Latest Painting - Step by Step

I had no idea when I broke out my paints just exactly what I would paint but I thought this time I would include a person/subject. Below are the steps that ensued.

 First I played around with color, putting some random washes as a background. Then I sketched in the girl with a light wash on her outfit just to give me a feel for the composition. Then I laid in a coat of Golden's Heavy Gel Medium over the outfit making swirls to follow the drape of her skirt and texturizing her top with a piece of vintage lace. I also went outside and picked some Bleeding Heart leaves, painted them white and used them like stamps across the top. On the bottom I added some opaque white flakes for a 'magical meadow' feel.

 I decided I didn't like the white circles (bubbles) so blocked them out with more of the leaf prints. I think Golden's Pyrrole Red is one of the most powerful and beautiful colors so that was my choice for her outfit, just blocking in the color.

 More washes over the top knocking back the white leaf stampings a bit. Here I've also added some shading to her skin and clothes as well as a brilliant bronze metallic paint on the ruffles of her skirt.

 More overall white shapes stenciled in on the top made me think of some pressed Hydrangea blossoms that I'd had for a long time. They were rather brownish so I painted them with a whitewash and laid them across the top to see how I'd like them.

 Here I've glued down the Hydrangea blossoms and added some crimson and blue washes across the top.

 To fill it out and give it a feel of an arbor I've added some green leaves and flowers in green. Lots more definition in her face, body and outfit.

 Here I've painted the flowers white with blue centers and I've added some berries to balance out the color red.

 This is (I think) the finished piece with much more shading/highlighting on her face, hair and body as well as her clothes and a shadow beneath her. A bit more purple to level out the values and of course lots of ferns done with acrylic inks. Of course you can't see the shiny metallic or the textures in the painting but there are many which I think makes it so much more interesting.

Any thoughts on a title?

Best... Canace

SPRING is SPRUNG... the GRASS is RIZ

No words... just a walk through the gardens....

On the front porch

Pulmonaria

Sweet Violets

Yellow Archangel

Ajuga

Alyssum

Azalea

Bleeding Hearts

Dogwood

Pansies

Periwinkle

And the sweetest flower.....  a sweet little newt

Best... Canace

How BEAUTIFUL is this?!

As some of you know, the reception at the Lazarus Gallery in New Rochelle was a couple of weeks ago where 25 artists are participating including myself. It was a lovely reception (previous post) where I met fellow artists as well as the public. One of those artists and I decided we would do a swap since we both love creating assemblages and of course you never have enough odds and ends to give it that perfect touch.

 My package came yesterday and OMG...(kabuke dance) OMG.... just look!

Imagine how excited I was to see this when I opened the box!

And here are a few of them arranged in a printers tray.

 I can only hope that he is even half as excited when he opens his package of 'stash'.

 Thank you LC!!


Best... Canace

A Beautiful Reception!

This past Sunday was the Lazarus Gallery reception in New Rochelle, NY and it was a great success. I thought I'd share some pictures of the beautiful art that was based on the theme "Visual Symphony". I'm honored to be a part of such a carefully juried show. Thank you to all who attended .. it was great seeing old and new friends.


( Please forgive the iPhone pictures, they don't do justice to the beautiful artwork.)

Blue Light Jazz - Michael Patterson

Above - Barbara Maslin       Below- Marilyn Cohen

Above - Art by Canace   Below - Lewis Cohen

Barbara McIntyre

Erik Kucera

The Nature of Music by Joanna Zeller Quentin

Birth of Mandolin by Vincente Saavedra

All's Quiet

This is just a small sampling of the artists included. The exhibit runs through September 16th if you'd like to see all of the artwork in person.


Best... Canace