It Just Happened...

You may be wondering what in the world I am up to here today with these two images. Mind you, they are just cropped corners of some work I have been focusing on lately. At any rate, do you see the darker purple on the lighter in the above photo? Those are dried ink flecks. I use pre-stretched canvases a lot for a variety of reasons. These come wrapped in plastic which both makes me crazy and makes me glad. I hate the waste of the plastic, but I appreciate the protection, too. Recently, I have been carefully removing this plastic along the heat sealed seams. When I do this right, I can get a nice wide piece of sheet plastic which is double the length of the canvas (plus the depth). I like it because the plastic is strong and not as clingy as plastic kitchen wrap.

So what, you say? Well, I have also been squirting acrylic ink on acrylic painted canvases and then mushing it under the plastic sheeting. This allows me to see the ink moving on the surface of the canvas and have some kind of control - sometimes. I found if I continue to do this the layers of ink will build up on the plastic sheeting. I mainly just leave it around to get the most use of it I can.

One day, I was moving a piece of this plastic and some flecks fell off. What? This is beautiful...it was all irridescent and beautifully caught the light. So I scrunched the plastic with the heavy, flaking, dry ink over wet ink and paint...beautiful. I just let it fall where it might. Then, I decided to see if I could peel it off in sheets. Yes, I could!


Here you can see where I have applied some of the sheets to this painting. If you look closely, near the top, just to the left of center there is a piece of this dried ink which is not lying flat. Do you see it? There are others, too.

Now I can't toss out these sheets. I wonder how long I can get away with using them over and over...saving the dry ink...reusing the plastic? Now the ideas are flowing.

Do you have a good way to reuse plastic? I wonder if I painted thick enough, in reverse order, if I could pull entire paintings off this plastic and adhere it to another support? Do you think this might be messing up the archival qualities of the work...using this plastic like this?

As always I am interested in your thoughts.

Have a Great Day!

Reviewing The Basics

Do you ever feel it is sometimes important to review the basics of the work you do? I feel as though it has been important to me over the last few weeks. One of the reasons I think I have wanted to do this is because I am exploring new processes and new mediums, too. As I have said before, I am enjoying the use of FW Pearlescent Inks along with liquid and regular acrylics. No, no I have not given up on the glazing, but it seems as though I have to keep myself interested in other things while I also enjoy that very time consuming process of clear glazing. This is a little bit of one of the pieces I am currently working on. I know I should be documenting the process, however I just can't seem to take myself out of the flow of work to prepare that linear type document. There is more to do with this and you are not seeing the entire piece, I thought you might like to see how the inks are responding.

Now getting back to the idea of re-exploring the basics I have found a wonderful book called Painting Abstracts by Rolina van Vliet. While I am not one to follow a program, I am finding picking and choosing some of the exercises are quite helpful. It is helping me to think about the working methods which work well for me and reminding me to evaluate my work with the elements and principles of art in mind. While they sit back there constantly poking at my intuition, I think it is helpful to bring them to the front of my evaluation process from time to time.

If you enjoy abstract painting, I think you will find this book useful. If you are interested in exploring abstraction, I think this book is very useful in helping to understand what it is all about and what actually goes into the work of abstract painting.

Thanks to Amazon for the use of this image.

Do you find you have to make yourself step back from your work or does it come naturally? Have you ever felt as though it is important to return to basic ideas to begin to build again? How does the process work for you?

I hope all is well where you are and spring or fall is finding a way into your days!

I will be back with you soon!

Creating Away Here

This is a small little piece I did a while back. I think it is like 3" x 5". I sometimes buy these little canvases to experiment with and sometimes they are worth showing you. It is acrylic with the pearl powder. It is fun and I enjoy the process of these little bits.

I believe things are really busy for everyone. I know they are for me to be sure. I am enjoying time in the studio creating some new pieces and that is absolutely so much fun. I keep wondering if there is a way to source FW Pearlescent Inks by the gallon. :)

Once I get the newly created watermark to merge with the photo of my paintings, I will have some new things to share with you! Until then, you are going to keep getting these bits. I am crap with the computer and feel proud of myself for getting the watermark created...now, to work out getting the darn thing to apply! If anyone is a wiz (I use a PC, not Mac) with Photoshop Elements, I would love to pick your brain.

I hope everyone has a great, creative weekend!

The Creative Life is Great!

I have lots of choices to make here and it seems I am trying to find the time to make them. I truly am not ignoring you, my blog friends. I keep reminding myself how good "busy" can be, and how fantastic it is to live a creative life!

