30 Paintings in 30 days - Post #2 (Painting #2,3,4 & 5!)

"Taking Stock" is my theme for this challenge and I thought I'd share some personal things from my life, so that I can feel a little less bad about not finishing the last four paintings on time. So to make up for missing four paintings, here are four things about me that I take into consideration when I am feeling guilty about NOT painting. 

1). I am a mother of 22 month old! He is a super cute-energizer-("bunny", is too soft) so let's call him a steam engine, since he LOVES those so much. Like a steam engine, he is fast,  loud, resilient, strong, and handsome and dirty! My family is my world, my art is my sun. My family wears me out (in a good way), my art wakes me up and keeps me going in the right direction. 

2). I am a public school art teacher and I start the 2016-2017 school year TOMORROW. Oh, did I mention I teach middle school? I actually prefer that age group to all the rest! 

3). I started a home business this summer to earn some extra money to save up for a house. I am now a Barefoot Books Ambassador. You can learn more about what I do here. It has been a great resource for me to learn more about business, marketing and social media- all things that I can apply to my art business. Needless to say, any business endeavor requires time, but I'm passionate about it! 

4). I paint in abstract layers. I don't plan my paintings. They are completely impulsive, yet refined with each layer, until the painting becomes what I want. This requires a completely intuitive, self-trusting mindset that is, at times easy to work within, yet can easily bring me a stuck feeling. It's simple for me when I have a plan to re-create something realistic, not easy - but simple in terms of the end result. In my method, I don't know what it's supposed to look like, and neither does anyone else. It's a challenge to know when to stop, but luckily I've been taking stock of my process and taking notes on my paintings to follow through. That has been my "aha" moment. 

Here are my paintings (2nd, 3rd, 4th  and 5th!) *** TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ROATATE THESE - SORRY FOR THE SIDEWAYS VIEW***

The 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - September 2016 

Theme: "Taking Stock"

A few days ago I counted all of the unfinished work I had. Can you guess how many paintings were stashed away in my studio? Well, I won't tell you 'til the end of this challenge (HA!), but I can tell you it's enough to do a month-long challenge.  I borrowed the term "Taking Stock" from my favorite living artist, Flora Bowley, in her book "Brave Intuitive Painting", where she describes her process from start to finish. Speaking of finish...here's my first FINISHED piece for this challenge! I hope looking at it brings you as much joy as I had painting it.

September 1st, 2016 

"Exclusion & Future" 

Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas 

(12"x12")

Click here to buy or bid!

(below) - Unfinished, where it was left for almost 2 months untouched! Here, there are most likely 5 layers of acrylic on there already. As you can see, the color harmony is all off, there isn't enough contrast, and too much going on. 

                                 

(below) - Still Unfinished, but getting closer to the final version. It's invigorating covering up layers that I've been attached during the process, then uncovering them slightly. There were moments where I said "F* - it...you're getting covered up!" and then, BAM pleasing results. Sometimes you've got to be honest and unattached. 

Check back in tomorrow! 

The Value of Keeping a Sketchbook

Today is day 23 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge! I managed to get a little ahead with my little birdie paintings, so I decided to start filling up my sketchbook with more bird studies. For today's post I wanted to write about the value of keeping a sketchbook. 

I am a firm believer that keeping up with your drawing skills will help hone your painting skills, keep your creativity alive, but can also act as a wonderful, living resource for subject matter. What I love about a sketchbook is that it can bring you back to an earlier time and place in your life. It never ceases to amaze me of what I was capable of drawing back then, and helps me to find the confidence to keep at it. It's funny to read little blurbs about my life from a few years back too...a year can make a big difference in a life! Anyways...

Earlier this month I was at a loss for what to paint so I went to my book shelf where I keep all of my old sketchbooks from years past and I started flipping through. I found a wonderful sketch of a chicken/rooster. It was very linear and had great proportion, just what I was looking for in my sgrafitto style painting. Well, it came out awesome and since I posted it, I have two people who asked. Looks like I'll be making another one! 

Anyways here are my paintings for days 22, 23 and 24, plus some bonus pictures of my recent birdie sketches. Click on the link in the title and you will arrive at my Etsy shop! 

Day 22

"Perched" 

Acrylic on 4" square by 1" deep gallery wrapped canvas 

$20 

Day 23

"In My Nest" 

Acrylic on 4" square by 1" deep gallery wrapped canvas 

$20 

Day 24

"Sitting Pretty"

Acrylic on 4" square by 1" deep gallery wrapped canvas 

$20 

 Sketchbook Studies

1/22/16

Thanks for checking out my blog and please feel free to comment or ask questions! 

