Blogmaster's Best of Salon, 2012

Your blogmaster took some time to reappreciate the dozens of works created during the 2012 Salons, and then undertook the very difficult task of selecting the "best of".  And you should feel free to follow the Salon Retrospective Gallery link and make your own choices.  Meanwhile, here with my comments are the Blogmaster's Honorable Mentions and Best of Salon, 2012.  Enjoy!


by Eileen:

My Right Foot

Eileen spent most of 2012 gritting her teeth so as to draw from the right side of her brain.  Thus producing among other things this rendering of her right foot that is deserving of honorable mention.   However, I've always enjoyed Eileen's use of color as in the lively painting below.  Eileen went back to painting when Salon shifted to its new location — with Glen and Eileen hosting.  This work is based on a large painting that hangs in their living room, and Eileen's love of that painting comes ringing through in this little charmer.

My House in the Middle

by Marge:

Garden

Marge is a first-rate drawer and all around great artist.  I glance sidelong as she creates her works, endeavoring to learn things from her when she isn't watching... Shhhh!  Honorable mention goes to this little drawing she whipped up.  It completely captures the joy of being outdoors when Summer is still fresh and not oppressive.  But while she excels at the simple, her ability to create complex and engaging works is very inspiring to me.  There is so much to look at and ponder and enjoy in the marvelous multidimensional work below.  A trained critic might have more to say about it — but I don't know what that could be.

Gossip

by Jacqueline:

Save the Window

Jacqueline had a busy year with a lot of distractions, so her painting time often got redirected into more practical matters.  She frequently commented it was difficult for her to think of something to paint.  Fortunately, she was inspired on at least a few occasions and so we have these two works to re-present.  She was not enthused by this rustic front porch scene but I disagree, I very much like the play of light and texture in this work... as cropped here.  But she is definitely fond of her outstanding Op Art tribute to the 60's shown below.  She enjoyed painting it as much as you will enjoy enjoying this groovy work!

Happy 2nd Salonniversary

by Molly:

Don't Rock the Boat

Choosing Molly's works was easy...  I love how she perfectly captured the alert expression that any dog lover would recognize.  So genuine.  But there is no doubt that her best work this year was this moving tribute to a longtime family friend who had just passed away after a long fight with a terrible disease.  Knowing the story behind the painting, I'm often overcome with emotion when I look at this simple and eloquent work.

Naomi

by Glen:

Who's Leading Whom?

Glen spent most of the 2012 Salons making fairly elaborate drawings, many of which he then colorized.  Or not, as was the case with this animated drawing that always amuses me.  In my choice for his Best Of, however, Glen created a work where the linear element is subordinated and the main emphases are on shape and the analogous color scheme.  After you take in the piece as a whole, the color and some of the shapes (not to mention the title) furnish a clue as to which minor holiday inspired this interesting tonal painting.  Can you guess?

 
 

Faceless Valentines

by Steve:

Life Passing By

Steve was on a real tear in December, cranking out a number of fantastic paintings.  As you can see in the Salon Retrospective Gallery.  I had a tough time choosing which of his works to showcase here.  I do love dogs so I had to give this street scene from earlier in the year an honorable mention... because that pooch is adorable.  But I really love this Best Of.  Well designed, well colored, well crafted, I am enchanted by the warmth of this simple, evocative landscape.

Choices

by David:

Moroccan Berber

I didn't make much progress on my 2012 pledge to explore the realm of non-representational paintings.  Did some Still Lifes and laterly was trying to place emphasis on Landscapes.  But in the end I did more Portraits than anything else.  For Honorable Mention, this painting of a Berber because many people commented on it during the year.  For Best Of, I picked my painting of the horrible Jan Brewer because I thought it verged on the abstract (as does she) and because the harsh lighting and her garish make-up made rendering it a fun challenge.  My only regret is, I gave her fewer wrinkles than she really has.   P.S. there's a "best of" posting on the Painterly Thoughts blog as well...  check it out!

Hag, Nag, Scag or Slag?