Commission in place

Ron, The Witness II and Gail

I have been taking a break from the time I spend on the computer.
This has meant a break from blogging, as that is where the time
really gets gobbled up. I have recently returned from a trip to Portland.
Coming from a county with a population of 25,000 to the city is an
awesome assault of the senses. It was so inspiring to be around all
the creative energy in that city. I went out to eat, visited galleries and
storefronts, bought art supplies, and delivered 14 pieces to a beautiful
furniture store. I house sat so I had my time all my own. It was so
peaceful to be solo for a time. I had incredible dreams, waking up
wanting to create art.

For those of you in the Portland area the art is at Parker Furniture, a
few blocks east on 10 from 217. At one time I showed at Roche Bobois
(furniture store) and did very well. Since then I have wanted to find
another opportunity like that. The opportunity arose with one of the
lovely women I worked with at Roche Bobois offering to represent
me at Parker. Furniture stores are not gallery representation but they
are a great venue as people can see the art in context of a mock living
space. Also I will be showing until we decide to end the arrangement,
not once every 2 years.

The commission has been hung in its new home and Ron and Gail are
very happy with it. They sent me the attached photo. They look like ol'
friends the three of them!

The Witness II

"The Witness II", Oil on Canvas, 60"x48", SOLD

Yesterday was the big day with my commission. I received a very enthusiastic
final approval on the piece and now it is just a matter of the painting drying and
it will be on the way to Seattle. It is a strange thing doing a commission, wondering
if the client will love the painting. Really you don't want anything less. And this
was a large painting!

I am still trying to come up with a name on the abstract. It is usually much easier,
but for some reason this one is not as simple. I think it is because the associations
I am having are much deeper than is usual.

Commission in Progress

Commission in Progress 60"x48"

It feels like forever since my last post! On these hot Summer days
the last thing I want to do with my cool mornings is sit at my computer.
The rest of the day Kirby has the computer for work. I have been
painting some, working on the commission and a 4' square abstract.
I have a smaller piece going but I think my resistance to small has reached
an all time high and the painting keeps getting worse.

Yesterday we had the best of Summer drama weather. It was 80 degrees
out and I noticed black clouds coming from the west so I sat down
outside and watched and sure enough the lightening and thunder started.
After a while the wind started and then the dust storm and then the hail
came pouring down and then the rain poured as hard as it ever does here.
Too hard for the gutters to handle. Then it all stopped and it was 60 degrees.
Sunday night we had one of the best sunsets I have ever witnessed.
Nature as you see has been creating some sensational art.

Ready to Paint

"The Witness" Oil on canvas, SOLD

I am back from Portland and am inspired now to get going. I wish I could
say I visited galleries and the museum and saw tons of art. I did not, as I
was way too busy. I did see the delightful art of my friend Cindy Bilotti.
The pieces I saw and loved are on Cindy's Flickr. I really enjoyed her faces.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26076381@N02/
Check out her website:
http://www.cindybilotti.com/

"Crossing the Blues", Oil on canvas, 24x18, SOLD

At one time I showed my work at Roche Bobois in Portland, a high end
furniture store and sold tons of art. I have been wishing for another,
similar, situation with great people like the ones managing my art at
RB. The ex-manager called me and she works at another high end
furniture store in the Portland area and she wanted to represent my
art again. So we met and she took a painting I happened to have in
the back of my car. I am thrilled to be working with Jill again and to
be showing in a nice furniture store. I think people can really respond
to art when they see it in the context of living spaces.

"Jubilee", Oil on Canvas, 24x18, SOLD

The reason I had the painting in the back of the car in the first place
was to meet with Donna Guardino of Guardino Gallery to submit my
work for her 2011 calendar. Submissions are still open and I won't
know until the fall, but I am under consideration. I did an exhibit of
my drawings several years back at this gallery and would love to
show again. She was complementary of the work, which is always a
great thing to hear.

The other cool thing that went on while I was there was the phone
calls from Willow Galley in Walla Walla telling me I had sold 3 more
pieces of art. Rockin'!!

So off I go to paint. Have a great day.

