Misty Appalachia

"Misty Appalachia" © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

I had posted previously about trying to paint daily, or at least 5 times a week until I reached a total of 30 paintings. The key word was "try". None of us truly know what the next day brings, much less the next hour. Life outside of painting has had a slight of a shocker for me and my family; my father had a heart attack, was eventually released from the hospital, and then had to go back when his kidney (he's a transplant recipient) wouldn't function properly. Thankfully, he is back home, but he seems worse off now than before he went in for the second stay at the hospital. Now, I'm not looking for pity. However, I will gladly accept prayer for my family. I thank you in advance for those prayers.

Getting back into my groove, I haven't had time to procrastinate. Slowly, but surely, I am starting to get some commissioned work. This is a major answer to prayer. One of the pieces needed to be completely soon in order to be shipped off to Florida. It is a palette knife acrylic painting on a 16x20 canvas panel. My client wanted a painting of the Appalachian Mountains, which I believe are some of the most beautiful examples of God's creation. I figured I would create a misty morning with some pale purple and blue mountains in the background with rolling foothills covered in beautiful autumn colored trees in the foreground. I had a lot of fun with this piece. It is very loose, but I feel that it represented the subject matter in a great way. I'm looking forward to this getting to its destination.

The Art of J Travis Duncan

Do You See What I See?

I base most of my artwork off of photographs. Other times, I use what's in my head to produce something on the canvas or paper. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the photographs are my own. The remaining 1% are mainly those from friends (Ryon Collins and Leigh Ann Pratt I'm looking at you both). My eyes are constantly looking at the world through an artist's eye. This has caused a heightened awareness of all things that are around me. I count this as a blessing.

Our daily routines are numbing. We wake, get ready, eat our breakfast, and we go out into the world. Usually, we just reverse the previous steps in order to end the day in bed asleep, prepared to repeat the cycle. Typing this fact simply bores me. Have we become so caught up in the routine that we have forgotten to live?

"Turtle" (sketch) - © 2014 J Travis Duncan

We've been blessed with these amazing things called senses. There's always the case of those who are born without some senses, others lose some as they progress through life, and sadly, some of us take the ones we have for granted and never use them. It really is a shame that some of the greatest gifts we have are never opened and used.

When is the last time you went outside and just quietly observed your surroundings? What does the sky look like today? Which direction is the wind coming from? Did you see the butterfly and dragonfly chasing one another around the tall grass? Did you smell the rain before it made its way to your location? Who knew that the petals on this Gerber Daisy felt so silky? How'd the summer fruit you just bought from a local grower taste? Was it sweeter than that in the store? Was it's color more vibrant? Each of these are just a few questions that beg for more awareness in life.

Every single one of us have been blessed with some gift or gifts. Each of those things brings us to a heightened awareness of some aspect of life. For myself, art has allowed me to see the lines and patterns on a turtle's shell, the way colors in nature complement one another, and an abundance of other astonishing details that I might have otherwise overlooked or ignored. For those without an artist's eye, think about your own gift and how it has heightened a sense, or senses, in you. Whatever you do, don't squander the gift you've been given!

The Art of J Travis Duncan

Unstable, Yet Contained

"Sunflowers" by Vincent van Gogh

Most recently, I've been trying to give some background information on my artwork. I know I've seen a lot of artists "let the art speak for itself", but I don't want to be just a face that uses various tools to create artwork that needs to be deciphered. However, I do think that there is something intrinsic to letting a work speak differently to each person. Looking inside, I know that I am more inclined to have a stronger reaction to different subject matter than flowers, a still life, or landscape. However, there is an exception when such subjects are painted or illustrated in a style outside of realism. It's just what I tend to favor, with some exceptions.

"Sunflower" by Georgia O'Keeffe

Before anyone starts thinking that I hate realism, know that I'm not saying that it leaves me numb, but rather the emotional response I have is short-lived, limited, and not very concentrated. A good example of this is when I look at two paintings by two well-known artists; "Sunflowers" by van Gogh and "Sunflower" by Georgia O'Keeffe.

