The end of summer already.

Summer is over already!

Unfortunately I noticed 2 days ago that the "peak summer" flowers are losing their blossoms. It seemed to go really fast this year. It was only July 28th and it only lasted a few weeks. Now that should be a warning?...or at least a reminder of how short life is and how fast time moves. The picture was taken yesterday and if you look closely, you can see that the flowers aren't as full and will continue to loose their color. In real life to talk about how time flies is such a cliche that it has lost it's meaning.....but paint a garden and the meaning is crystal clear. The good thing is that the park people have planted fall and late summer flowers so the garden will continue looking great. But it is still almost all over. Just yesterday.......

I made a discovery today and the discovery is that real breakthroughs are small and subtle. As much as we want to be dramatic and heroic, it is usually a small thing like an understanding, or seeing something old with fresh eyes or letting go of a personal quirk that may be holding you back.

Finally back to the park!

For the sixth summer I have returned to Sibley Park to paint from life.

This is day one of painting from 8:30-12:00.

I found a spot in the shade and the light changes were noted.

This is a 30" X 40" canvas with some medium sized brushes.

It is very exhilarating to watch the light in the garden and I literally had to slow down my pace.

I've noticed that they haven't taken as good of care of the garden this year and maybe the recent severe weather has beaten down on it. July is the month to work and the flowers are coming .....

bukowskipainting.com

A good year for still life.

A Short Journey- an exhibition of paintings

at Bethany Lutheran College by William Bukowski. (ending March 30, 2010)

As I looked at my work over the years, I decided

to hang three still lifes that I still own, in a horizontal arrangement. These were all done in a fairly short period of time after my first sabbatical. The year was 1988 and I was coming off of a great trip with Pete beginning in Rome and ending in London. I tightened up the edges, put some high contrast lighting and added some kid drawings, some toys and some shiny objects.

Jeff decided to make an appearance in the top still life as the masked hero, Zorro.

Faces at 30 year show.

A Short Journey, Paintings by William Bukowski at the Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center, on the campus of Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minnesota on display through March.

One wall of my show is reserved for portraits of the family. The cluster is hung salon style with works from 1977-2004. I had to leave many paintings out of the show.

There is one painting in the show that is not mine- but it is of me. Jenna painted me on a four by four foot canvas.

Small is still in....

William Bukowski

Petite Garden I

oil on linen

12" X 9"

I am finding that the small works continue to intrigue me. I am on my fourth small work in this series and the miniature quality of the brushstrokes and different kind of concentration appeals to me. The image is still Sibley Park in mid summer. I can work out some ideas of light and color that would take much longer in a large scale. That is not to say I wouldn't jump at the chance to do a large work, it is just that this is what is happening right now.

Sibley Park Paintings featured at the Waseca Art Center.

The Waseca Art Center is showing 15 recent paintings in the Sibley Park series. The show opened on October 13 and will be on display until November 20th. The Waseca Art Center has supported my work with workshops and exhibitions over the years. They have at least 2 paintings and an etching in their permanent collection.

There was a reception last night in Waseca with a gallery talk.

It is always interesting to see your own work up in a public space. It can almost look like someone else's work and can make you feel a little off balance.

Small works.

William Bukowski

Petite Garden II

12" X 9" oil on linen

I don't know if it is the recession. But is seems appropriate to do smaller works. Same brushwork, same intensity but small scale. I just happened to have a few small pre-stretched canvases in the studio. Now, can I do a series?

Warm fall gives me a little more time.

The fall has been so sunny and warm you would think it was still summer. The dying plants and turning leaves kind of give it away. But I have been able to paint a few more days because of it. The palette has changed and some of the fall flowers are a bit jarring compared to the summer harmonies. The angle of the sun has changed quite a bit and prime time for my morning is closer to 11:00 am instead of 9:30 am. But, every day of painting outside is a good day.

On Location

When you look at these photos it looks like I am literally in a painting doing a painting.

Actually these photos were taken by Mankato photographer Michael Schwertfeger. He was working at the site and happened to snap a couple of extra pictures and sent them my way.

How refreshing to be on location at the garden.

One more before the frost.

William Bukowski

The Path (again).

This painting is two days old and I have hopes of getting this done from life. Some of the flowers are dying and the leaves will be falling. I have to get as far as I can given conflicts, rain, and the seasonal change.