Drawing after Lucien Freud

"Drawing after Lucien Freud", Charcoal on paper, 24x21, framed, $395
If you are interested in purchasing this drawing please
email me at katherine@katherinetreffinger.com

I have been so negligent of my blogs lately. It has been a busy time for
me. I have started working on a screenplay with Kirby. Since it is my
story, I am having to lay the foundation. Needless to say I have not
been spending much time in the studio. When I do go to the studio I
have been getting nothing but frustration as the piece I am working on
is definitely not cooperating. I am going to have to start kicking into
creative gear soon as I now have a commission. A lovely couple from
Seattle, referred from the show in Walla Walla visited my studio this
weekend and told me what they wanted and it will be a large painting.
It is a bit ironic because I did a whole group of smaller paintings for the
show against my desire to paint large, and here the sale is a large painting.

Follow your bliss!

What do you think of the new blog template?

Rainy Week Sale

"Painted Pony", (Painted over)

We here in the high desert of Eastern Oregon are
having an unseasonable amount of rain. I am beginning
to think it might have something to do with the
Volcano that went off in Iceland. I am also wondering
what happens to Desert Sage in this much rain.

Anyhow, I have decided to have a sale on my art, just
to lift the gray sky spirits. Everything on my website
that says to contact me if you are interested in
purchasing the piece of art is 25% off. This sale is good
until midnight of the 9th of June. It even includes the
collaborative work and the prints. Sales are first come
first serve and the price does not include shipping.

Website: www.katherinetreffinger.com

Since my website has a bit of a lag in coordinating
photos with info please be patient to make certain you
are getting the correct info. If you are interested in a
piece I will send a photo with the info to make sure
we are clear.

The current prices listed on the site are not
the sale prices!!!! So take off 25%. Prints are also
25 % off but the half off offer for the second print is only
good with the normal price. If you have any questions
feel free to email or phone me.

Happy June to you all.

Walkin' Bear

"Walkin' Bear", Oil on canvas, 24x18,
Collection of Artist.

I have been working outside today and my ankle
wants a rest so I thought I would sit down and do
tomorrow's post today. Saturday I went to the
studio and finished reworking The Grotto, I think.
Never know with me. Then I picked up a painting
that was no where near being a painting and started
putting tinted whites on it, not really thinking about
what I was doing. I just kept at it. By the time I was
done I had easily created a piece that I was excited
about, an abstract/figurative piece. The angel was
definitely with me. I have worked for as long as I
have been an artist to create this kind of piece and
it just flowed out of me. Dare I think it could happen
again?

If any of you are interested about the metaphysical
work I dowith people you could visit Teri Mahl's
Working The Earth and see what she has to say
about her session with me. While you are there you
might want to peruse her wonderful blog.

Drawing

Drawing, Charcoal and conte on paper, 35x22 $150
If you are interested in purchasing this drawing please
email me at katherine@katherinetreffinger.com

I hope some of you are enjoying all these drawings
I am digging up. I really had such a fabulous time
when I was drawing during the period I was studying
at the Drawing Studio. I knew I was in for it the
first time I called to ask when classes were starting
and Phil said the first class of this season is in session
right now. Hurry and come down. I said but I am still
in my pajamas. He replied we don't care if you wear
your pajamas, just come. I started the next class. If
I had known the way things were there I might have
gone in my pj's, it would have only added to the fun.

I don't remember the name of the artist that did the
painting this is after. Do you recognize it?

www.ourlivingdream.blogspot.com

Ruth

"Ruth", Charcoal on paper, 20"x22", $200
If you are interested in purchasing this drawing please
email me at katherine@katherinetreffinger.com

Today I will be brief as I have an appointment this
morning and I slept late. Last night I downloaded
so more of my drawings. It was great fun, bringing
back many memories.

