"Lily Lake" By by 2010!

"Lily Lake" Oil on Hardboard  12" x 12"

Happy New Year!  It's time to jump into 2011 with both feet running. I completed another pointillism painting and took it to the framer before I realized I forgot to take a photograph of it. I went to Art Leaders Gallery and I tried to snap a pict there, but the lighting wasn't ideal for my camera. It's not the best photo, but it'll have to do for now. It really looks like I was inspired by Monet on this one. What do you think?

Art Leaders Gallery News!

Exciting news! I'm very happy to say I have two paintings in Art Leaders Gallery located at 
Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, Michigan. The gallery is on the second floor near Nordstroms. This is a wonderful space and a great opportunity for me to show and sell my recent painting efforts. Art Leaders has two locations, the other one is in West Bloomfield. I hope you can stop in and take a look at the artwork they have on display! For more information about Art Leaders Gallery, please click here.

"Brothers" Garbage Cans In Situ

"Brothers"  oil on museum stretched canvas   30" x 40" each

"Brothers" is the title of this collective group of three paintings, but each has an individual name if referring to them separately. (l to r) Garbage Can with Bananas, Garbage Can with Detroit Water Manhole Cover and Garbage Can with Rain Spout Pipe. These images of metal garbage cans were painted in a fashion derived from Andy Warhol's famous Campbell's Tomato Soup Can painting. The cans hang in the conference room at Golder Assoc., Inc. in MI. Golder is an environmental firm that commissioned this artwork and I think this triptych suits their office's need for a punch of color. I took this photo displaying these paintings In situ. In situ means situated in it's original place or in position. In the art world it means to represent artwork in it's most likely setting. Having these pieces hanging in this office is a great opportunity to spread a cheerful sense of color. Of course I'm partial, but I think they look great!

"Germany's Oldenburg Church"

Germany's Oldenburg Church, 48" x 48"  Oil on Canvas

This painting was created after a trip to northern Germany. It's a collage of things I loved and admired on that trip:  Oldenburg's St. Lamberti Church, train tracks, bridge over the Rhine River in Dusseldorf, the sun setting over a cool evening near Hamburg and my son's crossed leg with boot (lower right corner.)  It was my first attempt at creating a collage of images.  I tied them all together with the over-lay of circles. 

"Charcoal Portrait"

I apologize for not posting much lately. I haven't painted any oil paintings much because I've been painting walls & furniture for a home remodeling project. Painting is painting, but I have nothing new on canvas to share right now. The remodel should be done in a week or two. Here's a charcoal study from my past efforts to share. I like using charcoal with it's dark, rich blacks. Maybe it's time to start sketching again. I can think of several people to portray on paper. Especially my brother the ball player. I can visualize him now at the plate swinging the bat. Another idea to add to the project list!

"Red Flame Maple"

"Red Flame Maple"  18" x 24"  Oil on Canvas

I like trees, all kinds of trees, but especially Maple trees 

in the fall. The colors run from pale yellow to rich, deep 

crimson. The maple lined streets are a vision to behold. 

I'm awed by their brilliance. Red Flame Maples are a blend 

of bright orange-reds, warm pinks and golds. Just brilliant!
This painting kicks-off the turn to cooler weather in the 
Midwest and the parade of fall trees to come.

"Encore"

"Encore"  24" x 35"  Oil on Canvas

Concert goers have a distinct reaction when it comes to their favorite bands. Hands reach for the sky to convey their enjoyment and their faithful devotion to the band & the music. I think of arms in the air as standing ovations. Encouragement comes in many digit expressions! 

"The Stage"

"The Stage"   22" x 28"   Oil on Canvas

If you're an up-and-coming band, The Stage is where everyone aspires to be. Many opening bands try to win over the crowd before the featured band hits the stage.  And many do. This concert was in a slightly narrow, rectangular venue. People were close to one another, but it didn't seem to bother anyone. The place was hoppin' with excitement!

