a journey in mark making
Working on canvas for something completely fun, trial and error but still another learning – bit messy though. Not sure how this could be sealed as it is acrylic paint and crayon.
Moving to level 3 of Lockdown after 33 days, in some ways a relief and in other ways not much will change. Stay home, break the chain. New Zealand has done amazingly well in these dire times.
So we’re in lockdown, with all the time in the world to make art. YAY. !!!
Getting a bit of free space in my art room now that I have had a good shuffle of the materials on the bench. Trying out some new techniques, and some old ones which are still unique to my process. This is smallish, on heavy paper which is a common way of working at the moment. Gesso, paint, rubbing back, stencil etc. I like the way the underpainting shows through in patches, and I am loving the orange – a GO FAST colour for the best of times.
I’m not expecting to do one of these every day of the lockdown, but today was cruisey and peaceful.
There comes a time when a quiet place for contemplation is a necessity. There is the bush, the stream, birdlife, – I am surrounded by these things. Nature gives of her peacefulness so that we can recharge our creative batteries.
I’m looking for a space to call my own for next year, where I can make a mess and it won’t matter. Leave half finished work on the floor and not have to clear it away. Be enthused to take on a new challenge of painting the life I have lived, if that is possible. Have to wait and see.
A new take on an oldie – getting over the pain of covering something that has been with me for a while. Actually it’s quite cathartic to do this. Back when I was working in watercolour a long time ago, when the time came to tear those up and collage them into other works, it felt good, useful and fresh. Gives them another life. This is work on board 900 mm x 600 mm and now has several layers of acrylic, paper and irridescent medium scraped and smoothed over the surface.
The circle of life is a symbol of great hope.
Fallen leaves from the gingko trees are all about, making a carpet of gold on the ground in autumn. Such beauty. Nature is the artist with a magic touch.
Been away down south visiting museums and galleries, family and friends. Much to be enjoyed including a ‘bucket list’ trip to Stewart Island – well worth the bumpy island hop in a light plane.
Time now to get back into making my own art, preparing the garden for a rest and settling in for autumn and winter. A good place to be at. More soon……………..
My interest in drawing and sketching has been re-ignited, and it seems to be something I can manage for the moment. I will be going out with a group of fellow sketchers, to different locations, in order to capture the feel of summer into autumn, en plein air. Stately gardens, old industrial sites, rocky foreshore and placid inner harbour will all be visited. Apart from the paraphenalia which needs to be carried, the other important requisites are cafe close by, toilets, and ‘local’ water. A pond, a puddle, a fountain….whatever.
My preference is for buildings in the landscape, but I will endeavour to produce something from each location, which may lead to a larger painting at some later stage.
Recently we took a short road trip to visit Ron Hall – ronhall.co.nz who assembles composite 3D art pieces out of recycled beehives. Such time- consuming and dirty work, and skill involved to produce the mostly abstract assemblages, which are a celebration of “the unexpected beauty and cultural traces, that are found in industrial waste.”
Ron gave us several hours of his time. Our visit coincided with him having finished a large number of pieces for an upcoming one-man exhibition in Wellington New Zealand. We toured his large workspace, which ranged over two levels. Lots of room, plenty of light and untold areas filled with machinery for grinding, cutting and welding. A gloriously dirty place where highly structured objects are made.
I do enjoy the look of plenty of texture which in this case is a natural by product of the many layers of repaint that have occurred over time.
Thank you Ron for an informative, enjoyable and fun day out.
