Religion

Originally uploaded by tozzo

Jeffrey Combs

Originally uploaded by tozzo

This is a a soupy painting in more than one way. Usually I like to paint with a thicker paint, one that is not so slippery or creamy. But I also like to have fun with these daily practice paintings so I loaded the brush with Liquin and let her drip.



I liked how the reflections dance in the dark brown of the crock.



click on the image to enlarge the painting

White Onions 5"x7" oil on masonite (Click Here to Bid on EBay)

I was thinking of doing a Christmas theme painting but then decided that these onions and crock warmed my insides more. I kept thinking of a nice hot bowl of French Onion Soup. You know the kind with really dripping melted Swiss cheese. Now I'm hungry. I may not post again before Christmas so to all of you... Have a Very Merry!!!!!

All day I painted on an 18" X 24" landscape, which is not anywhere near finished. Needing a break I had the idea to just paint a little painting that would be a pleasure. My old carving buddy, William had sent me a photo of his grand daughter, asleep in her car seat, all bundled up complete with a knit hat. She and I spent the evening together and while painting her, I really enjoyed getting to know her sweet face.

Oil on canvas, 4" X 6"

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Boring Christmas Story

Originally uploaded by tozzo

I would like to wish everyone a very, very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from me, the lovely and talented Annie, and the excited and wide-eyed Alex (above). Art Blog By Bob will be very quiet after this post until most likely the New Year as we enjoy the holiday with family and friends.



I’ve always been a big fan of Santa Claus as a cultural phenomenon. A history of images of St. Nicholas, Santa Claus in his previous life, appears here. Thomas Nast’s Victorian Santa Claus (above, from 1881) ranks up there with the iconic images of the Jolly One. Christmas really is a Victorian invention in terms of traditions, thanks mainly to Nast and Charles Dickens. Our conception of Santa today still relies heavily on how the Victorians imagined him. My Mom has a collection of Santa figurines showing Santa through the years hailing all the way back to the 1880s and up to the 1940s, when that image, at least in America, became set in stone. Perhaps that was for the best. Imagining a 1980s Santa in a Members’ Only jacket and spandex with a mullet makes me shudder.



Perhaps no American artist loved the idea of Christmas and Santa as much as N.C. Wyeth. (His rendering of Santa from 1925 is above.) A behemoth of a man himself, N.C. would dress up as Santa for his children every year. Andrew Wyeth describes the literally bed-wetting terror he felt as “Santa” stood at the foot of his bed. Jamie Wyeth once described sweating profusely in anticipation of Christmas morning, which is at least better than wetting the bed.



No slice of Americana can be complete without including Norman Rockwell, who painted Santa many times over the years, including the image above from 1939. I find Rockwell’s image of Santa mapping his route around the world fascinating in light of just how divided the world was in 1939 as war raged in Europe and threatened to engulf the globe. Santa’s string tying together all the good boys and girls around the world provides the link of hope that the world needed at that moment. We could use that link today, too.



My new favorite image of Santa is, of course, this year’s photograph of Alex with Old Saint Nick (above). Christmas is about children above all else. Here’s hoping that everyone finds the love and peace that comes with embracing the children around us as well as the child remaining within us.

WOW!!! Tis the season to be busy! We all know its Christmas time when blogging takes a back seat haha!

Yes not been updating much as I have been busy with making Christmas presents, Christmas cards, shopping, Christmas work lunches and Christmas nights out! haha! Its Christmas!

So here are the cards I made. I send them out to family and friends. I used to make a unique one for everyone but phew, thats a full time job in itself!

Well, I am not sure when I will be updating next, Im sure everyon has a busy time ahead! Hopefully Ill do another update before the big day next week! Woo! I love this time of year. I get to go home, chill out, watch rubbish TV while eating chocolate and spending time with family. Cant wait.



Oh! I also uploaded one of my work doodle pages - I attach a piece of A4 paper to my lightbox and doodle on it during lunch or when my hand needs a break from intensive inbetweening haha. Its a bit of a bad image - I have no scanner thus I took a picture with my phone!

Until next time - thanks to you all for visiting and your kind comments! Merry Christmas!

Ken:D

These guys were a little odd.

click on image to enlarge the painting Thinking About It work in progress 22"x28" oil on canvas

I have not been posting my daily practice paintings as often as usual because this is the time of

year I slow down and do a lot of thinking and planning. Reflection is a much needed exercise for me. I need to set goals for next year or I get lost in doing what comes easy and not doing what I need to do.

To start me off in the right direction for the new year, my art studio designer/wife and I cleaned and rearranged the studio. (It was a disaster) But now I have room to think. I hardly ever meet these new year goals but I like to set them anyway. Sort of a tune-up exercise before setting off on a new adventure. One of my first thoughts is to look back and review some old habits. (this can get very ugly) Sometimes it can be hard to limit the areas that I need work on. One habit I know I have had forever is starting paintings and not completing them. Here are a few I gave up on and put in the closet.



Cats are fun to paint but for some reason I lost my interest in this guy.



click on the image to enlarge the painting Done for the Day work in progress 24"x36" oil on canvas

Here's another that got shoved in the "Never to be seen again" pile.



I know it would only take a little attention and I could finish these. So that is one decision for '08.... Finish these two and make a vow to the art gods to finish what I start.



Here is my new model encouraging me and giving me her best Outdoor Life pose.

Today I was pondering of what to paint for you. My thoughts drifted back to last summer while I was painting in Idaho. The brush started dancing on the linen and before I knew what was happening I was painting the view that I absorbed each afternoon. This bank of trees lined the meadow behind the Blue Heron Inn, where I lodged.

Oil on Linen, 11" X 14"

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