Post-Exhibit Roundup

 The past weeks and weekends, have been packed each day with "stuff" to do, that didn't exactly include painting. Now that this is over, I am back to doing what I love best-figuring out the puzzle that is hidden on that canvas/wood panel. Many layers of paintings-some pretty darned good-lay under the final result, and the difference between a finished painting and a disastrous painting is only a few strokes of the wrong (or right) color/texture/lines, etc. Maybe only 5 minutes of work can destroy 5 hours of work. I'm my own worst enemy, at times. When this happens, it's no use crying over spilled milk. What is already on the surface will lend itself beautifully to what is going to emerge once I get over kicking myself in the butt. I never throw out canvas, or paint over the surface with gesso and start over from white.  I just try to remember where my inspiration comes from, try to stay simple, let in experimentation-but rein in going completely overboard and stick to colors I truly like.  I see the result I'm looking for when I see it. Some days I'm thrilled, other days I just want to give away everything and start making baskets from corn husks....the following photos are some successes. (On my next entry, I will post some paintings still in limbo.)   Have a good, fall Sunday!

60 x 50 cm. acrylic/collage on canvas

50 x 60 cm. acrylic on canvas

50 x 60 cm. acrylic/collage on canvas

50 x 60 cm. acrylic on canvas

65 x 50 cm. acrylic/collage on canvas

THIS EXCITING WEEKEND

 

THE Hard Part-Stage Fright

 Now comes the finishing touches. I had a real hard time finding frames for the 30 x 30 cm. paintings, and was starting to panic-they just wouldn't stand on their own as a wood panel, but after some creative searching, I landed 10 frames for them just in time. Also, the smaller acrylic paintings on paper needed framing, so off to find those on Saturday.  Now I need to freshen up the edges on the canvas paintings and choose which ones will make the cut this time around. 

I have had a really productive period since returning from vacation, and practically skip to the studio nearly every day. One thing I have noticed, though, is that, now that I am freely using more tools and materials to create with (collage/markers/colored pencils/sandpaper/trowels/chopsticks (!!), etc....literally anything that I can get my hands on, my space in my new, larger studio is shrinking. New table to be able to work on collage/mixed media experimentation, not to mention all the new work, is making it not feel quite as spacious as it did 4 months ago. It's going to force me to be better organised, I guess. 

I hope that I see many friends (new and old) this weekend at Sandviken - Båthuset. We'll be opening the doors at 11:00 Saturday and Sunday -open til 16:00 (4 p.m.) It would be nice if we actually HAD to worry about controlling how many people can be in at a time, and just nice that people don't have to sign in (contact tracing) or wear masks (unless they are un vaccinated)-just keep our 1 meter distance and things should be fine. We'll have the usual hand sanitiser at the door. 

Here's a little sample of what's going to be hung on my section of the exhibit ......

Getting My Blogging Act Together

So long since last writing. I don't want anyone to think that I haven't been painting/exhibiting/working on ways to renew my work. All of the above have been on my plate these past 10 months. Also, I took on a Creative Visionary Program which was 3 months of intensive art inspiration and technique to give me tools to see where my own art was hitting the wall, and how to move beyond it. These principles have been invaluable to analysing my paintings from every angle and proposing possibilities that I never expected/intended to use. 

Last November I had a small in-house exhibit with a fellow artist and it was as though people were so happy to have an event right in the neighbourhood, it was well visited. Thousands of people live in this area and hundreds of them walk past our building every day, and on the weekends, as well. Corona protocols were in place for visitors (masks/contact tracing/hand sanitiser) and art was sold and new acquaintances made. Planning to do this again in the next month, before the darkness of winter sets in again. 

I also moved from the studio that I have have rented for 25 years, to a larger studio in the same building, with much better light (north and northeast), more room, and a large storage closet. I can breath again! Funny how when we are ready for a change, the possibilities pop up. Very lucky. That move had me clearing out and cleaning up. Artists tend to save materials and objects and photos and .......  all kinds of things that can be used for reference at some later date.  It was good to go through these things and toss out/recycle/revisit those objects and start over with a clearer/cleaner studio. 

Working has never been a problem for me-I live very close to my studio and it's super convenient to walk there most days for painting sessions. Aside from the 32 small wooden panels I produced for the CVProgram, I have re-worked older paintings, and started 6-7 new works. I can now better assess what wasn't working with those and make corrections. It is a process that doesn't have me holding on to canvases just because I have "something" that works, but also something that doesn't work. I used to just put the painting "aside" for a while and hope some insight would hit me at a later date. Now I put it out, get rid of what's not working right away, and take the thing in a new direction, using elements of what was working and building on that. I have many new tools that I find invaluable for creating texture and bringing up the sheen in an otherwise dull acrylic finish. There are so many types of products to blend with acrylic paint that I was not aware of, but now understand their usage. Progress!

I have had a long summer vacation (6 weeks) which has hindered me in continuing on the roll I was on after completing the CVProgram, so the past 2 weeks I have been finding my footing again and getting my mind back into a painting modus. Do not recommend this long a break unless you have equipment with you, and the privacy to use them. 

I am attaching some of my work from the past 6 months-proof that I have not been slouching and that I continue to develop and evolve. Thanks for reading, and leave a comment if you wish.

80 x 100 cm.  acrylic and mixed medium on canvas

40 x 50 cm. acrylic & mixed media on canvas

                                                40 x 50 cm. acrylic & mixed media on canvas

                                                            80 x 80 cm. acrylic on canvas

                                                            40 x 30 cm. acrylic and mixed media on canvas

                                            40 x 50 cm. acrylic & mixed media on canvas