Developing My Style

Today is day 21 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge and I'm finding myself coming back to the same process and finding results that I love!  I'm layering my backgrounds with fun, expressive, bright marks and colors, then adding a layer of thick white paint, and then using my favorite painting tool, the colour shaper to swipe away lines. I feel the excitement of the reveal new every time I try this approach. 

To keep things interesting, challenging and changing, I'm making a list of things that I want to do while continuing to develop and grow this style. Here goes:

1. Etch something other than birds or feathers - HA!

2. Paint thick 2nd layers with a color other than white or black

3. Paint on larger canvases using the same technique

4. Do an india ink wash over the top of the white layer see what happens

5. Research to see if any other artists out there have already do this

6. Use these as stamps to see what happens. 

I'm open to any other suggestions! 

Enjoy my paintings and please check out my Etsy page if you would like to see about collecting! 

Now to play catch up - 

Here is day 20 

"Puffy Chickadee" 

4" square by 1" deep gallery wrapped canvas

$20

and here is day 21

"Beaked Buddy" 

4" square by 1" deep gallery wrapped canvas

$20

Thirty in Thirty Birdies

Well I was on a roll with the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge for over two weeks and then I fell out of my routine. I did get back into it today and managed to catch all the way up. Working on all of my paintings at once definitely united them as a group and I'm calling them my Thirty in Thirty Birdies!

 I'd be lying if I said this was the first time I've painted birds. Ever since I got back into painting back in the middle of 2014 birds just made their way into my paintings. I won't even start with the intention of painting a bird and then it just appears. I do love them though, so I'm going to just keep it up...

Now I will bombard this post with many pictures and time lapse videos to show the progress! By the way, my paintings are all for sale (at marvelously affordable prices) and will be added to my Etsy shop.

Day  14

"Springspiration" 

Acrylic on 12'' square canvas

$40 

(this photo below is the under layer) 

Here's a time lapse showing part of the process! 

Day 15 

"Moving In" 

Acrylic on 12'' square canvas

$40

Day 16

"Checking Out the Scene" 

Acrylic on 12" square canvas

$40

Day 17

"A Frosty Dip"

Acrylic on 12" square canvas

$40

Day 18 

"A Chilly Chatter"

Acrylic on 12" square canvas

$40

Day 19 

"On the Prowl" 

Acrylic on 1 1/2'' by 3'' 

Thank you so much for checking in! I hope you enjoyed! Please email me and I encourage you to leave comments. I am still new to blogging, so if you have any advice, it is welcome here.

Creative Living

The practice of painting every night for almost two weeks is starting to feel like part of my routine, and I LOVE IT!  I hope this is the effect that the 30 in 30 challenge is said to have and will jump start my creativity and productivity. 

To supplement all of the creativity going on with the 30 in 30 challenge, I am reading "Big Magic - Creative Living Beyond Fear" by Elizabeth Gilbert.  Let me tell you, starting this now was PERFECT timing. Gilbert tells of her journey of becoming a best selling author in a way that relates to any creative individual, and guides the reader to care less about all the fears that come along with being a creator. She writes about persistence and how whenever she'd get a rejection letter, she'd immediately send out whatever was rejected to a new publication. I want to adopt this once I am ready to submit entries to galleries and competitions. Anyways, here is one of my favorite quotes from her book so far: 

"The older I get the less impressed I am with originality. These days I'm far more moved by authenticity. Attempts at originiality can often feel forced and precious, but authenticity has a quiet resonance that never fails to stir me. Just say what you want to say, and say it with all your heart. Share whatever you are driven to share. If it's authentic enough - believe me - it will feel original."

Anyways, here is my 12th painting:

"Feathers Afloat"

Acrylic on 8'' square

The process:                               

 13th painting: 

"Feathers Adrift" 

Acrylic on 8'' square 

 

Full Speed Ahead!

Tonight I finished TWO paintings for Day 10 and 11 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge! I set up my phone to record me using the time lapse setting and the results are below! I find it so interesting to watch as the process appears before your eyes at full speed. If you haven't tried this yet, it is mesmerizing! 

The first layer - 

The second layer - 

The paintings (which may or may not get some refining tomorrow) 

"Introverts"

Acrylic on 4'' square canvas

Available

"Center of Attention"

Acrylic on 4'' square canvas

Available

Thanks for watching!