Split Mask, face close-up

Split Mask, 5'x5', mixed media on canvas. It is almost impossible to photograph either in daylight or with lights at night (the latter here) - the lines of the hair are dark like the shadows in the upper right, which are a charcoal grey-black, for instance. The photo is not too bad, but the painting is better weighted in reality. Yes, I've left a lot of canvas bare. It works.

Up top, a close-up.

Unfortunately, I had to spray the painting with a fine art fixative in my small apartment. It's too big to take outside easily, and there is snow, slush and salt everywhere. I opened the two small windows and had a fan. My chest hurt for quite awhile, but it's ok now. My pets hung out right by the open windows, wisely. The metal leaf is 85% copper and 15% zinc and will eventually oxidize unless sealed properly, which I have done since taking the photo. The sealant has evened out the lustre of the metal leaf to a flatter, brighter hue that, frankly, I'm not as in love with as the richer tones of the unsealed metal leaf. But, sealing it is very important, so that's that.

A coat of Gamvar tomorrow is the final stage. Oh, and two sides, which I am simply painting with gesso - I had picked up some 'Goldfinger' - a metallic substance in a tube that you can rub on frames to 'antique' them - to perhaps do the sides with, but decided that the hunk of gold with a little silver in the middle is like the luminist sun shining on a snowbank and ought to be the only gold in the painting.

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Split Mask, 3rd session, work-in-progress

Split Mask, 3rd session, work-in-progress, 2014, mixed media.

Since it's largely charcoal, I need to go out to try to find a fixative you can spray indoors. It's almost finished, though I'm not quite sure where I'm taking it (what I'm going to do next).


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Ink Sketch while reading Neil Gaiman's 'Ocean at the End of the Lane'

Ink Sketch while reading Neil Gaiman's 'Ocean at the End of the Lane,' Brenda Clews, 2013, 8" x 10", India ink, in a Premium C.D. Japanese Notebook (the paper is like silk).

There is a rough draft of a poem on the other page but I blurred it out.

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The Beautiful and the Damned - Who is Who?

I've begun a new journal and have been using graphite and charcoal powder. I particularly like this drawing. There is a synergy between the figures, who are together but not gazing at each other, that captivates me. And if you look closely, you, too, will see that it is simply not possible to decide Who is the Beautiful and Who is the Damned. Either could be either.

I loved the remnants of the powder I had smeared on to begin molding the faces in the paper, and so have included those earlier photos. The first one is of the finished drawing. There is a silvery-pewter quality to the drawing, the way the light catches that, that is hard to photograph, but I've done my best.

 Final.

 Final, detail.

 In-process.

In-process, detail.

Beautiful and Damned - Who Is Who? Brenda Clews, 2013, 16" x 10", graphite and ink, 

in a Premium C.D. Japanese Notebook (the paper is like silk).

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'For decisions and revisions'

'For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse,' a line from TS Eliot's, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," 2013, 8" x 10", graphite and ink, in a Premium C.D. Japanese Notebook (the paper is like silk).

Then Dean R. Vincent has offered an even better line, "And so it stays just at the edge of vision/a small unfocused blur, a standing chill/that slows each impulse down to indecision." Larkin, 'Aubade.'

As I built the figure, he looked very eery, but came more into form when I added some B pencil lines, also lilac pencil and then red ink.

The second photo I took with the drawing angled in the sun so you can see some of the texture.

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A Selection of Poempaintings' Art Show up at Q Space in Toronto until June 15th

'A Selection of Poempaintings' Art Show is still up at Q Space in Toronto until June 15th. Two people have shown interest in purchasing two of the paintings, which is nice whether anything crystallizes or not. Otherwise, I have received many wonderful compliments and overheard people saying, 'I really like these paintings,' without them knowing I am the artist, kind of lovely to then introduce myself. People have been taking cell phone pics, and sitting to read the 14 page Gallery Guide I created, which, again, is a bit overwhelming. I'm not used to such attention!

An artist who came to my Gallery Opening party said every piece "had integrity." He went on to explain that many artists discover a style and then keep doing it and that you can recognize their paintings because they are all very similar. He pointed to the walls, "Yours are all distinct, different from each other." I, who am not good with accepting compliments, especially ones like this, countered, "But they're all of a single figure, well, except that one, and that..." "Yes," he said, "But they are not virtually carbon copies of each other." And, you know, I worked very hard to ensure my show would have that variety, and yes, it was gratifying to encounter someone who remarked on it.

It's a beautiful Spring here in Toronto...

[If you would like to enquire about prices or purchase prints, please check out my Poempaintings Gallery at FineArt America.]

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'Mezzotints' (at FAA)

'Mezzotints' finally up. It's rained for days. I literally ran outside with 3 paintings when a bit of sun peeped through yesterday. Getting them up at FAA makes me search through my files and add the poetry to the description, which, in turn, gives me the full text for posting next to the painting when it's hung at Q Space on, jitters, Wednesday. So all's good!




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