Change of Direction

Was poking around looking at art online a few nights ago, bumped into a piece at DailyPaintWorks by an artist named Mary Ellis, and just had to change direction from my current exploration of b&w linework to try my hand at an appropriation. I'd earlier bumped into a stack of 6x6" canvas board paintings on which I'd painted over the original works with chaos layers, and I'd been hankering to do some negative space painting using those chaos layers, and suddenly here was inspiration! Thank you for waking me up to explore something new, Mary!

Ready, set, go!

Same Place, Different Day
6/12/2016

chaos layers painted on top of
Same Place, Different Day
October 2020 (I think)

This Holy Instant
6 x 6"; acrylic, ink, and oil pastel on canvas board
figurative
2022
appropriation, after Mary Ellis, DailyPaintWorks.com,
thank you!

Steering True

In this new year, may my heart be open enough to stay curious, strong enough to face pain, and brave enough to feel joy (thanks, Brené Brown, for words that identify my compass points). May I let go so as to let in.

Hello, chaos and exploration and experimentation and inquiry! Let 'er rip!

A Poem Biting My Toes
6 x 6"; acrylic, pencil, and pastel on canvas panel
abstract landscape
2021
$75

NY (2)

Limited palette, limited tools and materials, limited responsibilities, a kitchen table, some water, a rag, and a painting exercise done on 6x6" canvasboard in 2015. I felt looser and freer than on day 1.

Visual history of 2nd NY-vacation painting start:

detail

NY (1)

When I eat outdoors, as has been the case for both breakfast and lunch thus far today, I eat al fresco. 

When I paint outdoors, as has also been the case today, I paint en plein air.

When I put my iPhone down on a picnic table outdoors, as has further been the case today, I end up with a phone covered with a big glob of pine pitch—¡qué desastre!

I am away from home, staying at a small secluded rustic cabin on 45 acres of otherwise undeveloped land. My cleaning-supply resources are limited.

Dawn is the bird cleaner of choice in oil spills but pine pitch just thumbs its nose at Dawn Ultra brand dishwashing liquid.

Refuses to yield to 719 Walnut Avenue brand Ocean Mist liquid hand soap.

Laughs at Simple Green brand all-purpose spray cleaner.

Scoffs at Fantastik brand Scrubbing Bubbles heavy-duty all-purpose spray cleaner.

But Walnut Creeek brand 100% vegetable oil cleans my phone up easy peasy and has it like new in no time! Vegetable oil! Who knew?

I've brought with me on this getaway some 6x6" paintings done years ago on gessobord. I plan to paint over them this week, making new starts of some sort. That's it. Cover 'em up in one way or another and see what I do with them once I return home. 

First gessobord, in progress:

Surrender's Strength

With my paintbrush, I ground myself by sinking roots deep into the earth, uplift myself by stretching to my fullest height towards the light.

With gratitude.

No Longer at a Distance from Life Itself
6 x 6"; acrylic, latex, and oil pastel on gessobord
abstract landscape
2019

---

art history:

Little Neck Road, 2015,
lies underneath No Longer at a Distance, 2019

Seeing

Practicing seeing elements of visual language, turning my attention to a work in progress that's maybe halfway to its eventual stopping place. Up to this point in the process, my intent has been to establish multiple layers that cover the canvas vs. to make a composition.

I notice:

• cool color palette
• predominantly matte paint, with black splatters of gloss
• black spatters mostly of similar size
• black spatters that create contrast
• a shadowy hint of the circumference of a circle whose diameter is about 2/3 the size of the canvas, located roughly in the center
• scribbly lines
• repetition of small mulberry squares throughout, all same size
• depth created by layering
• texture of canvas evident in varying degrees
• no particular directionality

work in progress
6 x 6" canvas board

Continuous Loop

idea, trial
error trial nope trial*
oh! resolution

---------------------------
*repeat as indicated

Through the Heaven-Reaching Evergreens
12 x 12"; acrylic, ink, and pastel on masonite panel
abstract landscape
2019

======

history:

free already-painted masonite panel
acquired at neighborhood yard sale

my first layers on the panel;
acrylic over black gesso

multiple layers later, 
over another coat of black gesso

======

detail photographs, showcasing accident and blessing, layering and scraping, mixing and remixing, tapping lived experience and flying blind, trying one thing after another and responding to my inner compass moment by moment:

Whispers on the Wind

yes no maybe so
walking changing step by step
here there letting go

Holding Fast in Rising Wind
12x12"; acrylic, ink, and pastels on masonite panel
abstract
2019

Who knew?

Remember that day last week when I felt like I had a mesh cage in my chest?

Look at what I discovered with a slight shift in perception.

took this

rotated it

ended up with this revised patch on my grid-format work-in-progress

detail from revised patch

revised patch in the 'big picture,'
working title: Core Values

Great News

Great news:

1.
Can't tell you how freeing this is!


                                                @fidoart

2.
Painted over yesterday; also freeing.

newest patch painted onto grid-format work-in-progress

detail from today's patch

today's patch in the "big picture"—
working title: Core Values