Abstract Mixed Media Light in Motion Series

Just a few abstract mixed media images. These were digital photos taken of lights at night while moving the camera, and then embelished on Photoshop for fun. 

Ofrendas Del Corazon

This year my painting mentor Ricardo Chavez Mendez invited me to participate in Ofrendas Del Corazon, a fundraising event taking place in Texas. Each of the donated works painted on a heart shaped wood panel will be auctioned to raise money. Below is their write up about my submission featured here, and about the cause.

This is Claudia's first time participating in Ofrendas, and she is an artist representing ORO Fine Art Gallery. For more information on Claudia's art visit claudia-goodell.artistwebsites.com "Pin Up" will be featured up for auction at the 8th Annual Ofrendas Del Corazón event benefiting the Michael M. Rutledge Legacy Award, February 2015. More details coming soon!

Clinging

 Clinging - Oil on canvas - 24" X 24" 

Continuing on the underwater and the chronic disease themes this image depicts the idea that suffering is a result of clinging to desire, and to let go of desire leads to the end of suffering. Chronic pain from a neuroimmune diseaseas naturally leads to the desire to be pain free, which leads to suffering.
It is only when one stops judging various experiences as good or bad, positive or negative, that the desire for something different will fade away.

In my attempts to stop judging my experiences I try to just acknowledge the presence of the feeling, rather than judge it. It is one of the most difficult tasks for me that come with managing this disease, and when I am successful at accepting that each painful experience is temporary; that nothing is permanent, not even those experiences that are more enjoyable, it is in those moments that I can let go of the desire for an experience to go away.

That is when the suffering subsides.

This original piece is available for purchase at CDA and 50% of proceeds will be donated to an ME/CFS charity.

The Juggler

The Juggler - Mixed media on canvas 15" X 30" $1250

I took an unusual approach on this one.  To start this peice I layed the canvas flat on a table and squirted acrylic paint randomly around. I blew through a straw to direct the streams of paint, and allowed some to drip and pool. Once the canvas was covered I allowed it to dry before applying the remaining layers of oils. The only preconceived notion I had going in was underwater. As the scene developed I realized some underlying meaning was surfacing. 

Having a chronic neuroimmune disease feels like being underwater, even drowning sometimes, but uniquely beautiful at others. The mermaid here presents as both human and fish, like the symptoms of the disesase she is inconsistent. A patient is never certain whether they wll face a very sick day or not, nor whether an activity will be tolerated by the body or if it will lead to relapse. She sits comfortably knowing she has no known enemy, there is no treatment or cure for this disease, and she sits above the octopus clearlyto her advantage.  

The octopus is me, struggling to manage all the symptoms while treading water, but yet facing the disease head on with determination, armed to beat it. 

Peace and hope come in the form of the sea turtle. It brings peace in the times when I am frustrated and grieving the losses this disease forces on me, and hope for future discoveries. 

I hope this information helps you relate more to "The Juggler".

NM State Fair Fine Art Competition Entries

(Left to right) First Flight Triptych (three separate vertical panels), The Visitor I and The Visitor II

                                   

Three of my peices have been juried selected to be included in this year's New Mexico State Fair Fine Art competition. They will be available for viewing and purchase at Expo New Mexico from September 10-21, 2014. I hope you will take some time to stop by the Fine Art building some time during those dates to see all the beautiful art.

Evening of the Arts will be held Tuesday evening September 9th beginning at 5:30. This is when the winners are announced. Following the awards ceremony there is an early viewing of all the Fine Art, and all originals peices and prints are available for sale. This is a good time to see the art and meet the artists, so I hope I will see you there!

First Flight Oil on canvas - 20"X48" $2700
The Visitor I Oil on canvas - 18" X 24"
The Visitor II Oil on canvas - 20" X 30"

The Visitor I and II (A Diptych)

The Visitor 1 Oil on Canvas 18" X 24" 

At times it may seem that our life is a steady stream of predictability, and then suddenly there is a shift. All that we knew and were comforted by is changed or gone and we are left with this unknown, uncontrollable existence that feels like chaos. It is precisely at this moment that we must learn to let go and just let it be. This is when we are truly carried gently by the flow to all that is good.   

