The Process (sometimes)

I was working on a painting for a donation last week and photographed my process in order to share. I don't always work this way but I thought it might inspire some of you (fingers crossed someone is reading this :).  I started by looking through my boxes of inspiration I have here in the store. Mind you I don't look through things looking for images to copy or recreate. Sometimes I use an image of an animal or person as reference - when left to my own imagination they end up looking like fat cartoon people.  Here is what struck my fancy that particular frigid snow covered day...

A clip art bicycle (one of the images I'm always drawn to - others include silverware, chairs and wagons) I blew it up on the copier and tiled it together with careful trimming and tape on the back.

 

The top picture here was the back of a swirly I had cut out a long time ago, I liked the colors and that little bit of red. I painted my whole canvas the cream color and let it dry.  The second image is from an illustration in a graphic design magazine (sorry I don't have the artist name). I liked the scribbles and dotted lines and the area around her left eye. Here is where I went with it...

I decided it was blah with the original color choices so I added some yellow ochre. Then spent some time with the image transfer of the bike.

Still wasn't feeling finished. It felt two sided, as if I could cut off the bike and make it its own painting and the other 2/3rd a different painting. So, after a little more time standing back and staring at it, answering the phone and paying bills I came back and did this...

Just a little yellow ochre to tie in and some text that I can read but no one else can. That was my point though. It has meaning but since it is a donation piece I didn't want it to be so personal that someone might not connect with the piece. Essentially it is about passing moments in time and the fleeting nature of life and the mundane things in life (ie the bike) and how they might change shape over time but the original is always an influence in our lives. Or something like that.

I hope you enjoyed that little glimpse into my brain waves. I'd love to see or hear how other people find inspiration or work through a creative project so I might share it with others.. Here is another request for people to send images or links that I can share.  Calling all artists!!!!!

Oh that reminds me, I am trying to put together an art show. Please visit this part of the Art Mill website for more information on what I am looking for.