eSynergy

Ancient Strength

2012-02-13T06:46:00.000-04:00

'Ancient Strength'-Three 12 x 24" canvases

This was a special memory piece I created for a client. (My apologies for the poor quality of the photos but the piece left the studio before I was able to get better shots, but it gives you an idea.) Working with the client I was able to incorporate some special elements beginning with the abstract tree running across the canvases as well as their up coming wedding date, along with other elements that helped to make this a meaningful piece.

Basic layout

Break Out

2012-02-02T16:19:00.000-04:00

Just putting the finish on the triptych I've been working on the past week or so, the owner picks it up tomorrow. They're happy and so am I. It's some of the best work I've done to date!

Although it has been a major challenge, this new piece has turned out to be what I call a personal break out piece. We all have them, that 'One' that pushes you, taking your current abilities and blending them with new inspiration and techniques that takes you to another level in your art. When you stand back and look, you know you've gone to a place you've never been before and it does feel good :-) Those that know you well and know each piece that you've created recognize it too.

You were right, my artistic blogging buddies, there was something just simmering away while I struggled with illness and being 'stuck' in January. You encouraged me to just hang in there and in its time things would break open. Thank you for your wisdom and encouragement, it's wonderful to have the support of those who've been there.

I've taken a lot of pictures with my little camera, unfortunately that's the best I can do before the piece leaves the studio for it's new home. In time I'll share them with you, but I've got to wait for the big reveal before I can do that. So for now this is just a snippet and a word of encouragement to those who are out there pushing themselves for their own break out piece or struggling through a slump, you will get there! Key to this happening for me has been a willingness to embrace my inner critic, allowing the questions to arise within that push me to go further, to try something else, something new, to risk what is for what can be.

"In order to improve, the process has to be able to look at itself and make adjustments. As I create there is a critic who accompanies each phase of the process. I embrace the critic as a companion, a necessary aspect of creative expression..." Shaun McNiff Trust The Process

Aussie Violet & Facebook

2012-01-25T10:09:00.002-04:00

I've had a lot of fun with my Aussie Violet piece and like how it's turned out, although getting an accurate picture of it is near impossible for me! The red is a rose red and quite beautiful. Not sure what to name it? Since my last post I've made progress on the Triptych and have gotten another commission for a 3 piece that I am really excited to start work on it.

For the sake of making things easier for people to find and follow my artistic endeavours on Facebook, I've created a fan page. I have a badge on my left sidebar that will take you to it and from there all you need do is click the 'Like' button for my artists page to show up in your news feed. Although I've made my personal Facebook page open to the public they still had to go through the process of sending and waiting for approval of their friend requests, pain in the you know what! Anyway, I've uploaded pictures of more recent works with details now co-ordinated with my 'Art Gallery' page here on my blog.

I don't know if you ever get use to the wonder of having people not just like your work, but who are willing to invest in it and in effect in me. It's very humbling and gratifying and in truth I hope I never loose this sense of wonderment.

"The creative spirit demands persistence." S. McNiff

It's a Start!

2012-01-23T11:36:00.000-04:00

Although progress has been slow this month, due to my health, I did manage to get started on a few canvases. But before I share those, I want to thank all the wonderful artist bloggers who stopped by and left words of encouragement and some helpful insights into this whole concept of being 'stuck' or blocked artistically. I appreciate the greater wisdom of the whole, it keeps me grounded when the pain levels get to be more than I can handle.

Got a new commission for a triptych, 24 x 44" I'm finding I really enjoy creating pieces with my clients impute in mind. Knowing what they love about various pieces I've done, having some idea of preferred colour palette, all helps to make it an enjoyable experience. I've altered some of the glue lines on the left since taking this and am letting it set so I can move on to the next stage of texturing.

In the meantime, I jumped in at the deep end and started painting a canvas I'd had textured and prepped for a few weeks. It's a colour combo I've never used together before and it's proving to be a very dramatic piece. Matisse Transparent Umber, Q Nickel Azo Gold, touches of Van Dyke Brown and for punch, Australian Red Violet! Matisse has created a line of paints that reflect the unique shades and vibrancy that is Australia. From here I'll begin layering in details and highlighting focal points.

Speaking of Australian, Kel of The X Facta posted a great entry on making time for the things we love. She's a diversely gifted artist, writer and woman, so do check out her blog!

Oddly Stuck

2012-01-15T04:38:00.001-04:00

I feel stuck! A new year is suppose to be about fresh starts, renewed energy and determination. Blogs and articles abound on tips, hints, motivations of how to get yourself going in 2012. But I'm afraid I've hit the skids instead, and of course when that happens you start looking for reasons why, because hey we all want to at least 'feel' productive :-)

It doesn't help that my body has been going through an intense time of flare ups, the pain is acute, sleep is brief. (that's why I'm writing this at 3:30 in the morning) There are a number of artist friends out there who suffer from various chronic conditions, like fibromyalgia, arthritis, back/neck pain and others. Living with chronic pain is a challenge to our artist endeavours, and I wonder how others handle these intense times when everything seems to slow with the pain?

The desire to create bubbles away inside you, but you have little energy or directive to begin and I'm trying to be okay with that for now. This battle is fought and won in the mind and spirit so I focus on keeping them strong until my body begins to quite down.

These are not new pieces, but when bringing them home from Bistro 610 (formerly called Fusion) this is how I choose to put them on the wall and was quite struck by how they 'go' together without having been painted to do so. In fact it was a potential client who brought my attention to how well they complement each other. Which now has me considering doing a series of individual pieces that will co-ordinate with each other. I know not a new concept to most of you, but this is my third year of painting and something I've not consciously done to date :-) Something to let percolate.

"The creative spirit demands persistence." Shaun McNiff

Interview & New Painting

2012-01-12T09:45:00.000-04:00

24 x 24" acrylic & ink on canvas

Time to let this one sit a spell. I've got some issues with this little piece, and when I do, I like to take some photos and let it hang out in my studio where it will catch my eye , stirring my subconscious to figure out the solution. I find the photo taking very helpful in gaining perspective and noticing issues in certain light or angle that I don't always see while standing in front of it.

As I think about it, that seems to be the way most things get worked out in other areas of my life as well. I have to let things rest a bit, mull it over, see it from different angles and then illumination will come. Interesting, the things you discover about yourself, your own inner workings when considering your creative process. I've said it before, many times actually, I love the process of creating. It works on me, while I'm working on it. Speaking of process and understanding yourself and your art, Crystal Cook recently interviewed me for her blog and in the answering it makes me think more deeply. Chrystal is an amazing water colourist, creating portraits that are luminous with life. You can check out my interview with Chrystal here, and see her amazing art as well.

First Canvases For A New Year

2012-01-06T11:18:00.001-04:00

Just finished this 24 x 48" piece that will serve as a headboard. I delivered it to my daughter this week and it's going to look great in her room, and in time she will have pictures that I can share I'm sure.

Love how the crackle turned out on this (see below) I used it along some edges and corners as well as in the various circles. Though my pictures don't do it justice, I quite like how it turned out and again using colours that are not my usual colour palette.

Post Christmas Pre New Years

2011-12-30T09:09:00.000-04:00

Had a wonderful Christmas with the family, but my photos are a bust! While I've got some great video footage, my family would hunt me down if I posted it for all the world to see! It took me some time to restore order to my home and the loft, everything goes slower when you have fibromyalgia. But it's put together enough for me to get back to painting. I've got to make some modifications to a large table I use, lengthen the legs and add rollers. I like to paint standing up because the nature of how I work requires a lot of moving around, tilting the canvas this way and that. Speaking of which get a load of this amazing windmill easel, it tilts, lays flat, takes a 60" canvas...someday maybe, a girl can dream!

I've been able to start on a new commissioned piece for my daughter. I had painted a triptych that was to serve as a headboard for her queen size bed. Though she loves the piece, we decided the depth was not substantial enough so I'm doing a new one that is 24 x 48". This will be a great warm up to another commissioned headboard I'll be doing, 30 x 60".

My work is still on display at Bistro 610, (formerly called Fusion) and I am delighted to say pieces continue to sell. What an amazing experience all of this has been.

NOTE: To those who are interested, I created a little video trailer of our Christmas morning and posted it on my facebook page, and yes I am currently in hiding, my family are hunting me down as we speak! But it was worth it :-)

Cherish The Fun!

2011-12-17T06:11:00.000-04:00

Xmas @ The Farm

Just put the final coat of varnish on the last commissioned piece for the holidays. It has been an amazing journey and I have enjoyed it fully, even though my head has not fully wrapped around it all just yet.

Because my commissioned pieces are meant for Christmas gifts I've not been able to share them here on my blog, but I am hoping to have some happy people on Christmas morning!

Xmas Eve @ our house 2009

So now I'm clearing away the big table of it's art supplies and getting it ready for gift wrapping. It's time to turn the studio into Santa's workshop for a few days! I can hardly believe we are in the home stretch for Christmas! In no time, my younger sisters will be home and the marathon of family gatherings will begin. I love it. I am blessed with a family that I adore. We enjoy and cherish one another and although we are all very unique individuals we love and laugh and call one another, best friends. It doesn't get any better than that!

To all of you I wish you all the wonders of the Christmas Season and a belly full of good food and laughter!

Bren

"Expanse" and Fun

2011-12-09T07:40:00.001-04:00

'Expanse' 3 panel 12 x16"

Just dressing it up a little before I call it complete. I really like the look of this one, the size is nice and I enjoy the look of the three panels. My lighting sucked for the detailed shot, so the colours are a little more blue and the design is in a pewter silver.

'Expanse' Detail

Blogging/Artist friend Diane Salter is hosting a wonderful give away, do check it out and put your name in the hat to win one of her wonderful pieces of art. She is also having a sale, got to love it!

Time to clear the loft a little, so it can become Santa's workshop for Christmas wrapping! A quick shot of our tree after daughter & Hubby, Olivia & Jean trimmed it, done in silver and blue, it hits the ceiling! Hope everyone has been enjoying themselves with all that comes with the Season.

Messes Come In Multiples!

2011-12-06T16:50:00.001-04:00

Wow! How do you know if it's fatigue making you feel looping, or just the fumes from the varnish? As you can see I've been making a mess in the loft, there's stuff everywhere with 4 projects on the go. I've lost the light so the pictures are not accurate as far a colour, but you can see a little of what I've been up to in the last little while.

This is a little closer to the actual colours, blues with some teal and lush purple. In the photo above I've added some Pewter Silver but it looks like bronze in the photo. I'll see if I can get better shots tomorrow instead of the fading light of evening.

Busy, but so enjoying it all. This piece will go on display at Fusion this weekend.

On the family fun side, my daughter Olivia and her Dad, went foraging for our Christmas trees. They got them big! Griswall big!

Yup, that's her tree, short a few feet of course, but she lives in a small apartment! What can I say, my girl loves Christmas and goes all in! I'll share some pics once she has it decorated, right now it's taking up an entire wall and her TV is in the kitchen! She makes me laugh, but there's no one more fun to be with at Christmas.

Flourishing With 'Flourish'

2011-12-02T12:25:00.001-04:00

Just put the final coat of varnish on this new piece, is on display at Fusion Cafe and Bistro.

I love the details on this one. Some of the paint effects give it such a great old world feel.
Click on images to see larger versions)

It also is very versatile and can be hung in a number of ways depending on your preference.

I've added this to my 'Art Gallery' page as well (check out the tab at the top of my blog)

"Sit with what you already have, and dream with it in a new way." Shaun McNiff

In The Works

2011-11-27T20:07:00.001-04:00

I'm working on the finishing details of an interesting piece, at least for me. It's two 12 x12" and a 30 x 24" put together, a little like a puzzle. It's a commissioned piece and I'm pleased with how it's going. I do wish my daughter was around to get some good pictures. I'm also working another piece, to hang in Fusion soon.

Did I tell you? I've been asked to continue to display my art work at Fusion Cafe & Bistro into December. I was over the top pleased, it's been an incredible experience and it's great to be given the opportunity to continue to show my work.

Working around the bend and sway of the fibromyalgia has been a trick, but I'm managing so it's all good. I'm just too happy to be painting!

Polyptychs & Works In Progress

2011-11-22T11:35:00.001-04:00

I've really got to master the art of creating my own frames and stretched canvas. I live in an area where art supplies are hard to come by. My choices come down to Michael's Craft store or ordering on-line. I wanted to get some longer, narrow panels to do a triptych with but Michael's does not carry the size I need in the the sturdy framed Gallery wrap. But I'll take what I have and do something interesting, I hope! Maybe I'll finally try doing a polyptych. I've been wanting to do this since buying Suzy Andron's DVD, she does amazing work, and is the person who introduced me to the wonders of Gorilla Glue. Love her for that alone :-)

This one is almost done. It's an interesting design, I created it to hang horizontal, but as you can see vertical will work too. On the table is the layout I decided to go with, I'm hoping it turns out. On the floor is another commissioned triptych waiting to be painted.

I really need to figure out a name for this piece, it's to go on display at Fusion soon!

I want to wish all my American friends a wonderful Thanksgiving, hope your celebrations are full of laughter and good times!

Exhibition & Meet the Artist

2011-11-21T20:26:00.001-04:00

It's been a time of first for me in the past week. My first exhibition and my first 'Meet the Artist' at Fusion Cafe & Bistro. The pieces I had on display have all sold! Can you say, happily surprised! I got to meet some of the people who are purchasing my work and it's a humbling experience but a brilliantly happy one at the same time. I enjoyed hearing their responses to the piece(s) they had chosen, art really has a voice all it's own. It speaks first to me as I work with it's elements to bring it to life on the canvas, then it speaks to the individual who's eye it captures. Maybe that's why I don't find it hard to part with the pieces once I've finished the process. For me, the power has always been in the process, the act of creating, feeling my way along as it teaches me things about myself, about persistence, about what it means to complete. So I'm in my studio this week, creating some new pieces to add to the display.

