"Psalm 103" (draft 2)

(draft 2)

Psalm 103 is still center stage. I am going particularly slow with my steps this time to completely show how to combine elements to create opacity, translucency, and transparency. My love for glass is meshing with my love of mixed media. In just a few weeks, I will have completed 800 postings and what I have learned about my own artistic voice is helping me now to completely focus on the above mentioned elements as the core of all my work.

Yesterday's posting was completely easy to do because very few decisions needed to be made. Today, I have cropped that larger section of 300 lb. HP down to a 6" x 12" size. It has not been adhered to the 2" depth clayboard yet. When there are three dimensional inclusions, it is best not to adhere those to the support until the piece is mounted on the clayboard.

My decisions about where to crop had everything to do with the title of the piece. The glass has areas with no darker powders fused so I was careful to make sure that Psalm 103 could be read through the glass. It was also important to include as many of the tabs which create that half moon shape. (A wonderful thing to look for when purchasing very old bibles for this type of work.) It creates a repetitive shape, which in turn, creates rhythm.

Even though you cannot see it clearly in my posting, I also placed some metallic leaf where the glass will be mounted...being careful not to cover all of the text. I also have a piece of plain rice paper which falls underneath the glass to further heighten the value of some of the letters in the glass. So you can see that the process now slows down a bit and becomes much more deliberate.

There will be more plain rice papers added, but I stopped with the sections of metallic leaf and one layer of rice paper to show you the translucent effect that one single sheet of rice paper creates. (Remember that it will not become translucent until sprayed with Krylon Spray Acrylic Coating.) The metal leaf, of course, is completely opaque and covers up everything.

You will also notice that I overlapped some of the plain rice papers over the metal leaf to create interesting values, shapes, and edges. The choice of placement for the metal leaf was based again on edges. I tend to frame things out with my elements (loosely) unless I choose an all over grid format arrangement. Almost all of the metal leaf is position on an edge of the perimeter.

Even though there were not too many additions today, there were many choices made. As I move forward, I will be choosing what part of the text I want to remain translucent and what part I want to cover up completely. And the choice of transparency has already been made with the glass. One other thing...if you are not into glass fusing, you can also use stained glass. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Harmony"

($40.00....6" x 6"....300lb. HP....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)

"Harmony is good in music, art, and life." Harmony is achieved when things work together. Apart from having personal preferences, there are ways of creating and doing things that create harmony. Wisdom is learning what those things are.

There is extreme harmony in this piece by using values that are in the same neutral range with no strong color. The contrast appears in the gestural mark making of the mono printed rice papers. All other prominent lines are very straight. 

Contrast of size is also apparent in the weight of the text in the background compared to the weight of the hand written quote and the gestural marks. The other obvious contrast is the contrast of values which of necessity has to be present in all artwork to even have a presence at all. It would have been a real "snoozer" if these contrasts had not been present. 

Harmony was further achieved by repeating design elements such as the background text, the red edge of the text pages and the gestural marks. So the focus being on harmony and contrast is a very simple way to ease into design without feeling overwhelmed. All artwork needs both. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about. 

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Reading"

($40.00....6" x 6".....300 lb HP mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)

"The person who reads has no limits." Most information can be found in books or on the internet. All that's required is the ability to read and comprehend.

Keeping collage elements contained to one particular category (or two) creates a wonderful rhythm in a piece. By laying down text pages in a different direction and using text from more than one source, the repeated lines can offer repetition with variety.

Another type of variety that seems to go along with text pages is the gestural or expressive lettering over the text. There are also some deconstructed pieces in three of the corners that add that "aged" texture that is so compelling.

If you've never tried deconstruction, you might want to experiment with a very small piece like a 5" x 5". I personally think it works best with gel matte medium applied to the collage piece chosen for this technique. Place the medium on the side of the collage that you would like to transfer. Adhere it to your support and press over it with your fingers. Leave it alone for just a few minutes and then take a palette knife and slip it under the collage and slowly remove it. It often leaves traces of what was on the collage piece and may also remove part of the piece on the support. By moving back and forth between construction and deconstruction, you can create a highly textured surface. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Dreams"

($40.00......6" x 6"....300 lb HP mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)

"Dreams are harvested in a field of prayer." It can take time for many of our dreams to materialize. Waiting on God in prayer gives power to the wait and insight for the process.

