Before and After

These two paintings are the same canvas. The lower one is a piece I did last winter, very soft and atmospheric, thin paint that looked like water colour. Above it is the piece reworked, much bolder. I'm not sure it is better but it has a very different feel.

I have been attacking older pieces, anything is fair game. There are some paintings that are perfect as they are, at least in my mind. But lately it is survival of the fittest. The studio is stuffed with canvases and the runts have to beef up. Mean. That's me the mean painter. Even the newset one may not survive the week.

Cooperate

The piece above is one I have been working on, getting ready for a show in July. Not sure if it is done or not, the usual dilema. Wouldn't it be great if you could just set the timer on your stove and you'd know when it was time to take it out of the oven - off the easel. Or in my case off the table. I have been working flat as I'm using very wet acrylics. At times the water controls the work and I'm trying to cooperate with the natural properties of the water. I'm learning what it will and won't do, mixed with the paint and mediums. I can encourage it to make little bubbles or drips or thin washes. I use a variety of sponges, rags, spray bottles etc. And my fingers, moving the thin wet paint or dabbing to make little spots. It sometimes surprises me how these layers change as they dry. The process is totally different than work I've done with tube paints and brushes. Stand back, wait, watch and play some more.
Click on the pic to enlarge and see the lovely effects of water play!