighthouse Photo

June 24, 2016 by Beverly

Jay and I just came back from a 2 week vacation, starting in Nantucket and driving up the beautiful Mid-Maine Coast to Acadia National Park. Along the way, we decided to visit the infamous Maine Lighthouses.

I had an image in my head of brilliantly lit lighthouses perched on dramatic rocky cliffs. It didn’t seem like this would be too difficult to find since they appeared on every website, tour book cover and tourist center brochure. Wrong.

Little did we know that I wouldn’t take that iconic sunny photo until the last few hours of our trip to the Portland Great Light in Cape Elizabeth, ME before returning to New York. Even then, I only had 15 minutes of sunlight before the clouds and rain moved in. I love this view from the southern trail, with the craggy rocks so typical of the Maine coastline!

By the time we went up the northern path, the sun was fading and the entire mood felt more subdued.

Our previous effort to photograph this site by boat the night before was thwarted by unexpectedly heavy winds and choppy water, so the captain couldn’t get close. My chance at that epic Portland Great Light sunset shot never materialized.

However, I did get this beautiful photo of the Portland Breakwater Light (also called Bug Light) on the way back.

Our Most Distinctive Lighthouse Award went to Breakwater Light in Rockland, which we could see from our window at Samoset Resort (admittedly using my maximum zoom; the real view was quite distant and tiny). Jay and I walked carefully along this mile long breakwater, focusing on avoiding deep crevases (talk about having to be present! almost meditative), to reach our destination. It was a wonderful experience, and made this Jay’s #1 lighthouse of the trip.

Fortunately, the town thoughtfully installed a dock off the breakwater (thankfully no need to climb rocks!) that allowed photographers to get this view.

Our Most Disappointing Award went to the Bass Harbor Lighthouse in Acadia, perhaps because the park ranger over-promised iconic views. Or maybe because the trails weren’t well marked and we never found them. I was hopeful until we started walking up these stairs. Then I realized the lighthouse was perched on a very small cliff that offered only close up views of the lighthouse itself.

Coming back down, I was still determined to find the trail that would take us to a panoramic view of the lighthouse perched on its steep cliff. My optimism returned as we wound around to the northern path. However, my hopes were dashed as we were confronted with this intimidating pile of boulders at the path’s end.

I considered climbing out for just a second – until I remembered that a fellow photographer died in Acadia a few days before. No way, I thought. I’ll look at the views on the internet.

Other visitors were far more adventuresome, and rewarded with a better view (although morning would be optimal). From this vantage point – without climbing on big rocks – you can see a hint of the lighthouse in the upper right hand corner. It still wasn’t enough to tempt me.

More typical lighthouse views from the water were like these. The first was on the way to Little Cranberry Island in Acadia, and the second was Brant Point Light on Nantucket (never did walk out to the lighthouse because of the weather; next time).

So I have a few tips for your self-guided tour of Maine lighthouses:

Weather is most important. If you have a sunny day, make a beeline for the closest lighthouse. Don’t wait. The Maine weather changes so dramatically and quickly.
Time of day matters. Morning and late afternoon offer the most striking light. It also depends on where the lighthouse is situated.
Check the hours carefully to see if and when the lighthouses are open. Most had limited hours, some had museums, and all closed by 4pm. If we had visited in the morning, we would have gotten help with directions.
Look at photos ahead of time, see where the good vantage points are, and plan accordingly
Read the descriptions of the trails. Allow yourself extra time to explore the surrounding area. I still get the feeling that we missed a trail at at the highly rated Bass Harbor Lighthouse; so did the other visitors.
Take boat rides. Many of the most popular lighthouses – and mansions – were best viewed from a boat.
Look closely at the map for neighboring lighthouses. We almost passed up the Two Lights lighthouse (and Lobster Shack where Jay grabbed his last lobster roll), also in Cape Elizabeth and only 10 minutes from the Portland Head Light.

Most importantly, just enjoy the experience of the chase.

P.S. Here’s a great photo for my album, which was taken from the Nonamtum Inn in Kennebunkport. But don’t get too excited…

It’s a fake. Now I have a better understanding of why these are scattered all over the place! It gives us amateur photographers our easy photo ops! 🙂

Chihuily: A Glass Act

February 25, 2016 by Beverly

Today I was going through hundreds of wild life photos from our recent Sarasota, Florida trip when I came across these images of exquisite art glass by Dale Chihuily, glassmaker extraordinaire.

I had forgotten we left the beaches behind to visit the Chihuily Collection in St. Petersburg, about an hour away. For me, this small, well designed museum was one of the highlights of the trip.

The collection began chronologically with Chihuily’s older work, such as Seaforms, which evoke underwater forms with their flowy, asymmetrical shapes.

There’s the Venetians series, with a work missing. One piece was stolen right off its platform, which is not something museums are proud of. Fortunately, the piece was returned after the thief discovered he couldn’t sell it on the open market, and will be reinstalled shortly.

Chihuily is known for his intensely colored Macchia series. This large blue vessel make me think of a morning glory.

Stunning Chandeliers, made up of as many as 1,000 elements of glass attached to a stainless steel base, dominate this large gallery. These works are shipped in pieces, each individually numbered, and are assembled on site. It took a large team from Chihuily’s studio 8 hours to install this blue beauty.

Here are side and bottom views of a smaller multicolored Chandelier beside it.

When we came across this nook, we immediately thought of Leslie, Jay’s sister, who creates very elegant and striking Ikebana arrangements in Portland, OR. Chihuily presents his own whimsical glass Ikebana series including 3-D and 2-D works.

Then we moved into a dark, dramatic room featuring this boat piece full of large globes. Chihuily called the globes Niijima Floats, after an island in Tokyo Bay and the small Japanese fishing floats he found growing up on Puget Sound. I couldn’t help but recall other Chihuily boats and floats we had seen in outdoor installations at the Phoenix and New York Botannical Gardens.

