"A Quest"

(125.00.....5" x 5"......mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel....floated on a linen mat in a custom frame.)

"A quest to know begins with a desire to listen." A quest means to seek something. To seek to know something requires that the seeker of the knowledge listen. But listening means infinitely more than auditory listening. It also means to act on what is read or heard.

The one other color in this piece besides black and white is Green Gold (Golden). It is one of my favorites not only because of its hue, but because it's transparent. It creates a bit of a glow and any lettering created with pencil in the first layer will show through if the pour is not too thick.

I broke up the surface tension of a large black shape by adding collage with a flourished overlay. The principle here is that any line work crossing over one or more shapes in a piece will integrate it to the previous layer, but only if the color of the previous layer is echoed.

Notice, also, that all of the corners are designed which keeps the eye from wandering out of the design space. And this piece was totally inspired by an interior room with only these colors. If you want drama, just try black and white plus one other color and the drama will be there. The only exception is if the color is too close in value to black or too light to contrast with white. Red is always a good option since red, white, and black have historically been a top choice for many illuminated manuscripts. It's also good to vary the percentages of each color to avoid monotony. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Salutis"

(unavailable)


"Salutis to all my art friends." The word "salutis" means "greetings". I am with a lot of art friends in Houston and had a fabulous time! Art friends always know what you're talking about and want to come along beside you and be creative.

This is another 5" x 5" and I was happy to discover that the pouring medium shape touched (3) sides of the design space after being cropped. I had already stamped the paper with a commercial stamp and acrylic paint on blank 140 lb. HP before doing the pour. It was important to use acrylic paint to do this. If I had used something water soluble which would then need to be sprayed with acrylic coating, it might have created a resist when doing this pour.

The actual word "Salutis" is a word printed on silk tissue paper and then adhered to the support by brushing on gel matte to the actual piece and then carefully placing the tissue paper into the medium. Several people yesterday wanted to know how to print something as thin as tissue paper using an ink jet printer. If you just think about this carefully, it is quite easy. You must first make a copy of your selected image on regular copy paper and watch how it exits the printer. Then you would cut a small piece of tissue paper to cover only the portion you want to print and tape it to this copy paper with removable tape. You would then run it back through your printer in the very same way it went through the first time. Spray your print with Krylon Acrylic Spray Coating...dry with a hair dryer...remove the tape and adhere the print.

My choice of placement for this one piece of collage was simple. When in doubt...go for the corner. Corners should be one of your main design decisions because it locks the viewer into your space visually. Things that are floating out in the middle somewhere with no connecting color or line to the edge will lose the visual communication you are desiring. By finishing off the quote clear to the edge, I was able to bring stability to all the motion of the pouring medium and create another shape by going from edge to edge. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Colorful Dreams"

($60.00...6" x 6".....mounted on a 1.50" depth clayboard)


"Colorful dreams are hidden in the folds of my mind." Everyone has dreams, visions, and goals of doing glorious things. I like to think of them in bold sweeping color with a never ending hope of becoming reality. It's a grand thought! Embrace it and have a glorious day.

This, of course, is another pouring medium piece. (You can reference other postings for details of how it is done from beginning to end.)  In this piece, there is no external manipulation of the paint whatsoever.

The piece was created on 140 lb. HP. (It is my experience that the hot press papers give the best results with this process.)  Before doing the pour, I made erratic and gestural marks on the paper with a pencil which can be seen in the upper left hand corner underneath the quote. As mentioned before, I have discovered that it is a good practice to coat the wet paper with white or a very pale color over the entire piece before pouring on the other colors. It creates a base for the color to move better. In this case, I used Metallic White. When the other colors were poured onto the paper, side by side, some of the base white mingled with the Pthalo Green to create a "backlit" effect. So you might want to give that a try.

