Relearning Painting: What Chemo Brain Does

Art from B.C.~~before chemo. Cranked out a series of these.

This is not my usual tongue-in-cheek post but a bit more serious and hopefully you'll read along. Not boring, a little more observational. I promise I will make it up with one of my off the wall posts....join me now...this is my life at the moment.
I write about returning to painting after chemo and the challenges it presents, but mostly, how I have observed what was going on and stepped into the role of  "documenting" as opposed to frustrated artist.
First off, "chemo brain" is real and differs for each person. I experienced driving home from the grocery and trying to remember what road to take, concluding that I would have to take a route I have not driven for YEARS. That was NOT a Hallmark Moment.....so the motherboard was working fine, but the RAM was seriously messed up. I knew that. I accepted it.
I just did not think it would have an affect on painting, or art. I've done this all my life, and I felt it was so deeply ingrained into my being that nothing could be lost. It was me and I was it and the chemo would just make me a little more out in left field. I had managed with the side effects of neuropathy in both fingers and toes (pain, and nominal feeling/control), had learned to hold things with what I called my *Super-Monkey-Grip* and so I surely could do the same with paint brushes.
I could slop gesso. Good.
I could use tools in place of trying to hold small objects with my fingers. Good.
I could manage abstract backgrounds for assemblage. Good.
And then I sat down to try and recreate a style of work I had done over and over.
And the brain chose not to be present.

This is what I'm trying to recreate......BUT.....

This is pretty much what the brain sees, and is NOT CO-OPERATING one bit.

It was the oddest feeling I'd had through EVERYTHING; here I was looking at my own art, and trying to figure out HOW DID I MAKE THIS???
There were two options; one being to quit and find something else to do (not an option, really)  ~~OR~~  distance myself from the confusion and look at the piece as if someone else had made it and I was trying to copy it.
I am guessing only that I was engaging the left brain now, and the right brain would have it's say later.
I mentally dissected what I *thought* would work, starting with the basics of pulling paints and gel mediums. I studied and studied, noting each wash of color and what was underneath. I began to slowly remember a few of the colors I used, but the rest were pure guessing.
Then came the issue of painting the background. I had done this all by rote without a thought previously, and now I was not even sure which BRUSH it was I normally used. Breathe deep...let the hand wander.
*It* picked the right one, and began laying down paint as I had before, but the sensation was one of being someone else watching that hand work. It took some adjusting to accept that THIS was going to be the norm for a while. This was painting after chemo; suck it up and watch away.
Honestly, it is fascinating in a bizarre way. I am aware of the thought that goes into the work, and also how the body actually has it's own memory. I just start work and let things happen.
Bit by bit, I begin to remember all the tools of the trade. I may not be sure how I used them, but I know they are important, and keep them close visually. That seems to get the neurons firing right.
I am really understanding on a different level why art therapy works so well.
As I was able, during treatment, I began my daily journaling again, faithfully, three pages longhand, sometimes five, to keep the skill of writing active and force my fingers to move, to make words, to grip the pen. 
Typing however, is still a hilarious mish-mash. The dyslexia that was a blip on the radar screen before is now an incoming 747, on a continual crash course with the keyboard. Thank heaven's for FireFox's built in spell check!
I accept this.
No fighting, just observing, making notes.
Because it is better to be HERE, facing these interesting challenges, than the other option......

And finally, some success~~the new piece at about the halfway stage; more ability to remember now and push forward.

Never take for granted what you do without thinking.
But seeing it through new eyes, well, it's pretty impressive!
Now I have to go see what my hands can get into.....


Pax....

Sticky, Delicious Golden Graphite Gray

Ah Golden's.....my love, my weakness!

Yes, I am entirely too mushy about my art supplies. But I love Golden's products. They just make the coolest things! (and I'm pretty sure I have made a significant contribution to their retirement plans....)
Okay, so you ask, "Anne, why is a tube of Gray Paint so exciting???"
(I see you nay-sayers out there...)
Well, because of the word *graphite* being included with it. This is a paint with some properties of a pencil, and the ability to transform into something spectacular. 
Hey, trust me. Don't burst my bubble...

