Inspired by lace

Several years ago I dabbled in making bobbin lace.  It completely changed how I create artwork…in lace, the negative (empty) spaces are almost more important than the positive spaces (the main subject).  From that point forward, I became mesmerized by the negative space in between objects, and it shows up constantly in my abstract art.  When making a drawing like the one above it usually feels like a dance. I soften my gaze, and can feel the energy of the shape push me into the next shape…in the end it turns into this push and pull where I’m not really concerned about the composition but more the energy of the space around each object. In this particular piece each of the panels is its own object, but each color mass is an object as well, and as a result the empty spaces are almost as captivating as the spaces filled with color/decoration.

Here's some examples of lace that play with the positive/negative space in case you were interested.

I loooove my sketchbook

I loooove my sketchbook...It took me a while to warm up to the book because it's an odd shape and it's so pretty I would get intimidated every time I held it...but I've used the same book for a few years now, so that intimidation has warn off.  There are only two blank pages in the entire book (I'm terrified of both pages).  I've gotten to the point that I'm painting over the old pages that I don't like, and I can't wait until the day that I have completed the entire book - happy/satisfied with all of the pages. (I have never in my life completed a sketchbook like that, I always hop over to the new book when I'm 90% done with the old book).

My sketchbook is almost a square shape and apparently a very odd size.  I've scoured the internet, and the only place I could find a new book that is similar to what I am so attached to is on Etsy.  It's being sold as "vintage" for $40. Pfsh!

Luckily my boyfriend is a whiz with tools, and he was able to cut down a new book for me, but it will be a while before I'm ready to start on a fresh book filled with blank pages.

My only complaint about my current book is it has slightly fuzzy paper that causes markers to bleed a tiny bit. I enjoy that little bit of color run when working on a piece of art, but I hate how much of the color bleeds through the page...I find it really distracting when working on the next page.  Usually I have to keep two blank pieces of scrap paper behind the page I'm working on (so the markers don't bleed onto the next page) and another piece of paper clamped to the side where you can see the bleed through from the previous work. If I didn't hide the last piece of art I'm sure I'd find myself recreating the same thing over an over. Oh the things we do to cope.

Secret Code

When I work through a sketchbook I don't used the pages from front to back in an orderly fashion.  I skip all around the book.  I've done this for years because I always felt like my sketchbook was a journal of my life and it would be embarrassing if others picked up the book, because they would know exactly what was on my mind...by scrambling the order of the drawing they wouldn't know that I painted this one right after our date, or that one right after we had that fight....but looking back I can see how silly this thought is.  I've gotten so abstract in my drawings that one can see the references, but not the intention.  

Scroll Saw....

Oh craigslist what would I do without you? Blair and I got to talking about my dream of creating decorative architectural panels using layers of thin wood cut out with a jewelry saw, and he suggested we get a scroll saw.

I'm suspicious of all power tools.  My dad owned a metal shop when I was younger, so you'd think I'd be really good with power tools, but I feel like I'm unintentionally careless...so as a general rule of thumb, most of the time I've decided it's better to waste more time using a hand tool than risk losing a finger with a power tool...but late last night we browsed craigslist and found lots of options of scroll saws for $15-$50!  Oddly, the cheapest one was the nicest.  So today we went and picked it up, cause if I'm only paying $15 for the power tool I can afford the medical bill that goes with it, right?

I'm sooo excited about this saw, I can think of a dozen projects that I want to do with it...who knows, maybe I'll turn into a woodworker, all I needed was a fancy saw.

I found this photo while blog hopping...it really moved me.  I'm thinking of taking one of my sketches and turning it into something similar using thin layers of wood and a jewelry saw.  I'm sure it will be a several month long project.  But I love this piece, and would love to play around with the concept.

Peacocks!

If I’m going to start posting on my food blog, I guess I should bring back my art blog too, haha.  I am indeed working in my sketchbook these days. I seem to go through phases of diligence and passiveness, but right now I have a designated day/time, and that seems to be working well for me.  I’ve noticed that I’m quite the sponge; whatever I saw/did that week almost always ends up in my drawings (usually unintended).

I did this drawing right after seeking a bazaar display at the Kemper Art Museum.  The Kemper has these beautiful pristinely clean wooden floors. The show I saw had a large wooden tree (that looked like it had been through a forest fire) right in the middle of the room on that beautiful flawless floor, with dirt scattered all over the place, and real stuffed peacocks, charcoal black except for their gorgeous tails.

I’ve always been drawn to peacocks (who isn’t)…but their tails are just magical, with bold colors almost holographic painted onto them in a wispy non-solid way…I guess the piece really moved me, cause when I went home I created an abstract peacock without even intending to…just one stroke after another I kept thinking “that’s pretty.” 

P.S.  Check out what the drawing looks like with it's colors reversed...I kind of like it!