There is Always Light
Well, this one was a wild ride! This is fresh off the easel and for a while, it was a true ugly duckling. I decided to walk...no run, out of my comfort zone and use colors that I don't usually use. The photo below is the beginning of the process, using stencils and collage, and then trying to tone it down with some titanium white.
After this, I added texture around the piece using molding paste and stencils, layering one stencil over the other so it wouldn't look so "contrived". After it was dry, I began adding inks...in colors that I wouldn't normally use. I used a purple ink that had just a small amount of shimmer to it. It was very, very bright and I needed to tone it down again. After the "wild colors" had dried, I added sepia ink over the whole piece...several times.
At this stage, I was pretty sure I had ruined it, but what happened next was pretty amazing. The colors started showing through the sepia ink in the most beautiful way. It still had a beautiful and translucent quality to it, but the ink toned it down and gave it so much more depth.
I decided to add trees, since I have been created a series based on trees. I added the trees with the same color inks that I used in the background and added some tiny, white branches in some areas. The texture came out beautifully too...you can see it in these close up photos.
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This painting is full of emotion. We just found out that my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Everything about that at this point is unknown. When I don't know what to do, I paint. It's the only way I know how to express myself sometimes. It's ironic that I "didn't know" about how beautiful these colors would turn out...just diving in and trusting the process. I feel like with my dad, I just have to have the same kind of trust and faith. Heading on into the unknown and looking for the beauty in each, single, precious moment and never taking any of it for granted.
This painting will be available at Art in the Park in Parker, CO on August 25th and 26th from 10:00 - 4:00. Also, at the Castle Rock Artfest in Castle Rock, CO on Sept. 8th and 9th from 10:00 - 5:00. I would love to see you there. Meanwhile, keep looking for the light!
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