Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Jan 2017 30in30, Day 18

You know the crisp satisfying sound of a ping pong ball meeting a rigid surface? I have a light-as-air ping pong ball ricocheting inside my head this morning.

I bounce first to Laurie Bishop Bogue whose January 12th 30 Days Challenge entry is a diptych with lots of texture and subtle touches of color. Hmm, a diptych. And yum, that texture, those subtle colors. Ping!

I bounce next to Kari Melen who started her Day 12 painting with a very light wash of warm gray around the edges. I never think to start with a very light wash of gray. Or any gray. Or even a light wash. Ping!

Then I land lightly on a blog post by Nicholas Wilton in which he explores thoughts about offering up both sides of ourselves—the controlling part as well as an attempt at losing this control, being spontaneous, flying by the seat of our pants. He goes on to say that this offering up of not-in-control is particularly generous, risky on the part of the artist. Ping!

I bounce right into my studio to yesterday's 5x8" work in progress and think I might let the final cut of this piece result in a diptych after I paint today. I mix up titanium white, bright aqua green, dioxazine purple, hooker's green deep hue, and some gloss medium to make me a light gray(ish) wash. I spread it around with a matte knife, my fingers, and a piece of that woodstaining pad I mentioned the other day. Some things happen that are out of my control—bleeding through of yesterday's black paint marker, for example. I respond, trying this and that. Then I grab a piece of mesh dry wall tape and a baby washcloth and use them together to create a subtle grid texture.

All very unpredictable. All unplanned. All very satisfying.

Ping, ping, ping!

January 2017 30in30 Challenge, Day 18
5x8"; acrylic and ink on canvas paper
abstract
2017

work in progress

10 comments:

Laurie Mueller said...

OMG! It's Puff the Magic Dragon! One of my favorite songs ever. Little Jackie Paper is in the lower left, and Puff is looking down at him. Puff's whole body is evident too (like his raised front leg), like everything else. This ain't no abstract, Dotty! It's the story of a lifelong friendship!

Sheila said...

LOL, Loved reading your post - what would we do with out the inspiration of others!! And Laurie's tale... so fun! I love all of that texture, love the aqua!! Love the black peeking thru. So excited. Can't wait for tomorrow :)

dotty seiter: now playing said...

OMG back atcha! I had no idea!!! Now when my husband asks, "But what IS it?" I can say, "Keep looking. You're just not looking hard enough." : )

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Thanks for being one of those "others" who inspire me; thanks for cheering me on!

carol edan said...

I also love reading your posts. You are so good with words and expression as well as painting. Love grays, I mix my own and often start with them. PING PONG... Well get out the paints and DO IT!!

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Carol, thanks for your encouraging words about my self-expression. Fun to hear that you mix your own grays and often start with them.

Picking up my ping pong paddle for today …

Simone said...

Hi Dotty, I love your playfulness and experimental mood. I am a bit more in the 'controlling' mood these days, I guess I have to find my way between both. Indeed: so nice what Nicholas has to say about this. Rings very true for me.
So nice how you check out all those interesting people around. I would love to go to their blogs and check everything out that you say. But I am much too busy right now: my head is spinning!
Bye!

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Simone, thanks for your affirmation of my playfulness and experimentation. I am so grateful to be rediscovering those elements in myself. They've been at least partially under wraps for way too long.

I am much too busy now myself, but my too busy comes from my eagerness and commitment to paint every day while also fulfilling job and household responsibilities. In my case, especially this month, as I participate in the 30in30 challenge, I keep poking around and exploring art on line. MANY other things are falling way off my radar screen, and I am consequently living at a significantly greater level of disorganization and chaos than is typical for me. Ouch!

Artbymarion said...

Your posts are so rewarding, you have a great way with words. My favourite colours so who could not love it so far. Looking forward to see what you do with it - always a treat.

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Marion, thanks for YOUR words of support and encouragement! Glad to have hit favorite colors of yours. Glad to have your looking forward with me to see what I'll do with this piece.

Also, want to let you know, I pulled up your Turmoil series yesterday with one of my students because it the word turmoil came up as one of her practice words. The syllabication practice was greatly enlivened by your art—thank you!

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