Colors by the Dozen

"Lucky Me" 12x12 acrylic and mixed media on canvas panel

“Gather the best you have to offer and create a heartfelt, prosperous life full of purpose.”
Gail McMeekin

Happy first week of spring everyone! I was thinking about my upcoming color workshop this week and decided to try a series of 12 mixed media/abstract paintings that feature each hue on the standard color wheel. 

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day last week I began with green and green-blue. For more interest and challenge I also sprinkled in in some complementary colors and “spice” colors (as mixed media artist Robert Burridge calls them) rather than painting purely monochromatic.

"Look at Me" mixed media and acrylic on canvas panel

One hears all the time that you need a “play day” or if you have time “play week” in the studio. That sounds awesome but I often think I just can’t afford that kind of luxury...

But by working on a collection or themed body of work I stay focused and motivated from start to finish. And in the end actually have a lot of work to show for my time. I’m already looking forward to working my next set of colors (maybe orange or violet??) today.

I love audio books in the studio--nice purple too!

Coincidentally, while painting I was listening on audio book to 12 Secrets of Successful Women by Gail McMeekin (hence my quote choice today) a popular creativity coach. It was the perfect combination on a day devoted to color exploration. I've discovered listening to podcasts, audio books, etc. like this helps keep my busy left brain occupied while I work on more abstract paintings. Wishing you a prosperous week full of purpose!

P.S. As an artist I can’t image what it would be like to be color blind like many of the men in my life tell me they are. Have you seen these new EnChroma glasses designed to help the colorblind see colors they’ve never seen before? Check these out.

Found in Translation

Found in Translation--24 x 24 Mixed Media Collage on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Happy Friday everyone! Another busy spring working on several different pieces this week in the studio. First, in my Abstract Class on Monday with Homare Ikeda, I worked on a relatively large (36 x 36) acrylic and oil abstract I've tentatively titled Escapade--Below is a detail.

This week, I wanted to push toward a different palette and ended up using (as you can see) some warm yellows and oranges and then balancing those with some cooler neutralized blues and grays. And while I've used many circular symbols, as I often do, I really enjoyed searching for other interesting shapes such as figures. 

Yesterday turned up the jazz station and really enjoyed creating a big square collage on stretched canvas using Thai papers, vintage European postage stamps, and Jane Eyre in Chinese (which I found in a used bookstore). I'm calling this piece Found in Translation because of all the bits of different languages (there's French, Swedish, Russian, Greek, etc.) found on the envelopes and stamps.

Interestingly, in one of the envelopes, I found a torn part of an old typed letter that seems to be about a death, marriage, and some kind of immigration. I just wish I had the entire letter. Anyway, I had to use that in the piece. To apply and seal the collage materials I used a matte finish acrylic gel (in this case Liquitex brand).  To all my painters out there, collage is a great way to strengthen your composition skills.

Quick note to my students, thanks for sharing all your new spring projects with me--great work this week!
Finally thank you to Sarah for your high bid on my Help Japan Challenge watercolor painting on Daily Paintworks!  

Passport to Pink

 "Passport to Pink" 

24 x 24

Mixed Media Collage on Panel

Price: $495 Framed

Hope everyone is enjoying a great summer weekend. I'm getting ready this morning to drop off my very rosy mixed media collage to Core New Art Space (a great contemporary co-op gallery located in the Art District on Santa Fe here in Denver) for their PINK show which starts on September 9 where a portion of the proceeds will go our local Susan G. Komen For the Cure chapter.  Inspired by passports and travel, this particular piece includes old text (both Western & Eastern), stamps (both postage and painted), and words in French and English.    

Core New Art Space holds a special place in my heart because it was one of my first major sales and I've also won an award there as well. So if you are in the Denver metro area, and especially if you like pink and want to support a wonderful non-profit please be sure to check out the show. I'm really looking forward myself to seeing how other artists interpret the pink theme.

This week I've also been working on a larger piece (about 3ft x 4ft) on an older stretched canvas I came across at a local tag sale. As much as I love painting small daily studies, working on a more expansive scale can be very rewarding and has really inspired me to continue paint some larger pieces in late summer/early fall. So be looking for those...

Finally, quick kudos to all my ongoing students this season for all your hard work! I do have a few slots open for fall students so please drop me a note if you want to join the Monday painting group in Littleton or take a private/semi-private session in Denver. My fall class special is 20% discount for any new students who sign up for a minimum of 4 sessions.

Mixed Media Friday

Happy first friday of the year everyone! And welcome to all my new 2010 visitors! One of my New Year Art Resolutions is to paint with at least 2 media each week.  This week I started in oils and think I will work in watercolors today.

Next week, though, I'd really like to work on a mixed media piece since I haven't done one in a few months. As much as I love representational painting, these paintings are great for creative blocks, color exploration, and personal artistic growth.

For inspiration, I'm posting on of my personal favorite mixed media paintings called Justice for All.  It's liquid acrylics (Golden) on gessoed Masonite with stamping, gold leaf, pouring, calligraphy, and a few other techniques. And I'm happy to report this SOLD at one of my shows and I hope she is living a happy life somewhere.

I'll also be working on my art donation for Colorado AIGA's annual Heart Art Auction event on February 11--be sure to check it out if you are in the area.  I'll post more details as I know them. Each year the event features some interesting, affordable, and beautiful "heart themed" art and benefits Project Angel Heart. 
 



For more information about my Mixed Media art classes & workshops, please email me at the studio email in my blog header.