Enchantment.

I noticed that the theme for the July Challenge over at Artists in Blogland is ENCHANTMENT. I did a post back in June about one of my new paintings of the same name. How cool is that? I thought that called for a re-posting. Make sure to check out the other participants at Artists in Blogland too!

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ENCHANTMENT [n. great charm or fascination, captivation, enthrallment]  is an evocative mixed media painting inspired by the interior of a Tithe Barn in Bradford-on-Avon, UK. This piece was started at Karen Rosasco's workshop and I think you will be amazed at how dramatically it changed as I worked on it. I finished it in my studio, all the while marveling at the magical process of creating.

I invite you to explore the evolution of ENCHANTMENT...

charcoal & water "splashed" on paper.
"fixed" with water/gloss medium glaze.

first layers of paint go down.
palette pretty well decided.

painting is getting too representational.
I decide it's time to change direction.

this is more like it.
going abstract with shapes, patterns & lines.

lines, words, focal point added.
watercolour paper glued to canvas.
top & right edge collage elements added.

work continues on the top, right & left edges.

paint ties all the elements together. signature added.

ENCHANTMENT
mixed media, 18"x14"x1.5"
watercolour paper mounted on gallery canvas
$500 CAD
Available at Studio22 Open Gallery, Kingston, ON Canada
Inquiries welcome here

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Elixir.

ELIXIR
10"x10"x1.5", mixed media on illustration board  $250 CAD
Available at Studio22 Open Gallery, Kingston, ON Canada
or send me an email

ELIXIR [n. an underlying principle; quintessence]  is a wonderfully moody, mixed media painting. It took shape at Karen Rosasco's workshop and has since become a real favourite of mine. I invite you to explore its evolution...

quinacridone nickel azo gold over collage.
heavy matte medium as glue and texture. 

dark areas painted in.
touches of turquoise phthalo enhance texture.

light areas blocked in with gesso, or possibly titan buff.

defining shapes with line and colour.

refining and enhancing shapes.
text stamped in turquoise phthalo.

organic lines added in charcoal.
note the colours & texture on the rusty lamps
behind the painting. subconscious influence?

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Karen Rosasco. Design Guru.

I was thrilled to attend a five-day Experimental Watermedia workshop with Karen Rosasco a few weeks ago. Karen is a super teacher, knowledgeable and encouraging.

table set up and ready to start.

work in progress.

Karen's focus is on design which resonates with me, having come from a background of graphic design and calligraphy. Design is an integral component of a successful piece of art. Bringing opposing forces together to create balance and interest... putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

hand-carved stamps from Softoleum, used for patterning.

We were challenged to observe carefully - to see abstract painting possibilities everywhere we looked.

unaltered shot of a slate countertop in a restaurant bathroom.

We did lots of layering which brings such a sense of depth to each work. She had us work on sheets of paper, which is new to me. I like it! I am used to working on canvas or board - now I can use those supports to mount the finished work.

layers of paint, stamps and my new favourite - alcohol. rubbing, that is! 

I came away with three finished pieces. Two are now mounted on gallery canvas, signed, named and wired for hanging. The third is mounted and waiting for final touches.

work set out for final critique.

I learned many things, including new ways of approaching my work and different ways to set up my work space. My current Muse Journal is full of notes and a larger sketchbook contains fodder for future work. I have sheets and sheets of pieces on paper in various stages of completion, inspiration to keep me motivated and effective tools to resolve my paintings. If you ever get a chance to take Karen Rosasco's Experimental Watermedia workshop, do it!

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Shed Med[ieval].

Earlier in the week, I spent an afternoon in the studio prepping gallery canvases - painting the edges black. My newest works are created on watercolour paper or illustration board [since my workshop with Karen Rosasco -  but that's another blog] and they will be mounted on these canvases.

prepped canvases in the studio.

After painting the edges, the canvases were stowed in Shed Med [our "Medieval" shed], ready to grab as I finish a new piece. As you can see, I have a LARGE supply of 14"x18" canvases, and a fair number of 10"x10" and 6"x6".

shed med[ieval].

a peek inside reveals stacks of canvases.

It feels good to be using the materials I have on hand. The best part, though, is that I am building a body of work! Look for new pieces featured here on my blog, on Facebook and on my website. Two new paintings make their debut this week.

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