Painted Hearts Tutorial

For Valentine's Day this year, I decided to use a technique I learned in an art class and combine it with my painting and collage to create some special one-of-a-kind Valentine's. I was pleased with the result. Here's what I did:

First begin by taking a sheet of drawing paper and using different size pencils and both a fine tip and bold tip black sharpie (or other pen) write your name, a word or a phrase over and over in different directions and different sizes until the paper is completely covered. Using different size pencils such as, 2H, HB, B, 2B, 4B, 6B, will give your lines different weights and qualities, light and dark, thick and thin lines. Don't forget the edges, make sure those are covered too.

Once you have completely covered your drawing paper with your writing and have a wide variety of lines, turn the paper over and measure off a grid of 2" squares. Cut the squares.

You will now have a pile of 2 inch squares with very interesting marks on them. Take a look at them and pick out the ones you really like.

Glue them onto a piece of 14" X 17" Bristol. You can use Mod Podge, YES Glue or Matte Medium. Don't try to glue each individual square, spread a bit of glue onto the Bristol and then place the squares. Try to get all of the squares lined up evenly together, but if you have a bit of variation in them because your cutting wasn't exact, don't worry, just get the squares as close as you can. Just don't overlap any squares. If you have any squares over the edges of the Bristol like I did, no worries, just trim off the excess, but do go all the way to the edges. After you get all of your squares glued onto the Bristol, let it dry thoroughly before going on to the next step.

The next step is where we get into painting and collage. I really get into this step and usually forget to take pictures. What you're basically doing is adding layers of paint and paper to your composition.  Use a variety of fluid paint, which is transparent and will allow your marks underneath to show through and heavy bodied acrylic paint which will be opaque. I like to start with fluid paint and collage paper and then go on to heavy bodied paint. I then go back and forth until I really like what I see. I also used a variety of printed paper that I like as well as some transparent, hand-made origami paper (the green above) and tissue paper which is transparent. The origami paper is my favorite because you can see the fibers of the paper which makes an interesting texture. Let it dry in between layers so things don't get smeary or muddy. When you have as many layers as you want let it dry completely.

While your composition is drying, take either another piece of bristol or an old file folder like I did (I have so many old file folders and I like to make use of them, rather than throw them out!) Make a stencil by tracing a heart shape and cutting it with an exact knife. When you are finished and your composition is completely dry, float your stencil over your composition to find something you like. Turn your paper around and keep looking. Once you find something you like, place your mask and trace in pencil around the stencil.

Now, cut out your heart.

Now you can add some stamped words, markings in ink or make other finishing touches.

History of Women in Art: Artemisia Gentileschi

Self Portrait, Artemisia Gentileschi,

Many successful women artists during the Renaissance came from Bologna, no doubt for the fact that it had a university which was known for educating woman as well as woman saint who painted. However, even these artists, skilled and renowned, were considered the exception and their talent nothing short of miraculous. These women had to endure severe criticisms of their work and their character. Many of them were the daughters of father painters who it was said were the true painters of their work. It’s clear that they possessed a commitment and a drive to create their art that took precedence over adhering to the social norms of their day no doubt from enduring prejudice toward their work which they knew, being so skilled, was unjustified.

Artemisia Gentileschi was born in Rome, July 8, 1593. She was the eldest child of Tuscan painter, Orazio Gentileschi. Due to her father's influence, and inspired by Caravaggio, she became one of the most accomplished painter's of her generation and the first female painter to become a member of Accademia di Arte del Disegno in Florence.

Gentileschi has been described as a “challenge to humanist constructions of feminine education and deportment” (Chadwick, Women, Art & Society), which seems to be the major theme of her life as well as her work. Gentileschi’s talent as a painter was clear, however, on the basis of her being a woman, she was not allowed to attend the academy. Instead, she worked with her father and her brothers in her father's workshop. Later, her father hired Agostino Tassi, who he was working with to paint the inside of the vaults of Casino della Rose inside the Pallavicini Rospigliosi Palace in Rome to tutor his daughter privately. Tassi was brought up on charges of raping Artemisia, the withdrawal of a promise of marriage as well as stealing a Gentileschi painting. There are conflicting seventeenth century documents which not only make it difficult to ascertain exactly what actually happened but also further point to the socio-politically charged situation of the day making Artemisia quite a controversial figure if not a revolutionary one. Artemisia seems to become the poster child for what happens to a woman if she steps “out of bounds.” However, later in her life, she enjoys much success and even marries and has a child. She appears to have satisfied both societal expectations as well as the desires of her artistic self.

