It’s been awhile since I’ve written an art blog, which I’ve done off and on for a few years.  I usually discuss a piece of art, almost always one that I like myself, and give the world my thoughts on it.

I’ve decided to resurrect the idea because a) a number of people have asked me to continue them and b) as an artist myself I think I learn alot about techniques, styles and art in general from them. So, with that said, here we go.

This is The Captive, by Eanger Irving Couse (1891, Oil), a piece that I saw in person at the Phoenix Art Museum last year. I thought it would be a good piece to start the process again with, since I was drawn to it when I was there.

First, for me, is the striking color choices that Couse made.  Overall, it’s a fairly typical palette, especially for western art.  But what grabbed me as soon as I saw it was the color of the girl’s face, and the starkness of the blood on her fair skin.

In reading about the work (visit here for in-depth details), I learned that it is based on a real event, and that the woman survived.  But looking at the art, I think Couse did a perfect job of putting that outcome in question.  She has an unnatural, cold feeling in her face and arms, a harsh color indicating the horror of her condition.  The blood is bright against such white skin (and her dress), and really stands out in the scene.

Where she is harsh, the old man sits quite differently.  Is he the victor? Is he sad, or is he just pondering?  Is he confused by what the woman has done, or is he contemplating her condition? Couse works the image perfectly, balancing the obvious horror with the man’s seemingly thoughful gaze. The viewer is left to wonder if they’ve just seen something terrible, or if this is the quiet respite either before or after the terror.

As with all of these, feel free to give your comments and what you think.  My LiveJournal and MySpace users can leave a comment right on the blog, and website users feel free to go there or leave me a comment at my twitter address (twitter.com/rdickerson)

I posted one photo to each of my duotone and photography sections.  The two images also appear below:

They are both from Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, near Springfield, Missouri.  It was a great trip overall, and I liked visiting the battlefield.

I should probably call this the Thursday sketch, since I’m only posting it now and it wasn’t finished until 2 in the morning.  I saw mention of a “Eustace Tilley” contest online (Tilley is the New Yorker’s “mascot”), and I thought it would be different and interesting to send in an entry.

It’s certainly a different style and vision than I would normally do, but this year I really want to push the boundaries of what I would “normally” do.  This is a start, a far brighter palette and definitely lighter content (as far as intent/mood).

I don’t know how it really turned out, you be the judge of that. It’s called “Eustace Tilley and the Girl”.

I’m trying to be better about getting new pieces every week, whether it’s a full piece or just a sketch. This one is in between, it’s a color sketch with some fun (for me) techniques.

What I need most is just to build my confidence back to where it was before.  I was on a good track a few years ago, and I need to find that groove again, regardless of life issues, depression, my headaches, different job concerns, or anything else that might pop up.

I want to be an artist.  To be so, I’d damn well better get at it and stop letting the world run me.

This is sort of an entry about the trip I just went on to Texas, and sort of showing off a bit of photography, so bear with me.  We came back yesterday from a big trip to Oklahoma and Texas, and I’ve uploaded a few choice shots to the site and I thought I’d share.

And here… we… go:

First off, for those that know me and the expressions I use everyday, this needs no real introduction:

Next, my son and I captured these photos of some sort of spider-creature in Cuero, Texas.  We have no idea what it really is, so if you do please let me know and I can pass it on:

While we were in Fort Worth, I also took several shots of the “walk of fame” discs embedded in the walkways around the Fort Worth Stockyards. Being an artist, I thought I’d show this one:

I also liked this sign (and it’s location anyway), and actually I didn’t think the shot was too bad either.  Since there’s little chance I could’ve parked in there anyway:

These last shots are of the Alamo, and of San Antonio’s Riverwalk.  They include the (former) Aztec Theatre on the Riverwalk, and the so-called “flat” or “2-D” building:

Opinions, as always, are welcome.