TWO ARTISTS TOGETHER...

Celebration Continued!

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Sat, 26 May 2012 20:54:00 +0000

Celebration, a commission of a couple soon to enjoy their 50th wedding anniversary, is out of the studio and off to the mold maker. For over six weeks, their clay presence has filled the room, dominated my thoughts and activities, and created an ongoing dialogue within and with them, asking for their feedback, and the additional information needed to create a satisfactory portrait.

Detail of heads

"Celebration" - finished clay.

The choice of pose was a good one from the beginning, solving their extreme height difference, and expressing their pleasure in each others presence with a sensual subtle grace - one of those "couldn't be any other way" poses - it was pretty much the first one they took, thus the most "natural" one. My measurements and photo references got me 2/3s of the way through the work, with her likeness coming easily. His, though, was more difficult, as the right side of his face was hidden from view. The requested "head shots" he sent separately helped me "see" the problem, and I totally reshaped his head! A good lesson was learned for future commissions - take not just the measurements, the full and close photos of the pose, but separate shots of the heads especially, like mug shots. With that information, a good representation can be formed.

Wrapped for transport

For transport to the mold maker, the clays would remain on the plinth, with arms separated, wrapped carefully in bubble wrap and cushioned in a large box for their trip up into Sangres to his studio. The rubber print coat (the very first coat) records every finger print, finger nail gouge, little piece of clay in the wrong place, things to deal with at the wax stage. . In this case, the torsos will be molded together, arms separately, and probably all four legs cut off and molded separately, with her thigh left resting on his perhaps. Her head will also be separated to give access to both faces, and of course the bench is another mold, in all 5-6 separate molds. Brian is an exceptional mold maker among other things, enabling me to sculpt with little regard to what problems I may be creating for his process.
In about a month, the molds will be ready, and the wax work begins - and that's another post!

Artist accomplices Celebrate 30 Years!

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:20:00 +0000

Glamshot-mid-80,s

      Accomplices William Preston and Marianne Hornbuckle, artist-partners-in-crime, choosing and leading a self-motivated, creative, supportive, and eventful life together for 30 years, celebrate today to honor this accomplishment - not what I intended to blog about, but this is what came up.
A little back-story - both previously married (13 years or so) and then divorced, 6 and 5 years respectively, they met in Houston, he an artist from Maine with a young adult son, she beginning her art career in Texas with two children, a boy 13 and a girl 11. They married 5 weeks later - yes, believe it - accepting the risks and believing in the future, and possibilities, and adventures this artistic union would bring. Too, they were firmly committed to having a partnership that could be tried but not broken..
     The first fifteen years of their marriage brought a rural life north of Santa Fe, complete with chickens, vegetable gardens, flower beds and a wonderful gallery, exhibition, landscape exploration in her work for Marianne, and for Bill, an adjustment from East Coast to desert landscape, from watercolor to oil and an opportunity for immersion in his second love, classical guitar, and continued support from his previous galleries on the East Coast. Interspersed with summers of teenagers and springs and falls of travels in the Four Corners, Utah and Colorado for camping, drawing, photographing, and painting the landscape, they traveled to surrounding states and the East Coast for exhibitions and enrichment.
     The mid to late 90's brought the big transition, final shows in galleries, and the desire to expand artistically and explore new mediums for both, with a general change in the times leading the way. Calling her transition, in hindsight, the muddling time, she explored tinwork and nichos, floral portraits, and the pecularities of acrylic before landing finally in abstraction. His transition, more informed, was from oil painting to the challenges of sumi-e. Their need continued to generate income, so none of this messiness was concealed, and was accompanied by usual activities of independent artists, with open studios, alternative venues, independent promotion, and varying degrees of success. Her early entry into the mysteries of computers and art marketing served them both well and their freedom from commercial gallery needs fueled their artistic expansion, if not their incomes. Study of Vedanta and other mysteries of the Eastern philosophies supported them spiritually, emotionally, and philosophically.

March 2012

Fall 2011

So here they are 30 years later, though the bumpy times and the best, with no regrets for choices made, even where mistakes incurred losses, she happy with her dual output of both figurative sculpture and abstract painting (though unable to defend or explain) and he achieving a exceptional mastery of ink, brush and rice paper, and personal pleasure in music-making on the guitar. Forty and fifty-two when married, they remain committed to the art life and their con-joined paths thirty years later and hope to continue the growth and creativity they have always believed comes with risk-taking.
To longevity and perserverance!
Marianne and William

Don't Think, Do...