The Visitor 2 Oil on Canvas 20" X 30" 

These originals are available for purchase at CDA  and 50% of proceeds will be donated to an ME/CFS charity.

Convergence

Convergence Oil on Canvas 24" X 36" SOLD

My most recent finished piece was a commission and a surprise for a friend's milestone birthday. She and her husband moved from Albuquerque to Portland, so her husband asked me to paint a landscape to incorporate Mt. Hood with Mirror Lake with a reflection of an iconic representation of New Mexico. This is the result.

It's titled "Convergence" and is 24" X 36". I really enjoyed the challenge of creating this composition, and had to include what seems to have become my signature for landscapes; the inclusion of a vehicle of sorts but an absnece of any people in the hope of encouraging the viewer to invent their own story about the scene. In this case the vehicle is a canoe.

Exhibit and Press

Two of my original pieces were selected to be included in the "Art of the Flower" exhibit from June 7th through July 25th at the New Mexico Art League.

The artists reception was very well attended, and a subsequent review was published in the Albuquerque Journal's Sunday Arts section June 22, 2014. It can be read on my website:

Please stop by!

Details here: Art of the Flower Exhibit at the New Mexico Art League

The two pieces are shown above.  On the left is a diptych titled "The Visitor" Oil on canvas 30" X 38" (Left panel is 18" X 24" and Right panel is 20" X 30"

On the right is "Spring Fling" a pastel on paper 12" X 17" then matted and framed SOLD

The Artistic Rose exhibit at the Albuquerque Garden Center

I am feeling very fortunate to have received a call today from the director of the New Mexico Art League inviting me to show my pastel on paper titled "Spring Fling" at the Albuquerque Garden Center's 65th Annual Spring Rose Show. The exhibit is called the Artistic Rose and runs Saturday May 31st 1-5 PM and Sunday June 1st 10-2 PM. This is truly an honor as there will be only 20 original paintings on display!

I hope some of you are able to go to see the live roses as well as photographs and paintings.

More information can be found here: Albuquerque Garden Center 65th Annual Spring Rose Show

Exhibit: Art of the Flower

Two of my original pieces were selected to be included in the "Art of the Flower" exhibit from June 7th through July 25th at the New Mexico Art League.

The artists reception was very well attended, and a subsequent review was published in the Albuquerque Journal's Sunday Arts section June 22, 2014. It can be read on my websitee:

Please stop by!

Details here: Art of the Flower Exhibit at the New Mexico Art League

The two pieces are shown above.  On the left is a diptych titled "The Visitor" Oil on canvas 30" X 38" (Left panel is 18" X 24" and Right panel is 20" X 30"

On the right is "Spring Fling" a pastel on paper 12" X 17" then matted and framed

First Flight - Triptych

Upon completion of this triptych I renamed it "First Flight". 20"X48" $2700

This piece underwent a great metamorphosis from an abstract sketch of entwined circles to birds and lilies. Now it tells the story of a baby bird reluctant to leave the nest while the parents try to encourage flight by conjuring the wind. The leaves and flowers begin to swirl and rise as the baby begins to feel confident enough to fly.

The photographer who captures images of my art for giclee prints digitally added a black frame around each panel, which I really like. It gives the effect of backlighting and gives it the look of a stained glass window. Although this is how prints will appear, the original is simply 3 separate panels with no black border. Prints may be purchased through my website linked above. Please feel free to contact me if interested in purchasing any originals.

Calypso (unfinished) Renamed to First Flight after completion

This new triptych (at the bottom) is nearly finished just in time for the March 6th deadline for juried entry into the Miniatures and More show to be held at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History in October. Yes, October is a long time away, but these things require planning.

