Wild Daisies Plucked From a Concrete Curb.

     Last Spring as I was driving around town on a beautiful night just south of where I lived, I noticed a small bunch of wild daisies sprouting out of the side of a curb, as I was stopped at a traffic light.  As soon as the green light gave me the signal I was on my way again as I took a left down the next road to wherever it was I was going; then it occurred to me, the path I was on wasn't a definite one, so: "why not turn around and bring those daisies home and put them to use, they were fine where they were, and since they were growing on a curb out into a public street, they weren't technically anyone's property.
    
       Nonetheless, I pulled up quickly to the curb, jumped out with my scissor already in hand and with a couple of forceful and swift snips, they were in my possession and I quickly got into my car, placing them carefully in the passenger seat as if they were my newly welcomed guests!
   
       I place them in water that night as soon as I got home, I had not a real vase so I use the next best thing and place them in a red drinking container, that I got from my bank as an apology for a mistake I'd brought to their attention; It worked out for the best as this deep interesting red went nicely with my curbside Daisies.  So the next few days these flowers were put to good use up until they ran out of life, and as you can see below they do still exist.  These 5 Still Life are what I produced, and one photograph I took to document their existence as they really looked as a reference.

 These photos are in chronological order, the mediums I use are a range of Gouache, pastel, oil pastel, pencil/graphite and watercolors..all 11x14 in size.

The next two images are a bonus as they are abstract, and possibly the last one a type of self portrait, in reaction if you will from the fury as to which the 5 Still Lifes I painted:

2 Acrylic Still Lifes by CT Rasmuss

              22x24" acrylic by ctrasmuss

16x20" acrylic by ctrasmuss

The above two works of art, that I've recently finished are in their final states as far as I'm concerned; I'm quite satisfied with their outcomes...especially the backgrounds I created around them!
  In this short blog, I've also included some of the notes and previous stages of these paintings below:

Artist Process: 'White Rose', Demo turned into a Work of Art.

'White Rose'  C.T. Rasmuss, acrylic - 14"x 18" (2015).

I hope you like what you see here!!!

 I meant to post this a few months back when I actually finished this painting after 3 short sittings.  I started it as a demo to a student of mine, during a 2 hour beginner class.  After the class I put it away for about week or so, until I took another look.  In order to establish artist process, you can see the original for yourself, which I've posted below...as finished in the class I taught:

"'White Rose' - 1st composition"   C.T. Rasmuss, acrylic - 14"x 18" (2015). 

You'll notice, all I did was add more layers, detail and mostly plenty of texture to my favorite part of the finished painting:  it's Blue vase!

This entire composition and floral was taken mostly from the top of my head, and partly from a few imitation silk florals that I pieced together for my student's lesson.  Upon reviewing the original condition of the Still life, my girlfriend agreed and convinced me that it was worth finishing; two sittings later I ended up with what you see in the 1st photo.

I also took a snapshot of the 2nd sitting, but had since then lost it somewhere.  Anyways, once I was convinced that I could do no more harm, the foreground & vase calmly found a place into my heart; so I framed it and a few weeks later was able to find it a new home in June.

Most importantly here, it wasn't the fact that I sold it to confirm the painting was absolutely finished, but it was purely artist's intuition I must say; and I stand by my work!!  I hope this helps you with any of your still-life painting's in question, new or old.

Carpe Diem; Daffodils and Paintcans by C.T. Rasmuss

Daffodils & Paint-cans  C.T. Rasmuss, pastels (April 2014).

 

When spring hits and wildflowers start blossoming in your yard, "seize the moment" I say, as I did and you can see in my still-life!  You may already know, if your a regular follower of my blogs; that to me spring is official when I see these brightly colored yellow Daffodils pop up all over my city (Cincinnati, OH).

 

Usually, I first notice them at my work in a vast quantity, but this year they surprised me at my new place, that I had moved into last spring; apparently after they disappeared since I didn't noticed them there last year.

 

 

photo by C.T. Rasmuss

 

So this year I picked flowers out of my very own yard (a first for me), placed them in a vase (well a makeshift vase- tall glass) and displayed their fleeting beauty in my kitchen.  As I starred at them for awhile, a good idea for a composition popped into my artist head! 

 

It was pretty close to what you see here, except for the substitution of Paint cans, paintbrushes/stirs, a couple pairs and a clove of garlic. 

 

And voi lah! a true and genuine still-life of the 21st century, it stands for "seizing life as we live it!", these flowers are gone by a  few days now, but the memory I have of them and my utilizing their mortal beauty, remains accounted for on paper; in graphite and pastel, in the way of the old masters and I'm proud of it, as much as anything I've done so far in my life.

 

 

 

 

 









 

 



Jackson Pollock Still Life Museum

Jackson Pollock Still Life Museum  C.T. Rasmuss, oil/acrylic/enamel (March 2014).

I'm afraid for my future...afraid like everyone else to some point; But I'm particularly afraid of the painterly(set of ideals) path that I'm headed down, one not only less traveled, but hardly traveled if at all!!  The Jackson Method I've come to know it as, and I plan on continuing well into it; and along with it everything I've been doing for the 1st decade, bringing me up to speed and deeper into this spiral of chaos and dis-order.

On the plus side my biggest hope is: that I fair better than my counterpart/mentor Jackson himself-Headlong into a tree at a modest 50 mph or so; well I'm off to the Pub to play my harmonica and let loose of the generous share of Irish in me, may my Danish side keep me calm, ahahahaa!!!

Jackson Still Life Museum  - closeup - C.T. Rasmuss, oil/acrylic/enamel (March 2014).

Now for a brief description of what you see here: it's a 100% pure oil paining, within a 100% pure enamel/acrylic painting, keeping the integrity of a overall painting in tact.  It's a successful attempt, i believe, in propelling the Art for art's sake further into the existential argument; and w/o losing any validity I must say.  Most important was maintaining overall color balance and composition -holding it together: without losing the original intent of a well executed finished painting, and not:

 "just a neat idea"-poor execution(painting).

Thank You- Happy St. Patty's Day!!!

Georges Rouault: When Inspiration calls; Ride the Wave!

Upon visiting the Cincinnati Art Museum last Wednesday, I did a study of a Still Life by French Fauvist/Expressionist, Georges Rouault, cir. (1939).  Every time I visit the local museum, I've been oddly attracted to his works, whether they were his Clown, figure of Christ or his Landscapes; this time putting my Ego aside, I read the accompanying information accompanying the Still Life and read how he applied his Stained glass background to his works; something in me went off like a light bulb!!!

Now I can't stop, and as you can see from a few of my latest works, which I've posted for you above; I realized that I ran into unexpected inspiration, and can't wait to visit it again tomorrow(as I plan on going to the museum tomorrow), Thank you Georges Rouault for the inspiration, wherever you are!!

"Surfs up"!!!