Have a Great Day!

The Euphoria of Creativity

San, who writes A Life With A View, handed out this award. I am going to hand it out to anyone posting a comment to this post. Enjoy and share the love.

Last night some thoughts kept nagging at me - again...I have got to get these things out of my head so I can get some sleep (thank goodness for my journal, right?) All of the lovely comments to my last post kind of got me going...mainly for myself last night, but this morning I am interested in what is true for you.

Do you feel as though all parts of your life are your art? Is each day an artistic expression? Do you create art when you are paying the bills and emptying the rubbish bin?

As I said in the previous post, I think I believe art is the perception of the person experiencing the work in question - the creator or the viewer. I feel as though it is the state of mind at the time of creation or experience. If this is true, then I could find the art in everything, though. I am not quite sure that happens for me. So maybe my idea of art is not quite right.

When I paint a canvas I feel a euphoria which cannot be explained, and I call it art. I can only hope anyone who sees my work may also consider it art, but I am not assured of that fact.

When I go to a gallery , I am told I will see art there. I have no reason to doubt that and enter with a sense of anticipation I hope will evoke that sense of euphoria. Sometimes it really happens and other times it leaves me wondering how some things get away with being called art. The thing is I am certain to another viewer it is without a doubt art.

There are times when I sew, cook or plant a flower when I feel as though I am creative or artistic. I have said before that being a mother is the most creative and rewarding experience I have ever had. I feel creative when I do these things as well as when I paint. Here is the rub, though, I can tell you without a shadow of doubt I DO NOT/HAVE NOT EVER felt creative when I write checks, clean the house or do laundry.

How about you? What tasks completely fill you with a sense of creativity and artistry? What tasks do not?

Have a Beautiful Day!

note, my posts and comments on your blogs may be a little less frequent over the next several weeks, but I will be getting to you.

Asking Questions/ Searching for Answers

Because so many of you responded to the previous post I was inspired to draw more of these faces and evaluate what different lines might mean on the face. These simple lines of the basic features bring to mind so many things and I am reaching into these lines to come up with some meanings behind the images. Any of you who regularly read this blog know what comes off the tip of my pen, brush, hand, etc. does not come from any pre-planning on my part. It just happens. I know many of you inspire me with the posts on your blogs (just consider how many of us were touched the last two days by Andrea's original post). These are not real faces I see, but lines I am feeling which evoke the idea of a face. I know there are more of these which need to come out of me, so watch out.

If any of you are interested in reading a wonderful book about the subject of spreading love, I recommend The Power of Kindness by Piero Ferrucci. A year ago I said it was the best book I had read in 2007. Today, I have to add in 2007 and 2008. I highly recommend it.

There is something else on my mind today. I read this article yesterday and it made me think about what makes something art. The article is about a show at SFMOMA (San Francisco MOMA) of early science photographs. So is this an art exhibit of science photographs? Is it actually art? Is there a fine line here? Or is the difference between art and science actually a point of view?

It seems to me these are images about the documentation of what may be considered science, but it is really nature's paintbrush being documented. Originally, it was documented as a means of studying the subject, however they are seen as art by others. I see science as a way of organizing thoughts and explaining what is often natural, and art is the expression of visions or experiences in a way it may not have been expressed before. Sometimes, nature gives us an opportunity to see life as it has not been seen before...is that, at that point, art? Is this what we are seeing here?

In his book, Art Heals, Shaun Mcniff says:

...Artists are the best sources for understanding the psychic effects of creative expressions. They typically stay close to the physical qualities of arts rather than using them to advance a theoretical position. (127)

If you think about it, scientists want to advance that theoretical position moving it forward until it is proven. It seems to me, many artists do not care if it is proven or not. If it feels right to the artist, then it is right for them and that is what matters. Artist just apply what feels right and what is true for them is what feels true.

So this brings me back to the exhibit. Do you think the point of view is what makes this an either/or issue? For the scientific mind, it is documentation of the facts, but to the artist is was a new way of seeing.

Okay, I have gone off on a ramble here, I know. I kind of share with you what pops off the end of my fingers. Lately these ramblings relate to something I have read...another one of my passions. Now I am interested in what you have to say, of what you have to share.

I wish for each of you a wonderful weekend of love and of spreading love.

A Little White...A Little Blue...

