Category:

The Healing Heart

2/5/2014

Healing, 20 x 16, 2012, $225

After my last blog post, I was given some lovely feedback that encouraged me to share my interpretation of other paintings that I have done.

When I studied art history in college, I was fascinated with the theory and practice of artists using symbols to convey hidden meanings in their work. So I look for it in my own art as well.

When I made this particular painting, I had recently come into possession of Catalyst tools and was experimenting with them and textural acrylics. (You may read more about Catalyst tools by clicking here)

Since I was fairly obsessed with swirly hearts in 2012, this piece ended up with one on top.

As I look at this painting I know that I was struggling to live what I profess to believe, and I was sincerely praying to have my heart opened so that my ability to love would increase. I saw the heart as representing myself, with my chest being ripped open so that I could love more deeply, not just on the surface. I called the painting "Healing."

This piece has always felt very visceral to me and now almost 18 months later, I can see even more.

The need for love very obviously extends beyond the boundaries of this one simple, delicate heart.

It could even be the world in need of healing with love and peaceful passion.

As I look longer, I see parts that appear to be strengthened and fortified. The patches of green speak of renewal, growth, and hope.

The blue heart is a beneficial azure color which speaks of truth and grace, and inspires calm determination and peace with the process of an expansive healing love.

As I have mentioned before, my interpretation is only one way of looking at the work. If this piece speaks to you in a different way, be assured that is perfectly acceptable and valid. You are welcome to kindly share what you imagine in the comments below.

This painting is available to own. Contact me if you are interested. Thank you.

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Meeting Deadline Dreams

9/22/2012

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The first part of this week was spent in preparation for the first Burbank Art Association meeting of the 2012-13 season. It was a great meeting in which all the board members in attendance spoke about their duties and the plans for the year, plus they told a little about themselves.

There are many new volunteers and it is so exciting to hear their enthusiasm for their particular position and the grand ideas they are considering. Each person is a wonderful positive asset to the club.

My favorite part, however, is hearing about them as people and as artists. I find most people, especially artists, quite fascinating. The people involved in the Burbank Art Association have captured my heart!

The next major deadline I had to meet by Thursday was to send the three paintings shown above to Durango, CO. They are being entered into the Sacred Arts Festival - ICON exhibit which opens on October 5th.

The festival, which also includes poetry and music, is in it's seventh year. I am pleased to say that I have participated in every one. God willing, my work will be accepted again this year.

I only worked on a couple of art pieces this week, one of which is the ocean scene above left. It may be because the marks of some of the Catalyst tools remind me of waves that water has become a reoccurring subject. However, since I've done three in as many weeks, I believe it is a series in the making, one I shall call "Dreams of Water."

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Catalyst Play

9/15/2012

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The Catalyst tools are so much fun to use. I really like them. Earlier this week I used them to paint on paper. I absolutely adore the multitude of marks, the paint gliding smearability, and the forceful abuse the tools can take. However, the paper sometimes buckled, or couldn't hold up to the pressure.

So I had a bunch of wood panels. I put a couple coats of Golden's GAC 100 on them to prevent support induced discoloration. Then a couple coats of gesso. That gave me plenty of hard surfaces on which to play! I added some molding paste onto 3 boards and some regular gel to a couple of others. I used a variety of the Catalyst tools and one brush with which to experiment.

Each of the tools is capable of a variety of marks by using different parts of the tool, such as the business end which may have scallops or fingers or points or be flat. Each of those in turn can make marks in a variety of ways by turning it different angles and with movements such as one would might do with a brush. Also the flat of the paddle like surface can be used to smear and scumble. The long flat side can scrape a wider surface.

I used lots of glazes and made many marks that were obliterated before they dried or were covered up as I tried new and different things. After I get to know these tools better, I'll be more concerned with actually making a proper painting with them, right now it's all about experimentation.

The way I make the tools push paint around can cause the paint to dry quickly. By using a medium such as glazing liquid I could get a better flow but then it took longer to dry and was tacky feeling. Diluting with water made it wetter to manipulate yet it would dry faster without the tackiness. Although, when it was on top of the molding paste and my slick gessoed surface I was flipping paint all over the place.

assortment of Catalyst tools

In my experience, the tools are a bit tricky to clean, especially after the paint dries. The best way I found to clean them is to rub them wet against each other. Somehow the silicon cleans the silicon far better than anything else I've tried. The next best thing was scraping and rubbing them with my own fingers and that was tedious and painful so I was glad to discover the silicon on silicon trick.

The excess paint can also be wiped off when wet but it may leave the tool a little discolored. However, they don't have to be pristine to use. In fact, many times I would just pick one up with dried paint on it and use it just fine. Of course excessive rubbing or wetness might cause the dried paint to wear off onto the painting, which may or may not be desired.

I am super excited about using these tools. I believe they will become a major asset in the development of my work.

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Catalyst Tools

9/8/2012

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Before my birthday, I saw a video for Princeton Catalyst Blades and Wedges, which are silicon artist tools. I had seen them before but didn't really know how or why they were used so basically ignored them. After watching this video and subsequent others I was convinced I must have them!!

Armed with 50% off coupons for Aaron Brothers, I went almost daily to acquire these unique tools. I also asked for and received them for my birthday, and when faced with the prospect of going to a movie or buying another one, off to the art supply store I went!

There are many reasons that I like these silicon tools. For one they can take a lot of abuse; smearing, scraping, putting on and taking off, rubbing intensely in one spot. The filaments of brushes don't stand up well to such abuse. Even the synthetic ones which may not break off like natural hair bristles, still get bent out of shape, sometimes never to go back again. The silicone tools, so far are flexible, meaning they give with pressure but bounce right back into shape.

Another thing I enjoy is that unlike brushes which need to be wet to use properly, these can be used dry to push paint around. I can pick one up and just start using it to move and apply paint without being concerned with wetting the brush thoroughly and then dabbing off what I don't need. The blades and wedges don't soak up the paint to distribute it like a brush, they are more like palette knives in their application of paints and mediums except somehow more finger-like.

It is exciting to experiment with new tools. It will take some work to understand the best uses of each style, but I am willing! Below are a few results...