Recently, I was organizing my paintings for an upcoming show, and came across these "failed" marbled papers. Suddenly, I grabbed a few and took a closer look at them: I began to see potential! Excited, I took a few papers up to my studio and began turning these failed marbled papers into finished paintings! The one I'm most pleased with is "Treehouse #6", acrylic marbling/collage on paper, 13 x 19". You can see the progression from raw paper to finished painting:
I had an epiphany the other day, and I suddenly realized why I've had a good burst of completed paintings this month: I started with no (or low) expectations. I should explain that in the course of my many years of marbling papers (using acrylics), I've amassed quite a stack of lovely, patterned papers. I file them by year in my garage/storage space. Some of them are so lovely, I can't bear to paint on them, but others are, well, less than stellar. So, I created a "slush pile" of the marbled papers that I really don't like. Maybe they are too busy, too murky, too blue, too red....they just don't speak to me. I contemplated selling them, or even giving them as gifts, but months went by and they continued to sit on a table untouched. I'd written them off as unworthy of developing into paintings. Recently, I was organizing my paintings for an upcoming show, and came across these "failed" marbled papers. Suddenly, I grabbed a few and took a closer look at them: I began to see potential! Excited, I took a few papers up to my studio and began turning these failed marbled papers into finished paintings! The one I'm most pleased with is "Treehouse #6", acrylic marbling/collage on paper, 13 x 19". You can see the progression from raw paper to finished painting:
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I've been using the technique of marbling with acrylics in my paintings for almost ten years now, and I never tire of the possibilities. Like a scholar pouring over one's books, I'm in search of further knowledge about this intricate medium. I plot and scheme to figure out what new techniques I might try in the marbling tray to get a different effect--one that surprises and delights me. There aren't many books about marbling, and even if I could get my hands on them, many are out of print. Furthermore, paging through a book of color images and samples of marbled papers only provides you with the end result, and not the process of HOW to actually make the patterns. My best bet is to keep experimenting with paint and trying new things. Sharing ideas with other marbling "nerds" helps, too. I signed up for an online marbling workshop with its own private Facebook group where me and my fellow marblers can post our images and ask questions. The instructor checks in on scheduled days/times and helps us troubleshoot any problems we might be having. She also provides professional videos, shot from above the marbling tray, so that we can observe each drop of paint as it falls into the tray. Thanks to this new avenue of learning and sharing, I am getting the courage to loosen up and break rules with my marbled patterns! I hope this shot of courage (as I ask myself "what if?") leads me to paint more innovative and interesting paintings in the coming year. I marvel at the ways we artists can instantly share images of our paintings (even as the paint is still drying!) through social media like Facebook. As much as I like to complain about technology taking over my life, I have to admit that I enjoy the instant gratification that comes from posting a new painting and reading the comments of my friends, family members, and students. So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, and I've even drummed up a few unexpected sales! Another plus: friends have come to the rescue when I'm stumped and need suggestions for giving my painting a title. It's fascinating to hear other people's perspectives and insights about my work. If art is a conversation between the viewer and the artist, Facebook deftly facilitates that dialogue.