On Saturday night we had our first snow fall of the season. I was not at home, but my son grabbed a few photos for us. The snow was only a dusting where I was, but it was pretty anyway. I have been waiting for a little snow to fall... and this was a little.Of course the sky was beautiful and blue when the snow clouds had passed the next morning. That clear sky also meant it was a little nippy and with the wind blowing, it was pretty cold for here. But it was nice to see a little winter arrive and enjoy a fire.
Now, this blue reminded me to share with you something I have been working on little by little. Do you remember the canvas bit I had painted and wondered what in the world I might do with it? Babs recommended possibly matting it with a large mat to provide emphasis, and Andrea thought maybe I could work it into another work on canvas. I decided to combine both with this idea.
There is more work to do on this as I want to create some kind of vertical element to it, even if subtly. I thought, however, you might like to see the progress this little bit of loose canvas has made. At least now you can still see it was created as a separate piece. I have not decided if that will stay or not. I just have to see how it all evolves. Do you have any thoughts for me on this progress? Any direction which seems to jump out at you?

I hope everyone is off to a good beginning this Monday morning. I will be making my rounds to your blogs later today. Are you making plans for the holidays?

Have a Lovely Day!

Bits and Pieces, Again!

Sometimes I do odd things...well, maybe more than sometimes...and purchasing this sampler pad of a variety of canvases was one of those times.I know the intended use is to test out the different types of canvas, but I am not going to follow that convention...who do they think I am anyway? :) So this sat around my studio until it caught my eye yesterday. You see, I had some paint left over and still wanted to paint. So I pulled off one of these canvases and laid down a coat of indigo acrylic. No, actually, I laid down indigo on 3 sheets of this. I let it dry then did some playing like this...
I know this is a typical Kim painting, but I do have a thing for these horizons. What you are seeing here is copper and pearl acrylic. Now, what do you think I should do with these little bits of painted, un-stretched canvas? Mmmm... Well, it was fun to do and it is an interesting way to play around while you are waiting for the large canvas to dry.

I want to send out a very special HUG to Suki today as she deals with a trying time.

I wish for you a beautiful day!

Weekend Play

This weekend I played in my studio a little bit. Mostly I was glazing some of the paintings I have shown you lately...and there is still more to do there. But I had to play with a bit of color, too. Three years ago I purchased 3 tubes of watercolors to create invitations to a reception we had for our daughter when she graduated from college. I found those watercolors and played a little bit with them. This is the "blotter paper" used in this play time.This is rice paper and I tossed some sand on it when it was wet. I thought it turned out with some possibilities. I can use it for wrapping paper if nothing else. It is really white and not a buff. I just photographed it late last night and not in great light.

This is one of the things I blotted up a little bit. It is also on (white) rice paper. I had used some sumi ink and a sumi brush to draw the lines. Then I just squeezed a little paint from the tubes on the paper at the ends of the lines. After that, I just sprayed the paper with distilled water to move the pigment around a bit. Then used some powdered pearl pigment to sprinkle over the top.

I know this is not much to share with you, but it is one of the things I did between the glazing layers. One of the things I have learned is there are a limited number of applications where I prefer to use a brush to paint with. Do you find you like brush-less painting? When I do use a brush, there are a few which are my favorites, though.

Some of my blogging friends are having a difficult time right now, so I send each of you a lot of energy to get through these tougher times. And for everyone have a Very Beautiful Monday!

Glazing

Some of you may receive Robert Genn's twice weekly (Tuesday and Friday) newsletter known as The Painter's Keys. If you do, then you know today he spoke of glazing and gave a few keys helpful when using glaze. In this newsletter he speaks of applying a darker glaze over a lighter color to adjust the intensity or make some changes. He describes different methods you might consider when you wish to do this on your paintings. If you do not subscribe to Robert's newsletter, I think you might enjoy some of the topics he discusses. If you are interested in this one on glazing, I will be happy to forward it to you if you will email me.Reading today's submission by Robert made me think of how I use glaze. I have shown you examples here on this blog and continue to glaze away. Robert, a realistic landscape artist, uses glazes to add depth while making subtle changes in color and I used clear glazes to give a depth and glass like appearance to my overall work. I have tried to photograph the results of my glazing technique, but it is difficult. Here I am showing the edge of the same painting in hopes you can get an idea of what I am doing.
Now many of you might wonder what in the world takes me so long to paint these very minimal works I create. The answer to that - the application of the glaze. Sometimes it takes me a long time to get the painting the way I want it, but more often than not it is the glazing which takes forever. In the case of the painting I am showing you the application of clear glaze took 4 to 6 weeks after I had the base painting done. But the build up of thin layers of clear acrylic brought a depth I can't show or even describe. I do urge you to try this sometime. Here is the recipe I use:

2 parts distilled water
3 parts soft gel (gloss)
Blend this together until smooth and allow it to sit for 24 hours (some may feel this is overkill, but it gives me peace of mind) to allow the bubbles to come to the surface and dissipate. Brush on prepared painting allowing each layer to completely dry before applying the next layer.

