It’s been a few weeks since my last post. Life has intruded. Creating a photo book of my son’s life so far for his 50th birthday was quite a challenge and a distraction. Lots of frustration due to impatience and lack of technical skills. I chose to do it in a powerpoint application rather than commercial software. This gave me more flexibility but no help desk. It was great to finish it and present it on his birthday.
Card made from collaged papers and paint
I feel like starting a new series of painting but am torn as to where to focus. I have been researching in recent months a semi abstract coastal theme so might pursue that. I thought I would do a review of my work using a mood/brain map, discovering that I have already seven themes/series on the go. So many ideas within these but I feel I should narrow the field and focus on maybe three.
My most recent work has been on a shapes theme; complex colourful background with negative shapes stencils over. I had four on the go and they all went in completely different directions; certainly only one went in planned direction. I like to paint intuitively and not control the outcome. They are shown below; two are rectangular 50 x 60cm and two are 50cm squares. The formats are quite different to work with.
No painting is ever finished for me so sometimes I have to call a halt or I have too much on the go. Even though I might have reservations someone else might love it and want to buy it.
In the online membership group Your Art Tribe we focussed in March on learning about collage. I rather enjoy printing on tissue paper from a gelli plate, direct paint transfer or digital images. This is then torn or cut into shapes which are applied with a medium onto the painting surface. The tissue become transparent.
I started my first concertina book; 12 pages measuring 3 metres wide and 25cm high. That has been very interesting. I have worked further on these than the photos show.
I would like to experiment with larger versions of collage and paint. Another theme!!
Sales have been slow this year so I was delighted to sell a small unframed still life at the Lady Franklin Gallery in March.
An arrangement 2
Now to focus on my themes for the next 3 months. Wish me luck!!