Intense color can act as an informal frame around a piece. This grid format was topped off with a red tint around the edges in varying percentages. So just one intense color plus black and white will give a "punch" without overpowering the piece if the percentages of that one color are kept low.

Bringing black into the text blocks also creates a different dynamic. The torn edges are the dominant edge and provide interest to the shapes. The grid format holds out the opportunity for endless variations, but only if the shapes, sizes, and the way the grid is formed has variation. So when introducing any element of design, the repetition of that element works much better if there is variation. 

And one of the effective ways of bringing in variation is to use the same element in a different size. It is then possible to go a step further and alter the texture with mark making, technique in application of the color, or adding something of another element that is present in the piece.

So the tension between harmony and contrast really does boil down to repetition with variation. Look at these kind of things in other artwork. Being specific about what you look for in a piece is one way to learn about design. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Fragrance of Heaven"

(unavailable)

"The fragrance of heaven is found in prayer." When any kind of stress overwhelms us, it is prayer that transports us to a quiet place of peace and power. It calms the storm.

This visual, along with others I've posted, has a strong repeated design element. The steady drumbeat of a repeated element will always bring calm into a piece and firmly ground it and get rid of the sense of floating elements that are vague and ambiguous. It is similar to the steady beat of a drum in musical presentations. Repetition creates rhythm.

Every artist can make their work stronger by understanding this design principle. In all of life we look for repeated patterns (similar to counting telephone poles) because it has a calming effect on our psyche. And the good news is that there are many different ways to incorporate repetition in any piece of art. It can be a repeated line, color, shape, value, or texture. Because of the strength and boldness of moving color, I have chosen to use a repeat pattern that is bold and strong as a counterpoint to the moving color.

One good way to understand the power of repetition is to look at other artist's work and see how they handle repetition. By narrowing your focus as you study another artist's work, you will be able to observe this particular design principle without the distraction of trying to notice everything at once. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Verbal Music"

(unavailable)

"Poetry is verbal music for my soul." Words that are arranged to describe an emotion or an image can so change a person's outlook that it is magical. Poetry helps the visual artist as well as the composer to create deeper works. All three are needed...poetry, music, and visual art.

This piece is a great lesson in controlling a very active background of color and composing a piece that will work visually.

Line engravings continue to be one of the best ways to accomplish very definite shapes out of a pool of multitudinous color. An artist could use their own ink drawings, but I think the precision of these engravings makes it more sophisticated unless the artist takes the time and effort to create a very detailed ink drawing with shading. It takes more than a single line drawing. Also, by choosing a line engraving that has a definite repeat of a geometric shape gives the piece rhythm and stability.

The collage fragments of poetry by Ralph Waldo Emerson also bring a light value with no detail that causes it to stand out as the focal point of the piece.

And the last thing is very straight Spencerian Script written from edge to edge in a tinted white gouache that connects with the other light areas and cools down some of the very warm orange color notes. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"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.

"Buoyancy" (unavailable)

(unavailable)


"My heart is buoyant in the unconditional love of God." To many, the unconditional love of God sounds like an oxymoron when bad things happen. Unfortunately, we also have an enemy of our soul that seeks to kill, steal, and destroy. The love of God is there to catch us and hold us during those times. God is our friend.

There are days when wonderful things happen in the studio. I am sure you can recall a few of those yourself and you wonder why it is such hard work to bring a piece together and on other days it just seems to happen. Such was the case with this piece. And I cannot talk enough about how wonderful it is to work by responding intuitively to a spontaneous process. For instance, this quote would not have happened unless the piece happened first. I would strongly encourage any artist to work this way, even once.

This is precisely why gestural writing and erratic lines and marks are so compelling. They have energy, passion, and seem to have happened with no effort. And that is where the illusion that it all happens effortlessly begins and ends. It is and always will be the day after day going to the studio and practicing these skills over and over again. To quote myself from another posting..."Everything is difficult before it is easy." Repetition really is the name of the game. Just something else to think about.

"Ivy and Berries"

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


"Ivy and berries illustrate the visual power of small things repeated incessantly." Repetition not only creates visual power, but creates power or success in any area of life. Nothing is learned without repetition.

