The Journey Home. My three paintings were accepted into Salem Art Association’s annual Radius 25show, a show open to established and emerging adult artists living or working with a 25-mile radius of Salem. The theme for this year’s show is Walkabout: Paths, Journeys & Destinations. I immediately knew that my theme would be The Journey Home, the journey home for my dad, who died May 17.
I decided to use a previous painting (that my mother has hanging in her kitchen) as my inspiration. Here’s a page from my working art journal.
We were asked to write a process statement, describing our process and subject matter. Here is what I submitted:
My three Journey Home pieces were created by painting cradled wood panels with acrylic paint, applying a layer of plaster for texture and interest, sanding, scraping, then staining the plaster with watered down acrylic paint. All of this was in preparation for painting, which I did using a mixture of oil and cold wax applied with a putty knife. The subject matter is a further exploration of working in layers and its relationship to memory, something I began experimenting with over and year ago in response to my father’s descent into dementia. My dad lost his battle with Alzheimer’s just a few weeks ago and these pieces were created in response to his death.
Lots of layers and contemplation went into these three pieces.
The finished pieces.
“The Journey Home: Without a Pang of Remorse,” 18×18 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax, on cradled panel.“The Journey Home: Caught in an Undertow,” 18×18 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax, on cradled panel.
“The Journey Home: The Ease of Slumber,” 18×18 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax, on cradled panel.
The show runs from Friday, July 11 through Friday, August 29, at Bush Barn in Salem, Oregon.
Last year, I had a show at Guardino Gallery in Portland. The title was Beneath the Surface: Searching For Memory and the show was inspired by my dad’s battle with Alzheimer’s. My dad lost that battle on Saturday night.
As I sat with my dad on Saturday, I reflected on what a great dad he had been. He was silly, generous, funny, out-going, and at times tender and sentimental. He was diagnosed with dementia in 2009, so he fought through the haze for five years. I thought in a tribute to him, I would post a few of the paintings I did for the show since their titles reflect what he was experiencing.
Struggling to Reach the SurfaceCreating Memories That Won’t Be RememberedEtched in MemoryWhat Came BeforeDarkness Closing InFading AwayGlimpses of the Way Things Used To BeCollecting ThoughtsSeeking RefugeChasing Memories
And finally, because it was one of his favorite songs:
I have long been a fan of RiverSea Gallery in Astoria, Oregon. Every time I visited Astoria I made sure to stop into this beautiful gallery. When I started painting several years ago, I barely allowed myself to dream that I might one day have my art hanging in RiverSea. Well, my dream came true. My paintings are now in RiverSea Gallery.
At the end of April, my friend Cynthia and I took a road trip to Astoria to drop off my art. I got to meet the gallery director, Jeannine, and she got to see my art in person.
Gallery director Jeannine gets acquainted with my art.
Jeannine selected twelve pieces to display in the gallery. Here’s a sampling of the pieces now at RiverSea.
“A Dark and Dreamless Oblivion” Plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled panel 8×8 inches“Traveling Sideshow” Plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled panel 20×20 inches“Tantalizing Threads of Gossip” Plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled panel with niche 24×24 inches“A Smattering of Clues” Plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled panel 8×8 inches“It Sounded Exotic” Plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled panel 8×8 inches
It was so nice to have my artist friend Cynthia along for the day, especially since we got to spend a beautiful, sunny day at the coast.
It takes courage to cover up a completed painting, but it’s something I have learned to do. The question is why do I do it. In one instance, it was because of a technical problem: the black paint wasn’t drying and when I went to put on the final coat of cold wax, it began lifting the paint and the painting was ruined. That board was put into the pile of available boards for use in the future.
“Searching For His Lost Life,” formerly a painting.
Searching For His Lost Life became Where the Road Ends.
“Where the Road Ends, 24×24 plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled panel.
This piece made it into my Slightly Off Kilter show last year, but when the show came down, I realized I wasn’t in love with the painting, so once again, it went into the available boards pile. I recently completed yet another painting, Something More Was Required. Yes, something more was required and I think that painting has come full circle. With the initial layer of plaster and multiple layers of oil and cold wax, this 24×24 piece is getting pretty heavy. From Searching For His Lost Life, to Where the Road Ends, it is now Something More Was Required.
“Something More Was Required,” 24×24 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled panel.
Another recent transformation came when I took an 8×8-inch piece, To the Center of Silence, and transformed it into A Dark Curtain Against the Sky. I liked the original well enough, but it was a bit too yellow and wasn’t dynamic enough.
“To the Center of Silence,” 8×8 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled panel.“A Dark Curtain Against the Sky,” 8×8 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled panel.
Then there was Beachcombing. I loved the little niche filled with treasures, but it read a bit too precious. And the colors were a bit jarring.
