Flagstaff in Zorn
Coconino National Forest, Flagstaff, AZ
Okay, I'll admit it! I'm in a rut. A lot of people have ruts. A lot of great people have ruts. I've had them before, and I'll have them again. It's not that I feel uninspired—I have so many creative plans and events to look forward to this year. I think it's just time for me to take a step back and have a new phase.
My last phase, and last rut for that matter, was about a year and a half ago. I was feeling stagnant in my painting and wasn't sure what I wanted my artistic voice to be, or where to even start. I had been painting for a little over a year and was trying intently to learn the fundamentals while also exploring what inspired me. My colors were all over the place. I felt confident in my mixing and blending, but the work just wasn't looking the way I wanted, and I didn't feel like I could express what I wanted to anymore.
During that rut, my wife and I rented a little Airbnb cottage near downtown Flagstaff. Flagstaff is a beautiful college town, about two and a half hours north of Phoenix, and it's a special place for both of us. We took the dogs with us—Ringo and Hank—and had plans to see the Sunset Crater in the Coconino National Forest. I took a ton of photos on that trip, as I always do, and had some great shots to use as reference photos. I always find some form of inspiration on a road trip, and I was excited to paint something when we got back.
“Leaving The Coconinos” - 11”x 14” (2024)
I had been reading a lot about limited palettes and had always wanted to try the famous Zorn palette for myself as a challenge. Using this extremely restricted combination of Yellow Ochre, Vermillion, Ivory Black, and Titanium White was exhilarating! Despite not having any form of blue—Ivory Black acts as a blue in this case—I was surprised at how freeing these limitations truly were. I didn't need to think about all the various yellows, reds, and blues. The thing I learned most was that I didn't need to have such a hodgepodge of colors on my easel; it was confusing me, and having too many choices ironically had me feeling limited.
“Change Of Scenery” - 9"x 12” (2024)
I painted a few pieces using the Zorn palette, like my Flagstaff-inspired "Leaving The Coconinos" and "Change Of Scenery." I eventually started adding a Prussian Blue into the mix when I felt I needed to paint a little bolder. I truly believe that playing around with a limited palette helped me pare down to the colors and hues I really needed, and the ones that I've been using ever since.
Maybe it's time for another phase?