Slowly, but surely, I am contrasting realism (as in photography) with sketching and drawing. This is becoming part of my layering process and it will be exciting to see where it ends. Certainly a sketch or drawing can stand on its own, but the "mixed media" part of me always wants to combine techniques. For me this is what process is all about.

The "sketchiness" of the lettering is also a reflection of the ivy that was sketched.  Mark making, erratic, lines, and spontaneous processes of any kind are absolutely compelling because they reveal the impulse of the artist. The way you learn to draw is by drawing anything and everything. Process in any area is all about repeating it over and over again until the skill is learned. My encouragement to all fellow artists is to "stay calm and carry on". Don't be overwhelmed by the process. Just keep comparing, analyzing, and doing....repeatedly. This is something we should all think about and then do.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Variety and Repetition" ($40.00)

(adjusted price.....$40.00)

"Leaves are a never ending visual of variety and repetition." Trees are everywhere and it seems they provide more variety than any other thing in our created world. Most of us can walk out the front door and see an endless variety and repetition of leaves, especially this time of the year. It is good to enjoy them and be thankful for this never ending visual.

Several weekends ago the first layer of this piece was created in a color workshop with gesso, lines, and lettering. By accentuating some of the shapes with additional color and Liquitex Pouring Medium in the second layer, the form of the piece began to take shape.

The color provided the inspiration to end up with leaf shapes. The only problem with using one color in several tints and saturations is the lack of variety or too much harmony. By adding just one green leaf with the edges beginning to turn, the necessary contrast balanced out the warm red tones.

Complementary colors not only satisfy the eye's search for the complementary, but it also gives the contrast between warm and cool. Remember that the eye is always searching for the complement of any color...even when it is not present. So there is an unsettled feeling that something is missing unless it is included.  It does not always need to be this obvious, but simply mixing a bit of the complement to "gray down" a color will also be pleasing to the viewer. Just something to think about.


Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Listen to the Music" (unavailable)

 

"Listen to the rhythm of the music in your heart." Scott Joplin is the king of Ragtime Music. It's "catchy" and has a definite jazz feel. Each of us has a definite rhythm that could be compared to a style of music. What is your style? (This is piece created for a give away at an Opening Reception this Friday.  Details can be seen at (http://www.pactofaustin.com/).

Rhythm is best described visually by repeating one or more design elements. In this piece, there are repeated verical bands and also repeated lines, color, and texture. As in music, rhythm can be very regular (like a march) or it can be syncopated. Syncopation happens when the strong beats become weak and vice versa. Visually, it can be described by throwing in an unexpected interruption in the repeated design element. In this piece, the line in the background that has the word listen is a very strong departure from the straight and softly curving lines. So in essence, the principle of design is to repeat an element of design with variation to achieve a sycopated rhythm. Just something to think about.

"Tunnel Vision" ($40.00)

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

There will always be excellent goals that can fill our time. When any goal consumes every single moment of our lives, tunnel vision has become operative. Everything always boils down to balance. The pots represent that one thing that becomes all consuming.

This piece is a good example of the power of repetition, especially a repeat with variation. It doesn't work as well if the repeated elements are exactly the same. Sameness equals boredom. Repetition, with variation, equals compelling and dramatic.

Perylene violet (WN) comes to my rescue everytime I paint pots. By mixing perylene violet, raw umber, and viridian, I was able to give more life to the darks in this piece, including the lettering. Raw umber by itself would have come across rather lifeless. And not all raw umbers are created equal.  M. Graham gouache has a far superior raw umber than Winsor Newton. It's richer and darker and very finely ground. It can be difficult to find in local art stores, but is available from Paper and Ink Arts. I will go so far as to say that I cannot function without Graham Raw Umber. Try it.....you'll like it!

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"Set the Rhythm" ($30.00)

(adjusted price.....$30.00)

Rhythm in music, in a visual repeat pattern, or the repeated observances of our lives individually or collectively sets the stage for joy in our lives.

Repetition is mesmerizing and worth our attention. This piece has bold and clearly defined repetition. However, it can be a bit more understated and create an elegant underpinning in any work of art. ("Creative Energy".....posted on March 18th has a subtle use of this important design principle.)

The way to learn the many ways repetition can be used in a piece is to observe repeated elements in nature, in other artwork, in architecture....in images of every kind. Begin your study of repetition today and see for yourself how it can influence your own artwork.


Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.