08 April 2011

Reflected Light

Evening Reflections
24 x 36
oil & wax on birch panel
Available at Left Bank Gallery


I haven't posted many pics of my recent work, which are now at the Gallery. Sometimes in the heat of the moment -- trying to get them packed and delivered -- I forget to take any photographs. On this last go-around, I did try but the camera was not cooperating, probably needed new batteries, and my patience was wearing thin, so I apologize for the fuzziness. And because I'm working on a larger scale now, obviously it's not possible to scan. But what I'm excited about with these paintings are the new techniques and surfaces I worked with.

Detail of Evening Reflections

These two paintings are oil and wax on birch panels. I was having trouble with the panels even though I had primed them several times. The primer seemed to sink into the wood, and I could not get a good surface on which to work. Then I added several layers of acrylic glazing, and that seemed better. I had begun these paintings with acrylics but after several days again I had that sense of flatness, of things sinking and losing their freshness. 

Reverie du Soleil
oil and wax on birch panel
24 x 36
Available at Left Bank Gallery

So I put them aside and a week later came back to them armed with oil paints and cold wax. Aha, now I was getting somewhere! And the more I worked the surface, the more the vestiges of the underlayers came through, giving a rich, textured surface.

Sometimes it takes awhile to become familiar with new materials and how they react. And by now my approach was kill it or cure it, probably not the best attitude to have when painting.  But it had become a battle and my learning curve was improving.

The other interesting thing in this whole process is that these paintings began as abstracts, similar to the one below.  But when I moved over to the oil/wax combination and began finding those hidden layers of sparks, glints of light -- they shifted to landscapes, more impressionistic in their celebration of light and reflected light.


Summer Haiku
16" x 16"
acrylic on canvas
Available at Left Bank Gallery

This was a smaller piece on canvas working very loosely with acrylics -- I think we were in the midst of our last big snow storm when I did this one. Can you tell? But I enjoyed the looseness, the quickness of this painting.  Everything seemed to flow and dance without much help from me!  Again, the medium and the materials seemed to steer me one way or the other.

And now it's April and the weather is warming up and the garden needs some TLC big-time. So, I think the brushes will be put aside for rakes and trowels -- at least for the next few weeks. Happy spring everyone, and be back soon!

9 comments:

Caterina Giglio said...

these are magnificent... and i know that kill it or cure it feeling.... and yes the garden calls...x

Kelly M. said...

LOL! Yes, it sometimes gets to that point, doesn't it? :-)

Laura said...

you truly have captured light in each of these paintings...I feel so happy looking at them:-)

Kelly M. said...

Laura -- thanks so much and glad they make you happy!

Eva said...

Wonderful paintings and color! It's always exciting to try something new. It seems to energize our creative muse, doesn't it?

Painting Tips and Tricks said...

Great painting! Very good use of color!...Daniel

Kelly M. said...

Eva -- Yes, energizing the muse is always exciting, a bit scary but I'd never give it up! Thanks for stopping by!

Daniel -- Thanks so much for your visit and kind words!

helen said...

I like evening reflection the best.

Kelly M. said...

Thank you, Helen! Yes, i think it's my favorite, too.