Choices

No photos today, just a few musings on the constant choices artists make in the journey to express themselves. When I occasionally pick up a copy of  The Pastel Journal, I am always appreciative of the wonderful articles inside. In Issue No. 53, December 2007, there is an article featuring Serguei Ossik, a Russian landscape painter. At one point he speaks about the  idea of using artistic license and emotional intuition when making colour choices.

To quote:

Ossuik's realization that it was impossible for him to transfer emotion, colour and the power of light by blindly following nature, helped him to develop his thinking about painting.  "I realized the inevitability of adornment," he says. "remember that Matisse said 'accuracy is not truth.'  It's impossible to convey the sparkling of snow, the burning yellowness of fall, the light spots on leaves or the birch trees whiteness without adornment."

A strong endorsement to "go with the feeling" when making colour choices or any choices for that matter during the creative process. I love Matisse' s comment about accuracy not being truth- it speaks to the idea of truly "seeing" and can be applied to many things other than art.

Further into the magazine another article featuring  abstract pastel artist, Ingrid Wilkins also touches on the ideas surrounding artistic choice.

To quote:

"I would advise, have no assumptions," Wilkins says. "Scribble. Paint with the body. Don't engage with the brain because the brain often stops people from doing things intuitively. Don't be afraid of the mess, because you can always clean that up. But you have to spit it all out first- that's the emotional barrier. It's about finding what really excites you."

Colour, texture, form, line- all have the power to excite and inspire. I can relate to the messiness of creating art. All creation is messy process. Particularly when working in mixed media I seem to cover every available surface in the house from my studio to the kitchen to the dining room before I am finished! I am "desperately seeking a surface " to give birth to my artistic expression. And, it is amazing that when done,  the finished piece has taken such a  transformational journey to completion when I have let go of my assumptions and let my intuition be the guide.

Gray day

Well, today is very gray day and this new piece reflects this with its somber mood. I did warm up the sky abit with the addition of a warm neutral gray. The image is from a series of photos taken while vacationing in New Brunswick, Canada this past summer.

What did I use? Right now I am working on Sennelier, La Carte pastel board. I like the tooth as I put my pastels on quite heavy. I use a combination of Nupastels, Rembrandt, Sennelier and Schmincke pastels. I also use fixative at various stages when I want to add a new layer on top of a previous thick layer. I try to avoid fixing too much at the end as it really does darken the colours and reduce the sparkle.

This piece has a more abstracted style than the previous two, and I am using a colour scheme that I usually don't use - grays! Generally I am drawn to brighter, happier colours but the grays definitely have their charm as well. It is amazing how the brightness of the sun or lack of it affect colour choices and mood.

New name, new medium

Ok...so  I have already changed my name. The first title was a bit boring. And now, after a minor domestic detour and a major computer disaster I am finally back at the creative game. It really is a love/hate relationship with these computers.

I am doing a few pastels at this moment.  I got on to pastels as a way to do some quick studies for oil painting. Now, I am hooked! Except for being messy and expensive, they offer instant gratification in terms of colour and completion. Opening a box of pastels is really like opening a box of delicious, brightly coloured candy treats. Buying more can also be very addictive!

These two sketches of an ocean beach have a  semi-realistic style.  My next attempts will try for a more abstract style focusing on colour and shape.

Feedback

One painting, "Red Sky", was accepted into the juried show. It was suggested that my frame choice might be changed to a simpler black frame to complement the contemporary style of my piece. Ok. I guess I will investigate some new sources, not the usual places, for frames. I need to get a sales tax number to be eligible for wholesale framing, but I will also try two independant framers that have been suggested.

I am happy with the frame size and will do more in this image size for awhile. Settling on a consistant sizing will free me from framing issues for awhile. Afterall, presentation is an important part of the finished product.

I am also going to try the Pebeo fabric paints and some wool rovings with the next pieces. I think I will again work with two pieces at a time. This allows me to work back and forth between the two pieces and not get too focused on only one piece. It allows me to step back from each piece for awhile. Often the solution for one piece helps me with the issues in the other. I am thinking of trees for the next images, working with greens.

Juried show

Phew! I just finished two new mixed media pieces for submission to a juried show. Still have to put the frames together yet but the creative part is done. These shows are both a nuisance and a major motivator. I can't in any way keep up with all the possible opportunities out there. But, they do flesh out the resume and get my work out for, gasp, public viewing!

These two pieces are a continuation of my exploration of fabric collage/art quilts. I will post some photos soon, but they both include: cotton fabrics, sheer fabrics, chiffon, wools, beads, Shiva paint sticks (oil) and fabric paints and inks. I have paid careful attention to creating different textures. The design consists of lines set horozontally. The pieces are a pair of sorts, a series. One piece suggests a rock face, "Stria". The other depicts a sky and water landscape, "Red Sky". At this point I am trying a variety of different products to add colour and texture.

I had alot of trouble trying to decide how to frame them. The last fabric collage I did was a bit flatter and I framed it in an ordinary metal frame with glass, but these two pieces really needed the texture and warmth of a wood frame. Also, glass mutes the colours of the fabrics and I wanted the colours to really shine. I could: stretch them over a canvas and frame that, use a frame with a liner, or try a matt without glass which is what I have decided to do this time. Maybe not the ideal solution but what am going to go with anyways. Framing costs cut into any profit I will make if I sell them so I try keep it cheap and easy. I must get a PST number and then check out wholesale framing.

Time for a break now. I have some more ideas to try with this method but it will have to wait until later.

Hey! I have a blog!

Now that I have finally jumped on the Facebook bandwagon I guess I need a blog to to effectively slam the door on whatever is left of my private life. I thought that having kids did a good job of that!

When I was a teenager I had a diary with a lock and key. It was most definitely off limits to everyone, especially my brother. It recorded the ups and downs of my life, and of course boys!

This diary will have a different more mature focus, an artistic focus. It is an attempt to record my development as an artist. I have titled it as my painting diary, but that is a loose term for any artistic endeavour I undertake. It is a work in progress that will involve alot of experimentation with various media.
So... here I go!