Trying Something New

I'm Back! This summer I gave my blog time up so I could spend more time focusing on my family and painting. I am glad I did, but I have missed it too. It is great to be back at it again. So as usual, I have decided to try something new. That's what happens when you take a break, new ideas come up.

I am going to try and post every day that I work in the studio and maybe some of the days that I don't. Not sure about that part though. This may sound weird, but I want to experiment with the idea of sharing my "real time" creating on my blog. In the past I have been sharing past, present and future; depending on what I feel like blogging about, but right now, I am feeling the urge to blog about RIGHT NOW. I don't know if I can keep it up, or if it will even be interesting to follow, but I am going to try it. We will see. If anything, it will be a great exercise in living in the NOW.

This is the first 24"x48" painting I worked on this morning. I laid down Wood Icing texture paste on Wednesday and let it dry, then today I began more color work. I think the top half is going to be off white or cream, but I began with an undercoat of raw sienna to give it some warmth and depth. This is a city scape in the making, probably influenced by my recent trip to Chicago. Looking at the city lights as we drove away on Sunday night took my breath away.

Chilly the helper...looking for a drink.

My second piece I am working on is a 12"x48" painting that I also started on Wednesday earlier this week. I challenged myself to make a painting without a horizon line and this is what I came up with. I love horizon lines, they are very grounding. They make me feel comfortable and balanced. So this was a little scary for me. I like it though. It's kind of like grown up confetti without the mess. We'll see where it goes.

Here is the third and last piece of the day. I began with texture and color and some awesome silver flakes on a 32"x24" board. I do know where it is going, but I don't want to say yet, in case I change my mind. Or in case the painting changes my mind for me. Sometimes when I come back to a painting, it has a way of telling me "your plans mean NOTHING and now you must do THIS" and I listen.

The Countdown Continues....

7 paintings in progress, 6 paintings finished, 8 weeks left!

The Countdown Continues....

It's getting to be crunch time. My 30 new paintings need to be finished for the William Woods University exhibit by January 31st, but I need to send an image for the post card first thing next week, and I need to have all of the painting titles turned in by January 5th. No stress here! It's a good stress though. I am excited, and I am making paintings I really like. Holding them back for right now is KILLING me! My studio is beginning to fill up with finished paintings, and works in progress. I am also working on a commissioned tree painting right now too. Don't even ask me about my Christmas shopping! This is the dream though. I am making paintings from my soul, for a living and for myself.

 

Does it get any better than this?



William Woods Exhibit 2013 works in progress




Large Painting in Clamps

This is my next painting I plan to start as soon as Ben is finished building it. It is 42"x72". I need to make one to replace the one I sold in Memphis. I am planning to make four in total for the exhibit. One down, three to go!

Consistent Studio Time

This month I have been spending some much needed and long awaited time in the studio and I am so happy! The day after the kids went back to school, I started painting again in my home studio for large blocks of time during the day and it has been simply wonderful. I have a goal of completing 25 new paintings by January 31st of 2013. This is no arbitrary goal though. I have an exhibit that I am getting ready for. I have only told a handful of people about this because I am waiting until I sign on the dotted line before I actually say where it will be. Until then, suffice it to say that I will be spending some serious and consistent time in the studio this fall. Yay!!! Nothing like a great goal and a deadline to kick your butt right into production.

This is the painting I started today. I cut some simple stencils for it.

So far this month, I finished a commissioned painting for my dear friends Ron and Rey, and I have begun five new paintings, all in varying stages. Today when I was ready to clean up, I took some photo details of most of the paintings because I am just dying to start talking to someone about them!

Ron and Rey's detail of their commissioned painting. Better photos and a full post about this project to follow!

This is a tiny detail of the first painting for my show. It is HUGE 42"x72" and it is predominantly white!

This is WIP #2 of the group. I used silver foil flakes in it!

WIP # 3 Detail. I figured out this new way to achieve an awesome texture using paper!

There is one more painting on the easel that I didn't photograph because it's kind of in an ugly stage and I wasn't ready to talk about it yet. I also worked a little on my next art journal page and I worked a little more on my next Wishful Painting. It has been in progress since June! I messed up the colors though and I just don't know if I can bring it back. We will see....

So what kind of projects do you have going? Re-decorating? Purging your garage? Creating a new piece of art? I love hearing about other people's projects. It motivates me!