A passageway with this ethereal ceiling, conjuring up thoughts of lily pads , flowers, and other natural elements, lead us down the hall to the showstopper.

Finally, we reach Chihuily’s own true garden of glass, Mille Fiori (Italian for a thousand flowers). This modern, sleek indoor installation took on a completely different vibe (quite a contrast to the dessert!), combining refined forms from Chihuily’s entire career.

Here Chihuily took one of his Chandeliers and turned it upside down to anchor the end of Millie Fiori.

In person, you can really see how his work is based on natural forms. For example, tips of the blue plants are inspired by frog hands, with their knobby pads located on the tips of their fingers, giving them suction.

These green plants resemble agaves and other dessert plants.

We never made it to the glass blowing demonstration at the Morean Center nearby, which is included in the $20 admission fee, and comes highly recommended. Next time.

Dale Chihuily makes the art of glass blowing look easy, but it’s not. It’s physically demanding, technically challenging, capital intensive, and often unpredictable in lesser hands.

All of which serves to remind us that Chihuily took what some considered to be an almost forgotten minor art form and turned it into a major installation vehicle that is ubiquitous. And for that he is truly a modern master of glass, in a class of his own.

Pablo Makes Me Smile!

February 2, 2016 by Beverly

When I walked into the Picasso Sculpture show at MOMA in Manhattan, I made a beeline for this sculpture – a very old friend. The last time we saw each other was 30 years ago at the Picasso Museum in Paris.

And I smiled. Just like I did the first time.

A few words came to mind. Creative. Playful. Clever.

Woman with Outstretched Arts, by Picasso, 1961. Front view. Painted iron and sheet metal.

“Woman with Outstretched Arms”. by Picasso. Back view.

More words popped into my head through the whole show.

Classic. Epic.

“Head of a Warrior” by Picasso, Boisgeloup, 1933. Plaster, metal and wood.

Elegant. Humorous.

“Insect” by Picasso. Ballauris, 1951. Fired white clay, incised and painted with slips.

Whimsical.

“Vase” by Picasso, Vallauris, 1947 or 48. White earthenware painted with slips and oxides.

Beautiful. Stately.

“Bust of a Woman” by Picasso, Boisgeloup, 1931. Plaster.

Poignant.

“Woman with a Baby Carriage” by Picasso. Vallauris, 1950-54. Bronze.

Innovative. Technical prowess – a life-size cast bronze sculpture held up by a jump rope!

“Little Girl Jumping Rope” by Picasso. Vallauris, 1950-54. Bronze.

Creative. Visionary. Who else would see a toy car as a baboon head?

“Baboon and Young” by Picasso. Vallauris, 1951. Bronze.

Versatile. Prolific.

"Bull" by Picasso. Cannes, 1958. Blockboard (wood base panel), palm frond and various other tree branches, eyebolt, nails and dress)

“Bull” by Picasso. Cannes, 1958. Blockboard (wood base panel), palm frond and various other tree branches, eyebolt, nails and screws)

Simplicity. Essence. Sleek. Modern.

“Little Horse” by Picasso. Valllauris, 1961. Painted metal with wheels.

Other thoughts came to mind. Master of any material. Fearless. Adventuresome. Joyful. Love of Life (as the French say, Joie de Vive). Pure Genius. And what you see here is just the tip of the iceberg since my own taste gravitates towards the later work.

Going to this show made me smile from the inside out. I’m grinning as I write this.

That alone is a good enough reason to see this exhibit. With one more week to go (closes February 7th), the crowds are large. So plan your visit early or late in the day.

And don’t forget to smile for the camera.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup: A Tribute

January 31, 2016 by Laura

Hello Readers! Laura “Webmaster” Sloofman here. I’m popping in to honor our Artist in Residence, Beverly Shipko. Today, my friend Sarah and I had our first Still-Life Painting Night*. In need of a subject, we “drew” inspiration from Bev’s latest blog post and selected the composition Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

Like our mentor, we painted our pictures using a 2-D image for inspiration. However, we worked from the television instead of a picture. Saturday Night [Painting] Live, if you will.

“Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup” by Beverly Shipko, Oil on cradled wood panel, on TV.

Sarah used acrylics, so at this point she just started painting. I chose gouache. Or rather, gouache chose me because it was the only paint I had on-hand thanks to a birthday present from Grandma Dot. Gouache is fun to work with because it feels like a hybrid between watercolor and acrylic. It’s relatively easy to create precise lines and flow-y colors.

After finishing my sketch, I couldn’t wait to start painting. Thankfully, I heeded Ms. Shipko’s advice and filled in the Reese’s logo first. She was right on all counts. I had to fight the temptation to outline first, but it was easier this way in the end. Had I started with the outline, the dark gouache would have bled into the center.

Before we knew it, after a night of painting and cooking along with Chef Erik, we had our finished work!

Sarah (L) and Laura (R)

The paintings up close

All three Reese’s Artists

Chef Erik. (Sarah and I helped, though!)

Thanks Mom for encouraging us to take a bite out of life!

* Chef Erik participated in our night of creativity by woodworking and then doing some painting of his own

Day 22. Yosemite Sequoia

September 25, 2015 by Beverly

In keeping with the Western vacation theme that I began yesterday with my Day 21 Phoenix Sunset, here is the majestic Yosemite Seqouia. I enjoyed painting these trees, a subject I revisit once in a while. And I got to relive another trip with stunning scenery.

“Yosemite Sequoia” by Beverly Shipko, Oil and acrylic on cradled wood panel, 7 x 5 inches

Recently I was watching the evening news which did a piece on the mighty sequoias and how they are being stressed by the drought. I learned an intriguing fact – that each tree requires about 700 gallons of water a day!

