acrylic, fabric collage and paper collage, 10'x10' , cradled clayboard panel, acrylic beeswax....color mixed with jar of soft gel (matte) with the addition of raw umber + glazing liquid rubbed in as to create a patina. Good to add these new materials to my studio. My pulmonary problems and lack of a place for good ventilation has ended my encaustic work so this is my second best effort..not bad results but of course, no sweet intoxicating scent of true beeswax. The photo turned out brighter than the actual piece but I posted it anyway. The little birds are my ongoing subject as I watch them with their own brand of communication. I see the little brown bird turn away from the others' gaze...saying: "I don't like you" or "try a little harder, I think I like you"...not for me to know but I still enjoy the show!Home from the big family wedding. Took almost no photos and will wait for a copy of more professional shots. Everything about the wedding reflected the ideas and style of the bride and groom...well done indeed! Families showed up from Boston, Florida, Colorado and Santa Cruz...nice to connect with everyone and also to watch the next generation step into their married lives and also creating new families. The wedding was at a winery and yes, everyone was in the mood to party and celebrate...good fun!
Mary Ann--I love this piece. Something about the sweetness of the birds. I, too, posted a picture of a bird today before I had seen your piece here. There's always that synchronicity working in the blogosphere, isn't there! Glad the wedding was so nice. It sounds like it was a nice time.
ReplyDeleteThe colors are lovely in this painting.
ReplyDeleteVery fall-like!
-Dean
The new material suite you very well! I love the birds and the background looks so rich and the colors striking...
ReplyDeleteReally delightful, you really caught the subtle play between the birds; and of course I love the textures and patterns! Beautiful warm colour, though you say it's quieter in real life I'm sure it's still wonderfully warm. Acrylic wax, you say? Hmmm, I must do some investigating. I have some beeswax on hand and a crockpot but am afraid to try it out for many reasons. Real encaustics do intrigue me, but it seems far too fussy to get into.
ReplyDeleteI hope your gladiator sandals bore you well through the wedding celebrations.
Oh how exciting to visit your blog today Maryanne.
ReplyDeleteI got so snowed under in work lately that I stopped travelling the blogosphere...very sad i know..but a necessity ...now Im back and Wow!
The background colour to your blog is fabulous...love the senes of dram..in a positive way ,and the work just sings !!!
Your trip to the Ritz also looked wonderful...
best wishes,
Sophie
Lovely work Mary Ann. I have made a return to encaustic and it is giving me new inspiration. It is always intriguing to me how each of us uses it in a different manner. I like, very much, what you have achieved here in this piece.
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely. I was watching a wren with her chicks yesterday at my plot. It was like they did everything wrong, including coming way too close to humans. Did she tell them about it!!
ReplyDeleteGreat composition, love the little bit of "tension" between the birds and the use of the beautifully rendered birds on the abstract background.
ReplyDeletesweet wedding approaching,
ReplyDeletelittle birds speaking softly,
beeswax put away......
breathe easy,
your second best is gorgeous.
great texture, inspiring.
just getting home myself,
nice to check in. :-)
sweet wedding approaching,
ReplyDeletelittle birds speaking softly,
beeswax put away......
breathe easy,
your second best is gorgeous.
great texture, inspiring.
just getting home myself,
nice to check in. :-)
This is a glorious piece Mary Ann! I like everything about it. The colours, the birds and the collage elements. Sounds like a lovely wedding!
ReplyDeleteOh, this is lovely ~
ReplyDeleteYour textural work is rich as are your colors here...
I like this piece..Always enjoy nature included..
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful wedding.
Lush color! I love how this one just pops! Thanks for the Monday morning smiles.
ReplyDeleteI certainly like the birds. I (because I like orange so much, I think) think that this is the paramount of all the birds that you have done. The way the eye travels around taking in the whole is really fun and then to top it off with little yellow finches is the greatest.
ReplyDeleteDear Blue I have also returned to encaustic, and a love of many years. Your painting reminds me of the pair of birds, who have made a nest in the carport for the second time this year. Everyone, in the aviary community, has checked out this carport, and found all ledges to be too narrow. But not this clever pair. They decided to build a long and narrow condo last year. My partner decided if they were so determined, he built a little wider ledge, so they could build a proper nest. Their venture was a success and he said, maybe they will return next year. We watched and we waited, he cleaned the area, and sure enough they came again. So good parents they were. Pappie Bird was so attentive, although on the day the Mommy Bird laid her eggs, Heckel, and Jeckel (Two local magpies ruffians came and stole an egg.) But they were successful with the other two. I read in the bird book, that they sometimes use the nest twice in a season. And again we watched for them. But sadly only Mommy Bird returned. Something must have happened to the Pappie Bird, he was such a good father. It has distressed me, to see her work so hard in what appears to be her loneliness. As he was such a help before. She looks thinner, but by hook or crook, she is doing the best job she can. The role of the single mother is not easy for anyone. Thank you for this painting!
