Saturday, March 18, 2017

Chain Reactions

It would be fascinating to wire up an artist with electrodes to measure exactly how many choices must be made during the process of creation. (Francis Boag)
Isn't it funny how chain reaction works? This morning while reading Dotty's blog that is exactly what happened. She wrote about the study made on gratitude and me, with sometimes my obsessiveness, had to find what study etc.  After about 5 search steps I did find an abstract of a study,  But one of the related options on the page brought me to the subject of laziness, which I get almost daily. From there to a few Youtube videos. From there to this site with lots of videos, Of course, signed up for newsletter getting some interesting videos and MP3 files. One on meditation that I always wanted to try and couldn't get the proper concept. Well to make this long story shorter I tried it out and have started my 30-day challenge of 20 minutes meditation. It was not easy, that I can tell you. I felt it was the longest 20 minutes ever, but I am glad I did it and will continue. What has all this has to do with my latest painting? Well just wanted to share what going through my head.

Spring is here and as usual here a very short season till summer and its heat.  Found some interesting cuts of flowers, bows, pink etc and this is what came out.  I am not sure that these are finished as Heleni says, but I probably will let them rest a while.

Signs of Spring
Collage Oils and Cold Wax
30 x 32 cm
On cut Canvas

Pink Bow
Collage Oils and Cold Wax
29 x 32 cm 
On cut Canvas


Wednesday, March 15, 2017

No Paint Today

Whoever wants to understand much must play much. (Gottfried Benn)
Today at workshop I went back to kindergarten! Hurray!!!

Because Heleni wasn't able to come but had made sure the facility would be open, we worked alone. Only 6 -7 showed up so it was an intimate workshop, I started two new collage paintings and this week brought them to class for critique and further work.  Heleni said they were done. I think I can work some more, but Heleni many times stops me, mainly because I sometimes ruin them. This is a dilemma for me because in the online course I am taking there is a different philosophy. Later when I post these collages I will talk more.


Now back to kindergarten! Among some of the formats that I always lug along where formats in corrugated cardboard. I also had my new set of colored tissue paper and lots of collage material. Remembering about lesson 6 which is about formats and proportions thought I would start to tackle this.

Cut some of the formats into different proportions, decided on one composition format, landscape. Cut and pasted some magazine pieces on each. Then thought, what am I going to do with all my colored tissue papers. Decided to paint with them. Rip, cut, glue I was having a time! These are WIP.  On format 1  I pasted some transparent paper in an attempt to bring the bring that section together


Format 1
26 x 36 cm
Corrugated cardboard

Detail format 1

Format 2
25 x 26
Corrugated Cardboard
Magazine collage
Here Heleni stopped me. 

Format 3
13 x 36
Corrugated Cardboard

Detail 
Format 3


Format 4
36 x 13 cm
Corrugated Cardboard

Detail  Format 4


I loved the way I got variations of color with the overlapping of the tissue paper on each other and on the magazine pieces. Have to learn to control or perhaps not.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Dancing Lines Finale

All large tasks are completed in a series of starts. (Neil Fiore)

Remember my dancing lines? Well I think I have brought them to some sort of finale! Well until I decide otherwise!

Did some white Posca dots, did some veiling, more crayons, and new orientations. When I did some veiling some of the watercolor crayon marks bled.

Mixed Media
18 x 20
Watercolor Paper

Mixed Media
18 x 20
Watercolor Paper


Mixed Media
18 x 20
Watercolor Paper


Mixed Media
18 x 20
Watercolor Paper