LIFE IN A PHONE BOOTH

A feeling like your space is closing in on you when you are on overdrive in the studio.

You’re here but you’re not.

 

 

 

 

 

Art and Creativity bring with it a certain sensitivity and emotional package. After all, to be able to bring things you imagine to live there’s a toll.
 

We pay for the privilege with passion, emotion, sometimes even tears and intense drain on the energy. In reality everyone who exists pays some sort of toll in life, good or bad or a mix of both.







Spending too much time in the studio and a feeling of being alone

 

 

 

 

Sometimes feeling overwhelmed with art demands and right brain not working....

 

 

 

 

 

A feeling that I'm not producing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A feeling I need more space when I don't

 

 

 

 

some long nights in the studio when it's just not working

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    When I'm away from the studio, it's still there

 

 

 

 

 

When the right side of the brain is in full gear, I need to take advantage of my creative side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes when the inspiration is not there, we need to find it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 When the left side of the brain hits, the art is just not working at all. I take advantage on computer work, such as writing, bookwork and marketing.

 

 

 

 

 

Finding the balance to produce art is a must, as not for the art, I would not have customers, galleries, commissions, and my profession as a fine artist would end up in the ditch.

 "The stress part of any job is it took you a long time to get there , it’s even harder to stay there…"

 

Over all... I love my passion for being an artist, it's just a job like anyone else and we just happen to love our job.

 

 I love my "Phone Booth"

 

Cheers.......

 

 

 

MY ART PASSION AT AN EARLY AGE IN LIFE

  MY ART PASSION AT AN EARLY AGE IN LIFE

 



    My passion for art has always been deeply rooted when I was young, at the age of 4.

I can still remember sitting down with a pack of crayons, and bursting at the seams to fill
that blank white paper. I also found that by blending them together I could create a color that I did not have. That was a very exciting thing for me.

     I was always doodling with sketches and I spent many hours over the course of time in grade school sitting outside the room in the hall for not focusing on my studies.  I did learn, but my passion was always focused on art.

    I continued to sketch only in my art classes during high school. I did not want to waste my time with having to take beginners art classes or intermediate, so I told them I had taken these classes so I could get into the advanced art class.

    While in my senior class in high school I had painted two paintings and entered them in the fair and won 1^st and 2^nd place for both paintings at the age of 19.

 

"Old Iron Sides"

Painted Feb 28 1974

1st place ribbon won August 1974

 

 

"Homestead"

Painted May 1974

2nd place ribbon won August 1974

 

 

     My parents were very supportive of my art, but in hopes I would grow out of it, and focus more in business during college.

    I then later went to college at Evergreen State for Commercial art business and advertisement while working at the Credit Union.

After I finished college, my first job was the K2 ski company on Vashon Island in designing ski tops.

     The art design that was created for the ski tops, were all done by hand as we did not have computers then. After the image was created by hand, it was all hand cut out and transferred to a silk screen for printing. Each color was done on a separate screen.

I helped designed the“mids”and the “comps” during the late 70’s and early 80’s.

 

 

      

 

    I continued to paint paintings while on Vashon and sold them local in restaurants and offices.

    After getting married, then moving to Port Orchard I went back into the banking business, as the graphic art industry was not an easy time to get a job. There I worked in banking using the left side of brain for next 25 years while raising a family, but my right side was always my passion so I continued to study art and take more classes while working at the bank and continued to sell art.

 

     After kids were older I started to have open studio art shows from my home once a year in May. I had my original art sent to New Jersey and had prints done. I was now able to sell numbered prints during my open studio show.  I continued to do that for 10 years. Until commiting to more galleries.

     Today I paint in the mediums of watercolor, acrylic and oil and I work in an office and studio from home. I continue to study watercolor, acrylic and oil. I invested in a giclee printer a few years back, image my own work and now print from my home.

     Running an art business from home, I spend more time doing bookwork,  imaging art work, photo shop, marketing, and still I have to make time to paint. Keeping up on my art productions to maintain good with the galleries in providing new works and to maintain my artist clientele is very important for an artist career.

    I find my art business,  going to work a 9 to 5 job and sometimes longer, I get up at 6am in winter and 5am in summer. Hours can be long depending on orders, commissions and galleries. I also take advantage of travel and focus on getting photos for my next inspiration for new works. I go to bed and wake up sometimes at 3am and have an idea of a painting I want to paint or when I’m stuck, I have the plan on what to do to make it work…..

 

For more information check out my website at martigreen.com

  “Passion in life” … do your passion as life is short.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GICLEE vs LITHOGRAPH PRINTS

What are Giclee Fine Art Prints?

