Today's Pianting

I started two new paintings today. This is the background for another scene from the Spring Revolt (Diamond being the instigator.) I thought it would make for an interesting and fitting background if the sky is distorted. Thank you photo shop. On my way.

The other is called "Unikoi." You can guess what that one will be in my world. Sort of my own take on "Unicorn." It's a bit cheeky, yes.

Unicorns ore THE most recognisable word and image in mythology, though they aren't present in Greek myth. Greeks were convinced that they did exist in reality somewhere in India. And there were other supposed accounts throughout ancient history and they had great significance in various cultures. I have a mind to paint what the account describe, which is differnet than what we have been exposd to. Unfortunately, most of us think of a cartoon when we hear the word "unicorn." Because we are ruined. It's the same reason we hear Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody and think "That's that Bugs Bunny song!"

close up, "Pen's New Day Rising"


I always take comments very seriously. I found that they even help me make a decision about a painting. Not always in a direct way, but often in the side door. My fellow artist Sheila made a comment about "Pen" saying "the red beak is like a scarlet gash stabbing into a velvet sculpture." I just love that visual and in thinking more about her story, I imagined her appearing to be like a crack in the window of time; in the moment of that landscape. Hope to get a final excellent photo of the entire work as soon as I can get my "assistant" to help.

So, Sheila, my friend and comrade in art, many thanks for the inspiration today.

Documentary "Art in the 21st Century"

All four seasons of "Art in the 21st Century" are now available on Hulu. Way cool.

I am messing around....back to the easel.

Today's Painting

Beginning to add elements. Shells, seeds, pods, feathers, a few deceased small animals, acorns, etc. Let me know if you think of any other elements I can add. They must all be from the natural world. Nothing human, nothing man made. No cellphones.

Monday morning and Robert Motherwell

There is interesting covereage beginning of the Motherwell lawsuit in the New York Times.

Spring?

This is what I woke up to this morning.
So much for spring...

What's that Painting?

"Sitting Bull Returns" at the Drive-In
1976, Willard Midgette (about 11 ft x 9 ft)

Willard Midgette was an American realist painter and print maker. I can't find a lot about him and it may be because unfortunately he died at the age of 40 from a brain tumor. The painting is in storage at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. I am going to research a bit more and see what I can come up with on our artist brother, Willard Midgette.

So, it is later on Sunday evening. I had very little luck in finding much about Willard except that he did quite a few large works focused on Native American life. Sheila seems to know who he is, but I have never heard of him. Not only did I find a lack on info on him, but I could not find any images of his other work, either.

Artomatic

Artomatic registration opened today and I finally got on site and registered after a few bugs. I have had my reservations about the event, but it is the greatest art collaboration I have ever seen and I am looking forward to participating for the first time, seeing some great art, meeting fellow artists and art lovers. My big concern has been security. Since the artwork hangs for many weeks in a huge building that has many entrances and is open for many hours a day, there is a risk of theft. I know at least one artists had work stolen last year, and though I understand this is a risk you take, I am determined to come up with a way to hang securely at the venue and relieve my conscience over the duration of the event. If anyone has any ideas about how to do this, please chime in!

After my post about the painting in my blog banner last week, I decided to do a regular post called "What's that painting?" on the weekends focusing on a fairly obscure painting in each post. Cool, right? I think so. We all know the top 20 or so artists and paintings. How about a little light on the other thousands?

No painting of the day (because it is too late in the afternoon to shoot), just "painting mess" of the day. But slowly, it is coming along. I think I hate cleaning up brushes more than just about anything.

Thoughts on the Stag painting

Sometimes I find that ideas come very quickly. Over the last day or so I have received this lovely bunch of ideas that I am eager to get on. But I find this happening can take my attention away from paintings in progress. It is the tyranny of the "next shiny thing" syndrome.

In thinking about the stag, I am gathering elements of nature to begin laying in. Memories. I am chewing on how powerful nature is in triggering memories, in carrying those memories over our lifetimes like containers. Most of us make deep connections in nature and the power of those connections is transcendent. Pieces and occurrences that have always been, before we were. Seeing certain objects take us to a place we know we have been before and we connect with others over history knowing that they have seen these elements of nature, too, and had memories connected to them. I want to create that effect in my mythological world among the animals.

