Mixed Media - Offering To America

I thought I would share a couple images of the process for this piece I am working on right now. I have never taken a class or even read anything about how to do a mixed media painting so these are amateur directions!

This image to the left is basically where I started. The canvas is wooden cradled canvas that I got from a fellow artist's website. Her husband hand makes them and they are just great and I was actually able to afford them - these can be very expensive at an art supply store. If you are interested you can get them at
http://mountainlaurelfolkart.blogspot.com/


I did a basic drawing getting a feeling for broad shapes. Then I went over it with a black sharpie so I would be able to see the lines and shapes through the tracing paper.


Next I traced the basic lines onto tracing paper and then cut out shapes. I traced these shapes onto the different papers I wanted to use and then cut out all my colorful shapes. This is the fun part - I think - you get to look at all the different patterns and colors and feel out what should go together. Next I kind of placed the papers on the canvas working on a flat surface like a table or if my knees can take it the floor. It's sort of like making a quilt but better because you don't have to sew - you glue. If I mess up with my color balance I just fix it at this point or later with paint and/or papers.

Then I paint the glue on the back of the paper and press it on the wood. When I first started doing this last year I used regular Elmer's glue but it didn't work very well. I don't know what other artist's use but I have been using Modge Podge and it's worked great for me so far.

Since I was working with unprimed wood I next primed the bare areas and used a little acrylic paint to tint the primer so I could remember my initial lines and shapes.



Then I modge podged over my paper cutouts that are pasted on the canvas - coating the top of them for extra adhesion but I was careful not to get too much on the other areas so I wouldn't have problems with the paint adhering to the parts of the canvas I wanted to paint. I let it dry overnight although I often don't.


To be continued................



As you can see the process can be a bit messy. This is only a fifth of all the stuff I have circling around me when I do the mixed media pieces. It is messy but it is so much fun.

Liberty Bell - It's Time To Ring Again

Last year in an antique store I found this old sheet music for this song, Liberty Bell - It's Time To Ring Again. I bought it thinking it would be good for a mixed media painting. My fiancee and I were on a holiday weekend; the last time we were going to be together for a year because he was leaving for Afghanistan with the National Guard--so it seemed an appropriate choice. I forgot about it for the last year. Today I pulled out some red ribbon with gold stars and this sheet music and it all started to come together. I am thinking I will do something with Athena the city goddess of Athens; the world's first known democracy..... A tribute to democracy, America and wisdom. Just kind of brainstorming here - I will let you all know how it goes.

Good Monday Morning!

This painting is called Cat In the Flowers. I know I posted it before but here it is again.

This cat was bid up and won by an old friend of mine George Sava. George is an amazing artist in his own right and you should definitely check out his website - http://www.georgesava.com/ he does some really interesting things with photography and gallery canvas.

After the cat sold I got an email from someone who was outbid asking if I could do another one. I don't do duplicates of my paintings. For one thing I like that every painting is original but mostly I just cant. It seems that trying to be precise kind of cuts the flow. I am however going to try and do another in a similar style and we'll see if the bidder likes it.

I hope you all have a great start to the week!

Carrie

Now I am starting to get the swing of this new computer. Whew it's fast compared to old faithful who was so good to me but really ready to retire.

The painting on the left is The Tree Goddess . I really love her and I was happy that I was able to get the feeling in my heart onto the canvas. She is up on ebay and her new home will be decided tomorrow night.

The colors are really beautiful in person and it is always so hard to capture art on the internet. I am starting to get the hang of my camera too so the pix are getting better but I think I need to invest in a tripod. I know all you photographers out there are cringing and yelling YES! So I apologize for the subpar photography.

Thanks for looking and I will talk to you all soon!

Blessings,

Carrie

the hollies/jesus was a crossmaker/1973

I just got a good idea! Since I don't have an image I thought I would share this with you guys. It's The Hollies.

Carrie

Hi all - well I do not have an image for you all tonight. We just got a new computer today yayy. It was about time. My laptop was 6 years old and behind on two internet updates. I was dreading that it may die and I wouldn't be able to ship or check my art listings. However, I feel a bit naked. I haven't uploaded all my images yet so I am kind of starting new here. I have some great listings up on ebay though this week and they are getting great bids and lots of attention. Thank you!

I have so much to share with you guys. I have lots of new paintings brewing and they will all be posted soon. I also have an old friend and a great artist that just bid on some of the paintings and I will be featuring his website. So......stay tuned.

I wish you all the very best weekend and lots of good happy thoughts!
carrie

Copyrights And Stealing!

Hi all- well I was reading one of the blogs I follow today. It was Audrey Eclectic and she was talking about stealing other people's art. For some reason I couldn't get this subject out of my head this afternoon so I thought I would blog about it.

