Seascape

Again, after a long absence due to ‘life’ just getting in the way a new encaustic has been created!

Measuring 100 cm x 50 cm or 39” x 20” in real terms it is at a stage where I felt I ought to stop.  Maybe, there will be some boats added?  I’ll have to think about it.

Ideas for Christmas?

Celestical Magic

 

An experiment with silver metalic wax.  Painted on box canvas the picture has been wrapped around the frame.

Against a black background it takes on a different ‘feel’ giving accent to other areas.

 

 

Whilst when placed with a light at the rear different colours and images stand out for the viewer.

I am still here!

Yep, a bit like a voice from the past! I am still here, alive and kicking, I think!

Life has overtaken me lately hence my absence but today, I felt creative and wanted to paint with my waxes for our new ‘bolt hole’ in Devon. I have a couple of paintings already hung there but one thing I had never done but had always been tempted to try. That was what I call a ‘Trilogy’ of paintings. You know 3 paintings in their own right but actually when placed next to each other they create a panoramic view? Never did it before, so took a deep breath, and this is what happened!

The subject matter is based on some photographs I took of the lake view near our ‘bolt hole’. A wonderfully tranquil setting with lots of trees and absolute peace…. wonderful!

Here are:

Part 1 -

Part 2 -

Part 3 -

Now view them together to make a panoramic view of the lake!

Or

Now I just have to decide where to hang them!

Exploring nature

It has been sometime, I know, since I painted another creation.  Finally, I have taken the time to create/paint my latest.

I am loving the inspiration that allows me to listen to the wind, watch the grasses sway in the breezes and smell the various scents that drift over me.

Feel this painting which I have entitled ‘Whispering Grasses’ and let your imagination take you on a journey of discovery!

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One picture shows a close up and the second I have taken at an angle to show how it has been completed around the sides of this boxed canvas.

I began the sequence of painting with applying droplets of wax which were then hot air dried.  After this I used my hot iron to smooth the waxes and then angled my iron to created the grasses.

Measuring just 23.5” x 15.5” it is neither too small or too large.  Now to find the right space for it!

Last two in the Tulip Series

At last I have come to the end of the Tulip Series!  I created the last two.  Now there are five.  They can either be mounted separately or together to make a bigger impact.

Created in an ACEO size (3” x 2.5”) they allow you to own an original work of art for next to nothing!

#4 and #5 to be found in my Etsy shop.

  

Now to see all 5!

An English Autumn Scene

I am slowly returning after the Christmas/New Year celebrations when I was totally laid up with flu!  Great!

Then as I was getting over that, I got another cold.  Now, over all that and trying very hard to get on with everything again.

And so, my friends, I have listed this encaustic painting in my artfire shop entitled ‘An English Autumn Scene’.

Autumn always incorporates some of my favourite colours, so warm and bright as nature gives a final blast before she beds down for the cold winter.

You may remember that this was actually one of my entries into the First Annual Autumn Arts Painting Challenge and Competition on Facebook.

Hopefully, this will be the start of my muse coming to work again!

A brush with Winter

One of my latest additions to the ACEO family…..

First of all, what is an ACEO?  Well, there is only one rule governing the creation of an ACEO which is short for Art Cards, Editions and Originals.  That rule being that an ACEO must measure 3.5" x 2.5".  No more, no less.  It can be portrait or landscape and be created in any medium.

This means that if you are interested in original art you can now afford to have your very own collection!  There are different ways of showing off your collection too.  Either you can purchase all manner of miniature easels on which to stand your treasured ACEO or you can place them in attractive albums which are then placed on your coffee table so you and your visitors can browse to your heart’s content.  Another idea is to mount them in frames, either individually or as a group.  Sometimes, using this latter method, especially if grouped by subject matter or colour, you can give quite a visual impact!

Anyway, back to showing off my latest ACEO for sale in my Etsy shop!

This one I entitled ‘Winter’s Brush’.  I know winter is just around the corner in the northern hemisphere but maybe this little spot has already been brushed by the cold of winter and then was just left?

A Swap painting

Once in a while the group I belong to on Etsy.com called Boomers and Beyond Etsy Street Team, or just plain the BBEST team, enjoy a swap experience.  Those interested in swapping with a secret partner put their hands up.

At a given date the names are all collected and it is then decided to allocate names.  This is usually done by pulling out the names from a hat.  Somewhat similar to when our football teams have their names pulled out of a hat to see who they will play next.

The joy of this system is that you learn to whom you will be sending your swap but you do not have a clue who will be sending something to you!

And so, we come to the point where I now know to whom I should post my swap but do not know from where or who my swap will be coming from!

Oh, since I have only just posted my swap….. I can’t tell you where it is going!  But, I can post a picture of it here!

I have entitled it ‘A Summer’s Day Dream’ since the subject we were all given was ‘Summer’ to interpret in any way we wished.  Here I visualised a view looking out early morning when the mists had not quite cleared the horizon leaving the viewer the opportunity to dream.

The painting has been created on canvas with my usual waxes and sealed.

At last! A new ACEO!

At long last!  After a long barren stretch when it seemed my muse had gone to pastures new she decided to pay me a visit!  Thank you.

Result?  Well this ACEO entitled Cave Opening is similar to one I have done in the past but it isn’t, if you get my meaning?  You can even compare by reading my last post!

