kodo 1 continued / tweaks to “celebration Xii” /  by Philip Tarlow

KODO I 24x28” as it looked moments ago, at the end of my painting day

3:27 PM: i took kodo 1 to the next level. as you might expect if you follow my work, it no longer has any visible connection to the taiko drummers, which is what that word, kodo means. the female figure with the sponge is inspired by a photo of a group of archeologists cleaning a new found mosaic beneath their feet. and to her right are a few elements derived from the designs on a japanese 16th c. no robe.

celebration XII 16x20” as it looked following today’s tweaks

starting the “kodo” series with “KODO 1” / "word & worlds" stretched this morning /  by Philip Tarlow

day 1 of KODO 1, 24x28” oil on linen

4:09 PM: this afternoon, following our deeply moving experience of KODO this past weekend at shumei here in crestone, i began a new series inspired by photos & video i shot of the taiko drummers at the event. i started late afternoon, so what you see is just the very beginning and, as is true with all my new projects, there’s no predicting where she will go. i’m calling the series KODO.

words & worlds, 42x40” oil & collage on linen

1:36 PM: i last worked on this painting on april 20, when i introduced the blue ground. today i finally stretched it, and here she is, wrinkle free at last! it was tricky, because the collaging i had done created lots of ripples and wrinkles, but now they’re almost 100% gone, and she looks pretty great!

vyd zverkhou i and ii /  by Philip Tarlow

vyd zverkhou I as it looked following today’s tweaks

vyd zverkhou II as it looks following the tweaks imade today

11:03 AM: i didn’t have much time today because we’re attending a luncheon event, nonetheless, i was able to make a few tweaks to these two paintings.

vyd zverkhou i and ii /  by Philip Tarlow

vyd zverkhou I as it looks following the work i did today

vyd zverkhou II as it looks following the work i did today

2:02 PM: stopping early today because of an event we’re attending this afternoon. i did quite a bit of work on both vyd zverkhou i and ii this morning; both are still in process.

vyd zverkhou I and II /  by Philip Tarlow

vyd zverkhou I as it looked at the end of my painting day today

vyd zverkhou II as it looked at the end of my painting day today

3:56 PM: today i worked on both vyd zverkhou paintings; l & II. I recreated II yesterday, and took it further today, whreas i hadn’t touched I since i first created it.

vyd zverkhou II reborn /  by Philip Tarlow

vyd zverkhou II reborn 24x28”, oil on linen as it looked moments ago, at the end of my painting day

3:59 PM: the original vyd zverkhou II was painted over. i didn’t like what happened and tried to scrub it out, but what remained was to messed up, so i decided this morning to start fresh, using photos of the original as a guide.

i think that was a smart move, because as i’m painting the new one i remember my moves from the original, and am inspired to improve on what i did. thus far, it’s looking more developed as a composition as well as coloristically. it’s interesting that i went much later than usual because i had the juice. it’s complex without being overloaded or busy. this experience makes me want to do something like this with a few other recent paintings.

i’ll pick up where i left off in the morning.

my birthday /  by Philip Tarlow

with my Mom in Brooklyn

THANK YOU!!! to all of you who remembered my birthday today. it means a lot, and makes me feel more connected. as some of you may be aware, i was supposed to be born may 12th, but i was facing the wrong way and after a couple of days of maneuvering, the docs decided a C-Section was the only viable solution. and out i came!

so what are we doing for my birthday? what we do every day; mikela is out at the valley high schools, working with the kids & i’m here in my studio painting & posting.

actually, i’m getting kinda tired so i may clean my brushes, walk back to the house & lie down. right now it’s looking like it might rain soon, so if i’m quick i can get home without getting wet.

birds enter “still life with refugees” / crestone get together / a fayum study i made in the British museum / painting of a drummer /  by Philip Tarlow

still life with refugees 42x42” as it looked moments ago with the appearance of two colorful birds.

i resumed work this morning on still life with refugees, which has undergone many transformations. the latest is the appearance of birds. thus far there are two, but more may be flying in…we can’t tell…

a few nights ago about 25 crestonites, all over 60, got together at the home of a dear friend to celebrate some of our may birthdays. we had dinner, caught up on news and then sat down with an excellent guitar & harmonica player and sang. it was beautiful, and brought tears to my eyes. here’s a short video clip.

BELOW: study in oil on board of a fayum portrait i made on site, at the British Museum in London, with generous support from the Director.

study of a fayum portrait i made in the British Museum, London, which now hangs in our house

TARLOW: drummer, oil on linen, 80x35” hanging in our living room

RIGHT: painting of a drummer in oil on linen, hanging in our living room

VYD ZVERKHOU II and STILL LIFE WITH REFUGEES, are both greyed, then UNGREYED /  by Philip Tarlow

still life with refugees un-greyed 42x42”

vyd zverkhou un-greyed

6:54 PM: i decided to un-grey both of them. too dark.

VYD ZVERKHOU II after having been greyed over this morning.

12:29 PM: this morning i mixed up grey oils and painted them over about 80% of vyd zverkhou II. and then i painted 7 letters of the ukrainian alphabet, in caps, into the still wet grey. it gave the painting a new identity, and it’s as if the ukrainian letters are announcing it. the figures of the guitar player and the drummer are prominant., and little bits of pink and blue peek through from the pre-greyed composition.

still life with refugees 42x42” oil & collage on linen after being greyed over this morning

as well, i broght the newly stretched sill life with refugees back form the house, where we’d been evaluating it for the past few days. my eye bounced around like a ping pong ball whenever i glanced at it.

the figures of the skateboarding girl and the walking plaid shirted guy now transmit an entirely different energy. and the ukrainian letters have appeared in this one as well. it’s hard to describe what they add to the entire composition, but it works.