Additional Photos...

This is the side view showing the painted edge.

The Finished Piece... Grapes in the Dew

I found myself in the creative spirit and decided to finish the piece. I didn't stop to take pictures for fear that the moment would pass. Things have been so busy here and I have been working on this painting for quite a while that I thought it was time to bring this project to a close.

The final steps involved were:

1. adding the white highlighting circles to the top

2. adding the white circles to the bottom

3. adding a glossy varnish to the bottom only making the top a distinct matte up again the gloss of the bottom

4. painting the sides of the canvas

I hope you like the finished painting. Let me know what you guys think.

The bottom...

The bottom of the painting really needed a color to make it pop. I decided on various shades of red with some metallic bronze highlights. Here is the beginning of this layering process.

Inspiration...

What inspires you in your creative endeavors? I enjoy looking at other artist's paintings but find inspiration everywhere. I love fabric, there are so many designs and colors that I often see them as works of art instead of just being a functional material. Music and literature often evoke mental pictures for me that I try to translate into paint on canvas. Where do you find your creative inspiration?

Circles...

I have painted in some brown circles with yellow and pear colored highlights. To me, this painting just needed some circles.

Tinting the white...

I added a little yellow ochre to the white paint to give it an antiqued look.

Now on to the shape of the painting...

I used white paint to add shape to the canvas. It is with this layer that the original idea of the painting is beginning to develop.

Back Again...

Sorry to have been away for so long, but I am back and painting again. Here is the painting showing one more layer of glaze to mute the colors. Now I am off to paint the next layer.

A Must Read...

I have been reading through some blogs lately, looking at art and getting some much needed summer inspiration, when I came across one in particular that will stay with me forever. This blog houses a story of a life interrupted and a life gained,  a triumph of love and spirit, and the support of family and friends where "giving" is a natural action and not ever a conscious thought. I have found the inspiration I needed here, please read:

http://www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/ 

Another layer of paint...

This picture shows the next step which is a little bit of red paint added to the bottom. This will be smoothed out later in the process blending the colors better.

Next...

Next, I added a layer of white glaze to the entire canvas. 

Third Layer of Paint

Now, I have muted the two colors a bit by adding a layer of brown glaze. This will blend the colors a little better as well as help to define the lines made by the texture medium.

The Second Layer of Paint

I wanted to incorporate some yellow into the painting and so added a second layer of paint with the color yellow oxide. I wanted to leave some of the grey exposed and will blend the colors at a later time. I love yellow and grey together.

The First layer of Paint

I decided to go with a layer of grey paint for the under color. This layer of paint is starting to make visible the lines made by the texture medium underneath.

From Start To End

I am working on a new painting and thought it would be a great idea to share with you my process from start to end. I have an idea of how I would like this piece to turn out, but, my plan is to just go with the flow. I am going to paint with each step of the process leading me into the next. This is fun for me, because I may end up with something entirely different than what I had in mind originally. I sometimes like to paint this way, a sort of creative brainstorming documented in a finished work of art on canvas.

This first picture is of a plain white canvas on which I have layered a texture medium.

Some Information...

I was approached recently by some people interested in purchasing art with questions as to what certain descriptions mean when a painting is listed for sale. I thought that these were good questions and that some of you may have also wondered about these same things. So, I have decided to post these questions and their answers.

1. What is Gallery Wrapped Canvas? - gallery wrapped canvas simply means that the canvas is pulled around the sides with the staples holding it in place positioned in the back so as not to be seen. The type of canvas with the staples showing on the sides is what is known as "student grade"canvas.
2. What is a varnish? - a varnish is a final layer of paint that is applied to a finished piece of art work to protect it from dust and pollutants as well as sun exposure. The varnish enables a painting to be wiped clean with a very damp cloth removing any dust that has collected on the surface.
3. What is "professional grade" paint? - professional grade paint is a paint that contains more pigments and less fillers than student grade paint. More pigments means a more stable and richer color while maintaining the specific color's brightness or opaqueness. Professional grade paints are more expensive than student grade.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Perfect Paint Syndrome

Have you ever heard of perfect prose syndrome? This is when writers are afraid to put that first word or phrase down on paper for fear that it may not be perfect at first try. We all know, of course, that there is such a thing as a rough draft that can be tweaked and refined until it becomes perfect. But, there is still that fear nonetheless.  I think that artists also experience this same sort of fear with their work and projects. For example, I am starting a new painting today and have found myself staring at a blank canvas with paint by my side and paintbrush in hand. What is keeping me from making that very first brush stroke? Maybe it is perfect paint syndrome.

When this happens, I often wonder if Jackson Pollock or Mark Rothko ever experienced this same fear. You can never tell by their end products, as it looks, to me, that they just went with the flow of creation and put all other thoughts out of their minds. I think this is what makes an abstract painting so mysterious, because the calculating and planning of the piece doesn't usually show in the work itself. Any observer will wonder how and why a certain piece was created. Which is why artist's often get asked the question "What were you thinking about when you created this or that piece?" Well, it is time to get over the perfect paint fear and put brush to canvas.  Happy painting!

How To Look At Abstract Art

Art, to me, is very personal. Certain colors evoke special feelings and emotions for different people. A brush stroke applied with paint to canvas in a specific manner can relay a subtle meaning to the observer that someone else might miss. This is why art is so special, one piece has as many meanings as there are people looking at it. Because of this, when asked what to look for in a piece of abstract art, I always tell people to go with whatever pleases their senses the most. You are going to be living with and around the artwork that you choose, so choose something that, in all simplicity, you like to look at and makes you happy.

There are those, however, that want more specific guidelines. For those of you who would like a more technical explanation, this is for you:

Principles of Art:

• Movement- is your eye drawn around the canvas and not in just one spot? Do you get a sense of action or movement from the colors and brushstrokes?
  
• Unity- do you get a sense of completion? Does the painting come together full circle?
• Variety- is there a contrast between the different colors? Are there different shapes and sizes of these shapes to add depth?
• Balance- is the piece symmetrical or asymmetrical? Does one side or area overpower the others?
• Emphasis- is there a focal point that draws your attention?
• Contrast- is there diversity within the piece? Is the piece arranged so as to show contrasts between each element?
• Proportion- how do the smaller of the sizes of elements in the piece compare to those of the larger sizes?
• Pattern- this correlates to movement; is there a pattern that emerges giving the piece a sense of movement?

Although these principles of art are universal, what you see may not be what the next person would. So, even using these technical guidelines, your evaluations will be coming from a collection of your own personal experiences thus making the beauty of any piece uniquely yours.

Hello and Welcome!

Hello everyone. Thanks for visiting my brand new blog. I am excited to finally have this site up and running and to share with you my work, thoughts, and experiences.

My name is Stacey and I am an artist. I have been painting for many years and absolutely love what I do. I am the mother of three adorable boys and am a proud Navy spouse. Please take a look around and feel free to comment on what you see. I look forward to talking with you all!!