art

Getting back to work… the lifesaver!

/ skyevans / Leave a comment

What do you get when you mix one month of intensive novel writing with a “holiday” that requires extensive cooking by moi, (all self imposed slavery, I assure you) another upcoming “holiday” that requires more extensive shopping, cooking, as well as decorating and even some furniture rearranging, and an online workshop, and 10 acres of land with livestock to maintain as well as a new obsession that requires tons of research and gear trial?  You get an artist who can’t get into her studio to save her life.

Last night I realized that working in the studio is a life saver in many, many ways.  Mental health being first and foremost, creating art allows me to unravel and unwind my mind from the things that don’t matter and channel that energy into something productive and beautiful.

So I managed to get lost in the studio for a few hours where I made a mandala to get my brain back on track for creating art.  After finishing that last painting of Hope Pass, I wasn’t sure what I was on to next.  Drawing a mandala helped me focus and voila!  This morning I knew what I wanted to paint.

last_mandala

Here’s the magic mandala for now; and off I go, back to work!

Phew! Glad that’s over!

/ skyevans / 2 Comments

Hurrah and Phew!!   Today I reached my NaNoWriMo goal of 50,000 words in a month. And I am, apparently a winner!  Just like everyone else who made it to 50K words.  My story is not finished, I was bulking up what I thought was the end but wound up adding yet another problem to be solved.  But now that I can actually edit the thing instead of madly writing, looks like it will either be a new cool addition to the novel or axed and I’ll finish the actual story in less than 50K words.

I may post it here in serial form if I get some requests… anyone interested in reading a first attempt sci-fi novel?  The hubby said he liked it, but hey, he is the hubby.  Though I do trust his honesty…. well, you’ll have to judge for yourself.

In addition to my mad writing skills, I took a mandala workshop too.  So, in honor of that, here are the exercises in order as we worked through them:

Day 1, seeing circles and learning about the mystery of the circle!  Medium: twist crayons

20141130_185506 This was a cool exercise in going round and round… I inadvertently made an eye in the middle!  My text above says, once seen, it could not be un-seen.  There I am, on the inside looking out.

Day 1, continued.  The magic of circles… interesting geometrical facts… like how the radius applied to the circumference creates 6 segments that make other interesting shapes when you connect the lines. Medium: Sharpie Markers and colored pencil.

20141130_185453

 

Day 2, we moved on to lotus shaped mandalas.  Fun!!  Wish you could see the copper colored ink.  Medium: Sharpies and copper ink.

20141118_230439

 

 

Day 3 was a self exploration using collage. Never my favorite medium, but the point was to cover up our affirmations that were written below the images.  No thinking allowed…. a good exercise for me!  Sometimes I need to shut it down or shut it up.  My brain, that is.   Medium:  pencil, magazines and matte medium.

20141130_185704

 

 

Day 4, just finished.  A Hamsa…. not exactly a mandala, but a wonderful pattern of protection.  Also a fun exercise.  Medium:  Prismacolors, water color pencils, Sharpies.

20141130_184951

 

Day 5…. well, I think I ‘ll save that for the next post.  Always leave ’em wanting more, said the hubby.  Not that he said it first, but still, a very good idea. 🙂

Hope Pass

/ skyevans / 3 Comments

I heard back from my thru hiker.  (She’s mine, I claim her!!)  The photo she took is of Hope Pass.  I love this name, it’s so full of promise and the whole time I’ve been working on the painting, I feel happy and uplifted by the image.  So of course I have to rename the painting.  A rainy day kept me indoors and I finally got everything right that I thought was wrong with it.  Here is the completed work:  Hope Pass

Hope Pass, Colorado

Hope Pass, Colorado

Golden Dawn

/ skyevans / 3 Comments

Sometimes an idea strikes and I have to paint it.  Sometimes the image itself is strong and compelling or the idea behind it is the strength.  My fractals were all about the idea.  I didn’t know where I was going.  But lately I have been obsessed with an image.  Not an idea or a concept, but a real place… a real image.  And the hardest part about painting from the real is trying to do justice to the real.  I really  like abstract and non objective… it is liberating and freeing!  No need to recreate the real… I can paint outside the lines.  I can choose colors I never saw, I can paint by feel and gut and it’s somewhat mindless.  For me that’s true, not sure about other artists.  However, I can’t say I prefer abstract… there is a meditation to painting with your eyes and not your heart.  By that, I mean, I spend a lot of time looking at the image of what I am painting and for the first time EVER… that looking was at a computer screen.  A modern process I had not embraced before this image.

