New Views of Mount Fuji ...Father Time (or Happy New Year) Fuji

Have a Blessed and Abundandant 2018

Father Time Fuji
Colored Pencil and Ink Drawing with Cut Out Filter and Fuzzy Gesture Tool 

The Fuji Series... James explains it all.

I am often asked about my series "New Views of Mount Fuji". No one has ever explained it better than my friend James Scarborough, who wrote the following piece for me back in 2008. I quote from it regularly. Thank you James.

Ricky Nelson anf Three Cupcake Fuji Montage
Digital Media

"Dorette Amell’s many-pieced and on-going series of views of Japan’s Mount Fuji is both funny and incisive. It shows what happens when you take something that is not just iconic (the snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji) but also so ubiquitous that it loses any aura it might have had.

Within the confines of popular culture, Mount Fuji is the Japanese version of the Golden Gate Bridge. Like the feat of engineering, the image of this feat of nature peeks through every building; it commands the view outside office windows. It’s been photographed and painted and drawn countless times. Whatever you do, it’s always there. It’s also a venerable subject for artists: consider Hokusai’s famous series of works that depict it.

But Amell doesn’t so much pay homage to the site itself as to the idea of creating serial images of the site. It’s just like Monet painting the same haystacks, the same cathedral facades over and over again, the better to capture its particular qualities present in each moment of ambient light. But she goes one step further: like Marcel Duchamp’s famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) LHOOQ (he expertly reproduces the Mona Lisa and then adds a little mustache), she takes a famous image and then has fun with it.

The fun consists in both the sense of scale... as well as the many and seemingly endless associations she broaches with the view: the mountain draped in leopard skin, in lion skin.

Fuji as a cupcake, subject to the forces of a magnet, decked out with horns or aliens, or else emerging from a forest; covered in rust, the destination of a dinosaur or a 1930’s Flash Gordon spaceship. Fuji as a trio of t-shirts that billow on a clothesline, in a tropical climate, in a not-so-tropical climate, decked out with flowers.

Amell’s series might look like it’s done tongue in cheek. Really, though, it comments on the way a familiar thing becomes invisible and so the only way to make it visible is to make it unfamiliar, novel, if not a little absurd.

A perfect example? Think of how the artist Christo would wrap entire islands, entire buildings, construct a fence that ran for hundreds of miles, the better to call (better yet, recall) attention to that which had escaped their public’s attention. Amell’s series of work is the bonsai version of Christo’s work: appealing, interesting, and not a little funny."

James Scarborough is based in Los Angeles and writes about art, theatre and film.

http://jamesscarborough.net/writing/

New Views of Mount Fuji ...Obama (or Optimist) Fuji

In 2008 Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States. I was so inspired by his candidacy that I painted "Obama Fuji" in his honor. 

There are those who will remember the devastated economy, the very real threat of the country sinking into depression and the near impossibility of finding work as an astonishing average of 800,000 jobs vanished each month. 

Obama gave a lot of folks the sense that somehow, someway, we would all pull through.

During the 1930's, in those very hard times... there was a poem circulating called "The Optimist's Creed" which I referenced for my humble tribute. 

As you ramble on through Life, 

Whatever be your goal.

Keep your eye upon the doughnut,

And not upon the hole.

Today the Obamas left the White House. Donald Trump was sworn into office. During his last press conference Mr. Obama said, “In my core, I believe America will be okay." 

Once again... I think he's right. There's a rocky road ahead, but I think he's right.

Obama (or Optimist) Fuji

28 x 34"

Acrylic on Masonite Panel

New Views of Mount Fuji ...Final For Now (or Red Eye) Fuji

The "Red Eye" is a kind of flight embarked on in the evening and ending in the small hours of the morning. The traveler generally arrives fatigued... eyes bloodshot and ringed with red.

Nearly eleven years ago, during a figurative "Dark Night"... I began a journey in Los Angeles that hatched my "Fuji Series". 

I have produced a couple of hundred "Fujis" including assemblage, paintings and drawings, concurrent to other artistic pursuits. The series has travelled well, lending itself to quick explorations, which began at my friend Marianne's kitchen table in West Hollywood. I kept things rolling after I moved back to Maine and I have been posting some of the work from the series every week on this blog for well over a year, along with pertinent quotes or a prose vignette of my own composition.