So sequoias were top of mind, and I began thinking about our recent trip to Mariposa Grove in Yosemite in May – which was absolutely breathtaking. Mariposa Grove is a sequoia grove (the largest in the park with several hundred mature sequoias) in the southernmost part of Yosemite National Park in California. It’s a unique experience to walk through the park in the morning as the sun rises, when you can hear your own footsteps in the quiet before mobs of tourists arrive.

For those of you who have never seen a sequoia, they are huge! They are so big that it’s almost impossible to get a interesting photo of a whole tree (which is why the above photo only shows the lower half of the tree). To give you some idea of the scale, here I am standing against the roots of a fallen sequoia, and this was one of the smaller trees.

Here’s the view of the top of a sequoia that inspired today’s painting. I began with my customary drawing on wood panel, and applied two light washes of blue acrylic underpainting for the sky, using a wet paper towel. This decision was critical to doing this Challenge painting since there was no way I could paint the background and tiny leaves entirely in oil paint in one day without drying time in between layers.

In the end, this took a lot longer than expected, and I’m falling further behind in the Challenge. I could keep working on it and adding more detail, but the painting looks really fresh in person, and I’m afraid of overworking it. So I am putting down my paint brush.

Besides, I haven’t started applying paint to today’s panel. I’m working on my Day 23 painting, and it’s actually Day 25. (It was a terrific week but I lost 3 days because of the holidays, a stunning wedding, and Laura’s visit.) I have to find a way to catch up. I should probably start by writing shorter blog posts. Maybe it’s time to do another drawing.

Any suggestions? Wish me luck! Thanks for visiting.

John Singer Sargent: An Artist’s Artist

August 29, 2015 by Beverly

Can you imagine John Singer Sargent doing a painting a day? The answer is yes, without breaking a sweat.

As I prepare for my second 30-day painting-a-day challenge starting shortly on September 1st, I can’t help but wonder what Sargent would choose to paint each day.

Would it be a watercolor? Sargent’s dazzles us with his use of bright light and shadow playing over surfaces – with such fluidity and ease in this medium that he never ceases to amaze me.

An Arab Woman by John Singer Sargent, Watercolor.

“Escutcheon of Charles V of Spain” by John Singer Sargent, 1912, Watercolor and graphite on white wove paper

A pencil drawing? Sargent has an uncanny ability to represent people with an economy of strokes. He did more sketches of the infamous Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau) than he did for any other portrait. Here she’s sitting down, unlike in the final full-length portrait that almost derailed his career.

“Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)”. 1883-84, Graphite on off-white wove paper

A charcoal? Like this elegant depiction of American actor Mary Anderson. I love how he set the smooth skin again a dark background, and used an eraser to delineate the folds of the scarf.

“Mary Anderson” by John Singer Sargent, 1913, Charcoal on paper.

Or, how about an oil painting? Maybe he would set the scene outdoors, as he does here. Sargent’s light-filled oil sketches are brilliantly painted, demonstrating his uncanny ability to depict the most important elements with loose but telling brushstrokes that makes this work look effortless.

“A Gust of Wind” by John Singer Sargent, 1883, Oil on canvas.

These are just a few of the delightful works at the Metropolitan Museums of Art’s impressive portrait show, John Singer Sergeant: Artists and Friends (open through October 4th, 2015).

The exhibit includes a variety of work from the freer works above, to many more tightly rendered and traditional commissioned paintings – but nonetheless impressive works. Admittedly the selection you see here is more slanted towards light-filling paintings full of exuberance, and feature more women.

Here we see an early self-portrait, Sargent’s first double portrait (Jay’s favorite painting of the entire show), and his tribute to his art teacher, which was so accomplished that some people commented that the student already surpassed the teacher.

John Singer Sargent Self-Portrait

“Edouard and Marie-Louise Pailleron” by John Singer Sargent, 1881, Oil on canvas

“Carolus-Duran” by John Singer Sargent, 1879, Oil on canvas

Even in large formal commissioned portraits, Sargent’s brilliant bravura brushwork shines through. In this vibrant painting of Mrs. Hugh Hammersley, a patron of the arts and notable hostess, Sargent masterfully juxtaposed a variety of fabric textures in this strikingly energetic pose that showcases her engaging personality. Closer scrutiny of the pink velvet shows that he describes the essence of the rich fabric and her satin shoes with a minimum of detail.

“Mrs. Hugh Hammersley” by John Singer Sargent, 1892, Oil on canvas

Detail from “Mrs. Hugh Hammersley” by John Singer Sargent

Sargent: Artists and Friends is a fascinating compendium of Sargent’s large circle of talented contemporaries, including friends, acquaintances and patrons, and is a reflection of the rarified world in which he moved – from France, England, Germany, and Italy to America.

Sargent seemed to thrive on hanging out with other artists, some more famous than others, and documented his visits with them in many informal compositions. Some of Sargent’s freshest works are more spontaneous paintings of his artistic friends, including author Robert Louis Stephenson (who he painted 3 times), Claude Monet (who needs no description!), and a close friend and fellow painter, Paul Helleau, with his wife leaning against the boat. (I know this last painting well since it’s on the cover of my first book on American Impressionism, the subject of my master’s thesis.)

"Robert Louis Stephenso" by John Singer Sergent, 1887, Oil on canvas.

“Robert Louis Stephenso” by John Singer Sargent, 1887, Oil on canvas.

Claude Monet By John Singer Sargent

An Out-of-Doors Stud by John Singer Sargent, 1889, Oil on canvas

One of the most striking aspects of Sargent’s career is his ability to switch seamlessly from one medium to another, and from tightly rendered commissions of patrons and champions, like Isabella Stewart Gardener, to free and spontaneous depictions of his peers, such as Monet, Rodin and Faure.

Painting portraits is a gift, as anyone who paints and has tried their hand at portraiture knows. You either have it or you don’t. And Sargent had it. And boy, did he have it! That’s why I call Sargent an artist’s artist and would highly recommend this show, along with the audio guide to learn more about all the people involved.

