a journey in mark making
Putting layers of opaque paint over an already layered board substrate, my preferred surface for collaging, scraping, sanding back and generally degrading the surface. Many colours applied at random, new and varied colours I would not normally try. Perhaps it could be harmonised with a glaze, but what to choose.
Layered acrylic paint , gesso, graphite, and lots of sanding back, all on heavy watercolour paper. Working small so as not to waste materials, and feeling OK about not having expectations of a finished painting at all.
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.
For the month of July, the Unlimited Palette art group are showing their varied and colourful artworks in the window of a large empty shop in the main street of Waihi. This work ” Tidal Forest” is collage on board, and framed but not glassed. There are another 50 or so paintings in the show, something for everyone’s taste and pocket. Sometimes it’s who you know not what you know that gives you a chance to do something different.
From time to time our group comes up with a “challenge” – a project to stretch the imagination and make us smile. Everyone has a different take on how this will be done. In October last year the challenge was ‘chairs’ and this is how mine ended up, a concertina fold of heavy paper with collaged pics of chairs and little sayings to go with them. It was a fun thing to do.
Next Saturday 16th Feb. Unlimited Palette will be having a Pop – Up show and sale of art in the United Churches Hall in the Waihi Beach Village, 10 am – 4 pm. Five artists presenting their varied styles of work in watercolour, acrylic, mixed media, printmaking and calligraphy. Paintings, handmade journals, cards, prints and quirky signs will all be available.