Autumn Colors

 

 

At the tag end of autumn there's a whole different set of colors than those I noticed a month ago. The 'Bloodgood' Japanese Maple in the front bed with its bright red leaves suggests Christmas is just around the corner and the lichen on the vine maple at the front steps is a light but muted sage green. It's all about contrast, just waiting for me to notice. I see so much color here and while I'd love to have the painting skills to render a likeness, I can't, and why would I want to when a photograph captures the moment so well. Perhaps by using these colors from nature and the lines of the trees I could form an abstract collage. If I manage something I'll show you. 

OAK... collage on sewn papers

OAK

8.5 x 11"

drawing on collage

For this drawing I brushed Golden GAC 100 over the sewn collage prior to drawing. One reason I'm searching for an appropriate coating for the papers is that so many of these scrap papers I'm using are either vintage, with its problematic acids, or ink jet prints which are water soluble. Both the clear gesso and the GAC 100 smear the inks, so that's out. I'll do a few on uncoated papers next. After all, these are experimental drawings that aren't meant to be long lasting.

I'm so appreciative to all of you readers who took the time to comment on my last post and to leave helpful information about clear gesso. Be sure to read the comments on the last post. There are those who use it to great advantage in their work and others who don't like it a bit. Read what Liquitex has to say about the product here.

About this tree...one January a few years ago my brother and I visited a family cemetary in Arkansas, one that a maternal great grandfather established on a hill on his land. The small cemetary is surrounded by big oak trees and I shot several tree portraits as I often do when I find wintertime trees that catch my eye.

Here's my brother leaning against our grandfather's headstone with Mom's headstone next to his. See the oak in the background? There are many other similar trees.

Lisa Pressman is doing a series that she call Outside-Inside and she asked for photos of the view outside artist's studio windows as well as a photo of a piece of art. I'm honored that she chose to post the pictures I submitted. Go have a look here.

Checkerboard Tree

Often when I start working I have no idea what to paint, perhaps because I haven't given enough thought to the things that make my life unique or to ways that I am to use these life experiences to make my work have meaning.

Robert Burridge told me to work with intention... definitely a contradiction to slapping on the paint and paper with no end in mind. He says that he does his Morning Pages first thing every morning and from that exercise he states his intentions. Bob says not to start a painting without knowing what the 3-Cs will be: Content, Composition, Color combination.

Cathy Woo talks about organizing a painting with the elements and principles of design in mind.

With this advice in mind I've made up little cards that help guide me when I start a painting, though I sometimes go down a different pathway right in the middle of my work. When starting to work I take a card and write out my intentions:

Series/Theme...
Composition...
Design Element... (balance, repetition, etc.)
Dominant Color
Complementary color
2 Spice Colors
Key (high, low)


The collage painting above is one I've worked on off and on for months but it lacked something, so yesterday I sat down and journaled about recurring themes and images that interest me with the intent of developing lots of drawings that symbolize these themes. One was trees. I could not live where there are no trees. I love trees. I climbed plenty as a kid and had several tree swings. I grow trees and prune them. I take shelter under them from rain and sun. So I gulped big, said a quick prayer for a steady hand, picked up a Pitt brush pen and drew this tree directly on the lovely background, praying I wouldn't ruin it. I didn't.