A New Year and Some New Work.

Happy New Year and Holy Crap! I haven't blogged since May???? I knew it had been awhile but was surprised at how long the while really was. I have been busy with the usual stuff of life. In my world this means the day job, cooking, laundry (still working on that cleaning the house thing) and creating. I continue to explore abstract art. It is my passion. I adore their serendipitous and intuitive natures. I have said this before but there is something very elemental about abstracts. The artist creates them from somewhere within themselves and the viewer brings their own inner self when considering them. I believe that when an abstract work calls to a viewer the artist and observer have connected on a level from below the surface. Very special.

If anyone reading this is on FaceBook please consider 'liking' my artist's page. Click on DeniseAumickArtist

 12x12" Multiple layers of acrylic paint and molding paste.

 

12x12" Multiple layers of acrylic paint and molding paint.
 

16x10" Acrylic paint, molding paint and glazes.

Some stuff I've been working on. The top two are acrylic paintings with multiple (as in MANY) layers of paint slashed on with a palette knife and then scraped back.  I have titled these 'Old Friends' and 'Relationships'. These measure 11x14". 
The bottom piece is a paint and papered mixed media collage that measures 16x20". I'm calling this 'Water FALLS'. 
Been a bit busy!

Still creating collage pieces based on Laura Tringali Holmes' challenge of using a vintage target image. This one is created from paper shapes from a magazine. Looks kind of Romanesque with some organic type of suggestions rising out of the columns to meet a new day.

 Building A Mystery - 16x20" Paint and Paper

Secret Numbers - 16x20" Paint, Papers and Stitching

 

 Spring - 8x10" Papers and Stitching

 

Emerge - 9x12" Papers and Stitching

 

Wonder if anyone sees or reads this blog any longer. It's been quite awhile since my last posting due to computer issues and just plain human operational error! Blog neglect aside, I have been busy creating art. In the past months, inspired by the Target Practice collages (see previous post) I've been exploring the world of paint, papers and glue. Above are some samplings. I plan on continuing with these and have a thought of creating a series inspired by my love of quilts....we shall see...one never knows what will or will not take shape.

Target Practice Collage Challenge

Laura Tringali Holmes is a collage artist who has challenged creative types to transform vintage paper targets into art. You can read Laura's interesting and candid personal backstory about these targets here http://lauratringaliholmes.blogspot.com/

I have risen to the challenge having created 10 art pieces so far. Below are some photos of some of these. They are all mostly 5x7" and created on canvas board.

If anyone wants to join in the fun Laura has created an open FaceBook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/161991817319872/ 

Lots of outside work got done this weekend and...some hand stitching (hooray for me). The white cylindrical object is a piece of women's exchange (money) from New Guinea. Not sure about right now but in the past women in the back parts (head hunting tribes) were not allowed to have money so they bartered using various shells and bones. The more spectacular the exchange token was the more it was worth.

I'm exploring further expansion of my abstract mixed media pieces by hand stitching on them. This piece uses coffee & blueberry stained mulberry paper stitched with linen thread, combined with antique book pages on watercolor paper textured with molding paste and acrylics. The final added element was hand stitching with cotton thread through all the layers. It measures 11x14".

Sooooo...I've been busy with many things this past month. Although some things never change...cleaning house was not one of the things I've been busy doing.

A friend sent me a link for an entry call for an exhibit that was looking for art that utilized simplicity to achieve dramatic effect. I failed miserably at most attempts being someone who layers, piles on and almost always overdoes it...closest thing to success was with these 2 collages. They each measure 16x20" and are comprised of thin (very thin) mulberry paper on canvas board. I applied matte medium to the paper then washed them with acrylics.

I also worked on this assemblage whose inspiration was the old, rusted wire light bulb cover that I scored for free at a flea market.

Hope all goes well with each of you and your days are filled with creativity, songs and heartfelt gratitudes.

Combined simple elements - paint, cotton paper and linen thread on watercolor paper to create an image / evoke a feeling.

But...I'm not sure which orientation provides the strongest suggestion.

