Thursday, May 20, 2010

"La Nouvelle Orleans" Part Deux



......To continue (providing Blogger allows me to....grrrrr), I left off talking about the wonderful texture that just *happened* through how the gesso dried and I had to provide a close up. It almost looked like the lunar surface---I was tempted to *save* the canvas at this point ans paint another for the piece....but I got past that when I figured how many days it would take for the gesso to dry and I would lose enthusiasm. (sigh) I really suspect there was just a little hesitation, once again, about screwing it up.
So I grabbed a couple of familiar neutral yellows that can be manipulated easily and trew in a background:

....and more shading , and then laid a few of the leaves onto the canvas to check for proper contrast. I knew even at this point that this was not going to be a high contrast piece like some of my work and I was going to have to be diligent with detail and the intensity of the few colors used. Below is a grainy close up of the area---trying to shoot photos when you can barely see is always fun. I am glad this is not for a book.......

And yes, I sorted through the box of leaves and picked ones of similar size and shape to balance out the wreath around the central area. (would you expect anything less....ummm......anal???)
As I was working on the piece, more news of the oil spill in the Gulf was coming in and I could not help but think about it, with the soft blues and then the dark mucky browns I had chosen. While my intent was to pick colors that emulate the water logged silt that supports New Orleans, I just kept thinking back to the oil and water. So I further darkened the browns. Colorwise, it worked. No one would know why, and that was fine. With every stroke, all I could think of was oil infiltrating the swampy land.


Anyway, I was at a point where I had to tint the paperclay fleurs and you may be saying *WHY* did she pick that horrible magenta???
Because, whenever you put gold on, you want a warm or cool color underneath. It affects the final color of the gold......as you can see below.


I used a soft black on the outter edges and Golden fluid acrylic for the gold in the pressed image. They were bright. VERY BRIGHT. I knew with what I wanted to do with the color further on in the piece that these needed toning down, so the handy-dandy crackle medium came out and they all got a good bath with it.
WHEW! That was a lot of work and words! In reality, it was several days too. I do not hurry this process. I like having time to think about how pieces will play in the overall piece.
One thing I find in a lot of today's art is the idea of instant gratification, which in some cases is fine.
But letting yourself be completely immersed in a piece of art as you make it slowly has benefits too. You learn much along the way. You learn to plan ahead. You have to hang onto the original vision while being flexible enough to change things as need be.
Now I need a nap and you all need either a huge cup of coffee or a box of No-Doze.....
I'm all for the coffee myself!  ;-)

Pax.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

This piece is inspirational Anne....It seems to be coming right along.
I often think about the people on Grand Isle & no one even mentions them...of the fishermen & the pitance BP is giving them. Then the animals & birds.....It makes me livid & also make me want to cry for them all....man & beast.
This is a classic case of man's inhumanity to man.
Love Ya',
Marilyn
xxoo

kj said...

anne, i'll be coming 'round after a longish work day when i can absorb this lesson that fascinates me. meanwhile, you have a poetry fanbase that is growing with delight!

love
kj

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Yes, Marilyn, I spent a lot of time thinking that too as I was applying paint.
I find it odd that I start with something strictly for *beauty* and it suddenly encompasses the real world issues.....art takes you different places than you intend to go!
Maybe that's how it's supposed to be. :)

XXOO!!
Anne

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Hey KJ,

Thanks for the word-praise!
The work will be right here, waiting for you to take it in! (providing Blogger...blah blah blah...LOL!!!)
Have a good one!

XXOO!!
Anne

Robbie said...

And once again your sharing is just like a 'teaching' session for us! Lovely piece and the process was as enjoyable for me!

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Hi Robbie,

Glad you are enjoying it! Sometimes I know I miss steps---so those I try to put in words.
Just so it all makes sense.... ;)

XXOO!!
Anne

Anonymous said...

It is coming along. The oil spill is such an embarrassment to this country. So hypocritical of all we stand for. There are not enough balls in the corporate world any more to make one decent CEO. So very sad.
QMM

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Oh QMM, I sooooo agree with you. Where have the people with strong backbones gone? Obscene salaries must weaken one terribly.....
I am enjoying the piece as a bit of mental healing, in a situation where I can *do* nothing.....sometimes that is what art lets us do.

XXOO!!
Anne

Silke Powers said...

Oh, Anne, this is beautiful and somehow for me such a meditation of how everything always comes full circle and how everything and everyone is connected with everything else. I think that, too, about this oil spill and how it affects us all - it is our planet and what are we doing with it? But then there's art! I think there's really healing power in art and true power where we might think we are powerless. I think I'm rambling, but I love this piece ... and you! Silke

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Hi Silke,

I so agree that we are stewards of our planet and poor ones at that. For all of us that do our best to try and preserve and nurture, there seem to be dozens doing the opposite. But, ye, art heals the wounds in us and lets us look at things that are painful and work them out in a beautiful way. If nothing alse comes of our work, we have preserved a piece of beauty of a specific moment/area/thought. It is putting something good back into the world.
And you can write as much as you want! I'm verbose!!! ;)

XXOO!!
Anne

Serena Lewis said...