Oh and I got to meet Doug Dickinson the journalist for the Bugle, wonderful to put a face to the name and thank him in person for making me sound good in print! I appreciate everyone who came out and stopped to chat, thank you.

I have to tell you, having all these firsts take place at Fusion has been the greatest gift for me. Tracie has been wonderfully encouraging and helpful, she has created an amazing gathering place.

My sisters, daughter and I had the best time during the 'Meet the Artist' enjoying the delectable Brunch Buffet, well they did, I was too nervous to eat much but did enjoy another one of Fusion's incredible cheese cakes. Yum! Even had my son drop in with his wife Lori, who has become quite the PR person for my art and of course my two Grand-daughters. Loved it, when the youngest, Lyvia asked me, "Nanny are you an artist?" I looked at her and grinned and said, 'you know what, I think I might be!' We both had a good chuckle.

Looks like the fist layers of texture are dried so I'm out of here!

I'm In Print!

2011-11-17T10:12:00.000-04:00

It's been quite a week, a little surreal. Not the least of which was having Doug Dickinson interview me for an article in The Bugle-Observer, Woodstock's weekly newspaper. Doug did a wonderful job making me sound pretty good and I am grateful for the opportunity. The Bugle was kind enough to give me permission to scan and share the article with you.

I am hoping that if you click on the image you will be able to read the full article. But just incase, here are a few snippets from the interview:

"It was in 2010 that she discovered her real passion for art. "I picked up a canvas to see if what I was doing in my journal would translate onto a canvas, and something just exploded inside of me as I wandered through the world of abstraction,"

"You could say I came to the party late, I'm 55 and am only now finding the artist within me."

All I can say, is thank you Doug for a great article, my first!

Meet The Artist

2011-11-16T03:56:00.001-04:00

My first art show is going quite well, paintings are selling, people are enjoying what they see, and I am still trying to get my head around it all. Fusion's owner, Tracie Jones has scheduled a "Meet the Artist" for Sunday afternoon, from 1-3pm. Another first for me and I am excited and nervous all at the same time. For those of you who are in the area please join me. My sisters and daughter will be joining me for this, got to have my peeps with me for moral support! They are all into photography so I'm sure there will be some photos to come in future posts.

'Rise Up' 24 x 36"

For now I'm busy working on a second version of a piece I originally called 'Rise Up.' The original has sold but there have been a number of inquires on the piece so we are hopeful that the second version will go as well.

Hope you are all having a great week!

Art On Display

2011-11-14T06:12:00.001-04:00

This is a shot of the Boxed In Remix in it's final stages, the background is actually a deeper burgundy-brown but it's the best I could get before it went to be put on display at my daughter-in-law, Lori's work place.

Lori just sent me a photo of Boxed In Remix hanging on her office wall. Looks nice if I must say so myself.

More of my work is now on display at Fusion Cafe & Bistro from now until the end of November. Unfortunately we were so busy getting the pieces hung that I forgot to take any pictures of the whole process! I will try and get some before the end of the week though. I love Fusion's decor and ambience and my paintings look great on their walls, thank you Tracie!

Oh and I did my first interview about my art, to be published in a local newspaper. That was interesting and all a little mind bending! Will share more once/if it makes it to print.

Boxed In Remix

2011-11-11T11:25:00.001-04:00

Not sure if you remember this canvas, Boxed In, but this will be it's third remix :-) What can I say, sometimes I like to take an old canvas and give it a new direction. It's sporting a very different look today so I thought I'd share. This is done in acrylics then highlighted with bronze ink, gives it a wonderful aged feel. I'll let it set for awhile before I finish it out.

Still working on the new triptych, I believe it's ready for paint, once I get my colour mixes tweaked I'll get started on it, this is a new commissioned piece.

Did you know there are 5 universal shapes? These shapes show up around the world, across all cultures in artwork and the like. According to cultural anthropologist, Angeles Arrien, "the square symbolizes: stability, solidity, and security. Meaning: Drawing a square mirrors the process of constructing a foundation. These people are ready to build, to implement a plan, to manifest ideas. They need consistency, accountability and completion."

Interesting isn't it? Helps to explains why I don't tend to like working with squares very much! Notice how loosely my squares are filled in, consistency & completion are not big ticket items for me, I have to live life so on the fly because of my health that these elements became things I had to let go of in order to find a way to be at peace. I'm a circle, spiral and cross girl myself :-)
Angeles Arrien says,
"Circle: Symbolizes, wholeness, the experience of unity

Meaning: When people are engaged in the search for wholeness they aspire to independence and individuation. What they need most is space, room in which to find themselves, and develop their own identity.

In Relationships: These people will feel loved and trusted when allowed plenty of space. If the space they need is not offered to them, they will simply take it. It is wise to wait and to allow the person who is in this process to initiate communication and contact.

Underlying Fear: entrapment, being caught in a situation that will restrict or restrain them"

In a nutshell they mean:
Circle: Symbolizes, wholeness, the experience of unity
Cross: Symbolizes, relationships, integration
Spiral: Symbolizes, growth, evolution
Square: Symbolizes, stability, solidity, and security
The fifth symbol is the Triangle, symbolizing: dreams, visions and goals

Intriguing why we move towards certain of these shapes in our work at different times. I first heard about these universal shapes while reading Betsy Dillard Stroud's book, Painting From The Inside Out. Betsy uses a lot of personal symbolism in her work.

2011-11-09T09:47:00.000-04:00

Starting next week, select pieces of my art work will be on display at Fusion Cafe & Bistro, along with the works of two other artist. This is a wonderful opportunity for me and I am deeply appreciative of Fusion's owner, Tracie Jones for her support of local artist. Tracie has built her business with the same energy and warmth that she greets her customers. It's a thrill to know my work will be hanging in her new facility beginning Nov 14th, just in time for Woodstock's Victorian Christmas celebrations.

For those who live near by, give yourself a treat and come and enjoy some of Fusion's gourmet coffee and their cheese cakes, lets just say, they leave you drooling for more. Don't get me started on the rest of the menu! And enjoy some art at the same time!

"Art Flourishes In Constraints"

2011-11-07T11:27:00.001-04:00

"But while art flourishes in constraints, it does not do so easily." David DuChemin

I'm a fan of David DuChemin's work, his photography and his words. In fact it was his words that first captivated me. I had bought his book Within The Frame for one of my photography loving sisters and got lost in the mind and spirit of it's author. I love how he writes about creativity and the artist eye.

Today David has posted a piece that I relate to...the restraints and changes that our physical being can bring our way. David survived a terrible fall and is finding his world altered because of it, just as mine has been radically altered because of the severe fibromyalgia and now arthritis.

"But if this sounds like a building storm of pity, it’s not. It’s simply the recognition of a new reality. A reality, like yours, that is full of constraints. But while art flourishes in constraints, it does not do so easily. I am slowing down. I am back in school. And like many of my own students, having a melt-down on the first day of a workshop, I’ve come back to that place where nothing – nothing – comes easily." David DuChemin

Well said David. I get it. Sometimes I chafe at the constrains and limitations that chronic pain has brought into my life. But then I take measure, as David is, and I adapt and find what I need within the life that I have now. We all have our things that we must push through, and allow to work their way out through our art, whatever its form may be.

That being said, I've got a new piece on the go, it's fairly large 48 x 24. Had a great time coming up with the design and am adding my textured base before layering in the paint. I used my favourite new toy, Wood Icing in sections, the yellow parts. Gosh I love this stuff, I'd have used it on a lot more of the canvases but I'm hoarding it until I can order in a new supply. Thank you Mary Beth for having that give away contest!

Repeats-NOT!

2011-11-02T10:35:00.000-03:00

As usual my pictures aren't very good, but I wanted to at least give you an idea of how this painting turned out. Once again, I've learned some lesson about myself and my art from working on this piece. It was an attempt to create a design similar to a piece I did a few years ago that others have liked a lot, including my husband who won't part with it :-)

So, what did I learn? That I don't do repeats well, in fact I won't attempt to duplicate a design again. I guess when I've gotten it out and down on canvas once, it just doesn't work for me to try and revisit it again. Colour palettes, similar tools, techniques are fine for me to work in over and over, but the layout and design of a piece, well this is my second attempt at revisiting a basic design and both times it left me hanging and uninspired by the end results. I guess there is a lot more of me and a spark of inspiration that goes into my art than I realized!

So onwards and upwards!

Winners!

2011-10-31T10:08:00.000-03:00

A Jane Royal Journal

It's back! My old blog format that is. With all the troubles leaving comments with the new dynamic views format, I decided to give it up until they work out the glitches. It does seem to be a problem with the dynamic views as I've tried leaving comments on artists who's blogs I follow and are using the new format, most the time my comment goes unrecorded, lost in blogger space somewhere.

I got very lucky a few weeks ago and won not one, but two blog give aways! What a delight to go to the post office and pick up my new treasures. Jane Royal hosted a give away and I am now the proud owner of one of her beautiful art journals. I've got it propped up on my bookcase so I can admire Jane's art. My other fun treat comes from Mary Beth Shaw's blog give away, a jar of Wood Icing. What a unique product for creating all manner of texturing. I've been playing with it in my journal, to get a feel for it before using it on canvas. Love it! It reminds me of Plaster of Paris in the look and effects you can achieve, but without the mess. Mind you, I've not worked with plaster, but still the Wood Icing has that look. I can see this will be one of my 'go to' products.

Blog Changes & New Piece

2011-10-26T09:24:00.001-03:00

"The creative spirit demands persistence." Shaun McNiff

20 x 24" mixed media on gallery wrapped canvas

NOTE: Since trying the new dynamic views I've gone back to the old format until more of the kinks are knocked out of the new format. A lot of viewers who wanted to leave comments ran into all manner of troubles with it.

Recently I've been playing with switching my blog to the new 'dynamic views' with blogger. I've been dragging my heals until they added the option to customize the look and so I've jumped on board. I realize I need to create some pages to fill in the gaps left by not having all that information that our sidebars host in the old format. A couple of artists who's blogs I follow have made the switch and I really enjoy the very visual set up, and viewing options, but they did their homework and have lots of 'pages' made that take care of the missing sidebars. I'm very sidebar dependant!

Well the headboard has left the studio and I am hoping to have pictures of it in it's new life as a headboard soon. This week I have the new piece on the verge of being finished, it has taken on a much different look than when I first began, but I love it. Has a nice aged look to it and as with the headboard I love the design.

In the wings I've been picking away at a piece I began some weeks ago, struggling with it some and need some fresh perspective on it before I can complete it.

Art is such a release, "You know Nanny, art really helps me with a lot of things. I like to just throw paint when I'm upset, it helps me to calm down." This was part of a conversation with my 10 year old grand-daughter, Grace over the weekend. She would like a large canvas to work on for Christmas and then began to talk about how art has helped her in so many ways. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to hear her talk, knowing she has found a fantastic, positive outlet for all the stuff that life can throw at us. It's the same for me. With all the limitations my physical world throws at me daily, I come to my art and all of my being gets poured into it, there I move beyond a body that pounds me with pain and I am free to explore!

So here's to art explorations!

"The brushes beckon to you...You know that an original gesture is about to take place, a journey begun that will lead you to unknown lands. Creation is a response. Do you need a special inspiration to respond? Isn't it possible to respond to anything? When you approach your white paper you might bring moods, states of feeling, problems, and physical discomforts...There is energy and creative potential in all states. As long as life is there, the potential if full..." Life, Paint & Passion by Michell Cassou

Small Gestures-Bold Actions

2011-10-22T11:15:00.000-03:00

Remember this guy? He's 20 x 24" and showing himself after some textural elements were added and the first wash of colour.

I've got to say I love this duo of paint colours, can you believe all this colour comes from just purple and Matisse Transparent Umber! And it does have to be the Matisse because any other version by other labels just does not cut it. Frankly I can't be without this one since discovering it.

Anyway, the first layer of colour was done in one continuous painting session and is now drying. Lots more will get layered in, but wanted to share the beginnings with you as process is so much fun. There's something wildly freeing about just working that paint, letting instincts take you.

Hope you're having a good weekend, I intend to. Between a great start on a new piece, a visit with my grand-daughters and one of my younger sisters, (Kellie) home for a visit, it's all good :-)

"Creation is an aggregate of many small things as well as bold actions...I envision creative transformation in a microscopic way with simple gestures making vital contributions to the whole." Shaun McNiff

Edges and Touch Ups

2011-10-19T14:42:00.000-03:00

"The way of creation is a practice that lives each instant as fully as possible, lets go, and moves on to the next engagement." Shaun McNiff

Time to let this one set for awhile before sending it off to it's new home and second life as a headboard. I do have random touch ups and finessing the side edges to do, but it is looking pretty good from here :-) I think the design holds up well in this triptych, each canvas is interesting and works as stand alone pieces, but I must say when they come together it's high impact. Will have to make sure I get some photo's of it once it morphs into a headboard. It has also been the most limited palette I've worked with, black/white, purple for accent and touches of silver. The colour in the above photo is a little off, but my daughter will take some pictures soon I hope.

A few questions have come in about how I begin, do I plan it out, is it purely intuitive? Ah...both. When I work with the Gorilla glue I like to do simple line drawing of the basic design, once I get something that looks appealing as a thumbnail, I then take some charcoal and ruff in the basics on the canvas. From there it's all an intuitive thing. Frankly it's all a big surprise to me! It's funny I was listening to Sue Kreitzman at the Voodoo Cafe and she talked about how suddenly this artistic, painting, creating side of herself came out at mid-life. Well, same here. I'm 55 now and I've been creating my abstracts for about 3 years now. Interesting what happens to us at this time of our lives. We may be saying goodbye to a lot of things that defined us for many years, only to discover some new aspect of creative expression just waiting to take over!

Process

2011-10-15T12:00:00.001-03:00

Process is interesting. I don't know about you but I get more questions/comments about my process, what I'm using, how I layer. In short what's your process in completing a piece?

