Wednesday, May 31, 2006

And now for something completely different

Did you notice all the Memorial Day sales? I had to check out Joann Fabrics because I had a 40% off coupon. When I got there, the things I wanted to use the one-item-only coupon for were all already on sale for 40% off.

O Happy Day! Paint canvas and brushes...here I come..

I was pretty ready to shift gears for a week and get some painting done, since I had been so inspired in Santa Fe and needed to see what I could do with this new energy. Altho I already had three primed and stretched canvases under the stairs ( the last storage area to fill) I figured a few extra canvases would free me up and prevent the preciousness syndrome.

So I bought 14.

I went to four Joann's until I exhausted all the available 36x36" or 30x40" gallery canvases in stock. These are the kind with 2" thick sides wrapped around the back with no staples showing. No frames necessary with these babies. I likey.

I have plenty o'paint from the American Blueprint Supply Store going out of business sale two years ago. I got thousands of dollars worth of art supplies at 75% off. I am a keen shopper. I won't even mention how many sets of color pencils I own because of that keen-ness. eek.

The thing about oil paints is that they take a longer time to dry than acrylics, which is both good and bad. I am in the midst of working on two paintings and waiting to apply the next layer of paint, so I am not ready to show my work in full. Not til it is done, you understand.But my aim is to loosen up, as always, and to explore color and line in a new and more adventurous way. Bigger brushes are one great way to get there. One can't dink around with detail with big fat brushes.

And I am not planning much when I start, just scribbling on the canvas with paint and then see where that takes me.

I had to get up at 2am and work some more on this second one. Ooohh. I am realising how much I need big blocks of color to offset this busy brushwork. Again I am looking at Skip Lawrence, Peter Alberice, Emily Mason and Jean Richardson's work for direction.



9 comments:

  1. These are all separate canvas's? I am drawn to the first three. The colors are wonderful. They look done to me!!!!

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  2. I am glad you are painting. looks wonderful-I love the one on your other blog...cool beans

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  3. You are such a passionate artist. I can't imagine getting up at 2 am to work!! You always inspire me!!

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  4. Anonymous12:56 PM

    Yeah Melody!!! painting rocks...you go girl.

    Anne on Pender Island

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  5. Nice scribbling. Gorgiferous colors.

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  7. How can I purchase your paintings? Do you (even if occasionally) do small pieces of your quilting? Aspiring fans who cannot afford your pieces (but I long to have them) might be sated by a small piece. Oh pleaseeeee....

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