Redeeming the Poetry Painting

I'm ready to recycle this painting - maybe a gallon of

nice white paint will fix it for me or a gallon of gasoline and a match!
But, I am not a quitter.

I'm sure this painting can be redeemed.

What is the biggest obstacle for me?

The thought of a realistic painting?

Landscape realism is not what I like to paint -

what was I thinking?

So - being true to myself - I'm making changes.

I've added a pattern to the path between the trees.

A checkerboard path which ends up

looking like a painted canvas rug. Perfect.

Still boring and empty - no focus.

I've added a string of banners which seem

to fit with the new canvas rug.

A banner of leaves and acorns from the trees

and the color blue that peaks between the branches and leaves.

Poetry Painting

Juried Art Exhibit

ART & POETRY

I am entering this juried art show at the York Art Association in York, PA. I have to create a painting based on a poem. I am not a big poetry aficionado - but I do remember the tree poem that my mom quoted so often as I was growing up:

Trees ~ by Joyce Kilmer - 1913

So, I decided to go out on a limb - way out - and
paint a realistic tree painting.
a fall painting with the red and orange leaves.
who doesn't love the fall foliage?

A 30 x 30" canvas support painted dark purple and
some pictures of fall foliage. Ready to start . . .

I've got miles to go and already this painting is becoming a chore.

I don't know about this - it's just not working for me . . . .

It's just so boring or what - no glue - no collage - no surprise - I don't know?

 

Trees

~ Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Watercolor Teapots

Paintings for the Riverview Gallery

I have a small limited space for this Gallery, but I like to bring a diverse
selection of paintings for them to choose from.

So for this final painting, I decided to take my father's advice and paint something people might actually like. Needless to say, he is not a fan of my mixed media!

So - a watercolor would be the appropriate choice. The subject matter - well,
these teapot Xmas ornaments made from a painting in my sketchbook,
I'm sure they'll be perfect for this painting.
And of course - a little colored pencil is a must!

Colored Pencil Paper Cutting Collages

Paintings for the Riverview Gallery

Two more paintings using my original colored pencil illustrations and still limiting the palette and collage paper.

My paper cutting - a very primitive form of scherenschnitte - even though it was time consuming, I love the effect. I used high quality colored paper on these collages with the kids. The angel painting from the previous post has paper cutting from a lunch bag.

Colored Pencil Angel Collage

Paintings for the Riverview Gallery
Back to my comfort zone - collage.

Striving to keep it simple, I am using gallery wrapped canvas for the support - my own original colored pencil art for collage and just a few collage papers, sheets of music, tissue paper and hand made paper cuttings. I've even planned to keep my palette to a minimum.

My first set of collages are of angels. You can see there are two angel drawings, the second collage did not make the cut.

Paintings for the Riverview Gallery

COWS COWS COWS

Mini Collages on 4 x 4 gallery wrapped canvases.

The cows are prints from my original art.

Added more collage and acrylic paint with the cow.

The sides were painted and antique music paper was added.

On the back I added a bingo card, cut a little door

that when opened, you see a face.

I think these little square boxy canvases are

meant to sit on a surface rather than hang.

That's why I decorate the entire canvas - front & back.

For added decoration, I added a wire beaded handle,

which could also be used for hanging -

but the cows are already floating,

don't you think hanging would be a bit too much?

Dancing Ducks in Colored Pencils

An interruption to my painting agenda - an Illustration request. My neighborhood, Forest Lakes, 

is hosting a fund-raising dinner dance.

I am doing the illustrations for the ticket and posters.

The name of the event is:

Moonlight Dinner Dance - so what could be more appropriate than Fred Astair ducks dancing

against the moon!

The fund raiser is to help save our lakes, so I drew border art with some of the critters who live in our water.

The end of the Sketchbook Journal

The last page of the Sketchbook/Journal.

Finished it with a pretty girl with white hair

I love to draw white hair.

I left the white space be white space

The little colored pencil sketch on black paper is a technique I wanted to try.

I was sure I would lose the sketch, so I taped it on this page.

No significance.

Not sure where to go from here.

I'd like to start another sketchbook - maybe with collages

But, before I play - I must work -

My Riverview Gallery contract requires some new work

So - new work it must be . . . .

Here are two pretty girls who spent some time at the Riverview Gallery

www.riverviewgallerymd.com

Sketchbook Journal page Purses and bags

One last ball point pen drawing

for the sketcbook.

I've been asked so many time - "why did you put feet on that, or eyes, or hands."

My answer, "Do I want to draw a purse or a pile of purses - just purses?"

"No - so boring! But - do I want to put teeth and lips on that purse?"

"Yes Yes Yes"

WHY?

Because it's interesting and fun. Does there have to be a better reason than that?

Art can often be a "self-portrait" - a glimpse into the

person behind the brush.

oops! did I divulge too much?

Sketchbook Journal Cat page

COLORFUL CATS

While I had the Watercolors out

I thought I would attempt another

color sketch.

I'm sure the idea of these cats belongs to someone else. If I remember correctly in the original art the cats had plumbing on their insides. I apologize for borrowing your idea. My intention was not to copy or steal.

"We borrow from each other,
learn from each other,
and in the end we all grow."
~ Mary Kuilema 

So - It is nearly time to put this sketchbook down for good. It has taken on a life of its own and possessed me. Even if I think of a good idea for a painting, I can't make it to the studio. Instead I gravitate to the sketchbook. I carry it around with me, never leaving it out of my sight.

I have immortalized the Sketchbook in this blog and shared it with whoever might pass by hoping to bring closure to this process. It has taken nearly a year of my life to get this far and even as I write this, I am thinking of more things I could draw in this book.

Am I crazy?