Hello there!
It's spring in Arizona and the inspiration and paint are fluttering about madly.
I've been spending endless hours in the studio.
Music, tea & paint.
Makes me so happy.
I finished a large scale piece, about 5ft by 3.5 feet or so.
Listening to a lot of London Grammar.
And I'm just finishing up this vertical piece below, flowers and pretty colors.
Regarding the large scale piece & a bit about what I've been up to...
I actually painted over a vintage Reynolds painting.
Mostly because it was not my fave and the scale was huge like I wanted, so I did it for fun.
Funny enough, a couple beloved folks took an interest in owning it, so it's now traveled to a new home.
I can visit it any time I'd like, so that's fun.
I really thought I was making it for myself so I just did what I love.
Isn't it funny, when you do something you love someone else might feel what you felt too?
I decided to take several pics of this super sparkly piece to share with you.
Mixed media galore, with 5 layers of paints and textures and antique ledgers and papers.
It's really impossible to convey the layers and sparkle but I'll try.
I started painting when I was 11 and as I've said before, it was all abstract and very much just doing what I called painting my feelings.
I decided to bring a bit of that feeling to this piece.
Kind of like, not a care in the world art making.
For about 23 years I've been painting heavily textured large scale hearts which have gone to live with lots of people.
They're too big to ship so I never really share them much on here.
I think in the way past you may have seen a few hanging in my city house or other people's houses which I've shared. (I'll share some I can access easily in storage & at friends' houses soon)
Anyhow, point is, my soul naturally gravitated back to abstract with texture, hearts & mixed media thrown in.
Oh and insects of course :-)
Boy did I have a blast painting this.
At first I painted 3 totally different paintings.
It had been a couple months (before the holidays) since I went utterly paint crazy, so I was really restrained at first.
Then I just broke freeeee!
In fact, to be honest, I didn't realize how much my wild abandon vibration was on vacation.
I'm normally pretty wild and free feeling in my soul.
I hike and sing and make things all the time.
I feel free as can be.
So, why would I be restrained?
Thing is, if you don't allow that out-flow on a regular basis, like an exercise, then it becomes trickier to do in a fell swoop. But you can get it back in a couple days or even a few hours if you plunge totally.
It's like riding a bike.
Once you jump in, all of a sudden you're like, oh yes, this is my happy place.
I think part of the process of painting, even just colorful abstracts with light hearted hearts and stars :-), is finding a break free point and being true to you. But also, creating a composition that feels right to your soul.
It's like arranging furniture in your house, if it doesn't feel right to you, you just can't live with it.
No matter how hard you try.
Even abstracts are made of endless thoughts and feelings swirling madly together.
I think that's why I've always respected abstract painters who make art I am drawn to.
The journey within and the level of composition is an art in itself.
But for fun's sake, you can throw all that into the wind and just splash away.
It's at that moment where the music is right and the vibe is perfect that all of a sudden, you flow.
You leave space and time and you create something fun and alive, to you.
Whether others like it or not can't matter.
You have to get to a point where you don't care.
Then you can break free.
No one may like it, but if you like it, that's all you need.
And if it brought you joy and peace and let you journey out of space and time, like making art often does, then you have succeeded for yourself.
Because if art making doesn't bring a person joy, well, then it's no fun in big ways.
It's like trying to have fun at a carnival when you're really sad about something.
It just doesn't work right?
But if you ride the bliss wave while creating, that's when art addiction happens isn't it?
So, I allowed myself full freedom here.
Giant bees included.
I think I carry bees so dear to my heart because they are a huge part of my life.
In my gardens, flower and vegetable, they make everything happen.
I check on them everyday, see how they're doing.
So, I guess it's natural that they are appearing in most of my art.
Bees make the world go round.
Bees and butterflies <3
And yes, I took down a huge map to cut it into a heart in the name of art, haha!
My happy place.
Textures and colors.
The texture is really visible in person and catches the light in all sorts of directions.
Just a really fun and light hearted piece with lots of texture and color.
Here it is in its new home.
I photographed it there which was utterly challenging with architectural ledges and windows at all heights and sizes. This created lots of shadows, in person really fun, but to photograph super challenging.
I love sneaking in little tid-bits here and there.
I thought that was kind of funny.
And then there is the sparkle you can not see unless you are there in person.
I tried to convey it here.
Lots of gold flashes too.
Gold leaf and gold paint.
The canvas actually had a great quality sturdy gold frame but I decided to paint over it.
However, when I was done I realized it needed the frame so I had to steel wool it clean for an hour, eek!
I wish I had taped it as planned, haha!
There are lots of little fairy dust sparkles and gold splatters that catch the light.
It's all about love in the end isn't it?
In the beginning and the end too.
And possibly, probably, all around.
Love.
Impossible shadows but there it is...
On its new wall far away from me.
And here I thought it was just for me.
Sooo much fun to make.
(Gold Dust 3:33)
I'm finishing up the sunny yellow bright piece next.
And then, I have a fairy tale ballerina who is almost done.
It's warm and sunny here.
Violets and daffodils and hyacinth are happening.
I see tiny rose buds forming on my rose arbor.
I pruned 38 of my rose bushes and they are sprouting those fresh tender little new leaves.
Ah, spring.
What a magical thing we were gifted.
Seasons.
How lucky are we?
I guess I'll go back to my paint now.
I've been posting little painting videos and daily tid-bits on Instagram here.
How are you out there??
I'm sorry my posts have been far and few lately but my new computer....
Aye aye aye, I won't whine.
I'm trying to get more used to it, but Windows 10 is missing some key things I need for making blog posts.
Like auto-arrange of photos in my folders, what the heck?
Why would that go away, how bizarrro.
Haha!
I'm using a pen and paper and my memory skills now, thanks technology, so maybe I can come back here more regularly again.
I miss you all when I'm gone for too long.
I know people don't say howdy very much in the blog world anymore, we're all a bit more quiet (me too), but that's totally okay because I know you're there and that makes me happy.
Hi hi hi there!!
So glad you're out there <3
See you real soon!
Love, V