Sticky, ooey, gooey....

First off, one thing you'll notice is the consistency of Graphite Gray. It is, well, dense and sticky. I am not sure how well it would handle in fine application, but the way I've used it (and a few other ways I plan to try) have lead to success. 
You'll need some high-tech tools for this~~
Waxed paper for your *palette* and the following:

Praise for CHEAP WINE!

Yep, that's right, a fake wine bottle cork. Or a non-cork bottle stopper. Whatever you want to call it. The material it's made of makes interesting pattern in the paint.
I put a bit of paint out on waxed paper, smeared it about a little with an old brush, then loaded the cork as you would any stamp, except I kept the paint application thicker. You want some density on there.
Then stamp randomly. (I also used Gesso to do some spots)

Just a little DOTTY.....

The very middle, dark *dot* is the paint, dried in it's natural state. You can see the fake-cork provided a nice pull-up design in the paint.
Now for the fun part.
Wait---the not-fun part first.
WAIT UNTIL THE PAINT IS TOTALLY DRY BEFORE PROCEEDING.
Go eat a Pop-Tart or solve the issue of World Peace or twiddle your thumbs, but don't mess with the paint until it is DRY. (a hairdryer is allowed--no heat guns)
Okay, back to the fun part:

What dust cloths are REALLY FOR....

When the paint is dry-dry-dry, get a soft cloth you don't mind getting dirty. I use dust cloths, as they don't seem to get much use in the house, but they sure do in the studio.
Wrap a bit of it around your fingertip and rub that paint HARD. Burnish, burnish, burnish!
What you will see is that the paint is beginning to take on the characteristics of lead pencil that has been smudged. and yes, on some papers, there will be a bit of the graphite that bleeds over, and sometimes it can actually be erased too!
The longer you work, the higher the shine:

Is it a TREE? NO! It's shiny Graphite Gray!

And the best part of the thick application with the faux wine-cork-stamp is seen above~~a very organic pattern that burnishes up brighter and no two will be alike.
Actually, you could use any solid stamp for this; square, oval, heavy lines, etc. I am assuming it could also be painted heavily around a collage section where more emphasis is desired. I mean, my little mind is spinning at the possibilities! (yeah, more than it usually spins, thank-you-very-much!)
So if you want to add one small supply to your art-arsenal, give this one a try.
I think you'll love the versatility.
I do.
You could tell? ;-)


Pax....

....In Living Color....

It feels like a lifetime since I have been able to enjoy any amount of time in the studio, soaking in the colors and getting the feel of the brush back in my hand.
I had missed it, and I had become a bit stagnant and brain addled with how I used to do things. (well, I am a bit brain addled, but fine with it too! lol!)
Getting back in the swing was a bit testy; I decided on a background for a bright piece I had planned.

My gosh...this close up is like heaven to me. The glint of light on the glass palette, swirls of paint glowing and beckoning.
I knew I had not forgotten how to paint, just how to START.
So.....throw something new in the mix....

Had this bottle sitting around from before the Hospital Merry-Go-Round, and decided it was time to cut loose with it. Funny how a new medium takes all the pressure off~~whatever happens happens, it's experimenting and fun. (it's all the attitude when you start, nothing more)
The already translucent Fluids were taken even further in see-through quality but given more body than thinning with water.
Then let's have some fun....

Generously splattering the background with the alcohol produces wonderful water marks. This is a leap of faith; there is little control when doing this. You get what you get, but I still am enamored with watching the paint get pushed aside and the hint of tint that is left.
Amazing.
Sometimes I think I like the visual part of the process as much as the physical. I love starting with white and ending up with this:

And at the end of the day, as the layers of paint dry and the brushes have been cleaned, when I am picking up, shutting off lights and readying to leave the studio I find the most delightful of sights....

