Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
HOLY SMOKES!
Having an upgrade in equipment to use in the creation of the artwork part of my newest project is going to make a HUGE difference!
I have to admit I'm slightly in awe, intensely grateful, anxious to put it to use, and half scared to death about what it could end up meaning in terms of the quality of the work I'll be able to produce IF I can get MY end of the deal right.
I find myself hesitating to put pencil to canvas for this rough sketch - it's like a magical moment, and I'm afraid I might be too shaky from sheer excitement and end up messing it up totally with the first pencil mark.
*Laughing*
Actually, that isn't likely to happen.
What's MUCH more likely to happen is that I'll begin with that first pencil mark and just keep going until the sun comes up in the morning.
Since I have two work shifts before I have any more days off, and a trip to Minnesota to make immediately following those two work shifts, my safest course of action would be to get some of my newest acquisitions put away and hie myself to bed for a good night's sleep - and forget all about this upgrade until I can use it without fretting about anything else in the back of my mind.
Oh, but what a challenge THAT is.
Not sure I can resist the temptation.
Wait until you see what a difference it makes! THEN you'll understand!!!
More later. Right now I have design work to do.
I have to admit I'm slightly in awe, intensely grateful, anxious to put it to use, and half scared to death about what it could end up meaning in terms of the quality of the work I'll be able to produce IF I can get MY end of the deal right.
I find myself hesitating to put pencil to canvas for this rough sketch - it's like a magical moment, and I'm afraid I might be too shaky from sheer excitement and end up messing it up totally with the first pencil mark.
*Laughing*
Actually, that isn't likely to happen.
What's MUCH more likely to happen is that I'll begin with that first pencil mark and just keep going until the sun comes up in the morning.
Since I have two work shifts before I have any more days off, and a trip to Minnesota to make immediately following those two work shifts, my safest course of action would be to get some of my newest acquisitions put away and hie myself to bed for a good night's sleep - and forget all about this upgrade until I can use it without fretting about anything else in the back of my mind.
Oh, but what a challenge THAT is.
Not sure I can resist the temptation.
Wait until you see what a difference it makes! THEN you'll understand!!!
More later. Right now I have design work to do.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Family Portrait Rough Sketch - 2 - Sass
Okay, I admit it. I might be getting a little nervous here.
This looks like it might actually end up looking a little like Sass.
The ones I screwed up didn't make me anywhere near as nervous as the one that might turn out right.
Pray for me.
She will get a dark background and dark hair framing her face, and a few bits of fine tuning here and there ... but ... it's almost finished.
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Slow but sure - we're getting there!
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
RAVEN TO WOLF: The Artist In Me ... Still There?
GETTING READY TO PAINT AGAIN
Warming Up...Too Long Away From Paints and Brushes
SERENITY MODE
Setting the Mood
First Abstract in a Long Time
Wolf to Raven
You Just Call Out My Name, And You Know Wherever I Am ...
Artwork Commissioned - Design Work In Progress
The thoughts of an artist roam at will.
Boundaries set by the customer are minor considerations, as the commission is specific only in size and general coloring.
I'm thinking that it wants to have texture and form, a life of its own within its given framework, with maybe a swirl and a swoop of movement.
Anything more specific than that is probably a waste of time and effort on my part as I have a feeling this one is going to be one of those 'recalcitrant child' works - you know, the ones who flat refuse to pay any attention whatsoever to anyone (like me) who thinks they can have anything to say about planning, development, design, or implementation.
I can THINK anything I WANT. I can PLAN whatever I CHOOSE. And those are interesting and fun things to contemplate, I kid you not.
HOWEVER, when it comes right down to it, the only things I really have any say-so about are the mediums with which this work will take form. That much I CAN do.
I merely provide the framework, the space, the materials and the tools (including my own hands, which the work will feel free to use at will). After that, the biggest part of me just backs off and watches the piece bring its own self into being, on canvas this time.
I tell ya, it's an amazing process.
There have been times that I've tried to impose some kind of modicum of decorum to a piece and it absolutely will NOT tolerate my interference. The few times that I've insisted ... well, the least said about THOSE results, the better.
I may be slow but I do catch on.
And so I realize right up front that the design I have in my mind for this piece may well be nothing more than a fruitless exercise. The greens, yellows, pinks, the touch of blue, all washing into one another and overlaid with burgundy with little highlights of color here and there may well end up being so much hogwash.
I can, and do, dream my dreams of what this work will end up looking like, but the bottom line is that it will create itself as it goes along. I can either rant and rave and cuss a blue streak because it isn't doing it MY WAY, or settle myself and watch in perplexed fascination as it unfolds itself in whatever way IT chooses.
Guess which way works better.
One side note: This is going to be a fairly big piece but as I don't want it standing alone I do plan to, once it's done, do several companion pieces to go with it. If the customer doesn't want them, I'll keep them myself or give them to someone else.
Boundaries set by the customer are minor considerations, as the commission is specific only in size and general coloring.
I'm thinking that it wants to have texture and form, a life of its own within its given framework, with maybe a swirl and a swoop of movement.
Anything more specific than that is probably a waste of time and effort on my part as I have a feeling this one is going to be one of those 'recalcitrant child' works - you know, the ones who flat refuse to pay any attention whatsoever to anyone (like me) who thinks they can have anything to say about planning, development, design, or implementation.