Agnes Merlet’s film, Artemisia, successfully illuminates the complicated, political situation and it’s clear that all involved, Tassi, Orazio, Artemisia, even Tassi’s sister, as well as those prosecuting Tassi and the judge, have different values and motivations making the truth difficult to ascertain. As we watch the court drama unfold, the film makes it clear that the court case was more about the social beliefs and papal laws of the time regarding the role of women. In particular, the laws making it illegal for women to paint nudes (as was typical for artists in academic settings), becomes evidence against Artemisia in an effort to clear Tassi of wrongdoing and her paintings and drawings of male nudes are shown around the courtroom to gasps and groans. Orazio attempts to protect his daughter by claiming that the paintings and drawings are his. Artemisia’s own father though supportive of her painting he is, clearly has his own agenda and is determined to make Tassi pay for violating and stealing his property. Artemisia is even subjected to torture to exact the “truth” from either herself or from the watching Tassi who “confesses” to raping her in order to cease her torture. Tassi is given two years in prison but apparently never served time having been acquitted.

Judith and Her Maidservant, Artemisia Gentileschi, 1613-14, oil on canvas, Palazzo Pitti, Florence

The fact that Artemisia focused and worked hard as a painter is clear. Her life was marked by a sustained artistic production despite the fact that she married and had children. This was achieved by very few women artists especially in Gentileschi’s time. The strength and courage displayed in her character is also displayed in her paintings, showing power and even violence in such provocative  paintings as, Judith with her Maidservant and Judith Decapitating Holofernes. 

Judith Slaying Holofernes, Artemisia Gentileschi, 1614-20, oil on canvas, 199 X 162 cm, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence.

The trauma of the rape and trial significantly impacted Artemisia's painting. Her graphic depictions were cathartic and symbolic attempts to deal with the physical and psychic pain. The heroines of her art, especially Judith, are powerful women exacting revenge on such male evildoers as the Assyrian general Holofernes. After her death, she drifted into obscurity and her work was often attributed to her father. Mary D. Garrard notes that Artemisia "has suffered a scholarly neglect that is unthinkable for an artist of her calibre." There have been many interpretations and critiques of Artemisia's work and though they may have differing opinions of her psychological self and expression, today she is regarded as one of the most expressionistic and progressive painters of her generation and a major artist.

Other links:
The Life and Art of Artemisia Gentileschi
Artemisia Gentileschi - The Image of The Female Hero in Italian Baroque Art by Mary D. Garrard
Artemisia film directed by Agnes Merlet, French, subtitled

Bloom True with Flora Bowley

"Life is pure adventure and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as ART."

~Maya Angelo

This past weekend I had the pleasure of not only completing Flora Bowley's e-course, Brave Intuitive You, but also of attending an in person workshop with her at the Teahouse Studio in Berkeley. I didn't take a lot of photos as I really wanted to immerse myself in the painting process and soak up all there was before me. I wish I had taken more now that it is over! It was a fabulous weekend and I'm so glad I attended! Teahouse Studio is an informal, cute and inspiring space and we were so well taken care of (the food was absolutely delicious!) with plenty of energy available just for painting. Flora's style of teaching is informative and inspiring and encourages the freedom to explore and discover. She emphasizes the intuitive listening of oneself without thinking too much and trusting the process. For me, that translates to self-acceptance. A self-acceptance that trusts my own desires, choices and decisions that take me to adventurous and interesting places.

At the beginning of our first day, we laid a quick base layer on each of our canvases and then watched a demo of  Flora making a wide variation of marks and shapes on her canvas. We then made our way around the room making marks on each canvas as prompted by Flora. The experience was fun and liberating as there was no attachment and any worries about keeping colors or marks "consistent" went out the window. By the time I got back to my own canvas, it certainly wasn't "mine" anymore! And as I looked at it, I saw all kinds of colors, shapes and marks that were definitely someone else's. Everyone contributed such a richness in variety and color that I found so interesting and exciting! I found myself immediately grateful and "out of the box". Free to experiment and try new things and see what might happen.

