15 Art Blogs to Watch in 2012

Thanks to a nomination by my friend Ruth Armitage, my blog was listed in Donna Zagata's list of 15 Art Blogs to Watch in 2012. You can view the entire list at http://donnazagotta.com/blog/

The painting below was started earlier this month in the workshop I held at the Emerald Art Center. I used it as a demonstration of how to include subject matter in an abstract design. If you look closely, you will see the shape of a heron in the left white of the paper.

 

With a couple of days in the studio, I was able to continue work on this piece to completion. Another painting in my River Series

 

The Gift of Wings, mixed media, 22 x 30 inches

River Dandy

If you have been following my blog, you are probably aware of the river series I'm working on. The series has sent me off on an experimental painting adventure, as I continue to look for ways to express my relationship with the outdoors and, more specifically, Northwest rivers. In looking for ideas for a new painting, once again I went back to my rafting photos.

Another influence for this next painting came from the fact that my painting "Rogue Heron," had recently won an award. I decided to use to my method of creating a painting by placing subject matter in an abstract design with collage--a companion piece to "Rogue Heron." 

Besides Great Blue Herons, we see a lot of cormorants on the river. Although many people associate cormorants (also known as shags) with coastal areas, there are many living in fresh water areas. These birds are far from glamorous in color or stature, and in doing a little research I found they are more closely related to pelicans and penguins than any other bird life. However, as in this photo, they enjoy soaking in the sun to dry out after diving for their supper. So this photo became my inspiration for the painting, along with some lovely collage material I had created. As you will see, the techniques I used for "Rogue Heron" and this new painting are similar, but the cormorant painting went in a very different (whimsical and playful) direction.

I began with the cormorant photo on a light table, tracing the bird and other abstract shapes. Using this method, I get ideas for shapes to incorporate into the abstract areas.

Using a full sheet (22 x 30 inches) of watercolor paper, I mapped out a white shape to connect the sides of the rectangle, and put on a pale wash of watercolor.

Next came some darks. After which I started building the corners. All of this work so far is with transparent watercolors.

Next, I masked off the white area and used the mouth atomizer to spray on a layer of color to help unify the corners and the abstract shapes. Once I peeled off the masking tape, I added the cormorant.

This is the unfinished state that I took to my workshop. It was with some trepidation that I took a piece of work that was at a pretty awkward stage. Developing this painting into a finished piece might seem daunting, but my experience has taught me that forging ahead usually pays off. For the next four days I used this picture to demonstrate to my class how using collage and line, can take a mid-point painting to completion. I let go of my ego at this point with the knowledge that I could work with the painting to a finish that would be pleasing. There is never a guarantee of a masterpiece!

Every bit of collage material added to the painting. I began to embrace the whimsy and fun the patterns created. Oddly, the more pattern I used, the less busy and more unified the painting became to my eye. I created more pattern by painting into the white, speaking to the white collage material I'd used. I then added some black acrylic paint to add "pop" and link parts of the painting together. The final step was to use line with ink applied by a homemade bamboo tool. My very last step was to create some new material for his feet--this "Dandy" definitely needed custom-made footwear!

River Dandy, mixed media, 22 x 30 inches

Workshop: Combining Subject Matter with Abstract Design

Demonstrating stamping on gessoed paper

This past Saturday, I wrapped up the four-day workshop "Combining Subject Matter with Abstract Design" at Emerald Art Center. It was certainly an exciting 4 days for me. Teaching always helps me become more aware of my own art endeavors, as I have to articulate my inspiration, my composition and design ideas, my use of materials, my decision making and problem solving process as my own paintings progress. 

In this workshop, we focused on two composition formats: cruciform and strata. Both formats are easily understandable, and, in my experience work well with inserting subject matter. Another large part of the workshop was creating collage materials by tinting natural rice papers, making stamps and stamping gessoed papers. For the participants who are mainly transparent watercolor painters painting fairly realistically, this workshop really stretched their thinking and expanded their experience. For those who are already experimenting, this just added new tools for their tool-belt.

Participants' work

Class after I demonstrated beginning surfaces for a painting

Throughout the workshop, I did short demonstrations on how to begin an abstract painting with various surfaces. And perhaps the most daring thing I did was take in a piece of my work at it's most awkward stage, and bit by bit build it into a finished piece. (I use the word daring, because I had to have the courage to work through the process in front of an audience, and the belief in myself to be able to bring the piece to a satisfying conclusion.) By doing this, I was able to show not only how to make interesting materials, but also how to apply them to a painting.

Participants with work (some pieces are in progress)

And here is the piece I brought in at mid-stage and worked through to its completion. Stay tuned for my next post which will take you through this work from inspiration to completion.

River Dandy, mixed media, 22 x 30

Workshop Just around the Corner

Heron in the Gloaming,  15 x 11

There is still time to sign up for my upcoming workshop, and there are spaces available. See the write-up below.

