absence of colour
anticipation
preparation
2 new Millikens cradled birch panels, 110 x 80cm, taped edges, two coats of gesso
Hoping my new can of Gamblin cold wax medium arrives tomorrow via TN Lawrence art suplies
Category Archives: methods
turquoise for the stones
I made 50 mince pies this morning
Maybe a transfer of eastern promise
The 4 most recent stones paintings are now turquoise
stones (2 canvases 100 x 80 ) stage 3
the stones are slowly revealing themselves through the mists of time and layers wax
today I have first made some transfers of field patterns onto the touch dry surface from last nights painting. The transfer prep is like alchemy to me, mix a paste of powder pigment and nail varnish remover (!) paint the mixture onto a sheet of tracing paper ( I dont have any, so used a thin transparent shiny paper) it dries really quickly. draw through from the back so that the marks made transfer onto the canvas.
I then rolled, transferred and squeegeed 3 or 4 different areas with 2 different greyish colours of paint and wax, then rolled and squeegeed smooth. Incidentally covering over much of the field pattern drawing in the process
With solvent revealed some more of the stone shapes that wanted to appear, blotted off with tissue. Roughly scraped and scored around and about the shapes at different angles and depths
Thinking about the community that lived in the Ceide Fields. How did they work the stones with no metal tools? They had fire to roast their cattle, what was their relationship with fire, with their animals? With the stones?
2 x 100cm x 80cm stage 2
so here they are back in my much reorganised and spacious feeling studio
applied a few more layers using baking paper to transfer the paint with a roller
then ‘ revealed’ the beginning of a couple of forms wirh solvent, blotted with tissue
scratched a bit, smoothed a bit with a squeegee
photos are rather gloomy because its dark outside and studio lights are dim
mounting the stones
between clearing my studio rubbish ( well actually Malachy is doing that, thank you ♥) and actually painting, I have been thinking about how I am going to display all this new work. Many of the new Ceide Fields Stones series paintings are very textured and would benefit from NOT being distanced behind glass. So I think I am goung to mount them on panels. There are 15 that Ibwant to do this way, so I might need a mortgage!
The small 6 x 8″ maplike pieces are on paper and have rather irregular edges,mm so I think they will have to be behind glass, but I am hoping to work out a simple design that doesnt overwhelm them
Here are 4 of the ones that I definitely think should be on panels
a peek in my journal from Ballinglen
saturday 15th November
layering – 3 layers completely covering on top of one another
watching Rebecca rescue and excavate
a piece of tissue with a transfer print made with the imprint of a plastic tree stencil
another tissue paper transfer print
Monday 17th
thinking about light and dark, white on black, lichen on rock
mushrooms before dawn
transfer techniques
blue powder pigment
a charcoal sketch and another tissue paper transfer
old lichen rubbings
update on 12 on paper
12 small works on paper
getting there slowly
several new layers of cold wax medium and oil, and a few new graphite marks
removed some of the tape so I can see where I’m at
this one is probably my favourite so far
Will take them off the boards tomorrow, then choose 3 or 4 to do some more work on, and retape those 4 to the board
beetroot soup and other colours
My studio this morning and a diversion into the culinary arts!
Beetroot soup heralds the changing seasons for me. Pulling the magenta globes from the cold soil, twisting off the crinkly green and purple tops, the deep marroon of the cooking water, the use of the top of the range for the first time this year.
A frustrating morning in the studio. Managed to put a hole through a canvas I was hoping to reuse. Cleaned out the sink and rescued about 15 solidifying paint brushes. Threw away several unsalvageble ones
Will eat the soup and return to the fray with renewed vigour
beach up close and personal
I have been looking more and more closely at rocks and sand and seaweed and mussels. Have taken a plethora of photos. Have posted to Facebook and twitter and Google+ and Tumblr and interest and LinkedIn and lost my passwords again and again
I have set the dehumidifier going in the studio. I have cleared up some of the mess. I have moved paintings around.
Now is the time
Well, tomorrow anyway!
New work seeding
grey
donegallizdoyle 