The second day we worked on bringing out some images or just shapes or whatever was occurring at that moment. In other words, just keeping the process going. One thing that Flora said that really resonated with me was: Make a commitment knowing that it can change. I found myself enjoying the feeling of freedom so much that I began to feel the fear of making a commitment to something. I did so anyway and kept pushing through, keeping the process going. I experienced the tension between the freedom and making choices. Each time I became stuck, I learned to "spiral out", step back and gain some perspective, turn my canvas to see if I saw something new, or switch it with my other one and come back to it later. The thought that "every mark is supposed to be there" was enormously comforting and encouraging when those gremlins, self-doubt, judgement and comparison would pop into my head.

Intuitive listening = Trust
Trust = Self-Acceptance
Acceptance + Choice = Freedom
Freedom to fly. Freedom to bloom. Freedom to shine. Freedom to BE. To Be True.

"You have only to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves."

~Mary Oliver

Being Brave Means Trusting

“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” 

 -Audre Lorde

In Flora Bowley's Bloom True class this week, we are focusing on being brave. It's such an important concept at this point because while our paintings are becoming something, they might not look like it yet. This point in the process (whether it's painting or something else in life) is the make or break point. It's when all the self-doubt, fear and resistance come out and try to talk you out of continuing on your way. They try to talk you out of believing in who you are. The important thing  to remember is that they are becoming. Just as we are. And it's in the becoming where the treasure lies.

When you practice being brave the first thing you notice of course, is your fear. It can feel like reluctance or nervousness or be quite terrifying and debilitating. I have learned not to push myself beyond what I'm ready for but instead, if I don't feel ready for a giant leap forward or even a small step, I simply stand still. This can be unnerving because our instinct is to do something. But the act of standing still, the looking, the facing brings out my curiosity and seems to lessen the urgent alarm bells going off in my head. I start to wonder...I wonder what will happen if I do this...I wonder what will happen if I move here...I wonder what will happen if I take this step.

As I move toward my fear, the most difficult thing I experience is being faced with my own frustration.  I have to take a look at where it is coming from. Usually I'm impatient with myself or the process, and my expectations are out of sync with the true timing (like this week...I had to remind myself that I'm learning new things, not creating a masterpiece!). I have to actively choose to stay committed to what's at hand and not concern myself with the result or timing. Easier said than done, but I've learned that it's not necessarily a skill you can acquire, it's a practice. Once you reach a level of proficiency, there's a new level waiting to be explored. That seems to take the pressure off of having to be "good" at being brave, doesn't it? I can simply allow myself to be where I am at and receive the gifts that are there for me.

Being brave directly cultivates trusting. Trusting the process. Trusting timing. Trusting where we are at. Trusting that we have what we need for this moment. Trusting our intuition. Trusting our selves. Each time we try something, we learn a little bit more about what we can trust. And each time we trust we get a little bit braver. And that's where the quote above that Flora included in her class today becomes our truth. This week was a bit rocky for me but I still am in love with this process and I received some great gifts in the way of moving into my freedom more.

Blooming

I am having so much fun in Flora Bowley's e-course, Bloom True. This is what I have so far on one of three canvases that I've started. There are several layers including a black and white layer and a translucent layer. The value contrast layer really brings the most drama to the painting and changes the painting drastically. I just love what is going on here, the colors and the marks, and can't wait to see where it takes me from here. I'm finding the process thrilling. Here are the other two:

A few things I've learned so far:

• To keep my warm colors separate from my cool colors for now. Really helps maintain the integrity of the colors.
• To use my brushes in an infinite variety of ways.
• Every mark is supposed to be there. :-)
• Not to worry about what happens or what gets covered up.
• To trust the process, to trust myself.
• To rotate my canvas.
• To not become too attached to any image or idea too soon. Give the painting time to emerge.
• Variety, variety, variety. The under painting gives the painting it's depth. :-) (love this one!)
• To enjoy finger painting (I remember thoroughly disliking finger painting in kindergarten!)