Each artist can electronically submit to the jury a minimum of 4 pieces and maximum of 8, as long as each piece is less than a certain size (mine are each at the maximum canvas size allowed). When I attended it in 2013 they grouped 3 of each artist's 2D work and hung them either horizontally or vertically with space in between. The exhibit was very nicely laid out, with easy viewing and it was nice to see 3 pieces of each artist's work hanging together.

I am taking a chance that:  A) my work will be selected and B) that maybe, just maybe they'll hang them vertically and touching one another, depicting one continuous image. However, in creating them I also considered that (if they're selected) they may be hung with space in between, and since each canvas must be be for sale separately, I made sure each had a strong enough composition to hang individually.

I am really happy with this piece because the composition was a long and arduous evolution which really pushed my creativity.

The images below show the evolution from the original sketch to the final piece. I copied my sketch in charcoal onto the canvas. Next, I flipped the image vertically and horizontally for the next 2 canvases. Applying the concept of curvismo with paint, I connected the curved lines in various directions to create a 3 dimensional continuity and to improve the flow. After a couple of sessions I felt very frustrated and sat with my instructor Ricardo telling him I thought it was not sophisticated enough. Together we discussed ideas, and kept working the curves until it was clear that the canvas was showing calla lilies and birds, so that was the direction I followed.

Update: This peice was renamed to First Flight upon its completion. It is 20" X 48" Oil on canvas $2700

2014 Masterworks of New Mexico Entries

Today I achieved my first goal for the new year, which is to submit 3 entries into the 2014 Masterworks New Mexico exhibit. 

This is a juried show, so I will have to wait to find out whether any of my submissions are selected to be in the spring exhibition held at the NM State Fair Grounds.

The first piece (top left) is titled "Dancing Hyacinths", the second (top right) is titled "Support", and the final (bottom center) is called "Perplexity". 

Each piece can be further explored on previous posts here, or on my website at http://claudia-goodell.artistwebsites.com/

Thank you for your interest!

Perplexity

Perplexity is painted in the style called Curvismo, developed by Ricardo Chavez-Mendez, an artist from Mexico. The curved lines and colors take the viewer on a journey much like that of a time lapsed video of a growing vine. It is life, with all its unexpected twists and turns and the question of where it will take us next. The original is one of three pieces recently selected to be exhibited at the New Mexico State Fair Fine Art show.

36"X 36" SOLD

Art Accepted For NM State Fair!

An important milestone has been achieved!  My fine art goals for this year included entering one new piece into the New Mexico State Fair Fine Arts competition.  I entered three, and to my great surprise all three were selected by the judges.

The originals are available for sale.  Scroll down to the previous individual posts below. 

You can read more about the fair art exhibit on my fine art web page: http://fineartamerica.com/events/new-mexico-state-fair-fine-art.html

I hope you are able to make it over to Expo NM Fine Art Gallery to see them and all the great art that will be on exhibit!


Purple Hyacinths - Oil on canvas 18X24



Support - Oil on canvas 20X24

Perplexity - Oil on canvas 30X30

SOLD

Three Teaser Detail Images Of Current Piece

Three detail thumbnails from my current work in progress.... Stay tuned

 

Dancing Hyacinths

Dancing Hyacinths 18" X 24" Oil on canvas 

Dancing Hyacinths is another piece in an ongoing series of collaborative works begun as a sketch by the late artist Brandon Crotty, and completed by me under the direction of Ricardo Chavez-Mendez.  Using techniques of Curvismo developed by Ricardo, for this piece I have also applied my own style, but maintained the integrity of the unfinished composition sketched by Brandon.  This collection is a tribute to his passion and talent for art.  A portion of the proceeds from purchases of these collaborative works will be donated to the New Mexico Philharmonic, formerly the New Mexico Symphony, as Brandon was a supporter of them and their music.  This was one of three originals accepted to be exhibited at the 2013 New Mexico State Fair - Fine Arts.

