Thanks to all of you who have taken my workshops, read my books, and shown up to my blog posts, videos, or newsletters, I feel an overwhelming sense of support for my own work.
Here are a few things on my list for 2019:
1. Spend some time with oil and cold wax. I keep "dabbling" in oil media, but haven't spent concentrated time on it. Here is a post about pigment sticks and oil media. Here are some of the pieces that came out of that exploration; they are 10x10":
2. This is always on my list: work larger. By the end of 2019 I would love to have some idea of what it is like to work on a piece that is 6'x8' (72"x 96"), or somewhere on that scale. I don't aim to finish a piece that size, (if I make that a goal, it will not happen), but to work on pieces of that magnitude.
 |
| Here is a mock-up I did a few years ago that allows me to imagine myself working at a much larger scale. Thanks to Photoshop. |
 |
| This is a gallery shot of one of Nakamuro's continuous scrolls. |
4. Anther thought that has been kicking around awhile is: incorporating referential (representational) imagery into my abstract paintings. I don't know how I will approach this, but I've been dancing around the idea for a while and it's time to plunge in. Maybe I'll take a workshop, or work from photographs, or make cartoon doodles of chickens or trees or bicycle tires. I just have no idea where this idea would/could lead. Any suggestions are welcome!
In my teaching practice I have a few plans too:
I plan to offer more small mentoring workshops in my schedule. I love painting with people, and also love talking to people about their work, outside of any assignments or content that I might "teach". At the other end of the spectrum, I am adding some beginner workshops and resources to my offerings. THANK YOU for all the feedback and suggestions you gave me in this post about workshop suggestions.
I would love to hear from you, either in a comment on this post or in an e-mail, about your plans for 2019 in terms of your art practice. What is new for you in 2019?
One of myy art goals this year is practice and learn what all the different paint brush shapes and sizes can do. I find myself always pulling out a 3/4" flat brush or painting knife yet a have jars of different shapes brushes and blades. Looking for some links on this in acrylic or oil(not in watercolor). Hoping the exercise will give my more variety and freedom.
ReplyDeleteOn the continuous roll: my aunt was an art teacher and she had her kids keep a daily art practice on a roll of paper. At the end of the year, thy put them up. It was always a good show of thoughts and progress.
ReplyDeleteTo work on a roll sounds very interesting - I like the idea your aunt used Selena. Remember the movie Off the Map, with the glorious map of the world painting by Stan Berning... in the movie, it was painted on the back of a roll of wallpaper.
DeleteI've made small weekly goals this year in order to actually accomplish my very large goal of clearing out all of the clutter that I don't use or won't use. And to get back to a daily practice of sketching. There are a few others but those are the main goals
ReplyDeleteJust was reading the comments and suggestions. It would be interesting to see where the artists interested in mentoring live. I am in Idaho and would love it to know someone is close to have play time.
ReplyDeleteHello from Chicago. (errrff... bit of a commute!) I do like the thought of working with people rather than taking a workshop, as I don't often have the funds to undertake that, and really just need the group motivation to move my hands!
DeleteThe scroll idea is very cool & has great precedents in all those fabulous Chinese scrolls that play with representational imagery & abstract elements.
ReplyDeleteAs you're moving towards larger, I in my limited space want to concentrate on smaller sized pieces that will allow me to play. To that end, I'm taking your mark making online class to help me make every stroke count!
I would love to see a kind of stick figures and cartoonishly drawn images appear as a kind of storytelling in your abstract works. Diana Culhane is a vimsical Paul Klee sort of way, painter. Her way of using her doodlework in her paintings can be worth looking into. She has a book, and some classes at Carla Sonheim’s site. I’ll mail you the link to Carla’s site.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love Carla's site. And I do know Diana's work. Thanks for the suggestion!
DeleteI was in an emotionally dark place awhile back and I decided to embrace the darkness. I went to my studio and started a series “embracing the dark”. It moved me back into the light and was a great exploration. Now I want to create a number of series based on other emotions and feelings that I access through meditation at the beginning of my studio time.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your goals & LOVE the Photoshop of you painting big!!!
ReplyDeleteOops I meant to mention that your idea about the continuous scroll reminded me of how Larry Poons worked on a continuous canvas in the recent documentary “The Price of Everything”. He was a refreshing character in that crazy film and I have been dreaming of making a room of one continuous canvas to go in and mess around on ever since!!
DeleteHi Jane, first I must tell you, I first found and watched all of your YouTube videos over the past few years. I’ve gathered an embarrassing amount of materials hoping to take some of your on line classes. If you wouldn’t mind advising me on which you would suggest as my first choice. I have been working in abstract acrylics. A new direction for 2019 is my goal. Thanks Jane.
ReplyDeleteHi, Jane. I'm just starting to explore working with gel plates, making collages. I'm starting to learn and so far have made a couple pieces I like a lot. Plan to keep working with this approach for a few months. Love your work, and your art spirit. Inspirational.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you!!! I must thank you for sharing so much!!! Your work and experiences are always such a huge source of inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI've never thought of painting on a roll like you mention (but it sounds terribly exciting!!) but lately I've also been thinking of including representational imagery in my paintings too. Though when I come to think about it, I'm not so sure we are talking about the same things :-D
Anyways, long story short, I'm sure you'll have a very fulfilling year of practise. My dream would be to attend one of your workshop (for real not just online) but I'm not so sure 2019 will be the year for that. But who knows?