Tuesday, January 18, 2011

New Collage Paintings

Here are a couple of new pieces, both using a leaf rubber stamp that I carved. For an inspiring and comprehensive look at making your own stamps, check out Judi Hurwitt's stamp tutorial. The first collage-painting, "Clothesline", is one I started a few weeks ago and posted some of its early stages.
You can see how much a painting can change over the course of its journey. I often find myself obliterating parts that I really like or have spend a lot of time on. But for me, this letting go, this ability to "destroy" precious parts in favor of the painting as a whole, is one of the essentials of making art. Suspending judgment, letting the painting speak, responding to what is there on the paper, not what "should be" there in my head, is like a meditation. A practice of detachment. It is a constant effort.

This next one, "Blue Circles", is inspired by the paintings of Victoria Huckins, whom I discovered recently. I'm trying to absorb some of her color sensibility to branch out from my usual colors.
I'm trying more reds and blues, and I love this light green-yellow thing. Both of these paintings are done on watercolor paper to which I have laminated muslin. I love painting on cloth, and I just started using muslin-on-paper as a substrate. "Blue Circles" also has a piece of lace trim adhered to the substrate with heavy acrylic gel.

6 comments:

  1. Hi Jane,
    I, too, really love the new banner you designed and selected. Its depth and coloration engage a viewer to explore.
    I am also moved by your new collage piece; the texture and your willingness to stretch boundaries, the blue circles and the lace additions give it great dimention.
    Jane, I went to your publisher as you suggested, looking for their submission guidelines/book proposal page/instructions. Nothing boiled down to simple instructions, and I have a Masters in Education. I was wondering if you might help me to submit my proposal in some step by step way. I want to do it right the first time. I know your photographer, who you recommended, is fabulous because I can see his work in your book; but I think it would be best to use a professional close to me, here in SW FL. Jane, I know how busy you are, time is hard to come by for all of us, but I really will appreciate it if you can help me get my book proposal in proper order. Thanks so much.
    Pam

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  2. I love your work! And I am also a potter -- just beginning to get interested in mixed media/collages. What paint materials are you using -- is that gouache? And what material do you use to laminate the muslim? Sure wish I lived close enough for a workshop - lol. (I'm in GA).
    Your blog is wonderful -- it's great to see the steps you are taking and hearing your thought processes is really insightful.

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  3. Great advice for doing more in your artwork--letting go even if you don't want to. This can be hard but it helps you learn so much more! And yes, these colors just pop--love em!

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  4. Oh man, Jane, this is smack in your face beautiful. I love every section of it.

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  5. Yes! The "clothesline" collage is perfect! I wasn't too sold on the large botanical image before - and I really like the leaves and the emerging (disappearing?) dress. The scrap of black and white is mysterious, and the dots are a great addition. You can stop now! Also love the new collage with dots - blue, red, and yellow demand to be noticed. I think of them as noisy colors, and they speak volumes. Great work. Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Oh my goodness Jane! I am so inspired by all of your new work! I LOVE your sketchbook pages the colors are delicious and make me want to go someplace WARM!

    I also love the pics from your last date at Inky. The houses are REALY nice. How lovely that Sue made you a book.

    I think you and I must be twins separated at birth because I just bought a zutter bind it all! I have been making mini books of a variety of types and really enjoying it. I've been binding with ribbon or glue depending on the book. I don't have any coil yet so haven't used the bind it all.
    Check out my blog for the first squash book I made. Miss you
    xoxo
    Sharon

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I have had some spam comments lately, advertising of stupid stuff. So I am moderating comments until I can figure out a better way to prevent spam. THANKS!