Although I have been painting on birch panel for a year, I decided to go back and try canvas.  It was a challenge, and quite frustrating at times, but I finally got a hold of it and I like the results.  I still prefer wood, but this new painting has a softness to it that might be attributable to the canvas.
This piece is called "I Think I Can" and it is 36"x42".

After a long period of reluctance, The Reluctant Blogger has decided to blog again.  Why not give it a try......starting with a new painting.  All my 2012 work is gray, black, muted.  More to follow.  I will also be offering some of my own constructed crossword puzzles - rejected by the NY Times, but very good nonetheless!  That's all for now.  Now I must figure how to get you to read these posts.  btw, you can follow me on Twitter!  @barbarafisher10. 

Ma: The Space Between

Back to Blogging...............

I have not been writing on this blog but will start again with this post.   Lots of  changes since I last posted here, so stay tuned for more images and news from the studio.

Sea Change

Sea Change  36" x 40"

People often ask me how I title my paintings. Unlike some of artists I know, I love writing and assigning titles. It lets me use my wordsmith skills and, when successful, gives the viewer another angle from which to view the work. Sometimes a title is a word or phrase I particularly like (Flabbergast, Goodness Gracious), sometimes a question (Is This All There Is?, What Were You thinking?), or a bit of a narrative culled from images in the painting (Back to Square One, Me and My Shadow); a stolen song title (Splendid Isolation, Shelter from the Storm). I once did a series and titled them all as bumper stickers: Honk if You Love Painting, My Other Paintings are Landscapes, Call 1-800-FISHART, If you lived here you'd be home by now etc.


Sometimes a title pops into my head seemingly from nowhere - and I try to trust that it's the right title. Recently I used "Sea Change" and then realized I didn't know the origin of the expression. Turns out it's Shakespeare, from The Tempest: "Of his bones are coral made:/Those are pearls that were his eyes:/Nothing of him that doth fade,/But doth suffer a sea change". Literally, it refers to fundamental change that would result from long submersion in the sea. But metaphorically, it means a radical change in the every nature of a thing.


When pundits use the phrase “sea change” today, they usually mean a profound shift in the way things are done (i.e. Obama’s taking office).


My inquiry took a funny turn when I mistyped “sea change” into Google and ended up searching Sea Monkeys. Being a strong believer in the serendipity of the typo, I followed it. I discovered that the Sea Monkey kit was originally called "Instant Life" and was invented by the same man who came up with another bit of brilliant marketing from my childhood, X-ray Specs. "See the bones in your hand! See through your clothes!" Yet another random reference to bones. The upshot of all this is I may have some new titles: Bones to Coral, Instant Life and maybe even
X-Ray Specs.? Sometimes a title appears first, and becomes the genesis of a painting. In any case, it all comes full circle. Painting-Title-Meaning-Title-Painting and back around again.

Images of Easter

Easter is my favorite holiday.... of course it means Spring is finally here. Big Hooray! Add to that March Madness, Peeps (yellow chicks only, please!), marshmallow eggs in a carton, and chocolate bunnies with big ears to bite off, great old technicolor Biblical movies on TV (e.g., The Robe), daffodils, etc etc. I have always had a fascination with the sacreligious - the plastic "Three-Pack Holy Family", the Jesus action figure, the 3-D Last Supper clock (a wedding gift!), etc. This year I was given the above bit of Jesus kitsch. Chocolate praying hands, hallelujah! Tom Waits has a great song called "Chocolate Jesus". In the spirit of Easter, I offer the lyrics here - enjoy......and Happy Easter!

Don't go to church on Sunday

Don't get on my knees to pray

Don't memorize the books of the Bible

I got my own special way

I know Jesus loves me

Maybe just a little bit more

I fall down on my knees every Sunday

At Zerelda Lee's candy store

Well it's got to be a chocolate Jesus

Make me feel good inside

Got to be a chocolate Jesus

Keep me satisfied

Well I don't want no Abba Zabba

Don't want no Almond Joy

There ain't nothing better

Suitable for this boy

Well it's the only thing

That can pick me up

Better than a cup of gold

See only a chocolate Jesus

Can satisfy my soul

When the weather gets rough

And it's whiskey in the shade

It's best to wrap your savior

Up in cellophane

He flows like the big muddy

But that's ok

Pour him over ice cream

For a nice parfait

Well it's got to be a chocolate Jesus

Good enough for me

Got to be a chocolate Jesus

Good enough for me

Well it's got to be a chocolate Jesus

Make me feel good inside

Got to be a chocolate Jesus

Keep me satisfied

Happy Holidays......

These guys all say "Stop Global Warming" but first, have a Merry Christmas!