Good Friday, April, 14, 2022

Spring has presented herself here in the midwest, albeit, hesitantly but with more than an early promise. Trees are budding, bulbs are up and fruit trees are blooming. 

Part of my intent in doing this painting blog was to record my process and hopefully share the journey but based on the fact that it seems no one is viewing, it turns out to me mostly for my benefit and I embrace that.

I continue to work on raw canvas- unstretched and unprimed and keep bumping up the size. This piece is 54"x60" and required working on the floor. I do wish that I had wall space so I could just attach and work upright. Most of this was done bent over or on my knees. What follows is a peak into "the sausage factory" and the journey of "Painting Outside the Lines #5." Mediums are hand mixed inks and dyes with oil sticks on top. Two different tints of gesso were used. Very light pink for the border and a gum gray in the body of the painting. Also black oil crayon smeared.

This is what it looks like at inception. The shapes are sketched in charcoal pencil.

I lay down a drop cloth to absorb the inks and dyes as they are alcohol based. You can see the various squeeze bottles, jars and cans that the colors are stored in.

This is the first iteration of the finished piece. All the colors are in but not quite finished. I'm reminded of what Helen Frankenthahler used to ask, "Is it finished?"

And this is the finished piece. Pale pink box border and some smudging on the black oil crayon. Leaving in "the artist's hand." Titled "Painting Outside the lInes #5"- part of a series addressing color and shape and how we experience them in absence of form or context. As always, thanks for looking and seeing.