PLANETS

Inspired by circular Renaissance paintings called tondos, this 2015 series is a variation of my Framed Skies paintings. (See http://www.scottponemone.com/portfolio/framed-skies/)

As part of a presentation I gave during an exhibition opening in October 2018 in Tetouan, Morocco, I described this aspect of my art making as my Meditative Path.  Each painting pairs a view of a sky, which for me represents all that is unknowable and ever changing, with a patterned border, which I see as man’s attempt to create some order out of the unknowable.  This visual pattern is also a stand-in for social and linguistic patterns constructed by mankind.

The framed prices for these watercolors range from $750 to $1,800.

Italy 2022 Planets

These Planets were inspired 3 1/2-weeks’ travel to Venice, Bologna and Parma in the fall of 2022. The skies were painting in Italy, while the borders were planned in Italy but painting back home in Baltimore. The names are based on the source of the border pattern.

Palazzo Te

Watercolor, 26 Feb. 2023, 12″ diameter

Parma Zodiac

Watercolor, 20 Feb. 2023, 12″ diameter

Stone Wreath, Venice

Watercolor, 31 Jan. 2023, 12″ diameter

Piacenza

Watercolor, 8 Dec. 2022, 12″ diameter

Parma Duomo

Watercolor, 2 Dec. 2022, 12″ diameter

Torcello

Watercolor, 19 Oct. 2022, 12″ diameter

Torrechiara

Watercolor, 23 Oct. 2022, 12″ diameter

Mezzoratta

Watercolor, 31 Oct. 2022, 12″ diameter

Mount Vernon Planets

These Planets were inspired by iron fencing and window boxes that grace my Mount Vernon neighborhood in Baltimore.

MV Planet A

Watercolor, 20 Jan. 2022, 22″ diameter

MV Planet B

Watercolor, 2 March 2022, 21 1/2″ diameter

VCCA planets

These three Planets were painted during an artist residency at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, Oct. 25-Nov. 14 2021.  The skies were based on views from the balcony off my bedroom, and the borders were based on wrought iron fencing around houses in Lynchburg, VA.

VCCA Planet A

Watercolor, 2 Nov. 2021, 22″ round

VCCA Planet B

Watercolor, 10 Nov. 2021, 21 1/2″ round


VCCA Planet c

Watercolor, 1 Jan. 2022, 23″ round

First Planets

Planet A

Planet I

Watercolor, 12 May 2015, 20″ round

Border was inspired by contemporary Delft vase.

Planet B

Planet II

Watercolor, 19 May 2015, 20″ round

Planet C

Planet III

Watercolor, 29 May 2015, 20″ round

Border was inspired by ancient Greek pottery at the Walters Art Museum

Planet D

Planet IV

Watercolor, 9 June 2015, 20″ round

Border was inspired by federal gilt mirror, c. 1820.

Planet V

Planet V

Watercolor, 9 July 2015, 20″ round

Border is derived from a Byzantine mosaic in Ravenna, Italy.

Plenet VI

Planet VI

Watercolor, 12 Aug. 2015, 20″ round

Border is derived from painted rib of a vault in an Italian monastary.

Planet VII

Planet VII

Watercolor, 23 Aug. 2015, 20″ round

Border is derived from 18th-century tombstones in Eastern Massachusetts.

The image is orientated so that it will fit into a diamond-shaped frame.

Planet VIII

Planet VIII

Watercolor, 7 Sept. 2015, 20″ round

Border is derived from a Greek vase at the Walter Arts Museum.

The image is orientated so that it will fit into a diamond-shaped frame.

Planet IX

Planet IX

Watercolor, 22 Jan. 2016, 20″ round

Border is derived from the Great Meteoron monestery, Meteora, Greece

PLANET X

Planet X

Watercolor, 2 Feb. 2016, 20″ round

Border is based on a mosaic from Ostia Antica, once the port of Ancient Rome

SKY AIPENS

The following paintings are an extension of the PLANETS, but the borders reflect a month’s residency at PECAH 2016 high in the Himalayan foothills.  The borders are my take on the aipen painting tradition.  The read up on aipen, please go to my ART I SEE blog post: http://www.scottponemone.com/lessons-in-aipan/ The complete run of my India paintings can be found in: http://www.scottponemone.com/portfolio/india-influence/

Sky Aipen I

Sky Aipen I

Watercolor, 5 March 2016, 12″ round. $500

 

Sky Aipen II

Sky Aipen II

Watercolor, 6 March 2016, 12″ round. Not for sale

Sky Aipen III

Sky Aipen III

Watercolor, 7 March 2016, 12″ round. Not for sale

Sky Aipen IV

Sky Aipen IV

Watercolor, 4 April 2016, 20″ round.

Sky Aipen V

Sky Aipen V

Watercolor, 21 April 2016, 20″ round.

Sky Aipen VI

Sky Aipen VI

Watercolor, 11 May 2016, 20″ round.

Sky Aipen VII

Watercolor, 13 Dec. 2016, 16″ round.

Sky Aipen VIII

Watercolor, 28 Dec. 2016, 16″ round.

Mughal Skies

The next three paintings have borders inspires by Mughal architecture on Delhi and Agra, India.

Mughal Sky I

Mughal Sky I

Watercolor, 4 June 2016, 20 1/8″ x 20 1/8″

Border is adapted from a stone inlay along the platform of Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi, India

Mughal Sky II

Mughal Sky II

Watercolor, 14 July 2016, 21 3/8″ round

Border adapted from stone inlay pattern along the exterior of the Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Mughal Sky III

Mughal Sky III

Watercolor, 10 July 2016, 22 3/4″ x 21 3/4″

Octagon border adapted from a carved stone grill on the ceremonial gate to the Taj Mahal

Tetouan Skies

The next four paintings were painted in fall 2018 during an artist residency at Green Olive Arts, Tetouan, Morocco.

Tetouan A

Watercolor, 19 Sept. 2018, 16″ round

The repeated arch was derived from a colonnade near the King’s Palace in Tetouan.

Tetouan B

Watercolor, 28 Sept. 2018, 16″ round.

The animal chase scene is derived from the base of a bronze Roman torchiere at Tetouan’s archeology museum.

Tetouan C

Watercolor, 3 Oct. 2018, 16″ round.

After a day’s lesson on Islamic geometry, I made this playful border of hexagons.

Tetouan D

Watercolor, 8 Oct. 2018, 16″ round.

This pattern was seen carved above a mosque door in the Tetouan medina.