"Abundance" (unfinished)

(unfinished piece....acrylics on 300 lb. HP)

"I have come that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance." (Amplified Version) This piece does not yet have the scripture inclusion because it is not finished. This is acrylic with a very heavy application with a palette knife and now needs a day or two to dry. I will post the finished piece sometime next week.

It is often quite nice to see the progression of work rather than the finished piece. Because time is of the essence, this works for me this particular week since an Easter Exhibit is right around the corner. However, the past several postings of gestural writing and versals will come into play again as I come closer to the finish line. 

Nothing shows that art is a process like seeing things in steps. It is very instructive to take photographs of your work in progress so as not to forget how you actually did the piece (6) months from now. I guarantee you will not remember what you did unless you record the process with your digital camera and also save actual cropped off piece of the actual paint with notes.  

This is a 12" x 12" painted on 300 lb. HP with acrylic paint and a palette knife. It is simply too late in the game to do oils which have such a long drying and curing process...especially if you paint heavier and with a palette knife. However, for any of you on my art team who have waited to the last hour to work in oils, you will need to go get some Krylon Quick Dry for oil paints and spray your piece every day all this next week with a fan blowing on it 24/7. The Quick Dry allows the painting to continue to dry through the layering of spray.

Since my primary artistic voice includes gestural marks and lettering, the acrylic paint will give me a better opportunity to include any kind of lettering with pen, ink or gouache that I want by preparing the surface for lettering after the acrylic paint has dried. The "take away" from today is to photograph or record your process if you truly want to gain ground with every piece. The quote...."A picture is worth a thousand words."....hold very true in this process of creating art. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.