Good Morning

I was up at 6 am this morning (not so atypical for me). The gloomy, rainy, windy weather kept me awake in the wee hours and actually put me in a quiet, reflective mood the way only that kind of weather can. Spending some early morning time searching, reading, looking, listening to what inspires me and enjoying the quiet when no one but me and the cat are up, is a delightful part of my day that I look forward to. After a few moments of jotting things down in my journal, I started my yoga practice and meditated for a few minutes. A walk outside and then a cup of tea, and I was ready to go. Today is day two of Flora Bowley's e-course and I'm so excited after weeks of feeling very nervous. Today was "free play" (my phrase), of just laying down a foundation of warm color mix to work from and so much fun! Watching the warm colors swirl around in a mix of pigment and water made for interesting texture and designs. I won't be documenting the whole process, but here's a peek at what one of my foundations looks like (as likely no one will ever see it after this).

After painting a couple of foundations, I got busy on my History of Women in Art test. Does anyone else get nervous about tests? Oh, my, I was even dreaming about it all the while telling myself, "It's only a test!" Well, here it is early afternoon, and everything is finished, the big things that were on my list anyway. Now I have time to do a little reading for class, do a little record keeping, return a couple of emails and then make dinner. After that will be some nice relaxing time with my family and maybe a glass of wine.

Here's some beautiful music by Kyrstyn Pixton that Flora featured today. Both women are from Portland, OR as am I. Enjoy.

Time Machine

"We should strive to welcome change and challenges, because they are what help us grow. Without them we grow weak like the Eloi in comfort and security. We need to contently be challenging ourselves in order to strengthen our character and increase our intelligence."

H.G. Wells, The Time Traveler

I went looking for the post of this piece on my blog today and to my surprise, found it missing! So, I've re-posted it here. The Time Machine is a piece that I created a few months back and was published in the July/August 2011 issue of Somerset Studio. I used a bit of paper from Graphic 45, Steampunk Debutante, a compass mask, metal gears by Tim Holtz as well as tissue paper, acrylic paint and a copy of the cover from the original book.

New Painting: Embracing Grace Everyday

Computer issues and illness have slowed me down a little in the last week and a half. But here is my latest painting. This painting started out as this experiment in minimalism. Then I wanted to re-do it and make something colorful. I wanted to have a butterfly flying beneath the tree, but it turned into a Buddah. I don't normally paint people but this one really wanted to be on this painting. It wouldn't stop nagging me until I painted it on! Embracing Grace is my phrase for embracing, or accepting fully the grace that resides in every moment that we experience no matter how we judge that moment, good or bad. My favorite definition of grace is:

"Gracefulness has been defined as outward expression of inward harmony of the soul"
~William Hazlitt

 Isn't that beautiful?
Lovely.
Inward harmony of the soul.
Aligned.
Functioning along that alignment.
Living one's harmonious purpose through outward expression.
This is what I'm seeking for my life and I may need to continue seeking it for the rest of my life...
what better way to live.

New Painting

"Keep Breathing", 24X30, acrylic on canvas

Sometimes, all we can do is keep breathing.

Painting Experiment:Abstract Minimalism

"It's the soul's duty to be loyal to it's own desires. It must abandon itself to it's master passion."

~Rebecca West

I decided to try something a little different. An experiment. An abstract minimalist painting. It's still a collage with music paper underneath it all and it contains many subtle layers. I hung it on the wall so that I could live with it for a few days and see what it feels like. I may end up covering it with more layers. Maybe more color? Maybe more paper? Some images? I don't really know. We'll have to see. Maybe it will stay this way and another painting will be born. You never quite know how the art will emerge. It's a process and to stay in the middle of the process is to stay with the question marks, the doubt, the unknown, the wondering and be willing to express anything that comes forth and wants to be expressed. Even if it's a little (or a lot) uncomfortable. To be willing to express whatever comes forth, is to be willing to speak your own truth. And that willingness is courage.

Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak peek of what I've been working on lately:

Strathmore Online Workshop Week 3 Update

Here is my page for the end of week 3 of the Strathmore Online Workshop by Pam Carriker:

The Old English Village That Saved Me

My husband's favorite Christmas decoration in our home is the little English village I painted 20 years ago. Every Thanksgiving he excitedly puts it up to enjoy every second of its time to be displayed. 