The Giclee printing (pronounced "ghee-clay") process was born in the early 1990's as rock musician Graham Nash & and his associate Mac Holbert uncovered a new capability of the Iris inkjet printer called the 3047. These early machines had been developed for digital graphic proofing but it had not occurred to the manufacturer that its equipment would be adopted by artists as a digital method of fine art printing. In 1991, thanks to Mr. Nash's vision, the world's first digital fine art atelier opened its doors. Since this early beginning, the technology in equipment, media, inks and craftsmanship have advanced immeasurably.

Hence the French term" Giclee" which means to spray and that more like a mist, each droplet is the size of a red-blood-cell.

 

Frist IRIS giclee printer 1990

 

In 1990 a photo exhibition for Grahan Nash of Crosby, Stills and Nash. Nash was so impressed with the quality of the IRIS prints, he purchased his own IRIS Graphics 3047 ink-jet printer for $126,000 to print further editions of his work and eventually set up Nash Editions, a digital reproduction company based on the IRIS printer.

 

Inkjet technology is little more than a decade old. That's nothing when you consider it was over 500

years ago when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press and artist such as Albrecht Durer, Martin Schongauer and Lucas Van Leyden began printing engravings.

Now artist are turning to the once-lowly inkjet for fine-art printing.

It's called "giclee"

 

 

 

Todays Epson Giclee printer

 

 

Giclee vs Lithograph Prints

 

As a giclee printer we are aware of differing choices an artist has regarding making prints of their artwork. The most popular choices today are either giclee prints or lithograph prints. Each has their advantages and disadvantages. An artist may want to decide which option is right for them based on a printing company’s production time, efficiency, quality and cost. A decision can be made once the artist understands more about each type of print.

 

First, a giclee print is made by the same process as used when someone prints a photo on an inkjet printer at home. Now days most giclee printers use the same name brands people are familiar with such as Canon, Epson and HP. The printers are wide format printers will typically have 8 or more colors which are used to render the printed image onto a variety of materials from textured art papers to canvas. These media types usually are on rolls which automatically feed through the printer as the printer lays out ink in a horizontal motion. The process has become advanced enough many photographers also use it for printing large photographic prints. People order giclee prints are also able to take advantage of a growing range of paper and canvas types which might not be available in other forms of printing.

Unfortunately because the process uses inkjet technology, the time to print a single image can take up to a minute or more depending on the size of the print. It is not unheard of for a 24x30 inch image printed at the printer’s highest quality setting to take up to 20 minutes. As the technology improved, the speed of the printers has also increased cutting down on production time of each print. While the printing may see to last a long time, so too will the print. Manufacturers of ink, canvas and papers have invested a lot into making sure giclee prints will last allowing giclee producers to boast longevity of 100 to 200 years.

 

Unlike the slower printing process a single lithograph can be printed in less than a second however the cost to setup a lithograph print is the same regardless if you are going to print one or many copies. For this reason lithographs can be produced at a lower cost per print and have more room for volume discounts. Since the papers usually in sheets, more care has to go into making sure each sheet is consistently fed. This might limit what the lithograph company will want to print to. When it comes to actual total cost, the lithograph process makes sense if you are going to have 100s to 1000s of copies made at a time. When it comes to how long the print will last, much is dependent upon the paper and inks used. Most should retain their quality for about 30 years but after that like any printed item, it may start to yellow and fade.

                                                                 

Giclee

Pros of Giclee:  ......  Able to keep up with the current advances in inkjet technnology.

                                     Able to use more colors to match the tones of an original work.

                                     Uses archival grade inks and media such as printing on quality paper,

                                            such as Arches watercolor paper, Somerset Velvet.
                                       Best quality for longer lasting color and light fast inks that are archival.

                                      Can be printed on an as needed basis

                                       No inventory needs to be stored

 

Cons of Giclee: .........Slower to produce each print.

                                       More costly per print, even with high volume runs.

 

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Lithograph

Pros of Lithograph.....less expensive per print

                                        Quick to produce higher volume runs

 

Cons of Lithograph......Not cost effective unless producing 100's or more copies

                                          Usually less accurate in color with an original

                                           Fades and yellows sooner

                                           Requires inventory space

 

 

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All my prints for Marti Green fine art are Giclee prints and are on 140lb watercolor paper and Somerset Velvet paper for the best quality. 

 All paper is 100% archival.  This is the best quality for my customers and a much better investment for an archival print.

 Any print or an original painting , should  never be displayed in "strong ultraviolet  radiation",  such as direct sunlight, hang over a fireplace that will be used.

 

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MONET AND VAN GOGH PAINTING STUDY AND HISTORY

..............I have a profound love for the old artist, especially the impressionist.

One way to get a small glimpse into their world is to study the brush strokes in detail and

imitating one of their paintings. This gave me a better understanding, and much more respect for their work..............

