Saturday, January 9, 2010

Steps and Stages


I'm honored to be invited once again to be the guest artist at the Ursuline College Art Therapy and Counseling Department /Cuyahoga Community College Pre-Art Therapy Dept. Tenth Annual Exhibit, Lecture and workshop. This year the theme is Simplicity: Creating a Vision of Doing More with Less.

This is 72 x 44" unstretched canvas tapestry is in process. It can be seen in an earlier stage in the last post...included here are a few details.
Lately I've been inspired, in my work, to pare things down. Simplicity and simplifying are concepts that I have embraced, in terms of this artist's lifestyle, for many decades.
Even so I have not often applied the idea to my use of color. I suppose more than anything else I am a colorist. I am intoxicated by rich and layered hues. So I'm experimenting and simplifying the colors within this painting. First using a customary riot of color and then applying layers of glazes to 'fog' or quiet down the color range.
I enjoyed realizing that the planet Neptune, which is often thought of as 'a fog' is coming to kiss my sun for the one and only time in my life and, perhaps as a result, I find myself particularly enamoured these days by all things natural... when seen through a veil of mist...the idea of being cocooned and contained within fog simply thrills me.








There are two other canvas that will be traveling along with this one and hopefully they will be posted in the next few days...in bold contrast.
Thank you so much for any comments you may have regarding this unfolding.
Happy day.


4 comments:

  1. Congrats on being asked to be a guest artist- I'm sure your presence will enrich the experience for everyone.
    It's strange seeing your work in these muted pastels. Anything you do is always lovely, but I have to admit I miss the color! (I'm kind of a color freak, as if you couldn't tell!)
    Have a great time at the workshop!

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  2. Hi Sharmon...I hear you on the color...me too!!

    I have to admit it is challenging to go in a different direction... even if only for a little while...but we must trust and follow where the Muse takes us :-)

    This exploration of 'quiet' is feeling like frost patterns on a winter window.

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  3. Hi Iona!

    I just love your colors in this one; I too am drawn to rich colors/vibrant hues. Congrats on being invited as a guest artist. Well deserved.

    And I enjoyed your take on keeping things simple too...I want to revisit this in some of my work. Thank you.

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  4. I enjoyed reading the thinking that has gone into this painting. I love what you have done.

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Thanks for stopping '-)