Color challenge

I like blues and greens. I like them a lot. They are my comfort colors, and the colors I choose to surround myself with. So naturally I paint with these colors all the time. Knowing I needed to stretch a little I decided to ask my friend Jen to come up with 5 colors for me to paint with that have nothing to do with my current color obsessions. Her choices were these: maroon ( probably my least favorite color ever,) gold, brown, hot pink, and lime green. Interesting choices, this was going to be an actual challenge because that color scheme is nothing that I'd ever willingly pick, but she knew I was trying to stretch so she obliged. I thought about this palette for a day but found no inspiration, so I decided I just needed to jump in. The painting is still in progress, but I wanted to share those in progress incarnations here because the interplay of colors continue to surprise me every time I approach the canvas. Note: the white looking spots are actually tears in the canvas... I just went with it.

Encaustic Portaits

I am starting a series of very quickly drawn, stylized portraits on wood panels in encaustic based mixed media. I've done some drawings in black marker and this is the first translation of one of them into color.

"Rowan" - encaustic paint, pencil, oil pastel on wood panel, 12"x12"

Some door birches

I repurposed some thick piece of canvas that used to say "Welcome!" I found at a thrift store. It wanted to be this door hanging of birches instead. 

 

Small Act of Courage

Posting the art I make is difficult. I’m not a boastful person. I don’t relate to people that are. I don’t care about accolades or fame. I feel REALLY weird doing it but there is that part of me that feels it’s necessary for it to be put out there, for it to be seen, because it’s a part of its purpose. I know making art is not saving the world, but I do think it contributes to the beauty of the world we share, and for me, my sanity. Posting it feels cathartic. I don’t care if anyone wants to buy it or comments on it, it’s a small act of courage for me, that is all.

I'm supposed to post some art

I keep forgetting the purpose of this blog, to post art that I do. Hey. Well then, here's the mama to that other little encaustic piece 2 entries ago... 

"Intersections 01"- 2013, encaustic and oil on wood, 8"x8"

2014, I welcome you.

I'm in hardcore purge mode regarding our belongings. We crave negative space in our home and I intend to satiate that craving. I've always been a teeny pack rat-ish though, so this is an exhausting, sometimes emotional, process for me. I'm not a hoarder, but I'm still amazed by my ability and willingness to hang on to STUFF. As I type this though, I have 6 giant garbage bags full of items to donate. We've also managed to get rid of 4 pieces of furniture lately. Plenty more to do, but we are on our way and have momentum on our sides!

Quote me, please.

Clean Slate for 2014

Clean Slate! I, once again, had poor follow-through with an art challenge. I think that due to my ISFP personality, any constraints I put on myself automatically feel like shackles and I rebel. But, blogging is all about self-discovery, and with that being said I DO want to continue putting art out there to be seen... Even if my readers are few and far between. The very act of exposing myself in this way is a good exercise for me because I am shy and reluctant to put myself out there in any way, Again, another of the ISFPs traits. I'm taking my Myers Briggs personality assessment seriously this year as a way to seek that self-understanding we all inherently desire. 

So, you will see some art and some words here, but nothing terribly regimented, because I need to honor my Perceiver's desire to be random and free!  I'm actually planning on honoring my various personality traits this year instead of trying to change myself constantly! This should be different!