Lots of new work

Ok, let's get something straight, right at the outset. I AM a maniac. When I discover something new, I jump right in and explore it from all sides and aspects.

So today, I'm posting paintings that I've made since yesterday afternoon. (It's frightening)
I started this one yesterday. It was all going well, but in the afternoon, I had the crazy idea to cover the whole thing with a background color, and it turned into a mess. So I abandoned and revisited it this morning. The wash of white paint helps a little bit. I did learn a few things, so it's good. 

Next today, I made another one, but for some reason, it never worked as smoothly as the one yesterday. Copying myself just doens't work.

So I switched to a smaller format, to continue my exercises from Van Vliet book. This is an exercise about monotones, blending directly on the painting.

I remade this one yesterday and forgot to take a picture, so here it is. If you've been following my posts, it's the colorful 'cityscape' with gold and glues. I like it much better that way!

This one is really just a loosening  up exercise, with a background made with the left over paints from the monochrome exercise. Very lively, I like it.

This one is painted over a cloud exercise that didn't succeed. My Jackson Pollock period. I think it looks awesome, but that's my taste.

Since I was at it, I also reworked this one. It had turned into an ugly background, so there was really nothing to lose. I sorta wish I hadn't added the gold, but here it is.

And the last one:

I really like this one. It's very soft. No, it's not gold, just raw yellow. It's supposed to look like beach flotsam. Whatever. I have another one I made, but it's drying, couldn't take a picture of it.

I should rest tomorrow. But then I have all these images swirling in my head in the middle of the night, and I usually end up with at least one that demands to be made.
I'm sure I'll slow down eventually, once I get it out of my system. I'd better. I'm already painting over older paintings, or mishaps, but I'm going to run out of room! :-))

Two for today in the 30 for 30 challenge

...and it's only midday on my island...

This first one started as an automatic drawing, as I learned last week in the Steve Aimone workshop. Then I just played with it. It will probably evolve into something else through the day. It's on paper, 48x48.

The next one is the transformation or evolution of yesterday's red horizontal landscape, which was really doing nothing for me. It went through several stages this morning. I like it as it is, so I'm calling it finished.I just wish it were bigger, it's only 13x19. But so it is.

3 more abstract paintings for today

I started the day with a large, 48x48 automatic painting. It's  now gone through various iterations.
I feel there is a design starting to come out.

The next two are smaller canvases, I'm playing with the sense of structure in the middle, and adding texture.

ON this gold and blue one, there is a lot of gel medium making up the texture, then the white paint was applied with a spackle knife, a technique I really enjoy.

Abstract painting, contained

Today's exercise from Rolina Van Vliet. It is more constrained than yesterday's. Maybe because I did it at the end of the day. It is, of course, completely my interpretation of the book exercise. I do not hold the author responsible for any of these results. ;-))

I'm happy with it. It's good practice of color juxtaposition. I want to do the next one in black, white and grey. Stay tuned.

**** a few hours later***

Well, for some reason, it was not black, white and grey, but gold, white and some non-descript color. I guess painting is like that. It has a mind of its own. I'm not sure where I got the idea. I'm pretty sure it's not original. I don't think I followed an exercise in the abstract book, I'll have to check back if someone did something similar during the course like week. Nothing original here, just fun!

Abstract paintings

I have been following an abstract painting book, and my first painting this morning is below. Of course, it's nothing like the example, and hers was full of boxes and compartments. Funnily enough, if you know me, I just can't fit into compartments. So mine resulted more into an explosion of colors, even though I started on a black background. Wear your sunglasses. It's supposed to be an exploration of colors, so I think I really succeeded here.

I next did an automatic painting, on a paper I had covered with gel medium, on the recommendation of my friend Jill, who also attended the Steve Aimone workshop. The paper didn't desintegrate, so that works for me. I then turned the automatic drawing into a rendition of a flower outside my window, blowing in the wind. Probably still too literal.

