Evolution of a Canvas

After months of trying to paint something on canvas, which I find extremely difficult as I am more of a paper person, I finally settled on this end result of Sunflowers. When I look back at the stages this poor little 12" x 12" canvas went through I really like Stage 1. Somehow, I can be very spontaneous and loose when working with paper but seize up completely when trying to paint on canvas.

Abstracts have been my main focus for quite a while but I find myself wanting to do some work that is more recognizable for a change.

I have decided to do a series of Sunflowers, inspired by one lonely little plant that grew for me this year out of many, many seeds planted. This is the first and I am working on #2 which is a 24" x 12" canvas to be followed by some larger and some smaller. There will also be some etchings, maybe drypoints and collagraphs as well. I hope I can stay in the sunflower groove!

There are also two more loose landscapes to finish which are in the same vein as the one in my previous post. That should keep me busy for a while!

Strange Summer

Where to start - The weather, of course! We have had no summer, for the second year in a row. A day here and there, mostly rain. We also had a disaster hit and narrowly almost miss us in the form of way too much rain all at once - 5 to 6 inches of rain in an hour and a half on July 24th. As a result, we had the house to the east of us evacuated because of slope failure, and two to the left of us as well. Our property suffered minor damage and has now been repaired but it has been a very stressful month and will not be totally over until all the other properties have been repaired as well.

Needless to say, making art was not in the cards. I did manage to finish (I think) a mixed media painting and am hoping to do a few more in the same vein in the coming weeks.

Coming so close to the kind of catastrophes normally seen only on the evening news certainly has a very sobering effect on the psyche. I find myself having a hard time focusing these days, although dabbling away to finish this one did help and I'm sure that starting some more paintings will be good therapy.

Happy News!

I know it's been a very long time since my last entry but a summer cold had me down for 3 weeks and I mean totally incapacitated!

First, my good news. I just found out today that one of my prints - the ones shown in my last post, was accepted into the 2009 International Juried Print Exhibition. There were 169 entries from around the world and 80 prints were selected. The jurors selected one print from most artists and two each from the two major prize winners. Needless to say, I am very happy and proud to be a part of this inaugural show at the beautiful new Shenkman Arts Centre here in Ottawa. The show will run from July 9 to August 30.

Now for my not-so-good news. The Art-2009 International Art Show in Toronto last month was a bit of an organizational disaster. The hall was filled with amazing art from a wide range of countries such as Australia, Israel, Ireland, Korea, Canada and many others. Unfortunately for all, the organizer was not very well organized so the setting up and taking down was very tedious and stressful and to top that off, the show didn't have many visitors.

For my part, it was a good learning process. I now know what to look for before committing to out-of-town shows and what to expect. I did have a great time with my artist friends discovering new restaurants, shopping and talking (one of my favourites). I met a lot of new people and discovered more exhibition possibilites in Toronto to check out.

When I came home from that adventure I participated in a wonderful 5-day workshop with Gerald Brommer, a well known artist and art teacher from California. He was a delight and filled our heads with information each day. It's always fun to learn new techniques and I am looking forward to creating some new works incorporating the methods learned in the workshop in the next few weeks.

A Pair of Prints for Jury

These two plates were inked at the same time to be a pair in harmonious colours (3 hours spent inking, wiping and running two prints). I am pleased with the result and will set them aside as possibilities for entry into the 2009 International Print Exhibition to take place at the new Shenkman Arts Centre here in Ottawa this July.

Outside to garden now for the weekend and back to trying out some new colour combinations (analagous) on Monday.

It's amazing how time actually does fly! A whole month has gone by since my last blog entry.

I ran a print today and will do another one tomorrow as I am not thrilled with this one. It might be able to work as mixed media. I haven't been printing for quite a while and spent a total of 3 hours on the ink mixing, application, rubs, printing and clean up. Now that the weather is getting nicer I find it difficult to spend the time this way but there is a new show I want to try and get juried in to and the deadline is June 5 for two prints! This is the 2009 International Print Exhibition and this juried show will be held at the new Shenkman Arts Centre co-inciding with their opening this summer. It would be a thrill to be able to take part in the inaugural showing at the new gallery.

I also have been accepted to show work in another gallery and have been busy cutting mats and framing and will deliver work to them next week. It is called 'Artemisia' in Westport, Ontario and I look forward to the next year with them.

I will have to be very careful with my time management in the next two months. I am almost ready for the Manotick Art Association Spring Show taking place the May 1st weekend with the artwork done, framing done except for paper backing, hooks and wires and then just need to make up an inventory list and price tags.

If I get two good prints in the next two weeks I will send them in for jury and see what happens.

Then there's the Art-2009 show in Toronto to get ready for. I want to make two more collages for that show and maybe one more collagraph.

The gardening will get done in small stages as a breather in between the art stuff. Why does everything always happen at once?

The Progression of #2

When I look back at all the stages of this attempt to do a 'series' from a painting that had been completed a few weeks earlier I realize what not to do next time. I'm thinking it would be a whole lot easier to have an idea first of all and then to begin two or three at the same time and work on them simultaneously.

I struggled to finish this one because I was thinking too much. My usual way of working is not to think at all and just let the painting evolve and that is why, after thinking my way to #4 above I became very unhappy and indecisive and when that happens, out comes the gesso! I almost covered up my three flowers but at the last minute decided to try and save them.

The resulting painting is in a much higher key but they are about winter turning into spring so I might not tone it down (but then again, after a few days I might change my mind and mute the colours a bit). Anyway, it is done.

Now on to complete the two vase paintings!

Working in a Series - Stage 2

Day 2 - I have put my flowers in place and decided where the frozen ground will be as well as the green areas. Tomorrow morning I will finish those two areas and then work on the outer collage some more. I hope to be finished with this one by the late afternoon. When I can put the two canvases up side by side or one over the other I will be able to see if a third will work.

I am now taking my painting apron off and putting my cooking one on!