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:45:00 +0000

plinth with removable armature

You all know the saying, "Life is what happens while you're making other plans...." The April OVERWHELM is behind me, done in by focus on this wonderful and challenging two-figure sculpture that I've been working on steadily for almost 2 weeks. The whole question was settled by the cold that developed into bronchitis that precluded even moderate physical exertion in the great Spring outdoors, and left me sitting happily under the skylight in my studio with my clay. I wired my to-measure armature onto the sturdy and versatile plinth delivered by my sculpture guy Brian , with a separate (less sturdy) armature for the female figure - both figures are to be 1/4 life-size - he, at 6'2", comes to 18.5", and she, at exactly 5' tall, would be 15", and they are seated, she on his lap. The cross pieces mark his shoulders and hips, and his "backbone" locks into its seat but can be lifted out. Her armature will bear no weight so needs to flexible, not so sturdy.
Using a hard Plastilene clay(oil-based), I blocked in both figures, maintaining the proportions as much as possible,
with my photographs and measurements for reference. Establishing the gesture and proportions are the focus here as the clay becomes quite solid and intractable, the more that is added. After somewhat developing the figure and face of the female, the problem that remained was making the two fit together in the way that flesh does naturally - it flows in and out and around other opposing flesh. At that point, I cut up two old little paintings (needing the plywood that made the cradle for the painting surface), and glued and sanded them to fashion a simple bench for the seat. I made a slot in it, to allow it to slip under the male and around the pole supporting him. The top of the bench would require building up to meet his bottom
Moving on to the male figure, I began to realize that in order to work with them and fit them together perfectly I would have to remove the arms, all four of them, on order to perfect the bodies, simplify the molds, and make it easier to work them separately.

That done, I began to work on the detail of the male figure. And here's where I am at this point. (Actually I'm a bit further along, but more about that later). The piece is called "Golden Anniversary".

Posting for TWO

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:14:00 +0000

        The JIN's Matsuri is behind us, it was productive and fun, and I just have to share one more reason we love it. This is a young Japaneses performer who played some strange acoustic instrument - such fun! and when he came by, he cheerfully played air guitar with Bill's hickory walking stick! Is there any language that doesn't understand air guitar?
Santa Fe Creative Tourism pairs artists with S.F. visitors seeking a more personal direct experience with all we have to offer here. They created videos of their associated artists for their website. We received William's yesterday - it really turned out well so here's the video!! SF Creative Tourism is a wonderful service - they work hard providing opportunities such as these, and should be applauded!!!
         The opening of New Mexico Art League's Dancing with Dragons show is this coming Sunday, 1-5pm and we hope to be there. Come celebrate this powerful year with us!
           My sculpture commission is underway, and I'll post about it next - just had to choose today between this and that (always difficult for me)!
BE SURE to check out the VIDEO!
Marianne and Bill

April Fool's Day

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:40:00 +0000


William Preston, Koi Pond, sumi/wc on rice paper, or		The Koi the raccoon ate..

I'm blogging today first to say the JIN was a great success and thanks to all of you read this blog and wished us the best, who came by to say hi and see William's latest work, and to the new visitors who became fans and friends. The Matsuri is one of the year's milestones for William, much anticipated and enjoyed(by me too)!
and now for APRIL...
For me, the main month of yearly OVERWHELM is APRIL. With the outdoor show season almost here, a commission to get underway, new works on paper to be done to entice visitors into becoming collectors, and always the BIG OUTDOORS in our yard, still awaiting the attention lacking since last fall, one hardly knows where to start. The obligatory head cold acquired on the S W Airlines flight to Seattle last weekend doesn't stir enthusiasm for tasks involving physical exertion either. As always, we'll somehow get through it, and anything left undone will just add a layer to things left undone and seem less important in a month. I did get the backyard pond filter cleaned this morning, so the little pond is gurgling now instead of stagnating, and a few piles of locust tree pods raked up - oh why, oh why didn't I cut that tree down twenty-nine years ago, I ask myself yearly. This year instead of running back inside when I see it all waiting, I'm promising to take some time today, and make a huge list with headers, ART, and OTHER, and see if I can make a lot of headway on the first column and a little headway each day on the 2nd column. If it doesn't all happen, so be it - I'll find the hose swallowed by the over-grown weed grass (it's called cheat grass locally) when I really need it and maybe I don't really need to start a PROPER compost pile THIS spring!

Welcome William Preston at the Santa Fe JIN's Spring Matsuri!!!

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 01:51:00 +0000

William Preston, Homage, 15x16 sumi/wc on Rice Paper

Don't miss the pure Japanese entertainment and great food at the Santa Fe JIN's Spring Matsuri, in its third year at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center on Marcy Street. Most of all, don't miss a rare sighting of Sumi Master William Preston, fresh from Northern NM, with enigmatic conversation and absolutely gorgeous new sumi paintings. Your chance to go to the mountain occurs rarely and is not to be missed. He'll be there Saturday (it's a one-day-only event) from 10am - 5 pm. and he welcomes your questions and comments!

