Transition

Transition - oil, oil pastel and cold wax on canvas 760 mm x 760 mm

Sometimes it is difficult to pick up and continue with a painting after leaving it for a while, as I discussed in my previous post. This was certainly the case with this abstract that was started last year and had remained untouched since the end of October. 

Sometimes paintings work and sometimes they don’t. Often the canvas will be destroyed - a few slashes with a craft knife can be very satisfying. If the canvas is in good condition and the paint surface smooth, I will recycle the support. I had a failed landscape which was ideal for recycling, making it ideal for this abstract.

17th October 2018. Some of these first shapes were suggested by photos of rocks. In this orientation the landscape element is obvious. This was not what I wanted so I flipped the canvas.

Later the same day...

23rd October 2018

24th October 2018. This is where the painting was left until the beginning of February.

After practicing the usual avoidance techniques i.e. do anything else other than the task in hand, and in my case this was working on two small still life paintings, I eventually took the canvas into the Studio and began. Using oil pastels and a looser approach, I added a few gestural lines. The curved shapes added a new element and improved the design. Oil pastels are a useful tool to introduce linear elements into a painting. 

I was reasonably satisfied with the painting at this stage but I felt that some areas were just too busy and too dark. So much, if not all, of abstract painting is subjective and intuitive so at times like this one has to work on how you feel. 

I felt that some quieter passages would be beneficial, since I think that “breathing space” in every painting is so necessary. I manipulated the image in Procreate - this is a useful way to try dramatic changes without compromising the actual painting. Then I applied those changes to the painting. 

Now I am happy and can call it “done”. 

Time to develop your creativity - Hamilton Road Studio

At this time of the year I realise that time doesn't ever stand still. In fact, if anything, the days pass by too quickly. In January I booked flights to visit my family in South Africa, thinking that the time would drag. Now there are just over ten weeks to go before my holiday. 

Studio Vacancies 

The last term of the year starts on Wednesday 4th October and ends on the 9th December. 

Wednesday evenings - places filled

Thursday - one place available
Friday mornings -  places filled

Saturday mornings - casual attendance available.

Please let me know if you would like to enroll or if you have any questions about the classes.         

Exploring Abstraction 

The artists attending the Friday classes have been investigating abstract concepts in painting. I plan to cover these topics more extensively in the first five weeks of the term with a different approach each week. These classes will be more structured than the usual Studio classes where artist work on individual projects. If abstract painting is something you have wanted to try, this is an ideal opportunity for you to experiment. Also, if you are less experienced, the more structured class will be helpful. These mini workshops can be done on the other days as well.

Tasman Story - oil, oil pastel and Cold Wax Medium on panel 405 mm x 810 mm

Art Classes Hamilton Road Studio

Terms and Conditions

Class times:

Wednesday:   6.00pm – 9.00pm  

Thursday:       9.00am – 12.00pm               

Friday:            9.00am – 12.00pm 

Saturday:        8.00am – 11.00am 

Please note that the Classes are suitable for adults

Venue:   22/960 Hamilton Road, McDowall 4053

(Please ring 22 then “Bell” at the intercom. There is usually parking inside the complex)

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• Tuition in drawing, watercolour, acrylics and oils is offered

• During each class there will be some demonstration of technique as well as individually mentored tuition.

• Classes are small (Max 6) so each participant can work in their chosen medium and at their own pace.

• Students should be prepared to enroll for a term (usually 10 weeks). Since my Studio is small, casual classes i.e. pay per attendance cannot be offered.

Please contact me for more information or if you have any questions.

Where did 2012 go?

Highlights of my creative year...

Exhibitions

• Vintage Soul - Group Exhibition
• Redcliffe Art Society Members Exhibition: First Prize - Abstract; Commended - Still Life
• Samford Show:2 x First Prize and a Highly Commended
• Arts Alliance Pine Rivers: Highly Commended - Landscape
• Eckersleys' Creative Canvas - "Grey, Silver & Lime" - Winner

Limited edition Sketchbook Project - completed and posted by the January deadline!

Workshops

The Workshop component of my teaching was extremely fulfilling with the following topics covered:

• Discover Drawing;
• Colour - going back to basics;
• Abstract Art;
• Composition,
• Line & Colour with Derwent

2013 will see these workshops continue. I plan to include more topics and offer some one day workshops in my studio each term.

Commissions

2012 has been a very good year for commissioned paintings:

April - Memory Wall

Memory Wall - oil on canvas - 40 x 8" x 8"

May - Paintings for city apartment in Brisbane

September - Deja Bru Cafe

Paris - Deja Bru Cafe - acrylic on linen - 3 x 144" x 144"

October - Wearable Art Hairdressing

Pink Roses with Mirrors - oil on canvas - 1000mm x 1000mm

Plans for 2013

Now that my teaching studio has become more established, I can turn to my personal creative development. Drawing has become part of my artistic practice. I intend using my journals to experiment with mixed media and develop new ways to express ideas and themes that are important to me.

Moving out of the studio is something I would like to do. I need to plan how and where to paint so that is first on my list. Initially, with the heat of Brisbane summer at its highest, I might need to search out a couple of cooler places! (But at least I don't have to contend with snow!)

