Gel Medium Photo Transfer Tutorial

Here's a tutorial for today: How to make a gel medium transfer. It's an art, not a science but this is the method that works best for me. Enjoy!

Wabi-Sabi Dumpster Inspires Painting

This is one of the hardest paintings I've done in a long time. It has gone through so many incarnations you wouldn't believe it. I've layered and scraped back, incised, slathered on, rubbed in, and all but wrestled the piece to the ground. This is what it looks like now, but a bit blurry because the cold wax is still wet.

Realms    Cold Wax, Oil, Pigment on Panel

  
 I was frustrated several times during the process of making this piece and I felt bad about "wasted" paint and wax that got scraped off. The painting turned out to be inspired by the wabi-sabi photos of the rusted dumpster shown in my last post. I could have just done that to begin with, right?

Probably not. If I'd set out to re-create what nature and time had wrought on the rusted metal dumpster, it might have looked fake and artificial. This piece contains real scoring, wounds, peeling, and abrasions incurred as I struggled with the materials. We are both bruised from the engagement, but resting comfortably now, as old friends.

Realm                   Detail 1

Realm                     Detail 2

Dumpster Beauty

No, I didn't go dumpster diving. But I did find beauty in the shell of an old dumpster sitting beside my neighbor's house. (Why is it there?--don't know.) 

I needed to clean the house today so I decided to go on a wabi-sabi walk instead. On these walks I go from my house several blocks down to my local coffee shop, The Bi-Partisan Cafe. I like to challenge myself to see if I can find something wabi-sabi on the way.

 So, the house is still a mess but I have some lovely inspiration for encaustic or cold wax paintings.

Seeing what is/is not there...

I gasped with delight when I saw the piece below take shape.

The Golden Age          Oil/Cold Wax on Wood Panel

Do you see images in linoleum, cracked wall paint, clouds, ceiling cracks, etc? What about abstract paintings?

 I remember when I was a teen, I read a letter to Dear Abby where a woman was worried that she was crazy for seeing images in her floor covering. I was relieved to have Abby assure the woman that she was not alone.

This has been on my mind lately in view of my abstract work with oil and cold wax. This is intuitive, exploratory work, very different from my representative work.

So, what I was excited to see in this piece is a 17th century harbor with ships ready to set sail from Holland to the South Seas,or the East Indies to pick up spices, china, textiles, or tulip bulbs. The colors remind me of those used by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Judith Leyster. 

I can't see the  piece without thinking of that. I've wondered what this would look like to others. So far one person has agreed about the ships in harbor. Another saw a volcano. What do you see? Anyone able to see pure abstraction?

I Hope You Can Tell a Book By It's Cover!

I got a wonderful surprise by email today. You will see below that the final version of the cover for my book is ready! I'm just showing the back cover as you can see the front on my sidebar.The entire book will be out soon. This day seemed so far away when I signed the book contract. I really couldn't imagine what a lovely book North Light would produce. (Well, I guess I helped, but the design was up to them.) Imagine me walking on air and you have it about right.

Classes Galore Coming Up!

I'm excited about the classes I have coming up at my studio. If you live around Portland OR, or will be visiting her soon, take a look--you might find what you've been looking for. You can register for classes on my website.



 I have a few spots open in the first class of the year:

 Landscape of Dreams.

Bursting      Acrylic on Wood Panel

 Saturday: January 19, 2013 1-5:30
90. Supplies Provided.

We'll use acrylic paint and painting knives to create loose, gorgeous landscapes. All levels welcome.

Coming Up Next Month:

Assemble Yourself!

Straw into Gold      Mixed Media Assemblage

Saturday: February 9, 2013
80. Most supplies included.

Join me for a fun, playful, and unusual class, to liven up the winter doldrums! We will meet at the SCRAP store (School/Community Reuse Action Center) at MLK and Stanton at noon. You will spend 15. or under for embellishments, papers, fabric, or whatever strikes your fancy. We'll then go to my studio where you will create an assemblage with your haul from SCRAP and from the

and from the materials I will provide. I'll provide cigar and other boxes for your assemblages. 

Coming in March:

Layers of Mystery with  Wax

Pauline's Gaze      Encaustic/Mixed Media on Wood Panel

Saturday: March 16th, 1-5:30
90. Supplies Provided. Optional: Bring toner (copy shop) reproductions of your favorite vintage photos in b/wh and/or color.

 Create mysterious and beautiful collages using images, specialty papers, beeswax, oil paint, embellishments and more, in this fun and informal class! All levels welcome.

Only two spots left! 

Get Out of the Road

I think the most challenging thing about making art is to get out of our own way. It's not something we can do for once and for all--we have to do it over and over. Today I made a quick piece from the place of not knowing where I'm going. I think I may be working in this vein for awhile and that's part of the process.

Where Does this Road Go?      Acrylic on Panel

 

 

 

 

 

This piece reminds me of driving over the mountains to the coast as it gets dark. You know you'll get there even if it doesn't feel like it sometimes. What are some ways you get out of your own way?