"True Calling" (Sold)

(sold)


"The gravitational pull of a deep desire to do one thing above all others reveals your true calling in life." It is a great feeling to know that you're doing what you are "wired" to do. I have noticed that a person may be generally working in the area of their gifting and as they continue on in that general area of focus, it becomes very specific over time.

The colors in this piece are very tropical and genuinely appear happy. That mood completely mirrors the feeling of working in an area that perfectly fits who you are. One of my favorite parts of this piece is the very quiet area in the top right corner where very little is going on. When cropping these pieces, I look for those areas to include...even if I am forced to leave something out that is a favorite part. The reason cannot be overstated. The eye must have a place to rest in a piece of artwork. This is especially true where the majority of the design space is filled with movement and color.

Another thing that is often overlooked is an insatiable desire to place too many elements in a given piece. I often ask myself this question..."Is this element of design contributing to the main thing or is it detracting from the main thing?" If there is any doubt...leave it out.   Just something else to think about.

"Unfolding Biography" (sold)

(SOLD)


"Each day is like turning the page of my unfolding biography." The day takes on new meaning when placed in this context. It is true that each day is precious and we are choosing our own biography with our daily choices. Write a good one!

I am beginning to think in terms of what I can do in the first layer to create even more depth. In this piece, there are gestural marks and erratic lines done with a sharp pencil before the pouring medium was added. You could add the pencil lines after the fact, but it would not have the same "lost and found" edges and subtlety going on. Some of the lines got lost completely and others emerge and then disappear. It is quite fascinating and I would encourage you to try it yourself. It all goes back to the transparency issue and giving the viewer the illusion that they are looking into an infinite variety of layers.

My encouragement to everyone working in mixed media is to not give up on a particular technique too soon. By doing it day after day, you will continue to see new things and your entire process will keep evolving.

As for the choice of colors, it is more effective to play warm against cool in these types of pieces. The purple choice in this piece is Brilliant Violet Fluid Acrylic mixed with a bit of Raw Umber. It has more depth with the Raw Umber added and becomes warmer in temperature. The Hansa Yellow Medium was also mixed with a bit of Raw Umber making it warmer as well. The cool temperature color is the Cobalt Blue mixed with Titanium White. I guarantee that this piece would not have the same impact without the addition of the blue. Notice the "glowing" effect where it mingles with the darkest parts of the Violet and how it completely merges and becomes the same value of the other two colors when they become more diluted and mixed on the right hand side. It's these kind of observations that will assist you in deciding your colors for your next pour. Just a few more things to try or think about.

"Interior of a Heart" (sold)

(sold)

"Light illuminates the interior of a room and the interior of a heart." Most of the quotes I create are proverbs. A proverb is a contrast between two ideas. What I particularly like are the words that have dual meanings. Light created by electricity can light up a room, but there is also the illumination that occurs when we get an insight or revelation about something. When that happens, the interior of a heart is also illuminated. Think about that when you see beautiful light fixtures and let it prompt you to also think of the other meaning. It will enrich your thinking.

The colors used in this piece are some of my favorite combinations. Even though the direct complement of green is not obviously present, by using an olive green (WN acrylic), the complement is present in the mixture. Another color used here that I often use instead of white is Titan Buff (Golden) because it gives a softer feel. The other two colors used were Raw Umber (Golden) and Carbon Black (Golden).

These colors were applied after writing a few words, drawing some lines, and randomly applying some gesso. I was able to achieve a look that reminds me of onyx. Of course, it did help to add Liquitex Pouring Medium to each of these colors separately before pouring onto very wet paper. By allowing some of the lines and words to show through, that translucent look magically took shape.

November is a time to think about rich colors since they are normally prevalent in the landscape. (Texas may be the exception this year!) But of course, you can always take your piece a step further by adding a few carefully chosen collage pieces. The contrast between super realism and an abstract background still fascinates me and I think you will find it rewarding as well. Just something to try or think about.

"A Sweet Spirit" ($40.00)

(adjusted price....$40.00)


"A sweet spirit is like the wind...felt but not seen." We can often see the effects of the wind but the wind itself is not seen. The same is true for a sweet spirit. And the effects are ever so lovely. Another word that aptly describes this type of spirit is kindness.

This piece could be described as an abstract landscape. The gradation of color from yellow to orange is a great contrast to the sharp lines of the brilliant violet and blue. The white haze is a very dilute application of gesso applied before the paint. This "veiled" effect was the closest thing I could create to represent the wind. The diagonal sweep also helps to indicate movement.

Referencing my notes from yesterday's post...the bright and stained colors in this piece were created by greatly diluting the acrylic paint with water. (It is probably (20) parts water to (1) part paint.) It also helps to choose colors that are intense like Nickel Azo Yellow..Pyrrole Orange...and Quinacridone Violet. The rich blue at the bottom is Anthraquinone Blue. (All of these colors are Golden Fluid Acrylics.)  They work together because the top three colors create an analogous color scheme and the dark blue at the bottom is a direct complement to orange. This is the power of color and it is (10x) more intense in the original.   Just something to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Bright and Early" ($40.00)

($40.00)


"Bright and early reflections fuel the day." To some of you, this may sound like an oxymoron, especially if you're not an early riser. So after you've had your first cup of coffee, think about your day and what thoughts will help you navigate through your schedule in the best way.  It makes a huge difference.

The color studies I've been creating involve changing the surface to react differently to the paint and changing the properties of the paint to create different saturations and texture.

Gesso actually creates a resist if applied to the surface before the paint.  If it is applied randomly, you can create interesting shapes because the paint reacts differently on the unprimed areas. It creates a "veiled" effect if applied over color or imagery. Technique becomes very important at this stage depending on how much or little you want to reveal of the previous layer.

Changing the property of the paint is also exciting for the same reasons. You can choose how much light you want to have by how saturated or unsaturated the paint is. If it is diluted a lot with water you will get the equivalent of a stain. If you use a thick application of pigment or add a medium to the paint, you will block out the light. It's quite like adjusting the light source to spotlight or backlight an area.

All of these effects are great experiments to try or think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"The Human Spirit" (unavailable)

(unavailable)

"The fires destroyed everything except for the hope of the human spirit." Churches and individuals in Texas are now involved in coming along side the families who lost their homes. What I have noticed is that hope is rising out of the ashes.

This piece and particular quote gave me the opportunity to visually express the power of contrasts in color saturation and texture. The dark green band on the left is very saturated representing the trees and foliage before the fires. The center band of color with a grayish / green and texture created with gesso looks charred. The bright and intense band on the right represents the hope of the human spirit.

By knowing how to "gray" down a color or to apply an intense stain on unprimed paper is a part of being a "colorist". Color is the most emotional design element and a never ending learning process. I hope you're enjoying these color studies. Go one step further and try them yourself. Any effort to understand color takes you one step closer to a satisfying way of expressing your concept. Just something to think about.