Meaning Well

30 Paintings in 30 Days, hosted by fabulous artist Leslie Saeta.

Day Ten:  "Meaning Well"

Today is the 10th which means, I got 10 pieces finished already. One third, that's right.

I made a small piece today, and it's about good intentions. You know, about the kind of help that you didn't really ask for and that is not really helpful but which is given so generously by a kind heart, that you are unable to reject it. 

"Meaning Well"

Mixed media: acrylic, red edges from yellowed book pages, storybook clippings, ink, on canvas panel, 8" x 8"

The One

30 Paintings in 30 Days, hosted by fabulous artist Leslie Saeta.

Day Nine:  "The One"

Glad to report that I am back on track!

I was working non-stop in my studio today and finished two pieces, #8 and 9. I'm done, and it's not even bedtime. I don't know how I did it, but I did it. Wow.

For today a made something about finding the love of your life. Which, for many reasons, seems to be difficult nowadays. I created a window-shopping scene in which a skinless person is admiring his own image in a storefront window. Perfect match!

Those old anatomy books are quite inspirational. I always look for them at book sales and usually find one or two. I love how the skeletons are so proudly posed and that each organ gets a lovely personality. I only wished there would be more female figures in those books.

"The One"

Mixed media: watercolor, ink, clippings from a vintage anatomy book, on watercolor paper, 15" x 11"

Open House

30 Paintings in 30 Days, hosted by fabulous artist Leslie Saeta.

 

Day Eight:  "Open House"

 

A house that is open, for real. It's empty but inviting. I found this little pilgrim woman offering refreshments. I added balloons to emphasize the lightness, and to give the situation a festive yet playful feel.

"Open House"

Mixed media: acrylic, ink, clippings from storybooks, on canvas panel, 12" x 12"

Great Entertainment

30 Paintings in 30 Days, hosted by fabulous artist Leslie Saeta.

 

Day Seven:  "Great Entertainment"

 

So I did not get up early this morning, and I did not get back on track. At least I finished this one, and I actually like how the piece came together.

 

I placed the G-word in the title. I usually avoid using this word because of how it's been misused. I can't associate anything G with G anymore. I had to make an exception here to make a point. - The old record sleeve is from the Capital label and makes the slaphappy face look like a sun. But then, it's toilet paper. Perfect.

Nobody is listening to the entertainer (that's wishful thinking) but a little mouse. Who couldn't care less.

"Great Entertainment"

Mixed media: watercolor, ink, record sleeve, fly leaf and clippings from storybooks, on watercolor paper, 11" x 15"

He Said He Was Sorry

Well, I'm still working on my Day Seven piece ... I've been quite occupied with lots of other things all day, so I didn't get finished. My plan is to go to bed now and get up really early in the morning. So tomorrow I will need to make two pieces. Let's assume, I can do it.

Among other things, I've been busy today with organizing the forth edition of my ART ON 45 project, for which artists are asked to create a piece of art on or with a 45rpm record. The pieces are juried, exhibited, and then auctioned off to raise money for a valuable cause. The project has been increasingly successful simply because the works are so amazing and people love buying them.

Last year's proceeds went to DART, the local Domestic Abuse Resistance Team. Many artists took the cause as inspiration for their pieces. So did I. - This is my contribution from last year:

"He Said He Was Sorry"
Mixed media: torn paper, acrylics, colored pencils, ink, storybook clippings, on vinyl record

Life

30 Paintings in 30 Days, hosted by fabulous artist Leslie Saeta.

 

Day Six:  "Life"

 

 

The figure in this piece comes from an old anatomy book for young readers. He was used to explain muscle function but I knew right away that this guy had a much bigger story to tell: He's stepping out of his story for a moment to choose his next chapter.

 

I named the piece "Life" simply because it's about choosing your own narrative. Which indeed is not that simple at times. 

"Life:

Mixed media: vintage (German) book pages, old file folder, book clippings, ink, on canvas panel,  14" x 18"

Wrap Up

30 Paintings in 30 Days, hosted by fabulous artist Leslie Saeta.

 

Day Five:  "Wrap Up"

 

 

I think I should do a couch series. My life has been an overload of heavy things lately, which mainly has to do with those terrible illnesses in my family and all the worries that come with them. There are other concerning things going on but I'm not going to touch on that right now because I need to think uplifting thoughts to stay sane.

 

Anyways, in one of my old Life magazines (1965) I came across a double page ad that was full of sleeper sofas. The photos are perfect for clipping - what a fantastic find. I used one of the couches for yesterday's Green Room. For this one I chose a larger orange sofa for a couple to sit on. Yes, that's right, the woman and the telephone. They can't talk to each other anymore, they are completely disconnected. But still, they are trying to save their relationship by getting some therapy. They are so fixated on their own issues that they don't even notice the aggressive gulls above them.

The uplifting part about this piece is that it doesn't have to be like this. It's a choice to stay in a certain situation or to call it quits and move on. 

 

 

"Wrap Up"

Watercolor, ink, clippings from vintage storybooks and Life magazines, on watercolor paper, 15" x 11"