Thanks to my recently attained Signature membership in NWS (National Watercolor Society), I've become connected to an even larger group of artists on Facebook. Now I'm reading posts and seeing images from national artists (and they are seeing my work as well). Through these connections, I'm being introduced to even MORE artists whose styles intrigue and delight me. How much is too much? It's up to you to decide how much time you want to spend online. I've heard of writers who disable their computer's internet connectivity while they write so they won't be constantly interrupted, and that sounds like a good idea. I tend to jump online after my morning coffee, and depending on my day, I check again at lunchtime, and again in the late afternoon. I confess that I sometimes I peek at my ipad when I get "stuck" during a painting session, but more often than not, my hands are covered in paint so I'm forced to keep to task! All things considered, I am grateful for the technology that has allowed me to connect and share my work with others so quickly and efficiently. It's no replacement for in-person art exhibits, but its reach is far and wide--to people across the country and across the world. What a great year it's been, what a rare mood I'm in (to paraphrase the Nat King Cole song). It's nearly the end of a long, hot summer, and I'm nursing a puncture wound in my right hand (due to a mishap with the sharp end of a metal picture frame). I received two stitches, and a tetanus shot, but I'm already on the mend. Happily, my fingers can still type, and I'm even able to wield my trusty paintbrush a bit. Today I took the time to update my website, adding new images, exhibit info, awards, and details about upcoming workshops and shows. Taking stock of the year so far, I was amazed to find that I've been on an unprecedented (for me) winning streak: I was juried into 5 of the 8 national/regional shows I submitted images to, and 2 of those paintings received cash awards. As of this writing, I just mailed off my painting "Chaco Canyon Conversation" to the National Watercolor Society's 95th International Exhibit in San Pedro, CA, along with 3 supporting paintings that (pending juror consensus) will bestow on me the distinction of Signature membership in this esteemed organization. Attaining signature membership in NWS has been a 12-year goal of mine, and I'm excited to learn of the results of the jurors' decision in late September. (Scroll to the end of this post to see a visual step by step process of how I built this painting from start to finish). What does all of this mean? I can't speak for others, but I can only say that it's affirmed that I'm on the right track, and I'm where I want to be with regard to my art. It's not about the small cash prizes (although they do buy a few tubes of paint), but it is about garnering the recognition and respect of my artist peers--something money can't buy. Incidentally, I didn't get to the "big kid's table" all by myself. Oh, sure--I put in the painting hours, took workshops that pushed and furthered my skills, participated in critique sessions to help me learn to analyze paintings strengths and weaknesses, went to gallery shows for inspiration and to support other artists, volunteered my time in various art organizations, and taught watercolor, acrylic and marbling classes. All of those things are essential to honing/improving one's skills as an artist. But if I'm being honest, I have to give credit to my many mentors, artists, and teachers who paved the way for me and helped me when I stumbled (because I most certainly veer off course a time or two). You know that question that people often ask: "how long did it take you to paint that?" Only now do I understand that the correct (and honest) reply is "my entire life". "Chaco Canyon Conversation" (acrylic/marbling/collage) by Liz Walker, 2015
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Some paintings happen in a short burst---all the stars align, and I have an innate sense of how to proceed and finish the piece--sometimes within a few weeks. But more often than not, I flog away at difficult pieces--pulling them out to work on them, and then putting them away for months at a time. Near the end of each year, over the quiet Christmas holiday, I launch an all out effort to finish some of these "straggler" paintings and clear them out of my studio. This is the story of one such painting, an acrylic on canvas that I call "Mapping It Out #4". My process 1.It began as a small 12 x 16" canvas onto which I slathered some color--I used an opaque mixture of burnt orange as my underpainting. 2. I then marbled over the canvas in a contrasting navy blue color.. 3. I painted an aqua bird as a bright contrast to the orange background, but wasn't sure how to proceed 4. I added some black, red, and orange, and made two birds, but still wasn't very happy with it. 5. So I marbled the whole painting again! 6. Things got too busy, so I blocked in some black gesso. 7. I cut out and collaged some marbled tissue papers to create a "moon" effect. 8. A month later, I looked at the piece again and decided I could turn the birds into something else. 9. With nothing to lose, I laid a stencil over the top (a map like grid) and painted aqua and red through the stencil creating a patchwork type grid. 10. Now I was getting somewhere, as I decided I'd make two overlapping figures (hence the title "Mapping It Out"). Notice I reoriented the painting so that the bottom is now the top. From there, it was just a matter of blocking in some darks (notice the version with taped-on black construction paper), and painting out that distracting red curve. At long last, I was done! |
This particular canvas had little sayings glued to it, which added some texture, but the first thing I did was paint matching aqua color to block out the words. Next, I applied black gesso and attempt to calm down the busy all-over pattern. A few weeks later, on a whim, I took the painting to a marbling workshop and dipped it into the marbling tray (using greys and whites in my marble pattern). After that, I added more black and began carving out two figures. The trick was to figure out how much of the aqua to leave as is, and how much to cover. At long last, I succeeded in bringing the painting (titled "Patching Things Up #13") to completion.
