2017 30 Day Challenge - Day 15

Bird on a Perch

Mixed media Collage

Day 15! I'm half-way through the challenge. I've made it through an out of town family funeral, and a 3 day workshop and I have still managed to post a daily piece. I can be organized and focused when I want to be, and that's the challenge. Not so much that I make great or even necessarily good art, but that I focus on what I want to do and that's to finish 30 pieces in 30 days. Sometimes I know life is going to get in the way  of creating so I double or even triple up on some days to get ahead or to catch up if need be. 

I'm starting to love the lighter oranges and yellows. I don't think I've made friends with a true orange color, yet; perhaps as an accent but not as a dominant color. I have one more orange and then I think I will move on and start a new color series of abstracts.

Day 9 Dancin" To the Music

Dancin' To the Music

Collage, 6 X 6

It was the acrylic transfer of the figure that inspired this one. I'm not sure where this figure came from but I've wanted to use it for a long time. It's such a simple graphic but looks so joyful it needed joyful colors and some playfulness. Nothing serious going on around here. 

I also learned a good lesson. The painted tissue, which is what the dancer is on, is very thin and fragile. When I put the dark shading on the collage I wipe it away with a baby wipe. On most papers I can get pretty vigorous with the wiping; not on the tissue. From now on the tissue gets and extra coat of gloss acrylic before the shading so won't get rubbed away. I had to do a little patching on this where I rubbed to vigorously. 

A friend contacted me and wanted to buy the collage "Night", so I have priced them at $40.00 each, unmounted, plus shipping. 

Thanks for all the wonderful comments! 

Day 8, Cool In Blue

 

Cool In Blue

Collage, 6 X 6

The swirly blue paper is a copy of some paper that a friend brought to me from Italy. I can't bear to tear it up so I copied it on my printer so that I would feel OK using it. The green corners are altered magazine pages, the solid blue is painted and glazed tissue and the script is printed tissue paper, another favorite.

Thanks to everyone who has made comments on my earlier posts. They are appreciated!

Day 7 Gold Hills

Gold Hills

Collage 6 X 6

The inspiration for this piece was the yellow gold paper. It's a hand molded paper that was originally white and I painted it with quinacridone gold, one of my favorite colors. I really like all the texture in that paper! The blue, green and cream papers are commercially printed and the brown is a packaging paper. I find that I'm saving just about everything. Soon I'll need a warehouse. It's so much fun to have a variety of papers to work with. All of them have been coated on both sides with acrylic gloss medium and heat fused to a piece of 140# paper. All my collages can be framed, fused to gallery wrapped canvas or a cradled board. They are sealed with UV varnish.

Day 6, Night

Night

Collage, 6 X 6

The inspiration for this was the title of a poem that I had torn off. I looked through my papers for something that was dark but interesting. I found this tissue that had been painted with a gloss medium and acrylic paint mixture. I chose pieces of that for the whole collage and added the calligraphy piece and a gold moon as the only other papers. It leaves a lot for the imagination to work on.

Day 21 Copper Canyon

Copper Canyon

Collage 5.5 X 7.5

Twenty one days down, nine to go! I'm really glad that I'm keeping up with this challenge. I feel like I've grown and I've gotten a lot of good ideas for future work, both in collage and in painting. I think I'll be incorporating some of these designs in my watercolor work and into larger collages. This collage has copper acrylic on it to blend with the peachy color scheme. I've worked in a horizontal format this time instead of vertical, I need to switch it up now and then. The papers are all altered and painted magazine pages. I really like all the textures and colors I can get working with these pages.

I just got home yesterday from the Florida Watercolor Society and I feel energized by all the creative "juices" that were flowing all week end. We saw some marvelous artist demonstrations, took lots of pictures and notes to keep the information fresh in our minds. The trade show was terrific and the vendors had artists doing demonstrations in their areas, too. Lots to see and take in. I wasn't going to buy anything but that resolve cracked when I saw that there were Gelli Plates for sale. I've wanted one for a long time but didn't want to pay shipping on top of the price. So, now I'm the proud owner of a Gelli Plate and I'm sure I'll have fun experimenting with that.

Day 14 Transformation, Mini Collage

Transformation

Collage, 3.5 X 4.5

I'm back to my small collages; this is the size that is required for the donation to the Art League that I am associated with. They are matted and put in a clear bag, then they are displayed at our annual show and sold for $10.00. It's our major fundraiser for the year. I thought the organic shapes that the painted tissue made were perfect for a butterfly transfer. 