And as a matter of review, you can notice that every corner is different...that some of the paper was left untouched by the bright colors...and that the cropping played up the diagonals. Don't be afraid when cropping to move your mat around at an odd angle to take advantage of every possible dynamic. It is also wise to place your piece while very wet and with the base color applied on the wax paper in a shallow box where it will be left to dry. Pour the colors on the paper at this point and do nothing else until it dries. Don't move it or touch it. It will automatically move on its on and create phenomenal color. So there you have it. Just a few more things to try or think about.


Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Rich Conversation" (sold)

(sold)


"Rich conversation between friends produces a wealth of satisfaction." After looking up the word satisfaction, I knew it completely described the conversations I've had with many dear friends. There are several "nuanced" meanings, but the one I like the most is..."nothing left to be desired." Interestingly enough, it is a word that also refers to Christ's atonement..."a thing that settles an obligation or pays a debt." Either way, it is a deeply satisfying word.

Besides the colors used in the pouring medium, my good fortune in this piece was being able to crop it in such a way as to have white in all four corners. And of course, the lettering makes another connection with the white. It is so true that artwork is all about connections and repetition is the best principle of design to use to create those connections.

However, it is also true that an artist can have repetition and connections without having a cohesive piece. And one of the best ways to have cohesiveness is to keep the main thing the main thing. If two main concepts are introduced in the same piece and both given equal attention it's like two people having a conversation by both talking at the same time. It is chaotic and no one knows what either person is saying.

So if you look at your piece and and your internal voice tells you that something isn't quite right, try looking at your main image and seeing if something is competing for attention. By making a value adjustment, you will more than likely resolve the problem. Just a few more things to think about.

"Formed in Darkness"

($60.00.....6" x 6"......mounted on a 1.50"" depth clayboard )


"The color was formed in darkness and then a butterfly emerged." The butterflies are out indeed, and their color reminds us of transformation and the hope that comes out of darkness.

Injecting an "echo" of a design element is one of the keys to developing rhythm in design. The colors you see in the pouring medium are echoed in the butterfly. The eggplant purple color is also echoed in the lettering. (That color can be mixed or purchased in a tube. It is Winsor Newton Gouache and the color is Perylene Violet.)

There are some erratic lines that are echoed in the first layer of the piece as well. It only takes a bit of forethought to make sure those "echoes" are always present. Combine that strategy with designing the corners and the piece is better designed immediately. The placement of the butterfly was easy....place it in a corner!  Just a few more things to think about.


Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Light Penetrated Darkness" (sold)

(sold)


"The light penetrated the darkness literally, figuratively, for all mankind...stretching into eternity." This pivotal moment in history gave us redemption. What a day of thanksgiving!

This piece has a different application of pouring medium. It was applied more like a watercolor with no marbling effect and also the use of gray which I haven't used as much in the past. I did work on paper at least twice this size which left me some interesting cropping options. The image could have been "dead center", but by placing it in the lower right corner, I increased the drama 100%. It is so easy to stay in the mindset of the same old formats, but my encouragement to you is to branch out and try some "riskier" options. There is literally something different in every corner which is so much better than a vignette. Remember that paintings are made up of shapes which is another advantage of cropping. Image and strong color, or both, should be touching at least two sides of the design space. You will lose the viewer much quicker by placing things in the center. It is simply not interesting enough.

The paper the image was printed on also creates a rectangular shape, but the color flowing over it onto the negative space (or background) binds them together yet the shape is still visible. This all sounds so easy until you are in the middle of the creation which is why it is important to practice on a regular basis. Just think about it and soon the corners and shapes will come into focus.

"A New Dynamic"

(unavailable.....in the permanent collection of dee day)


"Combining two diverse elements creates a new dynamic." There is nothing quite as powerful in art or interior design as combining two diverse elements. For instance, throwing a cowhide on the floor in a contemporary setting can actually make it a more dynamic space. Be bold and try combining diverse elements. You'll will be stunned at the "dynamic" it creates.

