cedar’s blog

Cedar July 1st, 2009

This week I am in my gorgeous hometown of Asheville, NC for a few days.

Yesterday I visited my gallery in Waynesville, which is a small town about a 40-minute drive west of Asheville.  The area is hopping with culture and tourism, and Twigs and Leaves has a great location on Main Street, which is a fun place to walk around and enjoy interesting shops and good restaurants.

I was at the gallery to touch up 7 of my 9 recent sunflower panels, which had been slightly scuffed around the edges during shipping.  The damage was completely my fault, as I was in such a hurry to get them shipped off that I didn’t wait long enough for the oil paint to set, and it was still tacky.  I should have let them dry for another week.  (Oil paint dries sooo slowly!)  Lesson learned.

So, after several hours of meticulous touch-up work involving color-matching and careful brushstrokes, the paintings were restored to perfect condition.  They look great and are hanging in the front window of the gallery:

Next was a visit to meet one of my collectors in person while I was in the area.  She purchased 9 different sunflower paintings earlier this year and has displayed them in her home in a grid just like the ones above.

Her home, which she and her husband had built to their specifications and just moved into this year, is built of gleaming wood.  It’s architecturally beautiful, with large open spaces, wraparound decks, and big windows facing incredible mountain views.

When you walk in the front door, the first thing you see is my paintings hanging on the wall of their foyer.

The foyer and kitchen are one large open room–this angle is from the kitchen:

Here’s from the top of the staircase:

And here are the happy collectors!

They are very sweet people, and were gracious hosts.  I brought my mom along for the visit and we spent a couple of hours enjoying their company.

That’s me on the left.

So, this week is off to a fantastic start for me, and I still have my baby shower to look forward to later in the week.  My mother and mother-in-law are arranging it, and I can’t wait!  Unlike a traditional baby shower, men will be included.  They are planning to serve great food and it should be a good party.

I probably won’t update again till I’m back home in Baltimore next week.  I’ll leave you with this picture of my 12-year-old brother’s new kitten, Daisy.  She is possibly the cutest kitten I’ve ever met, which is saying a lot since cuteness is one of the defining qualities of kittens.

I hope everyone has a safe and festive 4th of July!

• Art Gallery Representation , Collectors , Family
• Comments(0)

Cedar June 26th, 2009

Here’s what I’m working on today in the studio.

I did a lot of quick thumbnail sketches for my next Lotus paintings, just to work out the basics of composition.  I may not use all of them, and I may do a lot more.  For now I’ve started working on the ones I feel are strongest.

I have the plans for my next 5 paintings sketched in pencil onto canvases, and have started painting them!

I’m working on a drop cloth on the floor today, so I can spread several paintings out around me and work on them all at once.  I’m listening to music and am in my “painting zone.”

I was just thinking how much I genuinely love painting the Lotus series–I’ve heard that artwork created in a spirit of love and joy will be infused with that energy, and make other people love it.  Like I’m somehow filling the actual canvas and paint with a living energy that makes people feel good when they’re around it–a kind of artistic chi.  I don’t know if this is true, and it doesn’t make much sense from a logical/physical standpoint.  But it’s a nice thought, and people do seem to always love the finished Lotus paintings.

It also makes me think about the idea that whatever you put out into the world will come back to you in other forms.  I know this is true in social situations–in general, if I’m kind to people they reciprocate.  The same is true if I am nasty or spiteful.  This is why I make an effort to be as positive as I can in as many ways as I can–a challenge to be sure, but worth it.

Making art and sending it out into the world is like sending out a gift of beauty and happiness.  Does that result in beauty and happiness coming back to me in the form of gifts from others?  I think it does.  (At the very least, musing about such things while painting makes the work enjoyable for me and keeps me excited about doing it.)

I went out into my garden yesterday and came back with these treasures!  Baby lettuce, basil, purple & green string beans, sugary snow peas, and even a couple of red grape tomatoes!  The abundance of fresh produce in the summer makes it one of my favorite times of year.

Lots of things are blooming!

The bees are going crazy for the borage flowers.

And, as usual I’ve planted my vegetable garden in amongst the decorative plants, so everything is starting to take on a slightly jungle-like quality, everything growing there on purpose, but still a little bit chaotic.  Hey, that’s how I like it. 

• Garden , Works in Progress
• Comments(4)

Cedar June 22nd, 2009

Robert Genn is a Canadian landscape painter who sends out a twice-weekly email newsletter to thousands of artists all around the world. He’s about 40 years older than me, so he has a lot of wisdom to rub off on me. His good attitudes about the practice of art and life in general have been such an inspiration to me since I subscribed to his letters a couple of years ago.

You can check out Robert Genn’s letters and subscribe to get them in your email at painterskeys.com.

In one of his recent letters, Robert Genn says, “Lone workers as we tend to be, the Twice-Weekly Letters may be simply a way to remind us we are not alone.” This observation got me thinking about how artists support each other and teach each other now in ways that weren’t possible before the Internet.

