Paint a Portrait

 

 

 

 

Commissioned Portrait (Awaiting title from Patron), 2013

Oil on canvas, 12x9"

Krystal Booth

 

 

 

It's obvious where I've been today - finally in the studio!  Hallaluiah!  It was good to get this portrait done and now I'm awaiting feedback from the patron.  It felt great to be painting this evening.  I highly recommend it!  Do what you love this weekend!

 

Love to all!

The Temporary and the Eternal - A New Work

For now it's untitled...

 

Movement of flesh, metal, the temporary and the eternal...

 

Oil on paper, 24x18"

Krystal Booth, 2013

 

The first of the big idea...hoping it maintains my attention and I can dig deeper to what it is I'm getting at -

 

This was definitely influenced by the music I've been listening to lately - old Smashing Pumpkins, Fiona Apple, and Radiohead (as always).  My hope is that it speaks to you in a way that I haven't yet communicated.  Attempting to find my visual language for the messages...

 

More Crack Please

It's been a busy, yet relaxing, last couple of days.  Much work has been done in the form of painting, bike riding, grocery shopping, and art store adventuring.  Matthew and I have also taken on the form of human beds and chairs for our two cats, despite what we are doing.  Olive in particular has been running to my lap the minute she hears me move a paint brush off the easel.  She seems to think I paint my best with her on my lap.

The title refers to the works completed this week (not to drugs - crack is whack):

Looking Up, 2013

Oil on canvas, 12x16".

Krystal Booth

https://www.etsy.com/listing/123867462/original-oil-painting-of-trees-12x16

 

 

The above was inspired by a venture to the Hoyt Arboretum.  When establishing the surface of the main tree, it seemed to be a struggle to gain texture in the beginning.  Luckily with the successive layers and a bit of the impasto technique (heavy application of paint), some texture was achieved with the cracks of the tree.  I enjoyed using the bright colors - I could've painted this forever, though it would have then ended up as something to cover up and begin again.  It's tricky business knowing when to stop.

 

 

 

 

 

Wyoming Landscape, 2013

Oil on canvas, 8x10"

Krystal Booth

https://www.etsy.com/listing/123868950/original-oil-painting-of-the-wyoming

 

 

This small painting was also finished this week and the crevices along the distant stacked rocks provided a nice challenge that only my smallest brush could achieve.  I based this off of a photo taken when we were traveling through Wyoming.  The rocks were absolutely amazing.  I had never seen anything like it!  The formations were organized chaos and definitely made it a highlight of our journey.

 

After our cross country relocation here to Portland, I vowed that I would never drive that again.  It was nerve wrecking at times due to my fear of heights.  Looking back now, and seeing the images from our adventure, I now am only remembering the good (except for one awful section of coming out of the mountains that will always remain - forever scarred into my brain).  Yup, I think given the opportunity to travel that route again, I would do it. 

 

I wish you a good start to your week, and the adventures that come your way!

 

 

 

What Will Make You Change

In order to enjoy the next couple of days, I've decided to spend tonight cleaning to get it out of the way.  I have been procrastinating for about an hour by trying to get the "About" page ready for my etsy shop.  Formatting the photos for the page has been a pain that I can't seem to shake off as the photos never quite fit in the window as planned.

I have read that most of the time we change when things become just too uncomfortable.  When we are at our breaking point, true change can take place.  Well, I guess the formatting photos really did the job, as I'm now motivated to clean! 

In the meantime, I'm hoping that the weather will be good for a nature walk and/or city walk with Matthew sometime in the next couple of days - so this will also keep me motivated as to why I'm choosing to clean instead of relax tonight.  :)

 

 

 

Also, Happy Valentines Day to all of you from Portland!  Love to you all, and thank you so much for following this blog.

 
 

Look! You're Surrounded!

This morning I finished out the work week and have made it home in time for afternoon coffee.  I am cheers-ing you by showing you a couple of work themed daily sketches.  Just in case any management sees these, no need to worry, as I used my ten minute breaks to make these.  :)

A Delivery Truck...

 

 

and the scribbling down of the inside the store looking at the entrance.

 

 

Are these the most entertaining subjects?  Not really, but they were fun to get down on paper.  The thing that is fun about daily sketches is that they are kind of a collection of places where I have been - a visual diary of my everyday.  Some days are less than inspiring - it can be the same old, same old, and I think once we get into that frame of mind, we miss out on opportunities.