Having an analytical mind causes me great "angst" at times, but it has proven to be a good friend when it comes to analyzing why things work in design. In the case of this piece, I knew I needed a strong focal point to fit in with what was going on in the pouring medium. My decision to have a sharp contrast by introducing hard edges was good, but I created another important contrast by choosing something from the 17th century (old Spanish choir book) and combining it with very contemporary abstraction and techniques. Some of the colors, erratic lines, and pencil writing can be seen through the tissue paper which truly helps to marry it to the supporting role of the background.

More decisions were made by tearing the piece of tissue paper to form a negative white shape in the lower right hand corner which balances out what is going on in the other (3) corners. They are all different and trust me when I tell you that paying attention to the corners makes for a much more dynamic piece and will keep the viewer engaged in your piece. If you want to compete with all of the visual imagery that bombards us all on a daily basis, you must pay attention to these kind of details. Otherwise, your artwork will simply fade into the wall and no one will notice. Just a few more things to think about.

"Amore"

(sold)


"Neutrals plus one hot color equals amore." We could all use a little more love and today it is visually showcased in a sea of neutral color. Brilliant Red Violet is a very hot color and if you add a little gold, it is quite luxurious. It's Friday. Show a lot of love!

This fabulous color is one of my favorites. Fortunately, it is available in Golden tube acrylics, Fluid Acrylics, and Winsor Newton Gouache. It can be fugitive so if you are working on a larger complicated piece that you want to last a long time, use Quinacridone Magenta or make sure the color is encased in a medium or use varnish with UV protection at the end. The permanence of Quinacridone colors has been tested and proven to stand the test of time. (If you google "quinacridone", you can find out all kinds of interesting facts about these colors.)

Raw Umber is a good companion to brilliant red violet and is the perfect choice to make it look deeper and richer. Of course, I must mention for the third or fourth time since blogging that the best raw umber gouache is Graham. Windsor Newton has a rather "wimpy" umber that is not dark enough.

One last note about this piece is the corners and the division of space. It is very important to think about those two things when cropping from a larger sheet. It makes all the difference in the world whether you have a "ho hum" composition or something very dramatic. Just a few more things to think about.

"The Ultimate Luxury"

($40.00....6" x 6".....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)


"Chocolate is the ultimate in affordable luxury." Some of the most ornate packaging with highly embossed gold lettering is seen on packaged chocolate. It is a delectable treat that most people can afford from time to time. Enjoy a piece today!

One of the most easily understood formats that works every time it's tried is horizontal bands. In the case of my piece today, they are slightly in motion which is even better. If you have had the foresight to work on a larger sheet of paper, effective cropping will automatically give you four well designed corners. The varying widths of the bands will also give contrast and sometimes alternation such as the pink and brown color in this piece.

This pouring medium piece had very little external manipulation which would have caused the color to blend more. As for the edges, there is a contrast between the hard edges and the soft diffused edges. All in all, it's a win / win to choose this type of format and technique. You could probably do the same type of thing with watercolor or oil paints. Colors would need to be very fluid and support would need to be very wet. Water soluble oils would probably work better than traditional oils but I have not tried either so it would definitely be an experiment. There are very simple things that can make or break a piece of artwork. Each artist must be willing to embrace the "tried and true" before insisting on creating some preconceived idea and sticking with that idea so stubbornly that all is lost in the end. Just something else to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Nuevo Principio"

($40.00......6" x 6".....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)


"New beginnings often emerge from the fires of affliction." No one likes to be afflicted in any way, but it can often be the catalyst to a new beginning. I would not be creating lettering art today if it had not been for a tragic event in my life. I am quite sure there are many who have a similar story. Take hope in new beginnings.

There are several key elements to good design that have emerged from my first year of blogging. I knew them before, but now I REALLY know them. One of the things that sets apart an "okay" piece of art from a great piece of art is how the corners are designed. Corners need to be designed and each one needs to be different. If they're all the same, the piece loses impact immediately. On the other hand, it is not good enough to simply place something in a corner just to make it different from the others. It will then look contrived. It must be an integral part of the design of the piece and given some thought at the beginning of the process.