"The Pit" Sold

"The Pit"   24" x 36"   Oil on Canvas   SOLD

This crowd scene is another paintings from the Concert Series. The crowd is on the main floor in front of the stage, aka The Pit. I loved painting all these colorful people. You know them. They're your friends, your relatives, your neighbors, and when they're at a concert, it's magical! 

"Skully with Ear Armor"

"Skully with Ear Armor"  16" x 20"  Oil on Canvas

I was having a bit of fun with skulls, so I gave this one a mohawk and put some ear plugs in his ears. Ear plugs are a staple in our house. They've been dubbed, Ear Armor. They're taken to every concert to save our hearing. What'd you say? 

"Mohawk"

"Mohawk"  18" x 24"  Oil on Hardboard  SOLD

This is another painting from the Concert Series and it shows a mohawk that looked like it was coming right out of the top of his head. The spikes were approx. 4 to 5 inches tall, straight up. This back-side view represents the "chronic tall guy" who always stands in front of my husband at concerts. No matter where he stands the tallest man in the room perpetually takes the spot directly in front of him. We laugh at this fact every time it happens, which is extremely often!

"Mohawk Flame"

"Mohawk Flame"   22" x 27"  Oil on Hardboard

This Mohawked guy reminded me how hair can sometimes look like flames. His hairstyle was less rigged than some other mohawks I've admired. It had a carefree appeal.  Very cool or should I say red hot. 

"Shouting Mohawk"

"Shouting Mohawk"   24" x 21"  Oil on Hardboard

This painting is part of the Concert Series. This guy was up front, near the speakers at the NOFX concert at Royal Oak Music Theater. The spikes of his mohawk were very straight and flattened a bit. It gave me the impression of a Roman helmet. He was probably yelling, Encore, Encore!  

"Specs"

"Specs"   18" x 24"   Oil on Canvas

There is a great story behind this painting and I really hope I can do it justice. My husband, a Punk Rock music lover, took me to a NOFX concert at the Royal Oak Music Theatre a few years ago. I wasn't sure I was going to be as enthusiastic about this show as he was, but I decided I was going to soak up every bit of music and ambiance I could. Well, as it turned out, I loved the music, but I especially loved the atmosphere. There was so much high energy from the concert goers that I became fixated with people watching. I was enthralled with all the regalia and Mohawk haircuts at this event. They were so cool, so creative. Eye candy for the visual admirer!  The next day, I painted my expression of a Mohawk clad man that I saw.  That's how the Concert Series started. This concert goer, "Specs," had the glow of stage lights illuminating his superb Mohawk, beard & mustache. I treated the bald, muscular part of his skull in a fashion that reminded me of the flow of music. It wasn't until after this painting was hung in an exhibition that a viewer told me he thought I was inspired by the traditional Indian medicine belief of Chakras. Chakras are said to be rotating vortices of whirling fluid or air considered to be focal points for the reception and transmission of energies. Wow, unknowingly I was inspired!  Well, that's the story behind the start of the Concert Series.  For the next few days I'll share some work from that series. I hope you like them. If you're interested in purchasing one of these series pieces, please email me at dsgric@sbcglobal.net.

"Marley's Bar & Grill"

"Marley's Bar & Grill"  25" x 16"  Oil on Hardboard

This painting will never be for sale. I have very special memories associated with this painting that was done some 10 years ago. My sister-in-law and her husband owned Marley's Bar & Grill on Walnut St. in Manistique. It's in a really cool old building that I had wanted to capture on canvas the moment I saw the place. In the deep days of winter in the Upper Pennisula of Michigan I decided to paint it Plein Air. (Painting out-of-doors, on site, not in a studio.) Great idea, until it got a bit too cold, so I ended up painting from the back of my large Ford Van. My field easel worked out well when I condensed it to a table-top size and placed it in the back end of the van. When I couldn't take the cold one more minute, I went into Marley's and had hot cocoa, a snack or lunch. (They took such good care of me!) It turned out to be so much fun. Anyway, this is the product of that experience and the days I spent with my wonderful nieces and in-laws. The town has changed a bit over the years. Some of the stores aren't the same, but that's the beauty of this painting. It's a moment in time and I documented it. I also like this painting because I tried to paint this in the spirit of the Impressionist style. I don't usually create artwork in that style, but I had read a book on the Ashcan Artists of New York and I was inspired to try my hand at it. I think this has a mood of that 1900s era. Below is the book on the Ashcan Artists.

