Three paintings, one palette

Walls and How to Dissolve Them - Acrylic on 8" x 10" canvas panel, 2010

Red Sky - Acrylic, paper, gel medium on 8" x 10" canvas panel, 2010

Gathering - Acrylic on 8" x 10" canvas panel, 2010

A lot of times I'll just mix paint as I go. Today I pre-mixed some set colors - an orangey red, dark green, lime green and a cool gray. These paintings all have a different feel to them though they share the same palette. I think paintings have a strong personality and forceful will to become an individual. I may think I'm the one in control, but the reality is, the paint is the one that's calling the shots and guiding my hand.

Expansion

Expansion - Acrylic on 17" x 37" unstretched canvas, 2010

This new painting was created on unstretched canvas and I've worked all the way to the edge so that when it is stretched, the painting will wrap around the sides and the buyer won't need a frame (if he/she so chooses). I like this piece both horizontally and vertically and worked on it by flipping it back and forth.

The Healing Process

The Healing Process - Acrylic on 8" x 10" canvas panel, 2010

New paintings

These four new paintings are all Untitled on 5" x 5" box canvas. They can be displayed at any angle. 

Summerscape

Summerscape - Acrylic on 12" x 12" canvas panel.

Secret Code

Secret Code - Acrylic, fabric and gel medium on 12" x 12" box canvas

Surrender

Surrender - Acrylic on 10" x 13" canvas

Dancing Meadow

Dancing Meadow - Acrylic on 20" x 24" canvas, framed

The Muse Returns - new series

The Muse Returns 1-6 - Acrylic on 16" x 20" canvases

What can I say - I am in love with this new series! I was at a bit of a stand off with my abstracts and muddling around with too much color, too little focus and too many ideas all at once. My husband and I were watching a television show and I saw these giant black and white abstracts that really inspired me. Something clicked that limiting my palette might free me up to new ideas, new ways of painting and exploring marks. Things just took off from there. I'd love to hear your thoughts and reactions to these new paintings!

Light and Air

Light and Air - Acrylic on 8" x 10" canvas, 2010.

Well folks, I'm officially out of my rut. It was a short one, but rut-tastic nonetheless. I've got to thank Kendra Zvonik of http://teamzvonik.etsy.com for a two hour long conversation we had not too long ago that blasted me out of a lot of painterly angst and redirected that energy into WORK instead of spinning in my own circles mentally. I have a tendency towards getting a little depressed sometimes which seriously ends up shooting me in the foot. Well, no kidding, depression isn't very helpful, I think we all know that. But it feeds itself with very little effort on my part. For whatever reason, I stop painting, I stop motion, get depressed, feel like I'm losing interest online (which I am - if you don't keep putting yourself out there you will disappear into the huge pool of swirling, creative momentum and fade into online obscurity). That feeds depression and doubt which makes me feel like I CAN'T paint even if I wanted to.

SLAP - I should have a hand mounted on a plaque like those singing fish only if you press a button and stand in front of it, it will slap you across the face and yell "Snap out of it!". Because what I did after I talked to Kendra was couch all of the poor me feelings and focus on the goal like a rhino charging forward. (If you haven't, you've got to read Rhinoceros Success if you need a little boost of forward charging energy - http://www.amazon.com/Rhinoceros-Success-Scott-Alexander/dp/0937382000). Forget hits and tweets and Etsy and blogger and hearts and treasuries and all of the other things that didn't even exist in my world ten years ago and focus on what was always here - ART. So I've been very productive, devoting most of my day to making art and the rest of the time promoting it and already I'm feeling like things are picking up. I'm really excited about my stamps (which has it's own blog now, see sidebar for the link) and I'm talking with a photographer about a collaboration so win win! And painting is fueling me with joy and delight. I learn the same lesson each and every time I have a roadbump. The answer is keep painting. Always. That simple.

Up and up I go. But next time I happen to dip down, I'd really like one of those slap me automatic hand plaques.