Day 11 One of My Favorite Subjects

Paris In The Fall

Collage, 10 X 10

Yes, I admit it, I'm one of those people who loves Paris. Something draws us back to that city again and again. I can stay a few days and I'm satisfied, although I often wonder what it would be like to be able to stay for a month and really be able to explore in a leisurely fashion. Our first trip to Paris was billed as a Christmas shopping trip, three days in Paris, three in London in November. We just got a taste and knew we had to go back even though we had a tiny hotel room, it was expensive, confusing, cold and rainy. We since have been back spring, summer and fall, each time to a different neighborhood. It's a wonderful city to explore, there seems to be no end to the interesting new place you can find each time. 

This collage is made with stamped and painted tissue, altered magazine pages, printed pages and acrylic paint. 

Day 10 One Third of the Way!

Lariats

Collage 10 X 10

This collage was made from altered magazine pages, hand painted paper and tissue, printed paper and acrylic paint. It has lots of texture that can't be appreciated in a photo. When you get into making collages you start to save interesting papers. The red in this piece was from an envelope of unusual paper that was sent from India. The hand made papers often hold memories of when and where they were made and who was there creating with you. Making a collage, like painting a painting, carries a piece of the artist in it. 

Day 9 Getting Bigger

Petroglyph

Collage 10 X 10

I've been saving this one because I wanted to show the smaller ones first. This whole piece is done with pages from the National Geographic that were altered with the Citrasolv. The organic quality of the pages lend themselves to a landscape format and with the layers I thought it looked like the side of a cliff. I found this giraffe transfer in my stash that just seemed to be waiting to be put on this piece. Is that serendipity or what? 

For those who are kind enough to leave comments, I'm sorry that I've had to reinstate the comment puzzle thing. I found that I had hundreds of spam comments in my spam box which I was unaware of until I stumbled upon it while looking for something else. I do love the comments and appreciate the time it takes for you to leave them. 

Day 7 Abstract Collage

Writing On the Wall

Collage 4.5 X 6.5

I have one week down and three to go! I hope we all make it to the end. This collage is made up of altered magazine pages, stained tissue and printed tissue. All of it has been coated with gloss medium and heat fused, then sealed with gloss medium and UV varnish. I love this process because you can design your collage and fuse it without taking it all apart to glue the individual pieces down. Once you arrange it, it's practically done. I like the limited palette on this one; red, black and gray are always a good combination. Did you know the phrase "The writing on the wall" comes from a story in the Old Testament? You'll find the story in the book of Daniel, chapter 5. It's quite interesting. 

Day 4, 30 In 30 Challenge, Postcard Collages

Caravan

Collage 4 X 5.5

This collage came together when I was looking for a piece of orange to place in my collage. I spotted this orange with camels on the back of some prepared paper  that had not been affected by the Citrasolv. I like to put in something that is objective now an then and people really like to see something recognizable in an otherwise abstract piece. I have gotten a very positive response to this collage and I think that's why. All the rest of the papers in this collage were magazine pages that were altered with Citrasolv and coated with gloss medium, then heat fused.

Abstract with Collage

                                Impending; Acrylic/collage on paper 15x22

This is the latest of several abstracts I've been working on since the last workshop. This one has been fun to see evolve into a finished painting. It started out with the band of tan on the top but as I worked on it and turned it the painting wanted to be this way. The thick stringy collage near the center (why do I always do that?) has been "gilded" by using stamp ink and embossing powder set with a heat gun. I've always loved to put a dab of gold in my paintings. In regards to the title, perhaps I was influenced by the disasters in the center of the US last week, but the dark areas reminded me of storm clouds and the line coming down of a twister tornado. To me there is the look of an approaching storm. To the left is the hint of a rising sun, the hope of a new tomorrow. 

Abstract Impressionism

This is what I started with:

This is my final painting: Abstract G, water media, 15x22

I took a 3 day workshop with Sue Pink, a very talented artist who does abstract impressionism paintings. She was very generous in showing us her techniques and helping the class progress, layer by layer until we all had individual paintings we could be pleased with. We worked with watercolors and acrylics on paper. Some of the paintings were done on new white paper, some were old watercolor paintings that were covered over with a mix of gesso, water and matte medium. Abstract G was done in approximately 5 layers. You begin with layers of random colors and lines making imprints as you go. After that dries Sue told us to begin by covering the areas that we like the least with a neutral color and continue doing that. I found that to be a very easy way to start, eliminating things until I got to the point that I liked what was left. You add textures and lines using whatever you have on hand. We used stencils and stamps; manufactured or hand made; watercolor sticks and pencils, there really was no limit. We just let our creativity rule the day. It was great fun and the days were gone in a flash.