THIS image… oh, it was so brilliantly  beautiful;  I wanted to, no, I had to, capture the moment.  It’s a photo of a sliver of time… just as the sun peeks out over the edge of a mountain in Colorado.  I’m not sure which one…  but the photographer will research that for me.  She’s a bit busy right now, but she did give permission for me to use her photo so I could try to capture where she was on that early morning last month.   My photographer is a young woman by the name of Ashley Lowe (trail name: Iguana) and I met her last spring on the coast of Oregon where she was giving a lecture on her 2011 thru hike of the Pacific Crest Trail.

A “thru hiker” is someone who finishes a long trail.  In our country, we have 3 major trails that run North to South, two of which go border to border from Canada to Mexico.  The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) and the Appalachian Trail (ACT).  I’ve done a few bits of the PCT and ACT and am awed by the drive and determination it takes to actually finish one of these endeavors.  I loved hearing Ashley’s tale of the trail and she had a wonderful video of the hike as well.  You can watch it yourself here:

She graciously allowed us all to friend her on Facebook and watch as she tackles her next big thru hike, the CDT.  Remember the part where I said she was busy right now?  She is actually getting close to the end right now as I write this post. I’ve been amazed at how she is able to upload photos and keep in touch as she hikes thousands of miles through such rugged and remote trails.  It’s been inspiring and has refueled my own interest in returning to backpacking (another story all together).  But last month, she took a photo from high in the Colorado Rocky Mountains that rocked me.  I had to paint it.  I won’t post the photo… it’s not fair to compare the two, but I will say that the colors in her photo were more subtle that what I chose.  Artist’s license and all that.

Ashley was kind enough (and even a little excited) to grant me permission to use her brilliant photo.  I sketched it out, posted a photo of the outline and got to work.  Which is why my blog has been a bit quiet lately.  One of her followers made a comment about my “paint by numbers” sketch, but really, that just says how old the guy is.  Do they even make paint by numbers anymore?

Sketch for G.D.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time on this painting because I am using a glazing technique (sometimes called “Old Masters”) that requires layers of thin washes.  Fortunately modern oil painters have fast drying mediums to mix into their paint, so I don’t have to wait months, but still, it is a time consuming process.  And because it is, I have decided to post a picture of Golden Dawn in progress.  I am getting close to the end, I want to add some shadows and layer in some depth, but for the most part it’s time to share.  When I get an exact location from Ashley (other than it was near the Twin Lakes) and I get all the final layers in place I will repost.  But for now… enjoy my latest obsession.

Golden Dawn Oil on Canvas 20" x 16"

Golden Dawn in progress
Oil on Canvas
20″ x 16″

 

Aerial Home

/ skyevans / Leave a comment

A Change In Perspective

Ever since moving to this property I have been obsessed with the idea of an aerial image of the place.  I managed to wrangle a small plane ride over our place early on in our history, and though I took snapshots, they were grainy and awful.  It didn’t matter, I was only going to use the photo to create a map of the land.  The snap shots sat on my drawing table for years… mostly gathering dust, never culminating in any sort of accurate representation of what we had been doing.  Maybe what I had been obsessed with was documenting our progress as we took 10 undeveloped acres and built a shed, a house, a barn, a studio.  Once the record had been made, I relaxed.

Years later, a professional aerial photographer took a nice shot and we bought it, hanging it in a spot of honor in our home.  This fired up the old desire to somehow draw the land myself.  Especially now that I had completed my civil technician program which included mapping software and surveying coursework.  For awhile I thought I should use my newly acquired skills to render a plat map of the place.  But I couldn’t get fired up about actually measuring and then working on the computer.  Finally, I realized it wasn’t what I wanted anyway.  What I wanted was the exercise in thinking about what I liked about our home and aesthetically recreating the features.  I wasn’t going for letter perfect accuracy… I just wanted to use my own two hands to creatively “map” our property.  For fun, for the hell of it, and most importantly, for me.

Aerial Home

Aerial Home (North orientation)

Upside down?