To my readers in all parts of the world - thank you for visiting Art Matters, it's so encouraging to see the number of visitors growing.

My wish for you this coming year is that you will have happy times with family and friends, good health, and may the creative muse remain by your side all year long...

Posted with Blogsy

Exhibition News

The  Redcliffe Art Society holds an annual exhibition in the Redcliffe Art Gallery. It is a selected Members’ exhibition, with each member submitting two paintings. Both my paintings, one in the Still life category and another an Abstract were selected.

The official opening was on Friday evening. The day was miserable - cold and wet - and the thought of a slow trip in the Friday evening traffic was not appealing. However, I’m so glad I went. The work was of a high standard. Entries were hung in specific categories - landscape; still life & interiors; portraits and abstract among categories.

 Bark II - oil on canvas - 610mm x 915mm Carol Lee Beckx © 2012

 It was an honour to receive both Commended for Still Life with citrus and First Prize for Bark II - a reward for venturing out on a cold rainy evening. The gift voucher for art materials from  ArtHouse Northside in Deagan is most welcome.

Bark II is another painting in the series done with trees as the kick-off point.  An ink drawing of a strangler fig was the inspiration. 

The painting started off in a conventional way - with the tree standing upright as all good trees should - then the blue on either side seemed superfluous and out it went.

 Once the sky was banished I was free to rotate the image 180 degrees…

Silver, Grey & Lime

When I start an abstract I need to begin with a something tangible - a sketch or a photographic reference. I look for inspiration all around me. Folds of fabric fascinated me in this instance. A student had the most marvellous scarf - green, shot with a gold sheen - soft and voluptuous. The folds and drapes sparked a series of studies.

The colour brief for this commission was similar to the previous abstract - silver, shades of grey but with sharp lime as an accent.

Silver, grey & Lime oil on canvas 900mm x 1200mm Carol Lee Beckx  ©2012

I received exciting news yesterday. This painting is the winner of the Eckersley's Creative Canvas Competition.

There is a sense of freedom working on a large canvas with a wide  brush using sweeping gestures to cover the canvas. I love the  physical action.

First strokes

There’s also no pressure when painting an abstract to make something “look” like something. But, if anything, there is more pressure because there is the need to make the painting work by using compositional elements and emotive content.

Sorry - the lighting in my studio was a little dodgy...and these were quick iPhone pics.

The enforced discipline of keeping the shapes spare and minimal is good. There’s always a temptation to keep preserving the “pretty” paint marks at the expense of the whole.

Almost there...

An artist whose work has given me inspiration is Gerhard Richter.  I found the book Red, Yellow, Blue by Helmut Friedel in my local library. (There’s so much to discover there.) I enjoy the fact that he refused to name or title the abstracts because he didn’t want to define them in terms of concrete objects.

As I reluctantly returned the Richter book to the library, I came across a heavyweight - in all meanings of the word. A large tome - 13.5 inches by 12 inches and 2.5 inches thick and SO heavy. It's not the sort of book you could read in bed. Helen Frankenthaler was a favourite of mine at art school so I know there's more inspiration in store for me.

Abstract painting - the process

Recently two commissions for abstract paintings led me to explore a couple of different avenues. I returned to look at the American Abstract Expressionists and  Franz Kline in particular.  

Given a superficial glance these paintings look so simple - a couple of dramatic lines dashed across the canvas with a loaded brush and the painting is done - or is it?

Is it really so simple? 

Acrylic study for Grey, Silver Black & Pink

The reality is somewhat removed from that simplistic assumption. Start flashing a brush around and see what happens - usually the canvas turns into an uncontrollable mess. Try flicking just one splash of colour on to a monochromatic painting and disaster lurks. The consistency of the paint is crucial. 

If there’s too much turps in the mix, when it’s splashed over thicker, more oily paint that layer will crack when it dries . If there’s too much oil in the mix, the paint will take forever to dry. While the paint is drying the beautiful spots can turn a into ugly wrinkles. Then one understands exactly why Kline continued to use house paint instead of artists paint which his dealer wanted him to use. The viscosity of industrial paint is perfect for splashes and dribbles. This video gives some insight to his process

I started by doing a number of acrylic studies in my sketchbook.

Acrylic study for Grey, Silver black & pink

Once the right image was decided upon I worked directly on the primed canvas. I started with  shades of grey and white in large areas, applying the paint with brush and palette knife to add surface tension to the canvas. I have added a few detail photos at the end of this post to try to show this.

Once this layer was dry I painted the black lines with fast broad strokes. 

Black lines are added and other areas have been simplified.Then, with fingers crossed, because I’m not really a splashy kind of painter, a few splashes of shocking pink added the colour. The silver leaf was the final touch - and difficult to photograph well as the silver leaf simply looks white.

The initial sketches have a rawness and vitality that is hard to translate to a large canvas. The sheer size tends to make one more careful. However, I am pleased with the way the surface of the canvas has become more complex, adding substance and vitality to what was a casual sketch. 

 Grey, black, silver & pink - oil on canvas 1000mm x 1000mm

Carol Lee Beckx  © 2012 Collection Transform Hair

Detail

 Detail

Detail