"Moonrise Over the Water"

"Moonrise Over the Water"  11" x 14"  Oil on Hardboard

Have you ever seen the moon when it's translucent?  So pale in it's appearance that you take a double take. Is it there or not. Or is it a water spot on the lens of your glasses. You wipe your glasses and look again. It's just hovering there hoping to be noticed, begging to be remembered. I created this painting to remind me of the haze of the day and the subtleness of the moon. See this painting hanging at the Raymond James office at 350 S. Main St., Suite 100 (at the corner of Williams St.) in Ann Arbor, MI, with a few of my other paintings until Friday, October 29th. 

"Tea Cup - Spring Green"

"Tea Cup - Spring Green"   6" x 6"   Oil on Hardboard

The color of this tea cup reminds me of Spring. It has a blue-green cast to it and that reminds me of new buds on trees and pale green grass. I've always thought of this shade of green as Spring Green. 

This demitasse cup was made by Royal Copenhagen Denmark. 

"Tea Cup - Sunflower Yellow"

"Tea Cup - Sunflower Yellow"  6" x 6"  Oil on Hardboard

This is a Demitasse, a small coffee cup. The word Demitasse is of French origin and literally means half-cup. This small cup & saucer was my mother's and is very special to me. On the bottom of the cup it says, Royal Copenhagen Denmark  # 976/ 9535/ EX.  I believe the 976 means this cup was number 976 made out of 9,535 total.  I guess that means it's not very valuable, but I love it just the same. I have another cup, identical in every way, except it's green.  If I finish painting it today, I'll post it tomorrow. Till then, pass the cream & sugar please!

"Tea Cup - Cherries Jubilee"

"Tea Cup - Cherries Jubilee"  6" x 6"  Oil on Hardboard

I'm back from a fantastic trip to Boston, Mass. This year has been a whirlwind of travel. I've visited more states this year than I've ever visited before. This trip was especially fun! We went to a special event at Fenway Park (home of the Red Sox); saw Paul Revere's house (did you know he had 16 kids!); saw some old headstones at the Old Granary Burial Ground Cemetery (John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Paul Revere are there); walked through the Boston Commons (a park with Swan boats & a Frog Pond); visited the Boston Museum of Fine Art; ate seafood at The Union Oyster House; and attended a conference. Yep, I'm livin' the life thanks to the cruise director! Bless him!

Well, it's back to painting. In honor of the Boston Tea Party, here's another piece in the Tea Cup series. This fine china is strikingly beautiful. It has an opalescent surface where the cherry design is painted and it has gold on the handle, rim & lip. Truly a treasure! 

"Flying V"

"Flying  V"  16" x 20"  Oil on Canvas

Let me tell you about this painting! My nephew, a guitar 

playing genius, came for a visit. I talked him into picking 

up a paint brush and taking a stab at painting. That's how 

this artwork started. Tyler painted the guitars and the word 

"Flying" for the type of the guitars, Flying V. Then he had 

to go home, so I asked him if I could paint on it. The artwork 

was now a collaboration! Taking Tyler's lead, I added a guitar 

neck with frets, the letter "T" to stand for his name and the 

guitar player. I was inspired to use an elongated figure with 

a downward tilt to the head and shades of blue by Pablo 

Picasso's The Old Guitarist. The result melded two visions, 

two guitars and two styles. I signed it with both our names 

at the bottom. It was a great combination of efforts I'd 

gladly do again. To see my inspiration, here's Picasso's 

painting from 1903 below. 

