Monday, March 28, 2011

Splash/plouf

So this is the third in the triplet. I will post the one in the middle next time. I like doing things differently. It drives the analysts around me mad. Again this image is a detail from the original photo in the opposite corner and all about light. As I progress in a painting it occurs on occasion that I discover something visually exciting that I had not planned. So it is with the trees in this piece. In the forest we can get away with anything…. The light filters through in unexpected places. The photograph gets left behind. I watched as the patterns formed; as I lay in the tissue paper shapes it moved me to awe. It was the light again, the contrast of dark branches against glowing sky. Purples against gold. Delicious. As I moved down the canvas I bumped into another reaction, not nearly so positive. There was something missing. Too much contrast among the trees and not enough among the rocks. Out came the paint as I toned down the bright cadmium yellows in the bushes and intensified them on the rocks. How about some burnt orange? Oh, yes! The sun is shining.

Splash

The paradox is:
power is in surrender.
Let us join forces.

Plouf

Si une goutte se joint
aux autres elle devient plus 
jusqu’à l’océan.
(Ps 111: 7-10)

Monday, March 21, 2011

Splish/ploc

It is all about light. Tissue paper lends itself to abstract shapes without detail, spaces and shapes, one against another. I am learning to lay it down and leave it alone. I so enjoyed doing all three in the triplet together. As I propped them up against the wall once the tissue paper was complete I was astounded to see how close to a triptych they were. Not planned. They look stunning together. I used one photograph as a reference and painted three paintings from it. Since my work is more about shapes, spaces and rhythms, though, I doubt if anyone would be able to pick it out unless I told him/her. The other medium I really enjoy is the graphite powder that I used to value check and texturise the rock patterns in the water. Everything shows through the layers. And when I laid the shadows in the birds began to sing.

Splish

Splish! Go with the flow.
Over, around, under, through.
Yes, there is a way.

Ploc

L’esprit suit la course
la plus facile mais des fois
elle prend la meilleure.
(Ps 111: 1-3)

Monday, March 14, 2011

The Eye of the Needle

Oh the adrenaline rush! Finishing four large paintings in twelve days. Yes! I did it! Of course there were some technical hitches….. I did pack up the paintings while the varnish was still drying. Then, the next day, I arrived at the studio with my pot of varnish and brush to fill in the spots I had missed. All in all the effort was well worth the result. I am excited about the reaction to the latest pieces too. Everyone loves the light. “The Eye of the Needle” is the third in a triplet. Well, it is really the second that was finished last… I like arranging them so that the largest piece is in the middle. Like a triptych only not. Am I confusing? Maybe I am confused! Life is fun! With this particular piece I knew I had succeeded with the drawing when a visitor to my studio took a step back and expressed his fear of heights. I did not paint the guardrail in. I prefer to fly like a bird. With that in mind I wonder what sights I might see today.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Revamped

This one again…. Sometimes it takes a long time to finish a painting. This one has been finished I do not remember how many times. Something was bugging me. So I fixed one little thing. Then I fixed another. I got sick of it walked away and did something else. I did several something elses. Was it done? No. I took it to a group of artists to discuss the problem. They made several suggestions. Slowly the painting improved. Again I declared it done. I put it away and turned my attention to other tasks. Here it is March and the opening is on the 11th. Do I need this painting? Yes. Is it done? No. Again, no. At this point a machete comes to mind. However, instead of destroying the canvas or beginning all over, I asked for help once more. This time I made some significant changes. Much better. Then I noticed something that had not been there before…. the head of a dinosaur. It was a friendly dinosaur complete with eyes, nostrils and a great big grin. I had to laugh. Out came my palette knife and the facelift began. He had to go and he did. It is done. Maybe.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

My Very Busy Studio

Little bits of paper everywhere. Pots of paint, brushes at the ready. Where is the artist? Well, she slept in this morning. Midnight comes too quickly and too often these days. The pressure is on. My opening reception is ten days away, March 11th. The colour sketch of the mural is due March 7th. It snowed again and the books need doing. April 30th will be here in no time. The March 1st deadline came and went. Missed that one. I will make April 1st. Chaos.  Some people work better under pressure. I suppose I do too. I do not really know. I tend to leave certain things to the last minute. Or was it the moving? However as I get older I have noticed that the midnight routine followed by the 5:30am early rise does not work so well for very long. The inevitable crash day is coming. I am getting smarter though. Essential pauses there and there during the day, prayer and meditation at dawn, eating, a glass of wine shared with my ever supportive husband, eliminating these is no longer viable. I take care of me. After all, if I cannot hold the brush who will do the painting?