A busy week...

 ...and another to come means there has been just a bit of progress in the studio.

Additional areas of paint have been added to the 3' x 4' panel.

And I'm already enjoying the contrast of texture and colour.

The fabulous quote I found last week by Arundhati Roy has been scripted in to add its energy to the mix.  No doubt the bulk of it will be covered by subsequent layers, but the power, strength and spirit of it will remain and intensify.

I'm loving these ovals created by a well-used abused paint brush.

As you can see, there's a long way to go - it's clear this may not be finished in time to hang in the patio this summer.  ;-) 

Meanwhile, the birthday girl's painting is finished for this year, and is ready for gifting in mid-June.  Now I can start on the grandsons' paintings, both of whom have birthdays coming up in the fall.  Surely that won't arrive as fast as I expect, will it?!!!

This coming week we're off for a few days over the mountain passes to visit family, so I'll 'see' you after the upcoming weekend.  In the meantime, happy tail-end-of-spring-moving-into-summer!  

Go big...

 ...or go home.  Or perhaps both.  In any case, I've bitten the bullet and started to add colour to the 3' x 4' panel.

As it's been a very long time since I've worked this large, it's been a challenge to wrap my head around it.  Every technique needs to be sized XXL so I'm not working a gazillion details.

 

When normally I'd be working a six inch-ish square in this technique, it was sized up closer to a foot and a half.

And while this red spiral looks monstrous to me, by the time it  has a few more layers, one would hope that it will be well integrated.

And I love it that I have some multi-coloured cheesecloth to add to my journals...doesn't this look almost edible?

Over on another table is a work in progress for granddaughter Chloe's birthday.  After mucking around for three weeks on another concept, I scrapped it and started over.  This one is going much better, thank goodness!

I'm working on a journal spread as well; I found this quote by Arundhati Roy and it smacked me like a thrown brick through a plate glass window. 

 'Another world is not only possible,

She is on her way.

On a quiet day,

I can hear her breathing.'

Isn't that the most hopeful thing imaginable?  Here's to it becoming truth, and in our time.  💗💖💓

Well I 'kinda, sorta, maybe'...

 ...got some of my act together this week after four weeks of the world's worst cold.  I did, at least, add another few layers to the current abstract project (working title Pathway).

It's been on the table for about five weeks now, and there are somewhere in the neighbourhood of a hundred and eleventeen+ layers, some of which are pretty bland, 

and some of which are more interesting.

The intensity of this part pleases me,

and I like the subtlety of the bottom half here.

The Kroma Crackle of the second red piece on canvas finally dried, so there are layers of dark umber, black and gold added here.  I'm not wildly excited about the result so it will sit and cogitate with me until we're both satisfied with the way it stands, with or without additions.

And believe it or not, that 3' x 4' panel has finally found its new home on one of the tables.  I've just finished adding the third coat of gesso, and can finally throw some colour at it.  I'm not sure whether I'm more excited or intimidated - it's been a very long time since I worked this large.  

I hope your creativity is jumping all over the place in your corner of the world  - happy making, wherever you are!

Distractibility should be my middle name...

 ...as it's certainly the way my studio days go.

I started with a play prompt for the month which was to gesso  a book spread, loosely draw objects with charcoal and play with it using fingers, wet brush, etc.

I actually completed it within the first two weeks of May - yay for me!  And since I had both the book and gesso out, I gessoed another spread, scribbled back into the gesso with the 'wrong' end of a paintbrush, and used the inks sitting nearby to play. 

 I love the way the very yellowed pages of the ancient book show through and the pop-up of words that  resisted all those layers.  

I suspect these techniques would be a lot of fun to use on that very big panel, 

which I was supposed to be starting on this past week.

I did manage to get back to cutting on that scribble stencil,

but didn't get too far before I had to test it on the aforementioned book pages to make sure it was what I intended.

And, of course, there is a painting started for an upcoming granddaughter's third birthday next month, and it's hardly past the conception stage.  I really need to get at it!!  Truly, it's not helpful that there are three+ tables in the studio to keep projects on the go.

Meanwhile, my brain is sidetracked again as I look at the pile of books 'in process' on the sideboard table and wonder when I'll get back to them.  The possibilities on all counts are endless, and so is my furiously distractible mind.  I LOVE being an artist.

How could one not be inspired...

 ...by spring in Creston?  The glory of Mother Nature's display dances around every corner and it's outstanding!

The Flaunting of the Flowers had me itching to work in my newly painted signature, so the Posca Pens came out and I went at it like a mad woman. 

And then these fabulous inks arrived on the patio - a gift dropped off by Laura Leeder, who, like me, is clearing unused supplies.  Do you think I can use them?  You BET I can.  Am I excited to jump in?  YES I AM!  

I sure hope that your week was filled with as much colour, beauty and delight as mine...tell me what's happening in your comments!