Another Abstract 2016

Tuesday, January 19th, 2016. Brrrr! Another sunny frigid day. And, snow is "predicted" for tomorrow. I won't let that stop me from going into the studio. Why? Because! Because I have received a special birthday gift from my son - snow tires - purchased and installed by my son, Marshall Harwood Garrison. Many thanks!

I'm adding to this blog as part of my "Writing Accountability Group" (a Meetup group) challenge for January. I will be reviewing and uploading more pictures of my art work. Hopefully this will be another "nudge" for me to be "proactive" - to be a "doer" for 2016.

Abstract - Ink & Watercolor 

How did I do this? I'll leave it to you to figure out how the black shapes are created/applies. The rest of the painting is done with a brush - using acrylic paints - watered down enough to work as a watercolor painting. I like acrylic paints for "long life". I've lost many paintings to sunlight (painted more than 80 pieces for West Indies Coco Point Lodge). The ones that survived were done with acrylics.

I may have prints made of this work. I like it a lot.

PAINT, Karen, PAINT!

Into the Wilderness

 

Into the Wilderness

"Into the Wilderness" is "long gone" and is somewhere on someone's wall (I hope). I painted this work in my studio - Karen's Studio 125 at Essex Studios in 2009 - not sure of exact date. It was on illustration board 22" w. x 30" h. using acrylic watercolors, India Ink and white gouache.

It's another one of my African-inspired paintings. It's whirling and full of fire energy - one of my "energetic abstracts".  Colors are swirled and intertwined. The white dotted black line forms add intensity to this special work.

If you ever see this painting - let me know. It was framed with a black frame and cream double-matt. I displayed it on my outside studio wall - for sharing - but not for taking. Reward $50 for any information leading to its return.

Jungle Fire

Jungle Fire

Here's a picture from a slide that I made of "Jungle Fire" - another one of my "illuminating from within" paintings. This painting is also "somewhere - out there". I often wonder where my missing paintings are today. I'm not certain if I recorded it's departure. I have kept some records of paintings and it still may be there and I may look through old art files - just for curiosity.

The paper is French Arches - heavy weight, size is 22 1/2" w. x 30" h. Paints are acrylic - usually Liquitex. I choose to use acrylics for paintings that I want to "last".

The forms are loose and light - using a chinese brush and probably a #12 watercolor brush to do this work.

Jungle Fever

Jungle Fever

 

Here is another one of my "done in the basement" paintings. To compensate for the lack of light I infused an internal light - a light illuminating from within the painting itself. It is painted with acrylic paints on French Arches watercolor paper (very heavy weight) - size 30" h x 22 1/2" w.

 

Sometimes when I look at my art I wonder who is it who is doing this? I've entertained the thought of one of my past lives - an entity who finds "opportunity" to work through me to express its on-going energy throughout the universe. As an "aside" I was in one of Dr. Brian Weiss's (Many Lives, Many Masters) workshops where we were regressed along with about five hundred other people in the audience. I found out I had been in Africa - not sure where or when, but I certainly was influenced to choose red, yellow, green and black for this vibrant work.

 

I like it better now that time has passed since it was created. I now see the strong forms and musical brushwork - using a chinese brush dipped in India Ink. Yes! I can now "see the light".



"Cover Up"



"Cover Up"

This acrylic abstract was begun many years ago - probably back in the late 70's. It is painted on English handmade watercolor paper - size 22" h x 30" w. The paper came from Falkiner Fine Papers in London. When it was shipped to Greater Cincinnati Airport, I was required to go to the Customs Office to sign for its delivery.

I used a palette knife and various items to scrape and print shapes into the wet paint. I even have used a tuna can, paper towel tube or 3"x5" card). My first attempt at this painting was "not to my liking" so it remained in my portfolio for years. I would study it and then return it back to the portfolio.

When I signed up to put an ad in Blink, I took this painting out again and started putting green patches of paint to "liven" it up - giving contrast and balance - a composition in color. It's a "happy" painting now and well-suited for display or sale. It is definitely one of my "energetic" paintings.

"Language"

"Language"

This painting was created "back awhile". It is an acrylic watercolor on French Arches watercolor paper 30" wide by 22 1/2" high. It was done at the same time I painted "Between the Vines". I was experimenting with bright colors - jungle colors - orange, green and yellow. Orange is one of my favorite colors!

The orginal "theme" for this painting was about language - saying something "drop by drop". The painting could be "read" vertically or horizontally. I finally chose to display this painting horizontally - mainly to get it signed and finished. I'm not sure about why I chose to put geometric boxes around areas of the painting - but somehow it works and provides an interesting repeated pattern. For a title - now - "Language".

This painting has traveled to the West Indies - to Coco Point Lodge, Barbuda and back home to Cincinnati. I painted many paintings for the lodge - had them framed and trasported by air freight and met them at the dock coming out of the bottom of a native sloop! The painting was displayed for awhile until a hurricane hit. I was shown into a warehouse (tin building) to see where my paintings were being stored.

I was able to "rescue" a lot of my paintings. I unframed them - tossed away the stained mats, frames and glass. I packed them up in a homemade portfolio and carried them with me on the plane rides all the way back home. I've been able to save the paintings and have every intention of reproducing those that can be redone - one by one!

Between the Vines - Acrylic Abstract 11/9/2014

 

Between the Vines

If you look carefully you will see human torsos (a few belly buttons, too) interlocking  - "vine-like" .

I've been trying to update my web site www.Karens-Studio.com which is "run by" Word Press. I've decided that using blogger.com will be a better "venue" for sharing my paintings - a place where I will be able to provide further information about each painting - it's inspiration - it's history - it's "provenance".

During the past several weeks I've been choosing to expand my art endeavors by adding a thousand dollar full-page ad to "Blink" a catalog produced by Art Design Consultants that will go out to 10,000 people - interior designers and artists across the country. The target date for distribution of  "Blink" will be January, 2015.

I am also having prints and greeting cards made from original works. Robin Imaging was recommended to me by an artist in the studio next to mine at Essex Studios. It's an old company - that I wish I had known about years ago. I figure I'm learning about it now because I'm finding I want to make good reproductions of my work to display and sell.

Robin Imaging took my framed painting and photographed it through glass to "get back to" the original painting. I was amazed by the result! It has inspired me to select more works for duplication.

The first painting (here) that I'm sharing is on French Arches watercolor heavy weight paper, measurements 30" H x 22 1/2 wide. It's done with acrylic paints, brushes and some sponge work, too. I was working at a drawing board in the basement - where daylight was "not". This painting is one of several "jungle" paintings - paintings that had to produce their own light from within. Coming up with a name is often difficult - so now at last I'm calling it "Between the Vines".