 There's a story behind this little village. The story of how I came into art and how art open me up.

I was waiting for my paperwork to go through the red tape state to become a certified music teacher. It was during the month of December and I knew I wouldn't be able to teach until January. I lived alone at the time and struggled with depression. I needed something to keep myself busy and productive. I thought about what I could do for the month and decided on a whim to go over to a local art store. 

 

The little bare, bisque houses caught my eye and I thought to myself, This is it. The perfect project to keep myself busy and productive and have something at the end of the month to show for it. It became my symbol of survival and resourcefulness. A solace that I would return to anytime I needed something to focus on, something to keep myself busy and creating. Something to remind myself of my aliveness.

 I didn't "know how" to paint at the time. I'd never painted anything before. But while I was at the art store, something whispered to me from deep inside myself and said "Do this." I followed the advice fell in love with painting. It was so natural. So easy. So relaxing.

The time went by so quickly. The month was up before I knew it and I had a beautiful, little village that had grown one little building at a time on my counter top. 

What I had discovered was not the end product. And although I was extremely pleased and surprised at how they had turned out, what I loved was the process and what happened inside myself that made a difference in my life; my outlook, my well being.

I had discovered how to bring to the outside what I knew resided inside. To bring my expression of beauty and joy to physical reality. This is something I was never able to do with music.What a relief and a joy to find some place where I am able to express myself so freely.

The holiday season means something different for each of us. Whether it's a season of fun or meaning or celebration or whether this season has brought a challenge to your door, my wish is for connection to others and to yourself. And for freedom and space to express what resides quietly within the heart.

All the very best.

 

To Love and Be Loved

Everyone Needs A Partner

I've been working hard to finish my first commissioned piece. It's quite large and doesn't fit on my work table, so I've been hunching over it on the floor of my small studio. My sweet assistant, Mystery, loves to keep me company. I'm not sure if he likes the smell of Mod Podge and paint or if he just loves me, but I'll take whatever I can get. I love having him around!

Here's a tiny peek at what I'm working on:

Passport to Here

 Another art piece from my series of "9 Pieces". 

You can find it also in my Etsy Shop (see the link in the sidebar).

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Journey of the Soul

 

 I have definitely been on a journey during the past year. A journey to finding my voice through art. I find I can say what want to better with color, form, composition, and symbolic elements than I can with words. These are my stories, my poems, my songs. These are what I experience along the journey of my soul.

No Brushes Allowed!

It's Street Team Challenge time!

 

Last month was Text Messaging and thank you to everyone who encouraged me with their kind comments. It is truly a joy to participate in these challenges. I learn new things every time not only from working on my own project but also from seeing what all of you come up with in your interpretations of the challenge. It is so much fun to meet and hear from new friends from all over the world.

This month: In A Scrape, No Brushes Allowed. This month we were to scrape on layers of gesso and paint using an old credit card or flat edged tool to result in a grungy, textured background. My cup of tea, I love to work in layers and get messy! I was really excited to experiment with gesso as I have not used it that much. Now, I will use it a lot! The gesso and paint react to each other in interesting ways and create really cool textures together. So, without further adieu...

I began by layering brown acrylic paint over a layer of gesso and layering another coat of gesso over the brown. The layers created an interesting effect together. While that was drying...

I went back to a couple of earlier challenges (#27) & (#19) and created some stencils and masks. I made them out of old manila folders. I used these and scraped colors onto my background.

Then, using my stencils, I added a couple of stars in the corners and wrote a couple of quotes with a white gel pen.

I couldn't stop there, so here are a couple of others:

This one was made with some cool stencils I purchased from Tattered Angels. I absolutely love them. I think they work better with brushes or by spraying paint or ink on them. Scraping the paint across them required a lot of paint to cover the intricate details and it became really thick. After drying overnight, however, it has a really cool texture.

On this one, I started with gesso and scraped on some black plum acrylic paint. Then I spritzed on some water and let it set for a few minutes, scraped again and voila, cool splatters. I'll use this grungy background for something else later. 

Thanks, Michelle, for another great challenge. I learned so much on this one!