It seems that January and February are a time for cleaning up and sorting out artist studios. I have noticed a couple of artists that I follow have been working on this. I have been doing a slow and methodical sort this month. Today I went through a couple of boxes of frames in my studio. I use to do my own framing (monoprints, watercolours and water colour collages) but am not doing as much now that I am painting with acrylics and using birch panels and canvas as my supports. The frames have been catalogued according to size and colour and put in a more accessible storage spot. I might even have freed up 'one square foot'!! Might seem like more work than it is worth, but I feel pretty good having done it and putting a check mark beside that task. Only about 25 items to go!
I have been painting though. Going through workshop notes dating back to 2014 - a bit of a refresher and is well worth the time. Sticking with a smaller format and experimenting with colour themes (example...complementary, monochromatic, etc), mixing colours and neutrals and rereading for the umpteenth time the elements and principles of design. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing I hope you have a great day!
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| Before the background on the left was adjusted |
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'Vessels 9'
5"X7"
Acrylic mixed media on
Canson mixed media paper |
The background could use a bit more work, but I think I will leave it as is and 'paint another'! Used two blues, an orange, black and white. Good practice for colour mixing. Did add a bit of pencil and watercolour crayon for some finer details.
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8"X10"
Acrylic mixed media on
Canson mixed media paper |
This is still a work in progress. Want to tone down the foreground even more. Will try mixing a dark grey and see if that works. If not can always add more neutral or get out the rubbing alcohol and strip some of the paint off.
Hmm, might be time for me to do a slow and methodical studio sort also. Your having gone through your old frames, even with perhaps only a small gain in square footage!, sounded very satisfying. I always feel better with underpinnings in place.
ReplyDeleteI'm even more impressed that you're reading through workshop notes. Your paintings certainly capture exquisite elements and principles of design; those elements, as filtered through your creative soul, are magnificent.
Have fun with the next steps in your current work in progress.
Hi Dotty - thanks for stopping by. I seem to get to about the 85% mark of a cleanup and run out of steam! I have gotten tired of 'looking' for stuff, not finding it, buying more and then finding what was lost and ending up with duplicates and having to find space for the extra. Reading workshop notes and elements/principles info is almost a sweet relief from 'cleaning'. Struggling a bit these past weeks with painting, but this too shall pass....a post for another day. Thank you for visiting and commenting. Take care
ReplyDeleteLove both of these. Love the combo of bues and orange in the first, and your sky in the second is so expressive. Love the glowing light!
ReplyDeletePart of what prompted my cleanup was not being able to find things. Bought a second bottle of gesso, and I had one already. And also, if I can't see it, I forget about it. (and don't use it in my artwork.) It's always satisfying to free up space, no matter how small it might be. High five :)
Your studio looks great and of course that Ikea cart - same one in my studio. You are so right - am enjoying my small clear space! :) Thanks for the positive comments on the paintings - we are on quite the journey and very glad to have your company.
DeleteI like these as well, can see similarities but then differences. Hard to put together a good list of supplies as it constantly changing. I seem to go u till I just can't stand the space and then clean.Did a reorg last year with crates and seems like it is working. I realize why s much of my stuff sits and isn't framed, it is hard to pull it all together. Why is it that frames are big when you decide to work small and vice versa?
ReplyDeleteLove your comment about going till you can't stand the space! Every time I remove an item (no matter how small) I am sure I can hear my studio space breathe a sigh of relief! Changing what I am working on - especially going from painting to printmaking forces me to tidy up. And yes my frames won't fit anything on the table so will have to paint to fit! Good to hear from you.
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