On getting stuck

September 21, 2021 pete sack

I try to remind myself that being stuck in a creative rut occurs more often than artists care to admit.

When the feeling of breaking through finally lands back to reality. Those first ten pieces of a series have a life that is lost on the remainder. What was once a breakthrough becomes rote. This happens. This should be expected and yet it sneaks up on you.

So my hope is, by confronting and talking about it, it dissipates and I can level up. But most likely, this will just teach me to be patient and be kind to myself.

On vacations

September 14, 2021 pete sack

To close off this summer and escape the North Carolina humidity, I ran away, back to the Pacific Northwest for 10 days. No art was created during this period.

I used to bring multiple sketch books, pens, pencils, watercolors, etc. on vacations of past. But now I am of the mind that my creative side needs a break. It needs sleep to recharge. Especially having painted daily for 6 months in a row, it deserved some time off.

I also needed to use my eyes differently. Looking at objects at a distance, instead of 12-24 inches away. It was a great relief to give them a break and just be.

Overnight camping in the Olympic Mountains.

Lake of the Angels in the Olympic Mountains

One full day walking around Seattle and all I got was this photo of the Space Needle…

…and this piece by Jaume Plensa in the Olympic Sculpture Park.

On something to do

August 28, 2021 pete sack

The need to do something, anything, is a common theme during the pandemic. The need to fill time and space with something, anything. Baking bread. Something, anything. rearranging furniture. Something, anything. This was a moment in Zadie Smith’s Intimations that is touched upon more eloquently than I could ever put.

Art has felt that way for me. It has always been something to do. But this “something to do” has never been a time filler. I’ve never created just to bide my time until something better came along to do. It’s just been the thing to do.

And in the simplest of terms, that is the only thing that I do in life that feels this way. No one asks me to make art. No one is expecting me to make art. It is just what I do.

On Practice

August 24, 2021 pete sack

I am in practice mode right now. Practice to learn new things, experiment and make mistakes. I’m not sure what my end game here is, but it feels good failing, which I guess means I’m pushing and pulling myself in uncomfortable territory. I hope that’s the case. I hope to put what I learn, or where I land, into something more substantial and thought out, but in the meantime I’ll play around and see where it leads me.

Watercolor underpainting of a sculpture bust and photo mashup

The final product, once the oil paint has been applied.

On trying new things

August 20, 2021 pete sack

There are different types of artists and reasons for making art. This isn’t a huge revelation. But pinpointing why one creates is a huge marker in ones creative life. I have wanted to level up my skills and art making as far back as I could remember. Not one to settle on a style and stick with, I have chosen a path of trying to break new ground in each attempt. More often than not, I repeat previous pieces. But when you make a profound step, even if only you know it, has a lasting effect. And that is what brings me back everyday.

To be honest, there are a lot of times I wish I could settle.

These are two images I created by using sculptured figures as my model. There’s something about replicating the human figure based on another artist’s interpretation that felt liberating.

Been a While...

August 19, 2021 pete sack

I’m not sure where to restart this blog, but I am making a promise to myself to be more diligent in posting. If for no other reason than to get better at talking about my practice. And to also improve getting my art thoughts out onto paper (or on the keyboard)

Anyways, here is to new beginnings and fresh starts. New directions in art and improving on old ones. Bottom line is to just to make space and time to create, everything else is just noise.

Figure studies using sculpture as the basis for the body

“Thank you card” project

September 16, 2020 pete sack

Starting a few weeks ago, I started a personal art project. I had stationary made for me years ago that I hadn’t gotten around to using, and I had just started playing with pen and gouache. So I decided to offer free portraits that I would mail with a personal message. I’ll be showing some of the results in the coming days

The requests for a Tom Brady, Michelle Obama, Kurt Vonnegut, Nina Simone and Jack Kerouac portraits were the first requests.

Studio Shot

February 20, 2020 pete sack

My final piece under construction for my two person show opening March 6th at Mahler Fine Art in Raleigh.

Looking For You in Someone Else

May 13, 2019 pete sack

My latest large piece, measuring at 72”x 48” .

I went with acrylic over the watercolor, and continued to push the acrylic instead of adding oil. The mark making was of interest to me, of which I’m not sure oil paint could have achieved.

Here is the finished piece, with the following pics the progression

Pencil drawing to start

Grisaile underpainting, with a burnt umber/ultramarine blue color mixture.

first attempt and failure of a textured color field surrounding the faces

Three Chairs

May 13, 2019 pete sack

Completed this painting today, which is my largest (48”x44”) pure watercolor to date. I’m still working out the new skills Learned in the Mario Robinson workshop a month earlier.

This techniques lends itself to Andrew Wyeth-esque imagery, which is why I was drawn to this image. That, and rusty chairs are always going to be a favorite.

Watercolor 48” x 44” 2019 — Watercolor 48” x 44”
2019

Old dog/new tricks

February 19, 2019 pete sack

I’ve been painting watercolors for 30 years now. It got to a point where it became second nature with my mixed media pieces. They were the foundation for something bigger and better to be built upon. I lost sight of the beauty of the medium itself and the possibilities. That changed after my workshop last week.

The methodical layering of glazed, over a burnt umber/ultramarine blue underpainting creates so much depth.

So here I am, practicing to solidify this new technique. Trying out faces and objects and seeing them come alive with each glaze layer (and there are a shit ton of them)

Mario Robinson Workshop

February 11, 2019 pete sack

I just wrapped up a three day watercolor workshop with the amazing Mario Robinson.

I’ve been painting watercolors for 30 years and these three days have transformed how I view the medium.

Mario’s technique involves a detailed drawing (first base) and a grisaile of multiple glaze layers (second base of the foundation). The last step is color glazes, of which I laid down 20+ layers. This technique gives the work so much depth. Much more than I’ve seen in any watercolor. In addition to this, he uses both hands, one brush with color, the other with clear water. This allows for a soft effect when applied together.

The Great Escape

February 4, 2019 pete sack

This one is finally done. I left it in a good place yesterday, having a good idea of how to close it out. I put the English Beat’s “Save it for Later“ on repeat and got lost for two hours. I came out of the stupor with this and am super stoked about the result

The progression of a piece

February 3, 2019 pete sack

This painting has been a thorn in my side for the past month. Unsure of where it wants to go, it has undergone various different stages.

Promising start. Watercolor blocked in by acrylic

Still holding together, acrylic slowly enveloping the watercolor

The introduction of oil. No turning back now, unfortunately

Oil has hooded our characters. Thought this was a good idea at the time

Current stage. Getting away from the hoods. Instead I opted for a blizzard of paint.

I have two more sessions with this piece before I consider it DOA.

Fresh Starts

January 25, 2019 pete sack

This piece came out frustration of the original painting underneath. It was so ugly I quickly had to cover it up. One of the luxuries of experience is to not beat a dead horse or knowing when to move on. When I was a younger artist I’d try to revive many a painting, when the proper move was to start a new.

I’m not sure where this one is going, but it feels good to apply confident strokes and letting the piece dictate where it wants to go.

Current works under construction

January 23, 2019 pete sack

Closing out a painting is the hardest part of painting. Which is where I stand with these pieces.

One solution is to put them away for a few weeks and come back to them when they’re less precious.

But for the rest of the week I’ll poke and prod them.

New series- Star birth inspired

January 21, 2019 pete sack

I started the first piece below with only colors and style in mind. As it progressed it started to remind me of the cosmos, so I pushed it in that direction.