january 12

01-12-15 "play in the woods"
01-12-15 “play in the woods”

I was looking through some material scraps that I bought a couple of years ago in Wisconsin. They are pieces of material that were used in theatrical costumes by American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin. We go there almost every year to see Shakespeare or another delightful play in an outdoor theatre (or a time or two in the “new” small indoor theatre on their grounds).

In the pile of material, found this piece of dark brownish-taupe silk, and decided to see what happened when acrylic paint is scraped over it. This is the result.

january 11

01-11-15 "crossing lines"
01-11-15 “crossing lines”

A photo taken this morning, cropped and de-colored. Can you guess what it is? I was tempted again to post an image more filtered and textured, but decided on the simple once more.

january 10

1-10-15 "glen's banjo"
1-10-15 “glen’s banjo”

This morning I took a photo of this beauty of a banjo head; the banjo was my Grandpa Glen’s. I was quite young when he died suddenly from a heart attack, so my memories of him are not robust. But my strongest memories are of his striped overalls and his banjo. I was initially going to add a sepia coloring to the photo or otherwise give it an old-timey sort of feel. But…the banjo head is just so beautiful, I decided to leave it be.

january 9

01-09-15 "january chill"
01-09-15 “january chill” —SOLD—

A companion to yesterday’s painting, as the windchill is still well below zero. It’s nice to see the sun, though, and this photo was taken in filtered sunlight. Scraped acrylic on matboard (about 7″x10″).

january 6

01-06-15 "riding the wave"
01-06-15 “riding the wave”

Painted earlier in the day today, so I could get better light—another scraped acrylic painting on matboard (about 6.5″ square). It’s always interesting to see where and how I place the paint, how softly (or not) I drag the scraper, what the paint does under the influence of the scraper, and what my reaction to the “product” is!

january 5

01-05-15 "moo"
01-05-15 “moo”
#5 (detail)
01-05-15 “moo” (detail)

So, it’s late again. I’m showing today’s full painting (sorry, bad lighting) (I took a better photo the next morning), but also a little close detail of it that I like. Scraped acrylic paint on matboard (about 6.5″ square).

january 4

#4 "love and happiness"
01-04-15 “love and happiness”

Mixed media: ink, watercolor pencil, yarn, gloss gel medium on an ATC (artist trading card).  The “title” is from the fact that I was listening to some Al Green music when I did the first part of this card (playing back the Kennedy Center honors show).

I think I need a better camera set-up—and perhaps try to finish the piece before nightfall!