 

 

 

"Waterlilies" by Claude Monet oil on canvas, Giverny, France 1919

 This is a reproduction painting by Marti Green August 2012

Oil on Canvas 20x40

 

Monet (1840-1926)

 

Monet found subjects in his immediate surroundings, as he painted the people and the places he knew best. His landscapes chart journeys around the north of France and London. Monet moved first to Argenteull, just fifteen minutes from Paris by train, then west to Vetheull, Poissy and finally to the more rural Giverny in 1883. His homes and gardens became gathering places for Manet and Renoir who often painted alongside of their host.

 

In the 1910's and 20's Monet focused almost exclusively on the picturesque water-lilly pond that he created on his property at Giverny.

His final series depicts the pond in a set of mural-sized canvases where abstract renderings of plant and water emerge from broad strokes of color and intricately built-up textures.

Shortly after Monet dies a wealthy and well-respected man at the age of eighty-six, the French government Installed his last water-lily series in specially constructed galleries at the Orangerie in Paris, where they remain today

 

*****A must to read....."Claude and Camille"  A novel of Monet by Stephanie Cowell. This book was published in 2010. What his life would have been like during the times.... I would have to say, the best historical fiction and incredibly well-crafted atmosphere. This book took me back to 1883... Well written... enjoy.

 

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Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)

 

In 1880, at the age of 27, he decided to become an artist. He moved around, teaching himself to draw and paint. Van Vogh joined and met many artist including Degas, Toulouse-Lautref, Pissaro and Gaugin with who be became friends. His style changed significantly under the influence of Impressionism, becoming lighter and brighter. He painted a large number of self-portraits in the period.

 

In 1888, Van Gogh moved to Provence in southern France, where he painted his famous series "Sunflowers"

 

The Starry Night, painting depicts the view outside his sanitorium room window at Saint. Remy-de-Provence, located in southern France. At night althought is was painted from memory, during the day. It has been in the permament collectiom to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

 

The movie I watched was Vincent & Theo, filmed in 1990. Story of Vincent Van Gogh and Theo was his brother.... Great bio of the life of  Vincent Van Gogh. 

"The Starry Night" Vincent Van Gogh oil on canvas-1889

 This is a reproduction painting by Marti Green June 2012

Acrylic on canvas -18x24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE TEMPLE BAR, DUBLIN, IRELAND

Temple Bar Painting and History

"Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland"

Oil on canvas using palette knife

20x20 with 3"inch sides

Painting was inspiring to paint, due to colors and having been there.

With using a palette knife, I was able to get the impressionist look of an old painting.

If you have not been to Dublin, it is truly a culture place to be at night as well during the day.

Temple Bar is located in the heart of Dublin city on the south side of the River Liffey.

It is bordered by Dame Street to the south, Fishamble Street to the west Westmoreland Street to the east and the River Liffey to the north. It's a very central place to base yourself if you're here to

 sight-see, shop or socialise, as there are lots of Dublin hotels located here.

Temple Bar is one of the oldest and most loved parts of Dublin city. It's medieval character is instantly recognisable with lots of narrow cobbles streets and old world style lampposts. It's not sure how the area got it's name, but maybe it was down to a gentleman named Sir William Temple who was said to have developed the area in the 17th century.

Today, the Temple Bar area is one of the city's cultural hotspots with many Irish Cultural Institutions located here like the Irish Photography centre, the Irish Film Institute, the Temple Bar Music Centre and the Gaiety School of Acting to name a few.

If you'd like all this on your doorstep, then choose Dublin hotels which are located in Temple Bar. Three star hotels located in Temple Bar include the Paramount Hotel, the Parliament Hotel, the Fleet Street Hotel, the Aston Hotel and the Temple Bar Hotel.

You could also stay int he River House Hotel or if you're after five star Luxury, then stay at the exclusive Westin Hotel which is just steps from Temple Bar.

PAINTING WITH A PALETTE KNIFE

The Palette Knife

Painting with a knife is a bit like putting butter or jam on bread and produces quite a different result to a brush. Painting knives are excellent for producing textured, impasto work and sweeping areas of flat color as well as tiny shapes of color.

Although there is a difference between a painting knife and a palette knife, many people use the terms interchangeably. The main difference is, that it's not a brush that you're using to paint with.

Strictly speaking, a palette knife is a long, straight blade or spatula that is used for mixing paints and scraping a palette clean, not for applying paint onto a canvas. A palette knife can be made from metal, plastic, or wood and will either be completely straight or have a slightly cranked (bent) handle.

Painting knives have the advantage of palette knives of coming in a range of sizes, more angular shapes, and with sharper points. Plus the larger crank in the handle means there's less chance of accidentally rubbing your knuckles into wet paint.