"Organic Teapot"

"Organic Teapot"  Fired Potter's Clay & Glaze  9" x 14"

Even though I've channeled my artistic attempts to painting, 

I've dabbled in other areas too, such as pottery. The teapot 

in the photo shown here is from an exhibition I had at Jean 

Paul Slusser Gallery in Ann Arbor, MI. It's one of my favorite 

pieces. It forms an almost mudslide effect, quite organic, 

hence the title. If I was asked to have an art show of only 

artwork that best defines me as an artist, this teapot would 

be included in that show. Should I write this down so the 

curator of my posthumous exhibition will include it? 

"Church Goat"

"Church Goat"  16" x 20"  Oil Monotype on Paper

Inspiration sometimes comes from seeing other artist's 

works. This painting is the reflection of my time spent 
admiring paintings by Marc Chagall.  Included in my 
imagery; a Duomo (Italian Cathedral), a Basilica (Roman 
Political Building), a Goat, the Moon, and an Olive Tree 
blowing in the breeze. All these juxtaposing images were 
influenced by an art exhibition I saw in Florence, Italy 
featuring Marc Chagall's paintings. His playfulness 
emphasized a positive quality. One that I really wanted 
to try to emulate. Whether I achieved that or not, 

I surely had fun.  

"Flower Boxes"

"Flower Boxes"  16" x 20"  Oil on Canvas

Today, I'm sharing a painting I finished a while ago. 

One January, I was experiencing a bit of painter's block. 

I blamed it on the gloomy weather of the Midwest in 

January as the culprit. I decided to paint a flower a 

day for 16 days to see if I could get back on track and 

it worked! During the painting process, I became 

acutely aware of how my style changed from day to 

day while I was painting. A few flowers are fast and 

loose, some are bold, while others are tight and fussy. 

It was a good exercise and I learned a lot about my 

painted expressions on canvas. 

"Attic Windows"

"Attic Windows"  Oil/Canvas Weaving  28" x 48"   Sold

I spent yesterday afternoon with two wonderful artists, 
Katherine and Barbara. There's something about sharing 
artwork and discussing ideas with fellow artists that urges 
you to stretch your skills and pick up your paint brushes 
as soon as they pull out of your driveway. These two 
talented women gave me the gift of their "first reaction" 
when they viewed my work. The first reaction is always 
the best. Good or bad, it's honest and very revealing. 
Thank you ladies! 
The painting above is "Attic Windows." It's a painted 
canvas weaving inspired by a very old quilting pattern 
called Attic Window. This 3-dimensional presentation 
has lots of nooks & crannies. I especially like the 
movement of the colors.

"Tea Rose Tea Cup"

"Tea Rose Tea Cup"  8" x 8"  Oil on Hardboard

I'm painting a few tea cups while the paint dries on a few of the larger paintings I'm working on.  I borrowed some fabulous tea cups from my sister-in-law.  I think they're family heirlooms.  They are delicate and of the finest china.  Just beautiful!  I love tea.  All different kinds.  These tea cups just enhance the tea time experience.

"Peachi"

"Peachi"    5" x 5"   Oil on Wood

At this time of year, the fruits at Costco are fantastic!  

Last week I bought peaches and they were outstanding. 

Today I went back and bought organic strawberries. If 

they don't get eaten immediately, I'm going to paint one. 

Next trip, I'm buying plums!

"Who You Lookin' At?"

"Who You Lookin' At?"  12" x 12"   Oil on Hardboard

Having a bit of portrait fun. Full of thick paint, this fast 

sketch conveys a question. Can't you just hear it now, 

"What?"  Capturing an attitude with a quick brush stroke was my objective.  His posture and temperament of the moment speaks to me.  I might tweak a few edges here or there, but overall, I like it. 