The original is available for purchase at CDA and 50% of proceeds will be donated to an ME/CFS charity.

Support

20" X 24" Oil on canvas

"Support" is part of a collaborative series begun by the deceased Albuquerque artist Brandon Crotty, and they were completed by me under the tutelage of Ricardo Chavez-Mendez.  Although I remained true to Brandon's original compositions and basic colors, I applied Curvismo techniques and additional contrast in values, along with my own concepts.  A portion of the proceeds collected from the sales of this collaborative project will be donated to the Albuquerque Philharmonic, formerly the NM Symphony Orchestra, who Brandon supported. This project is a tribute to him.

This original piece is available for putchase on CDA and 50% of proceeds will go to an ME/CFS charity.

Invitation to Artist Reception & Exhibit

 
claudia-goodell.artistwebsites.com

Please bring your guests and join us for an artist reception this Saturday, April 13^th  from 11 am to 1 pm featuring new, collaborative, and previous creations by Albuquerque artist Claudia Goodell! If you are unable to come at that time the art will be remain on exhibit to the public (Tuesday – Saturday) through the first week of May. 

 

M & Company is located at 10701 Montgomery Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM
www.mco-hair-color-lounge.com

 

 

 

 



Four Seasons

Four Seasons is complete!  After nearly a full year this large scale transitional piece is finished.  It is the first painting of my own in which I utilized some of the style called "Curvismo", developed by my mentor and teacher Ricardo Chavez-Mendez.  In the process of learning Curvismo as well as many other lessons in color theory, brush stroke, composition, etc. my own style seemed to emerge.  This new personal style was also influenced by other artists, as well as nature, science fiction and music.

Four Seasons is a 4' x 12' oil painting and is comprised of four 3' x 4' individual panels that together create a wall mural depicting my version of the seasons of life. 

The series began with a simple charcoal drawing of a woman done by the deceased artist Brandon Crotty.  I wanted to incorporate one of his sketches into an original painting of mine, and when I came across one he had done in an open studio of a woman sitting with her knees up and arms around them I knew it was the one.  When I sketched it onto the canvas her left arm seemed to be masculine, so I created a man next to her. The rest of the composition flowed from there, with the appearances of a nautilus, a labyrinth, and water to further capture the idea of being encapsulated.  This became Spring, when all of life is like a seed. 

After this I had a dream that this was to be a series of pieces depicting the four seasons, and that each panel would have a man and woman inside or on something.  I played Vivaldi's Four Seasons while painting.

In Summer all of life seems to be rapidly growing, and the two are unaware of the explosions of color that are occurring while they nap in the heat of the day.  To me this represents that time of life when we are so busy with everything that life flies past us without us always taking notice. 

When we reach Fall we have matured enough to understand that in order to appreciate life we must slow down and enjoy each and every moment.  Here the couple enjoys playing on a pinecone while the winds of autumn are blowing.  Having a chronic illness for many years I have learned how to slow down, and I remember that shortly after my diagnosis and all the loss that followed I described feeling as though the whole world was blasting past me on a fast train while I was sitting still on the platform watching. Now I understand that being still and observing allows us to experience so much more of life. The couple in this panel is taking the time to just be, while the world is doing.

With Winter comes wisdom and awareness of what is to come.  Time seems to pass so quickly that while the couple is in the midst of their frozen surroundings they are keenly aware of and look almost confused by the sounds and sights just off the canvas.  Is it Spring that is coming or the end of life?

Ironically the panel I expected to challenge me the most, and that I thought I would like the least has turned out to be my favorite, and flowed the best.  From the beginning I thought the final panel, Winter would be drab and dull, and not so fun to paint.  It would represent the cold, empty end of life, loss and even sadness.  During this time my Mother was hospitalized for 3 weeks and while in skilled nursing she suffered a major cerebellar stroke.  I spent that time helping her and my Dad, and facing my own personal fears of death, loss and my own mortality.  We all made it through that difficult time and my Mom is recovered and well.  When I returned to painting Winter I had a fresh perspective on the later stages of life.  I incorporated human qualities like strength, perseverance, love, patience, free will and compassion. In the end I think I enjoyed the process of composing and painting Winter  most of all. 

