Plein Air- Palm

Palm

watercolor on paper

  12 x 9

 Done en plein air while waiting for people to buy stuff from our yard sale this morning.  I had time to kill so I pulled out my watercolors and painted the prettiest thing in my line of sight, a palm tree.  It was my friends idea to add in the wire lines.  I think they add a nice sense of interest and believability to it.   I am really enjoying doing these simple little from-life paintings every day.  

Plein Air- Beach House

Beach House

watercolor on paper

  12 x 9

 Done en plein air. Same location as yesterday's painting just in a different area.  Nice and simple.  Looking at it now there are more techniques I could have tried... next time :)

Plein Air- Point Mugu

Point Mugu

watercolor and paper

  9 x 12

 Done en plein air.  I had some time to kill before meeting my husband for lunch and it was a beautiful day so I decided to try painting at the beach.  I love how layering the paint gives it more and more depth.  I also love the texture I created in the water.  I didnt paint the waves as well as I would have liked.  Ive never really tried to paint them before so I think it was a good attempt.  I will probably paint this scene again one of these days.  

From My Graden- Yellow Rose & Purple Posies

 

From My Garden- Yellow Rose

watercolor and paper

  9 x 12

 As a present to myself I bought the En Plein Air Pro's "Advanced Series" Watercolor System Package and some new professional grade watercolors (mostly M.Graham and Winsor & Newton).  It was beautiful this morning and my garden is in full bloom.  This was painted from life en plein air.  I love the bright vibrant colors I am able to achieve with the new paints.  

 From My Garden- Purple Posies 

watercolor and paper

  9 x 9

 Another painting I did this morning.  The yellows in the background inspired me to do Yellow Rose.  I chose this composition because I really liked the contrast of the purple flower over the yellow flowers. 

FINALS- Sculpture- Scream, Beautiful Dragon-Like Honeybee, Whale Tail, Coral

Scream

painted clay

 ~12 inches tall

 Continuing with my first project for Sculpture 1.  I added a little bit or red to the cheeks and ears and darkened the shirt.  

Scream was created from Amaco Self Hardening gray and white clay.  An additive technique was used to build up the forms of the sculpture.  The texture was created through the natural building and molding of the clay with my hands and with the tools. The size is just about life-size and the contrast is created from the deeper areas of the face and through the use of color.  The colors and expression were inspired from Edvard Munch's painting The Scream.        The eye is drawn through the piece by the line of the shirt. Also by the details that surround the piece like the ears on the sides of the head and the facial features.

The intention of Scream was to create a life size 3 dimensional portrait of Edvard Munch's The Scream.  My goal was to capture the facial expression but to make it more true to life.
I feel the strength is in the subtle and transparent colors.  Some of the modeling of the facial features could have been done better but as a whole the piece has a good consistent style.  If I was to redo this piece I would probably go a bit more abstract with it and stay more true to my inspiration.  I would elongate the forms more to give it more emotion.  Overall I think it is a successful piece.

Beautiful Dragon Like Honeybee

 bronze

 ~ 8 inches

 For Sculpture 1.  Beautiful Dragon-Like Honeybee is made out of bronze.  To create this piece I first sculpted my idea out of wax.  That sculpture was then sent to a foundry to be cast into bronze. My main tool for creating the wax sculpture was my hands.  I loved playing with and molding the wax.  The smaller details were done with pointed tools.  The color was created by dipping the sculpture into a cold patina (Liver of Sulfer) bath.  Once I achieved the darkness I desired I wiped off excess patina to create highlights.  The size is larger then life and the contrast if from the dark areas of the patina and the light areas of the highlights. 

The eye is drawn through and around the piece by all of the different lines.  There are the stamens in the center that bring the eye into the flower and then the petals that originate from the center and grow out and curl under.  The presence of the Dragon-Like Honeybee give the eye a place to rest and also creates an area of interest.

The intention of the piece is to bring to life an abstract idea.  Dragon-Like Honeybees do not exist so I created one.  Then I wanted to give the bee a setting and to tie in the word "beautiful" so I created a flower for him to rest on.  This piece is meant to be beautiful but odd.
I think the strengths are in the forms of the flower.  The stamens turned out well and I love the texture on the petals.  The bee could use a little work.  The legs nor the wings cast the way I would have liked but I do believe there in beauty in those imperfections.  Next time I would maybe not included the bee or spend more time working out the structure of his wings and legs.