A New Adventure! A Two-figure sculpture commission!!

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:03:00 +0000

Much nervous excitement for me today, as I prepare to fly to the NorthWest to begin a commission, my first two figure sculpture! Do you suppose calipers in my bag will be grounds for a search? While getting to know my subjects better, I'll do the setup in their home for the shoot, , we'll figure out the pose together, and then I'll photograph, take careful measurements, and carefully backup the results (by burning to a CD I think). Armed with all that information, and with a concept for the emotion I hope to express with the piece, I'll return home. I plan to ask my great sculpture guy to build the armature, as most of the ones I've built would be inadequate for this piece, to put it mildly. This will be 1/4 life-size, as he is 6'2", making his figure 18.5, to date the largest bronze piece I've made, about the most I can manage in terms of making a wax from the mold.

I haven't been this excited since I flew to New York by myself 25 years ago to accept an award from AWS near the beginning of my professional career!!

WILLIAM PRESTON, in full bloom, greets SPRING!

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:18:00 +0000

Spring is arriving, in all its variations, and William has new work, framed and unframed, to show at the 2012 Santa Fe Jin's Matsuri on March 31. Please join him at one of the Convention Center's most popular and well-attended events for meeting, greeting, demoing, and viewing new work between 10am and 5pm on Saturday. Enjoy popular Japanese entertainment forms, booths of Japanese goods and great food. Support the Jin's continued support of the Tsunami victims with your admission fee of only $3. You could win one of William's original sumi paintings through the raffle, or purchase something wonderful to enliven your collection!

Only two weeks later, on Sunday, April 15, is the New Mexico Art League's Year of the Dragon Exhibition in Albuquerque.
The Reception will include experts demonstrating calligraphy, sumi-e painting, ikebana, tea sampling and origami, as well as offering advice on feng shui.
The Dragon is considered the strongest among all the Chinese zodiac signs –it is the sign of energy, power, success and good fortune.Join William and celebrate the Chinese Year of the Dragon!

We hope to see you at one or the other!

Dark Sun - William Preston c2012

Marianne

About a Commission

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:29:00 +0000

Expectation - wax

Off to the foundry she's gone as of February 29, to return as "metal" at the end of March - after chasing and patina, she should be ready for presentation at my first outdoor show with SFSA on April 28! At any rate, I'm very pleased about the exponential expansion of the sculpture side of my art life. Shortly after she left, two cosmic signs! First, a query about the price of Five Poems from a sculpture lover visiting SF last summer (she picked up and kept my card!) and a promise of "acquisition" when she's ready, and second a discussion with another collector from last fall which has led to a commission which may well become the seminal piece of my sculptural expression.
      My sculpture explores real contemporary human bodies, in all their diversity of shapes, sizes, and ages, without objectifying or romanticizing the form, but certainly trying to express the beauty of the ordinary body. The bronzes are expressive and intimate because they are particularized, just as are human beings when we get to know them well. Some subjects, young women come to mind, are easier to come by than others, and I work directly from life, using photos only to finish the pieces, except where the subject(s) are not available on a weekly basis.
      "Expectation" is of a young woman I met last fall at one of the last outdoor art shows. She stopped to look at my work, and seeing that she was pregnant, I asked her to consider posing for me for a 2nd pregnancy work (the first was a commission.) She soon called and came out to my studio. I measured and photographed, proceeded with clay and mold and what is pictured is the result.
   The commission that so excites me is a nude couple, in celebration of their 50th anniversary together - they both are lovely, vital, and beautiful, a welcome challenge, and as I said, possibly the seminal (even though the15th) piece of my body of sculptural work. As I continue to believe, we are presented with opportunities to expand as we grow toward them. In a few weeks, after I return from the Northwest with the chosen pose, the photographs, and the measurements, I'll begin, and I invite you to share my process and progress with blog updates I'll be posting.

The Liberation of Errors! or, Oops, messed up that painting I liked!

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:09:00 +0000


Winter Solstice 1, MHornbuckle c 2012

A week or so ago, when I had finished Winter Solstice, I was happy with it, liking the textural elements, the impact of the red and gold sun sinking below the horizon, with light catching the edges of the light molding paste I had used in the last stages of the piece. Think I even blogged about it. Too I liked the contrast of the deep blue with red accents in the upper 2/3s contrasting to the siennas in the lower 1/3 of the painting. My patineer saw it, and thought he might like to trade for some of the cost of the sculpture mold he had just delivered. The isolation coats I applied afterward though, were streaky, even after multiple applications, although they did not disturb the textural quality I had liked.. Wanting to eliminate the streaks, I decided to try a poured finish of GAC800 (I had seen a wonderful demo by Nancy Reyner, our local Golden rep, about ways to pour acrylics a few weeks earlier). Check out her work on her website - she is a master!