Flora: Copper & Canvas Book

I will give a brief description of the materials used on each page. On the first page there are leaves cut and painted from a phone book page with a leaf cut from a leftover of my mixed media quilt Illustrated Document No. 1.
Sprout painted with textile paint on fabric, next page black and white tissue paper and left overs from a mixed media vessel.
Collaged, painted paper overlapped by painted flower on the canvas.
A piece of rust dyed silk organza from Jane LaFazio that I drew floral images on with a permanent marker.
Dark tea stained tea bag drawn on with permanent marker.
Another leaf from the vessel, black and white tissue paper and colored art papers.
Tea bag drawn on with a red marker collaged over a paper image. Painted leaves and a strange bug I created in photoshop printed on paper with some washes of acrylic paint.
Old engravings on paper, painted with fluid acrylics and leaves cut from painted fabric leftovers.

The end.

I will be working on the metal for the next book in Open Studios at Quilt Festival, so you will have to wait to see the next one.

On the Easel

OK, so I thought I was done with the head, but I lied. So, a few details and punches up in the highlights today. Here is a close up. Difficult go at photo'ing on a rainy day, but pretty darn true other that that glare at the top. I am getting my memory elements compiled, too, and hope to be on that tomorrow.


Today, I also researched a handful of new ideas and am really excited about what's next.
How do you get your ideas for paintings?

What to do with Pen.....Is she done?

(these are not rhetorical questions, all.)

The heck with the economy

Fiber Art for A Cause earned $6,250 for the American Cancer Society! This is better than anyone could have imagined and a great addition to the $165,000 that Virginia has raised so far. Thank you, thank you to all those special people out there who made it possible!

Little Canvas Books

I began by tearing canvas into 4" x 8 " pieces and painting both sides with gesso. I think if I were to start again I would tear them into 4 " x 8 1/2" pieces to allow for the bulk of paint and collage. When the pages were folded in half the book got fairly fat and the pages were a little short in width.
I painted the pages with fluid acrylic washes.
These are the semi finished pages for two books, the blue on the left will be Birds & Bees the yellow on the right is Flora.
There are images that are drawn, painted and transfered onto tea bags, pieces of rice paper, printed tissue paper, wrapping paper, pieces of painted fabric, scraps from other projects, transfers on fabric, painted canvas and a sewing pattern. All adhered with gel medium and machine stitching.

I folded the canvas pages in half and clamped them to help set the fold.
I tore 4" x 2" strips of canvas to use on the binding. Since the canvas was not painted I did some zigzag stitching around the edge, then positioned it over the center of the stack of pages, taping it in place to secure it for stitching.
I stitched through the four layers on my Bernina sewing machine (my Janome would not sew through the bulk).
I clamped the stitched book again to help it hold the fold.
Walnut Hollow sells a very strong double sided tape to adhere the metal to other surfaces. I found that it will even stick to canvas. I attached the tape and burnished it well to the canvas and then peeled away the paper backing to stick it to the metal, burnishing it to make a good bond with the metal.

I finished the binding by adding some cloth book binding tape.
My next post will show the whole book page by page.

The Donations are coming in!

Here's an uplifting note in a time when we have felt so down about the economy. Fiber Art For A Cause is off to a fabulous start with two pieces sold on opening day and another two this morning.

Linda Teddlie Minton's artwork raised $1800, Rayna Gilman's - $1600, Marjorie DeQuincy's - $800 and mine - $450 for the fight against cancer. That's an incredible start to this fundraiser!

There are still artworks available by: Natalya Aikens, Gerrie Congdon, Carol Larson, Susie Monday, Leandra Spangler and Roxane Stoner

Tomorrow is the last day of the Reverse Auction and the minimum donation will drop by another third. Will the artwork you desire still be there???

Donations are made directly to the American Cancer Society with an immediate electronic receipt sent to donors. Thank you for your support of Fiberart For A Cause, fundraising for the American Cancer Society.

On the easel

I have been away from the easel for almost a week now. After a quick trip down to my sister's last wednesday, Craig and I both got some sort of stomach bug over the weekend. I hate that weird out of sorts feeling you get after doing nothing but laying in bed ill for two days being miserable and then trying to get back to daily life. Disconnected is the word. Thanks for everyone's well wishes an medical advice!