Some days it's one step forward and three back! But it's still my process. I've come to appreciate the learning curve of failed attempts and the ability to start again. Gesso is my friend.

For example, in this piece I had deepened my teal/blues and worked on various areas but the overall, was this huge block of, well, teal. So after conferring with my hubby, who's always good for an opinion, out came the gesso so I could create a little more colour variance with the teal.

I set that aside to begin the layered painting process on the triptych piece. That first wash of colour is now drying before I continue. The tricky part of working with white/grey/black is you can wind up with all the same shade of grey if you over mix, over work the area :-)

Anyway, some of you asked what I used to texture these canvases. With the teal, it's a wide range of heavy gel, texture paste, coarse lava paste, insolation foam, and my new fun toy, Spider Webbing from the halloween decorations. With the other canvas I used Gorilla glue (thank you Suzy Andron for introducing me to this stuff!)to draw my design, then begin filling and texturing with molding paste, gels, crackle and of course the webbing.

So here's to process and practice!

"The process of creation is a force moving through us, only through practice do we learn how to cooperate with it." Shaun McNiff

The start of something, I hope!

In The Studio

2011-10-07T10:02:00.002-03:00

"Creative Blocks: Start working right now, from this place, with the feelings you have at the moment." Shaun McNiff

Making progress on my re-visioned canvas. It's nearing that place where I just have to hang it and live with it for a time before I know if it's done. It's been fun working on this piece creating something similar but different.

I also have a three canvas, commissioned piece ready for painting. This is intended to hang above the bed and serve as a headboard, so it's quite long but narrower. Sorry for the poor picture on this, but I was perched on a step stool dangling the camera over top of the canvases :-)

Finally I have this 20 x 20" canvas with just the design waiting for other textural elements to be added before painting.

"Each of us has our own unique creative time clock. Some like to work steadily and neatly from start to finish, while others delay until the last minute and build up energy that essentially blasts them into a tumultuous process of creating. There are also people who plunge into the work at the beginning with large aspirations, and then hit serious obstacles. No matter what your style may be, impediments are an inevitable part of the creative process. It's helpful to think of them as necessary parts of the process rather than as hindrances to it." Shaun NcNiff

Re-Visioning

2011-09-28T06:40:00.000-03:00

"Abundance hinges on our capacity to see opportunity where others see disaster." James Richards, Wired for Success Programmed for Failure

In the early stages of some projects, planning and prepping canvases so there's not been much to share. This canvas is a variation of one that people have been drawn to and offered to purchase but my hubby loves it and wants to keep it. So I thought I'd see if I could capture some of the elements that have drawn people. I still have a couple of stencils to add to the tree trunk running up the right side of the canvas (have to cut one of the stencils yet)

The other canvases I'm preparing aren't far enough along for picture taking but I'm hoping they will be soon :-)

"What disturbs you the most may have the most to offer in your creative expression. Creative persons live in a constant state of search and exploration. One of the fundamental skills of the creative person is the ability to constantly re-vision the world." Trust the Process by Shaun McNiff

Is it any wonder we seem to be in varying states of angst and ecstasy!

Natural Movements

2011-09-16T17:10:00.002-03:00

Did another practice run using shades of grey, silver and purple, a new colour palette for me. I keep these gesso boards around for trying new stuff out on and for my Grand-daughters when we decide to sling paint. Since taking these pictures, I've done an interference silver float over top of the greys and silver. I'm liking the results. The purple has receded into the background more which I wanted and the interference silver has settled around the palette knife scrapings creating an interesting effect. The whole thing has a more luminous look and greater depth.

I've really been enjoying the challenge of using these colours and trying to figure out what had me so stumped about using them. I think one of the main things was finding a way to express my own unique style of layers and numerous washes/glazes that bring the pieces to rich, deep tones. Or as Shaun McNiff said in Trust The Process,

"Approach your painting with the goal of expressing movements that you find natural."

By denying myself the desire for depth and deeper tones I was never happy with the results I was getting. I wasn't following my own natural movements when I paint. Interesting huh?

And here is my other canvas, I have some areas I want to tone down and a few other touches then it will be time to let both pieces, the practice piece I've shared here and this one to rest. I need to hang or set them up so I can see them and over time determine where or what else I need to do to bring them to that place of completion.

Till Next Time!

Repeats Are A Good Thing

2011-09-15T10:54:00.003-03:00

Been working on several pieces at once this past week. While one is drying I play with another piece. These are a few shots of a canvas my daughter requested in shades of purple and blue. Wish the picture quality was better, still these give you an idea of what they are like.

Also been reading more from Michele Cassou in Point Zero, she has some interesting thoughts and observations so I thought I'd share a few more with you. I've already posted about the dragons of creative block that we face, but then she goes into several chapters on each of the dragons. One that struck me was a chapter on 'Repeats."

"Doing something more than once is often thought of as being uninventive and uninspired. It attracts the Dragon of Control, which loves to struggle with it."

She explains that there are two types of repeats, a 'controlled repeat' done out of our own frustrations when we can't come up with anything new to do. Then there is what she calls, 'spontaneous repeats' which arise out of a deep place of feeling and exploration, when something powerful or significant is being exposed and so we return to it again and again, each time going a little deeper into the heart of inspiration.

Michele says, "The full expression of certain feelings can happen only through repetitions. Repeats signal substance rather than dullness. Dragons try to discourage painters from going further by making them think they are wasting their time. During repeats, the painter is actually exploring some new inner ground, some place out of the way, some secret area difficult to reach."

Repeats can come in the form of repeated patterns, symbols, gestures or images, etc. Now I don't know about you but I found that very encouraging, because I find myself often wanting to re-explore some gesture or pattern in my work and have worried that I might just be a one act show! Anyhow, something to consider as you face the next blank page or canvas or whatever your creative outlet might be.

NOTE: This is an old post that went unpublished so I decided to share it now as you might enjoy what I shared from the book, Point Zero.

Practice Runs

2011-09-08T11:47:00.000-03:00

“The thinking that got you into your problem will never get you out!”

James Richards Wired for Success Programmed for Failure

Been thinking about the above quote and wondering how often it applies to me. Too often I suspect.

I've been doing a trial run with a colour palette that I've not used (successfully) before in preparation for a commissioned, multi-canvas piece I'm to do. Greys, black, silver and purple. Love these colours but boy do I have a hard time painting with them. So odd, and I figure, time to change that in light of the quote I've been chomping on all week!

Have the new canvas prepped and ready for paint.

Lessons in Subtleties

2011-09-03T10:51:00.001-03:00

I've been struck this week by the power of subtleties. After living with some pieces for awhile I realized there were some minor thing each of them needed that could make all the difference. Small things that perhaps no one would notice but would allow them to enjoy the piece more. In one it was just one more short line of dripping gold that pulled the eye to where it needed to go. It completed the design in my eyes. For another, a couple of elements stole the show taking away from the main feature, so I toned them down and am amazed at the harmony it created. The last one, required a few collage pieces to take it just a little further as a finished piece.

Subtle changes that made a big impact overall. It's also taught me a lesson in patience. Not being too quick to release a piece, in fact, I'm haunted by some earlier pieces I let go of far too soon I fear. I want to go back and look at them again, see if they are in need of a touch of subtle.

Still laying the foundation for my new canvas, thinking and planning and working in some texture before the paint begins to fly.

"Often we need to break down tired patterns before we can create anew...Everything can be put to use within the creative process." Shaun McNiff ~Trust The Process

On The Table

2011-08-27T07:44:00.000-03:00

Finished my art journal, tried a new way of stitching it, some call it the Coptic stitch, some the Chain stitch, either way it was a learning curve. Need to be a little more careful about how tight I make my loops, it got a little tricky as I added new stacks of signatures. Ah well, it holds together and that's the important thing for me.

I'm excited about the design of this new canvas I started. It's 16 x 40" Gallery Wrapped, deep sided canvas. I've had to switch to the deeper sided, sturdier gallery wrapped because of all the textured mediums I use. Anything flimsier warps and my husband has had to become quite inventive in added an inside frame to some pieces, with a twist, that I won't even begin to try to explain. In the end it made the finished piece look like it floats on the wall somewhat and adds to the drama of the piece. So maybe I should stick to the thinner framed canvases and keep my husband busy making cool frames :-)

In this picture I've just applied the gorilla glue and am waiting for it to set up. Need to think on my colour choices for awhile, as I want to use some of the decorative papers I recently got from Daniel Smith on-line.

Well we are bracing ourselves for a visit from Irene, having done what we can to prepare. Praying for everyone's safety who's in Irene's path.

In The Studio

2011-08-26T09:21:00.000-03:00

On the table this week a few minor projects.

My youngest Grand-daughter Lyvia is enamoured of my Art Journals. Although she very much wanted one of my completed ones, she settled for helping to make one of her own to fill with her own creations. Which makes me very happy because I don't want her to ever think that the only art worth putting in a book form is mine. At eight, she has a tendency to think her imagination and creative efforts are not 'as good as' someone else and tends to try and duplicate. That is heartbreaking to me, for I see in her this wonderfully colourful, unabandoned exuberance when she has a brush in her hand.

I assured her she would be able to have some of my art journals as a keepsake when Nanny is gone from this world (her request) but that right now, what is most important is her own free expressions of herself. How easy and continual is the battle to appreciate our own creative self.

I am also working on putting together a new art journal for myself as you can see here. Some great watercolour paper with some of my abstract rejects on watercolour paper for the covers.

What can you say about the man who while out on an adventure with daughter and grand-daugher thought to buy you some Poopoopaper! Yup, poopaper made from elephant's generous leavings, which the insert assures me is mostly grasses and barely digested, cleaned up, processed and oder free :-)

Now this poor little journal will be torn apart so I can use it's wonderful textured paper as collage elements in future works.

Knife Practice

2011-08-22T11:51:00.000-03:00

Been practicing with the knife, painting in my journal. Most my journal pages have their beginnings by being smeared with left over paint from various canvas work I do. I hate to waste paint or product. So the pages reflect a wild array of imprints, colours, mediums and effects. I don't worry about pretty, I think of it as warm up exercises and a safe place to let loose, where outcomes just don't figure into the plan. I'm working on becoming familiar with the various palette knives, their effects, loading the paint and seeing how paint blends and delivers.

It's how I educate myself, by just getting in there, trying things out, where once again the process is the important part not the outcome. Mostly, I have to make a mess before I figure out how not to :-)

Faith In The Process

2011-08-20T12:27:00.001-03:00

Test of Time

Trust the process, seems to be my watchword for doing life and releasing creativity. I just came from reading David DuChemin's latest blog post Rehabilitating Art. He is recovering from a bone crushing fall, I'll not try to sum up his post for he is an amazing writer as well as photographer, but do check it out.

Although nothing quite so dramatic as what David has endured, I do understand the battle to push through the pain and how living in that kind of chronic state changes how you see things, realigns what has value as you learn to move with the flow of the process. Which brings me to the book I have just begun to read and am enthralled with the insights, my head bobbing in agreement with so much that the author has to say:

Test of Time

"Even the best teachers of creativity encounter a common resistance to self-expression in their classes...We all know intuitively that our spontaneous creative expressions elude the habitual monitoring of our inner censors, revealing things to others that are outside our conscious control." Trust The Process by Shaun McNiff

He goes on to talk about our hidden beliefs that our art might not be worth exploring because 'it's' reserved for only the talented few in our thinking. He then talks about how we can get stuck on training the literal mind with step by step technique and avoid the deeper process of creating.

"Most of the educational system is established on the assumption that learning follows a logical and predictable pattern of acquiring knowledge...There is very little emphasis within our educational systems on the education of the imagination, which requires sustained encounters with uncertainty." Trust The Process

I can't tell you what it did for me to read that last statement, it summed up my learning struggles throughout my life and at the same time tapped into the wonderful world of 'uncertainty' that art has brought forth in me. This in turn ties into David's post on 'Rehabilitating Art,' because I get that life with chronic pain and frequent flare up's of fibro trigger points and migraines has brought my life sharping in tune with the inner flow of living with uncertainty. I never know what I'm going to be able to do from one day, sometimes one hour to the next.

What does this have to do with art, simply this, creating takes an act of faith in the process, it has little to do with the fine execution of technique, it is an intuitive giving in to a deeper force from with in.

"I have learned that I must let "the process" follow its course...frustration builds...the process arouses emotion and draws everything into itself. If we are able to stay with a situation it will carry us to a new place. The 'process' knows where it needs to go... " Trust The Process

Oddly enough chronic pain became my teacher of uncertainty that has allowed me to press into the process when it comes to creating. It doesn't mean I have extraordinary talent, but it does me that I come naked and unashamed to "the process."

"The most threatening element is the lack of confidence that people have when the process becomes difficult and tense. They don't realize that the conflict and uneasiness that they are experiencing are necessary and "part of the process." Transformation occurs when we lose our way and find a new way to return." Trust The Process

I'm hoping the rest of the book is as insightful as the fist few chapters. So enjoy the process, you can trust it to bring you through to the other side.

A new blogging friend Leovi from Spain left a comment on my piece I've been tentatively calling Rise Up and a title really resonated with my spirit from their comment, "Test of Time"

Palette Knife Painting

2011-08-18T12:42:00.002-03:00

Tried something new, palette knife painting. Although I use a palette knife a lot I've never done a piece using only the palette knife. It's a very different process and I felt as awkward as a cow in the wrong stall! And yes cows do know which stall is their's and it's bedlam in the barn when someone moves into the wrong space, use to get quite a chuckle out of it as a kid the odd time it happened.