Todays drawing was done fro a model and I am
afraid I have cheated. This drawing has been cropped.
It is a huge relief for me as it went from being a
failure to being (in my eyes) a success. Her right knee
and leg were wrong and I did not see that it could be
remedied until I took it into photoshop. So any how
here it is.

www.ourlivingdream.blogspot.com

Munich

"Munich", Charcoal on paper, 35x17, $495 framed
If you are interested in purchasing this drawing please
email me at katherine@katherinetreffinger.com

I am on a roll, dusting off the images of my drawings.
It has been really fun cleaning up and labeling the digital
files.

Today's drawing hangs in my studio. For reasons I am not
clear about it is my favorite of the drawings I still have. I
never tire of it. This is another drawing that I did at
The Drawing Studio with a live model.

Hopefully I will make it into the studio today and throw
some paint at a canvas. It is always hard for me to re-enter
the creative process after reaching a deadline.

www.ourlivingdream.blogspot.com

Megan

"Megan"Charcoal and conte on paper, 30x22, SOLD

J.B. Krost responded to my drawing yesterday by asking
if I had been hiding my charcoals. Funny, but I realized
since I had moved to Eastern Oregon I had not been
working from models. Thus there were no new drawings
coming forth. Well except animals from photos. There
is something so spontaneous and lovely working from a
model. Cindy Bilotti and I paid models to come to my
studio and regularly worked from these lovely people, and
we did have incredible people come sit and stand for us.
Todays drawing is one such person, a very talented artist
herself.

www.ourlivingdream.blogspot.com

After Aristide Maillol

"After Aristide Maillol" Charcoal on paper, 30x22, $495
If you are interested in purchasing this drawing please
email me at katherine@katherinetreffinger.com

I have been so busy lately doing all the things I put off
getting this last batch of paintings ready that I have had
no time for the studio. But there is still plenty of art of
mine I have not posted.

I did this drawing while I was still in Portland and it is a
study of a drawing of Aristide Maillol, a French artist
mostly known for his sumptuous sculptures. I love doing
studies of others drawings as I learn so much.

www.ourlivingdream.blogspot.com

Georgia (after Alfred Stieglitz)

"Georgia (after Alfred Stieglitz) Charcoal on paper, 11x8.5, SOLD
I did no art this weekend. Had a lovely visit with Colleen
Sargen, curator of the Willow Gallery in Walla Walla and
talented artist. We met in town and on the way to my studio
we saw a herd of 8 Prong Horn Antelope. Awesome!
We stopped and got out of the car to get a closer look
and they were so curious they came toward us. I found out
this weekend that they go an entire lifetime without drinking
water, they get enough moisture from the plants they eat,
which includes desert sage.

I was looking through my pictures of art to see what I
had not posted on my blog. I found this drawing I did
9 years ago from a photo of Alfred Stieglitz's of
Georgia O'Keefe. It sold somewhere along the line.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend, aside from a torrential
downpour including winds and lightening and thunder, we had
a beautiful sunny weekend.

www.ourlivingdream.blogspot.com

David

"David, Charcoal on paper, 35x22, $200
If you are intereested in purchasing this drawing please
email me at katherine@katherinetreffinger.com

Well, of course, after sending yesterday's painting out
into the blogosphere I went back into it with thinner.
I pulled color off it because I decided it was too dark.
So that is my task if I make it to the studio today.
I am getting a bodywork session today so it may be a
day off. Good way to spend tax day don't you think?

This is a drawing I did while studying at the Drawing
Studio in Portland. I have been itching to draw lately,
so maybe that is what I will do next time I sit down
to create.

www.ourlivingdream.blogspot.com

The Witness

"The Witness', Oil on canvas, 40x30, $1500
If you are interested in purchasing this painting please
email me at katherine@katherinetreffinger.com

For now I am calling this painting finished. It
has felt like a process of birthing. It is, in the end,
a dark painting. It does not surprise me as I
emerge from the darkness of the past 6 months
that my first real effort would turn out so dark.
My friend says it is not dark but rich and I would
describe this time I have been through as rich also.

WIP

Work in Progress, Oil on canvas, 40"X30"

I am reworking the painting I had name The Witness and
I thought I would share it with you. It is not finished. I need
to get more value contrast going as it is now really dark.
I like it better though. I know some people liked it as it
was, but I kept looking at it with discomfort.

