So it's like this - part 2

In April of  '16 I wrote this post
https://theexpressivepalette.blogspot.com/2016/04/so-its-like-this.html   things were going well but suddenly I had an update to that post...  a stroke in Dec.

Once again, life as I knew it changed & my art came to a stand still. I closed my etsy shop.  After months of therapy I was able to pick up my art  supplies. I began reworking & experimenting with 2 pieces I no longer cared for, & liked the result.  I ended up making a few more mixed media landscapes. I like the simplicity of these pieces and the more subdued color palettes.

I still have trouble painting. Since I paint on the kitchen counter & stove top, setting up, painting, then cleaning up so I could prepare dinner, and setting up again - well it's just to difficult for me  these days.

But there is good news that has come from all this, & I'll share the news in a future post :)

mixed media abstract

When I was making this piece in 2016 before my stroke,

it had me thinking of deep space,

it was as if I were on another planet singing praises.

It's mixed media and acrylic on cradled ampersand.

I haven't listed it on etsy as yet.

When the sun goes down

Lately I have been trying my hand at mini sunsets. I would love to go to an artists retreat, take classes or even take an on-line class on sunsets, but right now with money the way it is,  it's just learning as I go.

Sunset 4x4  SOLD

 

"At Sunset"  4x4 ~ Sold

Sunset II 3x5 SOLD

Sunset III 3x5 SOLD!

That Elusive Certain Something

I was talking with a friend about some new landscapes I've been working on that had a bit of a  Nebulous feel; yet for the life of me I couldn't describe them.  I am  trying to paint something... to capture something that I can't seem to put into words. I want it to feel dreamlike, other worldly,   mysterious and compelling.  I want the viewer to look at the paintings and want to linger & wonder. 

These are the first three... I love these paintings & can see they're getting closer to it, but that "certain something" still eludes me.

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And then, this one. 

Nebulous IV

You might have seen the beginning of this painting on my last post. 

It was to be an abstract with collage accents when I picked up paint instead of acrylic medium. With each stroke of color I could see the painting was attaining that nebulous dreamlike feel. 

So far, this one captures that elusive certain something more than the others, but now I am hopeful that I might be able to attain it. 

Lighting for Photos

You might be wondering... "Is she taking pictures on top of her washer?!" Yup. I have struggled for years trying to get good light without any abnormal colors. In order to take good photos of art, or I guess anything that sells on line, a light tent or good natural light is needed. Our wee abode is surrounded by trees which block a lot of light & so many pics would have a greenish tint.  I have tried every window in our home with only modest success. Normally much photo editing is needed to capture the colors accurately.


But just recently I discovered that on top of the washer is THE best place for photos, I get lots of natural light without any green tint to the photos. It's close to the back door with a large window which gives me perfect light for photos of my small paintings. Plus the white enamel and my handmade white card stock screen reflect 
the light and the colors perfectly!!

Oh the paintings... the upper left is practically finished, I just have to paint the sides. The large has the most work left to do..it's a new color palette for me. And the smallest painting still has a way to go before I consider it finished.

Two New!! Who Knew? :)

Last night I finally finished one landscape and am very close to finishing the "reworking" of an abstract.  

The landscape is mainly a palette knife painting with a wee bit of glazing and a couple of small brush strokes where needed.  

I'm having the dickens of a time capturing the colors of the painting accurately. Maybe I need a light box or a better camera because I always have trouble anytime I include shades of purple in my paintings.  

When I finish with the photo editing of this one I'll list it on etsy.

 This small abstract isn't finished, but I know where it's going. It started out all done in acrylic inks, but I am adding acrylic paint to it in little spaces. Right now all the yellow you see is new, but I'll be adding more colors too.

 update.... almost finished  the tentative title might be "life" but not sure yet. 

1926 Cartoon

 A little bit of whimsy  for you today... this watercolor, which would be perfect for a child's room if I may be so bold.
And this darling claymation  cartoon from 1926!!
 Smile  & Have fun!

 Claymation: "The Penwiper" 1926 Joseph Sunn; Stop-Motion Animated Cartoon
 

He says "up", I say "across"

I  had a 4x6 stretched canvas that was a little bit loose, & my normal hot water/shrink it remedy didn't make it tight enough to suit me. So this provided me with the perfect opportunity to play without the guilt  of ruining a good canvas experimenting.  This is done in acrylic with one strip of teal artisan paper.

The work in progress.  At this point, I really like it.  side notes} I protect my kitchen counter & stove top with a black vinyl tablecloth  I picked up at the dollar store,(they were out of white).   My palette is made of paper plates covered with foil, when finished I flip the foil over & have a clean palette.) 

I turned the painting vertically adding just a few more accents & then called this finished. ((OH and to my surprise, the acrylic mediums I used, seems to have tightened up the canvas!))

My husband likes this vertical & while I really like it that way, I lean towards  horizontal. I can see it both ways.  Would you please give me your opinion as to which way looks best? 

A New Direction

Over the past 2, mostly quiet years, I've done less and less  mixed media and more painting.  I think my direction changed when I painted this. It has just one small piece of collage, a paper from an 1866 German Devotional in the upper left section.

Something happened to me when I looked at the finished piece. It sounds juvenile,  but it was one of those rare moments when I felt like I crossed over and became an artist  of fine art.
The reaction on twitter was very positive an enthusiastic. And I when I put it up on etsy, it sold rather quickly. I also was asked to make a larger one for someone off line.  

Because of the positive reaction & the 2 sales, I have often thought of painting more like this in other color palettes, but I don't' want my art to be formulaic. On the other hand, what IF this is supposed to be my ionic style?? Yeah I know I'm just day dreaming! :)
I know where I want to go artistically, but how to get there is the question.!

Visual Catch-up

Since I was away from the blog for so long I thought I would show you a little project I created during that time.  My makeup box was old and scuzzy & needed a make over! So with some beautiful hand painted artisan paper and a vintage bathing beauty of the 20's I was all set.

my finished makeup box

Originally this was an "Amazing Grace" perfume gift  box that I turned into my makeup box with an old dresser handle

a new inside with paint, paper & varnish

So there you have a little up-cycled, up-cycled make up box!