Sunday, December 28, 2014

The Pin Cushion Art Journal painting

I like pin cushions. Can't explain why. Since I was very young and my Mom taught me to sew, I've liked pin cushions. I could never understand how anyone could keep their pins in a box. Even a pretty box. The pins belong stuck in the cushion. Out in the open for all to see.



And not just any pins - I must have the pins with the colored balls. All the colors. Shiny. Happy faces.

I ponder my pin cushion painting. The red strawberry pin cushion.

I favor the checked support for the pin cushion to sit on. A woven background. Maybe. Or a quilted background. A nine patch would be lovely.

And pins. All the colors. With HAPPY FACES. For fun.



Friday, December 26, 2014

LEO art Journal painting



I have in my mind's eye a series of painting with the look and feel of a journal. I see painting, collage, lots of drawing and words. The drawing part is the easiest. The words are more difficult. Verbal sharing is one of my many weaknesses. But I feel the need, the tug to put it on paper or rather, put it on canvas.

LEO is the first painting. Leo is my zodiac sign so I want to start with the most allegorical painting first. I layer the canvas with paint, glazes, tissue paper, wall paper, painted paper and paper bags. The final layer are the words that describe a Leo - the words describing me. I paint the words with a thin brush and ponder each word as I lay it on the canvas. Devoted. Creative. Egotistical. Controlling. I mix the good with the bad, the Yin and the Yang. 

I draw the masks on Bristol Board paper with ball point pens, black, brown and orange. This is the part I love - the drawing. I take my time and loiter.

 The scrabble tiles are inspired by a gift from a dear friend. The Leo tiles add up to the number 3.  In numerology "3's" are imaginative, optimistic, artists, extravagant, vain, complainers, the list goes on.

Funny how the numerology descriptions are the same as the zodiac. I can't escape who I am.

I collage my own drawings with the rest of my collage painting. I blacken the eyes so the viewer can't see into my soul. I've already revealed more than I am comfortable with, What remains in there - is mine alone.


I put the painting on the shelf. I will come back to it. The need to distance myself will benefit my appraisal of it. 
I know it needs some changes as I do personally. But now is not the time.



Monday, December 15, 2014

Art Journal Painting - Leo

My First Art Journal painting ~ LEO. 
I've prepared the canvas with layers of colors and collage.


 Tissue paper with stars, wallpaper with jungle ferns, papers with handwritten words, and layers of acrylic glazes.

I researched the good attributes and the not so good attributes of a Leo and painted these words on the background.
 

Then I went to work on the Leo masks which I created with ball point pens and bristol board. These will be collaged on the painting.



Thought I would use Scrabble tiles to show the LEO in my painting. 
Who would have known that Leo Meme was only worth 3 points!!
.
T




Friday, December 12, 2014

Art Journal Paintings

Busy busy busy working in my Art/Visual Journal.
 I have discovered that many of my pages lend themselves to becoming paintings. So - my next project - my next body of work - my 2015 project -  will be Art Journal Paintings. The first one I've begun is a semi-self portrait in the broadest sense. My Zodiac sign is Leo and that is what I've based this painting on. Here are the Journal pages that inspire the painting.


I started with a mask. Anytime I think self-portrait, I think of using a mask. 
What a better mask than my own LEO.


Along with LEOish sketches, I've added some attributes of the LEO. Some I can be proud of, like Generous and Loyal. Others are embarrassing but oh so true, like Pretentious and Vain. It's the Yin and Yang making me a whole person!

This is a self portrait from 2008 ~ the beginning of the LEO mask.

2022

   Merry Christmas