This is a 12 x 12" deep sided canvas and a great size for me to get my fingers wet using the palette knife. Some accent work left to do yet, but I have a whole new appreciate for the artists who create such amazing pieces using their palette knives, I don't expect to be one of them :-)

I used a number of paints from the Matisse line on this piece and the more I use them the more I love how they work. In fact there are some of their colour line I'd never want to be without. Like their Transparent Umber, I've not found another line of paint that can match this wonderfully rich and versatile colour, it's unique to the Matisse line in my opinion. I also used Matisse Bronze to highlight the big doodle I created as a focal point, boy do I love their metallics. You'll noticed I used some of my decorative paper as an accent, fun.

Hope you're having a fun week too!

Happiness Found!

2011-08-09T18:42:00.000-03:00

Happiness can come wrapped around a big ole cardboard tube! I just picked up at the post office, my first array of decorative papers to use in my art. Up until now, I've made do with tissue paper. There simply is nothing around here that sells the transparent papers that would work well in my art.

So who needs new cloths or shoes when theirs art supplies to be had!

You may have noticed the different background on my blog. My daughter, Olivia did her camera magic where she takes my one large abstract and turns into a dozen different digital abstracts. She has a knack for finding the sections that in macro become stand alone abstracts. How cool is that! I'll share some of those in my next post.

'Rise Up!' Completed

2011-08-03T09:46:00.001-03:00

'Rise Up!' 24 X 36" Mixed Media

Took a moment in-between thunder storms last night to work on this post. It's been a summer full of thunder storms and fierce lightening, talk about natures 'light show' it's eerily magnificent. This from a woman who's bed was set on fire and ring melted on her finger when she was a kid! The lightening burst from the wall outlet to the springs in the bed and jumped to the ring on my finger on it's way. Talk about a wake up call!

Anyway I believe I've finished my teal canvas that I've called 'Rise Up!' I'm quite pleased with the lighting show I've created with this piece and love how the golden metallic ink, a tip from artist, Maxine Masterfield highlights Mary Beth Shaw gears stencil. As Zom would say, "now this look like something I would do!" It's a Brenda and I'm pretty happy with it's final evolution. I will see what daylight brings when it comes to pictures, but in the meantime these evening shots will have to do.

Nanny Moments

2011-08-02T11:50:00.000-03:00

Lyvia's Treasure Box

Spent a wonderful weekend with my Grand-daughters, Grace-10yr and Lyvia 8yr. They worked on numerous art projects and created some fun movies with ibooth and our video camera. Not only do they enjoy art but they love acting! Not ever having been comfortable in front of a camera little lone a video camera I'm always in awe of the ease they enjoy as they create all manner of story lines. Of course they come by this honestly as their Mom, Lori did a lot of acting in school plays and is very comfortable singing in front of audiences. An amazing feat in my eyes!

Grace's T Box, notice the camcorder in her hand!

So the girls painted 'Treasure Boxes' for when they go fossil hunting with Gramps this month then got to work making some special beaded treasures to give to their parents who were enjoying a weekend away.

The fibromyalgia did give me a hard time on the second day, but the girls were great and let me rest when I needed to while they kept busy in the loft. Being a grandparent is one of life's greatest gifts. Thank you girls for this special weekend!

Lyvia painted pictures for each her parents

Processing is Slow Work

2011-07-29T13:35:00.000-03:00

You are going to be sick of seeing these canvases, but developing a piece takes time as I'm sure you know. So this is where I'm at with them. I'm ready to start glazing the teal canvas that I'm calling Rise Up, for now. Plus I'll have to try out a few things to determine how I want to paint and emphasize such areas as the Arabic lettering and the weeping eye.

Speaking of the long and often painful process of creating, check out Holly Dean's post as she develops a painting.
It's encouraging to know I'm in good company.

The small palette knife one is waiting on the wings for a finish and the possibility of a couple more joining it to create a series of some sort, we'll see.

My grand-daughters are coming for the weekend and you know that means art! Will try to remember to take some pictures of them at work! Have a great weekend!

Making Progress

2011-07-27T17:03:00.000-03:00

Been working away on the teal canvas and I'm making some progress after letting it stand for a few days I decided on a direction that I'm pleased with. I had done some gel stenciling in the top corner of the canvas that I really liked, using one of Mary Beth Shaw's stencils, so I decided to let the gears flow down over the canvas. Thought I'd show you them while the gel is still wet so you can see them clearly. Then I took a couple of my own hand cut stencils for the top right corner and the lower left corner. The lower left is Arabic for 'Rise Up' the words just seem to fit with the quote I used on the collage cross effect about 'failure is failing to get up again after a fall.' Over all I think these are going to work well for this piece.

I also used a small 8 x 8" canvas to try my hand at some palette knife painting. That was a lot of fun and suits my style of textures. As you can see I used my every faithful gorilla glue to draw a free hand design which I plan to paint in a metallic copper or bronze. (Bless artist Suzy Andron for teaching me about this glue in her DVD)

Hope you are having a creative week. If you're needing a little inspiration check out what Lisa Sonora Beam had to say, here's a taste:

“The creative force flows over the terrain of our psyches looking for the natural hollows, the arroyos, the channels that exist in us. We become its tributaries, its basins; we are its pools, ponds, streams, and sanctuaries. The wild creative force flows into whatever beds we have, those we are born with as well as those we dig with our own hands. We don’t have to fill them, we only have to build them.”
- Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run with the Wolves

Lessons From 'Process'

2011-07-24T11:09:00.000-03:00

You've got to love process...If end product is all we have in mind then creating art could become the thing that defeats you completely. I've been working more on the teal canvas that I posted about last time. I tried a technique to help me establish some texture forms that suggest flowers blooming, it worked pretty well, until...I layered in a little more ink colours and lost the original effects I had achieved. I worked with the mess for a time and then knew I just didn't know how to get it back to where my original plans had taken me.

So it's gone and I've brought the canvas back to it's beginning stages and will consider what I'll do with it now.

The process always teaches me something and this time was no different. What I realized is how vulnerable or affected I am by 'voices.' Maybe it's because all of this is so new, it's only been a couple of years since I began painting and my life long habit of valuing other peoples voices/opinions over my own has made itself evident in my art process. You see when I began this piece and had the background done and my little flourishes on it, a voice in my life that I value greatly told me that for them I could stop right there because it was complete for them. It was a wonderful voice meant to encourage, but it put me immediately in conflict with myself, because it was only a start for me and I began to over think it, worry on some underground level that I was going to ruin this 'completed piece' if I continued. So I left it for a very long time but I could never get past feeling it was only the beginning, because for me nothing is sacred when I work on a painting. Unless I stop listening to myself and move into that doubting, critical mind stage and then God help me I'm toast!

I'll not bore you with more of my life lessons through art. Hope you are enjoying the process as you create :-)

Following Our Own Style

2011-07-21T09:29:00.000-03:00

"When the creative processes grind to a halt, we have that unbearable feeling of being totally clogged...Instead of experiencing relaxed, energetic concentration, we jump avidly towards any distraction, no matter how trivial or ridiculous; we become easily tired; when we look back at our work nothing seems good enough; our eyelids glaze over; our brain cells chug to a standstill." Free Play by Stephen Nachmanovitch

As you can see I'm still making my way through the book Free Play, not because the books slow reading but it's been a difficult summer for me physically so my reading time has been hit and miss. Anyway, this chapter is on the function of both the muse and editor in our creative process, something we all have our scuffles with, if not a down right brawl by times!

I've been hedging my way around the teal piece that I'd begun, then painted myself into a situation I didn't know how to get out of. My thoughts on how to continue were pushing me towards a realm that I've never been comfortable in, realism, not even abstract realism. Then yesterday, with head pounding out the warning that a storm front was moving in, (yes my head has continued to be a weather gage!) I found a way to bring it back into my natural creative bent. Something Zom wrote in Pt One of her blog series on 'Developing Your Style' made me laugh and then find a way to return to my natural voice.

Gears stencil by Mary Beth Shaw

"You don't get to choose your style anymore than you get to choose your height or your personality or your looks. I started realising this at a certain point in my development when no matter what I painted, it looked like something that I had painted. This used to frustrate me. I used to look at a piece I was working on and say with scorn "that looks like something I would do." Zom

That last line made me burst out laughing because I'd done the same thing. Gosh we are funny creatures. So I'm back on track for now, adding a collage element that spoke straight to the situation by Graham Cook:

"Failure is not so much falling down as it is refusing to get up after a fall..."

Enough Already!

2011-07-13T15:54:00.001-03:00

I'm very glad my life does not depend on my ability to take good pictures of my art pieces! There is a skill to getting great shots of peoples art and I do not have such skills. I'm a lousy photographer but I preserver in the hopes of being able to show you something of the finished piece. It's a little more on the golden brown than the picture shows, but as I told my sister this morning, 'it's going to take a visit from the big girls with their big cameras to capture this sucker!'

So this one will sit for a time as I need to live with a completed canvas until I know it's done. I have to laugh at myself, just this week I added yet another small touch to two canvases that I thought were long since done. At some point we all just have to stop and say, enough already!

Free Play Frenzy

2011-07-06T10:48:00.000-03:00

Well 'snap!' it's been a battle, kind of like the one Odd Chick posted about in her own art endeavors . I had almost given up on my latest collage canvas. I guess that's what comes of changing out the key piece to the collage putting my colour choices at odds with the new focal point. Last night in one wild frenzy of 'Free Play' I smeared the canvas with Transparent Burnt Umber & T. Raw Umber. Using only my hands I worked it into the areas I needed covered and skimmed over other areas including portions of the photo. It was glorious! The wild abandon part when you don't give a rip if it works or not because you've come to the end of yourself anyway and the fear of 'ruining' something is long gone.

I was alone in the house but if you could have heard me when I saw what was emerging from the canvas as opposed to what I had been producing, you'd have though I was a mad woman. Maybe I am when it comes to my art.

It was a living moment straight out of 'Free Play!'
"In school, in the workplace, in learning an art or sport, we are taught to fear, hide, or avoid mistakes. But mistakes are of incalculable value to us. There is first the value of mistakes as the raw material of learning. If we don't make mistakes we are unlikely to make anything at all." Free Play by Stephen Nachmanovitch

As you can see I've been continuing to read Free Play, and as with any book there are portions that speak louder to me than others. So I take what I need and let the rest go, the gems of insight I hang onto.

My sister Kel and I have been having another one of our discussions, she has some wonderful insights into the whole value issue many of us face. I'm hoping she will flesh it out and write in more depth on the subject for her blog.

"You know, I think that may be the difference between us and other successful artists out there who are actually selling more of their stuff. We come at it from our own viewpoint with all of its insecurities and attempts at humility, instead of looking at it from THEIR point of view, where sticking a few flowers in the ground, or splashing some paint on a canvas is seen as a hugely creative output that they could never hope to accomplish on their own, or something that will grace their walls with colour and mystery that just cannot be found in any department store. We underestimate the value that people put on these things, and what they are willing to pay to experience it. (We also come at it from OUR financial viewpoint, which does not allow for any luxuries like that!)" Kellie Graham personal email to me :)

As you can see the gel is still drying on the canvas and I've more work to do, but at least now I want to continue working with it and that's a good thing. Now if I only had some skills with photography, I'd be able to take better pictures of the canvas :-) Hope all of you are having your moments of Free Play this week.

"Free Play"

2011-07-02T14:20:00.001-03:00

Art Journal Page

"Creativity exists in the searching even more than in the finding or being found." Free Play by Stephen Nachmanovitch

As you can see I've been reading an interesting book, called Free Play. Several things the author said captured me and so I created a page or two in my Art Journal around them.

"The whole essence of bringing art into life is learning to listen to that guiding voice...finding the heart's voice--"
"Play is without 'why.' It is self-existent: the focus is on process, not product."
"Art is a gift, coming from a place of joy, self-discovery, inner knowing."

Good stuff and I'm only part way into the book :-)

I'm also working on a collaged canvas, it's passing through its ugly stages right now. I will be apply various layers of glazed colour to enrich and give it the kind of depth I want. Plus I'm working on fully integrating the photo into the piece. The picture of the old tree was taken by my talented sister Doreen, or Ree as I call her. The tree is one that graces my Aunt & Uncles property. We grew up clambering through it's gigantic limbs, you can see one of my Uncle's barns in the background. Memories worth remembering...

Hope you are all having a great holiday weekend to my Canadian and US friends.

A Touch of Gold

2011-06-24T07:32:00.000-03:00

Let's see how many times have I taken 'Joyous Struggle' down from the wall to make a few more changes to? I've lost count, but I'm thinking this will be the last. I've learned so much in the ongoing challenge of completing this piece to where it appeals to me both up close and from a distance. Although I've loved the textures and depths I managed to achieve on this piece, from a distance some of those areas just faded away and became dull slabs of colour. I couldn't let it rest until I came up with the solution of adding a touch of gold in those areas and it has people who visit our home reacting positively to it for the first time so that's a good thing. Before often it simply went unnoticed or out of kindness uncommented on, now people rush right over and what to talk to me about the piece. I'm hoping to find a good home for it soon :-)

Still have a couple of canvases on the go, but have not done much with them of late. As fun as summer is, the constant fluctuation in the weather and the barometer have triggered a lot of migraines of late. I'm afraid my head has become a weather gage!

Hope you are enjoying your summer, recharging the batteries and finding creative outlets.

Family Celebrations

2011-06-20T10:12:00.001-03:00

Been off the grid this past week, had a double Birthday celebration to prepare for, my Mum turned 87 today along with my sister Kellie who was born on our Mum's birthday so we celebrate big time! Besides it's a great excuse for the whole family to have a lobster feast, and boy do we feast.

I was so busy that I only got a few pictures, oh and Kel is going to love me for including the only shot I got of her, it happens to be her butt! She's the one holding the camera while talking to our sister, Deb. My Mum and Grace are in the photo as well.

Even the youngest of the clan, Addy is getting into the lobster fest, she wanted to hold that lobster right along with Grace :-) You can see the guys on the deck in the background cooking the lobsters. Any time with my family is a great time, but add some fun food to the mix and it soars!