It's cold here this morning, 25 degrees and spitting snow.
It would be nice if it would stop fooling around and give
us one good snowfall before Spring hits. I am not
complaining I have loved the non Winter and it has been
perfect for for someone who can not slip and fall. No
ice is a good thing in my reality.

The Witness

The Witness, Oil on canvas, 40x30

I am calling this painting done, but we'll see. Often I
stare at a painting long enough and I see what needs
to be changed/added. This was a fun piece, bringing
together the figurative and the abstract. I loved
working this way. I tried to make a Raven out of it,
but it insisted on being a Crow. Same family, Crows,
Ravens, Blue Jays, Magpies, right? My mother was
a big bird watcher. She said the Jay family was the
smartest as they used objects as tools. I guess no other
birds do that.

So I just opened the dictionary of bird totems and it
says in the first sentences "My grandfather told me
that the crow was the smartest of all the birds. What's
more, it even knew it was the smartest of birds and
enjoyed it to the fullest. In fact, it was so smart that it
chose to stay a crow, rather than move on to some other
area of evolution". There you go. As far as the totem it
says "Wherever crows are, there is magic. They are
symbols of creation and spiritual strength. They remind
us to look for opportunities to create and manifest the
magic of life. They are messengers calling to us about the
creation and magic that is alive within our world everyday
and available to us."
I like that and I'll leave you to it.

May magic and creativity abound in your day.

After Auerbach

Charcoal on paper, 30"x22,
price on request (it's in the other room
and it is a large task to get to it. :^} )
If you are interested in purchasing this drawing please
email me at katherine@katherinetreffinger.com

This weekend is open studios in the Grande Ronde.
Artists studios open all over the valley for people meet the
artists, view and maybe even purchase some art. We
artists always hope so. In my neck of the woods Tom
Diamond will be doing glass blowing demonstrations,
Don Gray will be available to chat with in his magnificent
studio, and I will be at my studio with my foot up, a
completely captive audience. So if you live locally
please come by. 10-5 on Saturday and 1-5 on on Sunday.
604 Main St., Cove next to the library. If you want the
brochure for the event please email me and I will forward it.

Mrs. Mulwray

Charcoal on paper, collection of Kirby Ferris

I am having a weird morning. The day before yesterday
I lifted something up outside and unknown to me there
was a hornets nest and I was stung about 7 or 8 times
on my finger. By last night I had a difficult time sleeping
because my finger and hand are so swollen that I don't
think it could swell anymore. So I go to something I had
volunteered for this A.M. and what happens? Another wasp
stings me on the same finger. Does this qualify for weird?
Kirby asked me 'if this is a random Universe what is the
chance of this happening?' Since neither of us think it is
random more theories appeared. Kirby thought maybe it
was a harmonious event, the Universes' 'hornet homeopathics'
treatment.????? Maybe...... I actually had the same thought.
That's how weird we are.

Have a better day than I'm having.

Virgin of Guadelupe

Oil on canvas 67"x31"

Yes, I am a member of Facebook. There are several
questionnaires moving around Facebook right now
that are both annoying and fun. They are time
consuming if you choose to do them but fun to come
up with the answers. The best though is to read the
answers of your friends, especially my high school
friends who I had lost contact with and now am in
daily contact with. One such question is a list of your
firsts. In honor of this questionnaire which is sitting
waiting for my answer I am posting my first painting.
I had been working with oil pastels before this and the
work was very primitive. A friend was giving away a
bunch of canvases and I took them. One of them was
perfect for a painting I had wanting to do. It was way
over my head (not the canvas the subject) but I proceeded.
Luckily a friend invited me to come paint in her studio in
S.F. for it was a large painting. The painting took me almost
a year to complete. Now it is in my private collection. It
is inspired by my many wonderful trips to Mexico and
Guatemala in the 70's and to all those bus drivers that
passed vehicles on blind corners crossing them selves with
a statue of this lovely lady glued to their dash board.

The next question is the first 50 bands I went to see. That
kept me awake last night because it was so fun to think about.
I AM a child of the 60's from the S.F Bay Area!