This is also an important part of the therapy that art is for me...the getting lost, the letting go...that is the healthy part of this whole process, the healing part...if I can 'get lost' for an hour or more in my studio...that is better than any nap I can take or book I can escape into...it is like taking my brain to the spa...I come back to reality feeling refreshed and rested...
There are so many different acrylic products available…from types of paints and inks, to things you can add to your paints, to all the various gels and textural mediums. Add to this the endless methods of applying it all...I am always adding to my collection of 'tools'...from the bent metal tongue depressor-sized and shaped tool that my brother-in-law, Tonio, made for me, and various other things he gave me from his workshop to squish the paint on, to the different lids from broken things, to credit cards, to the laptop hard drive metal frame that made the honey-comb-like shape in the gel...the list goes on...
A lot of my paintings have great gobs of paint on them…the more I can pile on and the more wild the array of colours the better! A while back I had bought a little tub of Tri-Art Semi Gloss Modeling Gel…I had originally thought maybe I could mix it with my paints to make them even more capable of bulking up…but I haven’t tried that yet…I was afraid of thinning out the colour. Also…this stuff isn’t cheap and I would need so much of it…
So the tub sat…until this past week when I decided to try something totally new for me…and I am having a riot! It is a test for my non-existent patience for waiting for paint to dry though…it takes 2-3 days for the gel layer to dry before I can attack it with paints and inks…but this only serves to make me start more and more pieces…trying to keep busy while waiting for pieces to dry…so I guess it is a good thing!
I think I am happiest when I have a few different things on the go and can just bop from one thing to another…working on my latest little card project (the alphabet one), I have prepared a huge (for me…the biggest yet at 28”x36”) canvas to start doing my Georgian Bay series and a whole lot of smaller canvases that I am playing with the textural medium on (including 1 big one - 24”x36”).
The gel goes on white…this is the second canvas I have started…
It dries clear…this is the first of the canvases I am playing around with...
And a detail...
Once dry, I started adding colour…this was where I got to last night…and was happy, but after looking at it for a while, decided it wasn’t finished…it needed something more up at the top and some metallic inks…
I think it is finished…will let it dry and see…mostly I used my fingers to put on the acrylic paints and inks…great messy fun! (I think I have paint on my keyboard and my camera now!!!)…
And a detail...
Yesterday we had well over 300 lbs worth of dog in the house! We had our 2, Shea and Teddy who weigh in at about 85 lbs and 55 lbs respectively, then, while Oma had dinner with one of her daughters, we babysat her Kenya (95 lbs) and Remi (probably 100 lbs)…Oma is babysitting Remi for a few days…plus we had my younger’s wee puppy, Kaiah who probably doesn’t weigh 5 lbs…that is a lot of dog! It was hilarious…the biggest, Remi, and the smallest, Kaiah, hit it off and played and played…Kaiah ran her little heart out – Remi only had to take a couple steps here and there to keep up and they barked and barked in joy…one huge, deep bark and one wee bark…
Kaiah is not as big as Remi’s head! Here are the 2 of them at the barricade that we made upstairs so they wouldn’t fall down the stair case…
This picture is so Remi…he is a real gentle soul, ragamuffin 2 year old gallumpous…
5 comments:
Hello Tamarak, I am Angie from Australia. Have started a blog a little over 2 months now and have felt excited by having a blog but have also felt inhibited by making something for everyone to see! Hence haven'y made a lot of art.Your comment on allowing ourselves to let go and play, try new things really resonates with me. And I love your painting, it looked like fun to make, love the colours and texture, thanks for sharing your work :)
Love this post! I can identify with what you said about painting. It's therapy for me too, and I love to use my fingers to paint and draw. I also have to have several projects going at once. I really like your painting and the doggies too. Your blog is terrific. I'll be back! :)
Thanks for visiting me and allowing me to find you!
Tamarak -- I think you are my favorite blog -- you teach, you play, your are unafraid and your art is wonderful and your writing is a perfect compliment.
I played with Golden's heavy Gel/Molding Paste and light Molding paste this week, dries in 1/2 hour or less. But was afraid to post the results -- sigh -- I'll get over it. Another thing I saw in a DVD was drawing/texure in a heavy layer of gesso.
I too cherish my healing play time.
I am ALWAYS inspired after viewing your art.
What fun!! Love the textures you've created!! And yes, I agree, play is such an important part of the creative process. Essential in fact!
Those pictures of Little and Large Dogs are SO cute!
Janice.
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