And so the 30 Day Challenge probably wouldn’t have been much of a challenge for Sargent, would it? What do you think he would have done?

Whatever he chose, I’m sure Sargent would have relished the opportunity, and I’m pretty confident he would be painting on a much larger scale than I plan to do. Sargent has inspired me to try a bigger panel for the Challenge (at least once) and see what happens, and to experiment more with watercolor, charcoal and pencil. And just maybe, one day, if I do enough Challenges, I can evolve my own personal painting style to record the essence of a subject using a similar economy of strokes and a equally compelling bravura… 🙂

A painting a day? Done.

Seward Johnson Retrospective – Revisited

June 25, 2015 by Beverly

Our first two visits to this exhibit in 2014 left us wanting more. And we were lucky enough to get it.

By popular demand, this record-breaking Seward Johnson Retrospective at Grounds for Sculpture (GFS) in Hamilton, NJ was extended through the first half of 2015 (the last day is July 1st).

Jay and I went for the third time since I first blogged about it in 2014, and we still discovered new things in nooks and crannies. GFS is a dynamic place, packed full of sculpture that is constantly evolving and changing.

This trip we got to GFS early enough to take a tour, which we highly recommend. When you get to the ticket counter, ask about the free tours and sign up since space is limited (first-come first-serve basis).

Our tour guide covered a lot of territory in an hour, and led us through several popular permanent installations including this Seward Johnson 3-D take of Henri Rousseau’s popular painting at MOMA called The Dream, which was buried deep in the bamboo forest. At the end of the path, we were greeted by the mesmerizing stare of this beast.

We learned that the weather takes its toll on these outdoor bronze-cast sculptures, which are repaired on an ongoing basis, sometimes 3-4 times a year. Johnson’s Atelier (aka workshop where you can see the casting process) is open to the public once a month, alas, not during our visit. Instead, we settled for a peek through the fence at this collection of work currently being restored.

At this point, you might be asking yourself: Why did Jay and I go back 3 times? What exactly is the attraction?

The answer is fun and accessible art – and a lot of it with over 270 sculptures, 150 of which were Johnson’s in 2014 (some have moved on due to previous commitments. Not to worry – there’s so much to see!). You can touch the sculptures, walk around them (no climbing!), and interact with them

There is a lightness about these sculptures that comes from Johnson’s own internal compass and innate sense of humor.

Here is an artist who is comfortable in his own skin, and doesn’t take himself too seriously. This is most evident when you read the newspaper articles and book titles that are thoughtfully incorporated into his works, with powerful messages. In this article, But Is It Art?, Johnson pokes fun at himself and his entire body of work – which hasn’t always received critical acclaim.

When you’re visiting GFS, you don’t take yourself too seriously either. That’s my husband “inspecting” Marilyn Monroe’s backside… and asking for directions from the “guard” by the Mona Lisa – one of many classic icons, photos and Impressionist paintings reinterpreted by Johnson. Being an artist and art historian, I was particularly delighted to sit in full scale version of Van Gogh’s bedroom.

Johnson plays with scale on a monumental level, and gives us a chance to experience Impressionist icons in different settings, so that our relationship with the original art changes.

You can get a good idea of Seward Johnson’s approach by looking at his treatment of this well-known painting, Olympia by Manet.

Edouard Manet, “Olympia”,
1863, Oil on canvas,
H. 130; W. 190 cm, Courtesy of the Musée d’Orsay, Paris

When you park your car, this huge nude sculpture confronts you from a big hill, entirely out of context and blown up to a gigantic scale.

Inside, we find this same life-size, humanized nude sculpture set in a formal Parisian room, chandeliers and all. We’re free to walk around the installations, view them from every angle, and participate in them. I’ll never look at Manet’s Olympia the same again! (I wrote about this transformative experience in Monet Through A Different Lens)

By playing with sculpture on such a huge scale, Johnson also plays with our minds.

Monumental sculptures, like two ladies on a bench in The Meadows, a solder kissing a nurse (remember the famous photo?), and Johnson’s giant version of Matisse’s Dance for Joy reflecting in a pond, are juxtaposed with works of life-size everyday people scattered all over the park. Around each corner, we might find a window washer, policeman, mailman, or this girl reading on a park bench.

In one of the videos, Johnson says his space is the area beyond the frame (in fact, the name of one of his series). I can’t but help think it’s also in front of the frame, behind it and through the frame. He allows us to literally play with the frame in his version of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and the Mona Lisa.

Take some time to watch the video of Seward Johnson in the main building to get a sense of the man. Johnson has a strong sense of self (and even joked about being fired from the family business, Johnson and Johnson!), and creates the art he is compelled to make. He is quite an authentic character who is true to himself, willing to take risks, and has made a long-standing commitment to bring art to more people – as evidenced by evolution of this 42-acre park offering a a calendar full of events and activities for all ages.

In Johnson’s world, art imitates art, which imitates life, which can in turn imitate art…. Here we see how Seward Johnson inserted himself (wearing a hat) into Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party, having drinks with his friend Red Grooms and other cronies. On this particular day, Jay and I were delighted to find Johnson – in person – exuberantly leading a Sing-A-Long and thoroughly enjoying himself (like in the installation) while belting out a variety of Broadway tunes (which takes courage since he doesn’t have the greatest voice…).

We had dinner at Rats Restaurant at GFS, receiving generous portions that were wrapped up to go in a light-hearted way, in keeping with the day.

Then, OMG, it was time to leave! I realized I can’t come back again before the show closes on July 1st…

But you can! There’s 10 days left for the Seward Johnson Retrospective. Check the website for the latest information, and get there early to get a parking space (which is the constraining factor at the GFS).

It’s worth the trip. Experience art like you never have before!

Story Behind The Eggs

March 23, 2015 by Beverly

When people walk into my studio these days, they smile and ask me, “Why eggs?”. So I gave this a bit of thought.

