New painting

I took these pictures tonight after finishing this new, as of yet untitled, painting. I love it! It was one of those paintings that starts with an idea that demands that you to go paint it now and then follows through effortlessly, like all you have to do is hold the brush and the whims of the Muse will take care of the rest. No wrestling, no doubts, just one lovely surprise after the next. I wish every painting could happen like this. I understand that's not possible, but when it happens it just feels so good.

The sides of the canvas have staples so I've got it set in this ornate gold frame. I'll properly frame it and photograph it tomorrow to list on Etsy.

Things are alive and thriving this summer - I'm feeling it! I'm feeling free and happy to engage the Muse in any direction she pulls me.

Horizon 8

Horizon 8 - Acrylic on 12" x 12" canvas

Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains - Acrylic and texture mediums on 30 x 40 canvas
Available for purchase at http://www.jessicatorrant.etsy.com/

This painting has layers of gritty pumice stone under the paint. Surrounded by all of the green foliage in the backyard, I'm just naturally drawn to using this color. Today has been a great day. I had a cool experience of going out to the studio to set up, getting giddy about the cleaned space and skipping back to the house to get something. On my way, this dark brown butterfly that I've seen every day since the first warm days of spring fluttered up to me and hovered a few inches away from my face. It startled me and I sort of dashed away from it. Seconds later I was saying out loud, "I'm sorry butterfly, I shouldn't have been scared of you". Once I got whatever I needed in the house, I headed back to the studio looking around for my butterfly buddy. I stood in the backyard looking around and then all of a sudden it fluttered towards me fast and I wasn't scared, I raised my hand up and it landed on my wrist! It stayed there for a good 45 seconds as I stared at it in awe whispering to the butterfly telling him how pretty he was. I took a step and he flew off, dancing above my head for a bit then flying off into the woods. It was a real connection and it boosted me up before I started painting. After that encounter I giggled realizing I all of a sudden had "The Sign" by Ace of Base in my head for no apparent reason.

New Today

Take Me There - Acrylic on 24" x 24" canvas

This painting had so many lives... I've been working and reworking it since fall 2008. Today most everything in the original got covered over. I'm really happy with this painting. I absolutely need a new camera because my pictures aren't doing this piece justice.

Spring Field - Mixed media on 8" x 8" canvas

Driving through the countryside (to the auto shop to pick up my husband - oh the joy of cars) yesterday, I soaked in this view of a super vibrant field of green. This canvas was prepped with the fabric in a natural position for a landscape. This painting came together rather fast - sometimes it happens like that and you have to acknowledge it and slap your hand away from the brush. When it's done, it's done.

Both paintings are available for purchase at http://www.jessicatorrant.etsy.com/.

Dream Painting

This beautiful hyacinth smells so deliciously sweet! The lime green ground cover is one of my favorite plants and the color combination of the two is just electric. I took this picture yesterday - it was a gorgeous sunny day in the high 70's and I was loving life. I woke up this morning after having a vivid dream of painting. I LOOOOOVE painting dreams! I can't wait to paint again. Weekends are family time and today other things popped up so it's onto tomorrow for a full fledged dive into working in the studio. Rar!

Meanwhile I am drooling over one of my favorite painter's, Wolf Kahn's work. I consider myself a student of his work, from afar, and I'm eager to get going with landscapes again. It's time. The only thing I wonder about is if I'll be tempted to return to oils. That's not a horrible thing it's just not something I've considered since I fell in love with acrylics and left oils all together. That would be interesting... we'll see. I think I'll be able to achieve the effects I'm looking for with acrylics and maybe I'll turn to a longer drying time acrylic rather than oil. Yes, that's a strong possibility. I'm rambling... go enjoy some of Kahn's amazing abstract landscapes. http://www.wolfkahn.com/. (PS - How cool is it that he goes between NYC and Vermont? LOVE IT).

New Series - Landscape 1-6

Here are my latest paintings. I played with mixing mediums in these, using charcoal, watercolor and acrylic paint. They are small - all on 6.5" square pieces of archival watercolor paper. I have titled them by number, Landscape 1, Landscape 2, and so on, and the images below go in order from 1-6. I like taking a break from titles sometimes. It keeps all of the weight and significance in the visual art itself, no distractions or suggestions.

The painting above reminds me of the dunes on the Cape. It wasn't intentional, but now this is my favorite because of that connection (Rob and I have a beautiful history of trips in Cape Cod - from the early years when we were dating to our wedding and honeymoon).

This last one is very abstract but I see a view I don't get to see anymore. The land across the street from my parents used to be owned by a nursery (plants not kids! haha) and it was just open fields and meadows with little collections of various trees and shrubs that were home to many birds and other wildlife. I spent my childhood playing there and knew the land like the back of my hand. It is now mostly bulldozed and covered with tidy green lawns and what we call McMansions (they aren't all that big in comparison to some developments, but they certainly don't melt into the natural surroundings). They paved the road up to the end of the development and a loop road cuts back into the property. I recently took the drive and it was just so strange. I knew each location in my soul - that's where I went sledding by myself or with my dad, that's where I made out with my first boyfriend on a starry night, that's where I painted that painting for my grandmother when she was living with my parents in her last days. I've mostly gotten over the loss of that land, but it still stings. So, long story, but Landscape 6 reminds me of the colors in the meadow you could see all year round - purples and golds.

Blue Horizon

A new painting now available in my Etsy shop at www.livefunky.etsy.com.

Live Earth - SOLD

Acrylic on 8 x 10 canvas, 2008.

I painted this late last night and was eager to list it on Etsy this morning. A few hours later it was sold! If I could paint ten more paintings like this in the next week, I'll be happy. I'm working on a large commission today and hopefully I'll have some pictures to share soon.

Happy painting everyone!