But, I did indeed get back to it today. Still waiting for the rest of the story from Pen.

I have one more antler to finish over the next day or so and then the "memories" go in. A little more reworking some of the head, but I feel that part is done, now.

The Auction Opens Today!

The Fifth and Final Reverse Auction featuring my artwork "I Beelieve" opens today at 10 a.m. CST.

100% of the proceeds are donated directly to the American Cancer Society through Fiberart For A Cause. The minimum donation drops each day; wait too long and my artwork might be gone!

Two words: food poisoning.

More Metal work

This is the bee panel partially done. In this photo I have gone over all my lines on the front side of the metal with the pointed stylus and begun adding some stippling with the tiny ball stylus to the background on the left side. This helps the image to pop up and be defined.In the next photo, the metal design is finished. The raised areas of the design are worked from the back side of the metal. On the bees wings and the leaves, I used a large ball shaped stylus to give extra dimension.
The tool kit from Walnut Hollow has a lot of different metal working tools to add texture and shaping to the metal. I have only used a few of the tools so far as I figure out how each one can be used. It is an awesome little kit with a ruler, scissors, two tool handles with multiple tips that screw into both ends and a couple plastic embossed border shape plates that metal can be burnished over with a paper stump. I like to make my own designs , so I haven't used those, but they are nice patterns. All in all it is everything you would need to do some serious metal work.

This is a design I made on a piece of copper metal using the Alcohol Inks, the felt pad tool and the blending solution. Here is a great little video with Tim Holtz demonstrating alcohol inks.

Little Mixed Media Books

I am working on making a couple small canvas books with copper metal covers. I am using 4 inch square copper metal, it is a heavier weight metal than the aluminum I use for Fiesta Ornaments.

I have drawn several designs to use for front and back covers for two books, one titled Flora, the other Birds & Bees.
I begin by taping the metal to a foam mat and then taping the drawing in place over the metal. I transfer my image to the metal by tracing over my pencil lines with an embossing tool. I remove the paper and use the embossing tool to deepen the lines on the metal and add details by working on the front and the back side of the metal, creating dimension. I like to make a small outline around my whole design and fill in the background with stippling by tapping the point of the tool repeatedly over the surface of the copper. This helps the main design stand out from the background.I found the best product to color metal is Adirondack Alcohol Inks. You can apply inks using a felt pad or paint brush. I wanted to paint color in specific areas so I used a brush to apply the ink. You don't need much when working with the inks, just drop a few drops of ink onto a paint tray and use a paint brush to apply the ink to the metal. The ink goes on very bright. If you decide that you want less color, dip your brush in a little of the Alcohol Ink Blending Solution and go back over the area previously painted and the color becomes lighter as it removes the ink. Or you can add the blending solution to the ink on the tray and lighten it before painting it on the metal.

The inks dry very quickly and can be reconstituted in the tray by adding a little blending solution. To rinse my brush between colors I dipped it in the alcohol blending solution and wiped it on a paper towel.On the copper design with the waterlilies I lightened the ink to make a soft pastel tint on the copper and I painted the ornate floral design brightly to look more like the metal ornaments you see in Mexico.

"Achelous and Hercules"

A few people have asked me about the painting on my blog banner. This enormous painting is "Achelous and Hercules" by regionalist painter Thomas Hart Benton. It hangs in the Smithsonian American Art Museum and truly is a remarkable painting. You all know my great fondness for myth, so I am always enthralled by it when visiting the museum.

In the 40's, the Army Corp of Engineers began work in the Midwest to harness the Missouri River. Benton, who was born in Missouri, used the Greek mythological story of Achelous and Hercules as a parable to portray this great work. In short, Achelous, Greek god of the rivers, took on the form of an angry bull, tearing new channels through the earth with his horns. Hercules defeated him by tearing off one horn, which became nature's cornucopia, or horn of plenty. With my great fondness for myth, I am always enthralled by it when I visit the museum and make a point to spend time gazing.

Friday

I am reflecting on the immense blessing it is to live the creative life, to have the opportunity to come alongside someone struggling, to connect and to nurture.

Have a grateful weekend everyone and many, many thanks for all of your encouraging and challenging words.

