Begin/End/Begin

Begin/End/Begin - Acrylic on 16" x 20" canvas

Growth

Growth - Acrylic on 7.5" x 11.5" canvas wrapped wood

Beloved

Beloved - Acrylic on 12" x 12" canvas

Horizon 8

Horizon 8 - Acrylic on 12" x 12" canvas

Video Blog 4/10 and new texture painting

Awakening - Acrylic on 20" x 20" canvas, 2010

This is the finished painting from the video below.

Cold Front

Cold Front - Acrylic textured painting on 12" x 12" canvas, 2010

Horizon paintings

Horizon 6


Horizon 5

Horizon 4

Horizon 3

Horizon 2

Horizon 1

Here are my latest paintings - now available at www.JessicaTorrant.etsy.com.

Untitled

Acrylic texture painting on 12" x 12" gallery wrapped canvas, 2009
Available for purchase at www.JessicaTorrant.etsy.com

Finding New Ground

Pulse - Acrylic on 18" x 24" canvas, 2009

Available at http://www.jessicatorrant.etsy.com/

In this latest painting, I like the contrast of the horizon line that closely follow the lines of the texture vs. the rough surface of the bottom three quarters. As opposed to Horizon 2, this piece evolved pretty quickly and the moment to call it quits came surprisingly fast. For a moment I doubted it thinking, 'but-but-I haven't wrestled with this for days, it hasn't had fifty different lives before this one, is it really done??' but yes, it is. Not all paintings need to rip your heart out, stomp on it, then put it all back together again for you just when you've come close to giving up. Some paintings mess with you like that, others are eagerly awaiting completion and will help you get there any way they can. Those are very polite paintings. I'd invite them to a dinner party.

I've been thinking about the series that I sort of canned for now that was very thought out (was going to be called Relations - maybe it will resurface someday at the right time). I had sketched out all of these painting ideas and then when it came time to actually PAINT I was drawn in totally different direction. I do, however, have that painting Leaning (first painting of Relations) to thank for this new textural direction. It's hanging in front of me unfinished and that's just fine.

I think these new paintings are THE series - they came to me unexpected and deserve some kind of recognition as a group. Thinking about this yesterday as I was working on a bunch of new canvases (one is close to done - can't wait to share it!) I came up with the phrase "Finding New Ground". Part of this is a nod to the technical process - the painterly sense of "ground". It's also of course related to landscapes and my attempt to express a sense of space, teetering on the edge of reality and dreamworld/imagination. Lastly it's sort of a personal declaration, finding my own footing in this new phase of my life. Sensing changes, good changes, shifting priorities and desires, letting go of ways I've defined myself in the past and embracing the unknown of the present and the future.

Time to go back to the studio. Hope everyone is having a great day.

Texture is my new best friend

(Close up)

Horizon Line 1 - Acrylic on 24" x 36" canvas

I am LOVING my texture mediums! Today I finished this painting and the effect is truly lost in the photograph - you have to be standing in front of it to really enjoy the raw, rich texture. I love this look. Expect more where this came from.....

Available for purchase at http://www.jessicatorrant.etsy.com/.