Of course, the quick and easy answer is that eggs are a key ingredient for baking, which keeps the food theme going. But I usually leave the baking to Bonnie. Eventually I realized there was more significance to these eggs.

The immediate inspiration for the egg series was a carton of double yolk eggs from last year. I couldn’t believe the whole carton was full of double yolks.

I kept my camera by the stove and took photos every day when I made my egg (or is it eggs?). I missed a few photo ops before I realized what a gold mine of inspiration this could be. I took photos of the eggs in various states – from raw in a bowl, cooking in a pan, to sunny side up. During the 30/30 Challenge in January, I did small oil paintings of eggs for the first time.

Egg Series from the 30/30 Challenge, Oil paintings on cradled panel, 5 x 7 inches.

An Egg-centric Series from the 30/30 Challenge, Oil paintings on cradled panel, 5 x 7 inches.

After someone mentioned that double yolks were lucky, I looked up the symbolism on the internet. It turns out that double yolk eggs are considered omens of abundance (as in pregnancy and fertility, twins), good fortune, and the union of two people in marriage (double yolks in one shell = union of two people in marriage).

This last point got me thinking. Then it hit me – bingo! – and I realized Mom and Dad met over a carton of eggs!

My grandfather, Sidney Fishman, used to own a gourmet grocery store on McNichols in Detroit, called the Market Basket.

He got his eggs delivered from my other grandfather, Maurice Shipko, who started talking about his son in dental school. The two men exchanged phone numbers and my parents ended up going out on a blind date. The rest was history.

Dorothy and Albert Shipko, 1947.

My parents were married for 64 years because of those eggs. So now you know the whole story. Apparently my subconscious did too.

Day 10 of the 30/30 Challenge – Sedona Drawing

January 10, 2015 by Beverly

Today I decided to do a drawing of one of my favorite places, Cathedral Rock in Sedona. It’s hard to believe it’s been 4 years since my last visit there. How time flies! Maybe this will motivate us to go back soon.

Day 10. “Cathedral Rock” by Beverly Shipko, Pencil on bristol board, 6 x 6 inches.

I confess this choice of subject and change in media was at least partially driven by external forces. First, I wanted the time to go to a museum in New York City before our New York Philharmonic Concert tonight. A drawing is so much quicker for me (so I thought) than an oil sketch – especially when the subject is rocky terrain packed full of details. The urge to try and get out in front of things was irresistible.

Second, I needed to do a line drawing for a long overdue bi-monthly art card with the theme, “Follow the Line”. Well, the line took me to Sedona. I had even bought new Micron pens which everyone was raving about, which just sat around until today. I thought that I could try the pens and do a pencil sketch too.

Wrong. When I used the pens on drawing paper, I found that they aren’t suited to my style of drawing, at least for red rocks in a horizontal format. There’s no way to correct errors with the pencils and I missed the gradations and changes in line thickness that pencils have to offer. After one false start with the Micron pens, I began a second drawing using soft pencils on square bristol board, which you see here, which had been previously reserved just for drawing Oreo Cookies. This even may be my first serious landscape drawing.

Drawing rocks and shrubbery bathed in sunlight proved more problematic that expected. Without color, the red rock shadows and green vegetation looked the same. I wanted to capture the sunlight and the subtle striations, but then I lost the freshness. Thank goodness for Pentel Hi-Polymer Erasers to help brighten things back up. I think I was getting the hang of this drawing, but then it was time to stop.

Working on Cathedral Rock put me back in the spirit of the Wild West and got me looking more closely at the image that I plan to paint tomorrow. In fact, I was hoping to get lucky and be extremely efficient today, and start painting a bit today – a plan that was too ambitious

This subject is not without its risks, and it’s one that I have been avoiding for over 25 years since I painted Monument Valley in acrylic (which probably isn’t as well suited for this wonderfully textured, craggy landscape as oil). Cathedral Rock is just so stunning at sunset that I thought a painting couldn’t possibly live up to the photo, let alone the real thing. Yet thousands of artists do paint it. So it’s time to change my thoughts to “I can too.” (Thank you, Carol!) The compromise will be to capture the essence of the landscape quickly without giving up too much detail – to hint at the striations but not get caught up in them.

The 30/30 format gives me the opportunity to face my fears and just do it. Isn’t that what the spirit of challenge is all about? The bonus is that it’s only a two day investment between the drawing and oil sketch.

Sometimes I dream about renting a place in Sedona and just making art there every day. For now, this is as close as I’m going to get.

I am looking forward to tomorrow and the painting challenges Day 11 will bring. The bonus is that I’ll get to take a vacation – in my mind – along the way.

Day 9 of the 30/30 Challenge – Baby Shoe

January 9, 2015 by Beverly

Surprise! I really did take a break from desserts today. Here’s an oil sketch of Laura’s Baby Shoe (we only have one).

“Laura’s Baby Shoe” by Beverly Shipko, Oil sketch on panel, 6 x 6 inches.

For many years, I thought this shoe belonged to Laura, my oldest daughter. Bonnie, my youngest, just informed me that it’s hers. I associate it with Laura because all her baby shoes looked like this. Maybe I’ll be able to find Bonnie’s pastel multi-colored baby shoes before the end of this challenge and do a painting of her’s too.

I ran across this baby shoe last week, and put it aside thinking it would make a nice painting and memory of times past. After yesterdays’s colorful but demanding donut painting, I was ready for a change in subject, level of complexity, and cleanup (fewer colors = fewer brushes). This monochromatic subject fit the bill. I also think a recent show called Wayne Thiebaud: In Black on White at the Allan Stone Projects in Chelsea played a unconscious role in my decision. Well, maybe not so unconscious since I’ve been looking at this image in a brochure since December, and you already know about how I feel about my hero, Wayne Thiebaud.

