Cedar Lee June 17th, 2010
As I promised yesterday, here is a good photo of my new painting.
Cosmic Dance III.
It’s 40″ x 50″, Oil on Canvas, Gallery-Wrapped.
Here are some detail shots:
Distant galaxy, comets, sparkling stars.
Powerful, brilliant fiery sun.
Purple mountain majesty. Sun-kissed land.
Mysterious, gentle moon.
Cedar Lee March 29th, 2010
Solar Radiance
36″ x 42″, Oil on Canvas.
Watch me painting it!
Details:
Like all of my paintings, this is on a gallery-wrapped canvas with the painting continuing onto the sides.
Here’s what it looks like in a room:
Cedar Lee January 13th, 2010
Here’s the new addition to my Cosmic Dance series:
Celestial Flirtation
24 x 30″, Oil on Canvas
The sun and the moon are performing a flirtatious dance as they pass each other in the sky, the “arms” of their light playfully reaching.
The light from the sky kisses the horizon with a touch of white.
Stars glow throughout the sky. In this corner of the painting, the stars are created by a fun splattering of thick paint which reminds me of a meteor shower.
This painting would add color to any room!
I’ll be making more Cosmic Dance paintings like this one in the coming months. And right now I’m working on continuing the Sunflower Heart series–so stay tuned for more new work!
Cedar Lee October 9th, 2008
You may remember my recent painting, Cosmic Dance:
This is Cosmic Dance II.
As you can see, the sun, the moon and the swirls of color are all in the same positions in the sky, but the color scheme is quite different–in place of reds and oranges are soft purples and peach tones. Overall, I think the resulting effect is quite feminine.
The bands of color in the sky were painted with detail and precision. I think it’s interesting to paint light–one of the most intangible substances I can think of, in such a solid way.
As I painted these wispy ribbons of light reaching their way across the sky, some of them told me where they wanted to go. Some of them began to twist, curl, and reach in delightfully unexpected ways.
In the inky blue-black parts of the sky untouched by the dance of the sun and the moon, you can see a thick sprinkling of stars. (Which I literally splattered onto the canvas!)
This painting includes the constellation Pisces, which I intended to stand out prominently from the rest of the stars. I like how the wisps of color to its right resemble two delicate little hands, showcasing the constellation Vanna White-style, or perhaps cradling it in a motherly manner.
Unlike the rest of the paintings I’ve made recently, this one is a seascape. The colors of the sky are reflected off the gentle waves of the ocean.
The closer you get to the painting, the more you can see how the individual brush strokes come together to create the larger image. I wish I could convey how much better a painting is in person than in photographs.
This is how it looks on a wall:
I’ve made a video of the painting process for this one, at the request of the collector who commissioned it. If you’re interested in these videos, then this is for you–but it’s not for everyone. I think it’s cool to watch it all come together in super-fast motion, when in reality it took many hours of work–but then, I’m a painter. So, please watch according to your level of interest:
The YouTube link, should you wish to pass it on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmnhtppPvoU
(If you like my videos, do a search for “speed painting” on YouTube. As well as videos like mine posted by other painters, you can find a lot of cool videos of digital painting, in which the artist uses Photoshop to “paint” an image.)
Change is on the horizon. With election day less than a month away and the economy looking dire, there seems to be a lot of freaked-out energy floating around. I’ve turned introspective. Re-assessing my life, making plans, and counting my blessings seems more productive than getting caught up in all the negativity that’s out there right now. Of course I’m not immune to it–but I figure consciously resisting it is better than nothing.
My new puppy Blake, at 12 weeks old, now eats more than my full-grown dog, and appears to be growing exponentially. Life is good.
Cedar Lee September 25th, 2008
Awakening
36 x 42″ Acrylic on Canvas
This is a painting of the first breath of morning–the threshold between today and tomorrow. I like how the light and darkness are separated–which one is in the foreground? Is the darkness opening up to reveal a window of sunlight? Or is the sunlight seeping over the darkness, like a poured liquid?
My goal was to depict the simple happiness of waking up to a new day full of promise.
The light of the not-quite-risen sun stretches its fingers across the sky, in between the delicate swirls of moonlight.
The sun is about to rise behind a young leafy tree, and there is a small flock of birds flying on the horizon.
But the night has not yet released its hold–the sky high above is still full of millions of tiny sparkling stars.