Fluid in the Now

I made this new banner based on the painting below that I really like. I need to do this on a large scale (add to large to do list)... Here's the original.

Fluid in the Now - Acrylic and oil pastel on paper http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/

Lay of the Land - Acrylic and oil pastel on paper http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/

Both of these are new pieces created in the last two days. I've loved working with my fresh new batch of oil pastels that I got for Christmas (thanks Mom and Dad!). The weather here has been downright miserable but the colors I'm working with keep me feeling rejuvenated. I'd love to be working on larger pieces but without heat in the studio, that's not really an option right now. Well, I could (and have) set up inside the house, but for now it's nice to work in a smaller scale, more contemplative as I listen to ice chunks whip against the window!

I'm not going to officially sign up for the Painting a Day deal because if I do that I'll come to a grinding halt. It happened before when I tried two separate times to do 365 Sketch last year. It's an unfortunate personality trait to crave doing what I'm told not to and vice versa. Instead, I'm keeping it "in mind" to create a piece a day with no rules, no pressure. I need to do this to keep myself connected to that source - you know how it is fellow creators. Even a few days away from your craft and you get a little rusty, you need some time to mess around before it clicks again. I'll always feel a need to plan and it will always be counter balanced with a need to live in the moment. So... hi 2009. Nice to meet you, it will be interesting getting to know you better.

New Paintings

Echo - original acrylic on 8" x 10" canvas panel


Check out my latest paintings in my Etsy shop at www.livefunky.etsy.com.

Composition Series - A Work in Progress

Composition 1

Composition 2

Composition 3

I've started a new series I'm calling Composition. Once again, I'm freeing myself of the duty of titling each of my paintings, thus freeing them up to interpretation. I have three so far that are sort of a set within a series. I'm going to keep working in groups of threes in different color combinations.

These are available in my Etsy shop at http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/.

First two paintings of the new series

These are the first two finished paintings in my new series.

I've Been Here Before - acrylic on 20" x 20" canvas

Through the Blue - acrylic on 16" x 20" canvas

Both of these paintings are available in my Etsy shop. www.livefunky.etsy.com

Two new paintings

View From Above - Acrylic and oil pastel on 12 x 12 box canvas.

Over Yonder - Acrylic and oil pastel on 12 x 12 canvas panel.

I'm enjoying working really free - fast and loose. There's a bit of a landscape quality to these two paintings. The first piece is titled View From Above because it reminded me of looking down on the California coast from a plane. Both pieces are now available at www.livefunky.etsy.com.

Big eBay Sale!

Today I listed 51 paintings (possibly more later tonight) on eBay with auctions ending in 3, 5 and 7 days. The starting bids are all greatly discounted from my usual prices.



Original acrylic paintings on paper - $9.99 and up starting bid/no reserve
Original acrylic paintings on canvas board - $19.99 starting bid/no reserve
Original acrylic paintings on stretched canvas - $39.99 starting bid/no reserve

I'm offering these at such a discount because I only want to work on gallery wrapped canvases from now on. You can see all of my current auctions here http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZlivefunky

Summer Day Dance

Original acrylic painting on 12" x 12" box canvas, created 8/2008. Available at www.livefunky.etsy.com.

In an Instant

Original acrylic painting on 8" x 10" stretched canvas. Created in 8/2008.

Since I am trying to keep my Etsy shop filled with only the best of the best, I decided to list this painting on eBay instead because the canvas has stapled sides. I bought staple sided canvases for years at a discount store in the area because, well, they were inexpensive and readily available. But I've found that spending a bit more on a staple free canvas is so worth it because so many contemporary art collectors don't want to worry about a frame.

I like the interesting palette in this piece - a soft pink contrasted against darks and a bold yellow. I'm starting the bidding at a much lower price than what I'd usually charge so if you're looking to invest in my art, but you want an affordable option, you should CHECK OUT THIS AUCTION!

Worlds Collide

Original acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas. Now available at www.livefunky.etsy.com.

Borderline

Original acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas. Now available at www.livefunky.etsy.com