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| 8x10 oil on canvas |
When it has been a really hectic day at work, that is when I find it hardest to paint. (FYI)
Usually, I have more than one piece of work in progress. Despite what a lot of people conceive about the process of an abstract (slapping some paint on and your done) abstracts are often many layers deep. This is particularly true for me when the piece I am working on is focused more so on emotions. Oils can be tricky in these stages, for instance, some colors dry quicker than others and different brands have a different body to them and some colors do not blend well. There is definitely a science to the application process of oil, and what compositions will work and what will not work. Otherwise, you can end up scraping the whole canvas because you have created a raging muddy mess.
Expression in art is of course subjective, and lets face it that is a BS word we artists over use to convey, poorly, what we struggle to say verbally. Heck, if I were a writer, then I would have already replaced paint and canvas with writing material, right? The next few entries will begin to explain some of what motivates me and what I mean with certain techniques of application and strokes.
Oils are very compelling to my senses. I love the smell of oil paint-like a lovely, earthy and addictive perfume. When I start squeezing tubes of paint onto my palette-and they flow out into these gorgeous, rich daubs of vibrant colors-it is definitely step one to my motivation. I see palettes covered in paint as works of art all by themselves. (Oh boy, I am getting excited about this now!) I love the consistency and flexibility of oils, the longer framework of time they give me to work in and the strategy and balance they force me to adhere to. Oil is a complex, delicate, intricate, and sometimes perplexing medium. I relate nature and summer with oils, their composition and nature give me the ability to depict the tactile environment that I observe. Oil is the only medium, that fulfills all of my sensory reactions.
Few, ever take the time to understand this about an artist and their art. Hopefully you will find these explanations about me, and my techniques helpful when viewing other work.
I need sunshine...think its time for some artifical??
Valerie