Many things have transpired during this creative time, and I have grown so much as an artist and a person.  Painting is my passion, but also an outlet for the creative energy that returned to me when I became ill.  I am thankful that I am able to pursue this interest and hope that my work will be interesting to the viewer.  I am most grateful to my mentor and teacher Ricardo Chavez-Mendez at Oro Fine Art Gallery for creating a non-threatening and welcoming environment in which to learn, and for his willingness to adapt to various learning styles.  He is always able to find potential in his students' work, and he overflows with enthusiasm and sincere encouragement.  He also has a penchant for the use of metaphors to help us remember our lessons.

Fall and Winter of the Four Seasons

I finally finished working on the male and female subjects in Fall and Winter of the 4 part series "Four Seasons", and next week I will put all four panels side by side to do fine details before varnishing.  I see finalization in the very near future!  I am constantly amazed at how much I have learned over this nearly 11 month project.  It was a massive undertaking, and I am so happy I wasn't aware of that at the start.  Ricardo has been a very patient and supportive teacher.

Radiant Rose

Just playing around in the studio with this one to see how I could simulate the look of stained glass.  It's oil on a 10" X 10" X 1 1/2" wood panel $50

Here is a detail image of the point where the bud meets the stem.

Featured Work

My piece titled Christmas Blossom is featured on EBSQ Art today

Winter (part of Four Seasons Series)

Winter

After some time away from the gallery I returned to work with Ricardo Chavez-Mendez this week.  Here is the "Winter" panel of the series "Four Seasons" as it nears completion.  There is still work to be done on the female and detail work all around, but I am really pleased with this panel.   Once all the panels are complete I will post the story behind the series, how it came about and what it all means to me.

Below are some detail shots of some parts I find interesting.  I hope you enjoy!








Male Detail

Tree Detail



Water Drop Detail

Christmas Prints Featured

A couple of my Christmas prints are currently being featured here in Christmas Framed Prints on Fine Art America christmas framed prints

Pink Flower on 12" Vinyl Record

Since I have several 12" vinyl records sitting around I thought I would paint on one again.  Back in 2009 I did a series of flowers on 12"vinyl records that were in an exhibit in NYC called "Art on Record: Volume II".  You can see them here on my blog: http://www.claudiagoodell.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-02-23T18:00:00-07:00&max-results=100

The experience was so much fun, and the final product makes a unique display, so I collected several albums from my neighbor, which now sit in my art studio waiting to be enhanced by images.  It's a treat to paint on a surface that would otherwise likely be in a landfill, and the slick surface with grooves can sometimes enhance the image.  Other times I prepare the surface with gesso or paint before adding layers of oil that create the image.  On the back side you can see the original album, so it's always fun to read about the music and see the funny old cover images. 

Four Seasons (work in progress)

Here is an update on my four panel series, Four Seasons. I'm currently working on Fall and Winter as if one composition, but each panel is separate. Photos of each panel were taken at different times and with various lighting so the points between the panels are abrupt, but I will be making some value and line corrections at these junctions, and some detail work will be done at the end.  I am having so much fun and learning so much!

R.I.P. Scout

                                                      

R.I.P. Scout



                                                        Pastel on paper 9" x 12"   NFS

Fall Sketch Update

Here is the start of the Fall composition, which is still in development.  The concept is that as fall approaches the couple becomes energized.  They are swinging on a pine cone, with a blue spruce coming in from the top right, a large, orange harvest moon will appear partially behind the man at the top left, (here the moon is shown full and small, but will be enlarged and moved so it is rising behind him), and the lower right side of the panel will again be abstract, with the possibility of a hint of a flowing stream.  The colors of this panel will be consistent with autumn, and the composition, curves, lines and colors will carry forward the concept of the egg shape from the previous 2 panels, but now the couple has separated from one another a little, they have opened up and emerged from within the shape and are playful, active, rather than passive.  The flowing water at the bottom and the blue spruce will lead into the 4th and final panel, Winter.  As the panels progress I a acquiring new skills, and I am told by Ricardo that when all 4 panels are near completion I will likely go back and make slight corrections to the first panels. 

