Time to Throw in the Towel....really.

or in this case, throw out the block of wood. I am at an impasse that has no forward movement with this one. I had set it aside for quite some time, and kept generating ideas to change what I had done (that wasn't gelling) as well as new elements to incorporate (which weren't gelling).
Something I recently did to it  was to scribble some wax onto various areas beneath the tree canopy, and go for a crayon resist look. My thought was ....rain...storm...darkness, etc....that would show up in the background once I had applied  blackish wash, and hopefully bring together some of the elements in the bottom section of the piece. I'm still really liking the tree canopy, so I didn't want to disturb that, but the mermaid was not coming along-regardless of whether I tried to pencil or paint her in. A last ditch effort was made to actually cover her up- and I got allot of smeary stuff going on instead. Lastly, the black tint wash was applied....which did nothing but make this piece look like  it was left out in the rain, and then dumped in a puddle.

Too bad. It' s a real nice block of wood, and a real nice idea. Yet with each new idea that I had, each new expression that I thought for sure would really change the piece for the better, it just muddied it up even more. Still,  I think each of the elements, in and of themselves, are like mini artworks. But in bringing it all together, for a cohesive whole ...well,  I just couldn't work it out. I think a massive scraping is in order, so that I can at least save the foundation and the' heart 'of this- for something better and even more beautiful and creative. It would be a shame for it to be firepit fodder.

I'm heeding the work's main message..... really.

Some more

More on the 4X4 this past weekend. I'm getting happy people! Though the absolute freezing freaking COLD is deterring me from painting (because it's in the garage). I checked the weather site and it will continue to be this cold all week. Painting with gloves on is not the greatest, but I will have to do it I guess.

 So, I really like the way the wood grain is showing through now. It adds a texture to this piece that is unexpected, but I think because of it's size, it's ok- it kinda adds another dimension to it. What is annoying however, is hitting one of those ridges with the paint brush unexpectedly- and all of a sudden I've got a bump or a bulge that I wasn't ready for, and that needs correcting. The other REALLY annoying thing is how I cannot seem to position my photos on this blog the way that I want to!!!! Which is why you hafta scroll down to see the rest. I guess I get an "F" in the layout. But seriously, if you can help me out here, I'd really appreciate it!

These funky ladies are my favorites so far. They are definitely mermaid legends, rockin' in the under sea world, instinctively steering clear of  Captain Hook and his Jolly Rogers - but always on the lookout for Peter Pan.

Night Flight & Sea's Delight, or How the Mermaids found their way....

Soul sparkin' goodness completed, the finishing seal applied, these girls rock in the undersea-world, and have friends on the other side....(who do I think I am? Freakin' Ed Hardy??)

I received a message from my brother across the water,

He sat laughin' as he wrote the end's in sight.

So I said goodbye to all my friends

and I packed my hopes inside a matchbox

'cause I know it's time to fly.

I jumped a train that never stops,

So now somehow I'll know I never finished payin' for my ride.

Just n' someone pushed a gun into my hand

Tell me I'm the type of man to fight the fight that I'll require....

We are in the middle of a change in destination,

When the train stops all together we will smile.

Fly now baby...Get to fly, yeah.

He's Got A Rider....

the seahorse, that is. I created the mermaid with colored pencils and then exacto-ed her out and onto the seahorse and the main piece. I've included her 'naked' photo too...thought it was kinda cool the way the simplicity of her outline contrasted with the pencils. I snapped that one when trying to decide on colors for her body. It's coming along...

They Are Done!

I'm happy to say that despite in the mayhem in my world over the last few weeks, I did  manage to complete one painting, my Mermaids. A few  waves painted here, and a little glitter added there, and viola! This is one of my mixed media pieces that is complete, right down to it's sparkly finishing touches.

 

Of course, it is those very sparkly finishing touches, plus my lack of finesse with my camera that hinder you from really seeing some if the details, but hey, I'm sure you get the general idea. I'm thinking of a way to 'seal' the whole piece with out dulling over the glitter, and I'm thinking that my old friend modge podge will do it, as long as I take care to paint around the glitter areas. I thought of spraying too, with a fixative, but not sure how that would work out. Any ideas as to what kind of sealants work best for mixed media pieces?

two new figures

So, I added two figures to my unfinished mermaid collage, and no, it makes no sense (in terms of composition and perspective), but these ladies needed to be here . This mixed media piece is now 'experimental'...wasn't sure how it was going, just kinda rolled with it, and it probably still isn't finished yet - BUT I did get to play around with textures on canvas, and as you know, I really like the theme. I'm finding, like so many things in my life, sometimes I just have to let it go, not analyze, and just 'see'.

My biggest lament is the shiny canvas from glue from my previous cut paper waves. Might have to cover that up with paint somehow..we'll see!

jumping back into the water

Well, I’ve finally got my hallway back after a clearing out the last of the Christmas decorations, and rearranging all my art stuff back where it belongs. The hallway used to be my kid’s playroom when they were wee bambinos, and I claimed it as ‘mine’ about 18 months ago. It is actually much wider than a standard hallway, and makes for a nice work area (except it is carpeted, so I really must be careful when painting in there, and the ceiling slopes downward toward the front of the house, so a standard easel can’t fit very well…) and despite all the adjustments I make to work in there, it is the only spot in my entire house that is just for me - so I love it, quirks and all.

When de-cluttering it, I found my mermaid artwork. This was a favorite theme in the summer of 2008, and I explored the topic through reading all about them, and getting information on famous mermaid paintings. I did some mixed media stuff and a watercolor, but like so many of my works that I started around that time, I moved on to other things before I finished them. Allot of what I started was a prelude to my daughter’s journal cover, which is here too. 

So, one of my projects for 2010 will be to finish these swimming beauties. As I mentioned in my very first post, I’d like to show the works in progress, and then as finished pieces. The two that I’m hoping to get done are my watercolor and my mixed media painting. 

It bears noting that this ceramic creation- another mermaid work of art – was purchased at the annual Beach Plum Festival at Island Beach State Park, (by artist Linda J.King) in 2007, but it continues to give me a bit of creative inspiration each day…because this little mermaid has become the pull chain decoration on my nightstand lamp!