Sometimes it’s important to go back to basics, to remember all the little marks, nooks and crevices of a subject matter…because, it really is too easy to miss them in the rush for completion.
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Unexpected Results; my favourite…
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On impulse, I embarked on an endeavor of pure experimentation; using fragments of vintage, lace curtains & doilies plus my homemade fabric stiffener, I created a 3D mould of a mannequin head. The unexpected? Well, I didn’t coat the mannequin in any kind of lubrication or releasing agent; so, when I removed the lace/doilies…the paint coating get the mannequin, came too! But, it looks great through the gaps in the lace, almost like a layer of skin. Perfect.
Sharing the Wealth
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Using my artistic skills (okay, okay…crafting skills!), to bring my son enjoyment, is extraordinarily satisfying. I made him a doorway puppet theater for his bedtime stories, and well, he absolutely loves it! It makes bedtime less of a cajoling fight and more of a pleasure. He definitely appreciates it.
Recycle & Reuse; found objects.
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(Unfinished piece)
Don’t.Throw.Anything.Out.Ever.
You just never know…In this piece, I’ve reused some old, internal telephone wire, out-of-date maps & old copper shim (I’ve kept this around for more then a decade; just-in-case). Perfect.
I used old copper shim for the windows.
Here, I used old telephone wire for the crane.
Boycotting the traditional white canvas…
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A blank white surface, is possibly one of the most daunting objects to be confronted with…and so, I play with my surface first. In this piece I burnt, stained, distressed, dusted, painted & inked a recycled piece of wood. In doing this, I found that beginning with a darker surface, added a richness and depth to the following colors applied to the surface.
Mark Making
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I’m of two minds; do I draw with full adherence to the process and the medium, leaving the work, in essence, undone (like Picasso & Van Gogh) or do I layer, blend and burnish until the surface has no recogniseable marks, just a smooth luminescence (think Botticelli)?! I guess they both have their merits; which, in no way, helps me decide upon a mind set…
$600 french pastels or $2 colored pencils; decisions, decisions…
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I drew this image with my box set of
Sennelier Soft Pastels; at $600 they’re not cheap. Like, at all… (and this is especially important, being someone of the beggarly, artistic persuasion). Now, don’t get me wrong, there is something positively ambrosial, about caressing your paper with these pastels. Theure pure bliss.
Alternatively, I drew the one below, with a pack of $2, colored, school pencils…
My dilemma lies herein; is there really a difference in the quality of the end product? And is it a $598 difference?
Outside of your comfort zone
UncategorizedI always find myself painting subject matter outside my comfort area when painting comissions for friends; and yet, I find myself still enjoying the process…somewhat.
When it rains…
UncategorizedI really struggled to draw the individual rain drops: a) my hands have the steadiness of a 93 year old man, b)I just couldn’t get my drawing implement sharp enough, c) and then d) and then, and then and oh yeah, that too…
So, after many a frustrated battle, I had an epiphany, I would fake the rain; so I cheated and melted wax into rivulets to emulate painted raindrops (very postmodern, layer, upon layer, upon layer!)
The Cat’s Whiskers
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Yes, those are my cat’s whiskers embedded into my work. Yes, they’re real. No cats were harmed in the making of this piece; I collected the whiskers, from around my house, for a number of years, as they fell out naturally. Yes. I am aware how weird that is and no, I don’t have a problem being the crazy cat lady. Any other questions? No? Good, I’m off to make a tinfoil hat then…
Grae Hastings 