Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Sometimes There Are Opportunities

It has been a wild ride here this morning. We had a large ice storm here last night and did not have power this morning when we got up. So I am late getting to things here today. Watch out, though, we are to get more and mixed with snow tonight!

I am not sure what to do with these. When I purchased the canvases, which are small 6x6 gallery wrapped, my thought was to use them together as a triptych. You can see they are stepped in depth - 3/4", 1.5" and 3" deep. They have not turned out well for me, though. This is about the fourth time I have painted them and still do not feel happy. I wanted to do something along one edge, so they could be configured in a variety of ways. At least this was my initial thought.

So let me tell you what you see right now. There is a layer of coarse paste covering the canvas and this has been painted with fluid acrylic (purple, of course). Then there is a faint line running along one side in white. Then another layer of liquid acrylic in a deep red/purple over that. I then mixed some of the wine color you see with gloss self leveling gel and put that in a little squeezy bottle...more about that in a later post. And placed some pearl with the same self leveling gel in another squeezy bottle. Then I dropped the paint in little drops along the side of all of these, as you can see. Nothing special to be sure.

Here is today's question. Do you think I should just push these away and maybe stumble on them some years down the road to see if anything else comes to mind? You know send them to my "corner of shame" as Jess (http://jess-messyjessie.blogspot.com/) says she has. I don't feel bad about this as it is what it is, but has the time come to put them away? What is your advice?

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Kim, they look like steps. At first I thought that perhaps you had taken a picture of a stairway.
I almost see footsteps...
and I'm sure if you put them aside for a little while, at least in your head, the next idea what to do with them will come to you almost automatically.
Have a wonderful day
Andrea

Andrea and Kim said...

Yes, Andrea, I suppose they do look like steps. I had not seen it that way (must be a holdover from my interior days). And footprints...I had not noticed that, either. Like little creature footprints. Okay, now that is making sense.

I think I will put them away for a bit, though. Maybe I have just looked at them too long.

Thanks for taking a look/see. I do appreciate it very much! Sometimes, I just need another set of fresh eyes!

Thanks!

~Babs said...

Love the different depths of these canvases,,,,I think they'll make a great triptych.
As they are right now, they make me think : Chocolate brownies with sprinkles.

Andrea and Kim said...

Ah! Chocolate on the mind :) I like that!

So maybe I really should put these aside, and maybe in a bit I will feel better about them.

Okay, so stop trying with these, for now. You and Andrea have convinced me! This is what I will do.

Thank you so much!

Kim Hambric said...

If these were my pieces and I had tried out several ideas already, I would try a radical experiment with them. Something completely new. If the experiment failed, oh well. Put it away then (or toss it). If not, you might have ideas to lead to a great new piece, or these pieces might just work out.

Daphne Enns said...

I actually thought that these were chocolate pate with metallic sprinkles...

My suggestions is like k.h.'s. Just go at it without forethought and see what happens. I have 6x6's too that have been sitting with a chocolate brown base coat for over a year. I painted one and thought it most uninterested. They now taunt me whenever I look at them in a pile on my bedroom armoire.

I should send you a photo...are you sure that were two separate artists????

Andrea and Kim said...

Kim, thanks so much! One never knows, but I think maybe just leaving them for now might be the right answer. If I can come to terms with them, as they are, it might be best. At this point, I think I have maybe overworked them at this point. Creating space between me and them might just be the way I need to go.

Who knows how crazy it might get by the time I dig them out again!

Andrea and Kim said...

Daphne, I am not sure of our seperateness right now. Isn't that funny? We do have a lot of things in common. I have found a couple of artist like that. Incredible! Want to know something else? Your husband and my son have the same name. ;)

Send the photo! I would love to see it!

Thanks for posting.

Lynette said...

Kim I thought of chocolate too when I first saw these and I love the different depths of the canvases! When I get sort of stuck on a work (got several of those),I hang them on the wall in the room where I paint and I can see them every day. Sometimes inspiration just hits me out of the blue what I need to do next to the canvas to make it work better.

Andrea and Kim said...

Ah! Thanks Lynnette! That is a good idea...go right ahead and hang them on the wall in my studio! Perfect! I will just see what happens...you know I will let you know when it happens!

I am so glad everyone understands the sleep issue! Maybe it is my age, too. What do you think. I will be 50 next month.

Thanks Lynnette! You are a dear.

Anonymous said...

I like the sound of those textures. I think you should keep on with them. They are certainly NOT fit for the Corner of Shame - no way! :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Kim, I seem to be having trouble posting here this morning! 3rd time lucky?
I just wanted to tell you I think you should keep going with them. I think it's quite a feat you've taken on trying to incorporate the differnt depths together. I like the sound of those textures! Thanks for the mention! :)

Andrea and Kim said...

Wow! I was really getting irritated with myself with these. Are you sure they don't belong in the corner of shame?

Sometimes, I also have trouble with blogger. Thank you so much for keep trying, though, as your comments are always so helpful in more ways than you probably know.

I will keep working with these canvases. It very much helps to hear these comments to keep going.

Jess, your blog is so well worth mentioning.

Lynette said...

Kim I really like these paintings, they are looking wonderful and they sure don't belong in a 'corner of shame', that's for sure!!
eek, I hate to say it but yep, the having trouble sleeping thing could be our age, I just turned 54. Ughhh, hot flashes and all that good stuff keep me awake sometimes! :(

Andrea and Kim said...

Well Lynnette! I think age is some of the issue with me right now. I have always read a lot before going to sleep, but lately I have really needed it a lot more.

Okay, no corner of shame for these. I promise. You guys have convinced me! :)

Thanks for the insights, my friend.