At the Harvard University Harvard Art Museums Forbes Pigment Collection, many of the world’s rarest hues are preserved. Just don’t ask Narayan Khandekar, director of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, what his favorite color is.
The materials collection, at the Harvard Art Museums in Cambridge, MA, houses thousands of pigments, including some of the world’s rarest. Dragon’s blood, mummy, Indian yellow: these are but a few flashy highlights from the museum’s collection
Edward Forbes began what is known as the Forbes Pigment Collection after acquiring a decayed Renaissance painting in 1899, embarking on a path that shaped art conservation in America. Read about the legacy of the Harvard Art Museums pigment collection via Artnet news: http://hvrd.me/MkIf300QWc8
I started actually painting the series I drew some time ago. I am doing them in oil, in the humidity, this could take some time to dry between painting sessions. Previous experience where I am has been incredibly slow. In the meantime I also made a mini rock garden in a bowl and began laying the lava rock for the pathways in our yard. What you see here however, is more images I took in Peckerwood Garden.
A sampling of this weeks art, 2 acrylics and an oil. All of these are miniatures, 4″ x 4″. I have done quite a number of pictures this week, here is a sampling of my current work. I love how the Butterfly in acrylic came out. The Orchid in oil has changed a time or two due to cat’s landing on it or me knocking it over, but I like it The tree is an interesting one I think I want to work a little more on.
These are 2 of the several paintings I have done in the past week or so. I have a couple of running projects related to painting. First, is these abstracts. Second is I am learning watercolor. With all the forms of art I do, I have never done watercolor, it is foreign to me.
Both of these paintings have an aspect with lighting. They change drastically depending on the lighting you view them in. Even moving your head when viewing changes how they appear. It is one of my favorite things about them.
Abstracts are a challenge for me because although I tend to paint in a very impressionist and abstract style of imagery, my style is very realistic and representational. The combination can make it very challenging to judge when a painting is complete and what the focus is as I progress.
If you have played Metal Gear Solid III you know her name is not Eve, but you never get her actual name. This painting was done based on the Abstract art in the manual that comes with the game not the actual character. My husband has played through this game to get every badge and recommended this pair of paintings. This is a stretched canvas, oil painting.
First, a painting. this is one of my favorites, a watercolor done based on the cliff dwellings I visited last year.
there is also a home project, mostly done. A shoji screen for the pantry we built recently. We still are changing one wall and have not done the door frames yet. I really like how the metal sheets came out in the center and on the frame above. This project completely changed about 4 times before getting this far.
The other is a painting developed when I was in Florida. Researching the older cultures in Mexico and Central America I designed this, using correct designs and architecture but mixed my own way.
I need to get my good camera working, this one is taking very pale images.
Writing is back in the forefront this week. As a trial, I published a Kindle Cookbook. It is simple and focuses on using storage and space in cooking for 1 or 2 people. The only illustration is a drawing I have previously posted here, I used on the cover.
I am also working on a new book that is more elaborate and contains hand drawn illustrations and maybe some of my photographs. This one is on organization and space planning in the home. I studied interior design and architecture and was assistant designer for many years at a small construction company and space planning fascinates me.
Pendant
I did also work on another pendant painting. Copper wire from an old CRT monitor has been woven into a mounting for an acrylic painting of a Hawaiian Sunrise silhouetting the scene. I pulled the copper gun mounts apart and unstrung one, wove the wire together and shaped the mounting for the picture. It is pure rich color copper not the art wire I usually see, I love it.
I grouted the table but have not yet sealed it or but the glass top or trim on.
Jewelry and furniture are the major pieces in process this week. I also have a 5 painting set in a single wood frame I am working on, and a larger canvas acrylic I started. Painting and mosaic have been the major focus this week.
My first wearable art original painting pendant is now finished and posted.
Big Bend National Park sunset acrylic original painting pendant for a necklace.
Initially, I began 2 oil paintings on canvas to use for this project, but the humidity recently has prevented my first layer from drying for over a week and I cannot proceed on those yet. So, I did an acrylic. Big Bend National Park is a favorite place for my husband and I; the image I painted is a sunset there. I love the colors in the sky and desert there.
unmounted painting for pendant
Mosaic work was on the wormy wood desk I started last weekend. I laid the tile, though it is not grouted yet. I also decided to cut a piece of heavy tempered glass to cover the top when complete and that will be framed in.
mosaic tile set but not grouted or covered in glass yet
The painting series is a 5 part set sunrise to evening, each of a different tree around Texas. I have finished the sunrise and started another. I also have the frame and matting ready for the 5 postcard size paintings in acrylic.
