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CLOUD CAT
"Q"
Ted Grussing is a glider pilot, and he and his wife Corky have named their lovely black cats after the clouds they chase through the Arizona skies in their Lambada glider. This is CUMULONIMBUS, or "Q" for short. He has the most expressive golden eyes, and they often reflect his playful, mischievious nature. Just as often they become like liquid molten metal as they soften into the reflection of his visable adoration of Corky and Ted.
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CLOUD CAT
"NIMBUS"
Beautiful NIMBUS, his blue-green eyes a perfect reflection of the outdoors he loved. To keep him safe, Ted accompanied him on his daily excursions and hunting trips into the wilds of the Village of Oak Creek. Sadly, he did not fare well in a meeting with LO, our resident bobcat. Nimbus was well loved and is sorely missed, but we like to think he had to go on so that Q could have a chance at life. Farewell, good friend...this painting is a memory of you.
Acrylic 11" x 14"
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INKY
My first watercolor...image size 8"x10".
I had never painted anything except my wood carvings, and I attended a watercolor demo with a friend. At the conclusion of the session, we were given 5 tubes of paint, 3 brushes, 2 sheets of watercolor paper and told to "go forth and paint something." My model was my daughter Norie's ornery black cat, INKY. I was pleased with my effort and had prints made, which have been successful sellers wherever they are displayed. It seems everybody has a cat that looks just like this, and many of those pets are not even black. Go figure...
My sister, Mary, my framer, generously uses layers of mats and spacers and cuts the mat next to the image so INKY appears to be looking out through a mousehole...from a mouse's-eye
view.
"Jan, I love him, he looks just like my cat! It's hard..."
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DANCE OF THE AGES
This is a large acryllic canvas--4'x3', and I painted it specially for my studio in Sedona, where I wanted energy and frollicing colors to reflect the vivid red rocks and blue skies just outside my doors. The dancer displays no ethnicity, and the two moons and the meteors keep it from having a specific place or even a time.
I painted it largely with big brushes, palette knives, and with a tremendous amount of joy.
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DAISEYS FOR ME DARLIN'
The kitchen remodel was so stressful, and we were in a mess for so long! The good news was that it inspired me to do new artwork for my newly painted walls. This is a 12"x16" watercolor. As you can see, I don't do "loose" watery flowers, but I think I may be getting close to finding my "style." Mary's creative framing on this one--1/4" black mat against the painting, 3" burnt sienna mat, and a wide antique gold frame-- makes it really an eye-catcher!
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SONORAN PRICKLY PEAR
When this sub-species of the Prickly Pear cactus is subjected to stress, such as heat, cold, or lack of sufficient water, it turns a beautiful pinkish-purple color. I love the contrast of the cool "paddles" with the warm bright yellows and reds of the blossoms. These cacti grow in the Sonora Desert and are a common sight around the high desert of Sedona. This watercolor is approximately 14"x22".
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JAY MAC
When we first moved to Sedona, I was awe struck with the vibrant color in everything...the red rocks, blue skies, and brilliant greens and colors of the grass and flowers of the high desert. My work had always been done in the subdued, camouflage colors and excruciating detail of the birds I carved. I loved the bright, bold abstracts and experimented with using them as a background for my more detailed style. Here is a portrait of JAY MAC, a cowboy friend of ours.
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MY MODEL
This is one of the photographs of JAY MAC that I took and worked from. I think, perhaps, he is a little more rugged than is depicted in my portrait.
A real hunk...huh?
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ABSTRACT ALA POLLACK
We saw the film, "Pollack," and Tom was convinced I could do every bit as well. He found me a couple of stretched canvasses, this 18"x24" piece of masonite, and told me to have fun. It really isn't as easy as it would seem to do this technique in colors and dribbles that don't look like a train wreck. My sister Mary, a talented framer, framed this, then mounted the framed piece on a large green suede mat framed with a slightly larger version of the same black frame. It really is a dramatic piece hanging on a wall! It's always fun to answer questions about it!
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PRICKLY PEAR ABSTRACT
Prickly Pears again...this time in a large canvas, 54"x26". I was still experimenting with combining the abstract with my very intricate style, and I painted it for my parents. They were "snowbirds" in Arizona for 25 years and loved the desert, especially the cacti. Surprisingly, my Dad became a big fan of abstracts when he was in his eighties. Later, they down-sized from their big home and there was no place for this large painting, so I brought it home to Sedona. I love the colors, reminiscent of the dawn of a summer day in the desert.
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