This is also a good recipe to use to embed things between layers of glaze. I have actually seen paintings where items and paint appeared to float above the surface of the canvas when it was embedded in enough layers of clear glaze. Maybe I will try that next. :)

Normally, I have to have at least one painting going and be glazing others. Right now I have a real back up of those needing glaze, but that is the way it goes sometimes. So now you know what takes me so long to accomplish these paintings. The good side to it is I can have glazing going all the time and do not need a lot of time to slip in there and apply some glazes, nor do I have to "get in the groove" to do this.

So do you have techniques which take you a long time to accomplish? Do you find speed is important in your work? Do you obsess with details?

Have a Beautiful Day!

Off Of The Brushes of Babes

Like many of you, I have wonderful friends from many different places in the world. One of my dear friends sent me this painting the other day.This painting has no title and I believe it is possibly watercolors on simple printer paper (cartridge paper). You can tell the painting has been done as a mirror image by folding down the middle of the paper. My friend is Vincent Brenker, and he lives in Itzehoe Germany (near Hamburg). Vincent is 4 years old. I adore these colors and how they have melded together.

I know many of you find inspiration in the work of other artists, but do you find inspiration in the art of children? Babs has shared some lovely work from her little grandson which is really wonderful, too. Do you think we have things to learn about art from children? I do.

I know I have neglected this and your blogs over the last week or so. I am now working to get back to you and going again. Mainly, my family has been my focus, although together we have been focused on a few extraneous issues here, too. I thank you all for being patient with me. I will get going again here before too long.

Finding Beauty

A while back, we had a discussion on this blog about hanging art on colored or non-white walls. I said I have a great love of doing that and have found in some cases it really shows off paintings nicely.

I have been painting my foyer and one of the walls is a very dark gray...kind of a paynes gray, if you will. The other walls are very light. So I hung this painting which you have seen before against this dark wall for you to see the result. My feeling is a white wall would wash this particular piece out, but the dark wall seems to really make it pop. I will show you more of this foyer project once it is complete and maybe you can see the edge as it sits against this wall, too.
In the book, "Creative Authenticity: 16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen Your Artistic Vision" by Ian Roberts, the first chapter is about 'Searching for Beauty'. This chapter begins with these quotes:

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. - Emerson

By God, when you see your beauty you'll be the idol of yourself. - Rumi

I told beauty, take me in your arms of silence. - Aragon

Beneath our loquacious chatter, there is a silent language of our whole being which yearns for art and the beauty from which art comes. - Rollo May

So in your search for beauty, have you found it? Do you find yourself looking for it at every turn? Do you know how you define beauty? Is it important to you?

For me, simple things often define the beauty I find. It often involves something difficult for others to see as beautiful, such as hanging art on a dark or colored wall or the way fresh vegetables are displayed. I am always looking for beauty and always refining what it's meaning is for me. And that meaning is often based on something positive in some way. I can also say beauty is very important in my life.

I hope you are having a beautiful day!

Seeing Colors And Making Shapes

This is an old, old piece. It is pastels on black paper...about 10" x 14". It is just basically something I did fast one day to do something in a short time frame. One thing I have found interesting is the feather shape. I often want to make this shape for not any known reason. Do you have a particular shape which comes naturally to your hand?

Yesterday I talked about seeing colors when I dream and yes, today I found a quote from Audrey Flack about color perception. In her book "Art & Soul: Notes on Creating" which I pick up from time to time, found this:

Perceiving Colors

We see colors differently. I see blue hues with one eye, my right, and warm yellow tones with my left. I've found that many artist see this way. I believe this is a function of a highly developed color sense.