After hearing so many glowing reports ofMargaret Godfrey's workshop at EAC last year, we are having her back!  Margaret's lively 4-day watercolor workshop, "Combining Subject Matter With Abstract Design" is designed to incorporate all skill levels, and will challenge and encourage you to boldly step beyond your comfort zone and produce fresh and imaginative work, combining representational with abstract.  In this workshop, you will learn how to create collage papers, compose a dynamic abstract design, combine abstract design with representational shapes, use color and shape to unify a painting, and build a painting using an intuitive process. This workshop will be Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 29 -March 3, 9-4. Price for EAC members: $225, for non-members: $265. Part-time students may sign-up and pay for the first day and then add subsequent consecutive days if they wish. Price per day for part-time students: EAC members: $66 per day. Non-members: $76 per day. Margaret Godfrey's website:www.margaretgodfreyart.com

 Please call Emerald Art Center: 541-726-8595

Two Lesson about Juried Shows

I just received news this morning that Rogue Heron (the painting above) is one of the 20 award winners at the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies 37th Annual Exhibit. This exhibit includes 100 paintings chosen from over 1000 entered from members of watercolor societies from 10 states.

And the lessons learned:
One: If you have faith in a painting, keep with it. I first used this subject matter in a small mixed media painting using collage. I then painted it in transparent watercolor as an experiment to see if I could get the same effects and excitement I got in the collaged piece. I really liked the composition, and felt the newer version was very dynamic. I entered the watercolor version in a couple of competitions where it was rejected. After those rejections, I modified the areas on the wings that had bothered my critique group. Then I sent it off again. This time it got into the Watercolor Society of Oregon Fall Show a few months ago.

Two: Any acceptance or award in a show is more about the juror than the painting. So the painting was accepted in a statewide show, but did not win an award. That made it available for entry into the Western Fed. show. There, the very same painting, was not only accepted, but won an award. (a smaller fish in a bigger pond) Both shows were juried by nationally known jurors.

So fellow artists, if you love a painting, it has merit. Don't let any part be so precious that you can't change it. and be willing to modify a good painting. Keep your faith it the work and keep entering.

If you have a piece rejected, remember that it is only one person's opinion. The next juror might not only accept it, but give it an award. This is a big thrill for me!

Veils of the Gorge

I am still working on my river series. This time I am revisiting the Strata format with acrylics. Although I am not as comfortable with acrylics at this point, I am getting better at using them, and learning how to get subtle color changes.

To begin this piece, I placed black gesso over a portion of the paper and let it dry. Then I made a soupy white gesso mix to put on top of that. While the soupy gesso was wet, I placed two birds cut out of heavy plastic. I then placed vivid color on the paper with liquid acrylic.

After all the gesso and acrylic paint was dry, I peeled off the plastic birds, which left an impression in the dried gesso. I applied undiluted white gesso over the bright colors and used my homemade toothed scraper to make the water-like marks in the wet gesso. At the bottom of the page I put down rice paper in gesso to create a texture. At the top, I've placed my hand carved stamp of Tsagaglalal, She Who Watches, where I intend to add this legendary petroglyph. (http://www.columbiagorge.org/about-museum.html)

To finish this piece, I used many layers of acrylic paints, stamps and hand made marks. I am intrigued by the veiled effects one can get using light washes over dark colors. It is so opposite of watercolor techniques.

Veils of the Gorge, 22 x 15

Most of the techniques I'm using are out of books written by other artists sharing their own explorations. Usually I start with a borrowed technique and build on that for my own purposes. Thanks to Mary Todd Beam for the plastic in gesso idea.

Newest River Inspired Painting

I started this painting with a concept. I wanted to combine natural rocks with petroglyphs (rock carvings) with an Asian look. Here's a quick sketch of my idea.

I began the painting by getting my paper wet and putting on a loose acrylic underpainting. It doesn't look like much, does it?

I knew I was going to add a lot of texture for the water and the rock bank at the top of the painting, so I cut out rock shapes from contact paper and placed them on the right side of the painting to reserve those colors.

Next I added rice paper and gesso to the top, and applied gesso to the rest of the paper, using a handmade tool (notched credit card) to create a flowing water effect. Some of the underpainting is revealed in this process.

After all this dried, I started applying paint again. Watercolor paints will work on this surface, as will acrylics. Many things went into creating the water. I watered down my pigments and poured them, then rocked my paper around to move the paint the way I wanted it to flow. I used inks, watercolor pencils and pastels. Then I made more colors using white ink and acrylic pigment. This part was really fun.

At this point I have peeled the contact paper off, and painted more structure to the rocks and just cutout construction paper squares to get a better idea of how it would all work out.

I added some warmer colors--violet and burnt sienna. I added collage pieces to some of the rocks and created more defined rocks at the top of the painting. I created my own petroglyph symbols for animals I see on the river, as well as a water symbol. And here is the finished piece: Sing me the Legends.

Sing me the Legends, 18 x 22 inches