Wayne Thiebaud's "Pie Slice" " courtesy of the Allan Stone Projecs , charcoal and pencil on board.

Wayne Thiebaud’s “Pie Slice” ” reproduced courtesy of the Allan Stone Projects.

When my husband and daughter saw today’s oil sketch, they were less than enthusiastic about this unexpected shift in direction. Maybe I should have prepared them first. Clearly this painting did not meeting Bonnie’s expectations since her feedback was that it was boring and colorless. Jay tried valiantly (but failed) to cover up his dislike. It doesn’t matter, because I painted it for myself.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but wonder what this oil sketch would have looked like with a colorful background to punch it up a bit… Should I change it? Or try another one? I would like to hear what you think.

This was the first day of the challenge that I painted from an actual object. Even so, I used my portable lamp (aka flashlight) to play with the shadows and took photos to help decide on the final composition. I didn’t realize until today how “addicted” I am to digital photography as part of the process. And it’s so much easier to paint with the aid of a photo conveniently taped at eye level on your easel. Below are two “finalist” options with subtle differences. The first one looked good to me until I saw the second with the funkier shoelace shadow, the direction that I went with.

I am really enjoying painting every day, and am learning a great deal on so many levels. The difficult part is finding time for everything else. I definitely need to fit more cooking in. The true challenge today was to finish before 6:30pm when Jay and I were leaving for the Holiday Train Show evening event at the New York Botannical Gardens (which was truly stunning at night!). I even managed to post to Leslie’s site before leaving (I was #297 today; moving on up).

Tomorrow we have New York Philharmonic tickets and had originally planned to go to some museums first. That would probably mean doing a drawing instead of a painting, which I don’t have to decide right now. But why do I feel like that’s cheating?

See you tomorrow.

The New Year’s Challenge

January 1, 2015 by Beverly

It’s New Years Day, and today is the day I am taking action instead of giving lip service to my resolutions.

Every year I enthusiastically make of list of resolutions with the best of intentions, only to watch my commitment gradually decline over time. This year is going to be different. It’s time to live up to the spirit of my Bev’s Bites of Life blog and take a bite (at least start with a nibble…). So I signed up for the 30/30 Challenge starting today, when I will return to as I finish writing this post.

The 30/30 Challenge stands for 30 Paintings in 30 Days, which is hosted by Leslie Saeta. I intend to do a small painting a day, and started my first one this morning on Day 1.

A creative top-down view taken by my webmaster, and daughter, Laura Sloofman. January 1, 2015.

After finishing each painting, I’ll post my work along with other participating artists (over 800 registered from all over the world) on Leslie’s blog. It will be interesting to see how many other artists post, and what they are doing. The challenge is very exciting and a bit intimidating at the same time, since I tend to work methodically. In fact, at first didn’t even want to tell anyone I was doing this challenge, but now I’m going public.

I realized the 30/30 Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to explore new paths and to pursue the many things I have been thinking about painting for years, both in the food arena and beyond. Over the years, I took photos of everything from orchids to Sedona red rocks to classic cars, which are accumulating way too quickly on my computer (Oh, did I mention desserts?). Clearly I am a digital photo junkie who needs to buy another external backup drive just for photos, which are coming in handy now as I contemplate what to paint. Suggestions are always welcome, and would be especially timely right now.

The other day I was actually thinking that I should try painting healthy vegetables, perish the thought! While I won’t know what I am going to actually paint each day, I do know that I will be pushing myself out of my comfort zone, which is a good thing to do once in a while.

As I prepared for this painting adventure last week, I spoke with my artist friend Cristine Kossow, the pastel artist who introduced me to the challenge (thanks Cris!), and I realized that I needed different materials. The very nature of the challenge requires that you work small and quickly (unless you’re Picasso…). I decided to use small gesso panels, both 6 x 6″ and 5 x 7″ formats, with a smooth surface instead of using my usual stretched canvases, so I wouldn’t have to fight the “tooth” or texture of the canvas each day. I wanted the paint to glide on the surface effortlessly (like icing on a cake) like it does when I use lead-primed linen canvas, without the expense.

Three problems emerged:

1. I needed 30 small gesso panels.

2. Since I paint standing up, it was important to find a way to mount these small boards, so they would stay still on my large easels.

3. The “lip” of my easel covered 1/4″ on the top and bottom of each panel. I needed easy and unencumbered access to the entire painting surface.

Off I went to AI Friedman in Port Chester, NY to use the gift card that I won as August Artist of the Month, and was lucky that Tony, the art supplies manager and talented artist in his own right, was there. He is a creative thinker who always helps come up with solutions to any painting dilemma. When I got to this panel aisle, I was overwhelmed with all the choices. That’s when Tony came to the rescue.

He helped guide me to these cradled panels, which can be hung as they are, and best met my needs.

Together Tony and I devised a system for mounting the panel, using a velcro and/or adhesive putty, to a larger masonite board which the easels could securely hold securely. Here’s what the solution looks like. Now I am good to go.

I plan on posting my work here so you can follow my progress – and root me to the finish line! As I embark on this new challenge, somehow I feel like a pioneer exploring the new frontier. Cristine assures me I will be a better artist for it. I am confident that this is worth the effort and commitment, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it.

I believe my painting will evolve in some positive way, and I will learn something about myself along the way. If nothing else, I will feel what it’s like to be more free in my approach, which is a wonderful thing. I am open to whatever comes – which is what taking that first bite out of life is all about. And what better time to start than January 1st.

Wish me luck!

My Detroit Roots Are Showing Again

December 31, 2014 by Beverly

I have been thinking about the 1969 riots in my native Detroit ever since Liz and I finalized the latest bi-monthly theme for the art card group, Abandonment and Reclamation. Back then, I was a junior at Southfield High School in Michigan, and it seemed that Detroit was never the same after the riots. Six months later when I went to a Detroit Pistons basketball game at Cobo Arena, there were so few people downtown at the game that Piston management offered free tickets to everyone who brought their ticket stubs the following week.

