Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Painting #8 Ladders

Ladders 24" x 30"

Bold black lines! I don't know what attracts me so much about black lines in paintings and drawings. This painting started with great marks. However, once I began filling in areas with pink, chartreuse or green, it wasn't really going anywhere. This is a usually a stopping place for me in most of my work--the transition from beautiful chaos into becoming the painting it wants to be. I listen for hints and whispers of inspiration. This canvas was very loud about the black lines. So I grabbed a mid-sized brush and dipped into the black and just let my arm go. This was more angular than I expected, but I  liked where it was going. It was fun because I was still fresh from Flora's class in Portland and remembered her sage advice to focus in on a small area that you liked. I did that over and over moving from one area to the next until it just seemed to come together. It became a thing to add ladders or steps to connect all areas of the painting. So if for some reason I became really small and fell into this painting I could climb anywhere. Bizarre, I know. I was tempted to name this one "Crooked Streets" but ladders was a theme so that's what it became. I really like how the perspective shifts in funny ways. Overall, it is interesting to stare at, my eyes continually rove. I have to say this is one of my favorites.

1 comment:

Inika said...

I love this one too. The roaming eye loves the terrain and can traverse the ladders throughout. Delightful!