Free Styling

These two paintings are more about Enlightenment of the Soul. I had no general idea about the direction the first painting was going to take, I did it on automatic pilot, I did not think it through, it was free styling.

Some people mentioned the color pallet of Gauguin, and yes the bright colors are sort of Gauguinish, I never consciously thought about it. Exploring with effects and the texture of acrylics, acrylic paint can be a fun medium to play with, its fast drying and its interaction with either water or gel medium can be challenging. I particularly enjoy some of the accidents that can happen when you over work an area, it can create some particular effects.

These two pieces were more of an exercise to open the channel of creativity. Amazing surprises can emerge from freedom of expression. Not over thinking or analyzing the intention of a piece is liberating. The first piece above really express that freedom of gesture and expression, you can see in the second piece that the mental interfered with the flow and that it is more static. Even though I was working with the same pallet the brush strokes are more controlled, like I am trying to impose an idea or a direction to the piece.

When you are in that special creative zone, in that moment without expectations, things happen. Then as you let the mental or ego come in your special place, it starts to shrink and it translates by altering your brushstrokes.

I love those special moments and I cherish them, instinctively I am also more attached to those pieces that have been created from it. I wish there was an automatic button I could push that could take me there every time I pick up my brushes.

I look forward to my next ZONE IN...

STUFF and MORE STUFF

Haven't really thought about space

Because growing up, I had none

Lived in a 1 bedroom apartment

with Grandma and her brother

He had the only bedroom

While I shared the sofa with Grandma

I didn't mind, didn't know better

Now that I am thinking about it

I find myself wondering

Where did she put my stuff

I must of had stuff, I was a kid!

I don't remember having a dresser.

We had a couch, a television set, a kitchen table

an end table and where was the rest of the stuff?

All in One big closet?

We lived there for 3 or 4 years

Then we moved to a bigger place

3 bedrooms

my first time having my own bedroom

so I thought...

But she wouldn't have it.

Got twin beds in the one bedroom

Her brother got the other one

She closed off the spare bedroom

Cutting cost down on heating.

Privacy? I never had it.

Stuff, I could not keep any.

Eventually, I moved out.

I had no clue and no stuff.

Then over the years

After 3 kids, stuff happened

Lots of stuff...

Then they moved out

Gave them their and some of my stuff

I finally got a big house

Filled it with lots of books and more stuff

Got 2 dogs to replace the kids

Now, there is just too much stuff

To many books, to many papers, clothes

Knick knacks, art supplies and whatever else.

Not a hoarder just a keeper.

I have a box full of Special Occasion Cards

Given to me or the kids, 30 years worth,

All my journals since I was 12,

Boxes of pictures and many photo albums,

My grandma's and my mother's albums

A drawer full of pens, pencils and whatever,

A couple boxes of various papers and odd things,

I hope to use in a special project, like collage or something.

I hang on to things just in case...

I always think I may need it one day.

I managed to give or throw away some of it,

but somehow, other stuff finds its way to my house.

Am I making up for all those years

Of no stuff?

I love my stuff, my books, my art supplies, the pieces of rope,

the jar of buttons, plastic bands, my journals, the pictures, my knitting kit,

and every single objects I have collected over the years.

So why is there a part of me that wants to get rid of it all?

Maybe there is a part in me that misses the lightness of having no stuff...

Graffiti Wall, Maybe...

A bit of foolishness in the air, I decided to just let go and see what would come out of it, and there you have it: Graffiti Wall, Maybe. I know it is far from conventional graffiti and furthermore it is on a canvas and not on a real wall.

I just decided to play with it, incorporated words with Stick Man and Stick Woman along with Stick Dog, why not? Butterflies and music notes. Somehow the colors are pleasing to the eyes and the content draws you in so you can find some details or messages.

Just a fun piece to loosen up with so I can go back to the serious stuff. Now, what does it mean...serious stuff? There are so many artists out there trying to break through, so many different styles and original ideas, sometimes it makes me wonder why I am doing this, and what will become of it all.

Looking at other people's art work will either inspire and/or intimidate my creative juices. I wonder how far creativity can take us, what will we come up with next. I decided to challenge myself and spend more time with my paint and brushes and see where it will take me.

At this point I haven't found my signature or style, still in an exploration mode. I want to experiment with collage, I have been accumulating bits of papers of all kinds hoping to use some of it for that purpose. There are so many things lying around dormant in either boxes or drawers waiting to be used, so many ideas have come and gone because I did not write them down.

Mental note: WRITE THINGS DOWN and TURN OFF THE TELEVISION (forever if you can...)

Field of Iris'

Revisiting an unfinished project can sometime be a good thing. I forgot this work for months, lost interest and although it called to me from time to time I would not touch it. It seems like I needed to take my distance from it, I had to wait for that moment when it just clicks into place, and you just know instinctively what to do.

I've tried to capture the essence of the painting with my camera, but somehow it doesn't do it justice, meaning it doesn't allow the painting to pull you in like the original canvas does. I don't believe it to be a master piece but somehow you would feel an emotional charge coming through. I don't usually paint flowers, this is my first time, and I found it to be quite a challenge, so much so that I have a second one in the works.

I have put aside the forest because I can't seem to make up my mind about which season it will depict, everyday I walk by it and I know that my sub conscience is picking up its vibes and analyzing what's missing or what needs adjusting, it will work its magic and eventually delivered its findings so I can act on it. I had several unfinished paintings in my basement and this past week I brought them all up in my studio, they had been down there for so long that I had forgotten some of them.

There are no links between them, some were assignments and never really spoke to me. Actually, the spontaneous creations always seemed better executed and have an energy charge that the assigned work seems to lack. However, when I revisit them with a fresh eye, without the pressure to deliver I will either change the painting completely or make some subtle changes that somehow will make the difference, meaning that I will feel content with the end result. This is what happened with the Field of Iris', I am content, satisfied with the outcome, I can let it go.

Funny thing, it used to be easy to let go of my paintings because I felt that if I let them go I could just create more, somehow it seems a bit harder these days must be because of that long halt, months without touching my brushes, no desire or need to. Now it is different, I see and imagine colors and shapes in my head again. That feels good...Next step will be for my paintings to find a new home where they will be appreciated and loved. Consequently, I will have to work on the next generation.