"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.

"Foundation of Freedom"

($175.00.....6" x 6"....Mixed Media & Kiln Formed Glass in a 4" width Custom Frame)

"Trust in God is the foundation of freedom." Freedom of religion is a very important freedom as seen in the Texas and United States Constitution. This is yet another piece for an upcoming exhibit. (Thanks to all of you for your well wishes and prayers last week. I am feeling better now.)

Even when I was not feeling well last week, my mind kept going over the importance of process which invariably involves practice. I've already begun working on a 12" x 36" mixed media and glass piece which would have not been possible without going through the process on smaller pieces. 

Larger works can become overwhelming and even come to a stand still without having done the ground work of "test fires" (so to speak). The piece today is a bit different than other text pages I've done because I played around with the exposed black background as a more integral part of dividing the space. I rather like it and will more than likely want to continue experimenting with the amount of black exposed and perhaps including color patterns in those areas.

And of course, this is the whole point of working small and working everyday. All of the ideas that come to mind cannot be realized in on just one large piece. By working small, the materials, techniques, and integration issues can be worked out with minimal time and expense.

So if you are not yet convinced that working small and frequently is for you, than perhaps a play date with a friend might be a consideration. And then you have a partner in crime as well as an enjoyable afternoon. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.

"El Palabra"

(unavailable....4" x 6" Experimental Mixed Media Piece.....Mounted on Masonite)

"El palabra es eterno." This is Spanish for..."The Word is eternal." This is yet another experimental piece as I am preparing for a much larger piece with mixed media and kiln formed glass.

There is no better way to practice with your materials than doing a small piece. Even one per week is completely doable for most artists. It is the only habit I've developed that has increased "fluidity" in my work. In order to go to the next level, it is imperative to work with your materials until it becomes second nature. Not all pieces will be successful, but the chances are a hundred percent greater in direct proportion to the hours spent in the studio. 

For instance, I learned several things in this piece. The Bible pages I used were a bit too dark so I guarantee I will be very selective with the pages and amount of aging when working on my larger piece. The jury is also still out on this particular glass inclusion. It does replicate the background swirls to some degree, but I prefer to have it look as though it is embedded into the work by using a thicker material for the support that is the same depth of the glass.

So the point is, that even though this was not as successful as I would have liked, the value of seeing it in a completed state is instructive as I move forward to make other decisions in a larger work. This piece is a 4" x 6" which is easy to complete. Another good size with a rectangular shape is a 6" x 8". 

So even if you're not blogging every day, you might still want to consider doing several small pieces with the same elements that you plan to include in a larger work. It pays great dividends by giving you a more successful piece in the end. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.