Getting Messy

I have just recently completed my first painting since my second year, maybe third, at ECU.  It was an adventure to say the least!  I'm so used to my clean paper medium that diving into painting again seemed like a mild catastrophe waiting to happen. But I made it through, the kitchen floor definitely has some yellow paint still stuck on it oops! I apologize in advance for the quality of some of the photos, I had to use my phone and of course inspiration hits at night :) 
Anyway, here is my journey with the piece I have named "Blossoms" (a little at odds with the current season, but when inspiration hits, you just have to go with it).

To begin with, the three wood panels I was working with were about two feet by three feet.  My inspiration came from a bad day at work and thinking about summer, plus someone I know who really wanted a painting.  So I just jumped right into it and started with a neutral background, I only used three colours- but managed to go through five tubes of paint!

My general idea was to do a large up close view of a cherry blossom branch, so i grabbed a chunk of white chalk to "pencil" in where I wanted stuff to be.  Then I casually painted in the branch, just to see how I was liking it.

 

Then came the time to paint the blossoms.  It was a disaster.  I really hated what I had created, so I threw paint on what I had done.  I kept doing that, then I started to like it again, working with my disaster to create the final piece.  I went from really excited about starting my piece, to really liking it, to hating everything about it, to having a miniscule meltdown, to being okay with it, to absolutely loving it! Typical creative process you could say hehehe!

Getting to the Roots of things

This piece is based off an aerial view, looking down into the ground at what a trees roots would look like.  Here is my inspiration for this piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSGPNm3bFmQ
I broke the tree roots down into three levels to give it the depth that I wanted, and it can be read two ways: as roots below ground or as branches in the sky. I named this one, Root Branches, in hopes to keep the viewers mind free to choose what they see in the piece.

Here are my process shots:

The final piece, I even framed it!

 

The Buzzing Bees

I've been seeing lots of busy bees the whole summer and wanted to do a fun whimsical piece in honour of their hard work- I do love honey!!! This is connecting the geometric patterns in nature with the organic flow of life.  This was a fun piece and I quite enjoyed free handing it :)

The beginning layer:

Adding the second and third layers:

 Finished piece:

The end of summer, and into fall!

I realize it has been a while since I last posted, photos of my work are on the way!
One of the projects I've been working on is a piece inspired by rap music and traditional quilting patterns.  I did a bit of sketching, but mainly free handed the cutting!

 

The beginning - and in this case, the completion of - Summer

I feel like I've been a busy bee this Spring, at least I felt productive in the craziness!  
Here is my Summer piece, it is finally completed!
This piece was a commission based around a piece of writing about summer. 
This is my breakdown:

The colour palette was inspired by the season of summer, warm yet elemental through the sun (yellows), water (blues) and nature (greens). The connectivity expressed through friends and family in the written piece, begins with the circle shape and the continuous cycle it represents.  This is also conveyed with the little people that make up the outside edge of the piece, repeated to the point of pattern making. Moving inwards, the ray pattern reflects the sun as well as reinforcing the circular composition.  This then leads into the environment aspect where I specifically focused on the natural environment, rather than on a constructed one. The thin ribbon of yellow illustrates a more spiritual connection, specifically by being whimsical and carefree, intertwining between everything and connecting it all together. 

Layering all these elements together created the setting to experience this written piece on a visual level :)

Cheers!

 The final product! The text is set in the centre of the piece :)

 

It's Winter!!!

Happy New Year!
I've been busy with the winter card rush, also I'm currently working on a commission that I will post some process photos of soon.
I got inspired by some wildlife I encountered in my winter travels for the cards in the first photo, my friend just loves elephants, and then a more basic birthday card :)