ReplyDeleteLovely warmth in this piece... inviting, with a joyful glow. :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful art you have here on your blog...I just found your blog...I will visit more often.
ReplyDeleteWhen the page opened the thought Oh Beautiful opened in me.
ReplyDeleteLove your attention to the birds. They r so subtle
Love, love, love this piece! I also loved having you and the family together for the wedding. What a day - it all went too fast. Everything went off as planned and I had twice as much fun as I could have imagined. Lovely people everywhere! There are many pictures and we haven't even seen the professionals yet. I'll get you some.
ReplyDeleteTeri, Yes, the sweetness of the lives of the littlest ones. Synchronicity abounds in blogland!
ReplyDeleteDean, Glad you like the fall-like colors...got a little wild with the yellow and red!
OTL, Working with new materials is both good and bad...in this case...pretty good!
louciao, I think this switch to acrylic encaustics will be okay for me but nothing like the real stuff! Maybe it is all about the scent!
Sophie, Nice to know you are back in blogland...thank you...the new blogger design colors are fun.
Zappha, I'll be watching for your encaustic images.
Annie, Isn't it a kick to figure out the conversations...I had one little fellow that kept losing his nerve on flying and his mom just stuck with him chirping him on...he finally took off!
Maggie, Thank you...my favorite parts are the cloth and paper collage!
this is just wonderful I love the rich color and textures... all this AND birds!!!
ReplyDeleteNeva, Always nice to check-in! Nice words.
ReplyDeleteRobyn, Thank you....these birds have been a delight and inspiring.
DJ, Thank you, I like this fake encaustic...good play.
Katelen, A lovely wedding...a party atmosphere!
Willow, I like that...Monday morning smiles in color!
Pat, I like how you like this one!
Annell, We are living in and around these beautiful little beings...what a gift.
Katelen, Thank you...always good to have a little glow!
Cynnie, Thank you for finding me and I will be over for a visit!
mansuetude, Golden words...thank you!
Karen, Our pleasure to be at the wedding...from the beginning there was a feeling of well planned, well created and totally welcoming. I'm glad you had a good time too!
LDV, The birds happily did the modeling...the materials were fun too!
This is so beutiful ,and I love the colours
ReplyDeleteand the birds!
Have a creativ and nice day !
Mary Ann this work is magnificent! The process and narrative are fascinating. Sorry you're not getting a good snort of beeswax.
ReplyDeleteoh how i love this painting
ReplyDelete& birdsong below!
they are so easy & dear
on my heart & soul!...
just like the birds themselves.
I do love orange. What a rich painting. I did try the acrylic encaustic once. Maybe I will try it again. I have the similar issue - I can't breathe in fumes of any kind.
ReplyDeleteA hawk stopped by our bird feeder yesterday. The little ones must be pretty smart - the hawk left empty beaked.
This is a lovely piece, Mary Ann. I can sense the communication between the birds, and the colors make me smile. I don't know anything about acrylic encaustic; can you tell me where I could find instructions?
ReplyDeleteLiv, Thank you...lots of red and orange!
ReplyDeleteStan, Thank you for your good words and taking the time to stop by!
Rachel, We both like the birds and the birdsong...easy to paint what we love!
Leslie, A hawk at the birdfeeder...scary! My little birds seem to have the rare kitty stalking them.
Sharmon, "Rethinking Acrylic" by Patti Brady was helpful in explaining materials.
Dear Mary Ann, It is wonderful to be home from my trip, and to see this beautiful new work of yours, so captivating (I love so the birds, the colors, the collages) and alluring. I used to paint in oils too, but can't seem to go back. Have a happy day painting or whatever you do...it is lovely here! roxanne
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful; the colours are vibrant and the work sings to me! Julie
ReplyDeleteThis one is such a a happy piece, color glows, birds sing...it's okay to put away the oils and do what makes you happy.
ReplyDelete