New Materials

It’s always exciting to try new materials. Going to an art supply store is as exhilarating as going to an office supply store. I would choose those over any other shopping any day. So, I have picked up some Golden GAC 200 from Dick Blick and some gold leaf from Hobby Lobby and am going to try some application inspired by Nancy Reyner who I just finished taking a class from. 

Nancy is an exquisite painter, educator, author that is inspiring in trying new painting applications and in critically analyzing artwork to make better judgements on how to proceed. http://nancyreyner.com/. 

Winter's Refuse

"Winter's Refuse"  mixed media  22"x28"  

March has arrived in northern Iowa.  Birds are returning including flocks of robins and blackbirds.  The snow had melted considerably until today as it is currently being replenished with another Monday snowstorm.  That early melt of snow, the first couple melts anyway, leaves the ground covered with broken branches, trash in some cases, what I call winter's refuse.  It is wet, muddy, and messy.  The ground is still frozen so the water has nowhere to go but remain on the surface and form small ponds that the returning ducks enjoy in the farmer's fields.  The bird feeders are crazy busy with  competition from the new returnees from the warmer climates.

The painting, "Winter's Refuse" is an experimental painting done in acrylic and ripped masa paper on watercolor 140# Arches paper.  I wanted to play around with surface qualities and not get locked into realism.  The interconnectedness of things is my focus here; nature, the seasons, time, space.  My plan is no particular plan.  My plan is to just continue painting and see where that leads me.