 Whale Tail

clay

 ~ 12 inches

The sculpture Whale Tail was created from Amaco Self Hardening Clay. The main tool used to build this sculpture was my hands. The scale is much smaller then life size.  The texture was created through the way I applied the color.  The color was created through a series of poured washes.  The splatters were a way to add contrast to all of the drips. Contrast is also in the lights and the darks of the color.
The eye is drawn through the piece but the color drips and the lines of the tail.  The backbone juts up into the piece and the the fins move out from there.

The intention of the piece was to create a visual representation of a poem I wrote about my husbands and my courtship, our personal myth.  In that poem I describe the place where our friendship became love and wanted to represent that place through sculpture. 
I think the strength is in the painting.  I love the different layers of color and how they create movement.  A weakness would be the fins and how fragile they are.  They broke on me 4 different times.  Next time I would probably try to make the fins thicker so that they would not break so easily.

Coral

plaster carving

approx 10 inches

Coral is an abstracted idea of what coral is created from plaster. The tools used were a hammer, a chisel, a surform, a metal scraper, a dremel tool, and a power drill.  The texture of the piece is smooth on the "front" and textured on the "back."  This texture was created but taking a pointed tool and dragging it across the surface. There is also the texture if the holes that was created by drilling into the sculpture.  The process began with a block of plaster and then I used a subtractive technique to chisel away at the plaster to create my desired form.  The color is the white of the plaster with a little bit of yellow dye mixed in.  The sculpture is about 8 inches tall.  Contrast is created in the smooth surface of the front and the textured surface of the back.  Also there is contrast created by the holes and the directions of the forms.
 The eye is drawn through Coral by the lines of the forms.  The right form moves left and back while the middle form comes forward and the left form creates a nice flowing s-shape.  The sculpture has a different view form every angle.

The intent of this piece was to create a simplification or a representation of something from the natural world.  Coral is an amazing organism that sustains so much life and comes in so many different shapes, sizes and colors.  
The biggest strength of Coral is the holes.  They create so much interest and texture.  This piece would be very different without the holes.  I think I could have made some of the forms a little but stronger.  Next time I would spend more time working on the shapes of the coral forms.  

 

FINAL- Coral

Coral

plaster carving

approx 10 inches

 For Sculpture 1.  Abstract sculpture in plaster.  All I have to say is thank god for power tools.  This sculpture would have taken me a year without them.  You cant see it too well in the photo but the "front" of the sculpture is smooth while the "back" is textured.  

FINAL- Welcome to Hollywood

Welcome to Hollywood

mixed media on linen

For Mixed Media Painting & Drawing.  My final project.  These were super fun to do.  I began last night with dying papers with Sangria but that was too sticky and I wansnt getting dark enough color.  I then decided to brew a ton of black tea and that worked much better.  My living room was covered in wet paper.  I had the song "Hollywood" by Madonna stuck in my head for some reason as I was dying the paper and my idea for this piece started to form.  I had so much inspiration for this that I didnt want to go to bed but I realized I had to because all of my cool papers needed time to dry.

The first one was actually an accident.  The second one was my original idea but when I went to print it out I was all out of magenta ink and my fancy printer wouldnt let me print in color until I replaced the magenta.  So I printed it out anyway in black and white and used it to experiment with the image transfer technique.  I liked it so much that I decided to incorporate it into my final. 

 

These are made from- black tea, computer paper, Reeves BFK paper, photo paper image transfer, watercolor, acrylic, blue ink, fire, monotype (it is hard to see but it is there :), linen, and green thread.

I hope you enjoy viewing these as much as I enjoyed making them :)

Your Art Here- H&M T-Shirt Design Contest

So just for fun I entered this

into H&M's T-Shirt Design Contest.

If you have a minute I would love if you could go to http://www.yourarthere.com/entry/snow-robin/ and vote for Snow Robin.

Thank you! Thank you!

FINALS- EEP AHOE B UE or Bumper-stickers and Beautification, Harrods Gelato, Offering

 EEP AHOE B UE or Bumper-stickers and Beautification WIP 

oil on canvas

  40 x 30

 For Surrealism, Stylization & Expression.  The final project. Create a surrealist painting. Done!  Thank goodness.  No more surrealism for me.  Previous step. 