The artist's hand, covered in paint.
Proof of work.
Remnants from the day.
Carried out into the rest of life.
In living color.


Pax.... 

Do You Know Where Your ART Is???

I have to admit I have art stuffed just about everywhere in the house.
And it's not all MINE. One of the delights of blogging is buying art from fellow bloggers. You read their blog, see their work, learn about the process and at some point you have to purchase.

La Cucina

So when I discovered Brian Sylvester at www.inkpunk.blogspot.com was selling these great mini-canvasses, I was smitten!
(okay, I admit that anything with *inkpunk* in the name immediately gets my attention; this from the woman contemplating a Sacred Heart tat....yeeeeaaah!)

I still do not know how Brian does these fine details...omg.....

I went to his blog to buy ONE....okay? One. 

But then I saw another, and they are affordable....and you know the rest. So in the top photo, his work flanks mine, and the framed piece on the counter is my Michael DeMeng piece. Hey, we have to be in good company, you know? ;-)

Anyway, I want to point you to a very nice post Brian did for all of us who had purchased his art, click HERE and then enjoy some of the myriad of beautiful geometric designs he produces with such finesse. They are amazing!

Oh.

Let me add this.

You could buy one too so that I don't feel so bad about blowing my budget.

It would make the blog-mistress very happy!

And now I am back to straightening fabric, which would not have been a good thing to blog about.....not when there is ART and COLOR!!!

Pax....

Art Redux: Getting Serious

Continuing from yesterday, while most of the day got away from me and I truly ended up with little art time, there was still progress made. Decisions. About colors for the clay, about the halo, about darkening the edges and beginning to gently and slowly bring up depth in the piece.
First off, the reds chosen for the clay parts were drawn from the reds in the Madonna. The large squares are a bit rustier red and the small pieces are alizarine crimson. There is subtle difference, though after the wash of gold is added atop, it may be difficult to see. Both colors really are in the folds of the clothing.

I chose a light, bright gold for the small tiles and a darker, warmer gold for the corner pieces; there had to be some visual differentiation or it would get too shiny and there would be nothing to contemplate. Somehow it sort of reminds me of abstract pieces of a dissected rosary.....

It is a bit odd how, after adding reds and golds--even before I darkened the edges, the yellow-oranges had been toned down visually. They suddenly were not quite so *in your face*.....or Screaming Mimi bright! It was beginning to fit.

The final alteration for the day was cutting the paper halo away and replacing it with gold paint. The dark ink added to the sides of the piece picked up texture provided both by the gel medium and the stamping, which was a pleasant surprise.

Now I feel like there is a direction to the work, more ideas are coming to me as I examine it and it is quite honestly, fun!!!!

I hope your little lost projects get a chance for a second glance at daylight---who knows; there might be a masterpiece waiting to happen! So go grab that stuff you've hidden, make art and have a wonderful, creative and fulfilling day!

Pax.

Back to the box canvas and texture....

I know, I know....I bounce from one thing to another. Sorry--that's sort of the only way I get things done here. I don't have a lot of specific time for only one thing, and when I do, boy, is it wonderful! So before I lost my train of thought on this project, I got back to it today.

Some of the work was done previously, but needed retouching.

The small pieces of stamped tissue were applied with gel medium, but it dulled the inteference color, so I had to wait until it was completely dry and then reapply some of the paint with the starry stamp. It came up nicely; actually, it shows more here than when you are looking straight on at it.
The next issue was the back of the canvas, and granted, I am asking you to with hold judgement until I can get a few more steps along.......

