"A Variation"

($50.00......6" x6".....Water Soluble Oils on Gessobord)

"A variation is a transformation of an existing image." This also has an application in real life if we consider ourselves or others as an existing image in the process of transformation.

This is my third variation of a hill country scene with a large bluff in the background and green water with reflections and a twig / tree in the foreground. The last time I painted this was on January 9th. The first posting was on December 3rd, 2012, just in case you want to see the progression.

This step by step "morphing" is an excellent way to step gingerly into the world of abstraction. I do believe I could do it one more time and lose even more of the bit of detail that is there. In a "nutshell", abstraction simply means to lose the detail. The color harmonies remain the same (although the bluish gray in the bluff is really a gray in the original) and the general placement of the color notes remain the same. It's the detail and blending that goes away. 

The technique of laying these colors down is a "one shot deal". One swipe of the palette knife...wiping off the knife...another swipe....etc. Trying to touch up anything is totally out of the question. I did use a rocking motion technique to create the relfections by keeping the knife in the same place to avoid over blending.

So I am quite sure that most everyone has enough reference photos to create many abstract pieces. The beauty of doing it this way is that you at least have a reference of what color notes to mix and where to place them on the piece.  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.

"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.