I went to the Post Office to send off 2 journals I've completed in 2 different RRs I'm in. I mentioned to the attendant that I'd been at a painting workshop last week. She asked if it was the same one another customer had been to. I said yes. She said, it must have been something, the other customer was just so high and excited. Yep: that's the same workshop!!!!

I then did more work on my 'Nick Bantock" painting. I'm getting quite happy with it.

It's getting quite dark and intense, like some of Nick's paintings, and I like it. I have to decide now if I'm going to go the whole Bantock distance and add collages: stamps, exotic figures or animals. TBA.

Round Robins, Steve Aimone, Nick Bantock and multi-tasking

It has been a busy day! You be the judge...

First I had to get on with some commitments I have with various Round Robin journals. I completed a double-page spread in Lori's book for the Round Robin on my Yahoo group, the Sketchbook Project. Her theme is: 'The texture of time". I found the book extremely challenging as the pages were pre-painted a glimmery purple.
But onward we go, facing the challenges we meet, with resolution and creativity. I glued some extremely old pages I have from a French book. It's a Moliere comedy, and time is a comedy isn't it? An illusion at best.Here is the double spread, complete with old lace, several transfers, and a super scotch tape, since I know Lori loves tape.

And here are some close ups. I added some tassels to give it the taste of old France in the xviith century. I'd like to add some words, but I'm afraid my handwriting will mess it up. I have till tomorrow's post to decide.

Next, I worked in Janet's book in our Marie Antoinette exchange. Her theme is 'Anything Marie" which is really broad. I tried to render the opulence and the richness that I associate with Marie Antoinette era.

On the left, I have shopping labels, and on the right, I have Marie's corset, all decorated with lace and dooh dahs. Here's the girl who has everything, so she can't choose what to wear. As a background, I used some really beautiful vintage wallpaper I received in an exchange. What fun!








Then onward to my first automatic drawing of the day! Here goes.

 I then worked on a new painting from an exercise I found in Rolina Van Vliet book on Abstract Painting. I'm not anywhere near her suggestions, but it was still good practice. The paper is now dripping wet, particularly the bottom part, and it's drying.

 And finally, I went and rescued a painting I did a while back that was a giant mess. I had already covered most of it in white, so I got a chance to work on it today. It will be a Nick Bantock style painting when it grows up. Or when it dries up, whichever comes first.

It has a lot of texture, and I am now struggling to incorporate it with what I've learned at the Steve Aimone's workshop last week on the Spiritual Language of Art. I had created this painting in 'another life' and now I have to relearn to use fluid acrylics. This one is a large painting (for me) on canvas, 22x30. It will keep evolving.

Stay tuned.

So all in all, I think I'm doing pretty well for the 30 for 30 challenge. I bought myself a few days of rest, or...

30 art pieces over 30 days

See my new logo on the right? It was created by wonderful Lisa Cousineau for our challenge on my Yahoo group, the Sketchbook project.

One artist was asking how one finds her voice? I had read somewhere that in one University, the students were told to create 80 pieces over 60 days. The intensity of the experiment would bring out your 'true' self.

We just happened to think it would make a fun challenge, and voila!

We started Saturday, May 15th, since I was involved all week in an intensive and marvelous workshop with Steve Aimone. (More on this in a very soon post...) Since we were painting at least 5 pieces each day, it was best to start the challenge when I wasn't so productive already in a class environment.

I painted this late yesterday afternoon, after I set up my new easel, moved all the furniture around my studio so I could reclaim the beautiful Northeastern light in my studio, dragged around a monstruous 3-seater sofa bed that came with the house.

It's painted on paper that we used for the class. I really didn't like the painting underneath, and Steve taught us: when you're not happy with a painting, make big changes. I only kept the middle top part and covered the rest in white. How's that for big changes, Steve?  That is ONE thing I can say about my own artistic journey, I am not attached or precious about what I create. Off it goes if it doesn't work.

I think I learned that through sending my altered journals around the world, trusting my little gems to the vagaries of the Post Office and the moods of participants.