I took a few photos along the way (some on my ipad, which tends to take photos that are too light). Here's the metamorphosis of "Patching Things Up #13":
I've come to regard art as a community event---artists need to put their art out in the world, and the artist and public benefit when they view the art together. Ideally, everyone's life is changed (enhanced?) by the experience of seeing and talking about art. Questions abound: "why did you paint this?", "how did you paint this?", and "where do you get your ideas?"--all are relevant and worthy of discussion. Once in awhile, a sale is made, but that's not the sole measure of an artist's success.
For me, sharing my techniques and thought process to a group of interested people is integral to my life as an artist. In addition to teaching, I look for opportunities to demonstrate painting techniques in front of an audience. My hope is that I will inspire another person to pick up a brush and express themselves through art. This fall, I will be sharing art techniques and information at the following events:
Paint Your Art Out!
September 6 – October 18, 2014
Siren Nation’s annual celebration of visual art, including live painting demos, silent art auction and a showcase of artwork (all under $200) by over 40 Northwest artists.
Opening night: Saturday, September 6, 2014 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Olympic Mills Commerce Center, 107 SE Washington St., Portland OR
How to Prepare For A Solo Art Exhibit
Saturday Sept. 20, 2014 at Village Gallery of Arts
10am-noon
Cost: $15
Limit:15 participants
You’ve worked hard to develop a cohesive body of work. Perhaps you’re thinking about having a solo show but you aren’t sure how to prepare your work, publicize your show, or hold a reception. How do you make the most of this opportunity and make it a valuable experience for you and your audience? After all, this is your chance to leverage
your solo show into potential sales and future exhibit (or commission) opportunities.
VGA member Liz Walker will address these issues and more in a 2 hour workshop, designed for fledgling and experienced artists alike. Considerations will include: selecting and framing/preparing your artwork, purchasing mats and frames (including some do-it-yourself ideas), writing/tailoring your artist’s statement for a specific show, planning and publicizing your show and reception (including some online ideas), and providing an artist’s talk or demo to create more “buzz”. Find out how to plan your solo show every step of the way, so that you and your art can be seen in the very best light.
Washington County Open Studios: Free Demo at Village Gallery of Arts
Saturday Oct. 18 from 11am-2pm; I will be doing a demo of acrylic marbling. See how patterns are created in the marbling tray and instantly transferred to paper and canvases.
Workshop: Acrylic Explorations on Canvasboard and Paper
Friday Nov. 14, 2014 at Village Gallery of Arts
10am-2pm (please bring a sack lunch)
$60
Create a small finished painting (or several) in one session and learn some new methods of applying acrylic paint on prepared papers and canvas boards (provided by Liz). This workshop is ideal for all levels of painters, providing a fresh, fool-proof way to paint without fear.
The drawing had been previously sprayed with fixative, so all I had to do was take a large piece of illustration board, and carefully glue the somewhat fragile drawing to the heavier board. I used a mixture of white glue and matte medium and was careful to avoid "ripples" in the paper. In fact, when I let it dry overnight, the whole thing tightened up nicely.
I used water soluble crayons to draw my landscape (based on a previous painting) and decided I would try to retain some of the charcoal drawing underneath, and cover other parts with opaque acrylics. It took many layers and a lot of LOOKING to balance the greens with the black/cream-colored sections. Some of the black lines are very stubborn and hard to cover up, so I left them as is. I enjoyed this intuitive way of painting and hope to do more paintings in this style---all I need are some charcoal drawings!
Artist Liz Walker
I'm a painter/art instructor who lives and works in Portland, Oregon.
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