Neither painting is leaning heavy towards realism, but are somewhat close to it. Both use the same subject, yet the differing styles and colors spark a tiny flicker inside of me. To me, they are wonderful paintings that deserve recognition, but it would be easy to turn to the next page if they were in an art magazine. I could be an anomaly, but I doubt it. On the other hand, there are others that could wax all day about each piece.

"Sunflowers" by Ginette Callaway

I've written about styles before. I am constantly looking at the art of others. It is not because I want to see what I am competing against, but I love to see how each has their own style(s). Though there are art competitions, I don't believe that's a fair word for a show that is judged subjectively. However, can one truly judge artwork objectively? It is not a race, which has a defined winner based on where they completed the event. If I were to choose one of the three sunflower paintings, I would not deliberate for even a brief moment. Ginette Callaway would take the prize based on the style she used to paint the subject.

The abstract way in which Callaway paints sunflowers is electrifying. I can just picture the physical motion in which she applied the watercolors and ink to produce this painting, whereas with van Gogh and O'Keeffe's works, I imagine they were sitting down in a quiet room with steady hands and calm spirits. Also, the colors that are used affects me as well. O'Keeffe and van Gogh use different color palettes. O'Keeffe paints an early morning or late afternoon sunflower growing in the sun, separate from any other flower or growth. Van Gogh's sunflowers have been clipped and sits in a vase to be enjoyed inside with less intense light.  Both are very static. Yet, Callaway does things a bit differently. She opts to use a more varied color palette and does not show any fear in using any of them. In her painting, the sunflowers are growing outside in the wild and the sun has illuminated the sky and clouds in red and yellow tones. The whole painting seems full of motion and unstable, but contained like a wild horse that has been corralled.

Think of a subject. Find a few pieces of that subject that vary. I would enjoy seeing how different each of us view art, express art, and are stirred up by art.

Self-Implosion or Ignition

"Lift Off Into The Black" © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

When painting semi-abstract art, one tries to give enough visual information in order to make the subject recognizable, yet somewhat sensational enough to warrant the word "abstract" in the moniker "semi-abstract". It definitely is a balancing act that requires a deft touch and a deep mode of concentration. Semi-abstract can be a lot of fun, very frustrating, or an amalgam of both for the artist.

For "Lift Off Into The Black", it was my mood that helped me visualize what type of painting I wanted to create. It was Saturday, my family was with me, and they were having a good time playing in a pool while I was off to the side with a makeshift easel ready to "sling paint". I was happy and filled with an air of excitement. My iPod was playing Anberlin's "Godspeed", which is a really driving song about drugs being the downfall of many rock n' roll artists through the years. You know, the common tale of self-implosion. That's a road I never want to go down, but each of us are quite capable of self-imploding with the help of other means besides drugs. The opposite of self-implosion would be self-explosion. However, I would rather think of the explosion as an ignition. This is where the thought of what subject I would paint began.

The Space Shuttle program has been a really exciting time for not only the United States, but the rest of the world. Just take a look at all the accomplishments that have been made by the program. I can remember watching the different shuttles launching from Cape Canaveral and the thrill of seeing a man-made vessel heading into space. The preparations of each launch wasn't something that happened overnight, but took time. There was a constant reevaluation to make sure that things were moving in the correct direction in order to assure a successful mission. Does this not sound very similar to the Christian life?

As a Christian, we should constantly scrutinize our lives. Everything we do should be tested. Isn't it our mission to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbor as our self? If something is broken or missing, this is impossible. If my relationship with Jesus is broken or missing, the mission is in vain. Just as the space shuttle needs ignition to break from it's platform, we also need ignition to move and act Christ-minded. Where do we Christians get this horizontal lift? Philippians 2:13 states, "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." The Creator of the universe works in us. What more could one ask for?

So, though the painting "Lift Off Into The Black" is a semi-abstract of a Space Shuttle night launch, it is a visual reminder to me that Christ is continually preparing His people to be Heaven bound. All systems are being checked and those things that are missing or broken are being added or fixed. One day, the countdown will happen. We will have lift off. What a ride that will be!

The Art of J. Travis Duncan

In-Flight Refueling

"In-Flight Refueling" © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

Nobody is perfect. We've heard it time and again and, if we are honest with ourselves, we will agree that this is true about ourselves. Since there is only One who wouldn't be painted with this statement, and I am definitely not He, I will give an example of what an artist can do if he/she messes up on an acrylic painting.

