In other words, I’m just doing one show this year (this coming weekend June 21-23 in Lake Oswego, Oregon). I know, it’s a narrow window to get a look at this year’s new works. Although I would dearly love to do more shows, we’ll have to make the best of this one. Here’s why.
Following a practice where it leads can be surprising, as in, tossing up challenges you didn’t anticipate. In my case, I’ve felt a strong urge to create larger works to convey this sense of immersion and “being present” that I’m after in my paintings. Following this impulse, I’m working generally larger, which takes longer and results in fewer overall works.
Although I believe iteration is essential to growth, I’m also finding this approach of creating fewer, larger works is teaching me a great deal (reminder: never hold too tightly to your beliefs about what you should or should not be doing in art). For now, I’m enjoying the process and appreciating what emerges. Have a look and let me know what you think.
Larger paintings also have more impact in person. They must be seen to be truly appreciated, and to be seen they must be shown. Showing work is a big effort, however, and only makes sense to pursue if you have a large enough body of work to present. Which leads me to the next unexpected challenge: having enough inventory for multiple shows.
This is a wonderful challenge to face, and I am so incredibly grateful to you, my collectors, for making it possible to pursue this vision of beauty. As you know, I give to each painting whatever it requires of me. So, whatever results from my practice, be it a little or a lot, that is what it will be. I never anticipated I would be selling faster than I can produce, but it seems this has nearly caught up to me, under the circumstances.
In addition, I’ve been making time for more commissioned works, which I’ve greatly enjoyed. And of course that means painting fewer personal works that will be shown publicly. Which I also greatly enjoy. See what I mean? Tradeoffs everywhere! Finding this balance is part of what I’m learning this year.
It turns out that painting larger works also demands a workspace capable of handling the scale of materials required. I’ve been making do, but have reached a tipping point in my growth as an artist (and in the capacity of my living space). Shall I continue to make do, or shall I evolve my working conditions and see where it leads?
I try to avoid statements about what an artist is or is not; I believe everyone who pursues the desire to create art is an artist. For me personally, one defining aspect of practicing art is to keep leaning into what emerges. Ergo, I have begun the process of finding and/or building a space that will allow me to create larger works with greater freedom and focus. Suffice it to say it’s a multi-step process and - this year anyway - has involved a lot of hard work that has taken time away from my practice itself. But it’s all towards the larger goal, so I’m keeping after it.
All that to say, I have five new, large paintings to share with you right now. These are fresh off the easel since December 2023. As Insider List subscribers, this is your special preview until the public release. The paintings will be released for sale to the general public on Friday, June 21 at the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts. The show is three days (Friday through Sunday) and the weather looks great. I’d love to see you there!
There’s much more I’d like to be sharing with you in these journal entries, and much that I still need to process myself. For now, given the around-the-clock nature of life, I look forward to processing some of that with you in person.
Steens Mountain Sky by Robin Hostick, 32 x 64 in.
Well, one nugget I’ll share. Reflecting on these new paintings, over the past few months I’ve been further exploring space, depth and atmosphere - essential but elusive qualities of place. In my thinking, these are “meta-qualities” of light, color, patterns, etc., meaning they emerge from them. By focusing on the meta-qualities in a larger format (i.e. experimenting with how to further them, in two dimensions using color and value), I’m finding more room to see and explore what makes a special place (and a special moment) come to life.
By the way, speaking of meta-qualities and special places, a few weeks ago I had the great pleasure of visiting Ghost Ranch and Abiquiu, New Mexico, where Georgia O’Keefe pursued her work later in life. We toured her home and studio and hiked for miles across the stunning mesa landscape. Her way of blending of lifestyle and art, in total immersion, was an inspiration to see first hand.
I was also surprised to learn that she moved to New Mexico in her early sixties and continued creating artwork until she passed away at the age of 99. It’s a good reminder that new horizons and inspiration can unfold at all stages in life.
The time we spent in Santa Fe, Taos and elsewhere in New Mexico was, simply put, artistically rich. It reinforced my confidence, my practice, and my commitment to blur the lines between art and life.
May your summer be off to a beautiful start, and please keep in touch. I do enjoy hearing from you.
Courtyard at Georgia O’Keefe’s home in Abiquiu, NM
