Category Archives: Paintings, Prints and Collages

Paintings, Prints, Collages

Curiosita

Sedona Sunset - Experimental Painting, Acrylic Ink, Collage, Papers, Gauze

As a business woman, I have lived by my wits, using creativity and invention to fulfill on client requests.   As an experimental artist, I live in this same place of Curiosita.  Currently, I am re-reading How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael J. Gelb. He describes Curiosita, this first of seven Da Vincian Principles, as “an insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning.”  How fun is that?

The experimental artist starts by asking a question: “What would happen if…..if I let these two inks merge….if I added washi paper here….if I collaged on some interesting shapes…if I scrunched up plastic wrap and left it there until the painting dried?”  The entire piece is created through inquiry.  And it’s one that doesn’t stop after the painting is complete.  You will see something different each time you look at it, if you’re curious.

Many times I’ve tried to think in advance of what I want to paint.  It really never comes to me until I start.  It’s a lot like writing.  If you just start writing, the ideas and characters show up.  There is something to be said for doing sketches if you’re trying to create something recognizable.  Value studies are good to see if your piece is balanced.  My value studies come from photos of the painting as I’m working on it.  I will switch the photo output to black and white to see if I have a preponderance of one value in an awkward place or whatever else might need tweaking.

Soulmate - Experimental Art, collage, acrylic ink, weaving

Usually I will choose three colors of acrylic ink that will be interesting alone and in combination.  For example, the colors of purple and yellow when run together, make a luscious brown that you can’t get any other way.  One of my favorite pieces “Sedona Sunset” (shown at the top of this post) was an experiment to discover what would happen if I mixed turquoise blue ink with orangey red.

“Soulmate” was also an experiment in color with blues and reds, so it comes off as purple.  This one I sketched out and carefully designed.  When it was finished, I thought it was too structured, so I cut it into strips and wove it back together, collaging on some of the leftover pieces.  Then I wove gold wire through it for a final touch. It’s one of my favorites.

When you look carefully at “Disk Derby”, you’ll see that I used a variety of textures, but all the shapes are circles.  This adds consistency to the piece.  For more interest, I ran threads of dyed gauze throughout.

Disk Derby - experimental painting, collage, acrylic ink, papers, gauze

The joy that erupts when I’m creating is equaled only by singing in a choir that is so good you can feel the overtones.  It’s an energetic experience and one that I hope for you when you purchase and enjoy my paintings.

The Eyes Have It

Many of you know that I was at a Janet Rogers workshop this last week at Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff in Boone, NC.  I met some fabulous new friends and amazing artists.  Janet is very improvisational, which suits me and certainly got me motivated.  I learned a lot about shadow shapes and am finding new ways to paint them – it’s a negative space exercise.  This makes you think backwards, really.  Instead of outlining the figure, face or flower, you paint the shadows.  Very challenging.

What I really loved was the Eye exercise – the half-face to be exact.  I’ve spent a lot of time gazing at the loose pastels of Virginia St. John where she puts in just a few lines and gestures to indicate and inform us on who’s there.  Imagine my ecstacy when my Eye painting reminded me of her.  Maybe she’s in heaven looking over my shoulder.  I miss her every day that I paint and am so grateful for her fabulous works.

Painting Turtles

TURT

My grandson, Eric, has always had a terrific sense of design.  Here’s just one of his masterpieces.  When he was barely able to manage putting stickers on a page, I was startled by how well his sticker art held together visually.  There was always some movement, shape and a place for the eye to rest.  Can you see in his picture above why it’s a good design?

When I asked Eric about Turt, here’s what he wrote to me:

Basically I drew it with markers. I got the idea because I love turtles.

Love,

Eric

—————–

Anybody have turtles to share that you’ve painted or that have been created by your kids and grandkids?  Send them to me and I’ll post them.

The Dancer

This figure has been drawn, painted, scratched and generally imprinted in my brain for many weeks, now. My friend Diana Prevot, a wonderful landscape artist, advised me to draw a figure so many times that I could do it in my sleep. She said that pretty soon it would become organic and take on a life of its own.

Finally I have a design for the minimalist painting for my architect friend in Minneapolis. His hi-rise condo is very structured and angular with concrete floors, visible duct work and lots of corners on the gorgeous furniture which he crafted himself. I wanted to give him two things: An oval rug for the living room, and a painting for his bedroom that had movement and curves.  He’ll get the painting.

What you see here is a small piece, but matted and framed is 16 x 20.  I am going to do several more of these with different backgrounds and different angles and posture, maybe superimpose some over the other to indicate movement.  This might become a series, who knows?  Enjoy!

Addendum:  I was playing around, trying learn the incredibly difficult Adobe PhotoShop Elements and thought these three versions looked pretty neat.  What do you think?

Used the "distort" feature which lets you decide on the wave action

Added a "diffuse glow" - love the darkness of this one

Added some ink lines for interest without distracting