"WADAIKO" /  by Philip Tarlow

wadaiko, 42x32” is a new painting i started yesterday, and will continue to work on tomorrow

1:47 PM: this is the third day i’m working on this new painting, titled wadaiko, 42x32”, a term used outside of japan to refer to a style of drumming called kumi-daiko.

tweaks to interior with creek /  by Philip Tarlow

interior with creek, 32x42” following todays tweaks

today i assembeled the stretcher bars and stretched the canvas, and made some tweaks to the mandolin player in interior with creek., mainly to the instrument itself as well as the player. there’s a bit more to do tomorrow.

interior with creek, day 3 / 80x19" 2023 painting hanging in our house /  by Philip Tarlow

interior with creek, 32x42” oil on primed linen, as she looked at the end of my painting day today

2:06 PM: today i continued painting interior with creek, adding a light green around the existing elements of this composition, as well as a female mandolin player. it’s a very different painting now, and i have to integrate what i just did before continuing, unless i decide it’s resolved.

8:02 AM: this is one of the 2023 paintings in oil on linen hanging in our house

interior with creek, day 2 /  by Philip Tarlow

interior with creek, 32x42” oil on primed linen

2:20 PM: i’m taking it slow with this one, as it has, thus far, a very delicate balance. some yellows have appeared, as well as a second creekscape sketch down at the bottom in the center. there’s a very thin line separating descriptive from “abstract,” and just as we as americans need to put our country first, as an artist i always aim for putting the composition and color balance first. i want to leave you, the viewer, space to dream.

interior with creek, day one / parisian interior completed /  by Philip Tarlow

interior with creekscape, day one, 32x42”

once i completed parisian interior, i began painting on an unstretched piece of 32x42” primed linen, which will be titled interior with creek.

12:32 PM: this morning i completed work on parisian interior, 72x28” the small additions i made were critical to this composition. i especially love the small blue/green lampshade seen through the doorway, in the center. this is the only bit of green in the painting, and adds immeasurably to the richness of the blues, yelows & pink/reds..

a little shading around the face of the porcelin leopard allows his face to pop.

PS: i just re-read my story page and it brought me to tears. have a look:https://www.philiptarlow.com/chatty-bio

parisian interior, 72x28” oil on linen

parisian interior /  by Philip Tarlow

parisian interior at the end of my painting day

1:31 PM: a few more strokes and i’m done for the day.

12:14 PM: i’ve been doing more work on parisian interior this morning. she’s beginning to sing, and, to continue with this metaphor, has yet to reach the highest notes.

this interior, by the way, was photographed during our visit to paris in 1995. we were invited to dinner by the french owner of this lavish home.

let’s see where i can take her over the next few hours, at which time we’ve scheduled a talk with a dear friend.

parisian interior, 72x28” at noon today

further work on parisian interior /  by Philip Tarlow

3:11 PM: i took parisian interior to the next stage today. you can begin to discern the interiorof the house, with the statue of a spottrd leopard in the foreground. the taiko drummers have now been completely painted over. to be continued tomorrow…

o-daiko, 72x28” as she looked moments ago