Hello ! Hello !
After I worked an hour over this evening, I got dressed for "out of the house", went to pick up a prescription, stopped to get some dishwasher detergent (who lets themselves run out of THAT?!)....and headed back home. Now I'm back in my comfy clothes... ahhhhhhhh.... After this post I will feed myself and go play at my art table (I think)
I didn't use a specific piece of someone else's art to go by on this one, totally random me. I did use the ink marks around the sections, inspired by my previous artist study. That's a keeper going forward.
Most of my abstract art has no particular meaning or if it does, it is even hidden from myself, but this one has a theme and that theme is..... my divorce in 1981.
😂
It's a piece about a chapter in my life. I had made this painted paper in one of my collage paper making sessions and I'm pretty sure I showed it back then, it's been a while. I had painted over a book page. I loved the colors of it, but had not figured how to use it in previous practice pieces. The paper was much bigger, so I cut a section of it to fit my canvas board. It is pretty busy, so it made for a nice varied background.
Then I added this piece of textured paper that I had bought recently. I had not used any of it and thought it would be neat to add a strip of it.
Next, I added a piece I ripped from my divorce decree, the last paragraph. Before I started this piece I knew I was going to use it and I had painted it yellow and orange and splattered some blue and violet on it. I really liked the way it came out in a collage paper kind of way.
Neat huh? (are you laughing yet?... or at least cracking a grin?)
Then I added a strip of music from a hymn that was saying "AaaaMen... AaaaMen.... As funny as I thought that was, because that is what you sing or say at the end of something, I thought I might have liked it even better if I had pulled one that said "HallaluYer!!"
Me so funny !
Then I cut out a little clock shape that was in one of the official seals on the front of the papers and added some bits of color to the musical notes and ink squiggles around the sections.
Then I added more squiggles and called it done. So there we had a piece of the Freedom papers, a peacefully resting girl (finally) and a seal on the AMEN! of it all.
Fun.... right ? A black and while filter for another interesting take.
In general I like this piece overall. It is a little too busy I think in that although I like all the sections individually, I should have left one or two sections more calm. I have toyed with the idea of adding some teal paint around the girl to push back her surroundings and make that corner have more contrast from the other parts, but I am also concerned I could make a mess of that part, so I may just leave well enough alone.
Time will tell.... as it always does.
Hope you are doing well and that your heart is happy.
Love you !
Jacey
Thanks ! 🌹
I love the story around this Jacey and the piece you have created from it.
The ink scribbles really add to it.
I agree about doing something to the girl to push back her surroundings a bit but, like you, I'm not sure I would have the courage to do it. But then, knowing me, I'd probably get all gung ho and just go for it on another day.
Something one of my favourtie artists once told me has stuck with me. She used to live locally before she hit the big time, and I had many chats with her over the years. One time she was working on a big canvas and painting over a bit that was gorgeous and I asked her "how can you bare to paint over such a beautiful bit" and she replied "you have to be prepared to lose it all". On my lighter days I often hear her voice telling me that as I "destroy" something I really like. 😁
Hello again !.... and thanks !
I do like the ink scribbles too. I'm glad I tried it and found out how easy it is to do. Of course I won't use it in every piece going forward, but I like having it in my bag of options.
...and yeah.... I can feel that pushing back around the girl should be done and it is possible after it sits around here for a while, that I may try my hand at it, but I will be sad if I destroy it trying.
About what your friend said, I hear and see lots of other artists talk about that in the videos I watch and have seen even the really good ones totally take a piece in what I consider an unhappy direction after painting over parts that already looked really good and they say you have to be brave and not get "precious" about certain areas, but I still see them fighting it too. I guess what makes a successful artist is when they make that "mistake" that they say is not a mistake, they have learned how to recover the piece by taking it in a totally different direction in order to save the finish. A lot of times I'm willing to push over something, because that is how I am going to learn, but like I said above, most pieces don't have a story that is personal to me, so one change making me have to change the WHOLE thing is not a big deal. I guess I'm feeling kind of "precious" on this and don't want to chance needing to make it into something totally different.
LOL@ " hear her voice telling me that as I "destroy" something I really like"
Since there are supposed to be no rules, then I think it might be ok to resist what they say.
Definitely OK to resist what anyone else says. I totally get how that piece is precious right now. I don't think I'd risk messing with it either but one day maybe you will. Doesn't matter either way. It's a lovely piece of creation no matter what.
I have so much ephemera that I haven't been able to bring myself to use as it's too nice. Lots of vintage linens too. There is this idea that I don't want to waste them. But I think we've had this convo before . . . how one day I'll be gone and it won't be of value to the kids and they'll just bin it any way.
I am slowing getting better at using my precious stuff though. Hopefully it will get easier and easier.
I'm not making much art at the moment so no risk in "ruining" something there. 😂
Wow if you didn't tell the story
I would have thought it's just another beautiful art
I know ! That's why I told it. 😊
😊😊