“Beachcombing,” 24×24, plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled board with niche.
So, I scrapped and dug out the found objects and sea shells, sanded the board, and transformed it into Things Still Remembered.I haven’t filled the niche yet as that takes a whole different level of creativity. What is tucked into a niche is very powerful.
“Things Still Remembered,” 24×24, plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled panel (with niche).
Finally, one more example. I did a couple of pages in my art journal, which I liked and thought would translate nicely into a painting.
Initial inspiration in my art journal
So I loosely painted it onto a 30×30-inch cradled panel (after painting over another painting I had been working on for awhile – look at the big panel behind me in the first photo of this post – that’s what was on the board before I took the journal page and painted it onto the panel). It sat for a long time and I thought I liked it. In fact, it was ready to go to the gallery.
On the easel, thinking it was about complete.
But something was niggling at me, so I took it back into my studio and began revamping it. It became something entirely different.
And then I kept going.
In transition.
And going.
Detail from a “Stoking a Small Steady Flame.”
And going.
“Stoking a Small Steady Flame, 30×30 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax on cradled panel.
Stoking A Small Steady Flame was born and now hangs at Guardino Gallery in Portland.
Just a nice leisurely walk from my house is the Oregon State Capitol. Today I leisurely walked to the capitol to see a piece of my art that is on display. I’m a member of Artists in Action, who put out a call for art to be on display the week of March 3rd – one week only. My art was accepted and is now hanging in the lobby of the capitol.
I’m a member of the Salem Art Group, a small closed group of six (soon to be seven) women. About twice a year we plan a mini retreat where we pack up food and art supplies (and a portable latte machine) and head out of town. Last week we landed outside of Independence, Oregon at the Rogue Brewery Hop ‘n Bed. The Hop ‘n Bed is a big old six bedroom farmhouse located along the Willamette River and smack dab in the middle of a working Rogue Brewery farm.
Come on in and I’ll show you my room: The Honey Bee.
Part of the check-in process included joining the Rogue Nation, which required a swearing in process of drinking a shot of beer and repeating a long oath of allegiance. Tory took the oath and drank her shot (and mine since I don’t drink anymore). PS Being a member gets you a hefty discount on the house.
As our group trickled in, we moved furniture and set up tables to accommodate our huge amount of art supplies. Joanna claimed the living room to set up her sewing machine, Kathy took over the laundry room for her encaustics (there was a back door for ventilation), and the rest of us jockeyed for space in the living room: Tory with her clay, Nancy and Katy with their oil and cold wax, and me, kind of in the kitchen prep area, with my oil and cold wax AND acrylics for my visual art journal.
After getting settled, I took a walk around the grounds.
It was time to spread some paint. Working in oil and cold wax does not bring immediate gratification the way working with acrylics does, so I brought both mediums. I started with the oil and cold wax, knowing I wouldn’t finish any pieces, but I would sure have the opportunity to add layers, scrape back, and add more layers over the three days. None of these pieces are finished, and some haven’t even been scraped back, but it gives you an idea of what I worked on.
About a year ago, I was on a big trip out of the country when I received an e-mail form Seth inviting me to be a Spotlight Artist in his new book that was in the works (check out his first book, The Pulse of Mixed Media). It didn’t take me long to say “yes.” The yes involved answering a series of art-related questions and creating two new pieces of art using specific prompts as my inspiration and direction. I was sworn to secrecy about the art and the questions. Until now.
“What Came Before” in response to the prompt “Below the Surface”
Seth is featuring all of the Spotlight Artists on his blog during the month of October, calling it 30 Artists/30 Days. Visit Seth’s blog at The Altered Page and go to his October 6th post to read what Seth wrote about me. Check in every day this month and you’ll get to meet 30 great artists. And the best part is that if you leave a comment on Seth’s blog, you have the opportunity to win a copy of Seth’s new book (three chances!).
But let me back up. I don’t even remember when I first became aware of Seth. I began reading his blog and leaving comments several years ago. I remember being impressed because Seth would often write back with a personal thank you for the comment I left. Then I entered a drawing fora copy of one of his early publications, The Pulse, and won!We became acquainted with this online give and go and I was always struck by how personable Seth was, not to mention I was attracted to his art because he incorporated lots of texture, layers, and rusty bits. All of which are my favorite things.
Then came the invitation to be part of his second book, The Mixed Media Artist. I answered the series of questions (there were a LOT), which wasfun. Here’s one example.
Name four things on your studio table:
1) My well-loved, paint spattered wooden handled awl; it is coveted by my art friends.
2) A soy latte.
3) Palette knife.
4) Black beautician’s gloves to protect my hands.
When I was working on the art for Seth’s book, I was in this studio, a separate little house I had turned into my studio:
Me at Alley Art Studio before I moved my studio home. I’m working on my piece for Seth’s book.