Another resource I like to tell people about is WetCanvas.com, the largest online discussion forum for artists. It’s a huge repository of information, and a great place to go to share with other artists about technique in every medium, art business practices, and anything you can think of that applies to artists. I spent a lot of time there a couple years ago. I’m not active on WetCanvas anymore, but occasionally I’ll go there when I have a question, and I always find answers.

Although Myspace has been in decline since Facebook became wildly popular this year, Myspace has allowed me to befriend many painters, sculptors, photographers, jewelers, potters, woodworkers, you name it, with staggering amounts of talent. The variety of incredible artwork to be found on Myspace will astound you–if you have time, go to my Myspace page, Myspace.com/CedarLee and browse through my friends list there. I’ve recently started meeting a lot of fellow artists on Facebook and Twitter too.

And there seems to be an infinite number of artists in the blogosphere–I’ve encountered so many amazing people by stumbling on their blogs or by them finding mine. There are simply too many artists out there freely sharing their work and their thoughts about art to ever keep up with.

Seeing all this creativity and the success of others definitely keeps me humble and inspired to be better. It’s good to know that for any problem I’m struggling with in my work or in my career, there are nice people out there who have experience and are generous with their time and knowledge if I get stuck.

At the same time, I get messages all the time from artists who watch my videos on YouTube or who came across my website and are looking for guidance. I remember how clueless I felt when I was just starting out, and knew little more than that I wanted to be an artist.  It’s surprisingly fulfilling–gives me a warm fuzzy feeling–every time I’m able to help someone out who needs encouragement or just needs to be pointed in a direction.

Some of my online acquaintances have even led to real friendships in the real world!

I’m not sure where I’m going with all this, but I figured people who are not part of this worldwide community of online artists may not know how much we lean on each other, so I wanted to call attention to the “brotherhood and sisterhood of artists.”  It’s one of the things I love most about my chosen profession.

I’ll never run out of things to learn and things to teach.  The willingness of artists to connect with each other makes a lot of things possible.

• General Ramblings About Art, Creativity, Philosophy , Information for Art Lovers , Social Networking
• Comments(1)

Cedar June 20th, 2009

“If you can give your child only one gift, let it be enthusiasm.”  ~ Bruce Barton

My dad has enthusiasm in spades, and he gave that gift to me–possibly through genes but definitely through example.  Feeling thankful for my sweet dad today.

Happy Fathers’ Day and many thanks to all the fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers, fathers-to-be, and father figures of all kinds!

• Family
• Comments(0)

Cedar June 18th, 2009

I just finished this painting!

Towering Trunk II

Oil on Canvas, 20 x 16″

This is what it looks like in a room:

I needed to replace my previous painting, Towering Trunk, which recently sold.  The original was painted from a photo I took on the campus of Goucher College, where I was first inspired to start painting trees.  I love that painting and wanted to make something similar–I thought it would be a fun challenge to paint a loose mirror image of the original “Towering Trunk.”  Here you can see the 2 paintings side by side–the new one is on the right.

You can see the dimensions of the 2 paintings are different, the new one being wider, and the colors are different–the new painting has a bluer sky.  While the large tree in the middle and the direction of the light source in the 2 paintings are approximate mirror images of each other, I’ve changed the background quite a bit.

The new painting is going to RiverView Gallery in Havre de Grace, MD next week–after the paint has dried!

• New Works: Looking Up
• Comments(4)

Cedar June 12th, 2009

There’s nothing like the impending birth of a child to bring sharp and instant clarity to which tasks need to be prioritized.  Obviously, the things directly related to the coming baby and its needs are moved to the top of the list.  But even after that stuff is taken care of, there are all kinds of other plans to be made.

Being self-employed means I’ve got to give myself maternity leave if I want any.  So, I’ve talked to the owners of the 3 galleries that sell my paintings, and I’ve made a list of all the new art I need to make for them between now and October so they’ll all be well-stocked for several months after the birth of my baby.

I’m so glad to be able to make this flexible arrangement.  But I need to make a lot of paintings, and I need to get cracking now.  I’m afraid I’ll fall short, but I’m determined to keep my cool.  A motivating quote I came across today: “Feel the fear, and do it anyway.”

So next up on my list of art projects is to make a small Looking Up painting to replace one that just sold, followed by a large number of beautiful Lotus paintings, which everyone wants because they always sell out.  Stay tuned!

In other news, I have a couple of deliciously ripe mangoes calling from my kitchen, and today I’m going to make a mango lassi, a sweet and refreshing Indian treat made by blending the following in a blender:

• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 cup mango, cubed
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tsp. sugar

Mmmm!

• Art Career Happenings , Delicious Food & Drink
• Comments(6)

Cedar June 9th, 2009

I just finished a commissioned cat portrait, right in time to meet my deadline!  (The recipient’s birthday.)

I’m not really taking on portrait commissions right now because I have so much other work going on while keeping my galleries supplied with new art, but I made an exception for this one because it’s for my mother-in-law and aunt-in-law, who are giving this painting as a gift to their mom.  (My husband’s grandma.)

Now, while I believe all animals are beautiful, and radiate an innocence and unselfconscious simplicity of being (of which most humans are incapable,) some animals have facial markings that are more of an aesthetic challenge from a painter’s point of view.  Sassy is one such animal.

