Simrat Khalsa Fine Art

Photos from the Ozone Fine Art opening

Simrat — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 04:55:38 +0000

I have been remiss in posting these here. I had a lovely time visiting with Karen, other artists and patrons. This is a really wonderful space and the views are stellar. With all the art to look at, I forgot to get a photo of the bay. Next time I will be sure to!

Works in progress May 2010

Simrat — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 07:25:20 +0000

Someone recently offered me something and in return, I started this painting. It has since had more silver leaf added and another session is in order. I enjoy doing these intuitive type pieces. I usually start with a concept, but not a visual one. I let the image develop step by step. I feel that each of my paintings has someone out there that it will speak to. I don’t often have that person in mind when I am painting, so this was a departure for me. This subject of this is the concept of the angel.

I am curious if any of you find this sort of intuitive approach to painting at all interesting. And I wonder what it would be like to take on commissions of this sort. If this sounds intriguing to you or you are curious to discuss it more, please let me know in the comments or by email.

At the same time, I was working on two larger, vertical panels. This image show the first in two stages. The left sides are after the first session and the right sides after the second painting session. Silver leaf applied to the panel creates the center rectangles. It is hard to photograph and still show the real visual quality.

Here is the second panel in the same two stages. I have added a second area of silver leaf to the lower half since these photos.

And here are the two painting in their current state as a diptych.

All these pieces are done in acrylic and silver leaf on mahogany plywood panel.

These are the two that started me on my current acrylic and silver leaf tack. They both started out as landscapes, but one quickly became something else. The landscape is done and ready to frame. The bison fantasy is not yet even close.

Explorations in new media

Simrat — Sat, 14 May 2011 20:24:13 +0000

Homage (work in progress)

This painting here is an exploration in using acrylics. I don’t think that it’s finished yet. This was a first pass. The contour of the hill came from my memory. Without thinking of it, the shape is very similar to Mt. Pisgah. I see it nearly daily while driving towards the freeway and work. It’s often shrouded in fog or clouds and sometimes lit from behind by the rising sun. It’s very often a spectacular and breathtaking view. I guess it’s burned into my visual imagery.

I’m continuing to explore acrylic painting, mostly due to the fast drying time. I had gotten tired of waiting nearly a year to varnish and sell an oil painting. I don’t care for the smell of acrylics and some of the colors are jarringly bright. I’m more used to to the natural colors I’ve chosen from my favorite manufacturer of oils, Williamsburg. They have been bought out by Golden, so I hope that the next batch I buy will be as nice as what I have from years ago.

Despite the difference in smell, I continue to play with the acrylics I have on hand. Some are left over from my grandmother’s stash, so I have no idea how old they really are. The dried up tubes are tossed, but some are still usable. I also have brushes that were my grandmother’s and father’s. I like using tools and supplies that were handled and used by them. There is a very nice continuity about that, especially since both are no longer living.

acrylic and silver leaf on mahogany panel

I also found a stash of silver leaf during our recent kitchen remodel. It was intended for use on Indian sweets. Since it’s not very likely that I will be making burfi, I moved it to my studio. I was trained in gilding frames as a teenager, so decided to incorporate it into my paintings. I like how some pieces were tarnished and some still bright. The dark shapes on the right here are the tarnished silver. I have since sealed the area with a coat of varnish, so that the bright areas should stay that way.

I am finding that layering acrylics, while far different than working in oils, is still satisfying. It’s especially interesting to tint over the silver leaf. I hope to get a few more hours in the studio this weekend for work on these. Tonight, I head to Newport, OR for the opening of the new show at Ozone Fine Art and maybe a nice dinner too.

Website update

Simrat — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:26:55 +0000

It’s getting there! My online house is coming into order. Much thanks is due to my friend Susan for all the time she has put into it. It wouldn’t be happening without her! At the same time as this virtual house is coming together, my kitchen is undergoing a major remodel as well, so life has been very busy lately.

The galleries on the site are the next area for me to work on. I hope to get some time this weekend to get that a bit more organized. It will have to fit in between installing my kitchen counter. One of the possible downsides to being an artist, is the urge to do a lot of home improvement projects myself. I do really enjoy the creative aspects of it, but always forget how much time it all takes.

I have new projects in the wings that I will continue to work on once the dust has settled somewhat. One is developing ceramic pieces from a sculpture portrait I did a few years ago of my Spanish Mustang mare, Choctaw Lily. I have made a few molds and am testing them out at a friend’s studio. I have yet to come on a final design, but here are a few of the bisque tests…

I made a dozen more after this, trying out different background shapes and finishes. I’ve yet to come up on what my final design will be. I plan to get to a point where I can be producing these for sale in various colors, so stay tuned!

Welcome and please excuse the mess

Simrat — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 04:42:02 +0000

We are in the process of reconfiguring my website. The gallery images will be uploaded throughout the week and various options fiddled with. I appreciate your patience!

Simrat

New adventures in ceramics

Simrat — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:17:13 +0000

Through the urging of fellow artist, Candee Brennen, I am getting back into ceramics. Candee is generously offering me the use of her kiln and studio. I used to enjoy doing hand built construction of both functional and sculptural ceramics in years past. This most recent experiment involves taking a small plaque portrait of my mare, Choctaw Lily, that I did in 2002 and making press molds.

The sculpture was originally made in non-hardening oil clay, from which I made a rubber mold and cast a few resin copies. At Candee’s I made a couple of bisque molds from the resin. I also made a plaster mold in my studio from the resin. I pulled a few castings from the plaster mold a couple of weeks ago, which are now bisque fired and ready for glazing.

This coming weekend, I will be testing out the bisque molds and comparing the results to my plaster mold castings.

Whew! I really enjoy all this exploring of options!

Here are a few photos of past ceramics pieces…

Raku fired sculpture

Blue striped vase

Porcelain vase

Yellow Horse

Simrat — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 20:24:18 +0000

Oil and charcoal on canvas
12/9/2010
10″ wide x 8″ high

This is a painting that was done on a whim. I believe that I have found a new area to explore though it. So many times, I feel a piece is not yet finished, yet it is received quite well. This is one of those pieces. It is nearly dry and will be for sale framed for $165.