Here is my collage card titled “Detroit – A Prototype of Abandonment and Reclamation”, which I mailed to another member in the group. Somehow the theme struck a nerve with me this time, perhaps because of Detroit’s much publicized plight, its financial woes, together with the relatively recent Ferguson case in Missouri that resulted in more destruction.

The art card includes these two photos of the largest plant in the world, the Ford Rouge River Plant, so you can see the before and after. The Ford plant has risen from the dead like a phoenix from the ashes, and now offers popular tours to the public.

In between the two plant photos, you can see houses from the Heidelberg Project, which was started in a devastated area on Detroit’s east side. The homes were given over to communities of artists to restore and decorate using recycled material, resulting in a new tourist destination and with the ultimate goal over time being a viable arts center for the city. Here is the Dotty House, perhaps the most well-known structure since it’s showcased by the Heidelberg Project.

The right side of the card shows a rainbow of shards that are pieces that Mike Kelly recovered from the riverbeds of the Detroit and Rouge Rivers. I took some photos at Kelly’s 2013 MOMA show, as did my daughter Laura (aka my webmaster) which I used in the collage. The shattered pieces are central to the Kelly installation that partially inspired this card called the John Glenn Memorial Detroit River Reclamation Project (Including the Local Culture Pictorial Guide, 1968–1972, Wayne/Westland Eagle. 2001.

This shot shows much of the installation, which filled a large room dominated by the huge figure covered in more shattered shards.

I thought this was a rather haunting portrait of Detroit made from found bottles and jars, which is situated on the river – here a river of crushed porcelain (hence the name detroit which means strait in French). The collection of glassware presents a hauntingly fragile vision of a city in decay (I’m thinking New York City in the Pixar movie Wall-e).

Both the Heidelberg Project and the Ford Rouge River Plant tour (which gets rave reviews) are on my list of sites to see this upcoming year when I visit my mother – and the Detroit Institute of Arts, of course.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed that these two glimmers of hope represent a turning point in the history of Detroit, and open a new chapter now for this city that has finally emerged from bankruptcy – with the Detroit Institute of Arts still in tact. May 2015 be a much better year for my hometown.

In that spirit, I wish all of you a happy, healthy – and even more creative – New Year!

The Art of Food

November 30, 2014 by Beverly

I found an intriguing blog post showing a salad plate arrangement (on the right) that was inspired by Wassily Kandinsky’s Painting 201 (on the left). This is certainly a unique take on life imitating art!

I wish my Thanksgiving plate had looked this artistic. But then maybe I wouldn’t have wanted to eat it….!

You can take a closer look here. Research showed that a Kandinsky-inspired salad was not only rated as tasting much better, but restaurant diners were willing to pay twice as much for it than a traditionally arranged salad using the same ingredients!

Future chefs and restauranteurs, take note!

Inside Out: Frank Gehry’s Strata Center

November 3, 2014 by Beverly

Every once in a while everyone needs to get out of their comfort zone.

That’s why I look forward to working on my bi-monthly Art Card. It’s an opportunity to open myself up, to experiment with and explore different subjects and art forms. My artist friend Liz De Betheune and I run an Art Card Group, initially started by Mia and Annie (two of Liz’s sisters), with 18 artist members who create original postcard-size art based on an assigned theme, and exchange cards with other members. The latest theme was Positive/Negative.

Ever since Liz and I selected the theme, I kept thinking about Frank Gehry and the Strata Center at MIT. After finally revisiting my Cambridge photos from June, I realized that a key design element that dazzles me is Gehry’s masterful use of 3-D positive and negative space to energize buildings in surprising ways, both in the exterior and interior.

Frank Gehry is a prize winning contemporary architectect who literally turned modern architecture on its ear by removing right angles and straight lines from his architectural vocabulary, and introducing new, innovative materials with contrasting surfaces such as corrugated steel and shiny metal. Gehry designed the Guggenheim Museum Bilboa in Spain, his most renowned work that has become a major tourist destination in its own right – and is certainly on my bucket list.

While I had seen several Gehry complexes before, such as Gehry’s home in Venice, CA, the IAC Building off the West Side Highway in the Chelsea district of Manhattan, and the newer and expansive Millennium Park Pavillion in Chicago, I had never been as captivated by them as much as by the Strata Center. This huge innovative complex takes up 750,000 square feet, and is both an inspiration and counterpoint for the heavy-duty scientific research that goes on inside its walls (unlike any other walls I have seen, that’s for sure!) – an ever-present reminder to think outside the box.

From the street, the outside of the Strata Center looks like a series of unexpected moving shapes and unique structures that is strung together temporarily, deconstructing traditional norms along the way. A plethora of materials greet you. Textured brick surfaces mingle with polished metal creating pulsing forms of contrasting colors and shadows.

Fortunately, for the first time, I was able to go inside a Gehry building, where my senses were initially overwhelmed by the dynamic design of interior space – a positive and awe inspiring thing in this instance. Vibrating space pushed and pulled, turned and twisted, contracted and expanded. Walking on the higher floors was somewhat challenging and disorienting initially as the walkways whooshed around. Unlike most buildings, I could see where I wanted to go, but couldn’t get there.

The unexpected use of strong color on the inside increased the feeling of drama. In the hour that I had, I was only able to walk around a small part of the complex. Next time I’ll wander around the roof, a concept that Gehry essentially redefined.

I thought it was interesting that Bill Gates sponsored one of the Strata Center towers, and that Mark Zuckerberg chose Frank Gehry to design the new Facebook headquarters. What a bold and exciting statement! And how appropriate that the tech world is not just content with revolutionizing our social experience, but is now turning our brick and mortar world inside out too. Hopefully, I’ll have a chance tour the new Facebook headquarters when it opens in 2015.