Now "Comes the Dawn" and however pleasant my life and work, I have grown fatigued ...or more accurately I am seeking a new challenge. I wish to explore another direction. Fuji thinks I'm pushing it ...and I agree. A respite of undetermined length is in order. That said, I will add to the series from time to time and will be producing a dedicated group of prints, along with a book.

This blog will be undergoing a face lift over the next week... and I will continue to post new work along with details of production methods and thought process. All in all ...big changes are in the offing.

Thank you to all who have supported, commented on and encouraged my "New Views of Mount Fuji". I appreciate your kindness more than I can say.

Red Eye Fuji
4 x 6"
Acrylic on Paper
Another Great Photo By Jay York

New Views of Mount Fuji... Franklin Fuji

"When you're finished changing, you're finished." Benjamin Franklin

This is one of the first "Fujis" from 2006. 
I was not entirely sure where I was going with the series. 
It remains an atypical Fuji.

Franklin Fuji or Fuji Enwreathed with a Key
5 x 7"
Acrylic on Canvas with Oil Glaze
Mounted on Wood
with Key

Photo by Jay York

Techno Follies... Scanners, Graphite and Poster Edges

Every week for the past year or so I have posted an image from my series "New Views of Mount Fuji". This past week I worked on a graphite drawing of Chubby Checker with an acrylic ink background. Anxious to post the piece over the weekend I scanned the drawing on my printer at 300 dpi and while not crazy about the results, put up the image.

The scanner output was surprising ... as far as the background was concerned, scanning produced an interesting modulation of the color, but it was washed out... the ink was a hot pink and revisions in Preview were unsatisfactory. The larger problem, however, was the way the graphite reproduced, I had taken quite a bit of care with the piece, but without controlled lighting and the skill of my GoTo photographer, the drawing appeared uneven. Shadows and highlights were random at best. Clumsy at worst.

I decided to put the scanned drawing into Photoshop, adjusted the color bringing it closer to the original background, tinted the foreground and used the Poster Edges filter. The filter grabbed the graphite and produced what I think is a great range of textural effects. I then added the smallest highlights in pale pink with the Paintbrush tool on Mr. Checker's shoes. 

If I had just used a copy of my original reference photo in Poster Edges the results would not have been the same. The drawing, however altered by the scan, added character to what would have been an otherwise stiff and mechanical reproduction. I believe that the whole here is greater than the sum of the parts. I've included the original scan on the left and the digital modification on the right. 

Please click on the image to enlarge.

To view the updated post "Fuji with a Twist" 

click on the link to the right in the "Labels" column 

or scroll down to the previous post.

New Views of Mount Fuji... 90 Fahrenheit Fuji

Well... it's a hot one in Maine today, but it has been hotter... on this day in 1901, the thermometer topped out at 96 degrees... in 1911 it was whopping 103 on July 4th. The coldest July temperature on record was 40 degrees back in 1965. Last weekend was sweater weather, chilly... the temperature hovering between 55 and 60 degrees.

The locals say... "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes." 

Then there's my personal favorite... "Maine has two seasons, Winter and the 4th Of July." 

90 Fahrenheit Fuji
Digital Media

New Views of Mount Fuji... Moving Forward Fuji

Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward.

They may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.    Goethe

Moving Forward Fuji
Digital Media

New Views of Mount Fuji... Fashion Fuji

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. 

Fashion is in the sky, in the street.

Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening. Coco Chanel

Fashion Fuji
Digital Media

                                                       

New Views of Mount Fuji... A Horseshoe or Lucky Fuji

Horseshoes are symbols of good luck. There are number of theories as to why this is so... I like the explanation that since they are fashioned from iron, they will attract like metals and will therefore attract luck as well. Some things are so simple.

Here is where it gets complicated: there are also theories on how to hang a horseshoe to attract the maximum amount of good fortune. 

Some say keep the opening at the top, this way your good luck is prevented from falling out. Others insist that the horseshoe should be hung upside down... this placement insures that good luck will tumble from the opening and scatter all around you.

I like to hedge my bets and prefer that a horseshoe be hung upside down, a position which I feel guarantees that it will certainly attract and accumulate good luck. However, the horseshoe must be spun right side up every now and again... so as not to tempt fate.

Horseshoe or Lucky Fuji
5 x 4"
Prismacolor on Paper
Photo by Jay York

New Views of Mount Fuji... "We Shall Not Forget" Fuji

Memorial Day was once known as Decoration Day and dates from the Civil War. On May 5th,1868 General John Logan declared that the 30th of May would be set aside to honor and decorate the graves of those who had fallen in battle.