.....it does have the look of something Chinese with the choice of colors but trust me, not even close! The inner part was what I was happy with; one coat of acrylic in a rough wash style, and then two coats of two different fluid acrylics to give it a depth and glow. The heavy coats of gesso let me paint and rub and lift, getting a very aged look.
The odd thing was I had a difficult time getting this red to photograph. I tinkered with it in my photo program, and it still is not the exact color. It really is a burn-your-eyes-out red orange, more on the red end of things.
Anyway, just like a soap opera, stay tuned for more!
Today is PT and the check up with the surgeon, so it definitely is a *No Art* day, unless it becomes an *Art Supply* day!
Hmmmmmmm......... ;)
Now go do something creative!

P.S. As an idea of what visual texture alone can do with the eye/mind connection, go visit Linda at Marbled Musings for her textile work........it is all a matter of fooling the eye, to some extent, and processes we employ to do it.

"In my previous life.......

.....I indeed painted with oils. I considered myself a somewhat serious artist."

And yes, that feels like a past life, at least 15 years ago, possibly longer, maybe a bit less. It's bad when your memory is so vague that you truly don't know.

So why the pic of the palette and colors and tubes of paint???

Well, Saturday when I went to Honeywell for the opening of the Douglas David show, I was stunned, blown away, speechless at the beauty of the magnificent florals that the gallery was FILLED with. Yes, FILLED. Top to bottom, side to side, the whole thing....like a walk through a massive garden.

And something inside me kept saying, "You really kind of MISS oils....don't you?"

No. No I don't.

"Yes you doooooooooo........."

Nope. Not getting them out. Too much mess and I haven't painted in so long that there is no way I could produce anything I would be happy with.

"But you LIKE this a lot, and you just won't be able to stand it till you see if you can......."

Oh shut UP!

Well, obviously you've figured out how I spent the afternoon yesterday, with some modest success, and a heck of a time trying to remember what colors I used to use! It was odd, the feel of the brushes, the smell of the paint, toning a canvas. It was uncomfortable sketching with the brush, not doing a detailed, refined drawing---using my eyes and hand. It was, even though exhausting, enjoyable. Yes, I had a good time.

I have no idea if I will post the painting when it's done, if it gets done. This is one of those *artist things*--you have to retread old territory, see if it is a good path, see how it is now. In the meantime, I intend to spend the day in the cellar, working on the textured piece and hopefully will have some more photos of that for tomorrow.

But today's photo is a visual reminder to me of how beautiful a messy palette can be.......

Hope your day is filled with artistic risks that turn into delightful surprises! Just be creative!

P.S. Please click on the hot link to see Douglas David's work; you will be glad you did!

More Texture, Please

Continuing from yesterday, these are the corners with the pumice gel added. It is a product made by Golden and is good, but I mix it with a regular weight matte gel to keep it from being too heavy. I assume it is meant to be mixed with paints----I just want it as a base that I can then tint, glaze, or gently brush color over.
First I work in some black, letting the brush lay sideways over the rough surface.


When that dried, I mixed some Jacquard Aztec Gold powder with GAC 200 and gently hit a few places for some beautiful gold highlights. The two products work well together; the powder lets you get your glaze as thin or intense as you need. I find that having it just short of stiff it right to catch on the bits of pumice medium. Notice there is not enough of either to obscure the interference color laid on with the rubber stamp.

These are a few of the other elements I will be using in the piece. The stamped image is deliberately blurry; I loaded the stamp with Staz-On ink and then stamped on dressmakers tissue. Got a nice aged look, similar to old books when the presses were run by hand. The bottle cap is coated with black fluid acrylic on the back, then the inner lip is gilded with the GAC 200 and powder. It shines much more when you actually see it. These were shot in the wet studio as opposed to upstairs where the light is better.

That's all you get for now. I am still tinkering with layers of paper that are taking a bit longer than I thought to get the dimension I want. I could have used molding paste, but I don't think it would have given me the smooth appearance I need on this part.

Tune in again!

It will be the same, but DIFFERENT!!!

Now go have fun!

P.S. If you can't afford pumice gel, get a box of budgie grit and a small jar of matte gel medium. Put some medium out on a glass palette or plate, then gently add the grit. Add only a bit at a time; you don't want concrete your first go. (or maybe you DO, which is okay too). Experiment with this---I have used something similar to edge out canvas panels and it is a very economical way to add surface or tooth to artwork.

