Preparing for an exhibit...

My husband and I returned late yesterday afternoon from a wonderful week in Door County, WI. The weather was lovely and we saw so many awesome plein air paintings that were painted as part of the Door County Plein Air Festival. 

Today its back to reality! 
I will be the featured artist at Raven's Wish Gallery in Janesville, WI in Sept. 2017. My delivery date is August 23rd!! This afternoon I have been taking inventory of finished paintings, paintings that need to be finished, paintings that need a title, paintings that need a wire, paintings that need a photo taken, ....and on and on and on. I now have a good idea of what I need to accomplish; the biggest task will be to finish 3 medium size and 3 very small paintings in the next 2 weeks. Stay tuned and wish me luck!

"Homage to Dandelion" 36 x 36" Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas.
This is my largest abstract to date.
And, yes there is a bit of Crayola Dandelion Crayon in the composition.

Collage - 30 Paintings Jan. 2017

Here is a collage of my 30 paintings for January 2017.

I am not too skilled in doing this sort thing but here it is. I could have taken days to rearrange the images, but I didn't. On to more painting!

 

Day 30 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 30 - No title yet.

11" x 11" - Acrylic on Paper

This started with lots of black mark making and a Green and Gold glaze over it. Black, White, Grey and Red were then added (multiple times with scraping). There was a lot more Grey which I painted over with White. 

I happy that I posted 30 paintings this month. I think I learned a lot!

Thank you all for reading my blog postings and viewing my art. Comments have been wonderful, thank you for that as well!

Day 29 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 29 - No title yet.

8" x 8" - Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

 I started this earlier this month and other than the texture that I observe I don't remember what else I did to start. I did use some Teal and Red mixed together to get the color that is most predominate and then added accents of each of those colors while thinking about a cruciform composition. "Harbor Lights" as a title popped into my head and then I just had to add the bits of Yellow and Creamy White. I find it harder to use palette knives on stretched canvas but like the advantage of not having to mat and frame. One more day; I can do this!

Day 28 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 28 - No title yet.

22" x 15" - Acrylic on Arches 140 HP

Mark making under it all. Opaque and transparent paint over the top. Two or three applications of Black, White and Green applied with palette knife, brush, and moved around in some places with paper towel and baby wipes. I enjoy the texture of this piece.

Day 27 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 27 - No title yet.

11" x 11" - Acrylic on paper

This started with a lot of black mark making using acrylic paint pens and black acrylic paint applied with a stick and different brushes. Then I washed on some diluted red, green and gold. The paper was a complete mess by that point! My next step was to cover over most everything with Black, White, Grey and the one area of Light Green using a palette knife. I let some of the under painting show through and did some scraping and scratching so the colors did not look too flat. I not sure that this is done. The large black shape on the right might need to be changed. 

Day 26 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 26 - No title yet.

12" x 9" - Acrylic on paper

I started this one last week and worked on it some this afternoon. I'm not sure if its finished; I see a couple of edges I may want to adjust.

Black, White, Grey and Green layers of paint applied with bristle brush and palette knife. Texture created by scraping with palette knife and other tools.

 

Day 25 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 25 - No title yet.

7" x 5" - Acrylic on paper

I completed this small abstract earlier in the month. I have been out of the studio for 2 days so I am in catch-up mode. This painting has lots of texture created with paint applied with a squirt bottle, scraping and mark making with knitting needle, and more texture with palette knife adding layers of paint. 

Day 24 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 24 - No title yet.

9" x 9" - Acrylic on paper

Several layers of color and texture applied with a palette knife.

I'm not sure if this is done. I'll take another look in a couple of days.

 

Day 23 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 23 - No title yet

7" x 5" - Acrylic on paper

Several layers of color and texture applied with a palette knife.

Day 22 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 22 - No title yet.

12" x 9" - Acrylic on paper

Teal, Grey and Black under painting. After that dried, Lt. Green, Black, White and Red were painted over the top mostly with a palette knife. I am becoming very fond of my palette knives!

Day 21 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 21 - No title yet.

11" x 11" - Acrylic on paper

 

 Marks with Black acrylic paint applied with brush, fingers and marker. Teal and Red under paintings. Black, White, Red and Teal to finish using brush and palette knife. 

I think this one is finished; thinking about a title.

Day 20 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 30 - A Blue Grid for a Grey Day (working title for a work in progress)

15" x 15" acrylic, ink and crayon d' ache on Arches 140 HP paper

This started with Blue, White and Black and ended with Blue, White and Black. Texture and marks were added at both the under painting and finishing stage, using palette knife and kitchen skewer. The colors were mixed to create both transparent and opaque colors for the second stage. At the end, I went a little crazy making lines with the Caran d" Ache water soluble crayons, but I know I can wipe them off very easily if I decide to.

 

Day 19 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 19 - No title yet.

6" x 6" - Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

I was given a pigment ink pen by a friend and decided to try it in this painting.

The underpainting was teal and some red. Buff, Off White, Teal, Red, and Black added over the top. Scraping and palette knife used for texture.  

Day 18 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 18 - No title yet

8" x 8" - Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

 I consider this a work in progress. I'm not sure where all the static, spark, flame things are coming from this month. I am more fond of my palette knife and grid paintings at this point. 

But I am painting almost every day and as the "rules" state, the objective is not produce a gallery worthy painting every day. Experimentation, learning new techniques and having fun is my goal!

Black, White and Grey acrylic over a Blue, Yellow, and Green under painting. 