We now observe Memorial Day on the last Monday of May.

The custom of wearing a Red Poppy began with Moina Belle Michael, who was inspired by the poem "We Shall Not Sleep" better known as "In Flanders Fields", written in 1915 by a Canadian doctor, John McRae... while he was serving in World War I. 

In 1918 Moina wrote her poem "We Shall Not Forget", her response to "We Shall Not Sleep". She pledged always to wear the Red Poppy in remembrance of those lost.

...And now the torch and poppy red

We wear in honor of our dead 

Fear not that ye have died for naught

We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought in Flanders Fields...

New Views of Mount Fuji... A Ribbon Aloft (If You Let Them) Fuji

Your hopes, dreams and aspirations are legitimate. 

They are trying to take you airborne... 

Above the clouds, above the storms 

If you only let them.

William James

A Ribbon Aloft Fuji
4 x 12 x 3/4"
Oil on Wood 
Photo by Jay York

New Views of Mount Fuji ...Fuji and a Big Idea

Thomas Edison once said "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." 

He knew what he was talking about. Edison had performed approximately 10,000 trials before he came up with a workable light bulb. He changed the world.

Fuji and a Big Idea
Graphite on Paper

New Views of Mount Fuji... Full Effect (Wabi Sabi) Fuji

Wabi Sabi is like the reverse side of brocade

all of the threads are there 

but not the subtlety of color or design. 

                                                              Kakuzo Okakura

Sayonara Prince ...A Fuji for His Royal Badness

I could not let the passing of Prince go by without fashioning some sort of tribute. What an extraordinary soul. 

The Fuji is an original drawing which I placed into Photoshop and pasted over a set of diagonals... for me diagonal lines have come to represent the barriers between the known and the unknown. I painted clouds over the result digitally with my little mouse. The Purple Rain needs no explanation.

Sayonara and Rest in Heavenly Peace.

    A Fuji for His Royal Badness

New Views of Mount Fuji... Pine Fresh Fuji

Be obscure clearly. 

E. B. White

A Pine Fresh Fuji
9 x 12 "
Acrylic on Wood Panel
Photo by Jay York

New Views of Mount Fuji... Irrepressible (Ricky Nelson) Fuji

From 1952 until 1966 the Nelson family came into the living rooms of American homes via their extraordinarily successful television show "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet". They played themselves; Ozzie along with his wife Harriet, and their sons Ricky and David.  

Ricky was a talented musician and as a young teenager began to perform with his band at the end of each episode. He was a staple on the radio, having produced a number of well crafted and memorable recordings. His was one of those lives front loaded with good fortune. After the show was cancelled he struggled to find success. He passed away at the age of 45 in a plane crash on New Year's Eve, in 1984.

As a boy he was introduced to viewers as "The Irrepressible Ricky". 

Irrepressible (Ricky Nelson) Fuji
Casein on Wood Panel 11 x 22"

         

New Views of Mount Fuji ...Paper and Panel Fuji

Just to see what there would be to see... nothing more, nothing less.
Have a very Happy New Year.

Paper and Panel Fuji
9 x 12"
Prismacolor on Paper

The Fuji Series... Fuji Appears in a Stand of Trees

I painted "Fuji Appears in a Stand of Trees" in Missouri during a blizzard. Once upon a time I was traveling in my pick up truck across the country from California to Maine to begin a job in the middle of February. I was following an enormous snowstorm and had avoided difficulty for the most part; but one day the storm switched track and sometime before noon I was finding it difficult to keep driving. 

Finally, I saw a hotel and pulled off the highway, not without trepidation... I was on a very tight budget, and this was something of an upscale establishment. Inside, the desk clerk gave me a quote on a room which was well beyond my means. 

I thanked him and said that I would have to look somewhere else. He said that there was nothing else nearby and "Ma'am, I would not like to think of you going out there in this weather, we will be happy to accommodate you." There I stayed until the storm had passed, billed far below what I might have paid elsewhere.

I finished three small paintings during my stay... this little homage to Magritte, my Acorn Fuji and Masked Fuji.

There is a significant amount of weather driven hardship that the people of Missouri are facing during this holiday season and the memory of the desk clerk's kindness is very much with me today.  

Fuji Appears in a Stand of Trees

Acrylic on Paper

6 x 9"     Photo by Jay York