Artists Are Always Young

"Artist are Always Young" this quote was written under my high school year book photo.

I remember the picture well, I had just come back from a swimming class and my hair was a mess. I chucked at the quote, not being terribly impressed at 17 years old, I was more concerned about the unflattering photo.

Me, 2019

Dad' Day at the University of Illinois, where I was majoring in painting and commercial design

In this shot from a local newspaper, I was working from a nude model, circa 1959

Now, many, many years later, I understand. Artists are always young because we are never finished with our work. Just when I get the inclination to put the paints away, I get another idea about developing more techniques for my paintings.

It has been more than 60 years that I have been a working artist.

Just finished this abstract. Encaustic and mixed media, on board

I had a battle convincing my parents to let me be an art major in college. My mother often said, "You are going to have to survive on beans and live in a cold-water flat." She insisted that I take a semester of typing so I could get a job after school. My first job was in the art department in a book publishing company in Chicago.

I always carried a sketchbook when I was traveling with my jazz musician, Kai Winding. I sketched and painted musicians for 12 years.

backstage at the Nice, France jazz festival, circa 1981

Process of a very large mural, circa 1990

My Christmas display in Artisimo Gallery's gift shop. About 23 years ago.

My partners in my first gallery, Artisimo, Scottsdale AZ. Note the T shirts I painted for some occasion.

My first abstract painting done during my second year in art school. Casein on illustration board. circa 1953

An Artist Can Only Paint What Is Inside Of Them

I have always felt that painters paint who they are. When I look back on the many years I have been a working artist, it is almost a catalogue of my life, experiences and emotions.

A friend, an artist ,who was my first encaustic student when I moved to Mexico almost 15 years ago, says he likes to paint chaos and uses mostly black on his very large paintings. One of his series is called Melancholy and the Lost. There are symbols that look to me like nuclear clouds. He was the one who told me that to be recognized as a Mexican artist, I had to paint angry art. That is never going to happen. The deeper I get into my spiritual, meditation practice, the less I want to bring more tension in my work.

I have spent a few hours going through images going back to about 1968 and almost got lost in memories of where I was emotionally when I made these paintings. Nothing stays the same and it is interesting to see my artist's journey following my physical and emotional journey. All of these images are figurative.

Since last August, 2018, I have been working on my series, "The Lightness of Being", all abstract. www.ezshwan.com (If you would like to sign up to receive my monthly newsletter, there is a form on the welcome page.)

I did not start photographing my work before the 1960's so the examples are all after that date.

about 1968

1969

about 1975

1978

1976

 

1987

The Circus Series, 1989

Every Woman Is A Goddess, circa 1991

Her Journey, A Woman's path to self-realization ,circa 1993

circa 1994

1995

1999

2000

The Love Letter, 2016

2017

2018

Studio Days

I love nothing more than being able to have uninterrupted days in the studio. It has not been possible for a while because of an armed hold up of my daughter with 3 other people leaving the Mexico City airport. Fortunately all the passengers are alive, but suffering stress.

Also  I taught for two days this week and could forget all the problems the robbery created. I love sharing encaustic techniques with eager participants in the workshops. A double delight is getting to meet people I would not have met isolated in my studio. See my workshop blog: http://ezshwan.blogspot.mx/

Here is a new painting I have been working on. I know what I want to create, but I have to struggle with my habit of  loving to paint portratis and not get picky with these faces. Off and on I have worked on this for 5 days. It is not finished and I may get to work on it a bit more before I leave for the Yucatan next week.

Day one. Acrylic washes

day two laying our patterns in oil

day three, more placement

Day four.  I started painting with my hands to soften the figures

Finally getting the softness that I am seeking

oil sticks and more painting with a gloved hand.