Bicoastal, week eight

I know those of us on the West Coast don't fully understand how it feels when you see the first flowers poking up from bare dirt after a long winter, since our plum trees bloom in January, but I can try to imagine it.

Of course, Libby sent images of flowers this week. 

In the past I've thought about doing a series of 36 flowers because they are SO HARD to make into interesting paintings.

So, here is the first!

Libby was a little disappointed in this one, I think. This is the first week I didn't choose the image she was secretly hoping I would. I felt this was the hardest image to work with so far—and that's good! 

I really enjoy pushing myself. I feel that has been the greatest reward of this project so far—I am painting images I never would choose on my own!

First Sign of Spring, painting by Kalen Meyer, acrylic on canvas, 10" x 10"

Flowers (you can tell I don't know what they are, crocuses? snow drops?)

Photograph by Libby Ellis

Bicoastal, week seven

Libby sent a couple of images by accident before the Wednesday deadline. I looked at them, of course, and LOVED this one. Since it was in an odd format, I didn't know what they were but was HOPING she was going to send this as part of the five. I got a text a few hours later saying to please not look at the images, she hadn't meant to send them. I didn't tell her I'd already looked at them. She ended up leaving the island for a break from the winter, and called from St. John's wondering if she should send photos from there for this week, since she hadn't taken any on Martha's Vineyard… I said, "Oh, but you did!" and confessed to looking at them. Turns out she had texted me right after she had sent them, but due to a texting delay, I got her message so much later. She couldn't remember what she had sent—I assured her they were good.

So that was a long note just to say I got to paint this this week, it was fun knowing Libby didn't know what it was going to be. 

Love the hint of spring in the image. 

After I sent this to her, she remarked that this was the longest view we had done so far and that she has been sending me close shots because she thought they would be easier to paint. 

I let her know absolutely that was not the case!

Ice Breaking with Buoy, painting by Kalen Meyer, acrylic on canvas, 10" x 10"

Ice Breaking with Buoy, photograph by Libby Ellis

Bicoastal, Week Six

We still have not come up with a good name for this project!

I noted on Instagram this week that I could most definitely see the Marine influence in all of these images (except the first and fifth), of course it is Martha's Vineyard!

Again, knew right away which of the five photographs I was going to paint, and Libby said she thought this was the one also. As usual, my first hit was this wasn't going to work as a painting, but I ended up really enjoying painting this one and liked the way it turned out. Abstract boat. 

I took it to a fellow artist's studio to talk about the images and the process, and she said as she was looking at this one, "Don't tell me what this is, I want to look closely at it first." I told her what she sees is all I see, I have no other information from Libby as to what these are photographs of.

Boat, painting by Kalen Meyer, acrylic on canvas, 10" x 10"

Boat, photography by Libby Ellis

Week Five, Bicoastal Project

Week five. Libby sent five photographs of closely cropped type from a sign at a llama farm.

When I first saw them I had a few doubts about how this was going to work as a painting.

I looked a each photo by itself, and this one, with its subtle fold in the sign, ended up being the one.

Only three colors on my palette. I knew since it was a simple an image, the painting had to be about the paint quality and I loaded my brushes for this one.

White Type, photography by Libby Ellis

White Type, painting by Kalen Meyer

Week Four, Bicoastal Project

On week four the photographs came a little late. I had been thinking it was easier to take five photos than it is to paint one, but when Libby was late this week, I realized it's not so simple to take five compelling photographs on demand.

We talked on the phone, she apologized and then soon sent a batch she was calling second rate (or some such distinction). They were great! Some I knew had to stay photographs, but this one jumped out. The rope was so much fun to paint. Libby had called out the hint of blue in the rope, I might have not added it, but realized it was the bridge to the last image.

Rope and 36, painting by Kalen Meyer

Rope and 36, photograph by Libby Ellis

Week Three, Bicoastal Project (We were going to come up with a better name for this!)

Week Three: Libby sent me five photos of buoys hanging on fences and walls. A few had snow visible near the bottom of the frame. 

I knew I was going to use this one as soon as I saw it. There was something odd about seeing objects I associate with summer next to a bank of snow, and I also liked the fence these were hanging on. Libby said she was craving color and so responded to the blue in this image.

Buoys, Painting by Kalen Meyer

Buoys, Photograph by Libby Ellis

Libby said, "I knew you were going to pick this one!" as soon as I sent the image of the painting to her.

Week two, bicoastal project

Second week—

Libby Ellis sent me a great batch of photos, it was hard to choose which one I was going to paint. I found myself thinking which image would go with the first painting, but decided I had to let go of that and go with my gut decision. I love this image of the chair on ice (what is it doing there?) with the futuristic sleds in the background. I enjoyed the process of painting, even though it had been a rough day and I ended up painting very late. Libby and I haven't talked about these (other than she texted she was hoping I'd choose this one), we've both been very busy… will add a note after we do!

Chair on Ice, photograph by Libby Ellis

Chair on Ice, painting by Kalen Meyer