Different shaped painting knives obviously produce different effects. For example, a short blade produces angular strokes while a long blade makes it easy to put down sweeps of color. A painting knife with a rounded blade means you're unlikely to ever accidentally scrape a hole into a canvas, but a you won't be able to scratch into the paint as effectively for sgraffito effects.

The Cliffs of Moher painting was done with a palette knife, very little brush work was done on the painting.

The Temple Bar painting was also painted with a palette knife as well.
Most of my paintings have an undercoat done with a brush, using very lean oil base paint. Enough to cover the canvas where color is needed.

After painting has dried, then the palette knife us used to create the painting from that point forward to finish the painting. Very little brush work is needed. Palette knife painting is thick and takes a lot of paint. The painting will then look like an impressionist painting. Lots of texture.  I think this is one of my favorite ways to paint an oil painting. 

DOUBLE BOGEY AND IT'S HISTORY

"Double Bogey"

 The "Double Bogey" painting was a great experience to paint, due to the love of golf.  This is one of my favorite sports, truly a “Gentleman's Game”
                             The painting is of the 16th hole on Bandon Dunes in Oregon. Painting is Oil on canvas and is 20x40 with 1.5 inch on sides unframed. Painting is framed in a beautiful wood floating frame to complement the painting.

I grew up on a golf course during my high school years. Other than golfing, I used to find the golf balls in the ruff and would sell them in front of the pro-shop for 25 cents each. A beautiful way to make extra money as a kid during the summer for my collage fund.

 Double Bogey was named by one of my art buyers of the original” Hare & Hounds” oil painting. Kevin loves the game and spotted my process of the painting in stages on my artist facebook page.  He said, that looks like a “Double Bogey”, so that stuck with the painting…. Thank you Kevin !!!!

Anyone who has ever played this course can relate to that term “double bogey” or any tough course.

I have to admit, this was not an easy painting to paint, due to a lot of green, and wanting to keep the depth in the painting.  I did not want the painting to look like a photograph, so keeping that feeling was very important to me.

History of the Bandon Dunes Golf Course

Decades ago, another guy fell in love with the game of golf. That wouldn’t have made for much of a story, except this wasn’t just any guy. Mike Keiser had achieved great success in business and had the resources to pursue his passion. He traveled to the birthplace of the game to absorb the traditions and heritage of the last 500 years of golf and to play in the elements where the game was invented. He was so inspired that he decided to build a golf course on Lake Michigan, a nine-hole course that would eventually become the highest ranked in the U.S.

Over the years, he played many of the world’s best courses, most of which were private clubs, and became committed to the principle that every golfer should have the opportunity to play great courses. It was then that he decided to build his own vision of what golf should be.

He discovered the ideal property in the sand dunes near Bandon, Oregon, and then made three important decisions. First, he hired friend and confidant Howard McKee to develop a land plan and work with City and County officials to move the vision forward. Second, he retained KemperSports to manage the construction phase and to assume overall management of the project when completed. Third, he hired an untested young Scotsman, David McLay Kidd, the son of the legendary head agronomist at Gleneagles in Scotland, to design the first course. David spent 18 hours a day studying the land in order to fulfill Mike’s vision of a true links experience. Bandon Dunes opened in 1999 to unprecedented reviews and remains one of the finest links courses in the nation.

The first course alone put Bandon Dunes on the map of favorite American golf destinations, but Mike wasn’t finished. He retained the services of Tom Doak, noted minimalist golf course architect and one of the world’s foremost authorities on links golf, to work the dunes just north of Bandon Dunes to create Pacific Dunes. Opened in 2001, the course has consistently ranked among the very best courses in the U.S.

His vision not yet complete, Mike then turned to renowned architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to design the third course, Bandon Trails. Opened in 2005, the course offers a journey through the same kind of land where the game of golf was born. Starting on massive sand dunes, working through open meadows to an upland coastal forest, then finishing again in the dunes, the course was the perfect complement to Bandon and Pacific Dunes.

The fourth course opened in June 2010, and it came from special inspiration. Of all the incredible tracks around the world Mike has had the opportunity to play, his favorite remains National Golf Links on Long Island. Designed by Charles Blair Macdonald, the course opened in 1911 and ushered in the Golden Age of Golf Architecture in the U.S. One question burned inside Mike Keiser: What would his favorite golf course architect have done with the pristine land at Bandon Dunes? Mike asked Tom Doak and Jim Urbina to return, this time to work the sand north of Pacific Dunes and design a course in the tradition of C.B. Macdonald’s masterpiece at National Golf Links.

As Bandon Dunes continues to grow, so does Mike’s vision of offering golf as it was meant to be.