Ah yes, man certainly has a dramatic affect on the environment. I commend those who make a positive difference but my heart goes out to the animals most of all. Anne, your art piece is coming along beautifully and I love the meaning behind it. Great texture!

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Thanks Serena,

I never thought I would live in a time seeing the manmade disasters that I have.
Sometimes, I just have to retreat to art as I know of nothing more to do.......
The texture on this piece is by far my favorite, at least till I work on the next! ;)

XXOO!!
Anne

studio lolo said...

Okay, I'm going out to buy some paper clay! I love love love the texture on this piece. I think I'll slather some gel medium on a special piece I'm working on. It needs more textures and layers on the bottom. Are you going to adhere the real leaves? I've never seen oak leaves like these before. They look like Bay Laurel. That was NOT a name plug ;)

How will you adhere the paper clay fleurs? Inquiring minds want to know.

OMG that oil spill. Mother Earth is so unhappy these days. Things of this proportion just can't keep happening or soon we'll all be homeless and mired in one huge oil slick. It's inexcusable.

Anyhoodle, I'm loving this project!

♥ Lolo

Tristan Robin said...

This is becoming very very cool - looking forward to more!

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Lolo, you will love paperclay. I can't live without it!
I will adhere everything with gel mediums....I'm pretty sure it could hold half my house together! The leaves are Live Oaks, and they are only in the South. I am not sure if there are different varieties.....
Stay tuned... :D

XXOO!!
Anne

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Hey Tristan,

You'll love the finished piece...well...when it get's there! LOL!!! I am at a bit of a quandry with one part right now, but will tinker with it a bit...

XXOO!!
Anne

Marie S said...

Oh Anne the colors on this are just perfect and so rich.
I sometimes think of my art as a meditation. How I will choose a subject and while working in a calm state be thinking about the place or event or time and the answers and ideas (add more brown) will come bubbling to the surface. Another reason I believe not to rush through the moment of conception and inception.
Beautiful and thoughtful work as always, thank you for sharing it with all of us.

Jan said...

All the time and effort and percolating you put into your projects certainly pay off. I love how this one is coming along, all the great texture and melding of colors. It will be cool to see where it goes next.

Deborah said...

And this is why I am not an artist! It is growing so nicely. I love all the texture and the ocean in it.

Regarding your blogger problems, have you ever tried Live Writer? It's a free Microsoft download. That's what I use and it publishes to my blog...much more freedom with it.
**kisskiss** Deb

yoborobo said...

Oh, Deb - I am writing that down. :)

Wait, I'm on Anne's blog! I love this piece, Anne. I completely agree about letting your work simmer if it needs to. I always have 4 or 5 things percolating along. I used to think I was scattered (well, I am...) but it's odd, because I will go back to something I haven't worked on for days, and know just what to do. I think I background process a lot.
And I think Mother Earth has to be plenty pissed off with us by now.
xox! Pam

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Hey Marie,

It is fun to see how a piece progresses when you allow it to *stew*. Most of the time I think I have produced a better product at the end---it's just keeping my attention through everything else that occasionally is a challenge!

XXOO!!
Anne

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Hey Jan,

You do that with your work too---it always seems that your slow cloths are so textured and lovely to look at and try and take in the details! I think that is half the fun!

XXOO!!
Anne

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Hey Deb,

I have Live Writer downloaded, and of course, have NOT taken time to learn it (I guess I would rather WHINE.....).
But, that being said, I may have to give it a whirl. The splitting headaches I am getting when trying to do a post are not worth it. I may e-mail you for details.....

XXOO!!
Anne

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Hey Pam,

yes, I am the same. Sometimes things have to brew a while. I would rather just stop and let it sit, just where I can see it but not consciously *think* about it, and then it resolves itself.
On big projects, I have to work a certain amount of detail out in my head first; once I have that done, then I strike while the grey matter is hot! LOL!!!

XXOO!!
Anne

Unknown said...

This is wonderful. Great composition. Glad to see you are back at both your favorites, blogging and painting. Lovely garden pictures a couple of post ago. So much to catch up on.

You really are making me want to get out my paints and play. OH, no, I just realized I need to go pick up my crafting area.....

Running,
Kate

marianne said...

anne- it's lovely, i can't wait to continue to watch the evolution. add me to the list of folks sickened by the thought of what the oil is doing....time to make a donation i think-

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Hi Kate,

Yes, I am, and as long as I do it IN MODERATION....I should be okay! HAHA!!!
In moderation......
What's that??? :D

XXOO!!
Anne

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Hey marianne,

I guarantee....you will like it. There is a lot more texture to come. I am thinking I have another week of work on this due to the wet weather; nothing is drying quick and I just can't hurry it.
But I'm happy with it.
I think we should drop the BP execs into the oil slick and see how they enjoy it...... >:[

XXOO!!
Anne

Vicki~TheMiddleSister said...

Can't wait to see the next installment...

Anna Rosa Designs said...

Hey Anne,
I'm loving how this piece of art is coming together.
Looks fantastic and you're sooo thorough with your explanations and knowledge.
Yippee, for a great teacher!
Have a great weekend,
Hugs,
Anna

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