I may be working on paper and on smaller canvases, we shall see.

Summer session is over.

With conflicts like teaching, it is time to finish the summer garden paintings. It is harder than it looks to paint consistently at a site as the season changes. Some of the greens are turning orange and yellow already. I have to decide if I want to paint a dying garden. There could be something there, but would you want to contemplate the death of a garden in your house? or in your place of business? I suppose it could be in the great tradition of death paintings. They just aren't for everyone.

Sibley Park Summer of 2009

William Bukowski

oil on linen

40" X 30

Peak

Sometimes you work so long on a painting and look at it and wonder if the hours and effort show at all. It could look like another "pretty flower" picture, when in your mind you are constantly struggling with light, weather, actual plant growth, color, composition, brushstrokes, expecting some kind of artistic breakthrough.

Does it really express the intensity of the experience? or is it just another pretty picture.

Painting from Life.

The more you look, the more you see......

You can look like the stereotype hobbyist and everyone can see your mistakes.

The light and weather can be so uncooperative that while you wait for the right light, the flowers die. 

It is easy to see why the practice of painting from life is seen as so archaic or outmoded or quaint to modern artists. 

It might take forever to feel comfortable working from nature.  And you have to actually "go outside and play" and that doesn't always fit into the concept of the angst of modernism.

The final push of the summer.

William Bukowski

Garden Edge (in progress)

oil on linen    30" X 40"

The edge of the garden looks to live for a while yet, so I am optimistic that I can finish this work from life.  Some how the summer has slipped by and school is starting.  Panic would normally be the feeling I would have with so little time left, but I can handle it.  I think I can......I think I can.......

Painting in a flurry of brushstrokes.

My paint brush is on speed dial.  I have been trying to paint as fast as I can when the combination of light and flowers is peaking.  Every day things grow and die but the emphasis is on growth.  Each painting gets at least an hour as the light is perfect and then I switch paintings.

The garden is a metaphor for life and like the flowers, it doesn't last long.  I found out my Aunt Lorraine died today.  It seemed like only yesterday she was sending us coconut treats from Florida (we were kids and loved that candy).

The Garden is peaking.

The garden is peaking  and the weather has been fantastic.  Every day things change slightly or in some cases -things change radically(in terms of growth).  Rocks are hidden, new flowers emerge and the challenge is on...     it all ends too soon.

My main worry now is running out of canvas, out of paint and most of all, out of time.

Nature is impatient.

These days I am painting at two different sites.  One is the garden at Sibley Park and the garden is peaking right now!  The energy, color and sense of growth is visible.  I have a slight panic set in as I try to capture this experience before its gone for another year.

 The other site is Minneopa State Park.  I have been working on waterfalls.  In just a few days, the water has been reduced to a trickle!  Both landscapes are changing daily!  Nature doesn't wait for me to finish paintings.  Now if I could only get a few more sunny mornings.

Fighting the weather.

William Bukowski

Minneopa II (detail)

oil on linen

30" X 40"

The weather has been challenging to deal with this summer.

The days have been cloudy, rainy, windy and sometimes sunny.  I am way behind on Sibley painting because of the clouds.  When you paint from life this is the greatest problem-not being able to control the weather.  It is hard enough not to be able to control when flowers bloom and when plants grow and die.  I need light.  

I have been working in the shade and on cloudy days with the even light.   The complexity of the image makes it hard to develop light patterns.  It can be very hit and miss. 

The Growth of Art-New Gallery in Mankato

There was an opening of a new gallery in Mankato in late June.  It is in a historic building on North Broad Street-the Wesley Building.  The gallery is now called "School of Art".

They put on a show called, The Growth of Art.  I had a painting featured in the show called Full Sun, Full Garden from last summer.  The show was an interesting mix of sculpture and painting from the area.  The show also featured florists who matched real flowers with artwork.  I hope to add more pictures.   Mankato can always use another art gallery, let's hope this one can survive.

The return of Erik.

Every summer for many years, former painting student Erik S. comes back to Mankato to paint.  This year he joined me at Minneopa State Park.

 His sensibility in painting is decidedly American and especially the Luminist style of painting the unspoiled American landscape.  So he liked the place. 

 Two days isn't enough to really take it all in, but it is a great way to spend a couple of days.