Steel Wire and Brass

Rowboats

I love rowboats.

They are showing up in my work.

I wanted to do something completely different yesterday.

Out came the steel wire, brass and solder.

A hot mess-literally.

This little rowboat is rather crude...

but not bad for a first attempt.

1 3/4" x 1"

Working away

This was sitting around waiting for attention.

It was one of those paintings that was started

and then abandoned because I couldn't decide what to do next.

It came together, finally.

Plaster on panel, oil and cold wax  12x16

~~~~~

I start my art practice by warming up.

I use bulldog clips and hang paper from nails on the wall.

Do you know of Steven Aimone's book Expressive Drawing?

There is a exercise from the book that is fast paced and non thinking.

I set a timer for a minute or two and start making marks.

Then set the timer again and go in with watercolors or acrylics.

Back and forth, marks and paint.

Great for helping you get loosened up and out of your head.

Graphite, charcoal, acrylic on paper 22 x 30

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Trying to decided what to do next, I spotted a bottle 

of Golden's Asphaltum Glaze. hmmmm...

I grabbed the glaze and a chip brush and went at it,

scrubbing away. Working with glaze can be a little tricky, 

if you go over an area with glaze on it too many times

the paint lifts off.  That wasn't a problem here as it

created its own outlines.

I'm happy with the way it turned out.

~~~

I started another influx drawing/painting the other day.

There's some pretty good drama going on here so far.

Need to let it sit for a bit before I dive in again.

Fear of ruining it.

That's really the time I should go for it, when I feel fear.

Graphite and acrylic on paper 25" x 40"

Thanks for stopping by!

 This piece has been in the works for months and months.

Cold wax and oil on panel.  18 x 24

It's hanging in my teal bathroom.

The more I work with cold wax and oil the more versatility I find it has.  

I enjoy mixing dry pigments, charcoal, graphite, plaster, powdered marble

and I am just about to go scooping out ash from the fireplace.

The possibilities are endless.

During my hiatus from work, I plan to spend as much time painting as possible.

"Red Hots in my Dreamsicle"

Here are bowls that are drying, soon to be painted with cold wax & oil.

Encaustic medium, shellac, encaustic gesso and Panpastel

9 x 12 on panel

These as well as some bowls posted previously,

have been inspired by the river I grew up on.

Funny how I hadn't thought about that place in years 

and all of a sudden, memories came back and have become inspiration for art.

Holiday?

Handbuilt plaster bowl, 13.5"

Shellac, Panpastel, encaustic medium

~~~~~

Happy 4th of July!

I should be taking the day off,

but...

I'm picking up my studio.

What a mess!

Crap Art supplies, boards, canvases all over the floor.

Tripping hazard for a klutz like me.

Why am I saving all this stuff I don't use?

You've done that right?

Bought stuff thinking this was it, the "thing",

the "thing" that was going to make a difference in your art practice.

Only to find out is was only 'eh...

For over 20 years, I've been trying different medium.

It's been interesting, fun, exhilarating, eye opening

learning how to do.  Mostly, once you learn basic techniques,

you find out quickly that while it's interesting to learn,

sometimes it just doesn't click.

Do you get overwhelmed by too many art supplies,

too many choices?

Yeah, me too.

I'm narrowing my focus.

I will still probably take me a long time to get down to basic materials,

but I know I'm getting closer.

~~~

A few Shellac, pastel and encaustic medium pieces in the works.

Photos to come.

~~~

A memory came flooding back out of no where.

Of a row boat I had when I was in 4th grade.

Long time ago.

I made one out of heavy paper,

tacked it together with linen thread,

covered it in encaustic medium.

Paper, linen thread, encaustic medium

15 x 6

 Love my little row boat.