The Day's Work - Paintings of C. Litka: April 2015

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Painting of the Week

18x24" 45x60cm acrylic on hardboard First Light

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Week's work

Old Roses 12x16" 30x40cm acrylic on hardboard

View of the Sea 12x24" 30x60cm acrylic on hardboard

acrylic painting modified in gimp

not quite final version of the cover

Friday, April 3, 2015

I've been writing fiction for the last few years, mostly to amuse myself. I've three novels to show for the effort. I've not decided what I'll do with them yet. Depends on how they're received by those brave enough to read them. But if I decide to go the vanity route and self-publish them, here are the current covers.

The Newest paintings

Someday Days cover 12x16" 30x40cm acrylic on hardboard

White Flowers 18x24' 45x60cm acrylic on hardboard

Maig Glen Evening 12x16" 30x40cm acrylic on hardboard

The Avenue 18x24" 45x60cm acrylic on hardboard

Stormy Weather 18x24" 45x60cm acrylic on hardboard

The Road to Helium 12x24" 30x60cm acrylic on hardboard

Autumn Mood 12x24" 30x60cm acrylic on hardboard

Early Morning on the Road to Helium 18x24" acrylic on hardboard

Morning in Robin Close 12x16" 30x40cm acrylic on hardboard

Apple Orchard Mews 18x24" 45x60cm acrylic on hardboard

What I'm Up To

I think artist’s statements are largely needless. Paintings speak for themselves. And yet, here I am set to rattle on about my approach to painting. Now, if you're of the same opinion as I claim to be, skip this and enjoy the paintings, but if you want a hint as to what I’m trying to do, here’s the words.

I approach painting via two different roads that arrive at the same place. The first is that I paint only “studies” or sketches. Back in the day artists painted quick studies to get the colors and features down to use as a guide to paint a finished studio painting. Funny thing is of the paintings I’ve seen together with their studies, I’ve always preferred the loose and spontaneous studies over the stiff and polished finished painting. For that reason I’ve chosen to paint only studies.

My second approach to painting is inspired by a quote from the writer, Raymond Chandler: “I guess maybe there are two types of writers, writers who write stories and writers who write writing.” He considered himself of one of the latter, as do I which is to say; writers who’s words are entertaining in and of themselves, independent of the story. Perhaps painters could be divided the same way: Painters who paint pictures and painters who paint paintings. While I don’t consider one type superior to the other, I aim to be a painter of paintings. I want to paint paintings that capture a moment, inspire or recall a memory or mood, but which, viewed longer or closer, or with one's glasses on, prove to be clearly paintings: paint brushed into shapes on a surface. That these mere shapes can create an impression they’re something else, for a moment, or at a distance is the independent interest I would like my paintings to possess, not because they realistically reproduce branches, or water or what ever, but because they don’t. What I don't want to paint is places or post card scenes, even though landscape are the medium which I use for my painting.

The Day's Work - Paintings of C. Litka

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Painting of the Week

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Week's work

Friday, April 3, 2015

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