When Painting Ideas Go Astray!

I was mocking up a few photo composites as reference for some new oil paintings I was planning, using old family photos.  Having learned the hard way that some people are sensitive about memories associated with certain images, I thought to ask permission.  Permission was denied!  One alternative suggested, by my entomology specialized sister, was to replace human heads with insect heads, as I had been doing with bird heads.   I tried a few versions, but they all looked quite unattractive.  The best was this photo composite with a few pen & ink insects drawings covering the faces.  I kind of like it for what it is, but it will not be the basis for any future oil paintings.  

Ode to California in 1963

Will California ever again be

The state I remember fond ely

From 1963?

Photo taken by E.A. Autrey in Santa Barbara, 1963.  Poem inspired by another day inside with my air filter running full blast because of the Red Flag warning, and the EPA PM2.5 (particulate matter) >150 (safe is under 50.)  But I'm one of the lucky ones; Santa Rosa PM2.5 is >250 and Cloverdale is >400.  If Covid doesn't destroy ones lungs, the bad air will.  

Some good links on air quality below:

https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/extremely-high-levels-of-pm25/

https://www.purpleair.com/map?opt=1/mAQI/a10/cC0#8.2/38.785/-122.977

Man Versus Nature

Working on a new series of Photo Collage.  Here is the first.

My intent is to illustrate the reality that mankind does not live in a vacuum.  The natural world is beautiful.  It is up to us to try to keep it that way.  Why we exist is unknown; it is not clear where we come from nor where we go when we die.  What is known is the impact our lives have on the physical world we inhabit during our lifetime.

Homage to E.A. Autrey's People Photography

Remembering the late, great E.A. Autrey (my father).  While updating my list of photographers I like on Pinterest - some examples here: https://www.pinterest.com/lucyawilson/people-photography/,  I realized some of the old pictures my father took of his children fit in quite well.  Here is the quintessential sullen teenager in 1965 - capturing the true essence of that episode of youth I don't miss at all.  I doctored up the picture somewhat, especially above where I added some original art to the background.

Fear of the Future

E.A. Autrey photo from the 1950s with a night shot in Marin County in 2015

1950s Embroidered Photos

Photos by the late, great E.A. Autrey.  Printed 8 1/2 x 11 on Hiromi MM-5 Shiramine paper, then embroidered.  Color pencil added to the top picture only.

Top:  Lucy in the backyard in Santa Barbara, July, 1954
Bottom:  Lucy posing in our messy house, all dressed up, in June, 1958.

I like what some artists are doing with found photos and added embroidery.  But, I'd rather work with photos taken by my father, than pictures of people I don't even know.  So as not to upset my siblings, I'm forced to work on pictures of myself - not because I'm an egocentric person, like some people I won't name, who should not be running the country.

Red and Green Christmas - Hello, is this 1949?

2nd in a series of experimental red and green digital composites for Christmas 2016.

Lucy With Lantana Flowers

Throw back Monday with flowers!  New photo composite of fallen lantana flowers in my backyard with a high school photo taken of me by my father, the late, great, E.A. Autrey, around 1966.

The Five Autrey Daughters in Santa Barbara - Best in Blue or Yellow?

Cleaning Up Old 1974 scanned B&W 4x5 Negatives shot by E.A. Autrey in the park across from our house on Merida drive.  These oversized negatives are pretty degraded so there wasn't much that could be done with them.
Top photo adjustments:  Photoshop CS5 levels, Alien Skin AGRA APX 25 and Copper Blue Finish filters with some masking.  After and before adjustments.
Bottom photo:  Photoshop CS5 levels, Alien Skin B&W split toning and FSA Red Bleach with some masking

How Fast Time Passes When You're Having Fun!

Taking advantage of technology to merge old photos by E.A. Autrey, by me, and by Amber (as posted to her Instagram account and easily downloaded,) with a recent quilted place mat, to show the passage of time (from 1952 to 2015)

Family Photos Transferred onto Cold Wax and Oil Paintings

Lucy, Susan and Elsa in 1965, at home on Merida Drive in Santa Barbara, CA.
E.A. Autrey in 1952 at the beach near Altadena.
Top 4 paintings 6x6 on Arches Oil paper; Bottom painting 12x16 on cradled encausticbord

Evolution of a WW II Multi Media Painting

Bottom layer, original watercolor of flower cast shadows, painted at Jean's house, in a family painting session with nearly 96 year old mother and 3 sisters, on Mother's Day 5/10/2015
Next layer, added scratches as a texture overlay using Alien Skin exposure 7
Next layer, added a pattern layer in Photoshop of Korean army boots, drawn in one of the art classes I took with Chester Arnold at College of Marin
Top layer, added photo of E.A. Autrey in front of his army barracks in Oklahoma in 1942, after he was drafted during WW II

Messing With The Past

1965, Santa Barbara Research open house.  Smokers and curious old men. Where did that pig come from? My father was more likely looking at something that lead to his patent #3,356,500

For Father's Day

Thinking of my father, younger, on his bicycle in the early 1970's, and the recent trip to Rochester, Indiana with him, now nearly 93 years old.  The sun in Indiana was hot and muggy, there were beautiful red cardinals in the backyard, where our rental car was parked, behind the fence with the irises and the neighbor's shed.  Today my dad is in the hospital.  Not the best way to spend the day but, hopefully, he'll ride out of there and go one for awhile longer enjoying the sunshine.

Autrey Family Goes to the Beach, 1960

B&W photo by E.A. Autrey, taken in December, 1960.  Photo colorized by Lucy Autrey Wilson in February, 2013.

The Autrey Look

E.A. Autrey and his five daughters looking at the world through blue-green tinted lenses. 

Rainy Sunday

It's raining today but I'm warm inside thinking about family and our trip to Texas in 1958

Night Flight Electrical Storm

Just messing around with fractals and an old E.A. Autrey photo taken from inside an airplane

J.L. and Susan

Jean's Mumu