Thursday, March 31, 2016

Brave Intuitive Painting

I've been busy making things, although not busy blogging about it.  I finished the cross stitch towel with the pears, and it is currently seeing use in the kitchen.  I like to actually use the things I make; I know some people think that handmade things should be saved for "best," but I think handmade items bring beauty to our everyday lives.  To me, the best compliment that a maker can get is for something she made to be so loved and used that it gets used up.


I've actually made two more cross stitch towels in addition to the pigs and the pears (sounds like a band name, doesn't it--The Pigs and the Pears).  This first one I gifted to my friend Elaine for Easter, hoping that she would like it.  And she did!  I thought it looked nice and spring-y--appropriate for Easter.



This second one (sorry for the crummy picture) I made just because I liked the design.  I'm not sure whether or not I'm going to keep it for myself or put it in my "giftables" box.


Now I'm working on a border for a towel that I designed myself.  Here's my progress so far.


Further updates as they become available...

I bought the book Brave Intuitive Painting a couple of weeks ago, and I've been exploring some of the ideas in it and working on a couple of canvases.  (Flora Bowley is also one of the guest instructors in the year-long mixed media course I am participating in, Wanderlust.)  I bought both of these at a local thrift store and gesso-ed over what was originally there.

So far, this has been an interesting journey and evolution.  I just keep adding layers and colors and marks, trying to go with the flow.  Sometimes I feel like it's just really ugly crap that I'm painting, and sometimes I feel like it's starting to come together a bit.  But really, I don't think either one has really gelled yet.  Flora says to trust the process and just keep adding layers, so that's what I'm doing!



I may set these two aside for a bit and start on two more canvases.  

This one is actually the cover of an art journal that I made, following the instructions from another of the Wanderlust instructors.  I think I like this one the best, and I think it's about done.  Anyway, I'm going to quit fiddling with it for awhile.


Constructive criticism is always welcome!

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