I rarely post this soon after posting, but there were some changes made to the composition today on the right panel (Summer), so I thought I'd update. 

I created more space between the two swirls at the top, worked on the fairy wings, and the "cacoon" section that goes down the right side, seeimingly a "tail" on the fairy.  I'm really happy with the added space at the top left.  It was making me feel claustrophobic the way one shape was crowding the other (see post below).  I also really like the ribbed look of the "cacoon" or "tail".  Fun day today, and it's time to seriously start creating the composition for Fall!

Spring and Summer Update with detail photo

Worked on blending the center line between the two panels and also added some color contast values in order to create more depth.  Still more contrast to add and need to work on fairy and the two main characters before fine tuning.

Details of lower right corner of right panel

When I am learning new things I am sometimes aware of the moment when the lesson solidifies in my brain.  There is a process of wrote memory, then practicing and nearly capturing a new task, but not smoothly or easily, and usually not quite getting it all right.  This has been the case for me in sports when repetition is so important.  And then there comes that time when suddenly (it seems) everything clicks and the mind and body are in sync and the actions occurs properly, sponstaneously, seemingly without so much effort as when learning was taking place.  I experienced one of those moments on Friday at Oro Fine Art Gallery.  I was working along for hours and sudenly everything just felt "right".  I paused for a minute and I could feel that synapses had fired, muscle cell memory had occured, and lessons definitively were learned.  This was a good feeling, and after discussing it with Ricardo (my instructor) I also learned that I should tuck this feeling of accomplishment away for that inevitable day when things don't feel quite right.  In those moments it's good to recall the feeling of being "in the zone".

Enjoyed another excellent session with Ricardo at Oro Fine Art Gallery yesterday and made great progress on Spring.  Stop by when I'm there on a Thursday afternoon to say hello, see my painting, meet Ricardo and see his inspiring art. 

Next week I'll begin detailing the center of the painting - it's moving along very quickly :)

Spring and Summer (Beginning stages)

It's not a great photo, and I'll replace it later, but here's a glimpse of what I'm working on right now.  The painting on the left is "Spring", the one on the right is Summer.  I just began painting Spring this week, and it's based loosley on a photograph by Leif Andersson.  Thanks to him for permission to use this beautiful image.  Fall and Winter are in the design mode.  More soon - thanks for your interest!

Began sketching and blocking in Spring, the next piece in "The Four Seasons" series.  Will post higher resolution photos next time - only had iPhone with me and the photos are really blurry these days.  Having fun already with this piece!

Finishing Touches

Getting very near to finishing this painting, which my instructor calls "My breakthrough" piece.  It just needs some final details and varnish, so should be completed this week.  It is the first in a series of yet undertermined number, but the idea for the second in the series is underway. That's all for now, but I'll post the final image with the series name and a title for this particular piece soon! Thanks for checking in.

Transitional Journey

Showery

Not my usual bright, macro flower in realism, but after redecorating the guest bathroom, which is painted the same green in this piece I wanted a large abstract to compliment the colors of the towels and shower curtain.

This piece will face the large vanity mirror, and flanking each side of the mirror will be two small oils using the same colors, but maybe with a circle and spiral subject matter to connect to the pattern on the bathroom accessories.

This was done with little brush work, and mainly with a palette knife, on a canvas previously painted light gray. I used Gamblin Asphaltum for the bottom and center portions, mixed it with Winsor Newton Titanium White for the top portion, and the green stripe is Gamblin Permanent Green Deep mixed with a little Winsor Newton Phthalo Blue and a small amount of Gamblin Cadmium Yellow.