 

I've actually been pretty hum-bum about daily sketches lately.  I've been uninspired by the same surroundings everyday.  The truth is is that I'm not paying attention enough.  I made myself draw that delivery truck the other day.  It wasn't inspiring at first, but then the different sharp angles caught my eye a bit when looking at the cab and under the truck itself.  Once it began appearing on the page, it was interesting, and I wanted to capture more and see how all of these shapes fit together.  If I had had my way, I would have sat out there for another ten minutes at least to try to record the shadows and tones, but break was over.  I'm learning that it's only boring if I'm not really looking. (This also goes along with what my Mom always told me when I was growing up, "Only boring people are bored.")

 

For the next three days, I'm off at my day job and planning to have a few more works finished.  One of which will hopefully be this one -

 

 

It's in a rough starting stage, but there's potential, if I'm willing to look!

 

My challenge for you is to find something mundane in your environment this week and really study it.  What was it and how did it change before your eyes? 

 

PS.  If you really struggle with this, just pile up a blanket, and you've got yourself your own miniature mountain to capture your imagination and Tonka Trucks.  Tah-Dah!  Challenge complete!

 





First of 100 Works

Finally, was given the opportunity to photograph the newest painting - the first of the New Year and the first of the one hundred works goal.

The Attendant, 2013, Krystal Booth

Oil and paper on canvas, 18x24"

 

 

 

 

Detail of The Attendant, 2013, Krystal Booth

Oil and paper on canvas, 18x24"

 



100 Works

The painting felt like a cruel teacher from the early 1900s that hovered over my back with a ruler ready to snap my knuckles the minute I made an incorrect mark. 

Of course, it wasn't the painting.  It was me, and I was being much more vicious by strangling the work.  If it squirmed, I tightened my grasp.  The paint strokes and forms were lifeless with no intensity whatsoever.  I was working too tight for the composition and it was stunting the entire process.

I had to let go. 

Now the painting is almost finished.  It has been a good teacher no matter how it turns out. 

I have a goal that I would like to make public on this blog.  I am aiming to create 100 works this year.  It was arrived at a couple of days ago, and it will be a good exercise.  By having a more prolific studio practice with a measurable goal, my skills will have no choice but to improve.  It will also help me overcome the tendancy of tightening up so much on the canvas or drawing that the joy is lost.  I will not have the time to be overly critical - my inner critic will be hushed a bit, so that more rapid progress can be made.

Too some this may be a foolish goal with such a focus on quantity.  Maybe it is, but my curiousities are too strong.  Can I do it?  What kind of work will be created within those 100 works?  What kind of evolutions will occur?  Will I have a crazy meltdown and create stick figures by the end of the year? Haha!

Well, let's see, shall we?  I'll keep you updated on the progress.  Maybe I can find some sort of tracker application to put on here.  If any of you know of one that would work, please let me know.

Thank you for reading and for your support!  Love to all!
 

Coming Out of Hermit Blog Status

It has been quite awhile since I have posted.  I feel that this year has been one to be quiet and just do the work, so that is exactly what I have done.  I'm looking forward to begin sharing again on this blog, as well as on my facebook artist page.

"Drama at the Bus Stop" 2012

Krystal Booth

Oil and wallpaper on canvas

24x18"

 

 

This is a very recent work that was finished and placed upon Etsy.  I'm moving forward with this series - "The September Issue" - and have accumulated a notebook half full of the idea development so far in addition to laying down the prep work for the works to come.  This obsessive planning was done while completing a commission, and so when the time came, I was able to dive right in.  More will be on the way in addition to the quick sketches and drawings I have incorporated into my daily practice. 

 

I hope this post finds you and your families well in this holiday season, and thank you so much for reading.  I'll be posting on a consistent basis again, and am looking forward to hearing from you!

 

Love to all!

Photo Montage of Playing Hooky

It has been a whirl wind of a month and a half!  I can't believe that it's been so long since last posting, but I have something to show for it!


A great college buddy and fabulous artist, Steve Blume, came to stay with us for week from Indiana.  This is Steve.

This photo was taken at a Korean Barbeque place in Beaverton.  I believe that our photos are by the entrance now labeled "People not to serve at the grill tables" now.  All staff is now warned about us.  This is why.

