Piece of the Week: February 10, 2019

I am a little behind today. My rhythm has been thrown off by the recent snow here in Seattle and I almost let myself off the hook with my ‘Piece of the Week’ post tonight. But I wanted to make sure that I stay committed to posting about my work weekly, because it is both important to me and it forces me to reflect on the work I create consistently.

Untitled, 5"x 5" casein on teak wood

I don’t have a title for this one yet, and I am not sure if I am finished with it, but I created it with the intent to acknowledge the importance of protecting the environment. This is a common theme in most of my work, especially because I strive to use up-cycled wood or materials as my canvas, in an effort to reduce waste. I started this piece with a simple muted grey background and then attacked the painting with deliberate line and color. My hope is that others will associate the shapes and lines of this piece with the same organic shapes found in nature. As humans, we impact the world around us every single day, and I believe it is important to recognize the consequences of our daily actions

I realize that there are many other important priorities in life as well, and the environment may not be at the top of everyone’s list. This is okay too. I’m here to shed light, not push opinions. People should pursue what fulfills them, and what they are passionate about. But the planet that we live on gives us life, every single day. We exist because the Earth allows us to breathe, and to eat. Is it really so outrageous to want to put effort into protecting the resources that we need for our own existence?

This painting is meant to share an abstracted form of the fragmentation and threats that currently exist to vital resources, such as water and land. It is meant to display the division that exists among us, and how delicate and muddy the world and our society has become. It is a small painting trying to speak with a powerful voice. Perhaps not everyone will see what I envisioned in this piece, but I hope hearing the story behind it either makes someone stop and think, or encourages another continue to fight for our universal mother.

Piece of the Week: February 3, 2019

This week has been a slow one for me (painting wise). I have quite a number of paintings I started, but am having a hard time progressing further. I figured I would share a piece that I am currently working on, and happy with, but also struggling to finish. I think it needs a little more, but I can’t figure out what exactly that is, and that is something that I do not like to force.In the past, I’ve made the mistake of trying to forge on, hoping that the piece will come together in the end if I just keep painting. What ends up happening is that I get frustrated, cover the whole piece in black paint, and sit there wishing I had stopped when my gut told me to. Through tons of trial and error, I’ve learned to walk away from my art temporarily if it stop speaking to me during the process of creation.

So, I’ve let myself step away from the piece, but now what? This brings up the issue of figuring out how to reconnect with a painting that you don’t know how to finish. That is point I have reached with this piece. What do I do? Every time I have a painting session, I make sure the pice that has been haunting me is in sight while I work. When I’m not painting, I leave it in a spot that allows me to see it often, like the kitchen. This forces me to think about the piece basically everyday. Eventually, something usually clicks, and I figure out what it is I want to do with the rest of the piece.

However, there are also plenty of times that this doesn’t really work, which leads me to leaving the painting alone for a while. This can be just as beneficial, and maybe even better than forcing myself to look at the ppiece everyday. After all, art requires patience, and takes time. I started this one about a week ago, and the longer I look at it, the happier I feel about it. Maybe this piece is finished? Maybe inspiration will strike tomorrow morning? Only time will tell.

Piece of the Week: January 27, 2019

Today is Sunday, which means it is time for my Piece of the Week. I am currently working on a series of 10 paintings that are all on 5"x 5" teak wood scraps, which I found in an online shop on Etsy. The piece that I shared last week was titled Outrush, and it was a painting I created with an emotional foundation. The painting this week was created with a different approach that I often use in when I have high levels of creative energy, but a lack of ideas.

In some of my work, I rely solely on memories, feelings and energy. Movement is a major component of my style. There are times that the energy is there, but the vision isn’t. When this happens, I simply choose 3 or 4 colors to work with, and start paintings with no plans. Since I am lacking in vision, I also typically water down my paint to allow for more freedom of movement. After this first step, I allow the paint to dry and then revisit to add in detail or rework the piece.

With that being said, creating this piece reminded me of the importance of two things when it comes to creating art. First, it is okay to create without thinking. This removes any sense of pressure and you never know what you might end up with. Some of my favorite pieces that I have made originally came from very vague and hazy beginnings. Secondly, remember to work with colors that you aren’t naturally drawn to all the time.

I typically gravitate toward greens and blues in my paintings. The colors that I used in this piece reminded me of the beauty in earth tones and the benefits of allowing for variety in your work. I also think it is important to step away from what you are comfortable or familiar with from time to time, as it allows for you expand your creative thinking. And that is about all my brain has got for tonight, so I hope you enjoyed my thoughts!

Piece of the Week: January 20, 2019

In an effort to stay more connected with the work I create, and to provide insight for those who enjoy my art, I am beginning a project called Piece of the Week. This will involve sharing photos of recent or current work once a week, along with random thoughts or feelings that I associate with the particular piece. My brain tends to be a little all over the place, so bear with me. It is basically just an experiment for myself and my artwork, but I hope that perhaps other people may be able to relate to my work in a new way, share their thoughts, or find value in my personal reflections. This is my first post.

Outrush
5” x 5”, Casein on Teak Wood

Almost all of the wood that I use for my artwork is up-cycled or recycled, however you want to say it. I scour the internet on places like Etsy and Craigslist for scrap wood, reclaimed wood, or found wood. Recently, I came across an Etsy shop that had a listing for teak wood scraps. They were already cut into 5'“ 5” squares, have a beautiful grain, and are thicker than the wood I typically get my hands on. I’ve got ten pieces that I would like to turn into paintings. This is the first one that I have completed so far.

I’ve titled this piece Outrush, which, if you look up on Google, is basically defined as a violent outflow. When I hear the word outrush, I think of water, or even lava. I think of a brain bursting at the seams with unspoken thoughts. To me, this piece feels like an outpouring of mixed emotions that are still being held back in some way. It is like the tenseness that builds up in your forearms as you start to form a fist, and squeeze your hands so tight that they could disintegrate. When I am feeling tense, it is one of my favorite times to sit down and paint. The pieces that I create in this state usually involve little thinking until after I’ve made a mess, and then let the paint dry. At this time, I revisit the piece to add detail with a clear mind, adding some control to the chaos.

For this piece in particular, I really wanted to capture the sense that an emotion has been frozen in time. Think of a time that you felt something really strongly, imagine what that emotion would look like in shape, color or texture, and then hit the pause button. Picture that blob of emotion twisting, turning, and evolving, and then what it would look like if you were able to freeze it in place. I want this piece to convey a sense of strong, fiery energy that has been frozen in place. However, I also realize that everyone interprets shape, line, color and texture differently, which is one of the reasons I have really begun to love and appreciate abstract styles of painting.

If you have any thoughts to add, feel free to leave a comment! And if you are interested in this piece or just chatting further, I can be reached at contact@rosieread.com

Peace.