Carol Aust's Painting a Day Blog

Apr 12, 2013

Safe Hands

Safe Hands, 14"x14"

Much love to a little girl in Denver who is close to my heart....

Apr 10, 2013

Desert Two-Step

Desert Two-Step, 24"x36"

Another of my desert series. How many legs are too many?

Apr 8, 2013

Woman on Boulder

Woman on Boulder, 16"x16"

My daughter blooms in the most barren of places.

Apr 6, 2013

Feast in the Desert

Feast in the Desert, 36"x48"

I recently read my grandmother's diary. She lived through the Depression on a desert farm. I want to do a series of desert paintings.

Apr 4, 2013

Couple on Boulder


Couple on Boulder, 11"x25"

One of those together-but-separate paintings, inspired by a recent trip to Pinacles National Monument

Apr 2, 2013

New Plants

New Plants, 30"x30"

Just got back from Denver, hanging with my sister and her brood. Such a contrast between the huge skies and the brown winter landscape, between pink babies and my empty nest.

Mar 31, 2013

Woman and Birch Trees

Woman and Birch Trees, 24"x24"

If you're moving into the unknown, at least have sensible shoes.

Mar 29, 2013

There's a thread you follow. It goes among
things that change. But it doesn't change.
People wonder what you are pursuing.
You have to explain about the thread.
But it is hard for others to see.
While you hold it you can't get lost.
Tragedies happen; people get hurt
or die; and you suffer and get old.
Nothing you do can stop time's unfolding. You don't ever let go of the thread.
-William Stafford

Mar 28, 2013

Big Step

Big Step, 24"x12"

There's Noah, striding into adulthood. I'm glad he has long legs. If you want to see the person who inspired this, go tohttp://www.kickstarter.com/projects/noahaust/how-to-make-a-nightmare?ref=live.

Mar 27, 2013

Dancers #2

Dancers #2, 16"x16"

a private moment exposed....

Mar 5, 2013

Piggyback Ride

Piggyback Ride, 9x12

A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.

Jorge Luis Borges

Mar 3, 2013

Burning House #3

Burning House #3, 24"x24"

Why paint burning houses? Fresh start? Get out while you still can? Goes so fast? You tell me.

Mar 1, 2013

Lighter than Air #8

Lighter than Air #8, 28"x14"

Art is magic delivered from the lie of being truth.
-Theodor Adorno

Feb 27, 2013

String of Lights

The progression of a painting....

Jan 14, 2013

Red Banner, 8"x10"

I went with Laura to the Hayward shoreline. She brought a big red curtain, and I photographed her running past the salt flats. Two months later, a painting apears...

Jan 12, 2013

Log Bridge #4

Log Bridge #4, 60"x30"

A prayer for 2013

Dec 17, 2012

Crossroads #3

Crossroad #3 - 30"x60"

Years ago I went with my kids to Death Valley. We had fun lying in the middle of a deserted highway, and I sketched this road then. It's come up in a couple other paintings, one of those symbols that always has a tug.
My kids have taken off down that highway now. Tonight the first comes back, tomorrow the second. I'm waiting and watching.

Dec 5, 2012

Running With Clouds

Running With Clouds, 43"x60"

I have an opening tomorrow night, December 6th from 6:00 to 8:00 at the Studio Shop, 244 Primrose Rd. in Burlingame. Please come!

Dec 1, 2012

Updraft, 36"x10"

"Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter's soul." --van Gogh

Nov 30, 2012

Streetlight #2

Streetlight #2, 27"x27"

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." -Nietzsche

Nov 28, 2012

Lighter Than Air #4

Lighter than Air #4, 20"x30"

This one is based on some children at a church picnic.

Nov 26, 2012

Connected

Connected, 16"x16"

Kind of a rooted Mother Earth painting...

Nov 19, 2012

Three Legged Race

Three Legged Race, 12"x12"

I don't know what I would do without my friends.

Nov 16, 2012

Armchair #2

This is one of those paintings I started in Redwood Park and added the figure when I got home. It was taken to the Palestinian Territories last month as a gift. I hope it adds some peace to someone's day.

Nov 11, 2012

Tag

Tag, 30"x60"

Nov 9, 2012

Dance Around Fire

Dance Around Fire, 27"x27"

Nov 8, 2012

Card Game

Card Game, 16"x16"

Life bleeds into art and then becomes something more.

Nov 7, 2012

Porch Light

Dusk, 24"x36"

There's a little cabin at Mount Hermon that I'm always drawn to. We must've stayed there when I was small. I sketched it again last summer, and it turned into this painting a month ago. Then the challenge is, what are the people doing? Something thoughtful and quiet...

Oct 15, 2012

Pilgrimage

It's just one of those things you have to do, get over to New York now and then.

Sep 13, 2012

There's a new little book called Steal Like an Artist. The author, Austin Kleon kind of states the obvious, but it's nice to have permission, especially when you're stealing from a friend.
The flying sculptures on the left are by Laura Van Duren. I was painting at her studio one day, and look what happened!

Sep 12, 2012

Light

Light, 27"x27"

"Art is made by the alone for the alone." -Luis Barragan

Sep 11, 2012

Another Miracle

I call this painting "Another Miracle." I don't know if it's about motherhood or leaving home or just doing the impossible in this place and time. But I have done a lot of mothering and saying good-bye lately. It's hard to believe that I was hiking at Briones Park just 8 days ago with Noah and Sophie and Ed. I wonder how being an empty-nester will influence my paintings....

Sep 10, 2012

Street Lamp

Street Lamp, 36"x36"

I fell in love with the 1979 animation called "Tale of Tales" by Yuri Norstein. This is what came of it.

Jun 20, 2012

Woman on Rock

Many changes happening here. My daughter just graduated from high school, my son is home for the summer, galleries are calling,and the beach is calling...