CAROL CARTER WORKSHOP BEGINS

No painting to post today because in less than 12 hours, we begin our much anticipated 'CAROL CARTER" workshop here. When we're done, I'll post some of the inspiration and instruction we've had. Sure looking forward to it.

I'll post again by Monday. Until then, I'll be painting, painting, painting! See you then.

RECKLESS ABANDON

What fun to paint with reckless abandon, as if you're plunging off the very edge of an enormous waterfalls. Today in class we incorportated a couple of Nick Simmons' (see side bar for his great blog) unique techniques and let the paint, water, and liquid gesso do most of the work. The less brushwork, the better, with each stroke being as fresh and free as the flow of water shooting over a falls.

Two weeks ago we were at Multnomah Falls in Oregon - breathtaking - and the inspiration for this painting. And painting this in a great Tuesday morning class full of friends made this 61st birthday extra special.

Everyone's paintings were original and experimental. Some people completed their work but most will put some more finishing touches on their paintings. The first stage of my painting is shown below, and you can see that everyone is hard at work. Now Honey and I are headed out to eat...YES!


"RECKLESS ABANDON" Fluid Acrylics and White Gesso on 140#CP Arches 16 x 23" COLLECTED

BATIK vs BATIK LOOK

For whatever reason, I like to paint the same picture several times using different techniques while expressing my feelings about the beauty I see. Our grandma used a sewing machine like this, but the reference for these pictures was taken in Sauder's Village in NW Ohio.

The first painting was created using torn masking tape to save areas before I painted layers of random colors over the whole paper. The second painting, also posted earlier in this blog, is a wax batik on watercolor paper, using watercolors instead of dyes, and it's three times as big as the first painting.

Both processes allow me to imagine from beginning to end just what the painting will look like. Since the paint's covered over gradaully, layer after layer, with either wax or tape, it's a mystery how it'll turn out until all the tape or wax is removed. It's like putting a puzzle together without seeing how it looks until it's all done.

I love good surprises, and maybe that's why I like these processes. Of course, there have been a few 'bad' surprises, too, using these techniques . . . goes with the territory of making art. Parts of the bad surprises can help make a good collage later maybe.

It's neat to see the different moods in each painting, even though they are of the same subject. I'll be painting this again soon.

Both are done with Transparent Watercolor and are in art collections.

BATIK LOOK ALIKE

Last week I posted the batik window I demo-ed during Craftsummer, painted from the same photo reference as this one. Today's post has a batik look, but it's done using masking tape as the preserver of colors and values, instead of using wax.

Actually, when a painting's all done, the wax is easier to iron off than the masking tape is to pull off. And the wax is much easier to put on than tearing little pieces of tape to fit each shape. But I love the results, so I think it's worth it.

Each time I use this photo reference, I like to change the quilt area to my liking. One of my long time good friends from way back in grade school bought this to hang in her family room, and I even get visiting privileges to see it (and her.)

"BETSY'S ROOM" Transparent Watercolor on 140#CP Arches, about 17 x 23" COLLECTED