And then we moved and I moved my studio home to this new space:
My clean and tidy (and very lonely) new studio
Last December, around the time that everything for the book was becoming due, I went to New York for a week and made arrangements to meet up with Seth. It was such a thrill to finally meet my friend in person after so much online communication. We met up at a coffee shop and had fun chatting (and Seth shared a bit about the progress on the book). I took Seth an 8×8 piece of art as a little gift.
Meeting in person for the first time!
Then in May of this year, Seth was on a whirlwind teaching trip in the northwest and landed in Portland. We made arrangements to get together again for a meal, but also for some junking and antiquing at some of my favorite places in Portland. My husband joined us for the afternoon, and Howard commented several times what a wonderful guy Seth is – so personable, so warm, such a great conversationalist (and he likes baseball).
Seth and Dayna at The Rebuilding Center in PortlandSeth at Paxton Gate on N. MIssissippi in PortlandSeth and Howard outside Portland Hardware.
If you’ve read this far, I’d like to share some photos of recent pieces of art I have created. All of these are 8×8, plaster, oil and cold wax on a cradled wood substrate.
“You Wander Far and Return”“A More Powerful Language”“The Silence of the Morning”“Ancient Wisdom”“In the Open Field”
Finally, I’ll share my self-portrait. This was created for Seth’s book when we were asked to create a twist on a self-portrait; I chose the prompt: My Shadow Side.
Thanks, Seth, for being so generous, honest, creative, inspiring, and for bringing like-minded artists together. I am honored to be a member of your tribe.
PS: The Mix Media Artist comes out this month! You can have a peek inside and pre-order by going to Amazon.
I’ve just returned from spending four days with my Salem Art Group at a cabin in the woods along the Metolius River. We left on Thursday morning — I took a small suitcase with clothes, a big suitcase with art supplies, my espresso machine, some food, my art journal, and a half case of kombucha.
Arrived. A sweet cabin located on US Forest Service land.
The view from my corner bedroom.
Everyone worked on their own projects. Tory won the award for most versatile, especially when she whipped out her harmonica and started playing a blues tune.
The rest of the gang: Nancy, Katy (it was her cabin), and Kathy in the photos below (and Joanna, who was inside the cabin with her sewing machine). A lot of oil and cold wax was being spread . . . . and even a little gelli plate action.
We had a visit from a Forest Service Ranger who was looking for a water line using a water witching technique with two pieces of a wire coat hanger. Of course, we had to give it a try.
I worked on several projects: oil and cold wax on 8×8 and 6×6 cradled wood boards and I also did some acrylics on watercolor paper for making cards. (I finished the cards, but not the boards.)
It wasn’t all art all the time. On Saturday, we walked to the headwaters of the Metolius River and then to Jack Creek.
Just what I needed. Several days of making art, laughing, eating healthy, going on daily walks, and getting plenty of sleep.
My new show, Slightly Off Kilter, opened Friday night at Lunaria Gallery. I’m sharing the gallery show with Deborah Unger, who has carved figurative wood sculptures using paint and cloth to create quiet scenes, often with an underlying sense of unease. My portion of the show includes vibrant, textural paintings using oil and cold wax to create layers of luminosity and interesting intersections of lines. (I also have a few new Funky Junkyard Birds for sale and the SOK Blocks I wrote about a couple weeks ago.)
Onward with the opening . . . .
The opening on Friday night was part of Silverton’s regular First Friday event and the gallery was filled with a steady stream of friends and art lovers.
And from the street as the gallery was closing for the night.
I’m one of the featured artists in a new show at Lunaria Gallery in Silverton, Oregon., opening Friday, August 2nd. The artist reception is part of Silverton’s First Friday event, and runs from 7-9 pm on August 2nd. The show, Slightly Off Kilter, features my art along with the art of Deborah Unger. Here’s a little blurb from each of us about the show:
Deborah Unger: Figurative wood sculptures using paint and cloth to create quiet scenes, often with an underlying sense of unease.
Dayna Collins: Vibrant, textural paintings using oil and cold wax to create layers of luminosity and interesting intersecections of lines.
In addition to Deborah’s wood sculptures and my oil and cold wax paintings, I’ll have a selection of Funky Junkyard Birds and something new: Slightly Off Kilter Blocks.
The Journey Home. My three paintings were accepted into Salem Art Association’s annual Radius 25 show, a show open to established and emerging adult artists living or working with a 25-mile radius of Salem. The theme for this year’s show is Walkabout: Paths, Journeys & Destinations. I immediately knew that my theme would be The Journey Home, the journey home for my dad, who died May 17.
We were asked to write a process statement, describing our process and subject matter. Here is what I submitted:
