"Road Tested" (draft 2)

(draft 2....11" x 14")

In this second draft of "Road Tested", you can see the addition of hand made paper, silver leaf, and a raised inclusion overlaying the silver leaf. The only thing left to do is the lettering.

I created a piece of handmade paper that was dried by laying the wet paper on a texture plate laid on top of a folded towel with a book and a rock on top. It took (2) days to dry. What you are seeing today is a portion of that piece painted with black gesso. I painted it by dabbing it with a sponge brush so as not to tear the paper.

I also cropped the piece to fit an 11" x 14" gessobord panel. At first I had decided to use a glass inclusion, but felt like the silver leaf added a bit of bling and works nicely on top of this "waffle" texture. I sponged on a bit of gel matte medium (straight out of the jar) on select areas and then pressed the silver leaf into the medium. The silver leaf is showing up better on this texture than it would on a flat surface so it is a good technique to use with molded papers.

My inclusion was simply a "cut off" portion from my cropping. I used the rectangular shape as a pattern to cut a piece of 3/8" depth balsa wood. It was cut with a small hack saw and then sanded on the edges. I then painted it with black gesso followed by spray acrylic coating. The mono printed rice paper was then adhered to the balsa wood.

The writing is the only thing left to do. I will write gesturally with a Speedball C-5 nib and Moon Palace Ink, but only after the surface has been sprayed a couple of times with spray acrylic coating and then prepared to receive lettering.

This is a very simple and straight forward approach to using handmade paper as a focal point. There could be many variations on the background. If you want to keep your white or lightly colored paper as is, then you could paint the support black with a few mono printed papers as a support for your handmade paper. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Change" (Final)

($125.00......6" x 8"....Mixed Media and Kiln Formed Glass....Mounted on a 2" Depth Clayboard)

"Change replaces one thing for another." Change is never easy, but growth will not happen without it. Old strategies must often be changed for new ones in order to get where you want to go. This has many spiritual as well as secular applications.

What a difference a day makes! Many changes occurred in this piece since yesterday. The most significant one is the orientation. The kiln formed glass is now at the top rather than the bottom. It seemed much more dynamic to me. If I had rushed to adhere everything to the support, this option would have been gone. This is why I gravitate to processes that allow me options for change.

Another very important thing I've learned when doing works with glass and the kind of erratic edges created with the covered balsa wood pieces is to completely finish the clayboard by preparing it to be hung before adhering anything to the support. Touch ups are one thing, but when there is gesso, black acrylic paint, and steel wool involved, it is best not to have all of those elements on the board. Besides, you take a risk in having some glass crack in the process of installing the screw eyes. 

There were also many more additions of papers placed in key areas. I paid particular attention to where the text would be seen from the side so much more text was added before the balsa wood pieces were attached to the support (with Gel Matte Med). They were then weighted down with wax paper, followed by a bk....followed by a rock...for several hours and then more plain rice paper was adhered to cover some of the seams. This was left overnight to dry. If you try to write on freshly applied rice paper, even if it has been dried with a hair dryer, it can tear in the process of writing. So it is best to leave it overnight. 

This morning, I sprayed the piece with Spray Acrylic Coating (glass was removed) which changes the nature of the paper to appear much more translucent. You can see in yesterday's posting what it looks like before spraying. There is quite a difference.

The piece was then prepared to receive lettering with (2) parts water to (1) part gel matte medium. I gave it (3) applications to make sure the rice paper was thoroughly covered. After writing the background writing....I sprayed with acrylic coating again...prepared the surface for lettering again and wrote the versals. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

  Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Change" (draft)

(unavailable....6" x 8" draft)

"Change replaces one thing for another." The quote today is significant for me because I am replacing the way I blog with something else. In some ways I have already made the shift in recent postings, but now I will be doing it with intentionality. There have been positive comments about seeing process rather than the completed piece each day. So now you will never know. Some days will be a completed 6" x 6" oil painting and some days will be larger works in progress followed by a posting of the final piece.