Now I am not so sure this is the way it works for me, but you can be sure I am going to be testing myself to see if Audrey's theory holds true for me. One thing I have noticed, though, is how two people with different eye colors see a hue differently. I attribute this to the reflection of the light as it is perceived by the eye. But I am not talking about colors in different locations, but people actually looking at the same color at the same time in the same place. And the other thing I have said to you before is how I am able to create and see various colors in different places where we live. I pointed to the example of the blues being so different for me when we were living in England. And the colors I worked with when we lived in the western part of the US were different from the ones I work with now here in the Eastern part of the US.

Have you ever noticed any of these subtle differences in how colors are perceived or how you work with them? Clearly both Audrey and I assume it is the eye which makes the difference, but maybe it is the brain which is translating them differently. What do you think?

I hope the day is sunny and delightful where you are today.

Doodling in Paint?

As you may know, I have been working with my non-dominant hand on a regular basis - encouraged along by Andrea and Suki. I have found it to be freeing and am wondering if it will influence work I do with my dominant (right) hand. One of the doodles I have wanted to do in the last few days has been spirals. I normally am not interested in this particular shape. As a result, this painting came out of me. It is acrylic, the off-white is really pearl. This is a 10" x 10" staple-less canvas.

I don't know if I will keep this or not. I was telling Suki how I do not really know what I am painting when I do paint. I pretty much become a part of it. Then when I stop painting, I forget to stand back and take a look at what I have done. I truly separate from what I have been doing. Does this ever happen to you? I usually have to walk back into the studio and be surprised or repelled by what I have done. Or I have to gauge your responses.

This brings me to something else I wanted to share with you today. I have a small book by Audrey Flack called "Art & Soul: Notes on Creating" and it truly is a collection of notes. I pick it up from time to time to prod me along. A few days ago, I read this:

Studio Ghosts
When you're in the studio painting, there are a lot of people in there with you. Your teachers, friends, painters from history, critics...and one by one, if you're really painting, they walk out. And if you're really painting, you walk out.
-From a talk with Philip Guston

I so get this as it perfectly expresses what happens to me when I really get into painting...everyone walks out, including me! And it happens very quickly when I do that non-dominant hand doodling.

Does this resonate with you? How does it feel when you are really into your creative work?

Have a Beautiful, Creative Day!

Doodles and Thoughts...

Here is a little more doodling with the Inktense pencils. Sometimes, I just like to lay down colors to see where they might take me, and this is not any exception. What usually happens is I end up journaling on these bits. If I use a disposable technical pen (like the Micron), I will doodle a few lines and add a few word thoughts. I suppose some people would call this visual journaling, however these are not in book format...does that matter?

My apologies for not posting a lot these days, but it seems as if I am continuing my role as "glue" here. Are you ever the glue at your house? Do you find yourself doodling/journaling over other art from time to time?

I promise to work on more thoughtful posts very soon. Have a Beautiful Day!

A Bit of Pouring

As I have mentioned things here are rather busy at the moment and time in the studio is limited. But I was able to get this pieces started. This canvas is 4" x 12" and the base is painted with Paynes Grey. The pink acrylic was blended into the glazing medium I often use clear and a bit of pearl added. The white is only pearl mixed with the glazing medium. Both of these were allowed to sit for 24 hours after mixing. Then I poured some of this onto the canvas. While the poured paint was wet, I shook the canvas hard and also hit the edge against the heel of my hand to make the paint spread in this way.

Now I am thinking this needs a bit of detail added, but so far I have achieved this much. It seems when I get into a crunch for time here, I end up doing some poured work since I can pour for a bit, then stop and come back to much later.

I hope to be able to get a bit more done this weekend, too. How about you? Do you have some beautiful plans?

Have a Great Weekend!

Weekend Ponderings

I just had to share this with you. Yesterday Andrea sent me this photo of the Metro Stations I spoke about in the comment area of the Signs Post. While this is not a sign as we normally think of signs, it clearly indicates this is the way to the Metro trains. Isn't it fantastic? I have to tell you I would love it if Washington Metro Station Signs were as artistic as this.

Also yesterday, my son and I began talking about the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, and how he and I tested. We did this test years ago, but sometimes go back to it and re-evaluate. Have you ever taken the test? If not, you can go to this site and take one which is brief, but comes out the same as the longer tests (at least for those of us in this family).

I am an INFP, which means I am Introverted/Intuitive/Feeling/Perceiving. There are links to full explanations of each of these personality types online. I know really odd little details about my personality type. For instance, for all of these indicators I am more than 90% them...like I am 95% feeling...that basically means I am not someone who thinks my way out of things by any stretch of the imagination. I also know INFP's are the rarest personality type. So these two bits of information tells you I am one unusual personality as personalities go. :) But I do not mind.