It’s one of those paintings that, you the viewer, can decide which way you want to look at it.  Even, which way you want to interpret it.  That is the joy of encaustics.  They allow the imagination to go with the flow!

This ACEO is for sale along with other ACEO’s and other paintings in my Etsy shop or for more why not visit my Artfire shop?

See you there!

Weather systems at Sea

Having lived much of my life near the sea, well my main youth years, I have a total fascination with water in its many forms.

The encaustic medium is amazing at helping to create the image of lucidity and volume of water on a support.  Here are a couple of examples to be found in my Etsy shop.

The first painting in wax is that of a turbulent weather system which can produce ‘twisters’.

Imagine the wind howling as it pulls up the water into an amazing rough sea and then tries to drag air up into twister shapes.

In total contrast my next painting, A Cliff Walk,  is that of an image I often encountered as I walked along cliff tops on an island called Guernsey in the Channel Islands (mid way between England and France).  Although there are many concrete relics of WW2 from when Hitler invaded the islands, there are many areas of peace where the walker is allowed to enjoy and contemplate along with the local birds.

Different aspects of water

For the first time for quite a while I am in the right mood to put iron to canvas!  The wonder of encaustics is that you might have an idea of a subject matter but how it will evolve is up to the waxes on the day.

For the first painting I used my hot air gun.  Ooooh the power!   Well, actually, the heat.  I am always very conscious of where I place the gun once I have used it.  I really wouldn’t want to set the house on fire!

Whilst I was blowing the waxes around on the canvas and using different colours the idea of water lilies came to mind.  I am always amazed to discover how diverse water lilies can be in colour.  Remember the famous painting by the artist Monet?  Here is his interpretation of the subject.  I love the softness of this painting.

Now here is my interpretation.  A very different view but I still feel that the title Water Lilies is right for this encaustic.

 

 

Interestingly enough, I only searched out Monet’s painting after I had completed mine.  This painting is for sale on Artfire.com

 

In complete contrast but still using water as my main ‘prop’ I painted this one entitled Sail Boats.  I loved the feeling of release and freedom that the sea and sky offer to the lone sailor.  Just enough breeze to keep the boats moving!

This encaustic is for sale in my Etsy shop.

So, you see water has many moods depending on colour, application and ultimately, subject matter.

In honour of Spring!

My husband and I went for a walk on Saturday in one of our favourite parks run by the National Trust in UK.  This particular park, called Sheffield Park, was designed by 'Capability' Brown in the eighteenth century when he created irregular belts and clumps of trees and cleared informal paths through the woods.

There are truly some wonderful views.

Meanwhile, in encaustics, I have painted some flower images similar to crocus flowers or tulips.

 

This one entitled Windswept Flower reminded me of a delicate flower being buffeted by a fresh, cold wind in early spring.

 

 

 

Here I tried to convey how delicate the petals could be.

This one called Meadow Flower could be seen as more of a crocus or even a tulip!

Isn’t wonderful to be able to bring all these flowers to bloom with the new warmth of the fresh sunshine.  The world looks a better place already!

If you are interested in viewing more like these please visit my Etsy shop, Artfire or Zazzle.  If you wish to contact me I would love to hear from you too either through my Etsy shop or directly through my blog!

Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed your stay?  Do come again soon!

An ACEO?

I am sure you have seen much chat about ACEOs? Trouble is often you hear about expressions and because everyone appears to know what they are talking about you feel nervous about admitting you don’t actually know what an ACEO is!

Well, do you remember the old cigarette packets that contained small cards which were collected and traded? That’s how ACEOs came about! Originally, termed as an ATC or Artist’s Trading Card, people loved the idea of collecting these cards but unless you already possessed one, how on earth did you start to trade since this was the only way in which to secure others? Answers on a postcard!!!! No, seriously, someone came up with the bright idea that you could call it something else and therefore now you could not only trade but also buy and sell them! Eureka!!

An art format started by an artist on Ebay two years ago it has grown in popularity ever since. This artist is known by “bone*diva” on Ebay, but her real name is Lisa Luree. Here you can see an example of her work entitled ‘Luree tiny Madonna with bird’ which you will find for sale on Ebay.

So, an ACEO or Art Cards, Editions and Originals. They are small at 2.5 x 3.5 inches, or baseball card size. That is the only rule that governs this little critters! They can be created in any medium you wish from a painting to print, from polymer clay to glass. You name it, you make it. It’s that simple!

ACEOs are avidly collected all over the world whether bought/sold or traded and is a wonderful way to collect original works of art at a sensible price.

When I began painting ACEOs in a wax medium called encaustic I found it an exciting way to experiment. There are many collectors out there who all belong to many wide and various groups. Even Ebay has a collectors group!

ACEOs can be presented in a selection of different ways. For instance in an album or slipped into a card as a surprise present! They can be matted and framed to be displayed on the wall either singly or as a collection.

Although the concept of an ACEO is still in its infancy you will find more and more people, like you the reader, learning about them as they are being offered for sale on more and more websites, as well as in some real-world galleries.

Like what you see? Why not check out my Etsy shop or Artfire where you will find a varied selection of ACEOs.

So, what is stopping you? Want to buy or sell an ACEO? Just remember that whatever you do they can become addictive. You won’t be able to stop at just one! Best of all enjoy!