 

 Harrods Gelato

oil on canvas

  48 x 36

 For Surrealism, Stylization & Expression.  I went back into this and fixed some issues with it.  There was a tangent between the table and the glass so I moved the table down I also worked a little more on the lower half.  Previous step.   

 

 Offering

oil on wood

  27 x 24

 For Surrealism, Stylization & Expression.  I went back into this and fixed the face.  I still dont love it but it is better then it was before.  Previous step.   Reference. 

Beautiful Dragon Like Honeybee

Beautiful Dragon Like Honeybee

 bronze

 ~ 8 inches

 For Sculpture 1.  This began in wax then I sent it to school to be cast in bronze.  I received it a few days ago and to complete the assignment I patina-ed it today.  Not all of the areas casted as I would have liked but that is ok.  It adds to the beauty I guess :) This thing is also super heavy.  I have nicknamed it "the paperweight."  No idea what I am going to do with it now that I am done with it.  Maybe it will live in my bathroom?  Previous step.

Here is another view-

On another note, the semester is almost over.  The amount of work I need to finish in the next week (ACK!) is insane.  I need to clone myself.  

I have also signed up for Summer Semester.  I shall be taking Landscape Painting and Designing Careers.  I am actually pretty excited for both of them. 

Questions:  Do you like bronze sculpture?  What are you looking forward to this summer?

More Coral WIP

Coral (wip)

plaster carving

approx 10 inches

 For Sculpture 1.  Abstract sculpture in plaster. The larger piece of this maquette.  I made huge amounts of progress on this today.  I still need to thin some of the areas a bit and then us a dremel tool to add the holes.  Previous step. 

Here is the view from the back-

 I love the lines from the back :)

If You Hear A Voice

If You Hear A Voice 

mixed media on board

  15 x 11

For Mixed Media Painting & Drawing. This is soo awesome!! I really enjoyed the process in creating this piece and I even ended up with a nice product.  It is layers of tissue paper (from Teavana), fancy paper, card stock with the quote, yellow ochre and burnt umber acrylic (finger painted on!), and gold dust.  The focal point of this piece is a quote from Van Gogh- "If you hear a voice withing you say 'you cannot paint,' by all means paint and that voice will be silenced."  I have a wall of art quotes hanging in my studio and this is the first one that spoke to me today.  Since this was so successful maybe I will turn all of my quotes into art!

WIP- Whale Tail, Bumper Stickers and Beautification

 Whale Tail WIP

clay

 ~ 12 inches

 For Sculpture 1.  Create a sculpture around your personal mythology.  This piece symbolize where mine and my husbands friendship strengthened and where our romance began.  I decided I didnt want to put a hole in it so I didnt.  This is still a Work in Progress as I need to reattach (again!) part of the tail that broke off.
Soo this personal myth sculpture has been the most difficult project of this class.  The fins have broken 4 times.  The left one broke and I fixed it and then it broke again in a different spot while I was fixing the right side.  I fixed the right side and all seemed well until while I am painting it it breaks again in the same spot.  I used a 5 minute epoxy to fix them.
But there is a silver lining! I love the way I painted this.  I used watered down acrylic and poured each color over the sculpture. My process- Pour a color, let it dry, pour another color, let it dry, take the mixture of those colors and pour again,  repeat steps until all 10 original color mixes have been poured.  It took me at least 3 hours of pouring and waiting, but the final product was totally worth it.
Previous step.  

 Bumper Stickers and Beautification WIP 

oil on canvas

  40 x 30

 For Surrealism, Stylization & Expression.  The final project. Create a surrealist painting.  Soo not what I do. Way out of my comfort zone with this. I have begun to add the actors and I have hated almost every minute of it.  As I told one of my classmates,  I have had such a had time wrapping my head around this.  The other projects have caused me to loosen up but for whatever reason this one has me all wound up.  On the bright side I did get a lot done with this today.  My motto for this piece is "do it so you can be done with it." :)  

My next step is too add words.  I need to wait a few days for it to dry before I can do that though.
I was going to make the sphere to look like the earth but I am kind of liking the way it looks right now.  I may just leave it as it is.  The flower needs a bit more work.
Previous step.