/ skyevans / 4 Comments

When I paint, especially non-objective art, I am seeking a balance of design.  Simply put, the shapes and colors can’t be too heavy or light or bunched up in one corner… as if they had substance and would tilt the painting just by looking at it.  Even if a painting is asymmetrical in composition, it still needs to be balanced.  The shapes, colors, shadows and lightness of the composition should lead your eye through the work and not off it’s edge and out of the frame.  Roads should lead in to the point of interest, arms should tip your eyes back into the frame, curves should lead you back, not out.

Often times I take my work and rotate it on the wall or easel and step back for a wider perspective.  I turn them upside down and on their sides to see if it all works.  Then I adjust accordingly.  It should balance out no matter which way you hang it.  Paintings with subject matter need a top and bottom, sure, but they ought to be balanced in shape and color.

Does my latest fractal painting work regardless of orientation?  I test it out, but still, my mind finds a top and bottom… somehow it just resonates with me to be hung a certain way.  Here are two images… which way do you prefer?

Upside down?

Upside down?

Or right side up?

Or right side up?

Finally, I decide.  Somehow, I just go “aaahhh” when it’s oriented this way. True North!  So for me, this is it:

 

Somehow, I just go "aaahhh" when it's oriented this way. True North!

Now that’s more like it!

A Gathering of Artists

/ skyevans / 1 Comment

I just returned from an artist potluck party.  Well, not exactly a party… not sure what to call it… a gathering sounds good.  Some very nice artsy folk down the road from me put together a once a year “gathering” at their place whereby artists and craftspeople can hang out for the day, eat good food, chit chat and do what they do.  I’ve been invited before, but this is the first time I actually went.

I generally feel that getting together a group of artists and artisans are like herding cats.  Sure, it can be done, but do you really want to?  Cats don’t really “gang together”.  Well, maybe lions do, but I’m thinking of domestic kitties… the kind that tolerate each other and are nice enough so long as they have a full bowl of kibble.  Since the lure of food works for hungry cats, it’s an effective way to assemble a group of artists.

Yeah, I know some artists are very sociable and I am painting with broad strokes here, but that’s the kind of artist I am… social sometimes and more of a dog lover than a cat person.  Anyway, off I trooped to the event, looking for a social connection, a good meal and perhaps a spark of inspiration.  For me, art is more of a solitary endeavor but I was game so I packed up some supplies and drove over.

After I arrived and made all the necessary pleasantries, I tucked myself in a corner of the property and got down to work. Most of the other guests were having a group spin… weavers and knitters and workers of wool.  They all seemed to know each other and were happily chatting so I found a shady spot away from the chorus to explore a new idea that had graced my doorstep recently.

It’s very simple… and familiar.  We see it every day, even though we don’t know it by name.  Fractal Geometry. It comes down to this: Z=Z squared +C.  What that means is simplified repetition of design, or in fractal terms: a self similar pattern. This has got to be the coolest bit of mathematics I have come across and I am on a mission to purposefully blend my art with fractals.  I could probably go on about this for awhile, but really, the studio is calling and I have GOT to get in there and put this stuff on some canvas.   Here’s a Wiki link if you want some general knowledge on the subject  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractal of course, there is TONS more about fractals on the internet, but Wikipedia is a good place to start.

Fractals are a part of nature, it’s the repetitive design we see in trees, ferns, textures, coastlines, blood vessels, musculature… it’s everywhere and it is awesome.  They call it the “thumbprint of god” which is poetic and mind expanding.  Whatever it is, I’m feeling very dazzled by the beauty of this mathematical concept.

I’ve unwittingly used this concept in some of my other art.  The Orange Swirls are loosely fractal in nature, but it’s there nonetheless.

Orange Swirls Oil on raw Canvas 36"x48"

Orange Swirls
Oil on raw Canvas
36″x48″

 

But now I am purposefully exploring with just a little more knowledge.  Looking forward to the results, so back to work for me.  For now, here’s the sketch I came up with at the Artist’s Gathering:

 

My first official fractal. This is an idea that needs exploring.

My first official fractal. This is an idea that needs exploring.

Fine Art America!!

