Friday, April 24, 2009

German Lumpy is Loompy


Lumpy walks across the German fields and into my painting. He is a midsize dog living in Bad Liebenstein, Germany. His name in German and in my memory is pronounced Loompy. I always find it helpful to know how to pronounce names even when I read them silently to myself. Maybe that is from years of reading aloud as a mom or librarian. Well, regardless, I am working on pieces for the June gallery show in Sanford. We need new work to exhibit. No pressure, to create and be fresh and original. So I started a painting using a photo I took of Lumpy. He is my model, since I don't want to be anatomically correct, I have taken artistic license and given him a sex change. I was going to put a quote I find hilarious on the top of the painting, I guess this becomes an illustration at that point, does it? The quote by Groucho Marx is "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." As you can see I tend to fill every inch of my pieces with detail. An empty space seems lacking. So here I am on the verge of filling every square inch with pattern or letters or something when an artist friend says,"that is a good painting as it is." Oh no terror in my heart, stop painting, no fill space, stop painting, no fill space with somebody else's witticisms. This artist's dilemma.

7 comments:

  1. I love Loompy! I also love the creative license to give him a sex change! Ha!
    Have you seen the Illustrated Elements of Style? Yes, the age-old text on how to write correctly has been issued with illustrations by Maira Kalman. I mention it because of your reference to humorous quotes. Check it out. You'll be glad you did.

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  2. That quote from Groucho Marx is one of my favorites! I used to have it on a mug.

    I like the paintings with all the spaces filled. The variety of textures is pleasing.

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  3. Hmmm? I posted a comment to your blog yesterday but I see it did not show up. I ADORE your paintings! They are so whimsical and colorful and FUN!

    Fellow blogger,
    Barbara Techel

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  4. Loved the paintings so much that I almost forgot to read the post! It too was fun.
    Marge Bennett

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  5. Your works are so whimsical, colourful and fun. A real treat for the eye.
    I like the quote from Groucho Marx too!
    tee hee
    Kim Bennett

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  6. Hi Beth (Denise from Colorado here),

    Your paintings are fun to look at. Hey, pattern worked for Matisse! I say stick with it if that's what makes you feel good. I like all the pattern.

    I'm with you on pronunciations. I read all the Harry Potter books to my kids - twice - and didn't know until I saw the movies that I was pronouncing Hagrid all wrong! I was saying HAY-grid.

    About the artistic neutering, that cracks me up. When my kids were little they said they'd never get a male dog. TMI, you know...

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  7. Beth,

    I love you r animal portraits! Loompy is especially wonderful. Great color, great use of space - pattern or not.

    And I love your writing style. :)

    Fellow blogger,

    Marilyn

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