Ignoring common sense, I proceeded to experiment on Winter Solstice, which is 16x16, not a particularly difficult size for a poured finish coat. The next morning with the haze cleared away from the drying acrylic, I had beautiful, glassy, level surface, but the glossy texture I had so liked about the piece was gone and it really looked completely different, and was very reflective. My call to Golden Technical support did nothing to relieve my dismay - GAC800 is, according to them, not removable, even though I had several isolation coats of Soft Gel Gloss under the pour. I could modify the high shine of the coating with a final UVS semi-gloss varnish, but could not retrieve the texture I had so liked.

Winter Solstice 2 - MHornbuckle c 2012

After a few days of mulling, should I paint the whole thing again on top of the GAC, or ignore the tech's advice and try to strip off the coating with ammonia, I trekked into town, purchased another Ampersand 16x16 panel for full price (Gasp!!!) and started to make another painting using the same palette and approach used with the first painting. Having never actually tried to make a painting a second time before, especially not an abstraction, it was a new, and great experience. First of all, I sort of already knew what I was doing, never true the first time around. I could make different painting choices as each came up, knowing what the earlier choices had resulted in.It was faster too - no retreating to think things over. How fun it was to paint with less deliberateness, more freedom and more certainty! I won't be using GAC800 again until it is a deliberate choice as it doesn't suit my style, defeats it even, but I will be making second and maybe even third versions of paintings I am happy with - may our errors continue to liberate us!

A few good Friends...

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 03:14:00 +0000

What a terrific week we had - and unusual, in that our normal isolation out here north of Santa Fe was totally turned upside down - it was truly a very social week! I thought it might be fun to introduce you to some of our dinner guests, because they are very interesting themselves.

Daydreamer, Bronze by M Hornbuckle

SS Crocus by Cheryl Anne Lorance

      A week ago tonight, our guest, who's become our friend and is a link to the generation now in their forties, the emerging artists. She is an exceptional sculptor, both in glass and bronze. A great model too- I've done three sculptures of her in my body of work (to the right).. . You'll love Cheryl's very sensuous and organic forms. The one pictured is one of many new pieces on her website. We enjoyed delicious vegetarian enchiladas (butternut squash and spinach) and salad.
       Tuesday was Valentine's Day, and Bill and I were each others' guests for a home-cooked a rack of lamb dinner.
       Thursday night brought the opportunity to share tapas at El Meson with a new (as of this fall)collector from Seattle, who came this weekend to Santa Fe for a conference called Creativity and Madness. She's a psychotherapist, and had purchased one of my early pieces, called Introspection. (How perfect and what a wonderful evening it was too)! I am so happy to get to know the special people who enjoy my sculpture.

Garment by Sharon Townshend

Covered Box by Paul Heroux

Friday evening brought two ceramicists to our house, one an old friend, Sharon, from Maine, whom we hadn't seen for at least 12 years (as long as we've had our 14-year-old Border Collie), and her friend Paul, whom she came to visit, in Santa Fe for a few months on a sabbatical, . They both teach at University of Southern Maine and draw regularly from the model as I do. I was really impressed by both their work. His concerns surface decoration; hers, nature and organic forms. Tacos and jicama, radish, orange and avocado salad were on the menu.
Today a dear and lovely friend from Santa Fe arrived after lunch. She has an incredible library of Oriental painting and Buddhist literature, which she freely shares with us, along with mixed Greek olives, special Trader Joe's bleu cheese, and Water Crackers. She's a published poet and editor savant, but no website, alas.
Tomorrow, President's Day, will bring a new person, new to Santa Fe, a former attorney and now a calligrapher, from California, wanting to find a community of a kindred spirit, to visit Bill after discovering him nearby on the Internet. (Sorry, too many commas!) Guess we'll share thawed frozen Christmas cookies and tea.
All the conversation on these occasions revolved around art, the art life, faith and persistence - but that's for another post. Friends, and good food, (even your husband of 30 years), what more can one wish for!

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:26:00 +0000

Powerful new Sumi-e!