Another part of my motivation affords me the additional time I need to work on different sizes rather than a daily goal of one particular size. It has been a real juggling act to work on larger pieces while continuing to complete a small work each day.

There are many of you who also want to know more about the mixed media process and the many variations on the theme using the same materials. This new shifting will hopefully help you come up with new ideas as I share my process.

In today's piece, there are (8) different components placed on a 6" x 8" clayboard. My process began by adhering a cropped piece of mono printed rice paper to the support. You can still see portions of that mono print through the transparent and kiln formed glass. 

The other pieces are simply cut pieces of balsa wood...with the edges sanded and primed with white gesso. I then wrapped each individual piece with text pages, mono printed rice papers, and plain rice paper. The pieces are not adhered to the board yet so that I can study what is there and have options. It does help to take a photograph and study the piece in that format before making final decisions. So your camera is your friend. It helps you see things you might not otherwise see. 

Tomorrow you will see the final piece and will be able to tell what changes were made. I will also be spending more time on practicing my lettering. This entire process will give me a more relaxed, but daily connection with all aspects of my process. Today, I will also begin (4-5) more pieces in different sizes and different approaches. There are some layering techniques in the past that I intend to resurrect as well. Hang on for the ride! And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"It Is Finished" (Part 2 - Final)

($450.00.....Mixed Media and Kiln Formed Glass....Mounted on a 2" depth Clayboard)

"It is finished." (John 19: 30) Of course, this is what Jesus uttered on the cross after drinking the wine vinegar. It's a day of remembering.

Several who follow my blog have shown interest in seeing the process in stages, followed by the final. So what you are seeing today is the second half of the piece and then the piece in totality. It is a progression. As you can see, the crosses are three different sizes from small to large measuring 3"....4"....and 5"....in width respectively. I also used the negative space of the cross to show the turquoise glass in two parts, then three parts, and then, the whole.

It is the equivalent of a visual crescendo in much the same way a piece of music goes from soft to loud. When dealing with a single "motif" in a piece, this is an effective way to make it more interesting. The same type of effect can also be achieved with gradated values by going from light to dark or dark to light. Having a crescendo and decrescendo side by side is also effective and introduces more complexity into your piece.

One last thing to notice is the crescendo effect in the lettering. I wrote "It is finished" with a very light gray gouache (Ult. Bl + Burnt Sienna + White) and a Speedball C-5 nib. I sprayed that with Acrylic Coating. Prepared the surface for lettering again and wrote it a bit darker and slightly overlapping the first lettering.  Followed the same steps and wrote it with Moon Palace Ink.

The advantage to fixing each layer is that you can wipe off a letter you don't like and not disturb the surface underneath. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"It Is Finished" (Part I - Final)

(12" x 36".....Image of the First Half of Piece....Mixed Media and Kiln Formed Glass)

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ." (Romans 3: 23, 24...NIV) The lettering finally got finished so this is Part I again and Part II will be posted tomorrow.

This piece and the details of a very large exhibit installation are why I haven't posted the last two days. It is a spectacular exhibit and I hope all of you can come to an Opening Reception for "Fully Alive" at Hill Country Bible Church of Austin. We have postponed the Opening until Friday, April 12, in lieu of other special services this week end.

This piece was quite complicated with many different components that needed to come together in order to make it work. Several weeks ago, I began to fire glass to see how it would look and then I completed the final firings last week.

I then needed to cut balsa wood and then sand and prime it with white gesso. The support was painted, wire attached, label on back so I did not need to turn it over after beginning the placement of all of the elements.

The next step was to adhere passages from Romans from a very old bible that had the gold tabs for each book. Some of those pieces are under the glass and intermingled under some of the rice paper throughout. I was also careful to place the text around key areas where I knew it would show on the sides. It is a very interesting edge when done that way.

And, of course, the text under the main glass pieces contain the heading from the book of Romans and other key passages that contribute to the main message of the piece. After all of that was done, the pieces were adhered to the board, and weighted down with books and rocks for several hours.

More plain rice paper was applied to partially cover some of the seams between the balsa wood and adjust the values to only show what I wanted to show of the text and mono printed rice papers. The lettering was the last detail.