Orientaion #1

 

Orientation #2

Or, Orientation #3?





There is someone at work who is very thin and eats cheeseburgers A LOT. He's been laughing for years now about how fun it would be if I did a painting of his favorite meal. Not sure what motivated me today but I picked up the pastels and went for it. This needs a bit of refinement but it's 95% completed. When framed it will measure 8x10".

Another nuno felted piece I just finished last night. This is a small piece that measures about 8x4". Now I need to make the trip to the fabric store to get more black wool felt that I use for the backing on these. I dislike going to the store but we must do what we must do in the name of creative adventures.

While nestled in a comfortable chair and listening to classical music, I continue hand stitching on handmade nuno felt I created months ago. My newest musical passion is for Phillip Glass's work. I find his music to have both an ambient and dramatic quality that is compelling.

Anyway, I begin these pieces without a plan other than trying to create a sense of antiquity. Someone who saw this piece called in 'ancestral' in nature. That made me happy. 

This piece is 8x10" and will be framed out to 11x14".

Well...it certainly has been awhile since I last updated this blog. I have been busy with life (funny how that happens - huh?) which has included ART. Lately I've fallen back in love with textiles and hand stitching. Not that I ever disliked these two things...just stepped away from them for a time. 

The colder weather has found me snuggled in a favorite chair with classical music playing and threads and needles in my hand. Below are samples of what I've been up to. Most of these were stitched on nuno felt I made over the summer. The non-felted piece is done on a ice dyed cotton.

Take a vintage wooden cigar mold, add a great brass? iron? decorative thing that was part of something else at some point in time, include an antique microphone part and old calipers...and then what do you have? An assemblage. This measures 14" high and 13" at its widest.  

A small 2.5" x 3.5" ATC collage. It started life as a monotype gelatin print.

Musings

People enter our lives for many different reasons and due to various circumstances. Many we stay involved with on some sort of consistent basis - again for different reasons and various circumstances. Some exit quickly, often because the acquaintance failed to excite one or both but the parting does not create feelings of loss. Some exit after a longer term relationship, often for complex reasons and circumstances. These partings can be bittersweet, leaving one with mixed feelings of relief, sadness and longing. 

The collage above started as a gelatin printed monotype to which both a silk screened image and printed images from one of my abstracts were added.

A Pot of Gold

Found some time this afternoon to paint and collage. This is an ATC made with acrylic paint, molding paste, gelatin printed tracing paper and vintage images. Sometimes I feel as if I could do these all day long. The possibilities are endless.

Verdant

All is green, all is growing.

Hand built, glazed and gas fired to cone 11 pod vessel. Measures about 7" high. I have some new ideas for ceramic art - yea. Traveling vessels to take to other worlds.

Can I just say that life is good here in the Hudson Valley?

Busy-ness

I have been busy weeding, gardenig, not cleaning the house, working the day job and following my artistic soul. Below is a sampling of what's been filling my days.

The assemblage piece above is a hand built pottery ancient artifact flask that was wood fired, slightly over painted and treated with adornments. It's on a vintage cut glass pedestral with vintage 'Egyptian' beads and stands about 7" high.

 This pod vessel is hand built, glazed and gas fired to cone 11 (very, very hot). This pod is about 6" high. I do like how this piece came out and feel as if I'm starting to develop an artistic voice in this medium. Not so sure what the voice is saying but - hey - go with the flow, be happy and don't fret about not cleaning the house.

And....my latest fascination is with ice dying fabric. These pieces are inspiring me to start messing with textiles again. The serendipidous coloring and imagery is so appealing. This dyeing method seems to create the most gorgeous abstract art. Abstract art rules.

Show and Tell

This pod vessel came out of the wood kiln this past Saturday. Those black textured looking marks towards the bottom are what's left of the copper wire I wrapped around the piece before it went in the kiln. This measures about 5" x 5", so not large. I like it.

I painted this last night. Seems to have lots of imagery. Where that comes from is anybody's guess. This is acrylic on heavy paper and it's large, 23" x 30".

So glad it's Friday with all the great promise of the weekend hanging in the wings.