Rebirthings
mixed media on canvas
11 x 14 inch
Last week in painting class, I dived right into this work...and I mean dived in...sleeves rolled up, head down...and not a word as I worked. I cannot talk and paint at the same time. Luckily my friends in class are forgiving of my silence. It is good to be among other artists on a weekly basis who get it about the need for concentration and having a block of uninterrupted time to paint so that ideas can flow smoothly.
My friend Julie Ford Oliver has mentioned the difficulty of talking while painting before on her blog...how it challenges her while demonstrating in her classroom and on her teaching videos. I understand fully what she meant now that I am in a classroom setting. But I would not trade my classroom time now that I've experienced it. It is so valuable because I not only get to hang with other artists for three hours a week, but I get the privileges of having a teacher (Brian Hinkle) to ask a variety of questions about mediums, techniques, and all things art. It is truly a blessing.
Anyhow, about the painting: I started with scrapbook paper that covered the entire surface of the canvas and painted on top of that. I prefer a smooth surface most of the time, especially when there are small details, and the paper provides that in an interesting way. I worked pretty fast and you can see in the photo below where I left off at the end of class last week. I then pecked at it all week and finished it last night.
Rebirthings in progress
The figures slowly emerged and the details were a mix of accidents and purposeful marks. Once the blackbirds appeared in the sky, it seemed placing one in the child's arms would be a nice touch. After I finished last night, I stared and stared at it trying to come up with a title. I looked up blackbirds, ravens and crows online to get some help. The word rebirth was repetitive among the three bird types, however "rebirth" sounded boring. In art, we can make up our stories and our own words. Lucky us!
The story here is for your interpretation as I had no agenda.
Here are some closeups.
Happy week to you my friends...until next time.
The figures slowly emerged and the details were a mix of accidents and purposeful marks. Once the blackbirds appeared in the sky, it seemed placing one in the child's arms would be a nice touch. After I finished last night, I stared and stared at it trying to come up with a title. I looked up blackbirds, ravens and crows online to get some help. The word rebirth was repetitive among the three bird types, however "rebirth" sounded boring. In art, we can make up our stories and our own words. Lucky us!
The story here is for your interpretation as I had no agenda.
Here are some closeups.
Happy week to you my friends...until next time.
♥ Lisa
