Slapstick 12/19/17

Part of the deep pleasure of creating the geometric series I recently completed was its having just enough structure to offer a sense of direction as I worked. Within that structure I could do whatever I wanted, working as intuitively and experimentally as I wished, all the while scaffolded by having parameters.

I was reminded of writing certain kinds of poetry. Express whatever it is that you want to express, go wild with word choice and metaphor, but here's where you have to have a rhyme and here's the number of syllables you're allotted.

By contrast, when I painted up a new start a few days ago, I felt as though I were in the wide open formless space of free verse. Whoa, where are the boundaries?

Then, hooray! An online art friend, Gabriela, whom I met recently in the ArtNow Community, posted some collage-and-ink stick figure paintings that fired me right up and suggested an inviting limit-to-freedom ratio. My 'controlling idea' became locating and bringing to life a figure somewhere within the confines of my start, and I gave myself full freedom to do so in whatever wild way I wished.

F - U - N!

start

figure

Oh, wait! She wants to turn a cartwheel!

Shameless Delight and Exuberance
4x5"; acrylic, India ink, collage, and wax pastels on paper
abstract
2017

Unexpected Moments

One of the nice things
about marrying the right [person] …
is that you keep
falling in love
all over again
at the most unexpected moments.

—Gail Godwin, Evensong

Congratulations on your marriage, A&A—may you enjoy a lifetime of unexpected moments of falling in love all over again!

wedding card

Unexpected Moments
3x4"; acrylic, ink, pencil, and wax pastels on drawing paper, mounted on card stock
abstract
2017
[gift]

LOVE MY TEAM

LOVE MY TEAM was a message created for Necco's The Game of Love theme for its candy conversation hearts in 2005.

I do love my team!

You know how sometimes folks come into your home and as you hug them you can drink deeply of the fresh outdoor air they carry indoors with them in their hair or on their clothes? Today I felt so aware of the fresh air of my friendships with other artists online—my team. I breathed that pure oxygen right in.

In particular, Simone's mention of painting with her fingers suffused my studio time, and Carol's mention of using a black and white filter to assess values in a painting is about to freshen up this post.

I continue to move along with Vova, mixing and adding color with my fingers, using spray paint, playing with stencils, scribbling with wax pastels, dripping paints from bottles, turning the painting on it side, and checking its values.

Happy Valentine's Day, one and all!

Vova 21417 [working title]

values, not too bad!

detail

detail

detail

There 'Sno Day Like a Snow Day

We kept ourselves out of winter's reach for weeks and weeks and weeks, but she caught up with us!

Snow Day on Thursday.

Another Snow Day Friday.

Snow on Saturday.

Snow on Sunday.

Another Snow Day today.

By Snow Day I mean no school for local schools.

As a private tutor, that has meant Snow Days for me as well!

I'll give you a sneak peek at details of the painting I'm working on, with its working title Vova. I introduced little painted patterns with a brush. Very enjoyable and satisfying. Great way to while away a Snow Day.

Vova 21317 detail

Vova 21317 detail

Vova 21317 detail

A Little Light Afternoon Conversation

Here's the internal dialogue …

Dotty: I am so heading into the unknown here.

Dotty: Really? Have you ever headed anywhere else?

---

Started this project yesterday with an idea in mind. Noticed that I was tight, cautious, and indecisive almost immediately.

Having an idea in mind is just trouble.

So I messed up what I started and felt much better.

To be continued.

Vova 21017 [working title]

detail

detail

detail