It is very instructive to go through an exhibit and notice the corners of each piece. The lessons learned from that observation are vast. Try staying out of the vignette mode and begin giving your corners more serious consideration. Just something to think about.


Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Stone Carvings"

($40.00.....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)


"Words are like stone carvings...very difficult to correct after they're chiseled or spoken." Words have tremendous power to build up or tear down. They should be carefully considered before speaking.

Diagonals are a very powerful use of line that create a lot of energy in a piece. Another dynamic was created by effective cropping which left unequal intersections with the edge, making every corner different. The camera can actually give the artist a ton of practice with cropping and I highly encourage the practice.

This particular image was rather weak in values until I strengthened it with soft pastels and charcoal powder. My next goal will be to paint it. So at some point, I will be posting it again in oils. But I must say that manipulating the photographic image with other media and techniques is a wonderful study and gives me a bit more time to experiment with the lettering.  Juggling two very different disciplines of image and lettering can require two life times of study, but I do enjoy trying. Carrying a small camera around in your purse or brief case with a zoom lens can be a very valuable tool. Anything that helps improve observation skills is good.  Just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Texas Star" (unavailable)

(unavailable....in the permanent collection of dee day)

"Everyone who lives in Texas is a star." From time to time my Texas pride overtakes me. This piece seemed to just evolve and finally there appeared a Texas star. Cowhides and Texas stars are the core of my decorating style. I do believe we have a Texas star in every room in the house. That's just the way it is here in our fine state!

One of my favorite formats is to divide the space into (4) unequal quadrants. It is often called a cruciform format. It is a simple way to design your piece without too much fuss and it works every time it's tried.

For those of you who were in the color workshop, you might recognize the presence of pouring medium. The only difference in the look here is that I worked a bit "wetter" which created some strong blocks of color and lots of movement. If you don't know what to do with some of the pieces you created, you might want to consider collage. By limiting your collage to just a few strategic pieces, you can create a very cohesive piece.

Remember to think about the corners. Having something different going on in each corner creates interest and keeps the viewer engaged in your piece. Also, keep the main thing the main thing. Going off into too many different directions leads to chaos, especially with collage.  Do have fun and let the creativity flow. Just something to try or think about.

"The Gate"

This is a (12" x 12") piece created for the Open Doors Gallery at Hill Country Bible Church NW in Austin, Texas. The passage is from the gospel of John. The gate is Jesus Christ and the contemporary translation is from The Message. Double click to read the passage and be blessed today.

These larger works always give me an opportunity to develop my concept more completely.
The background was developed from a spontaneously created first layer to establish an ethereal and timeless mood. Consequently, white gesso entered the process but only after the background was painted, sealed, and prepared to receive the lettering and soft edged patches of white. (Refer to earlier postings for surface preparation.) Notice that the white is emphasized more in all four corners. The capital "I" representing the person of Christ was my focal point with the lettering so I created the most ornate and flourished letter that could be found in all of the exemplars of spencerian in my library.

Even though there is a lot going on in the background, the division of space is still quite pronounced. I have come to fully understand how important shapes are, even in an abstract piece. They ground the piece and deserve careful attention. Just something to think about.

This piece will not be listed on ebay. Any interest should be directed to me by leaving a comment or sending me an e-mail. (Only my 6" x 6" work has a ten day listing on ebay.)

"The Chandelier" ($40.00)

(adjusted price......$40.00)

All spaces in any style look more opulent with a chandelier. There is something fascinating about the form, the detail, and most of all...the light. Enjoy the form of your chandelier whether it's simple or ornate.

The first layer of this piece has a very busy background, but it has an elegance by virtue of the "grayed down" color palette.

The best way to integrate an image into a busy setting is to create a solid color silhouette. It also helps to choose an image that has interesting form or detail. The choice of white also gave it a regal look.  If I had made it a black, lime green, or cadmium scarlett chandelier, the effect would have been totally different.

