Last April, during the mandatory COVID-19 shutdown, I spent a day painting unprimed canvas outdoors. I used mostly acrylic paint but also some inks, oil pastels, chalk, anything that just happened to be laying around because I rarely purchase materials "new to me". The paints and canvas came from auctions, yard sales, and as donations from friends. I had a total blast! Shortly afterwards, I wrote a blog post featuring how these abstract paintings (or should I simply admit these were just swirls of colors, hardly "paintings" at all) were transformed by free-motion stitching with 100% black cotton thread. (CLICK HERE to read that blog post.)
Ever since then, I've continued working with the painted canvas. Most of the pieces were ripped into smaller sections. One by one, I've been stitching them. Next, each one was mounted on foam-centered board atop a wooden stretcher bar by hammering either galvanized or copper 3/4" roofing nails along the perimeter. The sides of the stretcher bars were then painted black. Finally, artist-grade, UV filtering epoxy was poured over each one.
Finally, my studio was transformed into a place for photography. Capturing images of highly reflective epoxy covered artwork is hard. My studio, however, has color-correcting track lighting aimed directly downward. It seems to work.
So at long last, I have these twenty pieces finished, photographed, and now shared on my blog! Hurrah!
So, am I finished? Of course NOT! I've already begun several other pieces meant for this same treatment. Like these works, the new ones are in various stages of development. The studio is a mess. This is just how I like it!
Back in April, I drew a stylized palmetto tree on one of the wet canvases. I stitched this section differently. The free-motion lines define the tree but do not extend into the painted background. I'm very pleased with how this turned out. There are always new possibilities when experimenting!
1 comment:
These are terrific! For the past several months, since the pandemic hit, I've been unable to create original work or even play. I've been cutting and piecing -- but always with Other People's Instructions, as it soothed my brain, my soul and my hands. As time goes by, I find I am becoming inspired to play again. I have only gessoed canvas (including "canvas paper" in a pad) but it would be fun anyway. However, I wonder...is there a reason you chose to seal with the epoxy, and not simply gel medium? Or nothing at all? Just curious...and also...because I have no epoxy or any of the supplies with which to apply it (heavy-duty mask etc.)
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