Texturally Speaking......

As promised, I got some adequate photos of the piece I am currently working on. Okay, this probably does not knock you over with tons of appeal....give it time! Surprisingly, the texture shows fairly well, though naturally if you had the canvas in your hand, it would show a lot more variation in color.

This was a canvas I poured the gesso on then took a palette knife and pushed it about. There were already a couple of layers on there, so there was a good base for it to stick to and begin to dry and form.

I wanted a look of a stuccoed wall, and the color something in the range of old parchment or papyrus. The yellow came up nicely, then I added some soft black, some brown (umber I think) and then took one of the Golden fluids, an interference red, and rubber stamped the piece. The beauty of the interference color is straight on it shows little, buuuuuuuuuut.....

......tilt the piece to the side and there is this abundance of shimmer. It's like you have turned on the lights on a Christmas tree! There is something about the quality of the paint that allows it to be gaudy and subtle at the same time, and I love using these! It is NOT copper, though in the pic it appears that way. The base color of the canvas still shines through; all the shading, the lights and darks, the bumps, lines and crevices. It almost floats on top of the other texture visually.

This is just the beginning; as I get more done on this, I will post it. This is going to be a complex piece, so there may be *jumps* in the photo progress, because I tend to get working and don't want to quit for fear of losing the train of thought.

There is also the issue of Anne heading to the cellar and the camera being upstairs, and not wanting to walk the stairs again..... ;) At least this time it's not laziness!

Yes, I am one of those people who gets excited over lumpy, bumpy, dirty looking canvas.

Yes, I really do have a life!

And this is part of it!

So what odd technique do you use that other people look at you like you've lost your mind when you express great happiness over? Come on---fess up!

And have a good creative, totally satisfying art day!

A Little Art Nourishment

(Photo copyright Anne Huskey Lockard, 2008, all rights reserved)

Today I am heading for the studio. I need to be fed with creativity, which I can't suck out of a feeder like the little guy pictured above. When I finish here, I am shutting the computer down and plan on doing things to refresh and refill my art-well and heal me creatively. This week has worn me down to a nub and on orders from my DH (can you believe this? I'm paying attention!) I am staying in and resting. I have to admit I am so tired I can barely go today, surprisingly have a moderate pain level I've not had, so the cellar and paint are in my future.
I am working on a background I want to look like aged parchment or some sort of stone---color wise. It is slow building up the layers on the canvas, but the time I took to texture the gesso is paying off. All the little nooks and crannies catching bits of color, allowing the gradual additions to hold, going toward a final patina of age and wear and exposure to the elements. I will also be trying to build a paper form with layers of paper and gel medium, and then apply that to the canvas. I am hoping (fingers crossed double!) that it works. It is in my head and I need to try and get it OUT and see how to make the idea a reality.
This afternoon is reserved for reading on the sofa, the big book on Einstein's life, which is both heavy to hold and a little heavy reading, unless you have better math/science skills than I do. However, it is a fascinating portrait of the man and I enjoy savoring it bit by bit. He was, at least in attitude, an artist!
This is a good day for everyone to give in to their muses and let them lead you astray. Follow them and you should have a really great day! I plan to! :)

Morning Coffee

(Copyright Anne M. Huskey-Lockard, 2008)

For those of us totally caffeine addicted, there is nothing like that first cup of the day. The aroma of the coffee brewing, the dark rich liquor being poured into the cup, and then the first taste!

AH! Life is GOOD!!! (and the internal organs begin their daily functioning; heart, lungs, liver, etc....)

This is a painting I did for Cafe Du Cirque owner Chris Arrick after the move into their present location. It is a combination of paint and collage, bright, cheerful---actually, under the right light it positively glows due to the color choices and the minor addition of some super fine glitter. The cup is a fair approximation of the cups used at the cafe. Nothing can approximate the taste of the coffee served there.....wonderful.

