6×8″ collage, ink
I returned to some repurposed paint chips for this collage. The quote is from a Beyond 9-11 artist, Daniel Weiss.
Category: art
october 12
5×8″ acrylic, ink on sketchbook page
This painting started out as something much different, brushed on. It didn’t last. I scraped and brushed more opaque paint to cover up some of the original. Even then I intended something different than what came out in the end. Given more time, it would have changed yet again!
Passion and practice are keys to success in art and most (all?) other pursuits. Today’s quote is from another interviewee in the Iowa women artists’ project, Des Moines artist Concetta Morales.
october 11
5×8″ acrylic, ink on sketchbook page
I bought a new tube of paint and some artist sponges recently. I played with both in this little painting.
The quote for today is from one of my Iowa women artist interviewees, Des Moines artist Mary Muller. As always, don’t forget to click the small image to get the larger version so you can read the text!
october 10
digital photo with added text
Dead flowers. They have a certain beauty about them, don’t you think? I took this photo of some neglected zinnias on our back porch. I thought they might go well with this quote from artist Carol Prusa, who I interviewed in Ames in 1998. She now lives (and still teaches, I think) in Florida and does some amazing work. Better than nice.
october 9
8×5″ acrylic, ink on sketchbook page
This is one of those pieces where I think I have a good idea, I begin to execute it, and I almost immediately loathe what’s happening because it doesn’t fit what my brain envisioned. I kept working on it, but it still isn’t all I had hoped it would be. But that’s the nature of the daily work.
The quote is by poet and teacher Marianne Taylor of Mt. Vernon, one of those I interviewed in my Beyond 9-11 project. Don’t forget to click on the picture to see a full-size version (that way you can read the quote!).
october 8
5×8″ acrylic, ink on sketchbook page
I did a few scrapes of acrylic as well as some brushwork, then penned the words of the quote with ink marker.
This quote is by a musician, not a visual artist, but I think it is applicable to most things in life, including the arts generally. I interviewed Jeffrey Agrell in the Beyond 9-11 project. At the time I interviewed him, he was a professor at the University of Iowa School of Music, as well as a composer and musician. Give a listen to his “September Elegy” (in four clips on the page).
october 7
5×8″ acrylic, ink on sketchbook page
This is acrylic paint applied with a brush, very loosely based on a piece by the speaker, artist Susan Coleman, who lives in Mount Vernon.
october 6
5×8″ acrylic, ink on sketchbook page
I used a wet page with wet acrylic paint, kind of like one might do with watercolors, to make this painting. The quote is from retired UI art professor Virginia A. Myers. She was a delight to interview, and she reminds us of the value of time in the studio creating—no matter the end product.
october 5
5×8″ acrylic, ink on sketchbook page
This is a combination of scraping and brushing acrylic, then adding the ink penned words on top.
Today’s quote is by Des Moines teacher and artist Ellen Robinson. She is all about community art and art-making and living mindfully.
october 4
8×5″ watercolor pencil, ink on sketchbook paper
This quote is so perfect (ha!), particularly for this little daily artwork. As I was starting to look at some late-season zinnias I had in a container on the table, getting ready to draw them, I said to Matt, “I hate drawing real things!” Then I laughed because I knew what the quote was that would go with the drawing.
When I draw something I am looking at I get way too hung up on perfectionism and it never adequately represents what I want it to (i.e. it’s never perfect). Perfectionism bleeds into other areas of life as well. I’ve been able to loosen its grip in some respects, but it’s still a struggle.
Anyway, I sketched the zinnias with a pencil that had no eraser (on purpose), then went in with wet watercolor pencils. I further tinted a couple of the zinnias with pen. Then added the quote with ink marker.
Artist Priscilla Steele, the speaker, is a marvelous draftsperson and printmaker in Marion.