Grace and I also worked on a special gift for her teacher. Well Grace painted the canvas I prepared by texturing with insolation foam and I watched, but I can't share the photo with you as it's a surprise. Hope everyone had a great weekend as I did!

Read an interesting post over at Comfortable Shoes. Here's a little snippet to spark your interest:

"I can’t give you permission to create or to call yourself an artist.
I can’t do that because the permission comes from within."

Pouring Paint

2011-06-10T15:39:00.000-03:00

Today is a very large day, a term I use to describe an open sky, sunshine and strong breezes that allows me to enjoy the great outdoors without over heating or being eaten alive by black flies! While my textured layers are drying on a new piece I've begun, I'm outside with a good book, Painting from the Inside Out by Betsy Dillard Stroud, which by the way you can grab up second hand on amazon, and our dog Jazz to keep me company.

I've also taken the opportunity to do some experimenting with various colour mixes. I like to do pours starting with just a couple of colours that I'm curious about and see how they mix, what variances I can get as the paints blend and meld together. (This is Mattisse Australian Red Violet & Pyrrole Orange by Golden) Usually I'll do this on large sheets of watercolour paper which find there way into signatures of new journals or I make bookmarks or use them for collage. But today I used my journal pages to do some limited palette pours. With my pours I'm not looking to create a great looking piece, just understand the dynamics of colour a little better so I know what to expect when I use it on canvas.

Speaking of pours, check out the pour action of artist, Bette Ridgeway, now that's working large. I have such a hankering to work on something of that size. There is something about unrestrained boundaries that appeals to me in a big way :-)

Stratafied

2011-06-08T12:18:00.001-03:00

"Stratafied" 24 x36" mixed media on canvas

Well it's time to just let this one alone for a time I've taken it down off the wall several times now to work on some element or other and I feel it's time to just let it hang!

So now it's onto the teal one that's been hanging out in the background because it hasn't told me what comes next, yet. I also have begun to collage elements to another canvas in preparation for creating or recreating one I called, Keyhole in Time. The central image is one my talented friend Frances took and generously gave permission to use it once again. I recently sold the original Keyhole and so loved Frances picture that I want to try my hand at creating another.

Inspirational Messes

2011-06-07T08:11:00.000-03:00

How is it even possible that every inch of working spaces I have are loaded? Doesn't seem to take long or maybe it's because progress has been slow that things are in such a mess.

We all have our ways of working, and one of mine I'm discovering is that I have to let a piece hang for a time before I know I'm done. Putting it up on a wall gives me a whole new perspective and I begin to catch the little details that need fixing, additions or some alteration.

Recently Maxine Masterfield, one of my favourite experimental artists posted some pictures of her latest work, Daisy, 2 years in the making! I found that encouraging to know that my few weeks to a few months fall in that 2 year range :-) Mind you Maxine was working on a whole new concept and I'm sure that accounted for the long period of time before she felt it was complete.

I have Maxine's books and DVD, the woman is a pioneer in experimental abstract art, and just recently she has posted pictures of new works on her facebook, they have the most amazing effects, like nothing I have ever seen before.

I'm no Masterfield, but I find great inspiration from artist like her, they encourage me to be bold and experiment within my own capacity and style.

Free Play

2011-06-04T07:41:00.000-03:00

"Joyous Struggle" 24x38"

"The artist's life cannot be otherwise than full of conflicts, for two forces are at war within him--on the one hand the common human longing for happiness, satisfaction and security in life, and on the other a ruthless passion for creation which may go so far as to override every personal desire...There are hardly any exceptions to the rule that a person must pay dearly for the divine gift of creative fire." Carl Jung

Now that is a statement that will rock your creative world! Is it any wonder so many wonderfully talented creative souls go through such torment trying to make a living in some job or another while their hearts cry out for meaning, purpose and creative expression. This has been the topic of discussion with my sister, Kellie and I since she found herself unexpectedly unemployed and bringing to the forefront this conflict between needing work but desperately wanting creative expression. It's a battle many are or have faced, can I make a living with my art form and if not then what kind of work would allow me the emotional, mental energy after the work day is over to create? Sadly, this is a question that has no easy answers in this day and age. I watch my younger sisters, under so much stress, often trying to do 2-3 peoples work load in one have nothing left over for the things that they love, that feed their souls, that make life worth living. It's a hell of a thing.

24x36 still in progress

Rice has written about this a number of time on her own blog in her books, and at Create Mixed Media. So have numerous others who faced down this same challenge and make some dramatic life alterations. Books have been written, discussions abound, but the long and short of it is, there are no easy answers for the creative heart.

"In the creative life we pass through at least three stages: innocence or discovery, experience or the fall, and integration or rejuvenation or mastery. Birth, blockage, and breakthrough. In our original state of innocence, creativity evolved out of the child's primary creative experience of disappearing--pure absorption in free play. But eventually we experience life's battle, the long list of evils that seem to come intrinsically woven into our existence on earth, as well as internal impedimenta of fear of judgment. Sometimes before we can reach a breakthrough to clarity we live through a dark night of the soul..." Free Play by Stephen Nachmanovitch

The ability and longing for creative expression is a high power gift. It has great value to the individual and to our world. It has to, otherwise why would unseen forces work so hard to crush and possibly obliterate it from our lives? So fight the good fight my creative friends, nourish your spirit and find room in your life somehow to release your gift to the world.

Strata Progression

2011-05-27T14:12:00.000-03:00

Don't know about you but I find it fascinating to see how an artist develops a project they are working on. A number of fellow bloggers will share how they follow one idea, technique after another, Cindy with her amazing realism, Zom another amazing Aussie artist, Rice and her one of a kind clothing remakes, among the many talented artist who's blogs I follow.

So here is my update on the strata piece I'm working on. The biggest change came when I used a piece of sheer multi coloured material on the upper portion and a small stripe towards the bottom. In the upper left I have a hand stencil done in gel drying that will add some interest to the piece. I've added some black shimmery aluminum oxide my bro in-law gave me (he uses it for sand blasting.) In fact he's given me some fun metal shavings in indigo blue, bronze and copper that I hope to use somewhere in this piece. Or at least a little :-) Then I got out my copper and bronze inks and did some strizzling to create a nice luminous effect under coming layers of glazes. The various coloured glazes are what I'm preparing to do next, love the effects I've been getting by alternating between transparent & opaque, warm and cool tones as well.

The colours in the photo don't fully match up with the actual, but you get the idea. Have a great weekend!

On The Easel

2011-05-26T16:34:00.000-03:00

Got the first rush of paint down for my strata piece today. You can see my 'teal' canvas in the background waiting for some gel stencilled texture to dry and of course inspiration to hit as to how to continue. Long ways to go on both but thought I'd share the process. Already I can see where I need to come in and change some things so should be fun seeing where these paintings take me in the next little while. I've got plans to add some texture elements to the strata piece, fingers crossed that this experiment goes well.

Anxiously awaiting delivery of my Joe DiGilio DVD's (love those super sales) and of course some new luscious paint. I expect they will find there way into these new canvases :-)

The Power of Splatter

2011-05-23T10:40:00.000-03:00

So what do you do when you're in too much pain to sleep more than three hours? Why you sling paint don't you know. As some of you may know, I live with chronic pain so this is my norm and I've found my ways of living with it and still enjoy the life that I've been blessed to have. In recent years, painting has played a huge role in making my life feel richer, deeper and wonderfully releasing in the wee hours of the morning :-)

When the pain is too heavy I know it would be a waste of time trying to work on a canvas so I let loose in my journal and when that's too small and confining I grab the big watercolour sheets and have at it! This morning, I had a grand 'loosening up' session with craft paint and my big art table. Golly who would think a loss of sleep could be this much fun? I'll let this first frenzy of pain dry and see what more I want to do with it, maybe it will be my 'getting limber' exercise for a time. When it's run its course I'll give it some coats of varnish so it doesn't peel off under the abuse I put it through working on large projects.

There's something very liberating about going BIG! Life itself can make us feel hemmed in so why not find yourself a surface on the huge side and splat some paint...

Home Improvements

2011-05-21T09:15:00.000-03:00

Thought it was time to make some changes to my blog, for the sake of my viewers :-) Light text on a black background makes for difficult reading and I knew I needed to work on fixing the problem. I'm afraid my designer eye doesn't care for the new look as much, but I know in the end it's a better choice after all who wants their eyes pulling out of their head trying to read a post! Figured if I'm having a hard time reading my own blog, then so are others.

Still working away at the details of 'Joyous Struggle' and I must say I'm getting anxious to start work on my prepared strata piece :-)

On the learning front, I've been leafing back through Mary Todd Beam's books. The woman so inspires me, I love her work and teaching style. Also been checking out Joe DiGiulio's teaching clips, "Abstract Expressionist Mind" at Jerry's Artarama, they have such a great sale on I ordered a couple of his videos. Can't wait to watch them!

Enjoy your weekend!

The Joyous Struggle

2011-05-18T15:34:00.000-03:00

"Joyous Struggle" 24 X 38 Mixed Media on Canvas

Do you ever feel that while you are working on your art, the art is working on you? It's a strange and wondrous thing to see how threads of things going on around you, within you becomes part of the process of creating. How many times have I thought I was done, until I step back and take the long look that leads me back into the painting and the next step that I hope will bring completion.

"Joyous Struggle," I don't know how to express it more precisely, but that defines the creative process for me. My sister and I, Kellie, have been talking a lot about the creative bent within us and our personal struggle to 'value' it, to see it's worth in this world. Kel's been going through some difficult life transitions, the kind that make you take a long hard look at who you truly are, what fuels your tank. We were rather odd ducks in our family nucleus, quiet and absorbed in the world of our imaginations. Work never stopped on the family farm, so practical and pragmatic were the watchwords. Truth be told, little value is put on the artistic in the world we occupy.

Something artist/author Makoto Fujimura wrote in 'A Letter to Young Artists' echoed the things Kel and I had been discussing:

"Remember your first love—how much you enjoyed creating as a child. If you ever lose that sense of joy, you will need to reflect on why you lost that spark... the craft of expression takes much “dying to self” and much discipline. A discipline of any form takes perseverance. But when we are going through a period of training, we must remember the reason for our training. Our journey needs to have a specific direction. Our direction need not be toward being successful and being famous. We need to start from your first love; what we cherish, what we are, and what we value.

There will be a quiet joy even within that wrestling.“But there may be a period, while the wings are just beginning to grow, when it cannot do so…The lumps on the shoulders…may even give it an awkward appearance.” C.S. Lewis

Have you ever felt awkward, and felt the “lumps”? If you are an artist, perhaps you began your journey realizing that you are different from others. We have gotten used to having these “lumps” and accepted the fact that to the world the “lumps” look strange and unnatural. Your teachers and your friends may not fully understand your intuition to try to fly with your winged “lumps.” What if Lewis is right, and you are destined to “fly”? What if our awkwardness, and our uniqueness points to the potential of the person we are meant to become? In order to learn to fly, you need to be patient, and ready to experience many failures; we need an environment where we can fail often, but you also need opportunities to peer into the wonders and mysteries of the vista of the world to come." Mako Fujimura

He expresses it so beautifully and served to be one more thread woven into this joyous struggle of finding and expressing that part of me that has long been missing and is only now coming to light. The hardest thing my sister and I had to face was by saying that our artistic side held little value in the world, we in effect we saying a huge portion of ourselves had no value. I suspect we are not alone :-)

Blogging Spring Cleaning!

2011-05-12T12:43:00.000-03:00

Doing a little blog housecleaning after reading Rice's great article at Creative Mixed Media. She shoots straight from the hip and I so appreciate her candour. My need for a good point and shoot digital camera just went to the top of the 'Need' list however. Having good photos of your artwork is important if that's what you're blogging about!

I've finish up the large canvas I've been calling 'joyous' it's going to hang out on my wall for a time until I know that it's truly done. Begun work on a new strata piece, love this part where I get to play with all these texturing tools and work on the basic design. I've got a new stencil or two from Mary Beth's collection I intend to work into the pice as well. If someone saw the array of items littering the big table in my loft, they'd wonder if I was into construction or art! Think I'll start another piece for all the left over ideas and items I want to play with but can't include in the one I do have going.

Can't bring myself to publish the pictures of 'joyous' that my video camera took, especially in light of Rice's article :-) Will have to wait until I either purchase that point and shoot or my daughter brings her big camera home with her!

Hope your having a creative week!

Inspiration From The Young

2011-05-02T11:06:00.000-03:00

I'm glad to say I've gotten started on layering in the foundational colour on the large piece I'm currently calling 'Joy.' Someday I hope not to have to apologize for the poor picture quality, but for now this is the best my camera has to offer, macro shots only.

This foundations photo was taken with my son's camera. Although the painting has come a very long way, this will give you some idea of it's design.

The girls pieces are finished, although I don't have a photo of Lyvia's finished piece. She breezed through here on Saturday, slapped on some metallic paint to finish it out and wanted to take it home with her, like the little whirl wind she is, come and gone in a moment.

Meanwhile Grace was off slaying her 'Dragons' and competing for Team New Brunswick, in the Atlantic Gynmanstic Competition. She has been struggling with a back walk-over on her Beam routine, going through one of those times when the skills you had seem to go missing for a time. But when the time came she pulled it off! She inspires me.

Grace before judges waiting to do her Beam Routine

When I look at how hard she works, and then swallowing down her fears and competing before numerous judges on various events...Well, here I am at 54 still fighting new battles with the old dragon of fear and I have two granddaughters who overcome their fear and go and compete in gymnastics at 8 and 10 years of age. I'd be humiliated if I weren't so proud of them :-)

Plodding Along

2011-04-27T10:06:00.000-03:00

Grace & Lyvia

Wish I could say I've been making great progress with art projects in the last few days, but I can't. I have lots of excuses, Easter + family visits and meals to host and it's been raining so that means headaches/migraines and you know I can't control the whether. But the truth is, I'm feeling stuck, not sure how I want to proceed with my new canvas. We'll call it percolating time. Thinking about colour combinations, trying to visualize what it would look like done in certain colours using specific techniques. Eventually I'll begin.

