A new version of Spring

I did the above painting last year. It's called Spring. I had it hanging at Gallery B for a bit but I took it down because I don't want to display work that I'm unhappy with. It just never sat right with me. It's been hanging around my studio ever since. I kept looking at it, trying to figure out what I wanted to do. Then it dawned on me.

I decided to give it the same treatment I gave the one below... Assembly Required

The background of Assembly Required bothered me at first because it was too bright and bold. I didn't like the direction it was going so I switched gears, glazed the background with a mixture of white and acrylic medium to tone it down and then I added elements from nests that I have in the studio.

For Spring, I did the same. I mixed a glaze of white plus medium and applied it so it left a ghost of the image. On top, I added twigs, moss and a leaf I found in the yard. I actually put these bits of nature right on the canvas after it was dry, arranging them until I liked the design. Then I took a photo and printed it to use for a reference. Now the result is a "new" Spring! 

Spring

16x16x1.5

This new version says "Spring" to me much more than it did before. These are the building blocks that birds use every spring to build their nests. Now, how do I categorize it?? Is it a landscape? Is it a deconstructed nest? Is it abstract? Does it need a category? Really it only needs a category to figure out where to place it on my website so I guess for now, click to see it right here in the landscape category. 

Till next time.                                            

                                                                                                                                   

Neighborhood News

The nest from the video in the last post is finished. This cardinal had a story to tell so I'm calling it Neighborhood News. Birds are such resourceful creatures. You never know what you're gonna find tucked into a nest. I've found cloth, yarn, plastic grocery bag pieces, hair - horse and human, moss, newspaper pieces, and a gold foil strip from a cigarette pack. 

This new piece is available on my website. I've also added a new landscape to the site today. Have you been to my site yet? Please check it out by clicking here. There's a link to this blog along with tabs to take you to each section - nests and landscapes along with a few other collections of things I do. We don't have to stick to painting only one thing do we? It's much more fun to mix things up - kinda like the birds and their building techniques. 

Have a fabulous rest of your week. On to the next painting....

C

 

It has to be painted...

I haven't recorded myself painting in quite a while so I wanted to share a little clip I did this morning with the start of the newest nest painting. I got the reference for this nest from a friend of mine and I thought it was just gorgeous. It has the fine straw in the center, Spanish moss all around, twigs with leaves still attached and pieces of newspaper tucked in for good measure. It was begging to be painted. I hope I can do it justice.

I'll share a picture when it's finished. Until next time.....

C

Done!

Finished the latest ice painting this morning. I'm calling it Frozen, it's 18x18 in size. Next up.... I've been given some photos by one of my students and I can't wait to start the next one. I'm intrigued by these pictures- there are some interesting forms and patterns to play with. We'll see what happens.