Saturday, December 11, 2010

Love is How . . . More Abstract Mixed Media!

Love is how . . .
abstract mixed media on 6x8" canvas board

This painting did not come out of me easily. Although I woke up yesterday with the vision for it in my head, knowing what photos I wanted to collage as well as the color palette I would use, to get it on canvas was quite another story! I used one of my photos with a heart in the sand. I used light molding paste along the edge and carved hearts into it. I laid down a first glaze of burnt sienna and then used payne's gray to make some shapes on top. I thought it looked awful but continued on to add my molding paste.

Then patience got the best of me and I couldn't wait for anything to dry! The more I tried to work additional layers onto the board the worse it got! And the more frustrated I became. It got to the point where I couldn't get anything to blend! After 2 hours of trying I finally walked away. I just couldn't get in the zone. I felt like I would never be able to paint the way I wanted to again. My mind was completely jumbled up.

Then after a few hours late at night I went back to it and tried again. And I was pleased to see that I could do it after all! And I continued with it until I felt it was finished.

The quote I used "Love it how you stay alive even after you are gone" is by Morrie Schwartz. It is one of my favorites.

And thanks to all of you for your great comments on my last post! I am excited to be trying out new things and your encouragement means so much!

6 comments:

  1. this is fantastic. i agree that sometimes you have to 'walk away' from a piece and then come back to it with a fresh eye before 'grief' turns into 'love'! glad you stuck with it - it's beautiful!

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  2. Oh, Cathy, you have been doing such great work!! I just checked back through everything I missed while being gone and I just love how you are sketching and painting!! Those eyes you draw are amazing... And I LOVE your latest abstract pieces - you know that I am a total glutton when it comes to texture!! :-) Love, Silke

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  3. One of the main things when using heavy layers of paste or gel is the drying time. There are some you can hurry along a bit with a hair dryer, but there are many others (like crackle paste) that just MUST be left alone to dry on their own. That one, depending on humidity and thickness can take a couple of DAYS.
    I always try to have some canvas to prime, or build texture on while waiting for these things to dry. (it is *white noise* to my creative brain...LOL!) I stay relaxed and in the zone, then feel okay with waiting.
    I think that is why mixed media folk usually have more than one thing going at once....drying time!
    Turned out lovely! Keep going!!!

    XXOO~~♥
    Anne

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  4. I know exactly what you mean about getting impatient, and I want to love it every step of the way. But it's good to know that you can keep covering up until your happy and actually this makes the piece even better, because of all the layers. Some artists put up to 40 layers on their work!! And it definitely works when you walk away for hours or a day and you'll see it in a whole new light. I'm glad you kept going.

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  5. Glad you pushed on through Cathy, it turned out really cool. I do the same thing. I don't have a ton of art time so I'm not very patient, that's why I love acrylics.
    Thanks for your kindness Cathy♥
    Much Love,
    jenny

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