Day 17 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 17 - Grid with Gold

30" x 22" - Acrylic on Arches 140 lb hot press paper

 Another grid painting, this one is much larger. I enjoyed creating textures, scribbling, and scraping. I started this with not much Quinacridone Gold left in the tube. It was a little nerve wracking wondering if I would have enough to finish the painting. The transparent quality of Q. Gold provided a nice contrast to the opacity of the White, Black and Grey.

Day 16 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 16 - Unfinished

15" x 15" - Acrylic on paper

One of my goals for this month was to paint some "grid" paintings. I intentionally chose a color that I am not comfortable with - pink. While working on this, the title I had in mind was "Pink Goes With Everything", which is a quote from my granddaughter. I consider it unfinished because I intend to glaze over the pink at some point in time.

 

 

Day 15 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 15 - "Green Light"

15" x 15" - Acrylic on paper

Marks made with graphite and acrylic paint pens. Black, White, Grey and Green acrylic paint applied with brush and palette knife. Scraping and scratching with knitting needle and palette knife.

Day 14 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 14 - No title yet.

10" x 10" - Acrylic on paper

 Underpainting of White Gesso, Red and Green with lots of scribbling, squirting, scratching, scraping, and scumbling. Black, White, Grey and Yellow over the top mostly applied with a palette knife. Going a little bigger for tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Day 13 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 13 - A Touch of Red

10" x 10" - Acrylic on paper

Lots of layers, mark making and texture on this one. Black, White, Grey and Naphthol Red Light. In looking at it now, I might adjust the strong diagonal in the upper left.

Day 12 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 12 - No title yet.

6" x 6" - Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

Black, White and Grey over blue - acrylic paint. Multiple layers of scumbling, scraping and finger painting. I'm not sure if this one is finished.  

Day 11 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 11 - No title yet

6" x 6" - Acrylic on canvas

Phthalo Green Blue Shade (PG7) plus Black and White

Tools: bristle and synthetic brushes, palette knives, knitting needle and fingers.

Feeling the urge to paint larger. Stay tuned! 

Day 10 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 10 - No title yet.

Acrylic on 8" x 8" gallery wrapped canvas.

This painting started out blue and yellow and went to green and blue with white. I liked the texture that had been created but nothing else was working! I decided to start with a clean slate and coated the entire canvas with Raw Umber (the first time I have ever used this color!). While the paint was wet I scraped into it with the handle of my brush. I went on to add some lighter values to the top part and some darker values to the bottom part. After that, I added some Off White for contrast and interest and decided to stop. I'm not sure if it is finished or not; right now I like it.

Day 9 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 9 - No title yet (Black & White #2)

11" x 11" - Acrylic on paper

I often work on two or three paintings at the same time. Today's painting was painted at the same time as yesterday's painting. I think they would look great together.

Black, White and Grey acrylic paint. Paint applied and marks made with brushes, palette knives, squirt bottle filled with gesso, fingers, graphite, Stabilo Woody crayon, knitting needle, and credit card.

Day 8 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 8 - No title yet (Black & White #1)

11" x 11" - Acrylic on paper

Black, White and Grey acrylic paint. Paint applied and marks made with brushes, palette knives, squirt bottle filled with gesso, fingers, graphite, Stabilo Woody crayon, knitting needle, and credit card.

I had intended to add some color but decided I liked it this way, for now.

Day 7 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 7 - No title yet

Acrylic on 8" x 8" gallery wrapped canvas

Green, white and black acrylic paint applied with bristle brush and palette knife. Scraping and texture with a knitting needle and credit card.

 

Day 6 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 6 - Flame

Acrylic on 8" x 8" gallery wrapped canvas

Reds and black applied with a brush. Linear marks created with a stick. Pattern in black and glazed over to push it back a bit. A very low key painting with just a bit of brighter interest.

 

Day 5 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 5 - Waterfront

8" x 8" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

 Using a palette knife and credit card I applied blue, yellow, black and white acrylic paint to the canvas. I did not like the results, so I used a 1" bristle brush to move the paint around to my satisfaction.

Day 4 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 4 - No title yet!

7.5" x 7.5" - Acrylic on Paper

Another painting exploring texture using gesso from a squirt bottle, palette knife, knitting needle and brushes. Many colors under it all but mostly yellow, black and white over the top. I don't have a title yet. Suggestions?

Day 3 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 3 - "Opera House in Winter"

7.5" x 7.5" - acrylic on paper

Several layers of paint and texture were put down before the final colors of Cerulean Blue and Opera, (which I do not use very often) plus black and white were added with a palette knife. I have a few more of these in progress as there is some waiting time involved to let layers of paint dry. I also have 6 12" x 12" gallery wrapped canvases that I have started. So, I do not start, finish and post one painting a day. I do try to do some painting each day which is one of my personal goals for doing this challenge.

Day 2 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Day 2: "Static on the Line"

12" x 12" - Acrylic on black gallery wrapped canvas

 

This is my first painting on a black canvas. It was fun to scratch though with a stick and find black. Not as much texture as Day 1, but lots of fun scumbling with a flat brush (two colors plus black and white) and drawing and scraping with a stick.

 

Day 1 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

Day 1 - Sea Foam
11" x 19" - Acrylic on paper 
I had fun creating texture. Lots of layering and fun with a palette knife.

 

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I have decided to participate in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge for the month of Jan. 2017. My intention is to spend time in my studio each day and experiment with textures, color schemes, patterns, new tools and more using acrylic, and perhaps collage and watercolor. I have not set a theme or subject matter. I will post my progress; perhaps not all paintings will be finished.
 
This challenge has been organized by Leslie Saeta. For more info look here:
https://www.saetastudio.com/30-in-30.html

In addition I am challenging myself to learn more about blogging. Wish me luck!