I live for the Lattes; delicious, heady-rich, smooth on the tongue and sinful.

So how do you capture these feelings and smells in a painting?

It took some thought; I'm not sure I did. But I must admit that it was hard to part with-----I would love it in my kitchen, which is mostly red. It looks great, though, on the cafe walls which are a soft sunshine yellow.

And is it an accident that the steam from the cup comes up, almost creating the flame of a Sacred Heart???? ;)

Hey, coffee is serious business for some of us. It's our communion.

Now go get yourself javaed up and make something creative today---I am!

Valerie May: Artist, Friend

"Art feeds my spirit, nourishes my soul."

Valerie May

All photos in this post were provided by and are the exclusive

property and copyright of Valerie May, 2009.

"Falcons Facing West"

"Oriental Yin-Yang Collage"

"Light One Inverted"

"Greek Collage"

I thought I would simply start today's post with an artist's quote and ART. Pure, beautiful, unadulterated ART. The type that makes you stop in your tracks to look, pulls at your heart (and checkbook!), things you want to either make or make your own.

That is the type of work Valerie produces. After a long drought of not dealing with art she joined the Community Artists Co-Op--in fact, she was at our very first meeting--and has not looked back or stopped since. (please click on all the photos to view in a larger format--there is so much detail to enjoy that can't be seen in the smaller size pics.)

Val has an art degree but has a very Zen approach to what she does. While she can produce *exact copies* (extremely realistic paintings) her view is , "Been there, done that, why go back?" One of her favorite quotes is from Picasso:

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

And indeed it does as is evidenced by what she consistently produces.

I envy her ability to work with abstract in an apparently easy, nonplussed manner. She says she can teach me. I am thinking that she might have met her match on that one...."Little Miss Anal-About-Details" doing an abstract??? Oh, but I want to!

I could rave extensively about what I find appealing in each piece but I'm not going to. I want you, my gentle readers, to look deep into them and see what speaks to YOU. And please leave posts here directly to Val, because she does not have a blog yet, and she will be able to read and answer any questions you may have.

And now one more little tidbit I have to admit that I had been keeping secret.

At our LAA Show, Val sold a painting called "Quilt In Oil". The buyer chose to remain anonymous. Well, Kiddo, it is hanging in my kitchen. I had looked and looked at the piece loving it more each time I saw it and knew, at the right time, it would come home with me.

So I proudly own an original, and couldn't be happier!

I hope you all enjoy this small sampling of Val's talent and her delightful use of color and composition. She is truly one of a kind!

Now go do something creative and use your day well!!! OR ELSE!!! ;)

(I'll chase you with my cane....HA!!! Okay, you can get off the floor and quit laughing now.....)

The last good ME!!! (and ART!)

(Photo by Megan Mirro, copyright 2009)
I am posting this for two reasons; first, it is a reminder of how I was before the great adventure....and it wasn't that LONG before it either. Granted, I look fat as a tick wrapped in that luscious sari, which I did my own twist on so I could wear a sweater and skirt under. It was a glorious piece of fabric to wear; to cocoon yourself in and move the folds about until they were just right. It was a small luxury.

Second, it shows some of my art that I have not posted before. My red series, that mainly deal with hearts and Frida and Diego. They are the most obnoxious things to photograph due to a heavy coat of triple thick gloss finish on the hearts, leaves, and the built up ground of heavy gel medium.

Since this was taken from a slight angle with indirect light, it works.

I love these paintings; they are bright, cheery, have dimension, use mixed media techniques and overall, please me. Sure there are things that might be improved---I'm not blind to that. It's just that occasionally you make something that so emotionally pleases you that the thought of selling

it is not the issue. Having them in my house brightens the walls and reminds me of the fun of making them, trying out the built up gel that the printed pics were gently pushed into, so there would be a bit of dip in the center for more variety of texture. It was an experimenting process that worked well (well enough to show) and something I want to get back to at some point, or at least incorporate some of the technique into my box canvas series. They appear to have nothing in common but there is a connection between the two.

