Joy in making

Sometimes my creative fancy takes forms in design and construction not always in painting, but often derived from my paintings in some way, made of or including tiny original paintings, or printed from one of my original paintings onto fabric.

Creating these designs gives me as much pleasure as painting; at least for short periods of time, until I saturate my desire for them.  It provides me with a  much needed diversion, especially when I have painting 'dry spells' or I'm stymied in some way while working through my usual painting process.  It's a common complaint for many artists, and getting going again can often be baby steps in new directions; the creative muse soon returns and all is good with the world

 

I think of making my handmade goods as an extension of  what I like to do and who I am.  Prototypes for these ideas often die in infancy, but some survive and come into fruition.  It can take a long time to bring a handmade into production.  Beginning from the time the idea drives my creativity,  I can spend hours laboring on different ways to make it work...then a long time tweaking, to make time, cost, and construction methods suitable for producing it.  It needs to meet a certain aesthetic that works with my art, but also stands alone.

Tiny Townscape Chocolates

'Chickadee'  - cushion -SOLD

Original designs and small product lines are always the driving force behind anything I create in the handmade goods market.  

I love the unique quality of making something out of time and love. That doesn't necessarily transfer to profitability but I don't always care about that. It satisfies me to 'make things' and if I sell them, well then it's a bonus for me.  I don't have an interest in scaling up to large production; small production is what makes them special and uniquely mine.  I find this ethos is a quality that people who buy my handmade goods are looking for... something distinct and one-off.  

 

when it feels right.

Walk In The Woods
oil on panel - 12 x 16 -$450

Do you ever wish you could press "pause" and "rewind" while painting?  I do.  How to get back to those spontaneous and fresh marks full of  passion, before time allows sober second thought, reworking / tweaking until the original idea is lost somewhere in the blurred vision of your process?!  ha ha ha...  thankfully, it's only art; and what doesn't work, can teach us a lot!  I've been struggling with my paintings this month, so I like to think I'm gaining an education of sorts:)  Usually time and patience shows me the way.

This painting was completed in 3 separate sessions in oils...alla prima for the general idea.  A few weeks later when fully dry, I had a desire to paint out much of the original marks I'd done, using an abstract intuitive approach using opaque tones, which probably only took about half an hour, but it was a uniquely satisfying process, obliterating what I didn't like, and trusting my sub-conscious guide.  I put it on 'the shelf'.  I wasn't quite sure where it would go, but it felt good to let the muse take charge.  A couple more weeks passed, more time to ponder. Yesterday I took it off the shelf again..."what if?"... a few fresh marks.  "Ahh... so that's where my heart wanted to go."   I know it's out of season for posting on my blog in the winter... (after all I began it when it was autumn!) but I'm happy with this little painting.  
I think my favorite thing about working in oils is that it often forces me into a slow process which I have learned is best not to fight...somehow this slow unravelling feels right for me.







 

Recent work

'Firsts'
mixed media / oil on wood
30 x 30" - $1200

Finally got around to finding a resolution with this painting yesterday, using oil pastels and oil paint over my acrylic sketch.  The figures are my daughter Rachel and grandaughter Ella. 
Inspired by a spectacular family photo portrait taken by Matt's aunt, Lori MacDonald. 
I took the liberty of removing daddy and doggie from the picture...sorry Matt & Asha!  

What really spoke to me about mother and child, is their gesture /body language; reflecting that particular joy any parent experiences introducing their child to the power and awesomeness of nature.