I'm Still Here

Passages, Abstract 1, 11x 15 watercolor

I'm still here, I'm still painting but it seems like I'm not finishing things, just starting things. This abstract was started in Kathleen Conover's workshop but, of course, I've had to fiddle it to death. Abstracts are like that for me; I'm never quite sure when I've finished. I think I've got this painting where I want it after adding and subtracting for the last two weeks.

I had a demonstration week end at the Wildchild Gallery so I painted for two days straight and have nothing to show for it. It's hard, no, impossible, to keep your concentration when you are having to interact with people who come by. One is expected to "schmooze", I'm not too good at that but I try. It's fun to meet and talk with people but I can't make any art that is worth the name while I'm doing it. I have another such week end coming up this Friday and Saturday. So, if anyone has any ideas of how they paint and converse I'd like to hear how they do it. Sometimes I paint on yupo because I can wipe it off and start over and not feel like I'm wasting too much. I can do the same with paper that has gesso on it and that is something that is interesting to the people who come by and only know traditional watercolor.

A Nightingale Sang

A Nightingale Sang 15x15 Acrylic Collage

Happy New Year to all! I finally got my last finished painting photographed and ready to place on my blog. It's another acrylic collage that sort of evolved. I have one thing planned and then it keeps getting modified and rethought until I like it and decide it's finished (for now). The bird that is collaged into the painting is probably not a nightingale but the painting made me think of the song. In the lyrics there is a reference to the moon so I thought it fit. It was fun putting it all together and getting the colors to where I wanted them.

I went back in my blogging history and discovered that the anniversary of starting my blog had passed without comment. I found that I started on December 11, 2008! Wow, how time flies. I may have to do a painting with "tempest fugit" to commemorate the event.

I don't usually make resolutions anymore; life seems to interfere with resolutions. But, be it resolved: I will paint at least 10 minutes every day! Surely 10 minutes is achievable!

Fun With Mixed Media

Heart of Gold, Mixed Media/Collage, 22x15

I have worked on this piece for quite a long time. I'd put it away for awhile and then get it out and work on it some more. I don't know how many times I've added and subtracted from it. It was always a little distraction in the back of my mind and studio. I think we should call these distracts instead of abstracts. It has a lot of texture in it with stringy papers, lumpy papers, printed papers and a little 3-D paint; things that I love to play with. I have to be careful to not fill it up with too much, it's far to easy to do. I found the words from a song that seemed to go with it since I found some hearts in it which I painted with gold paint. These paintings are always learning tools for me; building blocks for future paintings.

Love Letters

Love Letters, 15x7, Mixed Media

This was the second painting that I did in the workshop. The colors didn't photograph well, it's more of a brown tone than gray. The gold script is stamped on and enhanced with embossing powder. The letters for LOVE are some stick on cork letters that I found in a hobby store. I painted them gold. In the collage area are some of the papers that we made the first day of the workshop. It's a challenge to work abstractly, even though you have to make the same design decisions when you work realistically.

Collage workshop

Abstract With Banner 15X15 Acrylic on paper with collage.

Last week I participated in a workshop on abstract collage with Minnesota artist, Karen Knutson (http://www.karenknutson.com). There were 10 of us in her home from Monday through Thursday working on our designs and going through the process of layering acrylic to achieve depth and texture. This process was a steep learning curve for me but I was happy with the final results. In her process one starts with a composition and then works sort of backwards to get to what you want. You paint dark where you want light and light where you want dark. It's a brain cramp in the beginning! As the layers progress you finally get to the point where your dark and light areas are matching up with your initial plan. From there you begin using collage and paint to lead the eye towards the center of interest. This painting is my first attempt at doing this.

We spent much of our time the first day learning how to make our own collage papers, by painting on bakery tissues, using powdered carbon on watercolor paper, making our own stamps from mat board, and spraying bleeding tissue. It was very hands on and a lot of fun. These items were used in our work the following days.

More fun, less pressure.

Abstract, 15x22

This is one of the first abstracts I attempted several years ago in a class. I just took some of my favorite colors and made a random pattern on wet paper and let them run around and mingle. I placed different papers on the wet paint to make texture and some places remained white. After it was dry I painted the geometric shapes and lines with negative and positive painting. I've always enjoyed looking at this piece I think because the colors just make me happy. Also it was painted with great freedom and without pressure to "make a great painting". It was just fun. I need to do more of that, more fun and less pressure.