Hanging Out In Abercorn

The 4th edition of CONCERTS ET RENCONTRES CHAMPETRES A ABERCORN [link here for ticket info] opens tomorrow and I'm hanging out with them. Thank you Patrice, Sonia and Brigite!

Patrice and Brigite hanging Trying to grow, 72 x 40 in. ink on Kozuke paper

Patrice and Brigite hanging Chevron, 72 x 40 in. ink on Kozuke paper

Programme for  CONCERTS ET RENCONTRES CHAMPETRES A ABERCORN

Found

Searching through my flat files the other day and found these collages from the big studio clean up of the spring. I thought I had put all the bits and pieces that were torn up in the trash, but somehow these were saved; actually I was glad to find them, I just need to take better photos.

broken / enclosure 1, 30 x 22 in, ink on paper, 2015

broken / enclosure 5, 30 x 22 in, ink on paper, 2015

broken / enclosure 6, 30 x 22 in, ink on paper, 2015

Another Maquette With Plexiglass

I'm still experimenting with ink on plexi and have a dilemma, I don't like working on a plexiglass surface; there is no response, no dance between the ink and plexi, so unlike the response of paper. This seemed like the perfect solution but it's not for me, so more experimenting needs to be done.

Plexi and fold, 2015

Just plexi, 2015

I'm going to take a spring break from social media for a few weeks, so Happy Spring everyone and see you in a few weeks.

Cut, Fold, Bend

While I experiment with different inks on plexiglass [thanks everyone for the suggestions] I also had time to make some maquettes of shaped work, which led to cutting and folding some of the shapes. Still a lot of details to work out, but exciting.

Just folded maquette, ink on foam core, 2015

Just cut, 2 flat works, ink on foam core, 2015

Flat and folded, ink on foam core, 2015

another view, Flat and folded, ink on foam core, 2015

Day 5, [the last day] 2010’s

Day 5, [the last day] 2010’s, it  seems to be a time of going back, to drawing, pencils, ink, paper, and my hands. I have always wanted a marriage of my inner and outer worlds; my love of simplicity, order, rationality, and beauty with my love of chaos, mess, fragments, layers and contradiction and beauty. We’ll see what happens.

Hands, 2013

The 64, from "The Coffee Cantata", 2013

A Blue World, 2013, mixed media on paper, 66 in x 150 in

Now I See, 2013, accordion book

Studio wall, 2014, ink on Japanese paper

Fuelled By Flu

Wednesday was not a good day. It started out well in the studio when I found a long sheet of paper, tacked it to the wall and had fun with that 8in. brush, then time to try another idea in a smaller format, then I watched the news and felt sick. Then I realized I was sick. In and out of sleep, shivering and glued to the TV and twitter feeds, a pile of blankets on me. Well done CBC, that was superb coverage of another mentally ill person wreaking havoc. I wish our government would spend more money on mental health and the CBC.

oct. 22,  50 in x 72 in, ink on paper, 2014

wavy 2, 30 x 22 in, mixed media, 2014 

Sorry about the quality of the photo. it's still raining and I never seem to get good studio photos with artificial light.

Practice Paper

Last week when we were in Montreal I picked up a roll of practice paper; I must say the name enchanted me. All I could think of was practicing scales and I realized, again, how much better a pianist I might have been if I had just practiced my scales; now I am drawing scales.  There is something so satisfying and pleasurable about making these marks, lines on paper, repeating motions, repeat again with slightly different pressure or motion. All the things my piano teacher tried to teach me about playing scales is so evident in this process. Wish I could have understood it then.

scales #1, 11.5 x 15. 25 in, ink on paper, 2014

scales #3, 11.5 x 15. 25 in, ink on paper, 2014

scales #5, 11.5 x 15. 25 in, ink on paper, 2014

Finding My Way In The Dark

Trying out this new paper Terra Skin I went to dark, I had laid down a few layers of ink and was drawing into it and when it dried I had to stand at an angle to the piece to see the marks. The camera wasn't to happy either but I was hoping that by playing with the darks and shadows in photoshop I might find what I knew was there.

Really, there is something there,  38, x 24 in, ink on paper, 2014

After playing in photoshop

and after even more playing in photoshop

Scroll Books

There were all these long pieces of paper hanging on the studio wall, covered with ink marks, and they weren't talking to each other at all. It seemed each had his own story and wanted the space to tell it. So they are in the process of becoming the scroll books. This is the first. The paper is 10 in x 72 in, with my favourite accordion fold structure. I want to see how they work hung from the wall to the floor.

scroll book 1, opening, 8.5 in x 10 in, 2014

scroll book 1, unfolding the pages, 8.5 in x 10 in, 2014

middle of scroll book 1, 2014

Cover with elastic band , scroll book 1, 2014

Details

I now have a roll of Kozuke Ivory, a Japanese paper [thanks Stan and Lorraine] and have had the best time playing. I wonder why artists never seen to talk much about the sheer pleasure of making things, of putting ink on paper. Ink meets paper is a sight to behold. It's like "Hello Big Boy"; there is such attraction and energy between them. The paper buckles in pleasure and I am in love with the marks; some looked scratched or etched, some strong and deep. I find myself making lines, that's all I want to do, line after line after line; stacks of lines, flourishes of line, fat lines, skinny lines, galaxies of lines.

detail, brush strokes

detail of more brush strokes

detail of more even brush strokes

Out of Paper

This is the last of my paper until my order arrives and I am in withdrawal. But the studio is clean, well cleaner. I'm not liking this enforced withdrawal and have huge amounts of fear that I will not have anything to say when the paper arrives. Well maybe, hello….

Studio wall, March 3, 204

Wavy lines, 72 in x 80 in, ink on Japanese paper, 2014

Learning to Swirl

Actually the motion feels more like mopping the floor, that lovely back and forth movement with a swirl at each end. The tricky thing is to stay away from a calligraphic "look". I took some old drawings and practiced on them. Must say it is fun; reminds me of the ribbon candy my grandmother used to munch on.

swirl 1, 30 x 24, ink, oil on paper, 2014

swirl 2, 30 x 24, ink, oil on paper, 2014

swirl 3, 30 x 24, ink, oil on paper, 2014

Still In Love

I LOVE this paper, I LOVE this brush. I need more paper. Well that's about it.

back and forth, 72, x 40 in, ink, 2014

squares, 46, x 40 in, ink, 2014

A New Brush

I found this wonderful brush last week; I hate the handles on brushes and this fits right into my hand, it was exciting to try it out on some sheets of Japanese paper that I had been saving. Well actually I've forgotten which project I had in mind when I bought the paper, but it was perfect for this. Now I'm thinking of cutting all my brushes down, and buying some more of this glorious paper. Laying down the ink the paper was so alive as it buckled and warped beneath each stroke.

4in brush

dusk falls, 40 in x 72 in, 2014

fairly straight down, 72 in x 40 in, 2014