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Workshop Work
In March, 2013 I took a 3-day workshop taught
by artist Eric Jacobsen on painting large canvases. I usually
work on smaller pieces because they are more affordable for
buyers and also because of the logistics of wrestling a large
canvas into my small studio workspace but this class was a lot
of fun for me to experiment in. I worked on 3 paintings, one of
which was a total failure. At my behest, Eric applied his brush
to it and now I have a very nice Carnegie-Jacobsen (mostly
Jacobsen) landscape.
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Lava-walking
I am addicted to watching lava flow —
a "lava junkie". This last December, 2012 the word on the Big
Island was that the lava had emerged after months of flowing
underground and it was now pouring into the sea.
The catch is that it's a grueling 2 hour trek across a new lava
field — some areas still glowing red
beneath the crust — and then, the
trek back by flashlight.
Not a "hike" in the traditional sense —
something I generally abstain from —
it involves climbing, scrambling, backtracking, crossing deep
fissures, and sometimes slipping on the loose volcanic shards
which usually involves a certain amount of bloodshed. |
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Jim en route |
Overlooking the ocean entry
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There were places where we crossed fresh flows that were hot
enough to melt sneakers; my preferred technical lava shoes are
US Keds (note to self: next time wear socks).
There were places where noxious fumes seeped up from the cracks
in the lava crust and the ever-popular "dead-tourist stories"
flashed through my mind but...
Patches of lava colored by minerals
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...once the molten flow comes into view it is so mesmerizing
that all is forgotten and forgiven; it is such a rare privilege
to watch the process of creation. It always reminds me that the
Earth is a living, dynamic entity that is oblivious to our
efforts to control it. It has its own agenda and there is
something magnificent about that.
Destination achieved and boy, am I glad! |
Gallery representation:
Volcano Art Center, Volcanoes Nat. Park, Hawaii
Woodshop Gallery, Honomu, Big Island
of
Hawaii |
donna carnegie fine art