"Indian Leaf Butterfly on Butterfly Bush" © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

I decided to paint an Indian-Leaf Butterfly on a Butterfly Bush the other day. Things were turning out quite well, in my opinion. Yet as I progressed, I became more and more dissatisfied with the production. I'm not sure if it was the thickness of the paint or that I didn't quite enjoy the color composition. Either way, let's just say that I felt it was a disaster. Either you clean up a disaster or you find a way to destroy the wreck. I opted for a clean up.

The thick acrylics were not yet quite dry. This allowed me to grab one of my palette knifes and begin to scrape horizontal and diagonal lines in the painting itself. I was careful to only remove paint and not to damage the canvas panel. I also wanted it to be more abstract and made sure that the lines were not straight but quickly removed. 

The second round consisted of changing some of the colors and laying down bigger swaths of those colors in the background. Once I was satisfied with this step, I had to take some time to stare and study the painting because I would need a new subject. It was like an epiphany; a ruby-throated hummingbird it would be. Finally, it needed a name. "In-Flight Refueling" fit perfectly.

The Art of J. Travis Duncan 

Abalone Cove Shoreline

"Abalone Cove Shoreline" © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

My desire to paint daily is still there, but time isn't always available. However, this has not caused me to put the brakes on my attempt, but rather paint when I can and try to piecemeal a painting in little moments.

Today's entry into the 30 paintings series is "Abalone Cove Shoreline". It is another palette knife painting (except for the tiny lighthouse on the hill). The photograph of reference was provided once again by my friend, Ryon Collins. If, or should I say "when", he gets an online gallery of his photography, I will be sure to share it with everyone.

Ryon's photograph of the shoreline of Abalone Cove was perfect for one of my small canvas daily paintings. The shot was taken from a really great place. In the foreground was high grasses, which helped in creating distance. Dare I forget the lighthouse that sits afar on the hilltop. These two elements made it easier to give the illusion that the crashing waves were as low and distant as they are in the painting. When painting from a photograph, you tend to study the subject a little more. With each glance at the photo, I wanted to see Abalone Cove for myself. Maybe one day.

The Art of J. Travis Duncan

You Make The Call

Barn In The Field © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

I'm trying to paint at least five (5) small paintings a week until I reach a total of 30. Today, I was having some trouble thinking of what to paint. Don't get me wrong, I have some ideas for a few pieces, but I wasn't ready to start on them. So, I did what most people do in a jam; I asked for advice.

I had a few ideas thrown at me, but didn't know where to start them as well. However, when I spoke to my friend, Ryon Collins, he reminded me that, over a month ago, he had sent me a picture to paint. It was one of those "Oh yeah" moments. From there, I grabbed the palette knife, set my son up with some paints of his own and the two of us went to work on our little canvases. From the looks of his painting table, he went a little heavier on the impasto than I did, but I'll keep that photo for my own personal collection.

The Art of J. Travis Duncan

Capturing The Moment

"Today's Catch" © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

There are many mediums we can use to capture a moment: video, photography, audio recording, the written word, sculpture, and painting. I thoroughly enjoy each of these distinctive mediums. When Dumas wrote about Edmond's imprisonment and escape from Château d'If, in what I consider one of the best works of literary fiction, "The Count of Monte Cristo", I could not find any other medium that would trump his words. I own the 2002 film adaptation and, though great in it's own way, it can capture the outer dealings that Edmond is dealing with, but much is missing of the struggle as a whole. By the way, I highly recommend the book and the movie. Read the book first!

My newest piece, "Today's Catch", is an homage to my father-in-law's great catch he made a few months back while fishing Lake Thurmond (Clark's Hill Lake). Moments like these are fun to paint. It was not just another still life that's been set up for artistic purposes, but rather one that I happened into like a young boy in an orchard who's come face to face with a ripe fruit dangling within reach. I had to reach out and pluck it. I apologize that I could only share a visual presentation of the day's bounty. If there were some way, I would have also stimulated the olfactory sense as well, but I digress.

The Art of J. Travis Duncan