Breathing Free

                                            

Breathing Free

Painting "Breathing Free" was pure joy! The of layering colors with my palette knives and scraper seemed to lift my spirits and  set me free from the doldrums.  One of my favorite parts of this piece are the loose grasses. 

                   

         This is done in Cold Wax & Oil on a 

12x12 cradled gesso board

                                     

still feeling the love & lessons learned

I'm still feeling the love of the landscape.

Since I last wrote about the new direction for my art

I have painted four new landscapes.

"Green Mountains" 8x8

I did another, 5x5, that is on it's way to a friend 

who sadly moved away from Vermont.

That and the 8x8 were a joy to paint!

The one below was not! 

First i struggled with the size & shape. 

I have been so accustomed to working on a small scale,

that even though it was only 8x10, it threw me off.

I eventually  got my proportion & layout to suit me;

but I also struggled with the canvas itself. It was a different brand

and although it was tripple gessoed, 

it soaked up the paint like a sponge! 

Is there a difference between 100% cotton and "cotton duck"?

"Green Mountains" 8x10

and then there's this!

"Autumn" expressive abstract 8x10

I know it's a bit out there but I couldn't wait

for autumn to come to me, so i created my own autumn.

For this one I just let myself play in free loose strokes.

~

What I learned from these last two paintings is:

* there are differences in canvas

* and I need larger brushes for larger canvas! 

( I knew that, but i kept reaching for my favorite brushes 

which were too small- next time I will hide the smaller brushes!)

UPDATE 9/29/13:
 It's a year since  I wrote the post &  I have found i really do like the larger canvases... for me that is 8x8 - 12x12, they are perfect for mixed media paintings.  Oh i re worked that last painting... it's funny but i cringe when i look at that now!

~ the Lay of the Land ~

Since i began this art journey in July 2011

i've been

observing, experimenting, learning, stretching,  growing, discovering.

When i started, there were two things i  really wanted

* to become a GOOD, & i mean a really GOOD artist

and

* to discover my style and become the best i can in it.

But when i look over my shop,

well quite honestly  it's a mess!

i'm all over the place.

There is no cohesive style.

I have learned recently that i like mixed media more than watercolors

and that even though it was out of my comfort zone, 

being more loose and abstract seemed to free me.

~

this is an abstract mixed media landscape

i did that really excites me!

~

and this one....

changed everything!

When i first went back to art, i tried acrylics and hated the medium because i couldn't get it to do what i wanted. But now with thanks to God (yes i pray about my art) and being brave, all the little lessons have finally come together! What makes me SO excited is that this piece is totally paint (acrylic) and the composition, technique & feel is exactly what my vision hoped it would be.
 I still have more to learn but nevertheless i have passed a hurdle and have found myself!
~
The Inspiration Avenue Teams  Challenge, hosted by Jenn of Just Add Water Silly, was "zentangles"
and in keeping with my new favorite theme "landscapes"
here is my entry

i added a hint of color because quite frankly i love color :)

Blessings & Joy to you all!!