Fiberart For A Cause reverse auction Preview opens today

Fiberart For A Cause Reverse Auction Set to Raise Funds for the American Cancer Society

Fiberart For A Cause will hold its fifth Invitational Reverse Auction from March 24-26, 2009. The Preview opens today:

Natalya Aikens, Gerrie Congdon, Marjorie DeQuincy, Rayna Gillman, Carol Larson, Linda Teddlie Minton, Susie Monday, Judy Coates Perez, Leandra Spangler and Roxane Stoner have all donated their artwork.

All proceeds from the sales go directly to the American Cancer Society.

All artwork will begin at a fixed minimum donation. This minimum donation is reduced by a fixed (and very generous) percentage of the original minimum donation each day until the artwork is chosen by a generous patron.

“Having lost my husband to cancer nine years ago, I wanted to make some small contribution to something that is so close to my own heart, as well as a joyful way to remember my husband and other friends and relatives who have fought this disease. Since fiber art is both my vocation and my avocation, this seemed a perfect match for me. I was honored to be asked to contribute to the Invitational Reverse Auction, and delighted to accept,” said Linda Teddlie Minton.

Fiberart For A Cause has now donated more than $165,000 to the American Cancer Society in the last four years and was the second highest national fundraiser for the 2007 American Cancer Society Cancer’s Relay for Life.

For more information on Invitational Reverse Auction and Fiberart For A Cause, contact Virginia@VirginiaSpiegel.com.

My contribution
5 1/2” x 9 1/2”
Please go visit the website on Tuesday and place a bid on a piece of art for this worthy cause.

On the Easel: Pen's New Day Rising

I still have a bit left to do on the let side, and it is difficult to get a good photo inside, but here is "Pen's New Day Rising." Working with very little range in value is challenging, but it creates a of of drama in a painting when one or two areas pop and the majority of the painting is close on the value scale.

She, of course, shows up unexpectedly, replete with mystical meaning. As there are three Sheep of Nectar and the role of the Shepherd of Every Blooming Vine is passed from one generation to another, there is only one black swan, illusive and bestowed with eternal life. When she appears in the mind of creation, it is in dreams, momentary visions and fables. These are the fore tellers of her appearing.

Thinking on about our stag hanging behind me. He will be a bearer of memories. Funny how things come to us. I was on a run yesterday and suddenly there was a change in direction for this painting. More later.

The Weekend...

It was a weird between winter and spring rainy, cold weekend. I went to the feed store, gave Reuben James a bath, did some laundry, had dinner with a good friend, cleaned a bit and zoned out on the bed for a bit just to let my mind go and see if I get any images or words that might turn into potential painting ideas. Nothing. Can't be "on" all the time, I guess.



We saw "The Kite Runner" which was an amazing movie. I don't watch a lot of movies unless they come highly recommended by someone I trust, because most of them are trash. This one is great, so see it if you haven't yet.



I learned this past week that my sister, brother-in-law and nephew are moving up to D.C. this summer. He is on his second deployment to Iraq and got new orders to report here from Virginia Beach in July. I don't believe in accidents, so I am looking eagerly to what sort of great things are going to be born out of living close to these people that we love so dearly. I have never lived near my sister. She is twelve years younger and I left home at fourteen, so this is a big deal to me. We share a love of animals. particularly horses. Sarah is a seasoned rider and instructor and will bring her two horses with her, so we will have a great time riding together. My brother-in-law is just plain awesome, he doesn't need any special skills to prove it ("you know, like nunchuk skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills...") And of course, my nephew is the coolest little boy ever.

So, off to address "Pen" and the stag. I am not happy with some of the work on the antlers and may have to go back over them again this week.

Revisiting past work

About this time of year I get several emails from churches or christian organizations about my early work which was very centered on my faith. Most want to use an image in reproduction or in a power point. I was filling one of those requests this morning and revisiting a fifteen year old painting that continues to impact people. It doesn't seem to matter where people are in their belief or lack of belief about God, I get plenty of strong response to this painting.

I was a bit stunned by how it even impacted me seeing it again. It is enormous at 60 x 48 and resides at a friend's home about an hour south of where I live.

What I remember back then was being so struck with the absolute evil of murder, of the extermination of a human life while reading the story of Cain and Abel. I had a very supernatural experience only weeks before that in simple terms took me from a devout atheist to a true believer in Jesus. Long story that is much more complicated.....but here is the painting.

