I’ve done my homework for lesson five of the Jane Davies class I’m taking, Dynamic Composition. Our lesson for this past week dealt with lines and shapes, with the addition of working in grids with lines, and of course, with collage. I lined up my papers along the floor to choose from.
I’ve been on vacation for the past week, so I’ve worked on this lesson from a hotel and from a condo. Here is where I worked on the first phase of the lesson, on a little desk in a hotel room.
Here are the underpaintings I did in preparation for the next phase.
One of our exercises was to experiment with an open grid using only collage papers, no paint, and to add a line.
We moved to a condo for the balance of our vacation — and where I had a much bigger workspace.
The next portion of the project was to add a line to a collage painting. I worked on two.
The theme for Week Four in my online class, Dynamic Composition, with Jane Davies, was pattern and scale. I loved the first part of our homework where we made all kinds of lines, patterns, and repetitive marks. I already use a lot of these elements in my art.
But when I went to create three pieces emphasizing these elements, I stumbled and fell. I struggled with incorporating a variety of marks, lines, circles, along with color, into some sort of cohesive composition.
I didn’t finish any of the three pieces I was working on. I’ll share a snippet of one – just the top half.
This piece has the most potential if I decide to go back in and work on it some more.
What I learned is that using pattern, scale, lines, circles, and various marks make a composition interesting. My challenge is to find a way to incorporate these elements into my art in a way that enhances what I’m already doing and as a way to add even more layers of interest.
I just completed week three of my on-line class with Jane Davies, Keys to Dynamic Composition. Our mission for this week was to experiment with the cruciform shape using handmade papers to build the form, then add layers of paint. I’m in love with the immediacy of working with acrylics and the possibilities of working with collage in layers.
I blogged recently about the seven pieces of art I created for Guardino Gallery’s 7th annual Day of the Dead Show. The art got hung and Thursday night was Last Thursday on Alberta, a monthly street party on a very cool street in NE Portland. It is also the night that Guardino Gallery hosts their art opening for the featured artists. This year I decided it would be fun to join the party in a different way: by dressing up in a Day of the Dead Costume. Warning: the only art you’ll see in this post is face make up, costumes, and a little incidental wall art.
Week two of my Dynamic Composition class with Jane Davies got me fired up. I was intrigued with the process and had such fun playing with the paper and paint. I was also away this past weekend on an art retreat with the Portland Art Collective at Menucha, so I used the opportunity to work in a series.
I don’t want to give too much away about the process, but I will say it involves working in layers – lots of layers. Gesso, paper, paint, more paint, then colorful paper, paint, more paint, and yet more paint. Since I like lines so much, I incorporated lots of dark lines to add even more interest. Come on along for a look at my weekend work.
I finished several pieces over the weekend, then came home and did the final touches, including adding a layer of cold wax to seal the canvas and make the color pop. All of these are on their way to Lunaria Gallery in Silverton.
I’m taking an on-line class, the second time I’ve done this. Although I love the in-person classroom experience, I must admit, these on-line classes are a pretty cool way to: 1) take an art class from anywhere, 2) experiment with new techniques and ideas, 3) connect with new members of the art community, and 4) build a new body of work.
The class I’m currently taking is from Jane Davies, an artist I have followed for a long time and last AprilI had the privilege of taking a class from at Art and Soul in Kansas City, Missouri (here’s a link to the blog post I did about Jane’s class – just click here). I’ve had friends take some of Jane’s on-line classes and they raved about the experience (and how much they learned). So I jumped in and registered for Keys to Dynamic Composition. I’ve completed week 1 (of six).Take a look at Jane’s website and blog to see her amazing work.
Our first lesson in creating a dynamic composition had to do with using variety of size and repetition with a limited color palette (yikes, that was difficult for me!) and only squares and rectangles. Here is my Pink Series from our first exercise.
For our second exercise, we had to again use a limited color palette, squares and rectangles, but we got to add one shape of our choice. I was much happier with being able to mix it up a bit. I give you my Blue Series.
I’ve already read Lesson 2 and watched the accompanying videos and I can’t wait to get started with a new series. Stay tuned for my next post about the process and my finished work.
Guardino Gallery is celebrating the 7th annual Day of the Deadgroup show October 31- November 24. Opening Festivities are on Halloween from 6-9 pm and will include spirits in costume, revelry, merriment, glowing alters, live music, and face painting. A ton of cool artists are participating and I was invited to be one of the artists. I created seven Curious Elements for the show.