Waiting for Paint to Dry

Rooftops - Houses of Ann Arbor  22" x 28"  Oil on Canvas

Yesterday, while waiting for paint to dry, I went to Ann Arbor. 
I have one painting in the WORK Gallery on 306 S. State Street 
in downtown Ann Arbor. It's a really nice gallery and I'm happy 
to be included in this show. See my post of June 13th for more 
details of the show. There's another event going on in A2, the 
Art Fair. In walking around the fair, I observed one thing that 
stood out to me, frames. The way some artwork was framed, 
well, it was fantastic. This one person had carved frames like 
I haven't seen since visiting the Duomos of Italy. Highly ornate 
and works of art in themselves. Other frames were like shadow 
boxes, some were industrial looking with nuts and bolts, and 
some had very wide frames surrounding a very small painting. 
They were impressive and as we all know, a frame can make 
or break a painting. I make my own frames. I always thought 
a plain wooden frame complemented the artwork. I may have 
to re-think this stance. 

"Bird's Nest with Feather" In Progress

I have many works in progress. Ashamed as I am to
say  so, I have many works unfinished. I'm working
steadily, but of course, everything worthwhile takes
time. The above 'In Progress' painting is #7 of the
Bird's Nest Series that I'm trying to complete. I hope
to finish it within a day or two.

"Bird's Nest with Bird Names in Black & White"

"Bird's Nest with Bird Names in Black & White"  12" x 12"  
Oil on Hardboard, #5 in the Series of Bird's Nests

Yesterday I studied and stared at this unfinished painting, 
then I jumped in and finished it. That was my goal for the 
day; complete this painting. I used a deep, rich blue-black 
in it's many degrees of gray, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  
When I finished, I asked myself, "What part of me is in this 
painting?" That was easy to answer, the names of the birds 
that surround and form the nest speaks of my interest in 
words and categorizing letters, fonts, etymology, groupings 
of words and collections of names. The nest rests on pine 
branches that demonstrates where the nest was found. 
I love the outcome, hope you do too. 

What part of you is in this work?

I've been watching a new TV show on Bravo, called Work of Art: The Next Great Artist.  It's a reality show competition/game that pits visual artists against each other to create winning works of art. The artist's works are okay, but they have such a short time to produce anything worthwhile that I'm finding the end products are not the 'Wow' factor I was hoping to see. What I am interested in, are the judges comments. One judge asked a contestant, "What part of you is in this work?"  That question really got me thinking about my work and what part of my personality is in my work. What do I reveal about myself to those who view my work and do they see my message? Does art have to inspire and ignite the viewer or just delight and gratify them as they bask on it's presence?  Is the image they see more important than the way the image is portrayed?  What's my point of view?  How can I grow as an artist now that I've pondered these questions. Here's my conclusion, I've decided that the context of my images need to say more than they are presently. Development of the subject matter before it hits the canvas is my new strategy.  Say something, tell a story, speak from that creative side with a visual language.  I'm reminded of Thomas A. Edison who said, "What you are will show in what you do."  Good words to remember and put into practice.  Where's my next fresh canvas?

"Lady at the Lake"

"Lady at the Lake"  Mixed Media Collage  20" x 26"

Today I'm sharing an older work that I'm very partial to. 

I remember the day I worked on it and the pleasure it 

gave me to create it. Some of my early works, albeit 

unpolished in terms of skill, are my favorites. I don't 

want to ever part with them. This mixed media collage 

of fractured shapes is one of those special pieces. I 

liked this image so much that I've created it in a bunch 

of different mediums including, oil, acrylic, fabric, 

mixed media and watercolor. It's good to remember 

your beginnings. Reflection helps you to see where 

you're going and why. 

"Seed Pod"

Today's photo was painted last year. It's a 4" x 4" painting in

 acrylic on hardwood in shades of gray. It's called, Seed Pod.  

