Under the weather and a commission

So... where have I been lately? Well, my son and I have been really sick for the past week and a half. Chamomile tea and steam baths have filled our time lately. It's really a bummer to be sick. They only work you get done is mental checklists and inspirational thoughts because you don't have the energy to do anything physical. But... just before, a bit during, and some time after I was sick I've also been working on a commission piece. A client requested a focal point piece to adorn her freshly painted bedroom walls. She wanted it to compliment her new bed linens which were a beautiful flower print with rich colors of orange, yellow, green, white and charcoal. We communicated over several weeks to collaboratively create the perfect piece for her bedroom. Here is the piece. Disclaimer: This is a one-of-a-kind piece. There will be NO prints made of this painting.

I truly enjoyed working together with this client to create an abstract painting that would compliment her bedroom colors!

Oh, that's where it was going... or not??

So I've been working on my latest obsession piece. It's two canvases, circles and my current favorite color combo. Tell me what you think...

Still working. Still refining.

Obsessed With Circles (where is this going?!)

I really wanted to title this blog post "Obsessed with the color combination of yellow, green, teal, gray, and white (with hints of brown and red)" but for the obvious reason I didn't. I'm also obsessed with circles so I kept the title simple. My last several series have included this particular color combo (Moonlight and Fresh series for example). But what has also popped up quite often in my paintings are circles. So why not put the two together!

Where is this piece going? I'm not sure yet but I know I'm having a ball (pun intended) making gray and teal and white and green and yellow (with hints of brown and red) circles! And how long will these obsessions last? Well, until something else inspires me and poof!... the next obsession will dominate my canvas! Speaking of the color gray (or grey), has anyone else besides me been confused on how to spell the word that labels this popular color created by mixing black and white? Is it gray or grey? Well since I have to tag the colors that are used in my paintings, I wanted to make sure I was spelling it correctly. So I did my research. Turns out a lot of people have the same confusion (it came up endless times in Google search - see for yourself). And it turns out that the rules are not black and white on how to spell the color (pun intended again). Both spellings are "correct and common". However, "gray" is the most widely used spelling in the U.S. So I think I'll go with the common spelling. And I think I'll continue to create gray circles (until the next obsession of course)!!!

Out of my comfort zone

So I started three new 12X12's today. The first step I usually take is applying a layer of texture with either paint, a textured medium or gesso. The beginning layer of texture gives me a starting point to guide the lines of the painting. I also usually start with a thin layer of gold over the whole piece. This gives a brightness and shine from behind the painting. But today I began just painting with rich colors. It was out of my comfort zone, yet completely exhilarating. I was manic while painting. I soared through the three painting in almost a runner's high! I loved the way the simple texture of the canvas came through the painting. I also left the warm colors behind and went with bright yellows, whites, greens and blues. Please tell me what you think. I'm not sure if I'm done or not. They are simple and bright.

Sunday Morning Painting With Jackson (Pollock)

It's a gloomy, cloudy, lazy Sunday morning. What a perfect day to paint!

Jackson and I went to my favorite local art shop yesterday afternoon to buy canvases and paint. Jackson found a "Painting by Numbers" kit and decided he would create his own art with me. So we both got up this morning super excited to paint!

His picture started out as a turtle swimming in the ocean and ended up more like an abstract masterpiece! I'd say he takes after his Mom! My little Jackson Pollock!!

Fun Friday

I took a break from painting today and went on a play date with some of Jackson's best friends and 3 amazing Moms!! One of my best techniques when painting is the ability to put the brush or putty knife down and walk away from a painting. This allows for a fresh perspective and it always gives me the ability to see something either positive or negative that I didn't see before. I can't tell you how many times I've completely changed a painting after returning to it the next day. And some days I'll be fixated on some portion of a painting that I'm not happy with and fiddle with it for hours. When I walk away and return the next day I'll quickly swipe a couple globs of paint on that spot and fall in love with it again! Abstract painting is a fine balance of order and chaos, effort and idleness, inclusion and omission. It's as much about knowing what to add as it is knowing when to stop. It's also a very deep and personal experience... by both artist, curator and collector. We fall in love with pieces not only because of the color added to the canvas, but also because of the negative space that defines the painting. I chose today to walk away, to rest and revive. I will return tomorrow with recharged batteries ready to bring paint to canvas!!

Back by popular demand... Organic Elements Series

Does anyone even remember what the Organic Elements Series are? In the height of my painting career back in 2008, I sold many pieces of art called the Organic Elements Series. Simply, they are a series of organic, earthy, original paintings meant to be displayed together, or hung in groups of 2 or 3 or alone. These paintings are created in the spirit of raw, earthy elements, organic compositions and natural colors. The size of each painting is 12" X 12". They have deep gallery wrapped sides measuring 1 1/2" thick. A paint layering process is used in these paintings to create many layers and depths of texture. As part of the series, each are labeled with the roman numeral order of the series. You can buy them on Etsy separately or buy several together to make a grouping like the picture shown.

I have had many requests to bring the series back and so I'm excited to announce their return!!!

The most popular aspect of these earthy nuggets is the affordable price. Each 12X12 piece (with a deep gallery wrapped side) is only $70! They easily accent your home decor displayed singly on a small wall space or in multiples on a larger wall space. Stay tuned... Check back in my Etsy store for availability!