Using Pastels!

The past couple of weeks have been difficult ones for me.  I've been pretty tired and exhausted.  I never realized that cancer of the blood can actually make someone this tired!  I've been working on a mixed media collage still life, but I've had to put it aside until I can concentrate on it!  The good news is that we have started the testing and process for a possible stem cell transplant.  I go tomorrow morning for blood work and my two sisters and brother are also getting their blood tests done tomorrow. 

I was getting pretty bored with laying in bed!  I decided to check out some YouTube videos and came across a great tutorial on a simple still life.  I often use pastel to do colour and composition studies for my non-objective abstract paintings and collage, so I thought I would give it a try!

To do my study, I used an 8x8 canvas. I would normally use watercolour paper but I was too lazy to cut it and prepare it!  I then did a simple grey background wash in watercolour and added a coat of Dry Ground Medium.  Then I followed the tutorial and this is what I came up with!

 

I know I do not like the background colour!  So, that will change when I sit down and actually paint this in acrylic.  But overall, I am happy.  It's not ment to be realistic or to have a lot of detail.  It is a simple, loose way to test out composition and colour before I do an actual painting.  

The pastels I used are a cheap brand I picked up off Amazon.  I think I am going to invest in a more expensive, artist quality set.  I really enjoyed doing this.

"Blue Vase"

This painting was inspired by the works of Annie O'Brien Gonzales. I love taking online workshops and decided to take a class in Expressive Mixed Media.  I certainly had fun and Annie really is inspiring!  Her work is amazing and I enjoyed adding some of her tips and techniques into this piece!  Although most of the original flowers I had painted on ended up disappearing in the end, I think the piece really is reflective on how passionate a simple vase of flowers can be!  I can imagine sitting at the table, mint tea in hand, and breathing in the beauty of this simple vase of flowers.  

 

 

  

"Blue Vase"

Mixed Media, Abstract painting. 

Canvas 16x12

Acrylic, handmade collage paper

$350.00

Granny's Bouquet

"Granny's Bouquet" was simply a fun piece to create!  Sometimes the simple paintings can make the biggest impact.  Creating this piece certainly did that for me!  It was created on a 8x8 canvas and the texture in the painting was achieved by using handmade paper, rice paper and my own texture fiber.  This was completely an intuitive creation arising from my own imagination.  

 

"Granny's Bouquet"

Mixed Media, Abstract painting. 

Canvas 8x8

Acrylic, handmade collage paper

$200.00

SOLD

New Works Progress

It's been a while since I have updated!  So many things happening!  I wanted to quickly post some of the new paintings and progress photos that I have been working on in the studio.  Currently, I am working a lot on still life paintings.  I am finding it hard to be very active right now as I just completed radiation treatment and am still doing chemo treatments.  My energy levels have been at the minimum.  I find I am struggling to paint daily and Ted to do a lot of my work late in the evenings.

This first piece is titled "Roses". It was done on 140 lb watercolour paper.  I really enjoyed the process of creating this piece. It was a mixture of collage and acrylic paint.  

 

 

 

 

"Roses"

Mixed Media, Abstract painting. 

Paper 8x10

Acrylic, handmade collage paper

$300.00

SOLD

Earth and Water

 I've posted this painting earlier, but I thought I would repost with a better photograph and a different room!

"Earth and Water"

Mixed Media, Abstract painting. 

Canvas 20x16

Acrylic, handmade collage paper, water soluble pastels, metal, texture paste, texture gel, cheese cloth

SOLD

 

 

I began a series of paintings exploring textures and colours of the earth and it's layers. This painting was created to symbolize the relationship between the earth and water. It is highly textured and implements an under painting collage of my handmade papers. 

 

 

 

The Golden Cross

Many of my paintings start off with an underpainting of handmade or hand painted/stained papers. I normally do not have a pre conceived idea of composition and like to allow the painting to become what it wants to be. In other words, I like to paint intuitively. "The Golden Cross" started out with monochromatic shades of hand painted papers in cerulean blue. I wanted to do a complimentary colour pallet so I used papers in shades of quinacridone gold as the complimentary colour. I tend to use the quinacridone gold as an yellow-orange and I love the way it makes the cerulean blue pop!

      
 

"The Golden Cross"

Mixed Media Abstract

Canvas, 20x20

Acrylic, hand painted paper, metal, texture paste, watercolour, ink

SOLD

  I also used an acrylic skin to create the circular, coin shaped emblem. I don't use acrylic skins a lot, but in this case, I wanted something to offset the grid composition that seemed to be appearing. As I was letting the layers dry, I noticed a cross had appeared. I decided to play on that and let the cross become the focal point. I also added some design and visual interest using handmade stamps and stencils. Over all, I am very pleased with the end result and think it turned out great!

New Work

I love texture.  I love both visual and physical texture.  But, I do have to admit that paintings with lots of physical texture really sparks my interest. I think it is the sculptor in me!  I've recently been exploring both texture and colour.  I've never been one who followed colour theory.  Partly because it bored me and also because I didn't completely grasp it.  As I am growing in my art and as an artist, I wanted to change that.  So, I began a series where I explored texture and colour.  The painting below is a reflection of this exploration.    

"Earth and Water"

Mixed Media Abstract

Canvas - 16"x20"

Sold

 

I need to work on my photography!  But I really love this painting.  I noticed that I tend to gravitate towards darker, muted, earthy colours.  I love the splash of metallic turquoise and I love the way the painting is subtle but speaks strongly the story I was trying to tell.  

 

 

On a personal note - today is my last radiation treatment for a few weeks!  I am so excited!  I am doing pretty good and I feel very optimistic!

Long Lost Update!

 
I know I have not been updating on a regular basis.  So today, I dedicate this post to updates! On a personal note, I've started chemotherapy again.  Radiation treatments to my right breast and foot start again tomorrow.  I'll go through 10 sessions of radiation, have a few weeks break and then start radiation treatment on the left side.  You might be wondering why it's being done in split treatments.  I have had SLE Lupus since I was a child.  We finally managed to get the Lupus levels into reasonable levels and radiation and Lupus are normally not friendly!  In other words, Lupus and light is not a good mix.  My oncologist and radiologist have decided it is too risky to do all the treatments as once.  I can't wait until it's all over and I can have some of my life back!  Between cancer treatments, not feeling good and lack of energy, my blog has taken back seat to everything else. When I don't feel well, it's hard for me to be creative.  I'm hoping that changes soon!  

 I entered the Fort Saskatchewan Art in Public Places 2015.  And I won!  Yipeeee!  My piece "Roots" won and was purchased by the city.  I have to say it was honestly a great honour and I really never thought I would win.  Abstract art is something you either really love or really hate and I wasn't sure it would be liked.  You can visit www.fortsask.ca for more information.

I've completed another painting titled "Hidden Layers".  It is a mixed media collage abstract piece.  It's done on canvas (16x20) and was create using my hand painted papers, acrylic and watercolour paints, watercolour crayons and texture paste.  I still need to sand down the sides of the canvas, paint the sides and frame it.  Once that is done, I will be listing it for sale.

 
 

I'm working on a tutorial on how I create and use my hand painted papers.  I hope to have it posted as soon as my radiation treatments are done and before the next set begins!