Clear Day - Sumi-e 15x18

Dark Sun - Sumi-e 15x18

The new year feels energetic and hopeful, and William Preston is inspired and working hard! Seven powerful new paintings are posted on his website. If you have always wanted an exceptional work of Preston's, this is a wonderful opportunity. He will be framing these (and those to follow) to exhibit at the Santa Fe Jin's 6th Matsuri on March 31 at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, and at the New Mexico Art League's Year of the Dragon Exhibition in April in Albuquerque. Until mid-March, you can purchase them for less unframed, and he will include shipping! Work and prices are posted. Work done after this will be posted as it's completed so check back frequently to see what's new and make your choice before the annual Matsuri.

As some of you know, the Dragon represents vibrant yang energy, and big growth -join William and celebrate the Chinese Year of the Dragon!

AND, Happy Valentine's Day too!!

And from me, too
Marianne

A Really Good Day in one artist's life

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:40:00 +0000


The Four Elements: Earth, Wind, Fire & Water 30x10 ea, MHornbuckle c 2012

    On awakening this morning, I thought immediately what an excellent day it had been yesterday - my kind of day! Finishing the last two paintings of a small series I conceived of as abstract representations of the "Four Elements",that is Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, had been a struggle up to then, especially Air and Water. I had applied heavy molding paste to specific areas of Air and Water, as I had a preconceived idea of what each would look like in the end, and working with those areas resulted in the biggest painting mess I have recently dealt with. Fighting "fire" with fire, I used more of the paste to modify the areas and continued to paint, with. pretty satisfying results! My process involves intermittent drying time, so while waiting I blew off the portal and a bit of the front yard with the nifty blower/leaf shredder I bought in honor of soon turning 70 and tiring of dragging tarps of leaves to the back. It was too windy really, so I came inside, and made room to hang the things I had been working on the past few weeks - I work in one half of our large living room, so often can't see groups of paintings together in the same place at the same time (and we're having dinner guests tonight and next Friday - a chance for show and tell.... and cleaning the front portal). Above are the four.
    With a break for lunch and a dog-walk (cut short by wind and cold and blowing dirt - bad for a mostly blind and really deaf Border Collie), I finished clean-up and put-away of five weeks worth of painting mess, while watching a tape of a new "House". To my great good luck, the phone rang - it was Brian (my much valued sculpture guy) calling to arrange delivery of the mold of "Expectation", timing perfect. I'll be out of the house studio tomorrow and in the sculpture studio "pulling a wax".
   An evening e-mail check found a query about watercolor portrait prices which led to the accessment that the site badly needed an up-date/clean-up (consistency in presentation is a shortcoming of mine and this was an early Frontpage site, now in Dreamweaver) so the evening of my perfect day was spent taking care of it, the result a satisfyingly fresh look for a few hours of work. All was made possible by Bill's fixing dinner, bless him!!
This is my kind of Very Good Day!
Marianne

A seasonal theme offered yearly...

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:46:00 +0000

Autumn Equinox - 16x16"

Indian Summer - 16x16"

Winter Solstice - 16x16"

Even after 29 years here in northern New Mexico, I find much enjoyment in the changing of the seasons, each bringing its own special qualities, chores, and sometimes challenges. I like to think my childhood experience of the climate of southeast Texas with its alternating damp cold and humid heat makes me especially appreciative of our four seasonal shifts. These paintings, each completed in its turn over three months, compound my yearly pleasure in these particular months. I am pleased that new approaches gained through the works on paper of this summer, i.e. loose, more random application of bold color, and textural passages, have taken hold in my psyche and are very evident in all of them. Having spent most of October working on the wax of Awakening, November getting ready for our duo exhibit at Back Street Bistro, and December finishing the clay of Expectation, with two breaks to visit with my adult children and young grandchildren (first Tucson, then Seattle), I was happy to return to painting and complete (among other pieces) the final piece of the trio, Winter Solstice. My website is newly updated, with Awakening on her proper sculpture page and new works up on the 2012 page. As an expression of my gratitude to my collectors, past, present and future, I recently created a Special Collectors Event. For details, click the link, which takes you to a special page on my website and a special offer!
Marianne

Blog or Newsletter - always a coin toss,,,,

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:55:00 +0000

It's always a confusion, and a challenge, and almost a barricade, choosing between blogging and sending out a
Newsletter and it seems hard to do both, and paint, and keep up with everything else.