It is interesting to see how artists can move in a flow from two separate series that seem unconnected but when they are discussed, the step from one to the other is quite clear.

These actually would be a good class to teach; they are not hard if doing the heart piece and can be done on any size canvas, though the small deep ones are for the most part, more impressive. Some things just work better visually smaller.

So that is it for today kiddies. Actually, it took longer to tinker with the photo and I apologize profusely for the bad photo manipulation. No contacts in and lack of patience....not a good combination!

Your humble authoress begs forgiveness...... ;)

Now go make something wonderful, try something new or just be creative in your day and enjoy that! That's what you've been put here for!

Why doesn't this LOOK like the amount of work that is involved???

Sometimes, you spend copious amounts of time on something and when the pieces are laid out, it looks simple. I mean, as in, should NOT have taken the time that it did. That was how I felt when I got the letters for the Easter banners painted today---it doesn't look like the amount of hours I put in. They just look pretty and easy.

DANG.

For instance, on the close up, you can see the texture. Let me walk you through this:

Gesso, then gesso again because of brush marks.

Trace letters on.

Mix heavy gel medium with paint and carefully go around every letter, filling the background without getting into the letter area.

Paint letters gold.

Mix glaze for background, paint like mad before glaze dries. Then redo part of the letters because the glaze didn't go on even.

Repaint gold letter because the paint sunk into the gesso.

Take light gold glaze and scrub into background of every piece with a rag, to damp down the color, bring back up some of the white paint/medium mix and leave a very slight residual bit of gold.

Hit self in head with hammer.

These are all on pieces of linen canvas about 18" square (more or less) and then will be hand stitched to the banner fabric because you can't cram them through the machine. Yes, it is heavy enough to handle it but the paint will crack and trying to deal with a 3 1/2 yard long silk quilted *worm* to freemotion....oh no way. I may have bad mental days but overall, they're not THAT bad.

So this is what has kept me busy between cooking, laundry, groceries, knitting, blogging, meetings, no real art............oy. Double oy. Because, this is just the beginning of these!

And I forgot to mention the Circus banners start Monday........

Lost Souls.......continued

As promised, here are the side and back views of the previous canvas. I did not tweak the color on the side/top image; it is actually a bit darker and drabber, more of a *mud* look on the paste part. It was accomplished with Golden Crackle Paste, which will hold up well as long as there is a stable support behind it. Thus, using it on the sides of the canvas where it is wrapped around the wood works well. Using it on the canvas proper is another story.....yes, I tried it before......

But I digress. More of the blue butterflies are visible, the half acorn and the highlighting of the *mud* with blue, to represent water.
The back was interesting building up color--I ended up with brighter areas than I thought I would. Generally I sort of let this take it's own life and see what happens. The cavity contains stones, a shell, broken pottery, a dry twig and grass. The Fleur De Lys is distressed with paint and appears to be old and decaying---corrosion streaking down the back. it is not the proud symbol of an old and historical city but rather a forlorn survivor. The suspended heart is a subtle reference to Mardi Gras and the *anthem* "If Ever I Cease To Love". It is clean, suspended above the wreckage and a potent reminder that love and passion can survive any disaster; that through those emotions people join together to support, to comfort, to rebuild. However, at this point in the series, it is just the visual reminder.
The butterfly on the back can be interpreted in a couple of ways; as another person lost in the water and mud, or the soul of the city, hovering between staying or leaving.
Despite the actual description, these box canvas are beautiful to hold and turn and look at, and then to interpret in your own way. I think the layering allows the viewer to find whatever is there for them, to seek their own personal depth with the pieces.
Tristan had commented on how, even with the collage, they all look painted, and although I do collage quite a bit, I paint almost everything to some extent. So again, visually, it really reads as a painting with texture provided by mediums used.
And now I am waxing waaaaaay too artistic and cerebral, so I leave you with this:

Just enjoy it!