This is the original painting done early on in the workshop. Steve was calling out directions, paint a triangle in the top right corner. Of course, I put it in the left. There's always one in the class, isn't there? Put some angry marks in the bottom left corner, cover them with a yukky mixture of paint. I don't remember the rest, then eventually, we had to 'make' a painting out of it. Yep. it was ugly. I like the new version better..

Mini art quilt

I am taking an online class with Lenna Andrews to learn to make mini art quilts. Since I've always sewn, I thought it would be interesting to combine the two, art and sewing.

I also signed up for a mini Chunky book with a Vintage theme. I thought it would be great to practice my newly acquired skills by making a mini quilt page. Those pages are 4x4 inches!!!! Small... Minus 1/4" for the binding.

I have a lot of lace for my Marie Antoinette projects, so it wasn't hard to find something to fill the pages. The little pictures are simply sewn on . I've used a lace background, lace strips, and on some of them, I've added some cheesecloth that I'd previously dyed in coffee. Very vintage!

Thankfully in lesson one, Lenna was showing how to attach various embellishments without sewing. That worked for me, since I had decided to include several buttons, and multiply that by about 20 people that have signed for the chunky book so far, I didn't feel up to the tasks.
Yes, all these pearls and buttons are simply glued on.

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I had to leave a 1/4" tab with a piece of card on the left, so my pages can be included in the finished book with everyone`s pages, and wire bound.

Here's the whole pile of them, with variations on the theme. I will now add some pearls and beads off the side so it hangs and adds to the chunkiness, since it IS after all, a chunky book.

On the back is my signature, and we were advised to finish it as well.

Very fun indeed!

My other Marie RR

I am also member of a large Marie Antoinette RR with 15 other talented ladies.

I have just worked in Marita's book. Her theme is 'anything Marie' which really gives us a lot of latitude.

I started with choosing a pair of gloves for the Queen. She should not leave the house without them.

I made a fabric flower for her cuff as well. Ribbon, lace, pearls, glam galore.

After all this frou frou extravaganza, I found myself quite empty. I made an aged old background, with lots of gold and texture, then I just didn't know where to go with it.

I built it up slowly always thinking: this is not enough. It needs more. What a stretch.

I think I'm getting close.....

All that gold and organza, and glitter, and ribbons, and.... very Maire, I'd say....

Finished creating my RR Nick Bantock book

Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback on my previous Nick Bantock spread.
I've  now completed my book ready to start its journey to be added to by other artists.

Here's the front and back. I finished it in high gloss varnish. It's called "An unusual journey with Nick:

In the front cover, there is a sea lion and a lemur. And a registered mail stamp.



As you open the book, you find an envelope:

And a letter in the envelope.

I had so much fun with this letter. I burnt it, aged it, spilled coffee on it.  There's a calendar page, for 29 November.

This side are my directions and suggestions on how to use my book.







On the facing page, I've used found poetry.

I also included a postcard with my introduction.

The ladies are great-grand aunts.

And here are my two pages, slightly changed.

Nick Bantock page

I just finished a Nick Bantock inspired page for the RR I have joined. This is my theme: anything Nick Bantock. So now, I have to perform and create a page for my book in his style.

Here is the one I  made yesterday. You be the judge.

I also made my first abstract painting, probably since high school, in prevision of a workshop I'm taking next week, for 5 days, with Steve Aimone, who will be teaching us the Spiritual Language of Art. We're using 48x48 format, and we all got paper in a roll of 50 yard. You think that'll be enough for one week?

And last, two paintings that I worked on from the class I'm taking online with Julie Prichard and Chris Cozen.  I am less than impressed with my ability to generate good transfers. This one is made with a transparency. Some of it lifted, leaving the paint with it, and revealing the white canvas. Grrrrr. Quick fix. It's a canvas, and it sure looks old and worn. I've rubbed some gold paint in place, looks like it comes straight from an old church in France!!!!

This next one is done with paper napkins underneath, and 2 transfers, the word 'wish' on the right, which I'd remembered to flip, and the columns underneath the word. The bird on the left was part of a napkin, and pretty much disappeared, so I repainted it by hand.