After consideration of my current work and process, I have decided to make some changes to my site to fit more productively into my goals and schedule.
As such, I will be changing the name and description of the site to reflect, among other things, the move away from a daily schedule to a weekly schedule. This allows me to be more intentional in my posting and keeps my focus on my art. Also, I do not want to overwhelm email of those subscribed via email, I know from experience daily emails can quickly pile up into a lot of mail.
My art is becoming more than important in my life, but increasingly, it is becoming the focus of my life. For now, this leaves me working full time and spending every free moment working on my art and building a business around it. My blog needs to reflect both my love of art and my focus on development. I know this week is not following the weekly schedule J I am taking this week of slow sales at work to develop the foundation and set things up. I want all my followers and visitors to be comfortable with the changes and to enjoy my site. I share a part of myself, my passions, my work, my development, and my pleasure with the people on my blog, you are a part of the process and a part of my art. You have kept me focused, even when I have not shared the art. This has led to the current developments in my art and life and I am pleased to share them with you.
Painting is a constant development, an expression in the moment. This vibrant, shear red scarf has been hanging on my dressing table wanting to be painted for a while. Finally I found what felt right and I began this piece. It is now listed on my Etsy site and I am thrilled to share it with people and hope someone enjoys it as much as I. Rich colors appeal to me on a deep level and this is no different.
Abstract Acrylic Rose Painting – original art by me, currently posted on my new Etsy site.
I need to get back to posting things as I do them 🙂
In the meantime, let me share some of my more recent work over the next couple of weeks. Several of them are posted on my new Etsy store, which was one of my current projects.
The above mini painting is a 4×4 canvas acrylic based on a close up photo I took some time ago. the initial sketch on the canvas was only the barest approximation to get me started. the piece developed from there into one of my favorite of my mini paintings. I hope you enjoy it also.
Another of the collections from this week. Assuming my computer lets me load it this time.
Very unusual.I love it, but it has some very intriguing choices and ideas.Very neat.What an odd clockwork cat….in so many ways.Looks like SciFi and clockwork met here.Very neat, but it was an unusual direction for a clockwork cat.Just odd choices and perspective.
Okay, I really like the tiny canvases my husband bought me. I did a drawing on one today, I prepped it a few days ago. I then painted it. Having never painted anything with a human part, I am extremely pleased with it. I liked the drawing.
The concept for this sketch came from a Photoshop drawing and a Thief image from some time ago.There are three types of metal in this. The torn away flesh revealing the gears were a bit of a challenge, as were the eyelashes.
Working all day and then coming home to do stuff here before I can start my project makes working on painting a tad difficult to finish in one day. Given that I must be up at 4 am, I am going to stop this project for a part two, to be continued tomorrow. I am posting the work as it stands now. I finished the drawing, if I had considered, I would have done more detail in pencil and made it 2 separate projects. Live and learn today, I shall remember next time. Another point is that I really need to find the rest of my brushes before I can continue the details and repair what the wrong brushes blurred.
This is done in Acrylic only because I forgot to prep the canvas before drawing. I am also considering how to make oil one day projects, because I do not like the wet on wet technique. When completed, this will be a 2 aspect piece. It is a Steampunk cat corner and a Steampunk art display with Alice influence. I find Alice and Dr. Who both go remarkably well in Steampunk design, a fortuitous discovery for a Whovian. I am fascinated to see what other subjects and themes go well in the Steampunk genre.
Part of 1 Steampunk Kitty Corner. Notice the clock, hat, cards, and gears from various regions of Alice.
Today I also realized that although I am fine with them on the computer and in physical art, I actually hate drawing many basic gears. I love them in art though. I am testing to see the ones I actually like to draw, and began to see differences.
The colors obviously will be different as layers go on, but you can see I went with a fairly basic color scheme, there will be some obvious touches like purple on the hat and red in the cards. Wood floor and details also. I do not have metallic paint so am working on the gears. Victorian aesthetic is great, the lines are excellent, but I like Edwardian better because there is a better color sense to the actual period design. Too many colors at a time in Victorian, although most Steampunk design does seem to lessen that. Also, too many patterns for my taste. It is part of the overdone feel but for me detracts from the design. I prefer use of luxurious materials, and excess detail or functions to excess colors and patterns. Somewhere in there is a line in Steampunk, but as I have previously discussed, that depends on the sub-genre of Steampunk. I find myself working in several of the sub-genre as I go. I like different tones for different things and days.
Writing, art, Business, and practice, any medium is fair game.
A sampling of this weeks art, 2 acrylics and an oil. All of these are miniatures, 4″ x 4″
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Art's Folly 