Productive Painting Time

                                         
                                           "Mind Games"

Summer weather is still here - the garden is calling to me BUT so is painting!  This 12" x 12" x 1.5" painting came together rather quickly for a change.  It is a relief to get a little one that I like in the middle of struggling with a large canvas - 36" x 48" x 1.5" and 3 works on paper to go with it.

The large one and companions are beginning to take shape and my mind is in the right place to tackle that big project.  My paintings are intuitive and emotional and a fairly clear head is needed to work out the puzzle that this kind of painting is!

A little diversion is sometimes needed - this painting was diversion #1 and a thorough house cleaning today was diversion #2.

Tomorrow it is Onward with the Brushes!!!!

Celebration

I am mourning the loss of a very dear friend who has left this world suddenly and way too soon.
We shared a mutual love of gardening, nature and art and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her beautiful smile,  sparkling personality, kindness and compassion.

I am titling this new painting "Celebration".  It is a joyous, colourful piece and it is a tribute to my wonderful friend and her sunny disposition and outlook on life.

Alone Together

Because I work alone at home in a rural setting, it can get lonely and uninspiring, especially during an exceptionally long and cold winter. 

I recently joined a Thursday morning group of 6 people and this is what I produced on the first day.  I am very happy with the results of combining collage and paint in a very loose and gestural manner.  I've even got some great blues and blue-greens that come close to a robin's egg blue, one of my favourite colours!

The square one is 12" x 12" x 1.5" and I think a black float frame will jazz it up. The series of 4 will be framed in black frames with a white mat.

 After a winter of being frustrated and non-productive it is wonderful to be creating again!!

Hot! Hot! Hot!

30" x 30"

12" x 12"

Well my plan of posting more often has melted - my last post was almost 2 months ago - My Bad!!
My excuse is TOO HOT!  So far this summer I have been spending most of my time trying to stay cool and keep my plants alive watering constantly.  We are lucky to be living on a very large river and are able to pump river water for irrigation AND jump in to cool off.

The oppressive heat and humidity has taken it's toll on my brain and any creative thoughts have been very few and far between.  Yesterday I had a day to myself and in the cooler temperature I did manage to get a first layer done for a 30" x 30" collage piece. It's not talking to me yet but at least it has been started.  The smaller one at 12" x 12" is almost finished - just needs some more contrast and oomph!

It feels good to be creating again and I am hoping to get a day or two this week to continue.  I am working on getting my own "oomph" back too!!!

Perseverance

This painting is the third one in a little series of small test paintings for a new technique to add to my collage works.  All three were done on board and then matted and framed at 8" x 10" and this one at 10" x 12".

 I am happy with the outcome and am now working on two canvases at 12" x 12".  There will be more to come in progressively larger sizes.  The first one is done but I will wait and post them both up together.

It is getting easier for me to stick to a series for a while.  I've always gotten a little bored with the concept of the same theme but I am enjoying exploring an idea for a bit longer each time. 

The end result of a cohesive showing of works is a good reward for sticking it out!

New Works

Still working away with collage.  Drawing is starting to creep in.  These two are studies for larger ones to come.  I'm having fun!!!

Frustration

Today has been a very challenging day spent with my pile of scraps and handmade collage papers.  Trying to make a design out of  randomly ripped up pieces of paper is not an easy task and has proven to be a frustrating one this time.

As I chose my main colours and started out it seemed important to leave white spaces with pathways to the edges.  Now that I am almost at the boiling point trying to make that work my focus is about to change.

I was making decisions too soon and not leaving enough options open.  Tomorrow the white spaces will be obliterated - no biggie.

The decision making with this style of 'painting' has to be loose, tightening up only near the finish.  I was rushing these ones.

Maybe it was the music choice - mostly U2!  Tomorrow I will make a calmer choice and see what happens!!

Time to go for a walk and think about supper!

It's OK to Re-Think

Something was bothering me about this painting for a long time.  It is called 'Courage' and I found the section around the Chinese symbol  upsetting to me.  I finally decided to give it a good look and try a few options.  Blue and a calmer area called out to me.  I have a tendency to forget about leaving some quiet spaces in my paintings.  I am very happy with this one now - courage does need a calm attitude and the blue space does seem to be resonating outward amidst the chaos.

Another thing I am working on is more blog posts and making them short and sweet.  I will try and have something to say again tomorrow!

Stages of Carey's Painting

I am finally finished this painting which is 36" x 24" on gallery canvas. It came to me completely spontaneously and was quite a challenge to complete. I painted it for my son Carey's new house and it will be in the kitchen on a rusty red wall surrounded by cherry wood cupboards and gleaming oak floors. It will add a lot of colour and interest and hopefully be a good conversation piece.

I have included photos of my process, starting with applying gesso to an old painting. Each step was a surprise as I didn't have any idea where it was going. I just took my time and let the painting speak to me and evolve.

Series Continued

This is the third collage painting in my Windows series. Next will be a rectangular shape at 20" x 24" and I won't know the colour scheme until I begin. So far, so good.

Working on a Series

This is the second in my Windows series. I was trying for a calm, blues and yellows piece. My psoriasis has been acting up this past week with constant irritation and pain and I'm guessing that's why the red snuck in there unintentionally. It will be interesting to see how the third one turns out as I was aiming for a pair in similar colours. That's the fun of letting the painting have a life of it's own.