Deeper Into the Mystery...

"Winter Mists", watercolor,  22 x 30", VClaff 2013

Tucked into my little studio, snowstorms howling outside and 

Pasha sleeping by the stove, the forest whispers its secrets to me. 

The new paintings feel like the integration of many things - things 

I can articulate, and things I cannot. For the first time in many 

years, each painting I make teaches me as well as deepens 

the mystery. Each new piece is a threshold to new 

possibilities in both form and content. 

Its a good place to be.  

small work, untitled, VClaff 2013 

I usually start the day with a few smaller explorations, 

warming up for the larger work. I push the medium with 

these to see what is possible, and what might create 

interesting results. Some get pretty wild. 

small work, untitled, VClaff 2013

small work, untitled, VClaff 2013

After a few of these, I begin a larger piece. Below is the first 

layer of "Winter Mists", the first painting in this post. Its the 

largest size I can go at present, unless I decide to buy a 

roll of watercolor paper. I've found both the long, thin 

format and this large rectangle work for my subject.   

first layer of "Winter Mists" above

"Rising Mists" below, is a painting completed yesterday, which

has me thinking about all sorts of things and reminds me of 

a particular spot by a stream in the forest here. 

"Rising Mists", watercolor, 22 x 30", VClaff 2013

 "Winter Trees" is one I'm interested in... one that seems to 

get to the heart of the stories I'm wanting to tell. 

"White Trees", watercolor, VClaff, 2013

Pasha, as ever, is my constant companion. Having been hesitant 

about the studio when it was first built, he now seems to look forward to 

our days in there. Sometimes, when we are out running around on paths 

and roads to let off steam, he runs there and cries at the door to go in... 

disappointed that we don't.

 He's been a bit adventurous with all the snow, trudging home 

from a short forest expedition over mountains of snow in a storm. 

And the snow falls and falls... burying house and paths 

and car again and again, leaving magic in its wake. 

On the Vernal Equinox, I watched a pink-tinted sky brighten as I 

headed off on my long commute. Light snow and beautiful light 

graced the morning.  

Once out of the forest there was a different kind of light-magic, 

inspiring me the whole way down the hill. 

Forest Paintings and an Afternoon Walk

new work, VClaff 2013

new work, VClaff 2013

new work, VClaff 2013

Having had the week off from teaching, most of my time was spent in 

the studio, painting. I'm continuing to explore the forest paintings, playing 

with scale and technique and finding the balance of subtlety and drama. I need 

to keep painting and exploring before I really know this work well. The long, thin 

format is interesting for the forest theme, I think. But I've also made some square 

and don't feel the need to limit myself to one format only.  

My studio assistant has really taken to his little bed. In fact, I seem to have to 

convince him that occasional outside jaunts are good for both of us. 

  

  

The week brought a mixture of lovely, sunny and stormy days, adding to the 

mountains of snow piled high around the house and in the driveway. I think 

the snow might have influenced the next three paintings. 

new work, VClaff 2013

new work, VClaff 2013

new work, VClaff 2013

detail, painting in progress

cropping to generate ideas

Today was warm and sunny, the snow fell from the trees in great, muffled thunks, 

water dripped from icicles and dripped endlessly on the metal roof. There was no 

resisting the call of the forest, so I buckled on snowshoes and set out with my very 

adventurous cat friend. As soon as we were in the forest, he could not contain his 

excitement and raced up a big hemlock. 

He was certainly in an exploring mood today... or maybe he took every opportunity 
to get off of the cold snow. 

We came across a very large fisher's tracks. Its wonderful to know who's been 
wandering through and also puts me on high alert when walking in the forest 
with a potential meal for a large fisher. 

Pasha is also on high alert, as soon as we get to a particular point in the forest, 

he pays close attention to every sound. 

We ended our walk on the bench overlooking the clearing as usual, though 
today the bench seat was level with the snow, so I was rather wet and somewhat
uncomfortable with my knees up. 

The view from the bench...My, what a lot of snow!

Mysteries at the Forest Edge

 "Trees & Mystery"

Sketchbook study 

I knew that something a little different was stirring in the imaginal cauldron,  

so no matter how successful working on the large scale watercolors was, it 

wasn't satisfying to me. The need for a new format, a different approach

and images with a different story to tell was too powerful to ignore. But this 

also meant a frustrating, searching, not fun moment when everything came 

into question. Am I really any GOOD at this, I asked? Can I infuse my work with 

new ideas, but maintain my authenticity? What next? The only way through this 

is to keep working, exploring, making horrible work, or at least, work that doesn't 

feel right. To everyone else, the work looks absolutely fine, good, like I know

what I'm doing, but I KNOW. Its more like a recycling of ideas than a process 

that will keep me endlessly engaged, excited, inspired.

crop of above study

The key to breaking through to something new is discipline. I remember a professor 
of mine in graduate school saying that the percentage of art majors who continue 
making art long after graduating is very low. Engaging in the creative process can be incredibly rich and endlessly challenging. With no teachers around but the work itself, artists must create their own parameters and take risks in order to grow. 

 above and below - small studies

It seems as though my soul demands deeper and deeper excavation in search 

of meaningful stories to tell, and of late, the stories needed a deeper sense of

mystery and drama. I kept showing up the studio, making work that I found only 

partly satisfying until one day, there was a confluence of ideas and materials 

and a new series of work came into being. 

I began with a series of small studies in my sketchbook, combining some ideas 

I had worked with in some older ink drawings combining more dramatic bleeding,

atmospheric washes, and a long thin horizontal format. 

At the end of the day, I had a few larger watercolors that I feel are getting to 

something I need to say right now. Especially the top image on this post. 

Tomorrow - and all week as its Spring Break - I will be continuing with this work 

to see where it takes me. The most important thing is that I feel newly engaged. 

 "Forest Edge, 2", V Claff 2013

 "Forest Edge", Vclaff 2013

The pin board was filling up with large-scale watercolors, but, alas, they will come

down tomorrow to hang the new work. 

Out and about, there is still a boatload of snow, we have been getting regular

small storms, but there is also a warming trend and the frozen world is beginning 

to flow. 

Some days the world looks much like my winter branch drawings. 

Lucky mornings bring my owl neighbor to her 

perch where we meet eye to eye. 

 I continue to find the camera a very useful tool to 

see my subject with new eyes. 

... and the editing tool helps me to play with new ideas 

in the format of the new paintings. 

Pasha loves days when we head to the studio, he leads the

way with enthusiasm, stepping precisely in his earlier footprints.