Indian Summer, 16x16,ac/board c MHornbuckle201

My newsletters are not scheduled, as I don't do workshops, or publish books, or feel that I regularly have something significant to say - they evolve out of something accomplished, a new painting (or a series), a sculpture brought to fruition, something to celebrate that might be of interest to those interested in my work, or in my husband's sumi-e. Likewise my blogs are also not scheduled, though I have promised myself to force a choice this year, and to attend to each more often.
If you'd like to see my newest sculpture, click on newsletter above. Here are recent paintings, which spawned, or were spawned by (not sure which) each other, their purpose to get me back to painting in these quiet cold days of winter, now that "Expectation" is off to the moldmaker (see NL).. and it'll be some time before I can start her waxes. This is my usual pattern, painting or sculpture having its turn, sometimes with a difficult entry period filled with avoidance and multi-tasking and feeling disoriented and scattered for a few days. I know if I am patient, this will pass and so the direction and creativity will finally present itself, and take me on the next journey! The little ones will have to wait, as I've just discovered how badly I photographed them and will have to try again tomorrow ....Marianne

GASP!!!! BIG BLOG GAP!!!

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:40:00 +0000

At SFSA Art show, September?

Clay of Lady Long Legs

So embarrassing to be claiming to have a blog, and not have posted since August, and I'm sure I must have had something to say in all that time! Newsletters were posted, activities were attended, obligations were met, responsibilities were reckoned with, new work was completed, and our house didn't turn into a hoarders' heaven (my secret fear). Looking back, I see a half-finished blog from mid-September just before the Pojoaque River Art Tour, one of our yearly marking points here in the Pojoaque Valley in northern New Mexico. Think I'll just stop here and publish that one first.........

Most Equinal - September's always a turning point!

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:37:00 +0000

In a few days the 18th Annual Pojoaque River Art Tour will be upon us! As its original founders back in 1993, we anticipate this event eagerly every year, and then it's over and gone - another marker passed.
A somewhat difficult summer, with drought and fires followed by a local monsoonal downpour that flooded our acequia (and the carefully graded driveway) with a foot and a half of sand , and a Mercury Retrograde period marked by major computer repair, necessary new fuel pump in the "dump" truck, and the demise and replacement of our 40-year-old Kenmore range, we're not mourning its passing.
All the while, the art-making goes on, and my show season downtown resumes after our studio tour weekend.

After a summer of works on paper that loosened up my painting considerably, I moved to my usual support, cradled
masonite panels to see if the change was sticking - voila! To the left is a 24x24," Turning". Infrequently I am moved to do an to the ubiquitous aspen paintings, and and this is it. To the right is a 16x16"abstract I have called "Equinox". The seasons here have always had importance for, perhaps a response to the lack of discernible "seasons" on the Texas Gulf coast of my childhood.

Coming around the corner, summer, sports, and Art Shows!

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:37:00 +0000

I blinked, and missed July somehow. When showing every weekend (four in a row), I try to pace myself, and not cram too much in between the weekends - thus, no blog .
Was a good month though, with the sale of a sculpture to a retired physics teacher (who just sent me a wonderful physics book with his 2nd payment!), a painting to an early collector of my abstractions, and several new works on paper to three sisters! Meanwhile, the NFL strike did get settled, and the Democrats and Republicans came to financial agreement, just in the nick of time. Plantings have struggled with the heat and little water, the fires in the mountains east and west of here have subsided and been contained, their smoke is no longer choking the valley. Summer has reached its apex, and the rufous hummingbirds have appeared, signalling the beginning of at least some monsoon season. Another inevitable birthday has come and gone. Life does go on, especially while you are not looking!

Reverie - bronze sculpture

On the second weekend, I showed my new sculpture, "Reverie" for the first time. My pieces now number 12, and my wax work has certainly improved over the four years I've been casting. Reverie is up on my website, where you can view her in the round. She's truly beautiful!

Ariadne - tinwork and watercolor - 1995

She reminds me of a tinwork shrine I made in the 90's called Ariadne. Her lover, Theseus, sailed away while she slept, even though he owed her his life. (She had provided the thread to guide him out of the labyrinth after he slew the Minotaur.)

Changing Times Ac/board 12 x 36"

The last painting I completed before July was influenced by a Golden medium I had begun using with the works on bristol paper, light molding paste. Long ago I tried it and did not like it at all, but as my work has grown more textural (not just visual, but tactile texture), I find myself loving it. I call this painting, "Changing Times" - very appropriate I think!
I'll blog about Bill next time...
Welcome to August!
Marianne

What does Baseball have to do with it?

