Filed under: painting, printmaking | Tags: absract, art, artist, Paint, painting, printmaking, visual art
So, today was my last open print studio at Cambridge Adult Ed. It was great to spend time with Paula and Cindy (hello, if you’re reading this!!!). They are both accomplished artists, so I look to them for advice and suggestions. Today, Paula suggested that I try to incorporate my drawing skills (limited), with the abstract work that I am so interested in. As I struggled to think of something to “draw” today, I just looked around the studio for inspiration. We share the printmaking studio with clay, jewelry, and…woodworking! So, my subject today turned to the drill press. Yes…inspiration can truly be found anywhere. Here was my first print:
That’s slightly wonky, right? Anyway, when I did it in studio…I was not impressed. But now that I look at it again, it’s kind of interesting. Cindy remarked how one’s frame of mind really affects how we view our artwork. Old watercolor paintings that she had previously set aside were better than she remembered when looked at anew. Distance makes the heart grow fonder? Maybe. The second one:
I can’t really make a series about drill presses…as those are the only two that they have! Maybe a power tools series in general would be interesting…not sure what that’s all about.
I also worked on some VERY messy paintings. These were very fun…albeit a big mess. Here is the first one:
I know. Garish colors. I kind of like garish colors, though. I feel like that person on the current season of Project Runway who feels compelled to “BEDAZZLE” everything. If only I’d had some glitter… a detail:
Messy fun! Then, I did ANOTHER messy one. Seriously. You’ll see…blobs of paint everywhere…
I know…right? Another “hot mess”. Another Project Runway reference…I need to get a life. Detail:
Then I decided that less is definitely not more, so I did ANOTHER super chaotic one:
I know that if I was at school, a teacher would have taken away my paints by now. Boo!
Detail:
Doesn’t it look like the melted ice cream in the bottom of your bowl when you have slathered on a grotesque quantity of colored sprinkles? By the way…what ARE sprinkles anyway? Have you ever eaten them straight? They’re disgusting. Like little wax chips…and the chocolate ones are no better.
Okay…so tell me the truth about the messy “paintings”. (notice that “paintings” is in quotes). What do you think? Keep the messy stuff for when I’m eating ice cream only? Should I put away my paints permanently? Should I have my artistic license revoked? Hmpfh.
Wish me luck on that portrait show. I’ll break the good/bad news to you when I find out myself!
8 Comments so far
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slightly wonky 
Love, love, love the drill presses! The others are great too… so different.
Comment by lisa foster September 16, 2011 @ 9:19 pmOh, THANK YOU! That’s so kind of you!!!! I really appreciate it. Maybe I shouldn’t give up on the drillpress theme!
Comment by slightlywonky September 17, 2011 @ 8:18 amSomething about them reminds me of Jim Dine… the subject matter perhaps and the line quality. Power tools in general would be good. Then you could have a series.
Comment by lisa foster September 17, 2011 @ 12:56 pmJim Dine? Oooo…thank you! 🙂
Comment by slightlywonky September 17, 2011 @ 9:18 pmGood luck with the portraits and I hope to hear good news on my return from long trip up to Sydney..
Comment by Ruth September 20, 2011 @ 9:06 pmAlso love the presses and some of the colour in your very messy paintings.. Looks SUCH fun..
Hi Ruth!!! Thanks so much…as I mentioned in my more recent post…my painting teacher likened one of my “messy” paintings to a “shower curtain”. I’m sure that he wouldn’t have said that to Picasso. 🙂
Comment by slightlywonky September 21, 2011 @ 9:48 pmI love the power tool series idea, I bet there’s an audience out there for it.
So with the paintings, what’d you use? a palette knife? I imagine they require an obscene amount of paint. I bet that’s an expensive way to practice. I sure wish I were an art psycho-analyst, I really bet your paintings are trying to tell us something…I wonder what.
Comment by growingmuses September 21, 2011 @ 10:09 pmYes…a palette knife! I actually got all of my paints at 40% off…not bad, right? I think that my paintings are trying to convey my rebellion from my flying buttress, architecture world… 🙂
Comment by slightlywonky September 22, 2011 @ 2:15 pm