Boat, Scream WIP

Boat

pastel on board

  11 x 14

For Mixed Media Painting & Drawing.  Previous step. Pastel, watercolor, oil paint and pastels.  Reference is from my step brother to be who is currently studying in Scotland. 

 

Scream WIP

painted clay

 ~12 inches tall

 Continuing with my first project for Sculpture 1. I did a dry brushed coat of a light orange and it was too light so I went over that with the same blue green as the base coat.  It looks better but it still needs something. I think I need to make the shirt darker and add some lighter areas to the face. Previous step.

Coral WIP

Coral (wip)

plaster carving

approx 10 inches

 For Sculpture 1.  Abstract sculpture in plaster. The larger piece of this maquette.  So I had a break through while working on this today.  I was using a rubber mallet and that wasnt getting me very far so I just started hacking at it with the chisel.  After about 15 minutes my arm began to hurt so my father in law suggested that I use a metal hammer and hold the head of it in my hand.  Volia it worked! I feel like I accomplished a lot on this today but I still have a ways to go. Previous step.

Path, Entrance, WIP- Boat

 Path

mixed media on board

  14 x 11

For Mixed Media Painting & Drawing.  Finished.  I love love love the way this turned out. Pastel, watercolor, tombow pen, pastel, oil pastel and paint.  Previous step.  Reference is from my step brother to be who is currently studying in Scotland.

Entrance

mixed media on board

  11 x 14

For Mixed Media Painting & Drawing.  Finished.  Not my favorite but it still turned out well. Pastel, watercolor, tombow pen, oil pastel and paint.  Previous step. Reference is from my step brother to be who is currently studying in Scotland.

Here are some progress shots-

Boat WIP 

pastel on board

  11 x 14

For Mixed Media Painting & Drawing.  This is just the first step of many to come.  Drawn with pastel and sealed with Matte Medium.  The next step is to come in with watercolor and the get into oil media. Reference is from my step brother to be who is currently studying in Scotland.

WIPs- Path, Entrance

 Path WIP

pastel on board

  14 x 11

For Mixed Media Painting & Drawing.  This is just the first step of many to come.  Drawn with pastel and sealed with Matte Medium.  The white streaks are where I poured the Matte Medium on the board.  Bad idea.  I also think I needed to let the fixative dry more before I sealed it.  The next step is to come in with watercolor and the get into oil media. Reference is from my step brother to be who is currently studying in Scotland. 

  Entrance WIP

pastel on board

  11 x 14

For Mixed Media Painting & Drawing.  This is just the first step of many to come.  Drawn with pastel and sealed with Matte Medium.  The next step is to come in with watercolor and the get into oil media. Reference is from my step brother to be who is currently studying in Scotland. 

Floral Anthology Exhibition

My piece "Roses are Red" was accepted into the Studio Channel Islands "Floral Anthology" juried exhibition!! This is the first time I have ever entered a show! My work, as well as many other amazing floral pieces, will be on display from May 7-28 with the opening reception being on May 7th from 4-6. For more info click here--->http://studiochannelislands.org/2011/03/22/call-to-artists-floral-anthology/

Scream WIP, Backside, Dioxazine Purple, Raw Seinna, Ultramarine Blue

Scream WIP

clay

 ~12 inches tall

 Continuing with my first project for Sculpture 1. The next step is painting him.  This is the base coat.  Because I used self hardening clay I had to seal  him with clear gesso before I painted him.  This is two thin washes of blue green.  Next I am not sure If I will continue with thin washes or switch to a dry brush technique.  Maybe I will do both.  We will see.  Previous step.

Backside

Oil Mixed Media on Canvas paper

  16 x 10

For Mixed Media Painting and Drawing.  Using a wipe out technique.  You paint the whole canvas with thinned down oils and then wipe out the areas you want to be white.  Not my favorite technique as it is not exact enough for me and I dont like getting the oil paint all over.  I did wear gloves but I still didnt like it.  Reference.

Here are a few more I did using the same technique:

 Dioxazine Purple

Oil Mixed Media on Canvas paper

  16 x 10

Reference.

Raw Sienna

Oil Mixed Media on Canvas paper

  16 x 10 

Reference. 

Ultramarine Blue 

Oil Mixed Media on Canvas paper

  16 x 10

 Reference.