Notice also that the addition of the white dots and placement of the quote helped me to design my corners. I also added some charcoal powder to the vertical gray band to help ground the piece. Just a few things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Thoughts" (sold)

(sold)

Thoughts enter and exit our minds at an accelerated rate each and every day. The wise person will gather up the good ones and throw the rest away. Gather up the thoughts that are positive....the ones that move you forward in life.

Today's piece leaves no middle ground for the viewer. You will either love it or hate it. What can I say! It simply evolved. And I do have days like that where I simply don't want to do things in a conventional way.

I did try to think about shapes and color as the elements that would unify the craziness. Otherwise, I just followed my instincts. You could call it a "jazz" or "improvisational" process. I will admit that I'm partial to the combination of turquoise green and lime green together.

The one new thing that is not present in any other (6" x 6") is the imprint of letters into dried gesso with metal stamps. It gives the look and feel of letter press. Also notice that every corner is strikingly different. Try your hand at this "funky" improvisational process. It's really quite satisfying.

" A Clear Mind" (sold)

(sold)

It is very frustrating and difficult to be in a "creative flow" when there is too much clutter in the work space and things are not where they're supposed to be. The organizational "gurus" in the world have figured out that if our desk or work space is cluttered, then so is our mind. That is precisely why the anitque drafting table in this piece has been cleared of everything. It was done to drive home the truth of this thought. Obviously, a desk or table needs minimal items on it, but when there is so much "stuff" you can't find anything, it's time to clear the surface which in turn will also clear your mind.

When creating this piece, I did not want too many elements cluttering the space. (pun intended!) So the only way to keep it from causing the viewer's eyes to glaze over was to position the table to create some diagonal lines. It also created a lot of interest in one of the corners. The diagonals in the legs of the table also created more interesting shapes.

Depth, especially in an abstract piece, is not only created by lines, but also by layering. The vertical band on the right began with ruling pen and burnt sienna lettering. It was too prominent so out came the diluted white gesso. I applied it with a sponge brush in thin layers until I achieved the right level of transparency. The pencil lettering was written on top of that, but it was still not right until I smudged some umber and burnt sienna over it with my fingers. So goes the process of layering. If I had not placed that vertical band in the piece, the directional lines of the table would have taken my eyes out of the piece entirely. Just something to think about when designing your piece.

"Salient Periods" ($40.00)

(adjusted price......$40.00)

Salient is an unusual word that most of us don't use very often. It means prominent, conspicuous or most noticeable. There are places that mark the salient periods of my life. How about you?

Line drawings are very expressive, especially if they are not done perfectly, which is the very thing that makes children's artwork so compelling. Most of the time they are referred to as contour drawings. It is an excellent way to learn how to draw. (Include just enough details to make it convincing.)

This drawing was created using a pointed pen and raw umber gouache over a background with watercolor effects. The placement of the drawing was positioned in a way to create shapes that connect and extend from edge to edge. By using some of the background color to write lettering in opposing corners, I have created interest and variety in all four corners. Designing the corners keeps the viewer's eye within the piece.

It is not the most dynamic piece I've created but it is far superior than having a line drawing on a blank sheet of paper. You might find it very fulfilling to create drawings over less successful pieces. It might bring them to life again. Just something to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Quiet Love" (unavailable)

    (unavailable))  

Words are not always necessary to show a deeply felt love for someone...but it permeates the air in quietness. A touch or a loving glance across the room says it all.

One of the design decisions that keeps coming up with each of these 6 x 6's involves the corners. I've come to the conclusion that the square format seems to compel the artist to design the corners more. However, just when I thought most of the drawings would be more dramatic at the edge and closer to a corner, I realized that the bromeliad is almost dead center (huge no-no in most cases). It works because of the placement of the stamped imagery. (go figure!) There is still almost half of the design space in white. This leads to another point....when the positive and negative space are almost equal, there is more drama. If you allow more negative space (no imagery) to dominate, the piece will be less dramatic. Just something to think about.