Saturday, May 30, 2020

Nike's Advice continues with a selection of small works

(Above: Top row, left to right: Nike's Advice XIX, XX, and XXI. These are 13 1/2" squares.  Each one is $275.  Bottom row, left to right Nike's Advice XXII, XXII, and XXIV. The first one is also a 13 1/2" square at $275. The last two are 11 1/2" squares at $225.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

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.)

(Above, left to right:  Nike's Advice XXXI, XXIX, and XXXIV. Each one is 16" x 10" and $240.)


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.

(Above, left to right:  Nike's Advice XXXV and Nike's Advice XXXIII. Each one is 16" x 10" and $240.)

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.

 (Above, left to right: Nike's Advice XXV, XXX, XXXVI, and XXVI.  Each one is 16" x 10" and $240.)

So at long last, I have these twenty pieces finished, photographed, and now shared on my blog!  Hurrah!
(Above, left to right:  Nike's Advice XXVII, XXXII, XXXVII, and XXIII. Each one 16" x 10" and $240.)

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!

(Above:  Nike's Palmetto Tree. 23" x 13". $325.)

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!  

(Above:  Nike's Palmetto Tree, detail.)

1 comment:

  1. 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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