Unfinished BusinessRest in PeaceRed CrossReynaldoConcerning DeathBuried MemoriesA Lock of Mother’s Hair
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 was invited to join two other artist friends, Deanna White and Cynthia Herron, to teach a children’s art class at the Salem Art Association. The class was the brainchild of Deanna, who writes:
Both my children still have fond memories of the many art classes they attended at the Bush Barn Annex so many years ago. I have been a Gallery Guide for 13 years and have seen the Gallery Guides support many art educational opportunities and so would like to revisit this tradition again.
Deanna put together a proposal, invited Cynthia and I to participate, and presented it to the Bush Barn Gallery Guides, who approved the proposal and funded the class. The class was limited to 15 students, grades 3-5, and it cost each student only $10 for an afternoon of art.
Dayna, Deanna, and Cynthia
The day was divided into three segments:
Station 1: Book of Your Own with Deanna White
Station 2: Coloring Outside the Lines with Cynthia Herron
Station 3: Fantastical Creatures with Dayna Collins
For my station, we played with bendable muslin dolls and I set up a big table with fibers, jewels, feathers, boas, leather strips, buttons, ribbons, googly eyes, and lots of paint. Here’s my doll collection, which I brought for inspiration:
Some of the activity at my table during the three rotations (from clean and tidy to wildly and deliciously messy:
The kids had one hour at each station before rotating to the next table. Here’s the first group I had with their fabulous fantastical creations.
Overheard at my table during the afternoon:
I never knew it was going to be this fun.
I’m nuts for art.
I never get to paint!
It’s like we are scientists making our own creation.
No mom’s are here – we can paint all we want.
It was a great day for the kids and teachers (and for the several Gallery Guides who helped throughout the afternoon).
Of course, I couldn’t help myself. I made a doll to add to my collection. No name, but she’s sort of a warped demented ballerina.
I’ve written this blog post in my head a dozen times over the past couple of days. I’ve titled it (“They Call Me Lefty”), re-titled it (“Brokenhearted”), and settled on something entirely different. I’ve started the post with the events of the past week, then decided to begin with my show at Guardino Gallery last March because that show was inspired by him. Now that I am actually writing this post, I’ve decided to begin somewhere else entirely.
Note: This is a bit more of a personal post than my usual art post, although art is included, it is about my dad’s battle with Alzheimer’s.
My mom and dad soon after moving into a retirement facility at the beginning of the year.
My dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2009, and as expected, he has slowly dissolved into the disease. It’s been a painful progression of lost and scrambled words, memory loss, and unfortunately, flares of anger. A couple of years ago when my dad was earlier in his disease, I made a small visual journal as a way to acknowledge the beginning of his long journey home.
Last March I had the privilege of a solo show at Guardino Gallery in Portland. The title, Beneath the Surface: Searching For Memory, was dedicated to my dad and chronicled his fading memory. The pieces were titled to reflect his mental decline. Here are a couple of photos of my dad looking at the old black and white family photos I had scattered in the window display and a few pieces of the art I created for the show.
Creating Memories That Won’t Be RememberedWhat Came BeforeFlashes of ClarityWe Laughed TogetherCollecting ThoughtsGathering Bits of Broken MosaicsTracing the Map of MemorySeeking Refuge
Over the past six months my dad has significantly declined. He lost his driver’s license and my parents moved into a retirement community. I took my dad for drives during the summer and he always smiled and laughed during our country drives or stops for frozen yogurt.
A week ago, everything changed. My dad’s outbursts of rage escalated to the point that my mom became fearful. An event occurred that required that my family intervene. We had a family meeting with my mom and told her it was time we put dad in a memory care unit – it was the only way we could guarantee her safety. She agreed and made arrangements at the retirement community where they lived. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t have a bed in the memory care available for about 30 days. The retirement facility put an emergency alarm bracelet on my mom and said they could do some respite care with my dad – a few hours at a time in the memory care unit. She made arrangements on Friday to give it a try. That’s when it all fell apart. 9-1-1 was called, the police came, an ambulance arrived and my dad was taken to the emergency room. While there, my dad decided he had waited long enough. He unhooked his monitors, got up, put on his shoes, and started to leave. It took four security guards, two nurses, and a tech to put him back in the bed, this time with restraints. During this time, the hospital’s social services located a bed for my dad in a memory care unit across the river where my dad could stay until a bed opens up where my mom lives. On Friday night I rode in the medical transport with my dad as he was taken to memory care. He was silent the whole way. He was reluctant to go in, but he finally did. He pleaded in garbled and disconnected words to go home. I had to say good-bye and leave him. My heart broke. I hate this disease.