Grace's

In the meantime, the girls were down and got the next step of their project done, laying in some base colours. Next up, highlighting areas with metallic and interference paints.

Hope you're having a productive week!

Lyvia's

"Do you ever find that you are waiting for your moment, though you might not know exactly what it will look like or feel like, nevertheless you hope it’s on the way, and so you wait for it? And wait some more?" Scoutie Girl

Multitasking Art

2011-04-19T10:13:00.000-03:00

Thought I'd show you the beginnings of a new piece, layering in some design and texture elements right now. I love the fluid flow of the design, makes me feel unrestricted! Funny thing, only with my art am I this messy. Usually I work pretty neatly, maybe because I hate to clean. But when I'm creating the last thing I want, or do worry about is mess and paint splattering everywhere. That's why I keep my art space free of decorative items, they would be ruined in short order! On the other hand my floor might be a work of art one day.

I have also added some elements to the Joshua Tree. I am using Golden Interference Gold (fine) paint to outline the tree, love how it's interacting with the base colours. When I can I'll have my daughter take some photos of it and pray we can capture the shifting colours. I've also added the words 'songline' in Hebrew text, I love the look of the Hebrew language and use it often in my art. It adds a wonderful linear element the composition. I'm going to try some gold leafing to highlight those.

I don't know if you've been following the comment threat from this post, and this one, but my Aussie friend Kel, took one look at the collaged vintage music sheet elements I had added to the base of the tree and said this:

"Oh my - the hairs just stood up on the back of my neck...you've put a songline in there!"

This is what a songline means according to the link Kel included.

"Songlines, also called Dreaming tracks by Indigenous Australians within the animist indigenous belief system, are paths across the land, which mark the route followed by localized 'creator-beings' during the Dreaming. The Dreaming can be seen as an embodiment of Creation, which gives meaning to everything. The paths of the songlines are recorded in traditional songs, stories, dance and painting. A knowledgeable person is able to navigate across the land by repeating the words to the song, which describe the location of landmarks, waterholes and the natural phenomena.

I love it! Love that our art can take us places we don't fully understand as we follow our instincts. I love the idea that my art comes from the place of Dreaming with my Creator and it spills out leaving it's impressions that can impact others. More importantly The Creator leaves his imprint on the inside of me...

On to other things. My Grand-daughter Grace also has a new project on the go. She is doing a piece for her teacher who loved what she had painted with me some time ago. So she asked me to use the insolation foam and get the canvas ready for her to paint. (The foam is beyond messy so I handle that part of it) I've laid out a couple of things, one like what she has already done and the other, well it reminds me of the milky way and a full moon in a night sky. Could be fun!

Keeping At It

2011-04-15T15:49:00.000-03:00

Thought I'd share with you were I've gone with my Joshua Tree canvas. This has got to be the softest colour pallett I've ever used. I can't adequately capture the actual tint and hues of the colours I'm using but I love the names, Australian Blue Gum, Australian Sky Blue and Southern Ocean Blue, Australian Red Violet all by Australian based Matisse products.

My plans are to paint the tree like limbs in a metallic yet to be determined and who knows what else will happen with this one before I call it done. I've also added some vintage music sheet notes along it's roots, the Joshua Tree got it's name because it reminded Mormon settlers of the Biblical Joshua raising his arms in prayer.

Because of the challenge this has been for me, I thought I'd find out a little more about the Joshua Tree, some things really popped out at me.

"deep and extensive" root system. If it survives the rigors of the desert it can live for hundreds of years with some specimens surviving up to a thousand years.

Joshua trees usually do not branch until after they bloom.. "

He's a resilient fellow, going down deep in order to find the nourishment he needs to survive and thrive. I love that first he blooms then he branches out. Kind of reminds me that I need to let my art bloom from within me fully before worrying about the branching out that comes with wanting to share your creations with others. All in all, I'm finding the Joshua Tree pretty inspiring.

"Closet Art" Anyone?

2011-04-13T08:46:00.000-03:00

Would be Joshua Tree?

Not sure how I get myself backed into these messes lately, but I've got another piece on the go that is giving me grief! I have to admit it is a case of a design element gone bad. I used my Gorilla glue to map out a design but there was too much moisture surrounding the glue and it swelled up and expanded totally obliterating the more delicate design I was going for. Now, I'm fighting the design and trying to find a way to, well make it work. I've included a picture just to show you the crazy design I've got going on, right now I'm playing with ideas for texturing and deciding on colours. It will all change radically if I stick with it.

Makes me wonder what is going on under the surface of my life that I keep coming up with these design challenged pieces and me without the knowhow of what to do with them. If it wasn't for the fact that it's on a more expensive gallery wrapped canvas, I think I'd just call it 'closest art' and begin anew! I laughed when my artistic, sister-in-law, Patricia talked about having canvases tucked away in the closet because they were duds she gave up on, 'closet art.'

So anyone out there practicing 'Closet Art' too?

Art On The Go

2011-04-08T12:58:00.000-03:00

Grace (middle) Lyvia (on top)

Finally finished my Boxed In piece, I don't have a picture of the completed piece right now, the only camera we have is a Video Camera my hubby uses for videoing wild life and our Grand-daughters. In fact I've spent the last couple of days editing video and creating DVD's with special effects for my Grand-daughter Grace who took some metals home at the Provincial Gymnastics Competition. She was chosen to help represent our provence at the Atlantic & Eastern Competitions at the end of April. Yeah Grace! and Yeah! Team New Brunswick.

Also been playing with a small canvas that had been textured some time ago as an experiment, it's now looking a little like an abstract forest. It's been fun to just play with this, I also have a canvas ready for paint, that I'm calling my Joshua Tree. It was a case of Gorilla glue gone wild, it soaked up too much moisture and so instead of a wispy design I had this overpowering completely different look. Thank God for my sister Kel, fresh back from her missions trip to Mexico, she took one look at it and said, "it looks like a Joshua tree." You just never know what you're going to wind up with!

Boxed In

2011-03-31T12:27:00.000-03:00

"The ending of a painting is a very delicate time, because if the painting is left unfinished, enthusiasm and intuition will decrease for the following painting, and the momentum and the sense of adventure will dramatically fade away..." Michele Cassou, Kids Play

This statement rang true to me for I was experiencing it when I read what Michele had to say in her book on Igniting Children's Creativity, Kids Play. If you follow my blog you know I've been in a battle with my latest canvas. For me it was the perfect storm, a colour palette that I don't work in and a boxie, geometric design that I don't enjoy working with. Long story short, I finally took it one step too far and there was no way back but to break out and change it up completely. I couldn't do anything about the design but I could change out the colour palette and did as this picture shows. This was just the beginning, (macro shot shows a little) it's come a long way since and I am no longer fighting the canvas, I'm going to be able to 'finish.' I'll use the fist colour palette on a piece that is open and free flowing in the future.

"when a painting is well completed, a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction arises and with it the inspiration for the next painting." Michele Cassou, Kids Play

There is a huge difference between setting a piece aside, knowing you need to let it simmer until you figure out the next step and knowing you are completely hung up, blocked and you're ready to quit. The latter leaves you stuck just as Michele writes. I was certainly there and knew it.

It makes me wonder how many other things we abandoned, or given up on, that leave us mired, stuck, unable to move on? There's something to be said for doing your all to make it work, or work it out before we walk away and not have it's entrails following us for the rest of our days.

You never stop learning about yourself when you work creatively. I realize that geometers leave me feeling so boxed in and hampered a throw back to my inner resistance to being hemmed in by expectations, restrictions and short comings. Amazing what your art reveals about you and to you.

Review Friday- Paint Anyone?

2011-03-25T09:34:00.000-03:00

Thought I would share with you one of my favourite acrylic paint and medium manufacturing companies, Nova Color. Golden fluid and heavy bodied make up the majority of my paints but Nova Color has some amazing choices and when it comes to mediums I use theirs almost exclusively. When you see their prices you will understand why, not to mention that they preform extremely well.

I first heard about this little company through Kelly Kilmer, when I first began Art Journaling a few years back. Unlike Kelly, I use their paints full strength for my work unless glazing. Oh and don't overlook some of their funky 'Fluorescent' paints. I just got their Fluorescent Blue (transparent) and oh my gosh it is a new favourite, it's such a light yummy blue and blends so beautifully over other colours. Also love their 'F' pink and can see I will be adding more of the fluorescents to my stash. Their Quinacridone Violet (transparent), Alizarin Crimson Hue, Transparent Red Oxide, Antique Copper are among those I use constantly. I have a colour sample page (upon request) in which they have actually painted a small amount of each colour onto the sheet so you really get a feel for what you are ordering. Don't overlook their Iridescence, Metallics and Interference Peal lines either.

When it comes to mediums, as I said I buy almost everything from them and have not been disappointed. Their Gessoes are dreamily creamy and thick, varnishes, gels, texture pastes, coarse lava, all of them are excellent and you cannot beat their prices.

Something that is not listed on the website but is available are plastic jars & bottles in various sizes. I buy 4oz Squeeze Bottles with tops to pour their paints in for easy use, for .60 cents each, they also have 8 oz size for .85 cents. If you need to go big because you buy paint by the Quart or Gallon they have lidded jars and pails to fit your needs. When ordering I request these bottles using their 'special instructions' section when checking out and they add it to my order. Check out their Q& A for a listing of their various products and other helpful comparisons and tips.

I don't know about you but I love it when I find a great product or in this case an entire line of them, and want others to know about it too. Happy shopping!

B-Days and Canvases

2011-03-22T09:56:00.000-03:00

My daughter Olivia turned 31 today! My baby has grown up into a young woman I greatly admire, she's my hero in so many ways :-)

The only thing she asked for is her chocolate, extra crunch & fudge ice cream cake. My girl has a major chocolate addition!

After a celebration meal and cake, Olivia tried to get some photos of the completed Rhapsody painting and the one I'm currently working on. But we had lost the light and will have to try for another time.

This is the canvas I've been working on these past two weeks. What I'm showing you is a very poor representation of the actual colours, blue grey, purples and silver.

Do you ever create something that you are just not drawn to? I don't know what it is about this particular canvas that has me feeling so blah, but it is certainly the least favourite that I've done to date. I don't know if I should just stop and call it done or keep nattering away at it. Is it possible to have colours that you may love in life, but hate working with on canvas? Darned if I know, it's a curiosity...

What a Haul!

2011-03-20T09:24:00.000-03:00

When I went to the post office to pick up my contest winnings from Mary Beth Shaw, I was shocked at the size of the box. I knew that she was sending me some items from her personal stash of ephemera and an autographed copy of her book as well as one of her stencils "just because." I was not expecting the haul that awaited me inside that box!

Along with my personalized copy of her book, which I will treasure and use, was not one, not two but three of Mary Beth's unique stencils. (I've already used one of them to add effects to my current canvas remake.) Well if that were not enough, the huge bag of ephemera put me right over the moon! Vintage ledger pages, maps, artwork, wallpaper, game pieces, game score pads, tab tops, coupons, cocktail napkins, film strip and shorthand pages that took me straight back to high school! Just seeing these items sparked all sorts of ideas, she truly is the queen of flea market finds.

Well my first layers of paint should be dry now so I'm off to see what needs layering in next, hope you are have a wonderfully creative week. And if you haven't already do check out Mary Beth's website and book. You can read my review of her book here.

I wanted to share with you a little piece of wisdom from Doris McCarthy, a Canadian artist who savoured her life, she passed away last year at 100 years of age. This is part of her Convocation Address at the University of Toronto in 2001, she was 91.

"This is the wonderful secret I want to share with you. Life gets better and better with every year that passes. Don't be afraid of old age. It has the gifts that are even better than youth. To earn those gifts, start now. And I mean today, this minute. Be aware of who you are, where you are, and why. Realize this moment. Savour it. Like every other moment in your life, past or future it is unique. You are living now, always now! Rejoice in it.

Remember, it is loving your work that is important, not comfort, not security, not public acclaim, but happiness. If every day you are aware of what you are doing and know that you have chosen it because you love it, that is a good life. If you cannot love the path you have chosen, leave it and start again. There is no disgrace in learning by experience. But to merely endure your work for the sake of money or status, or peer pressure or for any other reason is to squander the most precious treasure of all, your very life."

Networking & Junked Art

2011-03-18T09:39:00.000-03:00

I'm currently listening to a great conversation between Rice of Voodoo Cafe and Jen Cushman of Creative Mixed Media. They are talking about using the social networking tools to promote yourself and your art. Great conversation, with valuable information, do take the time to tune in. Jen gives you get advice on using your blog, Facebook and Twitter to connect you to an artist community and as a marketing tool. I know I've enjoyed the networking community with blogging and Facebook, but Twitter is a world I've not entered yet!

I've been working on a new piece all week, got it to several places of doneness, hung it up to get some perspective on it and would hate it each time. How can a piece look so cool up close with all the wonderful marble like textures and colour then look so blah from across the room? I'd take it down do some glazing, add more contrast, rehang and still blah. Then I went one glaze colour too far and there just was no recovering. Out came the gesso. Although the colour is way off on these pictures, the real thing is just as horrid, or was, it's now sporting a fresh coat of pure white :-) Ah the joys and frustrations of creating!

What I'm Reading

2011-03-11T08:20:00.000-04:00

What I've been savouring is Mary Beth Shaw's new book, Flavor for Mixed Media. (In Canada, Amazon.ca) It seemed that it took forever for it to be released here in Canada, but it finally arrived last week.