We killed the grill.  Oops.  In all seriousness, we felt bad about it, but we didn't realize how bad it was until we were done.  I wonder how many hours were spent cleaning it?  Horrible us.  On another note, I quite enjoyed the scizzors that they gave us for the Bulgogi, and decided that the scizzors alone were worth the visit.

The blurriness of this photo has nothing to do with the fact that Steve indulged in a little Saki.  Well, maybe it does, but it was a freaking blast!


The three of us did some site seeing together inbetween Matthew's and my workshifts -

 Chinatown in Portland, Oregon -

 Looking out at Portland from the edge of Washington Park.

Our dream house of a four story villa style home on the edge of Washington Park, Portland, Oregon.

Matthew and Steve inside the Arboretum in Washington Park.  We loved the scenery around the trails and it took us a long time...try walking this with two other artists and you'll understand.  We stopped nearly every minute in order to take a photo or two for future references.  Really loved this place!


The following week led to the Undressing Room exhibition at Froelick Gallery.

The Preview Show and First Thursday were back-to-back fun.  I met a lot of fellow artists featured in the show (such as Suzy Kitman in the photo above), enjoyed seeing our great friends and meeting new ones there.  The turn out was absolutely amazing, and I was so happy to be a part of it.

Next up, Matthew's parents were coming to visit us for a week and we did tons of sight seeing together.  So great to see them!  This is a beautifully posed family photo at Cannon Beach.

This one is not posed.

From Cannon Beach to Cape Meares...

and then from the Japanese Gardens in Portland to the Multnomah Falls...

we had a lot of laughs.  This is my view from the bridge looking down to see Matthew's Dad and then of the falls.

The following photo is my favorite though.  We were parked in at the falls.  Yes, it was our own fault for using a bus parking space, but there were no buses anywhere and all the others were filled with cars as well.  (Yes, we jumped off the cliff, just as our friends did.)  Anyway, this photo is right before the Great Incident of 2012.  After waiting for 20 minutes or so, Matthew's father took the matter into his own hands after much debate.  He jumped the curb, drove over the grassy knoll and miraculously got the car to the exiting road without any damage of any sort.  It was the most awsome moment seeing him drive across there in the white rental car...I completely wish we would have captured a photo of that, but at least I burned it into my memory.  We ran across the lawn, fanatically waving our arms and laughing to greet him and get our behinds in the car.  Perfect family moment in my book!

Since then, it's been back to the studio!

 

 Also, it is the rebirth era of my Etsy shop, OnePebbleStudio.  New logo, new banner, and new works!  I've decided to list at least one new work at the end of every week.  Instead of prints, I am now selling all original works.  Have a visit at the new shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/OnePebbleStudio

All of these images and words may be just one big blur, but I have enjoyed all the experiences and felt this post was necessary.  It was a time of enjoying others and gathering and exploring new experiences and images for future works that I really am looking forward to creating.  I will be back to posting more regularly and I look forward to hearing from you. 

Thanks for your patience and reading!  Hope you are enjoying your summer!

You Are Invited!

The envelope arrived today.  My painting Object was invited to be a part of the exhibition titled Undressing Room at the Froelick Gallery.  I am elated and so happy to share this news with you!  Froelick Gallery has been one of my favorite galleries in Portland and I'm absolutely honored to be a part of this.

The exhibition will go on from June 6th through July 13th with two 1st Thursday Receptions on June 7th and July 5th from 5pm-8pm.  I hope to see you there!

Froelick Gallery 

Take a Walk in Portland

Today I had a meeting in NW Portland and decided to take my camera along.  There are so many times when Matthew and I are down there and wish we would have brought our cameras to capture what our eyes love so much about this city.  Today I didn't miss out on the opportunity.

The walk started out innocently enough, but then I began to think of it as collecting textures.  The brick, the moss, the rust, the old buildings as remnants of the not so distant past still persevering against the shiney new giants beside them...I quickly realized that I will probably use these as reference points for future works and to strengthen the aesthetics of what I am currently doing.

The weather was chilly...I rushed out the door this morning without putting on the sweater over my long-sleeved tee, but it didn't matter.  I was so enthralled with the city, I hardly noticed.  It was a day well spent in Portland.  I love this city.  Here are some of the photos of the day - just click on them to get a bigger scale and more detail - enjoy!

Enjoy your day!  Love to all!