In Progress.....

Ovoid 2

Acrylic on canvas (first state)

36" x 36"

Still pondering my next move on this painting, shown above in it's beginning state.  It's the second in a series of ovoid paintings derived from thumbnail sketches -- although ovoids are featured in a few of my other paintings, too.   I placed a few things on the table as color references.  I'm liking the current softness of this painting, which is very different from the one shown here, recently.  Think I'm about ready to take the leap.......will report back....

Happy weekend, all!

Webs Amongst the Sedges... and Connectivity

I started a painting yesterday afternoon but really didn't get any color on it until after dark.  I took it to a stopping point and then laid my brushes down three to four hours earlier than I typically would in the course of a painting session.  I thought I should hold off on my next steps until I had a chance to view the painting in the light of day.

Alas, today dawned shrouded in a heavy fog, and although the fog has since diminished, everything is still bathed in grey light.  I have yet to resume painting, but while making a couple of quick trips up and down my steep driveway, I happened to notice these delicate, intricate, misty spiderwebs laced throughout the sedges in the bioswale that we designed to reduce storm runoff into the nearby creek.    I had never seen such webs there before.  Granted, the sedges have recently been trimmed to about 4" in length, rather than their typical 24". That being the case, I wondered aloud to my husband, "Do you think they're always there, deep in the shadows of the sedges, or do you suppose they're there now because the sedges have been trimmed?"  His guess was the latter; the thought being that more light at the ground plane of the bioswale probably increased insect activity in the habitat, creating a heyday for the spiders.   Regardless, the point is that I almost missed seeing them, in all of their misty blue subtlety. 

While photographing them, I couldn't help but think of all of the intricate webs of connectivity that are developing amongst artists from around the world through the greater worldwide web of the Internet.  Such a wonderful happening.....

Off to catch up with what you've been up to.

Welcome new followers and thanks very much for your interest!

Cheers!

Confections for the Heart

 Mixed Media works by Catherine Freshley

6" x 6" x 2"

  6" x 6" x 2"



 3 1/2" x 4" x 2"

Looking for something other than red to give for Valentine's Day this year? Maybe something a little more than a card....with some "staying" power?  Turns out my daughter thought folks might be, so she made a host of table-top or wall hearts for the holiday, (or any special day) and put them into her Etsy shop.  These are very textural pieces, with many layers of paint, collage, and high-gloss medium.  Oh, and if you do happen to be looking for pink or red hearts.....she's got those in her shop, too.  :) 

 Cheers!

Graphic Ovoids

 Graphic Ovoids

30" x 30"

On a lark, I decided to try to photograph this painting again today.  It's been out of circulation for a while and recently found it's way onto a wall.   Haven't shown it on this blog or my flickr site before.  These shots are certainly an improvement over the ones I took a couple of years ago.  But....still not so great.



For example, you can barely see the graphite circle pattern down the center of this detail.  It actually appears on the entire right half of the white "field" (background).  Similarly, the fact that the lower white portion of the canvas is bisected lengthwise with a higher-gloss finish on the right side is totally lost here.  Still, the graphic feel of the painting does come across rather loud and clear, don't you think??   :)  And that big white "ovoid" on the dresser is the ostrich egg from Ecuador.  And the branches are willows that my daughter picked at Christmas, that are just now starting to blossom.

If you're in the mood for "graphic," here's a graphically bold Treasury of some delightful works by some very talented Etsy artists.   If you happen to be new to Etsy, clicking on any one of the photos in the Treasury will take you right to the artist's shop.  I had a lot of fun pulling these wonderful items together!

Hope your week is off to a great start!



Patterns to Build On

 

Remnant of my mother's mid-century lamp.

 

  Palettes at a rural Oregon wood products company.

  

"green whirlie" put into a pattern.

So....2011.  Just getting around to thinking about it. 

What to do with it...or "make"of it, in terms of artistic pursuits? 

One thing is for certain:  in the absence of time, one must develop proactive patterns of behavior:  positive, repetitive, orchestrated patterns of disciplined behavior that will provide structure and lend strength to a determined course of action.    Hmm....sounds convincing.  I think I just created a mantra for myself.

"I must develop positive, repetitive, orchestrated patterns of disciplined

behavior that will provide structure and lend strength and conviction

to my determined course of action."

 And, of course, it helps to limit one's focus so as not to fall prey to "scattered-itis."

:)

Speaking of patterns and structure, I highly recommend a visit to textile artist Sophie Truong's wonderful website and blog, Stitch and Tickle, where you will find gorgeous photos of her own work and also of an installation of translucent  sculptures of recycled plastic tarps and sheeting made by artist Anna Hepler.  So worth the visits!

Off to repeat my new mantra while I focus on creating!  Hope you are finding time to create this weekend, too.

Thanks for stopping by...

Gloria



Shifting Hues

After my last, nearly monochromatic post of  beigy-grey (or greyish-beige?) images.....voila! -- two colorful works on paper! The first, on tissue paper, was done via a combination of relief printing and acrylic paint.  It's shown cropped with a digitally altered  palette here.  You can see the original work here.  The second piece was painted (and stamped) on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper.  Neither of these are new pieces.  Perhaps this weekend will yield something new.... if not in the way of art, then at least in the way of a house returned to normal after the holidays. 

Been getting caught up on your blogs (though not commenting all that frequently).  So much inspiration to partake of.    Thank you!