Paintings in UN+ART-5 at Hartford Art Space Gallery
I am pleased to be able to enter these in this show in Downtown Hartford.
UN+ART-5
Category: Painting
Sea and Shore from the series, “On the Verge”
“On the Verge Series”
Using a mix of paintings and sculpture, I will explore change and transformation both physical and mental. I will draw on the Platonic theories of the ability of the four elements to transmute into each other. Exploring how while dissimilar they are capable of arising out of another’s disintegration.
My method for the paintings will involve examining photographs where change or transformation is occurring and distilling this down into key elements of change or the point of transformation. The sculptural items will be based on ideas of color theory and the traditional association of the platonic shapes. The shapes will be displayed as a cascade, with color and patterns drawn from the paintings being used to symbolize the mental transformations.
On the Verge will be on display in the Poon Family gallery at Trinity College from April 4th -9th. An opening reception will be held on Thursday April 14th from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Sea and Shore captures the point at which the water meets the shore and becomes spray in the air.
The Importance of Play
As I typed the title of this post, I thought *hmm, have I used that before?* I looked it up, way back in 2009, I made a post titled “The Importance of Play and Accident”. In the process of looking it up I learned two things. One I have never used the tag play, and two I use the word play a lot. In the creativity course I am taking one of the lessons starts with the following:
“Play has a way of dimming the critical mind so we can try new things without judging ourselves.”
This spoke to me and really defined why play is important. Growth comes in those time we reach outside of ourself to try something new. I find the converse true, dimming the critical mind can make most things play and provide that space where true creativity and growth. Think about setting aside all those thoughts of judgement and just play, you will be amazed at what you can do.
Pooh Sticks, A water color by Rennata Tropeano. 8-4-2017 Watercolor on acid free Strathmore cold press 140 lb. Part of the daily themes for #worldwatercolorgroup
Work in Progress
Cherry Lemon and Turquoise
This piece was created as part of a series of watercolors created for #WorldWatercolorMonth. Each day featured a theme for the day. The bright colors were originally going to be an underpainting for a colorful sky sunset, but when I saw them upside down, it looked more like a beach and as soon as I read the theme of Cherry, Lemon and Turquoise, I knew what that it was going to be a beach scene, not a sunset.
Today I am busy about the work part of art, getting them listed in my database and prepared for sale. And of course, as always on Monday, it is a #microblogmondays. A special welcome to those visiting from challenge.
When is it done?
“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”
― Leonardo da Vinci
One of the downsides to creating a lot of artwork in a short period of time is the question of when is it done. Once it is off the board it usually a start. The next question is sorting out those pieces I am going to offer for sale. Some paintings I look at and know that as they are, I am not going to offer them for sale. Some go in the pile to be prepared for sale, and some become something else. For those that I look at on the second view and decide not for sale, not for a card or gift, t becomes a question of what to do with them. Is it a matter of needing more work or should I paste them into my how I have grown book. do they need more. The prepare for sale pile…. That is my big to do, so very many parts to that. Mounting and or framing. Photographing, Adding to the product data base. Add to website and/or list. The painting and creating is the more fun part of it. When do you consider your artwork done?
Summer Tunes, Work in Progress
This is an image I have wanted to make into a painting for a long time, but each time I have tried I have been displeased with the result. It is still a work in progress, but so far I am please with the progress. Looking at the images that I have produced I am amazed at what a difference a daily practice makes. Skills that have grown rusty with disuse are coming back.
Summer Tunes for #worldwatercolormonth.
Putting it on Paper
Author Mike Stackpole, once said something to the effect of the hardest part of writing is putting your butt in the chair. For painting, it is putting it on paper. There are a thousand things you can do once you are in your work space, prep work, cleaning, preliminary sketches, choosing what to paint. But it is at the point where you touch brush to paper that the process really begins. I have been working on the list of prompts for #WorldWaterColorMonth and have been busily putting them on Paper. While some of them I love and I am thrilled with how well they came out. Other painting I like only a portion of, or dislike. I am still happy that I did them.
This post is part of #Microblogmondays, an event hosted by Melissa at http://www.stirrup-queens.com/ the point of which is to create a post that is between 1 word to 8 sentences long at home, on your blog, rather than on other social media. Welcome to those visiting from there.
Furry Friends, a work in progress
When searching through my collection of images for the theme of Furry Friend this little black squirrel. I am enjoying this challenge of doing 30 watercolors in July for #WorldWatercolorMonth hosted by Doodlewash.com
I have found that daily creativity is one of the best habits I can have. I start by blocking out 25 minutes for painting in the morning as a starting point. Many times it goes longer than that because it is going well and I am enjoying it. But, I seem to be more productive in other areas when after I have started with creating. I am also taking a course on creativity from Coursera. One of the things that jumped out at me is a quote.
“To live is to have problems and to solve problems is to grow creatively” J.P. Guilford
I think process of working creatively also does the converse, it frees that part of your mind that solves problems, so you get more done as you spend less time looking for answers to the small things.
Watercolor for #MicroblogMondays
I ran across a challenge on Doodlewash®, for themed watercolors, complete with a challege to do thirty of them in thirty days. I am not sure I am going to get all thirty done, a I started on the 17th, but still worth a shot. I am very much looking forward to this challenge. I am finding that viewing the gallery is very inspiring as well
#WorldWatercolorMonth
Rennata Tropeano 