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 15:00:00 +0000


Celestial Flight 6 - 10x10 AC/Bristol Paper (19x19)

Celestial Flight 4 - 10x10
AC/BristolPaper (19x19)

Just what? It seems that baseball will be the last sport standing this year! With the strikes dooming the football and basketball seasons, it appears that baseball will finally recover the fans it lost when it had its own strike some years ago. It so happens that the baseball season coincides with our SFSA "art" season here in Santa Fe and as a veteran player on this field, I see some parallels. The winter training season has always been a really productive time for me, and excitement about the games to come continues almost unabated. The season starts slowly, is a little boring and allows time for making adjustments, trying new pitches,and building energy for the high season starting in July. That's when the fans really come out - the ones who love art and want to take it home to enjoy all year - not just as souvenirs, but outstanding hits! I've prepared a number of new "approaches" this year, some of which you've already seen, and now, another, works on paper.Two of them are here; all are up on my website. These are like the base hits: maybe they're not home-runs, but they may get me around the bases all the same. . I'm not a bettor, but I'm betting that by the play-offs in the fall, some big hits will have happened - check out Paintings-2011. Also not absolutely sure if a works-on-paper series called "Celestial Flight" has a place in my baseball metaphor, but take a look and see if you think it might!?
Til next time, Marianne

The Mavericks won the NBA Championship!!

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 04:48:00 +0000

Celestial Horizons - 303x30 Ac/board

What does it mean for t seasoned artists who tend to watch the playoffs of most sports,when the unexpected, unpredicted, happens? even as far afield as basketball? It's an affirmation that anything can happen!!! Though the winner this year (only temporary of course. but,,,) is only that til the next season, the veterans, the team players, the contributors, who have persevered, practiced, held it together through adversity, uptick and downturn, hold for all of us the promise, the hope, the belief that it will ultimately work out. Making your best effort, year after year, practicing, growing, accepting the challenges, persevering in your visions, ignoring the hype, the marketing, the next great thing, does mean something, To all of those of us who fall into that category, hurray for us! and the Dallas Mavericks!!d

Expansion & Inclusion- Hornbuckle's Latest Work

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:47:00 +0000

SFSun Series10 - 10x10

The promise of spring is always exciting - fresh new ground to till, seeds and starts to plant, and always, new things to try - new varieties, new garden plan, new energy. But not just in the garden! The focus during this time in the studio has been on pushing forward in my work with new colors, new mediums, and new approaches. Some pieces are ideas that have been simply pushed further; others, pieces where earlier means have been abandoned and new ones incorporated. The results to the left are finished paintings, full of the potential and promise of beautiful future paintings. What is so great about abstract painting is the way new possibilities emerge from the act itself - one could not think one's way there or visualize it either.

SFSunSeries 9 - 10 x 10

I am now painting a series of works on paper(10x10's) with the same exciting color and fresh but bold application-nos.5 & 6 are taped on their boards. As I write this, I think of the summer-time daily occurrences of my fortunate life here in New Mexico - the flashing blues of the lazuli bunting and the blue grosbeak under the feeder, the sound of the acequia making its run past my window into the orchard, and the smell of locust blossoms in the early morning. I expect all and more to show up in the new works. Til next time!

Marianne Hornbuckle
June 2011

Celestial Horizons I - 30x30"

If you are interested in purchasing a work of art, request a print-out via e-mail so you can see the actual colors - monitor color varies.

As always, please call me if you are visiting Santa Fe, and would like to come out to our home/studio north of S.F. for a visit !

Acceptance

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 06:04:00 +0000

Santa Fe Sun Series (1 of 11 5x5's)

Early this year, a well-known art marketing -teleconference coach told me she found my main website confusing. It includes both abstract painting (and monotypes) and figurative sculpture listed in categories with portfolios by year. Adding to the confusion is my homepage, which shows examples of both. She suggested that I separate them into two websites to be more clear. I haven't yet done that, as I have been bringing a third website, my watercolor portrait site, up to speed. I have collectors of either paintings or sculpture who have been confused by the presence of both genres in my outdoor show booth here in Santa Fe, and who definitely prefer one or the other, but not both, usually.

Commission-3 sister

Imaginary child(workshop)

Her confusion brings me to reconsider the idea that a mature artist (me) should have focused only on, become known for, one genre. Certainly numerous artists become very successful commercially doing that, but if it's not in you, it just isn't. To me, that one genre idea goes along with the idea that one should develop a career as a fine artist only through the gallery system. Generally galleries bring an artist in with a particular body of work, and expect the artist's production to remain focused on that one vision, particularly if the gallery is successful at selling it. Some artists find
security there and are able to maintain their interest and output, but for a certain kind of artist, that's very limiting, and exploring the next avenue of expression, though risky in terms of one's galleries, collectors, and livelihood, is irresistible. Sometimes, moving on (in genre, gallery, means of marketing, etc.) is a matter of circumstance, a combination both of unforeseeable events out of the artist's control and the choice to explore and grow as an artist. Certainly the committed average artist ( not the superstar or shining light) who is actually trying to support himself with his art, and unable to rely on a spouse with steady and adequate income, will make different choices at different times in his career, and not always to his own ultimate benefit.