After that first, flip through every page, randomly checking out various things, I got down to the serious consuming of it's contents. It's not a meal that I'm rushing. Mary Beth has woven a wonderful array of new ideas, tips and techniques that beg you to slow down and chew more slowly. She introduces you to fellow artists, some I knew of, others are people I look forward to discovering more about. You get to understand their creative journey and all with a love for good food and mixed media. I'll let Mary Beth explain the connection:
"Art and food: Two of life's most sensory pleasures...being an artist and a foodie--I have pondered the similarities between art and food and am utterly convinced the processes of creating art and cooking are very much the same."

Just as there are yummy recipes scattered throughout the book, so too there are some great mixed media creations that will leave you drooling and ready to try the ideas out for yourself. She introduces you to a new texturing product called, Wood Icing and frankly I can't wait to try it out. Saving my pennies for it and some of Mary Beth's unique stencils. When I look at the array of jars on my shelf and consider how Wood Icing could replace a number of them, I get excited.

Back to the book. Some of the things I most value are the working studio tips that Mary Beth dishes out, things that will help me to work better, smarter. Like her suggestion of creating 'colour palette pages, where you take out those combinations of colours and test them out, see how they preform, how they interact with other colours, what they are like transparent or opaque. Colour choice is the single hardest thing to work out when it comes to abstracts. You don't have a photo or still life sitting in front of you that suggests colours, you are working that out in your minds eye and it takes time to explore and play with the combinations to know what is going to work for the piece.

In walking her readers through numerous project ideas, she also exposes you to a wide variety of substrates, tools and mediums. You will have no trouble finding something to wet your creative appetite. I love that she lays out a project giving you the steps and information on the things she uses but never dictates the details, allowing you the artist to develop the project in your unique style. Mary Beth points the way but encourages us to allow for our own 'flavour' to come through, in fact to find your artist voice is a lot like becoming a good cook, you've got to do a lot of it to develop style and flare in the kitchen and the studio.

Prior to being able to order my own copy of 'Flavour' here in Canada, I entered a few of the book give aways that Mary Beth and contributing artist to the book were offering. Well I won one of those contests! So an autographed copy is on it's way to me along with some goodies from Mary Beth's stash of fun. I can't tell you how excited and pleased I am about this win. I've pondered what to do with my current copy of Flavor for Mixed Media and think donating it to the Library may be a good choice. I love the idea of a number of creative spirits being able to enjoy and learn from Mary Beth as I am.

My Mirage Easel

2011-03-10T08:08:00.000-04:00

I've been having a great time giving my new Mirage Easel a good work out. It's a gem. Sturdy, flexible, easy enough to adjust, it's just about perfection. I say just about, because I'm considering adding the second set of wheels to it, using the swivel kind, so I can twirl and swing it about when I'm flooding a canvas with colour and need to get around the larger canvases. My hubby's pretty handy so we will go shop for wheels, get the holes drilled and I'll give it another run.

The other great thing is I can sit in my chair in front of it, saving my back some pain, which is always a good thing. Grace loves it too. She adjusts it to suit her it's that easy to maneuver. I think I bought myself a winner and would recommend it to anyone who needs the kind of versatility and affordability. My dream though is to have a tilt table made like the one Maxine Masterfield shows in her books & DVD's, she included information on how to make it, now I just have to convince my darling husband I really, really need him to build it!

Life & Art In Stages

2011-03-09T11:08:00.000-04:00

Grace's macro shot

Seems life gets lived out in stages, much like our art. Enthusiastic beginnings, mired middles, and uncertain endings. Rather reminds me of English class, beginnings, middles and endings. Well I've finished 'Rhapsody' (waiting to get some good photos) have begun the map work for a new piece and am playing in my art journal in-between.

Lyvia's macro shot

My grand-daughters had a taste of doing art in stages as well. They wanted to do something like I had created with 'Reef', and it was the first time they have had to wait for things to dry/cure before moving on to the next stage, meaning they had to leave them for several days in-between processes. By the time we got to the end they were pretty anxious to get the paint dried and the high sheen varnish on! Grace really enjoyed getting 'into' the flow of adding various colours to the mix where as Lyvia, our little live wire, slapped on paint in a frenzy of colour and enthusiasm . Interesting, isn't it how our personalities are reflected so eloquently in art making.

Grace & Lyvia

Grace & Lyvia would have fun hamming it up with ibooth once we finished a stage in their art pieces. Behind them is one side of the loft that I use mostly for Art Journaling and collage, across the room is the painting gallery :-)

Taking Risks

2011-03-06T12:25:00.000-04:00

Getting the mail is so much fun, you never know what surprises it might hold. A short time ago, fellow creative, Jennifer Richardson of Ripplespeak opened her own Etsy shope selling some of her brilliant and upbeat art. I wasn't long picking out something that would hang out in my loft and inspire me. I only wish I had the means to buy something from all my creative blogging friends!

I smile every time I see artist courageously stretching out to share their art with more of the world. It's wonderful to see, because it does take courage and it does take risk and investing in yourself and the works of your heart and hands. What's interesting is that no matter where you are in the journey there are always new avenues to explore and new challenges to take, you never do get to be just comfortable with your artistic expressions. But maybe that's what it's all about. Art stirs, it suggests, it draws you out, it lays you bare and there's nothing comfortable about feeling naked :-)

Art in Progress

2011-02-25T06:56:00.000-04:00

Murphy's law has struck again! After going for a few years without a cold or flu, I've been hit one after the other with both. It all began the day after visiting with a couple of creative friends and I mentioned that I couldn't remember the last time I had a cold or the flu. Well, now I can say the entire month of February has been dedicated to fighting with both!

"Rhapsody" in process 24 x24"

I am making progress with my latest canvas, 'Rhapsody.' Not sure about it though. It's hard to have perspective about your work when you're not feeling well, tends to warp your thinking. Olivia took a couple of pictures of it when she was home over the weekend, but it has changed so much as I worked on it this week that I hesitate even posting a picture.

"Whisper" Acrylic on Canvas 24 x 48"

"Whisper" macro

A few photos of the completed piece, 'Whisper,' taken by Olivia (my daughter)

The Common Denominator: Art & Book Give Away

2011-02-22T08:10:00.000-04:00

The Common Denominator: Art & Book Give Away

Do yourself a favour and check out Mary Beth's generous give away of her new book and custom designed stencil.

Studio Time

2011-02-19T08:38:00.000-04:00

I don't know if you follow Alyson Stanfield's blog, 'artbizblog, but she has a great post here on giving at least 15 minutes a day to your art. Alyson wrote the book, I'd Rather Be In The Studio. From what I can see it would be well worth buying if you are working on expanding your career as an artist. I know her blog if full of great tips, insights and know how. She clearly understands the power a 15 minute window can have on your art, she wrote her book by doing just that.

Then you might want to check out, MakeBigArt. Here's what they are all about,
Empowering artists...

to think big about their art
to think big about their marketing
to think big about their lives

I've given you the link to the MakeBigArt blog because it is full of wonderfully helpful posts on just these types of things.

I've begun the underpainting on "Rhapsody", the challenge is to take some of the ideas I liked on my test run on paper and get them to work on the textured canvas. Ah the fun!

Whisper

2011-02-17T11:28:00.000-04:00

Well I do believe it's done and my daughter, Olivia, will come this weekend to get some shots of the finished piece before it goes to it's new home.

"Whisper" 24x48" acrylics on canvas

I've been considering names for this piece and I must say it is not something that comes to me with ease. I had thought about a name, but as I began a new piece I knew the name I had thought of really belonged to this new piece. That kind of threw me and I wondered, so what is your name? What floated into mind was, "Whisper" "a slight trace, a hint, a mere breath of sound." As the artist, it speaks of my developing voice, it's all so exploratory right now and I feel this piece has taken me to yet another developmental place in my journey.

"Rhapsody"

On the easel now is a small 24 x 24" gallery wrapped canvas called, "Rhapsody." "a free instrumental composition in one extended movement, typically one that is emotional or exuberant in character." I guess that's how I feel about this new place I've come to with my painting. The flow, movement and layered depth of colour all of it just streaming across my canvas.

I'll post some of the pictures my daughter takes this weekend so you can actually see what the colour and full canvas looks like, again my camera does a poor job of capturing colour and detail accurately, but it will do :-)

On The Easel

2011-02-09T10:50:00.000-04:00

Thought I would give a little update on how the new canvas is progressing. Carefully. Slowly.

It's down to the subtitles now, the little adjustments in blending and brush strokes and maybe some bigger ones! Standing back and seeing the areas that need more help. In general just living with what you've done for a time until you know you've taken it as far as you know how to take it.

I've really enjoyed this piece, right from the beginning when I was shaping and designing with glue in hand. I guess I feel it has that deep, old world/old masters tone to it and that alone makes me happy.

These are the best shots my poor camera can provide, soon I'll have Olivia take some with her eye and camera, but at least these give you an idea.

Like many artist out there, I'm asking myself what's next? What's doable now? What is of the 'wild' dreams department...

In Process

2011-02-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

On the easel, or should I say table is this large piece, 24" x 48". I love the design of this and am fighting with colour as I wrote about previously. I'd love to be able to marry the colours I've got going on in this piece. Worked on the underpainting using a beautiful hue of greyish purple. It's added depth and will allow for greater contrast, I hope!

"The process of creating renews my spirit, and I find myself attuned to the details of life rather than being stressed by being overwhelmed. I find myself listening rather than shouting into the void. Creating art opens my heart to see and listen to the world around me, opening a new vista of experience.” Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art and Culture by Makoto Fujimu

In the meantime, I'm beginning to do some of the insolation foam texturing on the canvases, grand-daughters, Grace and Lyvia will be helping me to complete. They are anxious to get going and asked the next day when they stopped in before heading for Crabbe Mountain to ski. "Are you working on our paintings yet?" So Nanny will get to work getting the foam down, way too sticky and hard to clean up for them to manipulate.

Speaking of Easels. My first and only easel is on its way to me! I've held out on buying an easel because of how I work. It would require a rugged, manuverable, fun adjusting easel and I do believe I've found one in the Mirage All-Media. My dream is to have the boys (Jean and his bro Francois) make a table that tilts, twirls, raises and lowers like Maxine Masterfield shows in her book, Painting the Spirit of Nature and DVD. (See my sidebar for link to her book)

The easel came with great recommendations from artists who put it through it's paces and the price was excellent. So I can't wait to be able to put my large canvas on this thing and raise it up, tipping it and laying it flat as I work and twirl the thing around. Sure will beat having it propped up on a big table or my small tilt table, and will save my back lots of painful episodes I'm hoping.

It Is Finished

2011-02-01T04:25:00.000-04:00

It Is Finished- acrylic on 24 x 30" gallery wrapped canvas

Although I've had this done for some months now it's taken time before Olivia and I were able to work on getting some photos of the completed piece. We did the best we could with the lighting and knowledge we have.

It Is Finished- acrylic on 24 x 30" gallery wrapped canvas

Working on this has been a little unsettling. It was my second attempt at using insolation foam for texturing, ( Jan Sitts shares this in her book, Texture, Colour, Feeling) I'd improved a little on my ability to control the sticky substance, not that you will ever have complete control when it comes to this stuff.

Maybe that set the course, but as you can see I created a kind of cross effect with the foam and this piece seemed to know how it wanted to be painted from the beginning. The cross section has a lot of detail, including gold leaf pieces, soft blending and these amazing lines and variances in tone. I tried three times to go with a more antique golden hue in the areas surrounding the cross but every time the painting seems to push until it was back into all the shades of red you see here. When I was done and laid the brush down all I could think was, 'it is finished.' It had named itself and our journey was complete.

It Is Finished Macro

It Is Finished-macro

Shine Baby Shine!

2011-01-30T11:47:00.000-04:00

Reef - acrylic abstract on 24" x 36" gallery wrapped canvas

Well my daughter, Olivia, took some great shots of the latest canvas I'd been working on. It was the first experiment with insolation foam for texture and it took a lot of work to get the mess I'd made down to something I felt I could work with. I've learned how to control the application of the foam better now, thank goodness.

As I worked with the cool colours it reminded me of a bed of coral and the deep blue sea. I choose to varnish it using a hight sheen because I wanted to make those metallic and variances in colours pop. Between the metallic and the hight gloss shine it made getting a good picture of the full canvas harder, but oh those macro shots she does, yummy!

Reef Macro

It was a big hit with my grand-daughters they immediately wanted to know if I could do one like it for their rooms, in colours that would "go" of course (this from the 7 year old!) So I said they could work with me and create their own, which was a big YES! They wanted to start working on it right away but had movie tickets so it had to wait. Should be interesting.

One of the macro's is now my new blog background with others to follow when I'm ready to change it up. Boy do I love having some great photographers in the family. Thanks Liv, you make my art look spectacular!

Reef Macro

New Mixed Media Website

2011-01-28T08:49:00.000-04:00

I just have to share the news that Artist/Author Mary Beth Shaw posted about on her blog (do check out her blog.) She is a contributor to a new website for Mixed Media artist, called, Create MixedMedia. There are so many resources available on this site I can't even list them all. Videos, podcasts, projects and more.

And be sure to check out Mary Beth's new book, Flavor For Mixed Media, available through Amazon or you can get a signed copy from the author when her supply of books arrives.

Enjoy!

Your Artist Voice

2011-01-27T08:13:00.000-04:00

I've been looking at a book online called 'Finding Your Visual Voice.' But before I ordered it I decided to do a little journaling about knowing my visual voice. As I reflected using backgrounds that were test runs on some new colour combinations I wanted to try using, I made a few discoveries about myself.

It seems I love the Old Masters deep rich colours and tones, at least on canvas. I've tried very hard to move to the more modern, vibrant, bright colours and I could just never seem to leave them there, they always wound up going deeper, and ultimately changing the look of what I thought I wanted the piece to look like.

