Mixed Media Art. Photography. Inspiration.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Floating With Collaged Flowers

 
In comparison to my art piece in the last post, which took years to be completed, this was a "just slap some paint around and see what happens" piece.  I was tired of over-thinking and not finishing my artwork, and had just wasted an hour of rare free time staring at, and moving around several of the unfinished works.  My "play" time was almost up and I got upset that I just squandered my time with nothing to show for it. 


 I quickly grabbed a 6x8 canvas board and squirted 2-3 colors straight onto the canvas and smeared them around with a brush.  Then I grabbed a foam stamp of a vine, mushed it into some paint and stamped it several times.  I added a few more colors to the canvas and blended them around with a rag, then stamped the vine several more times.  I felt like it needed some more depth, so I tore old book pages into "flowers" and glued them down.  I kept adding layers of paper and paint until I was happy with it.  It still needed a little something, so I grabbed a pencil and defined the flowers, stems, and leaves so they would stand out a bit more. 


    There. 


    Done. 


 Besides, my play time was over and I promised myself I would finish a piece that day.  I did!  Yay.  And I have a pretty cool piece to show for it.  If I wasn't in such a hurry to finish before my time was up, I don't think the collage would've been as loose and free, which is what I love about it.  I started it with no plan other than to create something and, good or bad, call it done at the end of the day.  I let go, and let it create itself. 


"The painting has a life of its own.  I try to let it come through." -Jackson Pollock


 That's something I need to learn to do more often in my life, as well as in my art.  Let go and let things flow.  And I don't think I'm alone in this.  I think it's something we all struggle with in our lives.  Sometimes we're so busy paddling our hearts out, just trying to stay afloat, that we forget that if we can just let go....we will float.   

2 comments:

Kristin said...

OH, this is wonderful!!! I LOVE what you did with your hour - it is amazing what you accomplished in such a short amount of time - a beautiful piece of art, Kristin xo

Trudy said...

Very nice work.

I sent you an email. Below is your welcome letter.

I am so thrilled that you are joining The Artistic Mother's Group.
We will be allowing two weeks for each project. But if you get behind, please don't worry. Just keep working a little each day. The whole point of this group is to develop the habit of doing art each day. It is also so we can encourage one another and be an accountability group. I personally need the accountability part of it. Knowing that others are coming to see what I'm up to is very motivational; otherwise, I may not finish it on my own. Some projects may be easier for you than others and may allow you to catch up. But if you don't, don't get discouraged. Just keep on going. This is a low pressure group. I want everyone to have fun and also enjoy visiting one another.
And please do a blog post about your participation in the group inviting others to join. Please give a link to my blog for those who may wish to join so they can come here and get the details and sign in. I am keeping a master list of all participants.

Each week do a post of your progress as you go through the book. When posting each week, please mention the group with a link to my blog. That way people can go to my blog and see the list of the other participants and click around to see their progress as well.

Since our group has grown so much, instead of having to put all of the links in each post or on your sidebar, I have made a button for the group. Just grab my button and put that in your sidebar. I will keep the list of all participants in my sidebar.

Please check my blog often for tips, notes of encouragement and exciting news. And please go and read my previous posts because they contain resources that will help you get a good start with the group.

Please also go back and read all of the posts I have written about The Artistic Mother group, starting near the end of February because there is a lot of good information in those posts that will help you get a good start with us. You can find all of them easily by going to "Labels" a little ways down in my side bar and clicking on "The Artistic Mother" label.

And one last thing. Please come and check the blog list of participants on a regular basis and visit and comment as much as you can. We want to all encourage one another.

Trudy Callan

www.artisticcreationswithtrudy.blogspot.com
Be sure and check my blog often for updates and notes of encouragement.

I am signing up as follower and putting you on my blog list so I can know when you post, and I am adding your name to the list right now.

Again, I am so glad you could join us.
Trudy
http://artisticcreationswithtrudy.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-artistic-mother-group-forming-i.html
Note: Due to copyright laws, we are not allowed to do tutorials or step-by-step photos of the projects on our blogs or take photos of the pages in the book and post them. You may post a photo of your version of the project and talk about your experiences and feelings relating to it.

Also, if you are doing this project with a friend, each person must have their book unless you are doing it together under the same roof. No photocopying of the book, please.