But once I got some momentum in the painting process, it went fairly smoothly, and I’m satisfied with the result.

Here’s the painting:

Sassy, 16″ x 12″, Acrylic on Canvas

Now, I’m off to FedEx to get Sassy on her way, then I’ll jump into the next painting challenge on my list.

• New Works: Portraiture
• Comments(3)

Cedar June 2nd, 2009

My latest painting, the newest addition to my Looking Up series:

Forest Cathedral

40″ x 30″, Oil on Canvas

For me, this painting gives me a feeling of joy and peacefulness, of being a small part of something tremendously beautiful, and all being right in the world.

It’s the feeling I get when I’m hiking with family, friends, or dogs on a hot summer day, and the light of the forest floats down through the trees.  The fresh smells of plants and earth fill the clean air.  I can hear birdsong, my own feet snapping twigs, and small animals rustling leaves on the ground.

I’ve used creative license and stretched the majestic tree trunks to impossible heights for maximum splendor.  In that respect, I feel this painting is better than reality–it exaggerates the visual, but still brings out the feeling and essence of the reality.

What do you see in this painting?  How does it make you feel?  Does it conjure memories for you?

If you have 4 minutes, you can watch the painting process here:

I think a lot of the impact of this painting comes from the dramatic angles of the trees zooming up into the sky.  It was important to define these angles at the beginning.

When the sun is directly behind a tree, the edges of the tree become softened and distorted by the blinding white back light.  I’ve observed this effect many times while while walking in the woods on a bright day (trying not to look directly into the sun, of course.)  It’s just so glowy and beautiful–I love it.

You can get a sense of the large scale of the painting by the size of my signature in the bottom right corner.

The circle of sky where all the tops of the trees converge is like a window to heaven.  If I could fly, I’d fly straight up into it.

When you are close enough to the painting to see the individual brushstrokes, you’ll notice that on a basic level there is a lot of abstraction going on–colors blending into other colors loosely and freely.

All these little pieces of paint smudging into each other work together to create the larger image.

Here’s what this art looks like in a room:

• New Works: Looking Up
• Comments(6)

Cedar May 26th, 2009

When I was little, one of my mom’s close friends, Anita, had glorious long black hair all the way down her back.  I thought her hair was so beautiful and remembered being totally enthralled by it.

This may have something to do with the short haircut that was forced upon me by an unfortunate case of head lice at the age of 6.  My haircut made me feel like a boy, and I dreamed of having hair like Anita’s.

Although my hair grew back out quickly enough, and the whole thing was really not as traumatic as I make it out to be, my preference for beautiful long hair on girls lasted into my early teen years, when I chose to keep my hair as long as possible.

My family moved away and I never saw Anita again and rarely had reason to think of her.  Fast-forward 20 years.  Through the wonders of the Internet, my mom and Anita have now re-connected on Facebook, and now that I can relate to Anita on an adult level, I’ve gotten to know her a little bit online.  It’s pretty cool.

Anita found, buried in a box in her garage, a picture I had drawn as a child, which she posted on Facebook today.  A “Cedar Lee Original.” 

I have no recollection of drawing this, but I can only assume the figure on the left is Anita with her sleek & luxurious long dark hair.  I interpret the surprised grimace on her face as my attempt at friendly open eyes and pretty red lips.

Anita holds hands with a legion of undefined stick figures (probably girls, based on their hair?) so numerous that they stretch off the edge of the page.  I retroactively title this work “Anita, Friend to All.”

I’m still recovering from a very active Memorial Day weekend–I had siblings from out of town, and we went dancing, hiking, and to a barbecue.  I also finished all my weekend chores, and went through every item of clothing I own and performed an organizational overhaul on my closet!

This week I plan to finish the “Looking Up” painting I’m working on, and I’m starting to draw up the plans for my next project, a commissioned cat portrait.

• My Artistic Past
• Comments(3)

Cedar May 20th, 2009

This is what happens when a puppy gets too close to my paintbrush.  What can I say?  That nose was just asking for it.

Here’s the progress on this painting so far.  Right now I’m just getting the color onto the canvas (which takes a long time with a big canvas) and figuring out the basics of the design.  Once the canvas is filled with the first layer of paint, I’ll come back in with smaller brushes and add more details throughout.

Right now, I’m laying the paint on thick and sloppy.  I’m going to clean it up a lot and add some intricacies later, but I want some of that loose feeling to come through in the final painting.  Starting sloppy and fast and then finishing up with more care and attention to detail is one way I attempt to balance freedom with precision.

Here’s a close-up detail of the work in progress:

I like how some of my tree paintings evoke a certain mood.  For me, it’s the smell of the woods and the feeling of clean air in my lungs that always comes to me–not always while I’m painting, because then I’m mostly focused on mixing colors and thinking about the composition–but every time I stand back to look at it, I have a feeling of being there in the painting.

I probably won’t finish this painting until next week.  My sister is visiting from out of town, and one of my brothers is going to be joining us this weekend.  This Friday I’m going contra dancing with friends for the first time in months!

• Pets , Works in Progress
• Comments(5)