In sharing this older work, I hope to delay the reveal of my 

current efforts that aren't quite ready. You see, I've been 

examining my work with "critical eyes" lately and I believe 

it's time for some change. Real change. So, I'm giving it a 

whirl. A serious whirl. I hope to see some improvement. 

(I'm my own worst critic.)  I've gone to the extreme of 

painting the same painting several times just to try a few 

new approaches with color, brush stroke and texture 

application. They may be ready to share soon, unless 

they finish up horribly. In that case, you won't see them 

at all.  Sorry.  In the meantime, I'll continue to post 

older paintings I think you'll enjoy seeing.

"Waves at Moonlight"

"Waves at Moonlight"  11" x  14"  Oil on Hardboard

I loved my vacation and I loved the water. Sunset wasn't until 10 PM. It was great. The waves at night were very dramatic. The painting above is my 3rd attempt at trying to paint waves. I'm enjoying the process, but I still have far to go. I wanted to capture the texture of the waves in this photo and in doing so, the sky's a bit on the pale side. It's still very close to the painting's colors.


If you're interested in purchasing this painting, please contact Dawn Sgriccia at dsgric@sbcglobal.net for more information.

Vacations are Great!

Our 4th of July get-away was great!  Plenty of sun and waves. We had everything... all our family together, great food, great weather and lots of laughs. This was the highlight of my summer!  Well, back to painting mode and finishing up those pieces in progress. Good-by sand and gulls till next time!   

"Grand Canyon"

"Grand Canyon"  23" x 30"  Oil on Hardwood

I'm currently painting some new pieces that I'll post soon. In the meantime, here is a painting I finished some time ago. It's a palette knife surface with lots of movement and there's that bold color selection again!  

You know that "to do list" of places you have to visit before you die. Well, the Grand Canyon was on my list. So, check. That's done!  Hummm, next trip on the list, Alaska!

"Gallup Park - Plein Air Sketch"

"Gallup Park - Plein Air Sketch,"   11" x 14"   Oil on Hardwood

I'm not a great photographer, but I try. Above is one of my photographic attempts. I can't keep asking my daughter Jill, 

a professional photographer with Up the Hill Photography 

to keep taking photos for me. (Check out her fabulous photos in her website and blog.) Taking photos of oil paintings can be a bit tricky especially the paintings that have been vanished with a glossy finish. Don't even attempt to use a flash. The varnish reflects the light and turns the photo white. I've been taking snaps using subdued light from two and three different angles without the camera flash engaged. It works fairly well, but I'm always concerned about the color and clarity of the snap. I use a digital camera. Once uploaded, the camera colors are converted to the color configuration on the computer screen. So as you can imagine, many factors contribute to the final look. I'm getting better with every photo I take, but some days, it helps to have a great photographer in the family!

"Beach Girl with Hat"

 "Beach Girl with Hat"  

24" x 30"   Oil on Canvas

Starting July 1st, Oakwood Hospital's Southshore Gallery in Dearborn, is displaying my paintings for two months. There are a variety of pieces including a few landscapes, portraits and some abstractions. The common threads that run through my artwork are color & surface. I use color to express emotion and I apply paint to the surface to express energy. When these threads are pulled together, my canvas becomes a playground for expression. "Beach Girl with Hat" is one of those paintings that the color really makes me smile. I hope my artwork makes patients & visitors to the hospital smile too.

Silent Auction of "Water Lilies on the Pond"

ESD's Silent Auction

If you remember my last blog post, I donated a painting for a silent auction to benefit the wonderful organization of the Engineering Society of Detroit. They had a fabulous turnout at their Annual Meeting and my painting sold to a terrific lady!  As you can see in the photo, the ESD really highlighted my work. It's like... 20 ft. high!  Wow!  I'm honored by their awesome promotion of this painting and I want to thank Jennifer, Darlene, Tim, Dave, Della, Cathy, Ron, Linda, Brenda, Todd, Fran, Jim and Leslie who supported my contribution.