Firstly, it was an odd coincidence that Audrey Eclectic wrote about this today since the first thing on my mind this morning was whether or not I could sell the painting shown on the left. I know the image isn't the greatest quality but hopefully you can get the idea through the blurriness and the poor light. In case the image isn't familiar to you I will tell you it is the three of cups and though the style and colors are my own; the position of the three women; right down to the grapes in the hand of the lady is taken from the art of Pamela Coleman Smith who did the illustrations for the tarot that we are most familiar with. When I painted the painting I assumed that her work is in the public domain, since the tarot was published in 1909.

US Games who issues the tarot cards claims some copyright to the tarot, although it is unclear exactly what they can really own beyond the borders, card backs and packaging. Well I was just going to keep the painting or give it away - probably to one of my girlfriends. (Two of my friends were an inspiration for the painting and are portrayed in it). The Sergeant (my fiancee) said I should go ahead and sell it and then of course he went and did more research. It turns out Pamela Coleman Smith stole the position of the three women from a Boticelli painting that includes the three graces.

Secondly, I think artists have been stealing and shooting off in inspired ways since time began. I think there have also been copy cats that are unoriginal, trite and cliche since time began. It is a blurry line though. Every time a cover band in some small time bar sings - oh I don't know Amie do they pay royalties to Pure Prarie League - probably not - but they are stealing technically - since they are making a profit. That is not to say I condone blatantly trying to copy another artist just to make a buck.

Finally, I think I am just saying all art is derivative to some extent and I am still trying to understand that myself. I do know I believe in finding your voice - it serves art, it serves life but most of all it serves your own soul!

All my best,
Carrie

Well here is another painting that is up on ebay this week- she really looks much better in person. I took photos yesterday but the sun just wouldn't come out. Even when it is sunny it is really hard to capture colors accurately. The only good part is that people are even happier when they get their package.

This is titled the Queen Of Cups. I have always been drawn to iconic, mythological and religious art and a lot of my art is inspired in some way by the tarot. The Queen Of Cups is a card of emotions and as I understand it filtered into the Queen of Hearts in the playing cards - that's why she has some hearts floating around her.

I really wish you could all see her in person but I guess I have to accept the limitations of the monitor.

See you all soon.

Carrie

Well the girls left- ahhhh. It was so great to see my friends. I was inspired by our visit and after the house emptied out; I painted three paintings in one day. Of course that means the laundry still isn't done and the carpet really needs to be vacuumed. Oh well all in good time.

This is one of the paintings listed on ebay tonight. I am going to post some more pix of the other ones tomorrow and talk about them.

I am just a bit tired of staring at the computer screen tonight. I spent most of the day trying to get good photos of the paintings and getting them up on ebay.

See you all soon.

Carrie

Happy Easter

Happy Easter weekend to everyone! I have two of my best girlfriends coming to visit from the big apple on Sunday so I won't be blogging too much the next few days. They needed a city break and since I was the first to escape from NY they are coming to sit among the pine trees. I did manage to get a couple paintings done this week and I will post the pix later today. They will be up on ebay this Sunday.

And since this blog is about art .... those hats we are wearing are handmade by a woman in California. Lisa (red hat right) brought them back for us from her home town. We are the crazy hat ladies!

See you all soon!

This is how she turned out and I am very happy with her. I knew she was going to be Maia from the get go. Maia - the earth Goddess radiates heat and brings everything to life. I wanted to make her face from all different flowered papers along with some home made paper. She started out great and then I got a little stuck. Luckily, my husband comes in handy at this point. I bring his fresh eyes and his degree in Art History into the studio and he always opens the door for me. He took one look at her in her earlier stage and said you need to balance the reds and make the flowers bigger - voila - he saved me hours of looking at her upside down - which is one of the tricks to figure out what is wrong with a painting. Thank you John!

This is a little image of my latest mixed media at her beginning stage. The papers in the background were all the different papers I had spread out everywhere. The canvas originally had the beginnings of a cat mandala but I couldn't get the flower in the center to work and the paint got very thick so I decided to re prime and use the canvas for collage. I never like to waste art supplies!

I was very happy to sell these two beauties to http://www.haghouse.com/

This site has tons of great goddess art and is a great supporter of unique art.

Plus it gives you the current moon phase! So cool.

Unfortunately, I did not get an egg done in time but instead am working on some May / Springtime paintings. The ladies came up with some amazing things though - don't forget to check out all these wonderful eggs and Becky's fantabulous prize baskets!!!

Easter Egg Giveaway!!!

Hi all. The Prim and Whimsy Easter Egg Hunt is underway. Just go to the prim and whimsy website - you can get there by clicking the link on the right- there you will get to see all the artsy easter eggs and get a chance to win a fantastic basket!
Baskets brimming with artsy supplies - Fabric & Buttons, Paints & Brushes, Baubles & Bows, Trinkets & Treasures!