The 3 sketches below were created as visceral reactions to the events of August 12th, going to The Huntington and artist Linda Miller in that order.
At the end of August 12th, I was drained emotionally from the events in Virginia but I wanted to at least work on one of my sketchbook journals for a few minutes. I have been spending most of that day creating gelli plate prints for collaging. I'll blog about that at another time. This sketch is made in my repurposed magazine sketchbook journal. I started by adding similar magazine pages to the right side to mirror the image on the left side. After reading a few pages from Jane Davies' book "Abstract Painting: The Elements of Visual Language" earlier in the day, I was inspired to mark up by painting the yellow open squares and small blue squares. I was getting angry and frustrated at what I thought was the lack of cohesion and creativity. I took a large brush and swiped black acrylic paint a few times across the pages. After I stared at what I had done, I realized why I felt this way. This sketch was my way of letting out the emotions from the events in Virginia. I stopped at this point because it was done. I had experienced a moment of art therapy.
Before the events of August 12th happened, I had scheduled earlier in the week to visit The Huntington with a friend on August 13th. The timing was perfect. We spent 2 hours walking around the peaceful gardens. It was a much needed relief. This sketch was made in response to that visit in my small artist made sketchbook journal. I painted using Golden Fluid Acrylic in Green Gold, torn pages from "To Kill A Mockingbird" and a black Sharpie.
Still on the peaceful mood from visiting the Huntington, I created this sketch on August 14th. It was heavily influenced by the brushstroke artwork of Linda Miller. I used Golden Fluid Acrylic in Naphthol Red Light, used tea bag paper and black acrylic paint.
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I'm continuing to work daily in one of the sketchbooks journals that I made. To see the other sketches, please click here and here. Most of the designs are loosely made, which is helping me work through my creative block. It's been fun so far creating outside my comfort zone. I'm pushing myself to go beyond minimal style. The sketches are from my repurposed magazine sketchbook journal.
With this finished sketch I had an idea to use torn brown paper with torn scenic magazine pages. The left side I decided to paint the brown and beige paper for contrast while the right side is the paper untouched. I prefer the right side. The contrast of the brown paper with the cool colors of the magazine pages is pleasing to my eye. What do you think?
This next one is 4 pages - the two colorful grounds plus 2 cutout top layers. I was going to add marks to the top pink layer but I realized that it should have been done before cutting out the shapes. I usually don't use bubblegum pink in my art. This sketch is finished.
Here's a look at the design underneath the pink cutouts:
I realized as I painted this sketch that I wasn't happy with the main design shapes. After staring at it for a few weeks, I decided to add the words from #100wordsin100days challenge from earlier this year. Not sure if I like it any better now but it's finished.
The next four sketches are in the early stages. It's hard for me to resist the urge to consider all 4 sketches as finished. Again, pushing myself outside my minimal style. I'm thoughtfully evaluating the next marks to make.
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I'm working daily in the sketchbook journal that is made from a repurposed magazine. I first blog at it here. Most of the designs are loosely made, which is helping me work through my creative block. It's interesting to me that when creating these designs; other project ideas are coming to mind that are not related at all. By giving myself permission to play, my art brain loosening up.
The designs below are for all intensive purposes finished in their current state. I'm ready to move on to the blank pages in my sketchbook journal.
This designs didn't go as planned. My initial idea was to comment on my personal conflict between commercial vs fine art. I like the elements but the layout is awkward. There are more elements that I wanted to add but the composition wasn't well thought out. Time to move on without finishing
I had fun creating this design with the colors and whimsical theme. It's not my usually style but it does make me smile when I look at it and that's a good thing. Again, the composition is a bit awkward. If the individual elements overlapped a bit then it would be more interesting design.
After staring at this design for a few weeks, I decided it was finished when I first created it. I envy artists who can add layer upon layer to their art. That's not me...yet...or maybe never.
If you read my initial post, this design was created because I like the technique created in the ground. I added purple in random areas and calling it finished.
Crazy mess! That's what I think when I look at this finished design. And that's okay. This design served it's purpose of getting me to put something down on paper...anything.
I have to admit this design could fall into the "Crazy Mess" category but I like it better than the design above. To me, it looks like more of a composition. Messy composition but still a composition.
Now I'm off to create more free flowing, creative block busting art!
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