modifications to "momoyama" and "celebration L" /  by Philip Tarlow

celebration I 14x18” as it looked at the end of my painting day today

2:17 PM: momoyama, 24x26” was last worked about a month ago, on january 1. since then it’s been visible in my studio, either hanging on the wall or sitting on the floor face out.

it was calling for something to balance the two roughly sketched figures on the yellow ground. with bits of previous paintings peeking through.

so this morning i introduced my plaid shirted walking figure, along with a collaged piece of white paper with a series of marks, a piece of a houston map and a red border. it appears to be coming into it’s own, but it’s not there yet.

in addition, i did quite a bit more to celebration I, where i also collaged a piece of the houston map, white drawing paper with a gestural drawing in ink and added a red border.

momoyama 24x26” at the end of my painting day today

further work on celebration I & III /  by Philip Tarlow

BELOW: THE CELEBRATION SERIES THUS FAR.

12:53 PM: i made some reifnements to celebration I and took the next step withthe new celebration III.

continued work on celebration I & II /  by Philip Tarlow

ABOVE: celebration I & II, 14x18” following today’s work

2:12 PM: there was too much black in the last version, so i rubbed whatever i could out and then painted into it. i’m not done yet, but i think they’re already far more compelling than they were. they work so well together, i’m considering making them the front & back covers of the little book i’m planning on putting together for my april exhibition in houston.

starting “celebration LLL / continued work on “celebration L & LL / re-visiting "long narrow" 20x80" /  by Philip Tarlow

celebration III, 14x18” oil on linen as it looked moments ago

3:05 PM: so now that i finished today’s rework on celebration I & II, i started celebration III, which is 14x18” oil on portrait linen, like the other two. it strated out with drawings of the drummers, which got wiped, leaving the kinds of traces and remnants of marks & activity that turn me on!

one of the guys celebrating the end of the 2021 olympics is wearing his black & white checkered trousers, pink checkered shoes and holding a red rope, not yet completely visible at this early stage of development. to his left are sketches of visitors to the acropolis museum in athens, checking out the exhibits and talking amongst themselves.

these are all members, as i have shred before, of my growing menagerie of characters, mostly viewed from above (not the guy with the checkered trousers) and searching for their connection to one another, having been unexpectedly thrown onto a canvas, not knowing where they’re headed next.!

celebration I 14x18” at 2pm

celebration II 14x18” at 2pm

2:02 PM: i continued work on celebration I & II this afternoon. both are bathed in graphite grey, so that the figures pop.

10:52 AM: today i’m taking a closer look at this one, titled simply long narrow, because both mikela and i feel it’s one of the best in the series. so i’m examining what it is that makes it stand out.

BELOW: 3 details of the painting

celebration L & LL, renewed /  by Philip Tarlow

BELOW: CELEBRATION I & II (left & right repectively) at the end of my painting day today

2:39 PM: i did more work on celebration I & II this afternoon. i think i’ll go on to a new one so i don’t overwork them.

celebration II, 14x18” oil on linen, following this morning’s revisions

11:45 AM: this morning i brough fresh energy to celebration II (previously 14x18” canvas II). yesterday i had painted over it and regreted it, so i wiped out what i had done. along with what i had painted over it, i also wiped out some of the elements from the original. so this morning, i re-painted them and added a few new elements, such as the blue rectangular shapes on the lower left; the green garment beneath the pink jacket of the figure on the upper rightand the yellow garment on the fiugre doing a handstand.

it’s singing it’s song now, so i’m going to let it be.

14x18" canvas I & II /  by Philip Tarlow

i painted over both of these today, and then rubbed it all out. it sucked! so here’s how they look and i’ll do more tomorrow and get them back.

14x18" canvas ii day 2 / matcha tea /  by Philip Tarlow

14x18” canvas II as it looked following today’s work.

2:28 PM: in my unusual way of working; skitting about the studio, looking at a bit of matisse; preparing some yoghurt, bananas & berries; reading dimitri’s proposal for an exhibition with works of mine that are inspired by theatre or novels, such as the illustrations i did years ago for karagatsi’s book, sergios and vakhos, ….i took 14x18” canvas II to the next stage.

if you haven’t tried it, you should consider it. here’s an article that talks about the benefits: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-benefits-of-matcha-tea

and here’s a quote from a guy who got some on Amazon.com

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent

Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2023

Flavor Name: Culinary Grade (Pouch)Size: 3.53 Ounce (Pack of 1)Verified Purchase

If you don’t drink Matcha then please start now.
This Japanese Matcha is the best quality that I’ve found for taste, mixability, purity and value.

It’s not cheap and that’s because it’s not cheap! And have you researched what this can do for your body and overall health?

I believe in this as a superfood that has increased my body’s livelihood.
I’ve experienced weight loss, increased energy and focus, a kickstarted metabolism, thicker stronger hair, improved cholesterol and numbers on my annual labs, and I have actually grown to love the taste on its own or mixed with other flavors for richness.

I boil my water in a tea kettle, I shake in a cinnamon/sugar mixture from the grocery store, add some honey and some whole milk or unflavored kefir (another superfood which I make at home), sometimes a scoop of coconut flavored or unflavored collagen peptides, and whisk them together with a frother. And voila! I’m sipping on this delectable concoction every morning and alkalizing my body instead of acidifying it from coffee.
The caffeine content is maybe 1/10 that of coffee so if I need more of that I take a caffeine pill on rare occasion.

I drink Japanese Matcha for the absurd health benefits that I get, not for the short lived buzz of coffee which gives me stomach issues.
Try something new and get off that coffee!

14x18" canvas II /  by Philip Tarlow

14x18” #2 following last minute changes moments ago

2:54 PM: last minute changes just before walking out the door!

14x18” #2 as it looked just now, at the end of my painting day.

2:35 PM: that’s it for today; we’re about to take our afternoon trail walk, after many days when it was too cold or windy! here’s where 14x18” 2 is at….needs more work tomorrow, perhaps simplification…

1:00 PM: i’m leaving #1 as it was at the end of day yesterday, and have started #2. here’s how it looked at 1pm.

continued work on "the drummer" /  by Philip Tarlow

the drummer, 37x35” oil on linen as it looked at 2pm today, following considerable work

2:23 PM: i made a total mess of the drummer yesterday, so i cleaned off everything i had done and started fresh, with the painting as it was the last time i worked on it, december 27.

we now see the drummer once again, as well as the full length of the tree branch traversing the composition and the influences from the art of the japanese momyama period. i didn’t touch the skateboarder, who is now surrounded by white. i’m going to sit with it until tomorrow and see how it feels.