SLIPPING BACK

I have returned to my slip series trying to finish some paintings I started last year.  This one has gone through many revisions and many layers of acrylic.  My frustration with acrylic paint remains - the to fast drying time no matter what slow drying mediums I add.  But I am determined to overcome this obstacle and having a deadline helps. 

Still I am not sure if this painting above will be the final version though a vast improvement over its former self.  Tomorrow will tell, when I get back to the studio and view it again.  And a few others, in the same state as the first one are waiting for attention.

acrylic/canvas

18 x 18

MARCH COLOR

I love this color in March.  It is like sunbursts on the barren winter landscape.

OLD CANVAS

Sunday I was cleaning and decluttering my downstairs studio where I store paintings and also frame work.  I came across a 12 x 12 canvas with another rough painting on it - actually a slip. After working on some other paintings in watercolors I decided to rework this canvas by painting a scissor using acrylics.  I like that some of the former painting is showing. 

DEMO PAINTING

This is the demo painting I did last Wednesday at Concord Art Association.  It does pay to step back and look at the work.  Luckily I had a gracious audience that day.  They didn't say, "What is it?"  Seeing it in the studio today I asked that same question.  I knew it needed work: redefining, better shapes and more color.

This is the results.  Reworked in watercolor 30 x 22.  The lines in the black areas are created by gesso marks.  This came about by accident in a prior painting but I like the textured effect.  

THANK YOU

This past Wednesday, I did my first demo on Creating a Series at Concord Art Association.  It was a lovely spring day with buds just emerging in the unseasonal warm sun.  A day, I was sure, many people would want to stay outdoors instead of sitting inside for 2 hours listening to me.  I was more than pleasantly surprised by the attendance.  Overwhelmed would be a better word.  In those two hours I had such fun interacting with a very generous and kind audience.  Though I was very nervous intially they put me right at ease right away. 

I am very grateful to all that attended and also want to thank the staff of Concord Art for making my time there so enjoyable and easy.  I love how art brings so many people together.  Thank you!

SCISSORS IN TRANSITION

Here are some more sketches of my scissors that went through many transitions.  The yellow/green painting above was to "sweet" so I had to transform this pair of shears to the dark side.  At least that transformation energized my day in the studio.

This painting started out using blues in transparent washes.  Adding lots of color marks and scraping back into the paint gave this one the needed kick.

This one (below) started out as a ground of yellows in transparent washes like the painting of blue washes above.  Many layers of paint are piled on obliterating the washes but still retaining an inner glow. 

All of these are watercolors on 22 x 30 inch 300 lb CP paper.  These photos are also taken as "sketch references" under none professional lighting with my little but ancient digital camera.  My photographer is hard to book these days.  When I do get an appointment with him I will post my images compared to the professional photos just to see the difference in quality. 

SCISSORS STILL

This week, at the studio, I am continuing to paint scissors.  These are still considered studies though big ones as I am working on full sheets of 300 lb watercolor paper (22 x 30).

This painting has gone through many stages.  And may go through even more.  That is why the 300 lb paper is a dream to work on as I can load up the paint, scrap it away, add more and scrub it in and the paper holds up.

I have several other paintings in the works too.  This week is helping me prep for next week's demo I am doing on "Creating a Series" at Concord Art Association on Wednesday, March 21st, from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM.

MORE SKETCHES

Watercolor  30 x 22

Yesterday at the studio I worked on more watercolor sketches of my scissors.  I had drawn this one below last week using india ink and graphite.  Since these are just practice paintings both were done on watercolor paper already marked up.  My goal currently is to experiment with color and composition.  Thinking of the words sketches, practice and experimenting certainly allows the chance to just play with paint and not be result oriented.



watercolor 30 x 22



WATERCOLOR

watercolor 30 x 22

I am back to using watercolors as I will be giving a demo on March 21st at the Concord Art Association.  My demo will be on doing a series so I thought I would revisit the scissor theme again.  This is one of four I did today as a practice session.  Initially I drew in rough sketches of scissors with india ink until the bottle spilled and made some large splotches.  Happy accidents in a test run. 

WGBH ART AUCTION

Saturday night we attended the WGBH Art Auction preview party.  My painting, Scissor, as you can see above, had a great location with fabulous lighting.  It was a festive night of mixing art, artists, and art collectors with tasty treats and elixars.  I saw some of my artist friends and meet many new ones too.

  

My painting is lot # 48. This is a watercolor on 300 lb CP paper using 6 ply archival mat, and a Nielsen black matte metal frame measuring 28 x 36 inches. The online auction started on March 3 and ends on Saturday, March 24th. One can bid online at auction.wgbh.org.  The broadcast will be on Saturday, March 24 at 6 PM on WGBH 44 and at 8 PM on WGBH 2. 

SHOWS TO SEE

Free Ball from Kim Bernard's exhibit Stuff Moves/Press 

Last night my husband Pip and I, with our friend Margot Stage, went down to SOWA for First Friday where the galleries are open later.  It was the first month of this year that we were able to attend and we are very glad we did as there are some exciting, inspiring, creative shows to see.

Stand out exhibits for us are the following:

Catherine Evans: Copius at the NK Gallery

Gary Duehr: No Man's Land at the Bromfield Gallery

Donald Kelley: The Red Drawings at Soprafina Gallery

Ars Libra exhibit of Lisa Vershbow's Paper Dresses Adorned: Paper Sculpture & Jewelry

And Boston Sculptors Gallery Kim Bernard: Stuff Moves/Press and Liz Shepard: Up & Out

Be sure to get there asap as not all shows are open through the end of March. 

And an upcoming show to add to your calendar will be Margot Stage and David Crane: Fibrous Forms at Brickbottom Gallery  March 11- April 8, 2012.