Like all of my recent paintings, this is painted on a gallery-wrapped canvas, meaning the painting continues onto the edges, where the canvas is stretched around the underlying frame, which I built out of wood. The edges are 1.5″ deep.
What it looks like in a room:
And of course, I made a video for this one. (I’m on a roll!)
The YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKTV3c4Cf-s
The timing of this painting is perfect, because today is a happy new day indeed!
Last year, you may recall, I told you about my aunt and uncle who live in Italy who were about to adopt a little girl from Africa. Sadly, that adoption fell through because of lack of communication and international bureaucracy. They were heartbroken–our whole family mourned with them, as we had already thought of this little girl as one of ours.
But they decided to start the process all over again and were placed with another child. This time it is truly happening for real! They arrived in Bamako, Mali today and by now have probably already met their new son, Ichiaka! (Pronounced “ee-SHA-ka.”) He is about a year and a half old and he is healthy and beautiful–I’m so happy for my aunt and uncle, who have waited so long for this, and I can’t wait to meet my new cousin!
One more thing and then I’ve got to get back to work–
I have a recommendation. If you love food (mmm, who doesn’t?) and you are looking for a good read that also makes you think, read this book! I’m not even halfway through with it and it’s already impacting my life.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver.
Cedar Lee September 19th, 2008
Fiery Sky
40 x 46″ Acrylic on Canvas
Details:
In this painting, the sun’s fiery heat and sheer enormity are taking over the whole sky, setting the landscape ablaze in a wash of white light. The moon’s light, in the form of soft blue tendrils, gracefully retreats into the darkness in the face of the overwhelming sun.
Once again I am symbolically exploring epic themes: Yin and Yang, the balance of the universe, the great unfolding of time and space, the eternal beauty and mysterious workings of the cosmos.
What this painting looks like in a room:
You can watch me painting it here:
The YouTube link, should you choose to pass it on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZDTmAUMrO0
This weekend we’re having some friends over to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox (which officially falls on Monday.) We’re going to sit around a campfire in the backyard and sip hot apple cider. And this Saturday is the 11-year anniversary of the day I met my husband. I am lucky to have shared this much of my life with him–together we have come a long way.
I just got my copy of my 2009 Cats & Dogs Calendar in the mail! It looks SO GOOD! The pages are thick and glossy, and I like the layout better than last year’s.
My new dog Blake is now officially enrolled as a student in Puppy Obedience School. We start next week–wish us luck.
Cedar Lee July 8th, 2008
My new painting shows the rising sun burning away the darkness of night. It embodies the concept of balance in the universe–yin and yang. Sun and moon, day and night, heaven and earth, fire and water, hot and cold. For fun, I have included the constellation Orion, (can you find it?) and a shooting star.
I painted the sun and moon in such a way that they could be allegorical characters, so looking at their interaction may conjure thoughts of epic myths and creation stories. The swirling colors bring to mind the incredible photos of galaxies and nebulae taken from satellites in outer space. Whatever you may take from it, it is an inspiring image.
Because this painting implies the enormity of the cosmos, and is full of dynamic motion, it is titled “Cosmic Dance.”
Acrylic 36″ x 42″
What it looks like in a room:
Details:
The psychedelic qualities of this painting made me recall a poem I wrote when I was 16, called “Psycho Sunrise.” Despite its obviously being written by a 16-year-old, its descriptions are vivid. Click here to read it.
In other news, my painting “October Hawks” is currently on display at the HoCo Open 2008 show at the Howard County Center for the Arts. The reception for the show is from 6-8 pm on July 22. Unfortunately, I’ll be out of town on that day, so I won’t be there. But if you live in the area, stop by and check it out–the show includes 100 pieces of art done by local artists. (And, by the way, as the gallery installer for the Arts Center, I am the person who hung all 100 paintings.)
The exhibit will be up until August 17th. The address: 8510 High Ridge Road, Ellicott City, MD 21043
The next month and a half are going to be crazy for me. My husband and I, between the two of us, have six trips planned this summer. The shenanigans include two family reunions, house-sitting in NC, visiting friends and scouting out galleries in Ohio, contra dancing in Indiana, and white water rafting in West Virginia. Kevan will also be going on a road trip with his cousins.
So if I appear to drop off the face of the earth for a little while, that’s why.
