Resisting Resistance

This smaller piece was an experiment with aluminum foil.  Distressed, painted over with acrylics, then areas rubbed off to reveal the foiling again on the ridges and various areas, then covered again with translucent acrylics.  Of course I then had to do some crackling along with other detailing.  Overall it's quite a dramatic little piece, though the background blues are a little deeper in tone than what my camera shows.  Do you know I don't think I could get that same look again, it was such a forward, backwards kind of process, doubt if I could duplicate it to get the same colour results.  Art is such an interesting exploration.

I have to admit this was a hard one to complete, encountered all kinds of resistance as I struggled to do the work that would get me past the 'ugly.'  It pushes, but I push back. Again, I love what the process pulls from me. It connects me to the person I saw hints of when I was young, and I mean kid young!

"Resistance cannot be seen, heard, touched, or smelled. But it can be felt. We experience it as an energy field radiating from a work-in-potential.  Resistance is a repelling force. It's negative. Its aim is to shove us away, distract us, prevent us from doing 'the work.'  Resistance will tell you anything to keep you from doing your work."  Do The Work by Steven Pressfield

Don't Over Protect Your Work!

As many of you know getting ready for an Art Fair takes a lot of work, both in creating the art and designing your space, pricing, labelling and more.  Lot's to think about, especially as this is my first, a total newbie.  My sister Kellie is hard at work too, it's been great having her to bounce ideas off and just hold each other's hand as we prepare for our first art fair!

With that in mind, completed our first collaborative effort, Kel's truck photo and my mixed media interpretations.  My husband loves it, so I'm hoping someone at the fair will too! I've yet to get a good face on photo of it, but will try again in different lighting. (Alright snaps some pics outside in overcast sky, not bad)  Also finished the porch swing mixed-media, (first photo) I really like how this one came out.  Other things on the go and in various stages.

Bookmarks in the making, small canvases that the Grand-girlies are going to work on, for their part in the fair, it's turned into a family affair!

"Creation is motivated by truth and mystery. If you overprotect your work, there is no room for genuine inspiration.  Be intrigued. Be curious. Nothing bad can come from an honest response to your intuition.  No matter what you paint, creation is benevolent. Under every little fear, there is a revelation, an insight waiting to happen." Michele Cassou

Got to remember that when I'm passing through the 'uglies' and wondering how things will go at the art fair!

Abstract Distraction

It's been a full week of painting, really happy with the pieces I'm working on, which is always a good thing.

The large teal piece is going well and I'm close to being done, here's a detailed shot of one of my fav parts of the painting.  Also love the vintage look to this 20 x 24".

I should have a good representation of what I do for the Dooryard Art Festival Market, that my sister, Kellie and I are participating in.  We are excited and nervous all at the same time as neither one of us have been in an art fair.  It's a collaboration, which began with her offering me moral support by coming to help me with the fair, and then kind of grew into putting some of her photographs on display as well.  I love having sisters!

This last photo is a mixed-media piece using my blogging friend's photo, Frances Robinson. She has been kind enough to permit me to use some of her photos in my work, her images really speak to me.

I also plan on creating a mixed-media piece using some of Kellie's photos, why I never thought of it sooner I'll never know! But if I can manage it time wise there will be some pieces at the fair :-)

"...as strange as it seems, when artists paint, they tend to forget that life cannot be infused into the canvas by manipulating colors and shapes. They forget that the breath of life arises spontaneously only when the work is done from the heart and soul, in humility and surrender." Michele Cassou

Dealing With The 'Uglies!'

As you can see I have a couple of canvases in the works. Nice sizes, 24x30" and a 20x24".  I like to post pictures of the various stages of ugly that a painting can pass through before it's done.  Reminds me that all is not lovely from the start, kind of like us!

Thing is about 'uglies' you can get bogged down right there if you're not careful.  You're thinking mind plays tricks on you pushing you to despair that you will ever get through to a better place.  The doubts can press in hard when your in the middle of dealing with  'the uglies' and you stop seeing the potential that's just waiting for the right elements to bring it forward.

"The great gift of creativity is that it does not let you mimic life in a satisfactory way. It forces you to really explore the truly vibrant within you."  Michele Cassou

That's why I love the process of creating so much, it allows me to explore those deeper places, express my struggles on canvas passing through the uglies to get to what is vibrant within me, within all of us.

The Creative Climb

Quick update from my messy but happily productive loft.

Finally put the finishing touches on these two pieces. (Window photo used with permission by photographer, Frances Robinson) Have a few more smalls in various states of doneness. And  two medium to larger canvases that are prepped and waiting to come to life with paint.

The week has challenged my creativity, overwhelmed my body by times but deepened my spirit and sense of self.  It's an amazing thing what happens when you create.

"You want to arrive at the top of the mountain, but you don't want to climb! Creation is a complete experience with many phases and cycles."  Michele Cassou

Enjoyed some time in artist, Jeane Myers's painting shed this week.  Love this woman's spirit. You can see the recorded session on her sidebar, but don't delay she doesn't leave them there long :-)

And a large painting sold at Klub Soda this week, yeah!

Check it out!

Flat Surfaces Pitfall

If you could see my loft studio right now, you'd wonder what blew through here!  Every available flat surface has stuff strung all over it!  Canvases drying, canvases partly finished, those finished and awaiting being safely packed away until the art fair or shipping, and mixed-media painting supplies everywhere.  I know what I'll be doing in the next little while.

It's funny, my husband and I joke about his problem with flat surfaces, if it's flat he will set something down on it then wonder where he left it :-)  Here I am with every flat surface obscured by art related stuff.  Not enough hours, and in my case not enough health to keep it cleared, until today I just can't create in the chaos anymore.  That's another interesting thing about we humans. Some of us need things very clean in order to feel right in our own skin, not me by the way.  Others require a little more lived in and then there are those that can thrive when everything is out and in sight around them.  Quirks, you got to love them, it's what makes life interesting.

Read this at random in a book I'm thinking of reading, (bought it second hand)


"...a deep, inner yearning to express themselves, plus persistence!  Without persistence, they could never have overcome their inhibitions, their doubts and fears, long enough to permit their true inner selves to function...a matter of patient, quiet, firm, dogged work.  Please believe me when I say that your success depends not so much upon technical training, as upon your personal growth, your adaption to the learning process and your ability to let yourself go!" The Creative Way To Paint by David Friend

Having trouble getting a photo that shows the colours accurately but this gives you an idea.  6 more little pieces to add to my mountain theme, plus a larger mixed-media piece and more being prepped but not shown.

Hope you are having a great weekend!