I can THINK anything I WANT. I can PLAN whatever I CHOOSE. And those are interesting and fun things to contemplate, I kid you not.
HOWEVER, when it comes right down to it, the only things I really have any say-so about are the mediums with which this work will take form. That much I CAN do.
I merely provide the framework, the space, the materials and the tools (including my own hands, which the work will feel free to use at will). After that, the biggest part of me just backs off and watches the piece bring its own self into being, on canvas this time.
I tell ya, it's an amazing process.
There have been times that I've tried to impose some kind of modicum of decorum to a piece and it absolutely will NOT tolerate my interference. The few times that I've insisted ... well, the least said about THOSE results, the better.
I may be slow but I do catch on.
And so I realize right up front that the design I have in my mind for this piece may well be nothing more than a fruitless exercise. The greens, yellows, pinks, the touch of blue, all washing into one another and overlaid with burgundy with little highlights of color here and there may well end up being so much hogwash.
I can, and do, dream my dreams of what this work will end up looking like, but the bottom line is that it will create itself as it goes along. I can either rant and rave and cuss a blue streak because it isn't doing it MY WAY, or settle myself and watch in perplexed fascination as it unfolds itself in whatever way IT chooses.
Guess which way works better.
One side note: This is going to be a fairly big piece but as I don't want it standing alone I do plan to, once it's done, do several companion pieces to go with it. If the customer doesn't want them, I'll keep them myself or give them to someone else.
Recalcitrant Child Painting: NO KIDDING!!!
Well yes, I knew it. I knew it was going to fight me every step of the way.
Why, oh WHY, can't I just let it have its way?
Ah well, it will be fine in the end.
I hope.
Why, oh WHY, can't I just let it have its way?
Ah well, it will be fine in the end.
I hope.
That Recalcitrant Child Painting ... It's Done and Accepted !!
This is not exactly the best photo in the world but ...
Original Artwork On 100 Year Old Cedar Roof Shakes
One of the benefits of having a 100 Year Old Home is that on the roof are quite a few 100 Year Old Cedar Shakes. As I progress in getting the roof shingled with modern shingles (have you priced cedar shakes lately?) many of those 100 Year Old Cedar Shakes get put into boxes. I use them for lots of things, from shims to kindling to ... well, artwork.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE ANGELS AMONG US
I BELIEVE THERE ARE ANGELS AMONG US
Some of my first experimental back-lighting pieces. These four angels represent the four daughters of my mother. They are painted with acrylic and pearls on fabric, using the screens from the windows themselves, hinged together, as easels. When cut from the screens, they fit right into the windows. I'll try to get a photo without all the tree shadows...!
Here are the angels from the back side, as seen from inside the front porch with the morning light illuminating them. The same effect happens at night, viewed from the outside, with a light on inside the porch.
DRIFTWOOD AND ROOTS
NATURALLY PROCESSED WOOD IS AMAZING
Some are driftwood, some roots, one is a chunk I was going to burn until I looked at it again...!
These are some of the pieces I've gotten sealed with poly semi-gloss. They're displayed in a three foot square box, to give you an idea of their size. I'll incorporate them into sculptures, most of them to be used for hanging jewelry on. A couple of them will go into paintings.
And off to work on them I go!
REDISCOVERING MY OWN SELF
NOT AN EASY TASK
Considering the fact that I'm not quite sure exactly what or who this discovery mission is all about, I'm going to have to depend a lot on faith, hope, and love.
Even so, I at least have a glimmer of an idea regarding how to go about it.
I have been writing more lately, which has always been a route to finding out what's inside of me wanting to get out where I can see it.
I have ALSO (drum roll please) after almost a year of not really doing much on that front, begun painting again.
Here's a new work table I put together in the bay window of my studio, one of my most favorite places in the world:
These are just warm up pieces. Figured I'd better do a couple of them before I went back to work on the painting I want to finish.
For this one I was looking for something soft and calm, not necessarily warm, but quiet.
And so I'm finding that yes I do still have a calm inside of me and that I can indeed find it! You would not believe the anxiety induced by the fear of having lost that. It has been so long since I've felt it that when it actually showed up in that simple little painting I almost wept with relief.
The other pieces, not so much, although it was pretty nice to see the meadow flowers popping out in front of the rock wall. They were un-planned and so a pleasant surprise to me.
WORKING ON THE BIG ASPEN PAINTING
Progress is Progress, Sez I
I can see that I'll have to add yet more leaves (sigh) and extend that trunk whether I want to or not (big sigh). Otherwise I'm thinking that I'm going to just call it good enough - which is not something I usually do. On the other hand, leaving a painting sit for months on end without touching it isn't something I generally do, either. Plus I don't really like that sky - tried a different blue for this one - I'm going back to cobalt.
WAITING FOR PAINT TO DRY ... SIGH
Wall treatments for above these two doors are in the works.
This unfinished niche has a change coming.
This niche, on the other side, is in for a change, too.
An old day lily design, new quilted backing, new place to go.
To go over one of the doors, when finished.
To go over the other door.
As soon as the paint is dry, and the poly sealer is dry, on everything, I can put it all together and see if I like it.
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