Just this week I tried to do a modern, sophisticated look using greys, black, silvers with a touch of deep purple for contrast. I could see it in my minds eye but when I got it onto my textured canvas, I just didn't like it. Now I know another artist could take these and make it all work, I've seen and admired their work but I just can't seem get past the disquiet I feel using these kinds of colour palettes. This all lead to the realization that I may well have already found my artist voice, from the moment I began to create textured abstracts on canvas. There's a shock! Instead of realizing it, I've been fighting with myself and therefore getting hung up over colour more than anything else creatively.

After writing a draft of this post I got out Nita Leland's book, The New Creative Artist. As always this wonderful lady's writing helped me out.

"Pay attention to the inner voice that tells you when something feels right. Much of your creative problem-solving occurs at an unconscious level. If you persist in ignoring your intuition you may find yourself stuck in a permanent holding pattern..."

Thank you Nita! All I have to do is look at how my creativity returns when I stop fighting what I guess is my unique visual voice. By the way, I have every book Nita Leland has written all of them are excellent and ones I continually go back to for help and guidance. I hear she is updating and republishing her book, Creative Collage Techniques, you can bet I'll be buying it just for the added insights she will bring.

Young Artists

2011-01-26T11:34:00.000-04:00

Just had to share this, my grand-daughter Grace took second place in 'Coloured Art,' for the Carleton County's Royal Canadian Legion Colouring & Essay contest. It included entries from grade levels 4-6. Her picture will be entered in the provincial and from there the national if she places and will be displayed in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. She received a certificate, a print of her picture, ribbon & pin plus a cash prize.

She was thrilled as am I. When I asked her if she felt like a real artist, she said yes! I also pointed out that at the age of 9 she received her first payment for her art :-)

Picture quality is poor, but that's my girl in the middle and the second in from the right in large group picture.

Art That Changes Lives...

2011-01-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

I need to follow up on the quote by Jim Robbins I posted last time. It's one of those things that you know when you read it that it's important but your not sure exactly how or why.

"an artist is someone who refuses the tired and mundane scripts being offered, in exchange for the chance to actually change people's lives. Really change people's lives. The artist intends to reveal something through his art. There is a declaration behind it. (Otherwise, the art becomes merely self-indulgent). The art is the access point to a deeper, somewhat veiled reality. It provokes us, stirs us, and tells us rumors of another world."

For real? Do we, as artist believe our art can 'actually change people's lives? I'm struggling with how on earth my abstracts could have that kind of impact. It's something I've not really thought about and it's a little unnerving. I see how the written word has that kind of effect, or music or realistic or more 'image' laden art, but abstracts...I had just never thought about it, or maybe I've just brushed up against it until now.

Chaos & Calm (almost finished)

Like a large piece I did called 'Chaos & Calm' I gave it to my daughter for Christmas, because she found herself in it's forms. There is that part of her that blazes with adventure and being out of control and then there is the linear, perfectionism that is equally a part of her. I have to tell you I was shocked when she explained this to me, I just never realized that my art could echo in a viewers heart so strongly.

So I wonder and ponder this and thought of all my blogging artist friends and their various artistic expressions, how do you feel about your art & what you create? Do you hope it will impact lives with the kind of strength Jim talks about?

Able='having the power to do'

2011-01-25T09:32:00.000-04:00

Good thing I didn't promise myself I'd create a page a day, this spread has been a three day process, mostly because of issues with being 'able.' That's a big word for me and has a huge impact on what happens in my daily life. Traci had put out as a prompt, 'today I feel...' When I began the page I was having a very good day, the fibromyalgia was under control and life was good. Before I knew it the word, 'able' took over the page.

We all have issues with 'being able.' A fuller definition of this little word is, "Having the power, skill, means, or opportunity to do something." A lot of the time my issues with able have to do with my health, but I can also struggle with my perceptions of being able, my limitations and the like.

Jim Robbins, author & creative artist wrote,

"an artist is someone who refuses the tired and mundane scripts being offered, in exchange for the chance to actually change people's lives. Really change people's lives.

The artist intends to reveal something through his art. There is a declaration behind it. (Otherwise, the art becomes merely self-indulgent). The art is the access point to a deeper, somewhat veiled reality. It provokes us, stirs us, and tells us rumors of another world." Jim Robbins

And we wonder why we struggle with feeling ABLE some days!

Dreams Goals Under Wraps

2011-01-20T19:40:00.000-04:00

I have to chuckle, after posting about Traci's journal prompts I decided it was time I took the time to just set down in ink some of my dreams, hopes and goals for the year. I did as Traci suggested and got out my dip pen because I love fountain pens of any sort and just scrawled across the pages. Then came paint, stamping, images and a film of vintage dress patterns over all. My pages look nothing, and I mean nothing like the work Traci does, I just don't seem to have that wonderful graffiti style in me. My blogging friend Mary does though, have a look what she got up to following Traci's suggestions!

Still I loved the process and that is what it's all about, self expression and taking the time to value your own dreams enough to write them down. For me these pages aren't about pretty, good thing, they were about the words, the promise, the imagery that took over as I worked. It does feel strange though not to be able to go and read a nice little list of goals they are all covered up in a thin film of tissue. I expect that the list will get done in my catch all notebook, better known as being over 50, you need lists or you won't know what the heck your doing day by day!

2011-01-19T08:25:00.000-04:00

I cut my art journaling teeth on Traci Bautista's work and her book, Collage Unleashed. She never ceases to inspire and amaze me with her unique free flowing style and use of colour. Many of you probably already know about her new 'art journaling daily' blog posts so I may be sharing old news with you. If not, then do check out her blog and join in the feast of inspiration she offers. And be sure to get her free download of inspiring art journaling images and helps, just looking at them make you want to go splash paint!

Deep Impact

2011-01-15T08:10:00.000-04:00

Since my last post and all your wonderful encouragement and wisdom and insights I've actually had a decent day and night! It feels wonderful to actually be able to do a few things and not suffer serious setbacks because of it. I take your words to heart and consider them and quite frankly am astonished at the knowledge and perspective they offer. I do believe I'll be creating some journal pages around those insights.

The Caspian quote has made such an impact on me and has struck a note with a lot of you as well. I wound up creating another journal page using the quote. Then I just puddled in Dr. Martin's ink & radiant watercolour and created a brilliantly coloured journal background.

Longing

2011-01-13T20:44:00.000-04:00

January has not been the productive month that I had hoped for, or that many of you are having. I'm afraid some nasty virus grabbed my immune system and decided to wrestle it to the ground. I'll spare you the details.

When I can I've been working on the large abstract with all the spray foam texture. Adding small strokes of metallic through out has really enhanced it, rather reminds me of a bed of coral in blue/green oceans. My camera just won't pick up the halo effects of the metallic but I'm hoping my daughter can do some shots for me soon.

Worked on a few journal pages, something I've not done much of this past year. A quote really grabbed me by the gut and wouldn't let go. I pondered it's truth for me long and hard, it's from the Narnia movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Caspian said words to this effect,

"I've spent too long wanting what was taken from me and not what I was given."

Life if full of hard knocks, and great losses and we can get stuck there, because we don't know how to take the hard knock walk...

Digital Journal Magic Giveaway!

2011-01-06T02:58:00.000-04:00

Talk about an exciting give away! Marie Otero of Lost Aussie is running another on line workshop using Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Her friend Carla is hosting a give away of two spots in Marie's class, 'Digital Journal Magic.' So hurry on over to Carla's blog and enter and then be sure to check out Marie's amazing digital artwork.

Hurry now, contest ends Saturday Jan 8th and good luck to us all!

It's a Beginning

2011-01-03T12:21:00.000-04:00

Macro 24x36" Abstract

It's a start, a move towards getting unstuck. Long way to go but at least I've got a base colour pallet down that I'm willing to keep. Two months of redo's it's encouraging to have something to at least study, ponder and work on. So this canvas has some deep texturing, the insulation foam, gorilla glue, texture paste, tissue and gels. When I got a brief glimpse of how to paint this, I grabbed up my Golden Fluids and got started, relieved just to have an idea to follow felt good. I still don't have a camera that will give me a good overall shot, just macro's turn out half way realistic, so that's what I'm posting.

I also got my other canvas a little further down the track, but nothing to post just yet.

Macro 24x36" Abstract

Taking a Peek at a New Year

2011-01-01T16:58:00.000-04:00

A new year, crisp and fresh. The old year went out like a slug, I've had some nasty flare ups with fibromyalgia that has knocked me around for the last few months, so I'm ready for a change and renewed hope that a new year brings.

My wonderful friend, Aussie chick, Kel has written a beautiful New Years Blessing over at Xfacta. I'm lingering over it now, for she asks, "what took your breath away and how can you create more of that this year?" I love that, moments that take my breath away...now that's something worth chasing in this brand new year.

Like my friend Mary, I've been having a fight with colour these past months. I've done more covering up with gesso than painting I'm afraid. Got some great pieces ready to go, now if I can just figure out what the heck is going on with the actual painting! Here's to creative outpourings and overcoming obstacles!

Have A Tacky Christmas!

2010-12-20T08:33:00.000-04:00

Well, a tacky Christmas tree at least! So I shared with you in this post about my daughter and her Dad going out and getting our Christmas trees.

My daughter Olivia then raided all the old tree decorations and announced that this year she was going for the old fashioned, tacky Christmas tree! She has had a great time stringing popcorn, making paper chain garlands, snowflakes and I don't know what all else. But the pictures say it better than I, and frankly, I love the results. She has done a great job and had a lot of fun doing so.

My girl loves the holidays, her enthusiasm spills over. A number of you wanted me to make sure I posted some pictures of her tree once it was decorated, so here they are.

Have a Warm and Wonderful Holiday, from my family to yours, Merry Christmas!

Feeling The Moments

2010-12-12T01:10:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year, everything narrows in focus and our normal routines get set aside for all that the holidays bring. I'm doing what I can to make it memorable and fun, especially for me. I know, I know that sounds off somehow, but life is coming to terms with what is, not what it use to be. Changes come and with them we have to be open to a different way of seeing and doing things. I've simplified where I can so that I'm free to enjoy the moments.

Speaking of moments, my son Wes took his girls out for their first ski run of the season. We don't have near the snow that we will have, but they had a grand time just the same. This is Grace's first year snowboarding, she has been skiing for the last couple of years and now joins her Dad as a snowboarder. They say once you've used a board you won't go back :-)

Grace getting the hang of ski skating, it's how she gets around, kind of like skateboarding.

Taking a break and watching the snowboarder action.

Watching the snowboarders do their tricks. Love the look on Lyvia's face and Grace is hamming it up for the camera as usual :-)

Lyvia is getting her second taste of skiing this year and is loving it. Love to see those smiling faces having so much winter time fun!

Snack time, and a chance to warm up!

Even my art has taken a back burner. Not sure if this is due to the holidays or me just hitting an inspiration wall. I did start working on a design for a large canvas tonight, I'm liking it so far and have plans for some fun mixed media elements and lots more texturing. Love the designs I can create with the Gorilla Glue, so appreciate the creative genius of Suzy Andron for coming up with such a concept. Her DVD on Polytychs opened my imagination to a whole new world. We will see just how long this one simmers or if it comes to a full boil quickly :-)

Hope you all are enjoying the moments this Christmas!

Brenda Goes To School

2010-12-08T16:59:00.000-04:00

Well the deed is done, I had a blast and never got one picture! My Grand-daughter Grace's class invited me to come and help them make their own bookmarks from their original abstract designs. Tuesday was the day, we hit the floor running at 10:30am and we were flat out until shortly after 12 noon. What a great bunch of artist! It was fun to see them create their abstracts the techniques were new to them and as always I'm fascinated by how people work with their materials, their unique approach to art and self expression. I would have loved to just hover over each of the groups and watch them, as it was, there were a lot of steps, and things to get done in between drying times. Who would think so much goes into creating bookmarks!

I had two goals, enjoy the process and complete at least one of their bookmarks so they could then work on the others on their own. Mission accomplished! At least I hope the kids had fun, I know I did although I did have to stay focused, which was a little disconcerting for my Grand-daughter. She's use to Nanny being so involved and out for the fun, flexible, it threw her off a little that I had to cut some things short in order to show them all the next steps. But Grace was invaluable to me. I could not have done it without her constant help with her classmates, walking them through the steps, helping pass out items as well as getting 27 abstract paintings dried! My hubby, Jean, was great as ever with the kids and Grace's teacher, Krista is a gem, wish I had had a teacher like her when I was young. You know it is a rare gift, the ability to truly teach, to share the love of learning in ways that capture and captivate young or older minds. Krista is one of those people.

So if you're checking this out Classroom Connection 4W's, thank you for allowing me to come and share with you a morning of creativity and great fun, your the best! To think I had our video camera in my purse the whole time and completely forgot about it, not sure who had a paint free hand to hold the camera with anyway :-)

Bren

Family Video Fun

2010-11-30T10:51:00.000-04:00

Just had to share these two little clips of my son Wes and his wife, Lori having fun with the ibooth. My Grand-daughters come by their sense of humour and feel for drama honestly. They all keep me laughing! Hope you get a chuckle too. And just so you know what they actually look like I've included a little family photo :-)

Lori mentions looking like Joan Jett . And because I can't leave my grand-daughters out of it. One of Lyvia and then Grace.

Winter Wonderland

2010-11-29T08:41:00.000-04:00

This year daughter and dad set out to cut down our Christmas trees, we've been doing this since our kids were young. Unfortunately I've had to give up this fun family tradition because of the fibromyalgia, but my hubby, Jean and gang always have a great time and bring home some wonderful trees. (Our son and his family now do this together as part of their Christmas tradition)

My daughter, Olivia is a keeper of traditions, she loves them and this year is no exception. What a day for it and she got some great photos too!

I laughed as Liv explained that this year she was doing an old-fashioned tacky tree! Golly if you could have seen our first Christmas tack trees you'd know why I was laughing. Guess who's stash of old decorations she raided for her tree.

Trees were selected....

and cut down...

while our old dog Jazz, forgetting she is now an old dog, ran herself lame!

Great job you two!