The Last One For My Show Started

While at TOSH 10 these past few days I started the last painting for my show. It is 40x40". It is in acrylic. So far I have drawn it out on a black gessoed canvas and started colour blocking it. Today I was working on the kettle but had to stop as my tablet where my reference is,  ran out of power. Then it wouldn't  charge with an extension cord. Oh well too many visitors in the gallery to really get immersed in painting.
I think it is serendipitous that I have chosen to paint the image of my still life prop box. Most of the things in this painting have been included in the other paintings for the show.
My desire is to grab my oils and paint over the acrylic. But I do not have time for oils to dry and I am determined to complete a big realistic painting in acrylic. It is about a positive attitude.  And perseverance.
Growth happens when we challenge ourselves to rise to new heights. Oils are my comfort medium. Acrylics  and I are still getting acquainted.
I will be posting my progress.

From Sketch to Painting

On Sunday morning I sat outside  in the glorious sunshine having my coffee. My mind was wondering to painting and painting in acrylic.  I decided to capture  a little vignette in my yard and the neighbouring heritage yard in a little sketch. My yard is no show place but I  wanted to show there is beauty everywhere if you take the time to look.
These planters and pots have been long  neglected and are now homes for weeds. I didn't include the chain link fence separating the two yards.
My challenge was to make a painting only from the sketch. I did a bit of  cropping to come up with a common ratio. I painted  this on gessoed paper which I can mount onto a 12x24 canvas in the future. I am not completely comfortable with acrylics as my main medium is oils. I tried not to get fussy and used a 3/4 flat for most of the painting. I still have palette bug issues with  acrylics. Wet palette or dry. Today's painting was used with a dry  palette and a spray bottle.
It was a fun experiment with a sketch to painting and in acrylic with moderate satisfaction on the finished painting.

Another Abstract

I was procrastinating today. I should be working on another formal still life for my show. But a newly primed canvas was calling my name. I liked doing the last abstract so much that I wanted to try it again. My daughter came over after her night shift of work and crashed on the loveseat. I couldn't give myself over to 2-3 hours to do a detailed drawing today knowing she was here and going to wake up soon.

I think I will call this series Windows in the Sky, this one is Twilight.

Back in the Saddle

The things we do to ourselves as artists. We aren't very nice to ourselves sometimes. 2014 was not a good year for me art wise, a fair amount of rejections accompanied by being in a muddle. Not sure which caused what. 

This year has been so much better for my creativity. I did something that took my creativity to new places and heights. I was costume designer for a local and long standing theatre group. Les Miserables with 39 cast members. A huge challenge and undertaking, and I pulled it off with huge success. Please do not dismiss community theatre costuming as trifle. The budget was substantial, and I had 10 seamstress along with myself all working furiously. And all for an understated look that was 'period perfect' as the local arts critic said. This show got 5/5 stars and people said it was the best Les Miz they had ever seen.

Another big thing I did was get off Facebook. It was doing nothing for my self esteem. I do not miss it in the least. I am reading more because instead of surfing FB, I spend that down time reading. 

So I am back in the saddle, confident that I have a brain that works, I am still creative and the petty BS that comes in the art world is unimportant to who I am. I am working towards my solo show this summer, the Old School House (TOSH), Qualicum Beach, BC, August 10- September 5. Formal still lifes.

 

I am also enjoying painting abstracts. I am seeing some of my own unique style emerging. Mark making. I just wanted to share a bit, I guess in a small way I miss that about not being on FB. Happy day all.

Fingerpainting adventures

I am starting this painting. I will be combining a realistic subject with fingerpainting.  Working from a photo I sketched in using black gesso and a brush. My goal is to created an impressionistic painting.  A marriage of abstract and realism.

Auntie (anti) Muse

Today I stamped my feet, got mad and told auntie-muse to leave me alone.
I will ride with the muse sisters.
As an artist our hearts, passions and vision are guided and encouraged by the muses. I have been struggling these past few months with direction and focus. I felt like I have lost the passion. I had let rejection, comments get to me. This morning I realized auntie muse had wrapped me in her arms, soothed me and whispered false niceties in to my ear. I liken it to falling off a bike. Instead of being forced to get back on  and ride even stronger I was wrapped in a soothing blanket and told I wasn't ever going to ride a bike and to come inside and play with dolls. I would be content to play with dolls and riding a bike should be left to others. But I CAN ride a bike and it was only a wobble. Sit up straight, eyes where I am going, build strength and be confident.
I will ride. Push hard on the uphills and  laugh with glee as I feel the thrill of the ride. I know auntie muse is always there but when she sees how well I ride maybe she will go inside and play with dolls.

Daisy Trio

 

 

 

 

 

Daisy Trio

12x12

Oil on Canvas

$275 

 

 

Last summer I purchased a new camera. That evening, as I played with the features of the camera, I took many photos. Daisy Trio came from one of these photos. My garden was a mass of self seeding daisies which grew among the other plants. My garden has now undergone a radical makeover and the daisies are no longer there. It was fun to paint these daisies using transparent oil colours and glazes.