/ skyevans / Leave a comment

Finally!  A page on FAA.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-muse-sky-evans.html?newartwork=true

The muse painting. Oil on Canvas 2.5'x3'

The muse painting.
Oil on Canvas
2.5’x3′

I just downloaded one image but it was a client request… so that’s something.  Just wanted to share.  I’ll be posting more about this later after I get the whole gallery downloaded.  Hopefully this pans out. If you want to buy art and support an artist, Fine Art America is the place to do it.  Well, I know there are other places…  I keep thinking of things like Kickstarter too and wondering what kind of amazing project I could do… hmmm.   What is a muralist to do???  By all means, weigh in.  I’m willing to do community projects with fundraising venues.  Actually now that I think about it, I have done my share already.  But they usually involved teaching.  Time for something large, noteworthy and very, very interesting.  It’s been awhile since I crawled up on a roof and painted something seen from the local airport!

One should probably not bring children up there.  That would be just fine.

horseroof

Back to work!

/ skyevans / 3 Comments

Summer is winding down and for the first time in my life I am looking forward to some rainy days.  All the lovely sunshine has kept me busy outside with chores and fun.  The horses are sleek and fit, the pasture is mowed and the garden is having it’s last gasp at producing heirloom tomatoes.  I’m caught up and full up with camping but the studio has grown some cobwebs and a fine layer of dust.  The rain will keep me indoors and back to the business of being creative.

I did manage to spend a day whipping out an idea (which will be in the post, but not until the end, so stick around) as well as sorting through some old art I wanted to share. I used to love pen and ink, prior to discovering oil paints, it was probably my medium of choice.  Before there were rapidograph and Stabilo pens (which I love) I learned to use India Ink and a crow quill pen. Crow quill refers to the nib, a very small tip that doesn’t hold much ink but makes thin, sharp lines.  All the following pieces were done with the old dip and scratch method.  Very messy and time consuming.  I’m not sure what the attraction was… haven’t used that technique in years.  Perhaps it was the ink itself…  India ink is very very black and opaque.  I always liked my blacks to be deep and dark.

pen and ink supplies

Thank you Smithsonian for this image.  Want to know more about pen and ink?  Go to http://paleobiology.si.edu/paleoart/prentice/pages/pen_and_ink.html

 

I’ve done so many pen and ink drawings, I really should sort them all together.  But instead they are scattered in several portfolio cases and inhabit odd corners here and there.  I like to think I’m organized until I see my work helter skelter.  Maybe this winter I’ll get on it, but for now, here are a few that caught my eye for posting:

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

If you are clever, and have a good computer you will see my name from my youth.  I prefer Sky, but wasn’t born with that name. Changing my name may be the subject for another post… it’s personal and somewhat of a story, but the short version is, I didn’t like it, so I changed it when I got married since I was changing my  last name anyway.  You can be who you want to be as far as I’m concerned.

Next on the hit parade:

Mother Tiger

Mother Tiger

Boodhound

Bloodhound for Joe

The Chipmunk. (Cute little sucker!)

The Chipmunk

And for some fantasy fun:

Hypocampi

Hippocampi

As I was sorting through the Pen and Inks, I came across some designs I did for a T-shirt company.  My first job out of college was for a screen printing company and I have hundreds of designs that were printed on shirts.  But some of the best were freelanced while I was in grad school.  Here are some personal favorites that were printed by the Goldsmith Company in Portland, OR.  I don’t believe they are in business anymore, but it was fun to be one of their “stringer artists”.

Here are most of the floral designs I did for them. The ones on black are actual screen prints.

Here are most of the floral designs I did for them. The ones on black are actual screen prints.

Close up of a proposed design.

Close up of a proposed design.

I always thought these kaleidoscope designs were fun for a shirt.  Not high art, but still, not everything has to be mind blowing and thought provoking.  Sometimes art is just fun.  And now that we are talking about fun… I started this post with the title, Back to Work. I did “go back to work” and finished a new painting.  My plan was to do a 2-D version of my “Winged Chair” so I outlined it (in orange as usual) then began filling it in with color.  It was awful.  I hated it and left the studio to work in the yard.

We had a day in August where the rain blew in so I made my way into the studio to finish or destroy the hated painting.  Destruction was on my mind, but instead I began to embellish and before I knew it, the painting went from staid, awful and cartoon-y to something wild and awesome.  So, as promised… the one new piece:

Wild Chair Oil on Canvas

Wild Chair
Oil on Canvas

I think I would be a little apprehensive about sitting in this particular chair.  It doesn’t look tame…  and maybe even a little scary. I still kinda like it.  It makes me feel dangerous!