New Painting

"Pen's New Day Rising." Working title, but it is working for me. Any suggestions are most welcome.
Does sound a bit like a dog show name?.......Still, this is the original string of words the painting began with......

Not One Sparrow Animal Advocacy Group

Ben DeVries of christian animal advocacy group Not One Sparrow approached me a few months ago about featuring my paintings on the organization's blog.


I am usually very wary of these sorts of groups and find most of them to be extreme and unbalanced often aggressively demanding a kind of "equal rights" for animals while being completely void of any concern for human life or without any care or compassion towards any created being other than human beings. This is a tough statement, but I have always felt very strongly that any person who does not care for animals has a serious character flaw. It is an indication of something awry under the surface. A disconnect from God AND other people. One cannot say she loves God and neglect to love His creation in it's entirety


I truly support Ben's mission and goal for Not One Sparrow, so I am honored to be a part of this work.

One month until Quilt Festival

Just a reminder that I will be teaching two classes at the International Quilt Festival Chicago in April.

On Thursday April 16th, I am teaching a three hour class on Tsukineko Inks.

I will demonstrate two different methods for working with the inks; the dry brush method using the fantastix foam applicators, blending colors on the fabric as you work and the second method using paint brushes and mixing the inks with aloe vera gel.

Friday the 17th, I will be teaching a six hour class on Painting Fabric for Whole Cloth Quilts.

In this class we will cover a variety of painting techniques such as creating smooth gradations of color, glazing and adding fine details, with lots of tips for getting the best results from different types of paint.

I would love to have you in one of my classes, check your Quilt Festival catalog and sign up now.

Painting and Reading

We finally made the jump to turn off the cable TV, which really is essentially a time waster; let's be honest. I have been reading more at night (as long as it isn't LOST night.) I finished up "The Artist's Mentor." Artists say many weird things that don't make any sense. I read a lot of quotes and came away with a "what??" I am not sure that this book has been as much a mentor as it was an amusement.



So, last night I read more of "The Widening Stream: The Seven Stages of Creativity" by creativity guru David Ulrich. This is a good book, though I am sure I am not deep enough to get most of it's contents. I do have a few "what??" moments with this one, too. Maybe its me.



Chapter four is about coming away from the work by retreating and withdrawing. This is something I have experienced lately and with much angst. In a product oriented society, we are steeped in the ultimate value of doing something that produces and we feel something is really wrong if we aren't on this track all the time. Having to walk away from work that isn't moving forward is a good thing giving us time to refocus and reflect. Good words and a lost art, this meditating and reflecting, right? I have to remind myself repeatedly "quality over quantity."


I am exceptionally tired today and have spent the morning doing things like this. Will I paint today?....



From yesterday. I feel really good about the head and have laid in the first color masses in the antlers.

National Gallery of Art

We make a visit to the National Gallery two or three times a year. Saturday after a brief visit to the American History Museum, we headed over there for my must have encounter with the Van Gogh portrait in the collection. I always get weepy, it is always an emotional experience. I have talked about this is the past. For me, considering his life, his letters and his struggles I feel all the more connected to the work. It wasn't until about twenty years after his death that people began to take notice of his work and now, could he even imagine where his paintings might be and that one portrait could deeply effect one woman in Washington D.C.? I managed to compose myself in this photo taken a few years ago.







I was focused on seeing Mark Rothko's paintings, so we made our way to the east building which houses the modern art collection. I have never felt greatly connected to modern art. And as a matter of fact, walking into the gallery, immediately I was struck by the coldness if the atmosphere. There is even a weird undercurrent of "horror", if I may use that word. I find most modern art void of humanity and beauty which is really important to me as a painter and viewer (hey, and as a human.) But last year, I sat and looked at one of Rothko's paintings and remember being quite moved. I wanted to sit and look again, though this is a different painting than the one on display last year. Maybe I am beginning to "get it." It may help to acquaint myself with his story.


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I want to mention Thomas Cole's "Voyage of Life" series beautifully displayed in the west building complete with the artist's statements about each massive painting. They are numbers 10 through 13 here. Really beautiful and moving works.


So, a great day in our capital and off to Trader Joe's on the way home. Yee-ha.