Liquid Graphite brush drawing

That said, and at this late point in my career as a self-taught fine artist, I find myself now having a number of things to offer those who love original art and want to have it in their lives - not because I have continually searched for the next best thing to present, or because I was trying to figure out what the fickle public might like (maybe when I was a much younger artist), but because my skills and interests have led me organically from one thing to the next. At this point, I think the best thing for me is to accept that this is who I have become as an artist and do the best I can with presenting it, within the accepted notion, or outside of it. Perhaps I should add the watercolor site to the abstract painting and sculpture site, and include a separate section for drawings? I continue to think that my potential collectors have enough intelligence to figure it out! and if you feel up to it, check out my painted pony on e-bay!

Knock at the Gate -Great teaching and Sumi Classes

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 17:58:00 +0000

Yesterday, I put together a sumi e-mail encouraging interested students to schedule a three-hour class this fall or winter. In doing so, I began to think about what makes Bill's classes so exceptional.

Having talked to them about their interests, skill level, etc, before each class Bill prepares extensively for the students by reviewing methods, preparing copies of lessons, thinking about their specific needs. The classes is very hands-on, as he observes the student, making sure each concept is fully understood and oversees practice of the strokes until the student has the experience to build a sumi-e vocabulary.

Sharing resources, his own work, and material from his wonderful library gives the student marvelous insight into the vast possibilities beyond the traditional sumi-e.

Many of his students have said the three hours was "transforming" and they will never "look at (...sumi-e) things the same way again." I say - this is what makes a truly great teacher!

See more work and class descriptions (guidelines only- you can ask to learn specific things) at www.inkpainter.com.

You can e-mail Bill at williampreston@inkpainter.com

Fall is Falling

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 01:26:00 +0000

Here it is October already! The 17th annual Pojoaque River Art Tour was a grand success for us, given the blessings of Ganesh, and we met many wonderful people, enjoyed some cash flow, generated some opportunities, and generally had a really good time! That's what showing up all the time is about, I think.
I re-sandbagged the studio door just now. After three flooding rains in August and September, the drive area which in a heavy storm receives much of the water from the road and hills just southeast of us is higher than the studio floor.The succeeding storms deposited muddy water and debri into the studio, each time going back further on the slab.The last flood covered 2/3's of the 800 sq. ft with water and silt, so you might understand my concern. In this storm, the heaviest cells seem to be passing west and east of us, as verified by the accuweather radar picture. (Computers have some great uses, and for me, this is one of them!) We'll have to have work done to improve the situation, but of course that won't happen until after these kind of seasonal storms are behind us.

Primary Variations I

Primary Variations II

Primary Variations III

I'm pleased with three new small (10x10) paintings done in September. Titled Primary Variations I, II, III, they feel to me like the movement from summer to winter that autumn represents here. I love that we have actual seasonal changes (I grew up on the Gulf Coast, if you didn't know ). Bill is working on reconciling his monocular vision with his studio set-up, having discovered recently that he needs to be over his paper and brush, rather than in front of it. It's full chamisa season now - a major hurdle for New Mexico allergy sufferers (Bill among them)- ending only with the first frost, which seems to be somewhat delayed this year (average date is early October).
My friend Shawna Moore has some wonderful new encaustics at Rachael Darnell Fine Art through October. I think she's one of the best encaustic artists around, and you can see her work at shawnamooreart.com.
The SFSA show season is winding down - the poor economy has impacted me negatively, not so for the many photographers showing with me. I'll be glad to hibernate and just work this winter! Looking forward also to a short trip to Tucson later in October and am contemplating doing portrait busts of my grand kids as they each reach 8 years old. Only one has at this time - and I think 8 is great! (so are the other ages...)
Right now Bill is looking forward to my absence, so he can enjoy using the computer (a new and recently acquired skill) and seeing what is going on the the world of sumi-e.

Back in the Game

noreply@blogger.com (William Preston / Marianne Hornbuckle) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 04:30:00 +0000

The Pojoaque River Art Tour, here north of Santa Fe, always the third weekend in September, one of very many studio tours (now) in northern New Mexico, is in its 17th year! Bill and I founded the tour in 1993 by asking the 3 artists we knew then to invite any artists they knew to meet at our house to discuss the possibilities. Here we are, 17 years later, and I think it still offers possibilities! For one thing, it's a yearly goal to show new work,.present a fresh face to our friends, and the community, to meet new artists who've moved into the neighborhood, and to see what happens.

This year, Ganesh, my favorite Hindu god, of recycled materials, will preside at the gate. Ganesh is the god of Abundance, and this is his festival time in India. Too, he is the remover of obstacles, and given the realities of this summer , I evoke his blessings on this endeavor!