And that is the way it works in the world of mixed media and kiln formed glass.....lots of steps! And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"It Is Finished" (Part I)

($450.00.....12" x 36"......Mixed Media and Kiln Formed Glass on a 2" depth Clayboard)

"It is finished." This is part of the text and the title of the piece. You are seeing the first half of a 12" x 36" piece. There is one more larger cross and one more smaller piece of glass with mixed media in between. You will see the actual lettering on the piece tomorrow although there is some pencil lettering in this first part.

There are significant things to learn when exploring new processes. And frankly, exploration is quite necessary in order to set yourself apart and establish a clear voice. Even while working on this piece after several practice runs on smaller ones, I have though of even more variations on this theme. So if you wonder why many artists like to work in a series or stay with a particular set of techniques for a long time, it is to discover everything that can be discovered until the well runs dry.

One of the things I've really noticed about my own personal aesthetic is that I love any materials that allow me to show transparency, translucency, and opacity and contrast all three in the same piece. Transparent glass is the premium material for transparency, but rice paper is the premium material for showing translucency. Depending on how many layers you apply, rice paper can reveal anything from a little to nothing. And that's what the process here is all about. 

I've carefully chosen what I want to reveal or conceal. There may be even more adjustments before tomorrow. For the most part, the piece is finished, all but the lettering, but I am opting to save that until early in the morning. It is ready to hang since all elements are adhered to the board, and the sides were painted and the wire and label were put on before adhering things to the board. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about. 

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"White As Snow" (Draft 2)

(unavailable.....12" x 12".....Mixed Media and Glass on Balsa Wood attached to a 1.50" depth Clayboard)

"Though your sins be as scarlet, they can be as white as snow." (Isaiah 1:18 NCV) Just in case you think I am posting the same thing everyday, this is the completed background of a 12 x 12. The only thing missing is the lettering. So what I have been doing is showing you the piece as a progression. Tomorrow will be the last posting on this one....I promise.

As I said yesterday, I am actually compiling the elements of two pieces at once. There will be a 12 x 36 of the same type. Actually, I am glad I did this 12 x 12 first because I noticed some things....even after posting. Since none of the pieces are adhered to the board yet, I will remove them and paint the board that has no rice paper with white gesso. You can now see the black gesso and I'm have come to the conclusion that there is too much going on. My preference (I think) will be to tone down the background even more with white peeking through and allowing the glass elements to really take center stage.

In the larger piece, I will have  minimal elements showing through from the board underneath the glass. The power of this type of work is to keep the colors neutral and reveal only bits and pieces of texture and lettering. What I did like about my collage papers today is that there are enough of them to create an encaustic effect. The plain rice paper adhered over text or mono printing looks like it's covering it all up...until you spray it with Spray Acrylic Coating. That causes the rice paper to become translucent and consequently reveals part of the text or texture underneath. (Much in the same way that encaustic wax does when poured over an image.) 

Another thing I decided last night was to fire some of the transparent turquoise glass to create some more spots of color throughout the piece. It probably wasn't absolutely necessary on this piece but it will be necessary on the larger one.

One more thing for those who are creating assemblages or pieces with adhered elements on the board...it is very wise to install your screw eyes and wire and information on the back before you attach everything. The advantage (especially when you're down to the wire) is that you will have no worry about elements getting damaged or no time to have adhesive dry sufficiently). And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"White As Snow" (draft)

(unavailable....6" x 6".....Cropped Portion of a Larger Piece)

"Though your sins be as scarlet, they can be as white as snow." (Isaiah 1:18 NCV) This is a cropped portion of yet another 12" x 12" piece for an Easter Exhibit. The meaning of the cross is spelled out in this passage with a comparison that even a child can understand. (The complete piece will be posted tomorrow.)

The interesting thing about working with mono printed rice papers, old book pages, and plain rice paper is the ability to adjust the values as you create the piece. Some of the sections in this cropped version might change a bit before I finish. 

