Big Dream For My Art World

 During physical therapy for a broken arm I discovered that the tendons on my hand were no longer able to raise my fourth and fifth finger. The hand surgeon indicated that a repair could be made. And so I wait. 

    This is my short term dream. Please God, allow my hand to be repaired and let me be able to paint freely and play the piano freely. I once wrote that painting was a sustainable hobby. And, I still think it is but I never dreamed my hand would be in jeopardy. My other hand has become more capable and strong during this process but it is not my dominant hand. 

Surgery is scheduled in the Spring and so I wait. But yet I can still paint, maybe more awkwardly. Today is the last installment of the 21 Days In My Art World and I appreciate that perhaps you read some of these posts. They were helpful to me as the writer. I am more able to appreciate what I have accomplished and more eager to keep learning. I believe art making and displaying art is very nurturing in life. Even if you don't create art yourself think of purchasing a piece of art to elevate your home. While prints are great, I own many, buying an original painting is really inspiring. The brushstrokes and paint bring the artist right into your life. 

"You may think you don't have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before-colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter."

                                                Dieter Uchtdorf

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Favorite Technique

I stumbled on to a technique of framing which was genius. We all know the cost of framing our art. Some artists hire a framer who builds their frames with a particular style, some learn framing themselves, while others buy frames from custom framers. All of these ways were too expensive for me.

The technique I discovered was to buy inexpensive wood art panels and turn them around to become the frame. I painted the recessed back to look like a mat board and then painted the edges black.

                                   To make the edges less matte I painted them with a clear gloss medium. 

I attached the painted panel with six squares of velcro in the middle. So for under $20 I have a consistent way of framing.

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From The Archives

 I started out in collage and acrylic paint. Taking paper images and placing them into a painted world was familiar to me. I think I made collages all through my life. In 2016 I went through a period of fascination with stained glass. A local artist sold beautiful pieces of gardens through the stained glass window. I tried it many ways. 

The difficulty was being exact with the designs of the window.With ruler in hand I carefully measures out dimensions. Some of my tries were wobbly and off center but I did end up with this one. I still like to hang it in the living room during the warmer seasons.

Here is another 2016 collage. This one reminds me to consider whether I'm committed to serve others with all my heart. A favorite scripture rests behind the hands. I think if this period of art making as a way to process thoughts and ideas. My goal was always to reconsider my truth and go deeper than my first surface ideas.

"The Hummingbird" was a really enjoyable collage to create. The pieces of paper were small and it required some patience to lay them side by side to get the right shading. I gifted this to the widow of a man who I admired. He was kind and gentle and a passionate birder. He died of Alzheimers and left this world unable to remember most of us. But, he remembered birds, their calls and their beauty.

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Celebrate!!!

 Today I'm taking time to celebrate the realization that I have created over 70 works of art in the last five years.

It wasn't until I was working on my photo app to create an album entitled "Paintings' that I realized I have pictures of over 70 works of art in five years. That is more than one painting a month.

I needed this realization right now as I tell myself things like, "you have a lot of junk in your art studio", "Is it right to keep making useless things?", "Will anyone value this after you are gone?". 

I doesn't matter!!

What matters is that these images made my heart swell and I learned through my eyes, my hands, my ears, my nose, and my heart.

It's a matter of heart!

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Largest Painting

 Painting large requires room to anchor the canvas and a lot of paint. This is an acrylic painting and canvas size is 3 feet by 3 feet. I entitled it "Fischer Pond In Autumn" and it hangs in my piano teaching space. My process was to lay down many, many layers of paint, first warm colors and then cool. I let the layers run into each other by spraying them with a light mist of water.

There wasn't a vision at the beginning. I was just laying down paint and almost finger painting. But then I looked at the bottom third and decided to change the direction of the paint. A tranquil water scene emerged and I envisioned the pond, surrounded by the change of colors. One of the distinct aspects of the pond is the plant life and in the autumn only the stems of the water lilies poke out of the water. Painting these abstract lines in various directions seemed to anchor the painting. What was once a mess of color settled into a horizon, reflection, and living plant life. I haven't attempted this size again but I do have an empty canvas waiting upstairs. 

Don't be afraid to hang a large painting on a wall. The colors and brushwork will invite you into the artwork and you will grow to love the moment in time you have immortalized. 

                                        

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Smallest Painting

    My smallest paintings are 4 inch by 4 inch, painted on oil paper and then mounted on wood blocks or framed. I did eight of them, some birds, flowers, and some Christmas ornaments.  This size is perfect for a day painting, just enough room to put down color and enough room to add small details.

This peony bud painting is a favorite of mine because of the color. Peonies can be pink, red, yellow and white with many shades in between. I usually buy them in bud to get the longest time with them. The unfurling is really magical as each petal expands outward until it lifts it's edges away from the bud. 

To get a size reference, you can place 9 little paintings of the peony on the 12 inch by 12 inch pumpkin painting. It would be fun to do a patch work painting of 9 in a frame. Hmm....

I don't really have a preference because each painting has it's own wonder and limitations.

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Naming A Painting

 How do I name my paintings?

I don't often have a name for a painting. Below is the painting "Trust Your Journey". I think you can tell how I named this one. The white enamel cup did have these words but the focal point of the painting was supposed to be the Pfefferkuchen alongside. Because of the color of the cup and the placement of the words the eye goes right to the middle.

Below is a painting entitled 'The Pen is Stronger Than the Sword". I hope the image conveys the message even without the title but if not, the title is essential. This painting may go into a non-fiction work my brother is writing.

This painting can only have the name "Wally". Wally is a Burmese Mountain dog and a force in his own right. When he moves by it's best to be on sure footing. He has the endearing way of laying out on his belly with his legs stretched behind him. I put my camera on the floor in front of him to capture this shot. The painting is owned by his family and often he lays right under the painting as if he knows it is his image. 

One last painting with a title. This one is "Yarn Bowl" Obviously it is a yarn bowl, made by a friend. I loved the color of the clay bowl so much that I matched my yarn to the bowl. The yarn ball spins around inside when I am knitting. 

           Entitling a painting is optional in my opinion. Some paintings, like these above, have titles that seem natural to the subject, but I can see if a painting creates a mood then an evocative title would draw the observer into the canvas. Years ago I had a small show of my art. Each piece I displayed had to have a name to differentiate it from the others. That was hard so long after creating the piece. Maybe I should think of a name as I finish each piece of art. Maybe......

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