Luv My Followers!!!

Just a small note to express thanks to the people who

read the blog and comment and keep me going in moments when I am not sure which end is up!!!

The value of feedback is without words.

Yesterday the linen I ordered for the Easter banners came in, so it is going to get interesting here in the next few days. Mostly cutting and priming and then applying letters to the linen, and then that goes on the silk background. Oddly enough, that doesn't sound like a lot, but it is a considerable amount. I think I will be using both the wet and dry studio to get the linen dry after priming......walking will be a trick around here without stepping in something I shouldn't!

So any HOO-RAWS out to me would be appreciated!

Now I'm off to town for a few odds and ends I need for the work........

The pair of box canvas collages......

It occurred to me you might enjoy seeing the two pieces together. Actually, it is sort of fun for me to see them side by side because I have worked on one while looking at the other. They flow---it works as a pair. Similarities, differences, enough to look at to hold the attention.
Of course, as much as I like the fronts, it is the backs that I take more delight in! I was lucky to find the right paints to use since there had been a fair amount of time pass from when the first was completed. Sometimes I can do this on auto-pilot, but I have two yellows that are extremely close in hue.....not that it really matters. Truly. They all turn out different after the multiple washes of color.

And a close up of one of the unusual elements I put in.....dried spent loose tea. I get it from the Cafe Du Cirque. Chris is a sweetheart and saves me a big mess of it, then I put it by the dehumidifier for it to dry, and also perfume the studio! When completely dry and mixed with gel medium, it is a cranky, messy textured lump that I smash onto the wood and hope it holds. It isn't until painting that it becomes this magical iridescent *stuff*. And the little tree-like form? Grape stem. Yep, saved the stems from grapes.
I will try anything if I can get it dry enough, pliable enough, dipped in something to firm it up......nothing is safe from being added to a collage here!
Think outside the box.
Don't see what is there; see what it could be.
Try things.
Have fun.
No regrets!

DONE!!! My creativity, in living color!!!

Okay, in an effort to behave better, I have deleted my earlier rant (which disappointed Tristan anyway....sigh....it didn't live up to some of my previous ones....) and got it together getting the pics cropped.
I am very pleased with the back of this piece---it is just what I want, which doesn't happen too often! I did not adjust color, so the bottom is a bit dark, but I think you get a feel for what is going on.

A close up of the top---the color of the shell seemed perfect for the blues used in the piece and also the Abita beer bottle caps with the butterfly images. How I love E-6000....it could glue the planet back together!

And then a sort-of-three-quarter of the front and top. Now I need a name for it that fits with the rest of the "Duality" series. Names are for the most part difficult. They either instantly appear or think and think and nothing happens. The second is much more common!

An aside---the class I want to do will show how to build up the base and color for these pieces. I usually do several canvasses at once to save time. I need to photograph before and after pics of them. The deep ones are what I use due to the space provided on the back. Dick Blick and Cheap Joe's (both the least expensive kind) work wonderful. The only thing I am very specific about is gesso and that is Demco, which can be ordered from Hobby Lobby. If you do anything that uses gesso, I highly recommend trying it.

I know I had promised to explain some things and I need to look back through comments or e-mails to see *what* it was I was going to explain......yikes.....

I guess that will be tomorrows post.

Sorry for being such a lame brain; old age is definitely taking a toll! ;)

Collage work......photos

This is the final of the front..... (final I think!)

...A close up of the area with the clay and shells and

heavy texturing...........And a 3/4 view from the bottom, which is covered

with crushed shells. The sides are

from photos I took in New Orleans of

the decayed bricks on the tombs.

I'll explain all this later---have had questions.

I need to do a post strictly on the materials, etc.

Bear with me.....I'm working the back now and

I'm on a roll!!! (and I don't want to get sidetracked!)

More later........