Ultimately, I decided to work with my Gehry Strata Center photos for this my art card contribution. I started by assembling a composite of several interior shots in a folding rectangular format, a rather traditional concept in the end.

By eliminating the mental restriction of a rectangular shaped card, the idea felt more like Gehry in spirit. So I created a second card.

The card has an element of surprise by unfolding into something much larger (over a foot long) and unexpected, mimicking my experience with the Strata Center on a micro level. I was happy with my Positive/Negative contribution and mailed both of them in the end.

Thanks to the Art Card Group for keeping me from being too complacent, and encouraging me to explore new paths and grow as an artist. One day I’ll even buy Photoshop and really move out of my comfort zone!

My Hero

October 6, 2014 by Beverly

“Dear Mr. Thiebaud,

I am an artist who has painted desserts for a decade, and have tried to meet you when you visited New York. Unfortunately, the weather intervened. First, there was a major storm when you were scheduled to speak at the Neuberger Museum in Purchase, NY many years ago. Most recently, Hurricane Sandy walloped New York right before your planned talk at Acquavella Galleries.

My husband and I will be coming to the San Francisco area the first week in June, and we would like to meet you and visit your studio in Sacramento at your convenience.”

Unfortunately, my visit to Wayne Thiebaud’s studio this past summer never materialized. At age 93, Mr. Thiebaud is still a rather private person, despite being a famous award winning artist with iconic rock star status in the art world, especially among Pop Art lovers. However, his unique style actually defies any specific label.

In late May, my request was graciously turned down during a lively phone call from Kelly Purcell, the Director of the Paul Thiebaud Gallery, who called at the request of Mr. Thiebaud himself. Kelly and I chatted for a while about Mr. Thiebaud and my art, how he motivated me to try new things in my own work, which was positively received. We spoke about my upcoming trip to San Francisco, and she gave me many tips on where to go to experience the local art scene. Kelly made sure to tell me about Mr. Thiebaud’s upcoming show in New York at Acquavella Galleries in October, but mentioned that he would not be attending the opening.

Although I was excited to get a response from someone so close to Wayne Thiebaud and thought it was a very considerate, a part of me was disappointed when I had to fill the hole in our itinerary which I had left open for a trip to Sacramento. Although this was frustrating, I had to respect his wishes. Deep down, I knew that I would have done the same thing if I had been in his shoes. And trust me, there’s a point in telling you all of this.

My whole attitude changed Tuesday night when I went to the opening of the Wayne Thiebaud Show at Acquavella Galleries (18 East 79th Street) in New York City, even if the artist wouldn’t be there. So my husband Jay and I left late, taking our time getting down to the city and into the gallery.

We slowly toured the four large rooms on two floors trying to savor every work before closing. I naturally gravitated toward the food paintings, especially the desserts. I was mesmerized by this painting, with its stark white display case depicted with bold, assertive horizontal strokes, contrasting dramatically with the vibrantly colored circular cake shapes. I admired how Thiebaud revels in the application of thick paint on these cakes, as if he were icing them in his kitchen.

Sometimes the voluminous paint itself seems to be the subject, as in this work. The poetry is in the paint, with the white icing on the left dessert protruding a 1/4 inch or more from the canvas. I wondered how long it took to dry.

Let’s not forget the humble hunks of cheese that feel monumental in this small painting, and yet seem magically abstract. (Much has been written about the influence of still life painter Antonio Morandi on Thiebaud, and I could feel it here for the first time.)

Since I associate Thiebaud more with food and San Francisco landscapes, I was unexpectedly struck by the range of insightful and powerful portraits in the show, staring right at you with their vivid colors and dynamic brushwork. Jay couldn’t resist showing us his take on this Thiebaud portrait of an art historian intently examining a painting.

I was so enthralled that I never even thought to ask if Wayne Thiebaud was at the opening.

At 7:50pm, 10 minutes before closing, Jay and I went back through the galleries taking more photos. There we met Clay, an outgoing guy who introduced himself as a friend of Thiebaud’s from Sacramento, who told us Thiebaud had recently modified this painting called “Flood Waters” by adding the bridge going across the water (which explained the catalog date of 2006/2013). Clay was kind enough to offer to take this photo of the two of us in front of this dramatic birds-eye view landscape that is so typical of Thiebaud.

When I mentioned to Clay that I was writing a blog, he asked for my website, commenting that Wayne Thiebaud had just gotten an iPad. Before I knew it, I was standing next to my hero having my picture taken with him.

In the brief time that I spent with him, I got a feeling of quiet strength, humility and integrity emanating from Wayne Thiebaud and saw signs of a gentle sense of humor. I finally got to tell him how much I admired his work and had followed his career. As Thiebaud shook my hand (with a very firm handshake), he told me that was what he liked to hear – with an amused twinkle in his eye, almost like a wink. He was the kind of person I would have enjoyed spending an afternoon with, both as a student and as a friend listening to stories of his remarkable life and career.

When Clay first introduced us, I found myself almost speechless and in shock. Now that I have had a little time to reflect, I have gathered my thoughts together in a letter.

Dear Mr. Thiebaud,

If I’m really lucky, you’ll be reading this blog post on your new iPad and seeing a few things I wanted to say in person, but didn’t. Most of all, I want to thank you for being such an inspiration to me for so many years.

The simple power of your work and focus on the everyday world speaks directly to me, always bringing a smile to my face. I feel like we are kindred spirits on some level in the way we experience the world, and what we choose to paint – which is why I treasure the moments I spend looking through copies of your sketchbooks. And it was truly an honor to be included in two group shows featuring sweets with you.

Your flair for turning mundane objects into dramatic compositions, your fearless use of bold color, light & shadows, and the magic in your distinctive application of paint has certainly influenced my own approach to making art. I believe I am a better artist because of you. It was a pleasure to finally meet you.