Mixed media non objective painting.

Mixed media underpainting, non objective. Untitled.Fields of color with texture and some tension. Needs to be pulled together with a focal point probably where the sharp edge of the lower right triangle is.I'm liking the feeling of this painting. Hopefully i wont muck it up. The last one has been cut up into tiny squares heading maybe for a collage.

Horse and Rider turning into a non objective painting

Ok now I've turned the painting upside down and am working at looking at shapes and layers to work toward a non objective painting. Click to enlarge.

Kathe Mera Studio and Foundations for a new body of work.

 Sketch from photo sort of realistic.Not clear. Click on image to make bigger. That might help.

 Sketch reduced to a few basic shapes.Study...Horse and Rider.

Mono print and melted oil and wax techniqes. All studies toward a new body of work. Here we go again. A little lost in space trying to figure out a direction for my artwork. i am dabbling in everything to practising life drawing to totally non objective work. When i settle into a body of work i will need to buy myself a set of blinders to stop me heading of in all directions.I am in a state of confusion at present. Woe is me.

Kiddy Lit, onward and upward

Ok, looks like I'm focusing on Children's Book writing and illustration. Kiddy Lit!However....it's a mad house out there! Things are changing so quickly in this industry and that's making my head spin. 
My goals for this year are three fold. Abbreviation for contro CRL

1. To  Connect....eg I haveave joined an illustrator's group on Facebook


2. Revise....eg I've taken storys out of the closest to pull apart and put back together. Illustrations too of course.
If i can stick to these three goals maybe i wont go 'totally' nuts!

3. To Learn....eg. I am reading articles, watching youtubes, trying to get a handle on Photoshop and Sketchbook Pro 6 as well as getting into that studio and make good old traditional drawings on the drawing board.

I also have a 'check-in buddy' to keep me on track. We send a short email to each other every Friday stating what we have done during the week to move us toward those goals. So far this has worked well! Stay tuned

Ten Minute 'Toons!

Ok, i'm still sitting with the idea of retiring as an artist and trying to figure out what that's all about. While I'm doing that i thought i would start a little exercise called 'ten minute toons'. Thought of this after reading a blog called a 'doodle a day' by Scott e Franson. Here is my first. A couple of horses fighting over a feed tub. Happens a lot here at the ranch.

Losing my passion

Woke up this morning with a thought. What if i suddenly lost all of my passion to become a better artist? Would that be the time to call it quits?When turning up to the easle (computer these days) becomes a chore. Something that no longer makes me happy. When i get tired of a file full of sales receipts for art suppliers and one tiny manila folder with one or two sales receipts for art  with my name on it. Not to mention the file full of rejection slips from publishers. All this is fine if the 'doing' of the art still makes you happy! So this is the question I am sitting with for a while and I have a feeling I'm not sitting alone.

4 little Abstract (non objective) pieces

 inner turbulence

 turbulence

 ruins

vision                                                                                                                 click to enlarge.

Back to Abbies! I really love doing non-objective work. I've discovered it's not easy for the human mind to create a non- objective image. I constantly have to discipline myself not to try to make something concrete of the work. I want to just explore shape, color, texture, energy, movement, gesture, depth, layer, transparency, tone, value, contast......... yadditer, yadditer, yadditer. There is a lot to it!! A great amount of thought does go into these things without, or maybe in spite of, being representative of reality. And, then there is knowing where to stop! This is why alot of my Abby's go to the circulate filing cabinet or are hiddden away on the backs of each other. ( I hate to waste paper!)
 These are only 11 x 14" and painted in mixed media on w/c paper.