Friday, May 4, 2012

Dancing in Silence

18"x18", paper, heavy molding paste, crackle paste,soft gel gloss, stencils, gel ink pens.
I began this piece considering silence, the silence of working and 'not knowing' but then my thoughts turned to dance, music and moonlight...go figure? This became a storyboard of sorts that speaks of a ballroom floor, stars and moon stenciled and with the addition of leaves and flourishes of movement all wrapped into one. I used up all the remnants of my jars of  pastes, and gels and stencils I'm not crazy about. I used a palette of burnt reds, purple, black and white with gel pens outlining and drawing here and there. That was the fun part and I've come away with a plan to use more 'drawring' in some of the next experiments.

I'm getting the hang of this play thing and have another smaller piece to show you next. Plan on cracking open some art books and explore metallic paints, dyes and inks. I've always stayed away from metallic but this will be a good time to check them out.


9 comments:

  1. It speaks to me of all those things. But I'm amazed at all the mediums you use and the stunning results you get.

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  2. I Like this piece. I love the moon, the dark sky and the star borders...a look at a much closer universe! And a very rich, almost renaissance cloud border with the leaves and flourishes...I see the ballroom floor's chess board pattern with the geometric inscription and wonder what is taking place. This holds a fair amount of charming mystery for me.

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  3. Oh yes, I totally get this! I knew, felt, right off the bat that this was about a ballroom and moonlight and dancing under the stars. It has such a romantic, magical feeling to it. Playful, too, yes, but within boundaries. It brings to mind a fabulous novel I recently read, called The Night Circus. I think you're off down a delightfully slippery slope once you start playing with metallics! Have fun. Looking forward to seeing where you lead us in this merry dance.

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  4. Like always,the very first glance at your blog,and I'm going: "oooooooh".

    This is delightful,,,the contrast of the checkerboard effect with the fleur-y scroll across the top is perfection.
    Creates the dance, in my mind,,(weird as it is) I see the checkerboard as male and the fleur as female, the colors of each making that feeling stronger.

    I hope that makes sense, I just put Jack to bed, and my head might be a little frazzled from our big day.
    :-)

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  5. a fun painting. i like it that you used up bits of this and that. i for one adore metalics. you can do very thin layers over other colors and get just a wonderful glow. have fun

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  6. I like your moonlight ballroom sonata! I just recently read somewhere that taking up materials and palettes you don't normally use is very creatively liberating. Your painting seems to prove that point.

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  7. The work continues to intrigue. I've been away - and you have gone in new directions. Beautiful work, as ever.

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  8. Oh Bridget, I out did myself...cleaned out all jars and squeeze tubes on this one!

    Sharon, I was conflicted with chess board or ballroom flooring? The circle and intersecting lines left it to science, yes, for a mystery!

    louciao, The slippery slope of metalics will need to wait until payday...meanwhile using up what I have in the area of copper...leaf, and chips and powder.

    Babs, Since when did art have to make sense? I love your take on this piece...thank you!

    Suki, You are giving me encouragement in the area of metalics...thin layers you say?

    Marie, I can only verify the creative challenge to unfamiliar materials...crackle paste has never matched my expectations.

    Patrice, Glad you are back...thank you for good words!

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