This piece also represents a culmination of mixed media techniques I have been experimenting with in smaller versions. Even this piece is the precursor for another one that is 12" x 36". I am using the same materials in both pieces and have been working on the elements for both simultaneously. 

The raised areas are pieces of balsa wood painted with white gesso and then wrapped in mono printed papers, text, and plain rice paper. There will also be several smaller pieces of the solid transparent turquoise glass fitted inbetween the balsa wood pieces like a puzzle. The idea is to use more of the mono printed papers (all neutral colors) than the text pages. To create continuity, I also hand cut a zig zag stamp which appears randomly in the mono printed papers and is also etched into the glass paint before firing. 

This type of a repeat is a unifying factor and provides rhythm in the piece. The take away from all of this is an insight into process. There are many steps to completing a piece of artwork and working smaller first is an important step. And every piece is a learning process in which many decisions have to be made. So take a deep breath and work methodically and consistently to accomplish your goals whether it is in art or some other area. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"The Motif"

(unavailable....6" x 6" Experimental Piece.....Mixed Media and Kiln Formed Glass Mounted on a 1.50" depth Board)

"Values are the motif in art and life." A motif is a salient feature of a particular thing. In the case of my quote today, values are the salient feature of a piece of artwork or a life. Without values, neither has the right foundation.

Values are the "sneakiest" of all of the design elements. I haven't quite figured out why that is except for the fact that most artists (including me) get caught up in the focal point, the colors, the line work and all of the other elements first because they are more obvious. However, it is the contrasting values that make the hugh difference.  Without value contrasts, there is essentially no piece of artwork....to speak of.

The most common error I've seen in my own work and in others is not having the darks dark enough or the lights light enough. So when you're working on something and can't seem to figure out what the problem is, always, always, always check the values. If you can't seem to tell what the values really are, then make a black and white copy of your piece and you will see it immediately.

Without the dark values, the piece will be weakened considerably. That's exactly what I was experimenting with today. Doing yet one more experiment in order to more clearly define my values in a larger work I am presently creating. I can see very clearly from my experiment today, that I will be very selective where I place text pages and may choose to paint the balsa wood white rather than black. And then use mono printed rice papers to create the "tone on tone" look I am after. Hence, the need to do smaller works to see if things work before committing to a larger work and becoming frustrated.

So this piece is all old book pages and rice papers adhered to smaller sections of balsa wood (painted black) and then making it fit together with the two pieces of glass. So my conclusion after today is that the text needs to be used very sparingly and probably exclusively under my glass pieces and leaving the rest with a variation of neutral tones with texture created from the mono printing. 

So the process I have been sharing shows a series of steps that are quite necessary in order to create a large work. Now I have a much better idea of what the next step needs to be. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"In The Morning"

($100.00.......6" x 6"....Mixed Media on 300 lb HP and Balsa Wood.....Mounted on a 2.00" depth Clayboard)

"Early in the morning will I pray to you, my Lord." This mixed media piece expresses my thoughts on how to start the day. I am really not pleasant until I've had conversation with God.

This piece has two levels of depth. The area surrounding the glass is a piece of 1/4" depth balsa wood to make it the same level as the glass. The dimensional look is quite appealing when viewing the original piece and creates a tremendous amount of depth. I even wrapped some of the text pages around the balsa wood which creates another level of interest. In pieces like this, where there is a hugh "wow" factor of fused glass, it is best to keep the main thing the main thing by not introducing too much color, line drawings, or any other imagery. This is a lettering piece....pure and simple. Even the glass has gestural writing written into the powders before firing. 

I did do a lot of deconstruction from some of the text pages and some blue monoprinted rice papers left over from other projects. In fact, using deconstruction to add a bit of color is a much more subtle technique than trying to do a wash or other type of painting. That would look contrived, but this leaves just a whisper or fragment of the color in a very random way. 

By using balsa wood instead of stacking 300 lb. HP papers to imbed the glass, the end result is a much cleaner edge which allows it to be mounted on a 1.50" or 2" depth clayboard rather than presenting it in a frame. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about. 

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.