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.

Claret and Abuqui New eBay

'Claret' Oil on canvas, 9"x6" SOLD
'Abuquiu' ,Oil on canvas, 14"x11" SOLD

I have posted two new ebay auctions this morning
after the last one completed.

I struggled with the image of 'Claret' in photoshop
trying to get the red as true as it is, but I only
succeeded in making the image a bit dark, at least
it isn't as red orange as before I started.

It is Spring like here this week with crocuses in
bloom, the Tulips and daffodils coming up and
buds showing on trees and bushes. What an odd
Winter it has been! But I am not complaining, I
could be in Florida or Texas, where it has been
unusually cold.

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.

Abuquiu

Abuqui, oil on canvas,14x11, SOLD

Having grown up in the San Francisco Bay Area I am
quite familiar with earthquakes. I was there when the Loma
Prieta earthquake happened, collapsing part of the Bay Bridge,
a freeway in the East Bay and setting fire to buildings in
the Marina District.

That was a 7.1 earthquake. I can not even begin to imagine
an 8.8, seismic measurement is exponential. I don't know
what else I want to say, other than my mind is boggled at the
size of this quake. And of course that I have total compassion
for the Chileans. My prayers are with them.

The last few days my creativity went on strike. I had to
work on a figurative piece to get it back. Then after spending
two days with that piece I was able to get back to my small
abstracts. I may have started something new, where there isn't
such a fight going on inside of me of what I am here to create.
I was starting to feel a little stuck with the figurative piece after
working it for two days but working the abstract seems to
have loosened that a bit. Back and forth, this will keep me
entertained!

Casbah- New ebay

18x14, oil on canvas, SOLD
I spent a completely non-eventful day in the studio
yesterday, that was very frustrating! Put paint on,
took it off, scraped, scratched....and finally gave up.
Momma said there'd be days like this. But at least
I have a new painting to post today and a week end
to get one going for Monday's post.

I have decided to put the new painting on ebay.
I don't usually put my new pieces up for auction
but I thought I'd give it a try. See what happens.

Winter's Sun

14x11, oil on canvas, $275
If you are interested in purchasing this painting please
email me at katherine@katherinetreffinger.com

Wow, I am back again today. It is wonderful
communicating with my blog friends again.
I started out a little clumsy, titling the painting
a name I had already used (Spring Moon). So
yesterday's painting is now 'Primavera'.

It is glorious to be painting again and it is just
pouring out, like a pot boiling over. Glad to see
I still have it. Yes, I was worried there for a
moment. Todays posting was different for me
in color and tone and made me want to paint
large, but in this style. We shall see, one step at
a time. Right now I need to build a body of medium
to smaller work as I have a show in June at the
lovely Willow Gallery in Walla Walla, Washington.

Primavera

'Primavera' 14"X11" oil on canvas, $275
If you are interested in purchasing this painting please
email me at katherine@katherinetreffinger.com

I can't pretend to call this a daily but I am back at it in
the studio. After 2 false starts trying to do something
completely different and being extremely frustrated,
my friend Cindy shared with me a dream in which
she was told that just because the train had stopped she
didn't need to switch trains, just wait until the train is
repaired and it will get going again. That was a profound
message for me, as I have often jumped trains and lost
what I had built. Well the train is moving again and I
am changed by the repairs in ways I am not all together
conscious of.

Yesterday I went for a walk for .6 mile up hill and down
hill. It was a large breakthrough for me. Amazing how
large things that were once given are now. Being upright
and walking is a fantastic thing!

Clearing, Making Way

Copernicus, Oil on canvas, 24x36, SOLD

Solstice, Oil on canvas, 20x26, SOLD

Lahaina, Oil on canvas, 40x30, SOLD

Pecos, Oil on canvas, 14x11, SOLD

Since I haven't been able to find my way back into
the studio I am doing what I do when I know
the alchemical cauldron is busy cooking up the new.
I am clearing out the old. These paintings are the
way I used to work, very textural and atmospheric.
I decided to send pictures to my list of collectors,
many of them owners of this sort of work and offer them
for 1/2 the price I had them listed at. To my surprise and
joy they all sold within 12 hours. Today I will be packing
them up. It feels wonderful to send them on there way.
I will only have one piece left from that period, my favorite,
one I don't care if I ever sell.
Zao's Garden, 48x36, Oil on canvas, $2200

I have gone through my house getting rid of things
that I don't need or are no longer precious (not
including these paintings). I am feeling lighter
all the time. I have always loved this process,
clearing and making way for the new.

Happy February all!