But I am interested in knowing if you know or are willing to share your Myers-Briggs type? I think it would be interesting to know how we are the same and how we are different as artists or people who love art. Are you willing? Are you interested? Either way, I would love to hear from you.

Have a Great Weekend!

Playing Around...

This is a quick shot...clearly not centered and not well lit...of one of the things I have been doing in my studio. Yes, I even threw some paint on the wall...but I had not painted that room on purpose and will have to prime it anyway (wallpaper).

I seem to do this. When I have been out of the studio for a while, I tend to want to do something which is poured or thrown rather than brushed. I wonder why that is? This is actually a bit of all three (poured, thrown and brushed). First it is a canvas which was painted before, and I wasn't crazy about it at all. So I painted over the original with Paynes Grey and allowed some of the paint from before show through. Then I poured some paint (pinks, lavenders, blues). Once that dried...took a while...I mixed some pearl acrylic with some of the clear glaze of which I have become so fond and painted that over the whole thing. I did this 4 times...once vertically, once horizontally and in two different oblique directions. The last thing I have done here is to pour and throw the same colors over the dried pearl effect.

What techniques appeal to you when you have been away from your studio for some period of time? Do you paint over or use parts of previous works you are not pleased with? By chance would your studio wall be reminding you of a Pollock?

I have no idea where this is going, if it goes anywhere. But I thought why not show you messes, too. It is all acrylic on a 30" x 40" canvas.

Influencing Your Art

I want to share with you a book I completed reading yesterday. And if you have been reading this blog for a few months, then you have already heard about it.Catching the Light is written by Susan Pope. You know Susan, she is our very own Sukipoet. I have to tell you this book was a real page turner for me. I just had to see what this young woman was going to choose for herself. She had so many obstacles to overcome, but behind it all she was drawn to her art. And Susan shows how she used her life to influence what she so loved doing. This book is so well written and draws you into the location and into the lives of the characters. In addition, an underlying message is how we come across people who influence so many parts of our life even after they have gone from it. I highly recommend you locate a copy of Catching the Light...I know it has become a treasure for me. And thank you so much, Suki, for such a beautiful gift and such a beautiful message. You are an inspiration in so many ways.

And I have something else for you to play with this weekend. You don't have anything else to do, right? Take a look at this image:
It looks like some people at MOMA, right? Well it is not! This is a sketch of mine...a lowly sketch you have already seen on this blog before. I used an online service called Dumpr where I uploaded this sketch to be placed in this setting! This kind of thing has been making its way around the blog world, so you probably have seen it on other blogs. My apologies to the blogger who made the recommendation, I can't remember the blog I first saw it.

One of the things I thought was so interesting is how you can use something like a sketch to get an idea of how that might translate into a larger painting. For example, I think this looks better as a painting than it does than a sketch...I had no idea it would translate that way.

Dumpr has some other fun things to play with on their site, too. Some of them you have to pay for, but these I am showing are free. One of the toys I have had great fun with is the Amazing Circles feature. See what a photograph of a red tulip translated into with that feature:
So now, here are a few fun things to do this weekend. I really hope you have so much fun and enjoy reading and playing with images...believe me, when you read Suki's book, you will want to get in there and do some serious creating!

Have Fun!

Mobile Art and Looking Forward...

Since I am moving slowly back into my life here at home, I thought I would share with you some of the bits of "mobile art" I did while I was away. I did not have paint with me when in Montana, but I did take paint when I went to Vermont (easier to take paint when you drive).
This is a 10x10 inch canvas. I had a very limited number of paints with me, so I was bound to using what I had. That was fun, though. I did have to purchase titanium white, if you remember I did forget that one. I have no idea what this is about. There is a part of me which thinks it may be a response to all of the green in Vermont as well as the hint of those fabulous colors of the autumn maple leaves.

Sorry about the skewed photo of this canvas. I really need to set myself up again and get some good photographing done. This is a 10x12 inch canvas. I have to say I very much missed working large and think that must be the movement difference. Can you see that here? I think I really wanted to dance. Again, I was limited to the paint I had on hand there and this is something which came out on it's own.

I did a lot of doodling and worked with the inktense pencils and charcoal while I was gone. I will share some of those as time goes on. Hopefully, next week, I will be able to find a bit of time to get back into my studio...I hope so, anyway.

Do you think the autumn will provide you some additional time for your art?

Have a Great Weekend!